Nay wanton kids devouring wolves may greet, And wolves with loving lyonesses meet. By different means is different love made known. And each fond lover will prefer his own. Strange lot of love! two friends, my soul's delight, Men call that M----r, this a Catamite! Yet bring him back; for who chaste roundelay Shall sing, now B--ST--FF is driv'n away? Who now correct, for modest Drury-lane, Loose Wycherly's or Congreve's looser vein? With nice decorum shunning naughty jokes, Exhibit none but decent, dainty folks?[34] Ah me! how wanton wit will shame the stage, And shock this delicate, this virtuous age! NOTES. [34] NYKY was employed by ROSCIUS to correct the Plain-dealer of Wycherly; which he accordingly attempted, and inscribed the attempt to his patron, "as a tribute of _affection_ and esteem for his many shining and _amiable_ qualities." "The licentiousness of Wycherly's muse," says this modern corrector, "rendered her shocking to us, with all her charms: or, in other words, we could allow no charms in a tainted beauty, who brought contagion along with her." Of the play of the Plain-dealer, in particular, he intimates that it had been long excluded the theatre; because, to the honour of the present age, it was immoral and indecent: that on a close examination, he found in it excessive obscenity; that the character of Manly was rough even to outrageous brutality; and that he thought it necessary to work the whole materials up again, with a mixture of alloy agreeable to the rules of modern refinement! SEE PREFACE TO B---- FF'S PLAIN-DEALER. What a champion for decency and delicacy, morality and humanity! What improvement may not sterling wit receive from the mixture of such alloy! What an idea may we not hence acquire of modern refinement! How will _Plain-dealers_[35] triumph, to my sorrow! And PAPHOS rise o'er SODOM and GOMORRAH! NOTES. [35] A character thus admirably depicted by Wycherly, in the scene between Manly and Plausible. _Manly._ I have more of the mastiff than the spaniel in me, I own it: I cannot fawn, and fetch and carry; neither will I ever practise that servile complaisance, which some people pique themselves on being masters of.---- I will not whisper my contempt or hatred; call a man fool or knave by signs and mouths, over his shoulder; while I have him in my arms: I will not, as you do---- _Plausible._ As I do! Heaven defend me! upon my honour! I never attempted to abuse or lessen any one in my life. _Manly._ What! you were afraid? _Plausible._ No: but seriously I hate to do a rude thing. No, faith, I speak well of all mankind. _Manly._ I thought so: but know that this is the worst sort of detraction, for it takes away the reputation of the few good men in the world by making all alike! Now I speak ill of many men, because they deserve it. [Illustration] APPENDIX.