"It concerns me less than any," said NEANDER, seeing he had ended, "to reply to this discourse, because when I should have proved that Verse may be _natural_ in Plays; yet I should always be ready to confess that those which I [_i.e., DRYDEN, see_ pp. 503, 566] have written in this kind, come short of that perfection which is required. Yet since you are pleased I should undertake this province, I will do it: though, with all imaginable respect and deference both to that Person [_i.e., SIR ROBERT HOWARD, see_ p. 494] from whom you have borrowed your strongest arguments; and to whose judgement, when I have said all, I finally submit. "But before I proceed to answer your objections; I must first remember you, that I exclude all Comedy from my defence; and next, that I deny not but Blank Verse may be also used: and content myself only to assert that _in serious Plays_, where the Subject and Characters are great, and the Plot unmixed with mirth (which might allay or divert these concernments which are produced), _Rhyme is there, as natural, and more effectual than Blank Verse_. "And now having laid down this as a foundation: to begin with CRITES, I must crave leave to tell him, that some of his arguments against Rhyme, reach no farther that from _the faults or defects of ill Rhyme_ to conclude against _the use of it in general_ [p. 598]. May not I conclude against Blank Verse, by the same reason? If the words of some Poets, who write in it, are either ill-chosen or ill-placed; which makes not only Rhyme, but all kinds of Verse, in any language, unnatural: shall I, for their virtuous affectation, condemn those excellent lines of FLETCHER, which are written in that kind? Is there anything in Rhyme more constrained, than this line in Blank Verse? "I, heaven invoke! and strong resistance make. "Where you see both the clauses are placed unnaturally; that is, contrary to the common way of speaking, and that, without the excuse of a rhyme to cause it: yet you would think me very ridiculous, if I should accuse the stubbornness of Blank Verse for this; and not rather, the stiffness of the Poet. Therefore, CRITES! you must either prove that _words, though well chosen and duly placed, yet render not Rhyme natural in itself_; or that, _however natural and easy the Rhyme may be, yet it is not proper for a Play_. "If you insist on the former part; I would ask you what other conditions are required to make Rhyme natural in itself, besides an election of apt words, and a right disposing of them? For the due _choice_ of your words expresses your Sense naturally, and the due _placing_ them adapts the Rhyme to it.