"After all, one of the boldest Attempts of Human Wit, is to write a taking _Comedy_: For, how many different sorts of People, how many various Palates must a Poet please, to gain a general Applause? He must have a _Plot_ and _Design_, _Coherence_ and _Unity_ of _Action_, _Time_ and _Place_, for the Criticks, _Polite Language_ for the Boxes, _Repartee_, _Humor_, and _Double Entendres_ for the Pit; and to the shame of our Theatres, a mixture of Farce for the Galleries, What Man of Sense now will venture his Reputation upon these hard Terms. "The Poet often arrogates to himself the Applause, which we only give to Mrs. _Barry_ or _Bracegirdle_'s inimitable Performances: But then he must take as often upon his Account the Hisses, which are only intended for _Cæsonia_, and _Corinna's abominable Acting_. One makes amends for 'tother. "Many a pert Coxcomb might have past for a _Wit_, if his Vanity had not brought him to _Will_'s. "The same thing that makes a Man appear with Assurance at _Court_; qualifies him also to appear unconcern'd among Men of Sense at _Will_'s: I mean _Impertinence_. "As some People _Write_, so others _talk themselves_ out of their _Reputation_." * The name of a _Wit_ is little better than a Slander, since it is generally given by those that have _none_, to those that have _little_. "How strangely some words lose their Primitive Sense! By a _Critick_, was originally understood a _good Judge_; with us now-a-days, it signifies no more than a _Fault-finder_." * A _Critick_ in the Modern Acceptation, seldom rises, either in _Merit_, or _Reputation_; for it argues a mean grov'ling Genius, to be always finding Fault; whereas, a candid Judge of Things, not only improves his Parts, but gains every Body's Esteem. * None keep generally worse Company than your Establish'd _Wits_, for there are a sort of Coxcombs, that stick continually to them like Burrs, to make the Town think from their Company, that they are Men of Parts. * _Criticks_ are useful, that's most certain, so are Executioners and Informers: But what Man did ever envy the condition of _Jack Ketch_, or _Jack P----r_. * How can we love the Man, whose Office is to torture and execute other Men's Reputation. * After all, a _Critick_ is the last Refuge of a pretender to _Wit_. "Tis a great piece of Assurance in a profest _Critick_ to write _Plays_, for if he does, he must expect to have the whole Club of _Wits_, scanning his Performances with utmost Severity, and magnifying his _Slips_ into _prodigious Faults_." * I don't wonder Men of Quality and Estate resort to _Will_'s, for really they make the best Figure there; an indifferent thing from 'em, passes for a Witty Jest, and sets presently the whole Company a Laughing. Thus we admire the pert Talk of Children, because we expected nothing from 'em.