“The scenes in this act, occasioned by the artifice of Davus concerning the child, do not fall directly under the observation of Voltaire; but are, however, so much of the same colour, that, if represented on the stage, they would, I doubt not, have the like effect, and be the best means of confuting those infidel critics who maintain that Terence has no humour. I do not remember a scene in any comedy where there is such a natural complication of pleasant circumstances. Davus’s sudden change of his intentions on seeing Chremes, without having time to explain himself to Mysis; her confusion and comical distress, together with the genuine simplicity of her answers; and the conclusion drawn by Chremes from the supposed quarrel; are all finely imagined, and directly calculated for the purposes of exciting the highest mirth in the spectators. The words of Davus to Mysis in this speech, “Is there then,” _&c._, have the air of an oblique praise of this scene from the poet himself, shewing with what art it is introduced, and how naturally it is sustained. Sir Richard Steele had deviated so much from Terence in the original construction of his fable, that he had no opportunity of working this scene into it. Baron, who, I suppose, was afraid to hazard it on the French theatre, fills up the chasm by bringing Glycerium on the stage. She, amused by Davus with a forged tale of the falsehood of Pamphilus, throws herself at the feet of Chremes, and prevails on him once more to break off the intended match with Philumena. In consequence of this alteration, the most lively part of the comedy in Terence becomes the gravest in Baron: the artifice of Davus is carried on with the most starch formality, and the whole incident, as conducted in the French imitation, loses all that air of ease and pleasantry, which it wears in the original.”――COLMAN. NOTE 186. A. IV. S. 10.――_Crito. (to himself.) I am told_, &c. Crito is what Scaliger calls a _catastatic_ character, because he is the chief personage of the catastasis, (καταστασις,) _vide_ Note 144, and introduced for the purpose of leading the way to the catastrophe of the piece. NOTE 187. _Rather than live in honest poverty in her own country._ Quæ se inhonestè optavit _parare_ hîc divitias Potius, quàm in patriâ honestè _pauper_ vivere Some editors (_vide Joan. Riveus_) read this passage differently, Quæ se inhonestè optavit _parere_ hîc divitias Potius, quàm in patriâ honestè _paupera_ vivere. Others, instead of Quæ _se_ read Quæ _sese_: this is a very elegant pleonasm. NOTE 188. _That wealth, however, now devolves to me._