Since long +Prefaces+ are lately much in Fashion upon this and the like Occasions, why may not we be allow'd some tolerable Liberty in this kind; provided we keep close to our Author, and our own Translation of him. As for our Author, wherever Learning, Wit or Judgment have flourish'd, this Poet has always had an extraordinary Reputation. To mention all his Excellencies and Perfections were a Task too difficult for us, and perhaps for the greatest Criticks alive; so very few there are that perfectly understand all of 'em; yet we shall venture at some of the most Remarkable. To begin with him in general. He was certainly the most Exact, the most Elaborate, and withal the most Natural of all +Dramatick+ Poets; His +Stile+ so neat and pure, his +Characters+ so true and perfect, his +Plots+ so regular and probable, and almost every thing so absolutely just and agreeable, that he may well seem to merit that Praise which several have given him, +That he was the most correct Author in the World.+ To compare him with +Plautus+, the other great +Latin Comedian+, we may observe that +Plautus+ had more Wit and Spirit, but +Terence+ more Sense and Judgment; the former's Stile was rich and glaring, the latter's more close and even: +Plautus+ had the most dazelling out-side, and the most lively Colours, but +Terence+ drew the finest Figures and Postures, and had the best Design; the one pleas'd the Vulgar, but our Author the Better sort of people; the former wou'd usually set his Spectators into a loud Laughter, but the latter steal 'em into a sweet Smile that shou'd continue from the beginning to the end of the Representation: in short, +Plautus+ was more lively and vigorous, and so fitter for +Action+; and +Terence+ more grave and serious, and so fitter for +Reading+. Tho' +Plautus+'s Beauties were very extraordinary, yet he had his Faults and Indecorums very frequent; but +Terence+'s Excellencies (tho' possibly inferior to some of the others) were more general, better dispers'd, and closer continu'd; and his Faults so inconsiderable, and so very few, that +Scaliger+ said, +There were not three to be found throughout the Six Plays.+ So that our Author seems to want nothing to make him absolutely compleat, but only that same +Vis Comica+ that +Caesar+ wishes he had, and which +Plautus+ was Master of in such a high degree. We shall determine nothing between 'em, but leave 'em good Friends as we found 'em. This may be sufficient for our Author's Excellencies in general; for his particular ones, we shall begin with his Stile, a thing he has been admir'd for in all Ages, and truly he deserves it; for certainly no one was ever more accurate, natural, and clear in his Expressions than he. But to be a little more particular in this Matter, we shall give you some few of our Author's Excellencies in this kind under three or four different Heads.