OCR Text |
Show io The R E H E A R S A LJ is no Book but has fome, I tranfverfe it; that is, if it be Profe, put it into Verfe, (but that takes up fome time ;) and if it be Verfe, put it into Profe. Johnf. Methinks, Mr. Bayes, that putting Verfe into Profe mould be call'd tranfprofing. Bayes. By m y troth, Sir, 'tis a very good Notion, and hereafter it fhall be fo. Smith. Well, Sir, and what d'ye do with it then ? Bayes. M a k e it m y own. 'Tis fochang'd, that no Man can know it. M y next Rule is the Rule of Record, by way of Table-Book. Pray obferve. Johnf. W e hear you, Sir : go on. Bayes. A s thus, I come into a Coffee-houfe, or fome other place where witty M e n refort; I make as if I minded nothing: (do you mark ?) but as foon as any one fpeaks, pop I flap it down, and make that too m y own. Johnf. But, Mr. Bayes, are you not fometimes in danger of their making you reftore, by Force, what you have gotten thus by Art ? Bayes. N o , Sir, the World's unmindful; they never take notice of thefe things. Smith. But pray, Mr. Bayes, among all your other Rules, have you no one Rule for Invention ? Bayes. Yes, Sir, that's m y third Rule that I have here in m y Pocket. Smith. What Rule can that be, I wonder! Bayes. W h y , Sir, when I have any thing to invent, I never trouble m y head about it, as other M e n do > but prefently turn over tjus Book, and there I have, at one view, all that Perfius, Montaigne, Seneca's Tragedies, Horace, Juvenal, Claudian, Pliny, Plutarch's Lives, and the reft, have ever thought upon this Subject: and io, in a trice, by leaving out a few Words, or putting in others of m y own, the bufinefs is done. Johnf. Indeed, Mr. Bayes, this is as fure and compendious a way of Wit as ever I heard of. Bayes. Sir, if you make the leaft fcruples of the Efficacy of thefe m y Rules, do but come to the Play-houfe, and you fhall judee of 'em by the Effects. Smith. We'll follow you, Sir. [Exewt. Enter three Players an the Stage. i Play. Have you yous PiSt perfect I J • + z P^p The R E H E A R S A L . IZ 2 P/ay.^ Yes, I have it without Book ; but I don't un-derftand how it is to be fpoken. 3 Play. And mine is fuch a one, as I can't guefs for m y life what Humour I'm to be in ,• whether angry, melancholy, merry, or in love. I don't know what to make on't. i Play. Phoo! the Author will be here prefently, and he'll tell us all. You muft know this is the new way of writing, and thefe hard things pleafe forty times better than the old plain way : For look you, Sir, the grand Defign upon the Stage is to keep the Auditors in fufpenfe ; for to guefs prefently at the Plot, and the Senfe, tires them before the end of the firft Act. N o w here every Line fur-prifes you, and brings in new Matter : And then, for Scenes, Clothes, and Dances, we put quite down all that ever went before us •, and thofe are things, you know* that are effential to a Play. 2 Play. Well, I a m not of thy mind; but fo it gets us Money, 'tis no great matter. Enter Bayes, Johnfon, and Smith. Bayes. Come, come in, Gentlemen. You're very welcome. Mr.--a--Ha' you your Part ready ? I Play. Yes, Sir. Bayes. But do you underftand the true H u m o u r of it?' i Play. Ay, Sir, pretty well. Bayes. And Amaryllis, how does fhe do ? Does not her Armour become her ! 3 Play. O admirably ! Bayes. I'll tell you now ft pretty Conceit. What do* you think I'll make 'em call her anon, in this Play ? Smith. Wrhat, I pray ? Bayes. W h y , I make 'em call her Annaryllis, becaufe' of her Armour. Ha, ha, ha \ Johnf That will be very well indeed: Bayes Ay it's a pretty little Rogue ; I knew her Pace wouid let off Armour extremely : and, to tell you true I Miftrefs' ?an °nl/ ^ LCr' Y°U mUfl kn°W 1?iC is °# JShldtr! rg^d an°ther ** ***•**» *" Johf Haft thou, faith ? Prithee how was that ? A 6 Bafts.. |