He owns, with toil he wrought the following scenes, But if they’re naught ne’er spare him for his pains: Damn him the more; have no commiseration For dulness on mature deliberation. He swears he’ll not resent one hissed-off scene, Nor, like those peevish wits, his play maintain, Who, to assert their sense, your taste arraign. Some plot we think he has, and some new thought; Some humour too, no farce—but that’s a fault. Satire, he thinks, you ought not to expect; For so reformed a town who dares correct? To please, this time, has been his sole pretence, He’ll not instruct, lest it should give offence. Should he by chance a knave or fool expose, That hurts none here, sure here are none of those. In short, our play shall (with your leave to show it) Give you one instance of a passive poet, Who to your judgments yields all resignation: So save or damn, after your own discretion. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. FAINALL, in love with Mrs. Marwood, _Mr. Betterton_. MIRABELL, in love with Mrs. Millamant, _Mr. Verbruggen_. WITWOUD, follower of Mrs. Millamant, _Mr. Bowen_. PETULANT, follower of Mrs. Millamant, _Mr. Bowman_. SIR WILFULL WITWOUD, half brother to Witwoud, _Mr. Underhill_. and nephew to Lady Wishfort, WAITWELL, servant to Mirabell, _Mr. Bright_. WOMEN. LADY WISHFORT, enemy to Mirabell, for having _Mrs. Leigh_. falsely pretended love to her, MRS. MILLAMANT, a fine lady, niece to Lady _Mrs. Bracegirdle_. Wishfort, and loves Mirabell, MRS. MARWOOD, friend to Mr. Fainall, and likes _Mrs. Barry_. Mirabell, MRS. FAINALL, daughter to Lady Wishfort, and _Mrs. Bowman_. wife to Fainall, formerly friend to Mirabell, FOIBLE, woman to Lady Wishfort, _Mrs. Willis_. MINCING, woman to Mrs. Millamant, _Mrs. Prince_. DANCERS, FOOTMEN, ATTENDANTS. SCENE: London. _The time equal to that of the presentation_. ACT I.—SCENE I. _A Chocolate-house_. MIRABELL _and_ FAINALL _rising from cards_. BETTY _waiting_. MIRA. You are a fortunate man, Mr. Fainall. FAIN. Have we done? MIRA. What you please. I’ll play on to entertain you. FAIN. No, I’ll give you your revenge another time, when you are not so indifferent; you are thinking of something else now, and play too negligently: the coldness of a losing gamester lessens the pleasure of the winner. I’d no more play with a man that slighted his ill fortune than I’d make love to a woman who undervalued the loss of her reputation. MIRA. You have a taste extremely delicate, and are for refining on your pleasures. FAIN. Prithee, why so reserved? Something has put you out of humour. MIRA. Not at all: I happen to be grave to-day, and you are gay; that’s all.