If a Young Poet hit your Humour right, You judge him then out of Revenge and Spite; So amongst Men there are ridiculous Elves, Who Monkeys hate for being too like themselves: So that the Reason of the Grand Debate, Why Wit so oft is damn’d, when good Plays take, Is, that you censure as you love or hate. Thus, like a learned Conclave, Poets sit Catholick Judges both of Sense and Wit, And damn or save, as they themselves think fit. Yet those who to others Faults are so severe, Are not so perfect, but themselves may err. Some write correct indeed, but then the whole (Bating their own dull Stuff i’th’ Play) is stole: 8 As Bees do suck from Flowers their Honey-dew, So they rob others, striving to please you. Some write their Characters genteel and fine, But then they do so toil for every Line, That what to you does easy seem, and plain, Is the hard issue of their labouring Brain. And some th’ Effects of all their Pains we see, Is but to mimick good Extempore. Others by long Converse about the Town, Have Wit enough to write a leud Lampoon, But their chief Skill lies in a Baudy Song. In short, the only Wit that’s now in Fashion Is but the Gleanings of good Conversation. As for the Author of this coming Play, I ask’d him what he thought fit I should say, In thanks for your good Company to day: He call’d me Fool, and said it was well known, You came not here for our sakes, but your own. New Plays are stuff’d with Wits, and with Debauches, That croud and sweat like Cits in _May_-day Coaches. 9 DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. MEN. Don _Antonio_, the Vice-Roy’s Son, Mr. _Jevorne_. Don _Pedro_, a Noble _Spaniard_, his Friend, Mr. _Medburne_. _Belvile_, an _English_ Colonel in love with _Florinda_, Mr. _Betterton_. _Willmore_, the _ROVER_, Mr. _Smith_. _Frederick_, an _English_ Gentleman, and Friend to _Belvile_ and _Blunt_, Mr. _Crosbie_. _Blunt_, an _English_ Country Gentleman, Mr. _Underhill_. _Stephano_, Servant to Don _Pedro_, Mr. _Richards_. _Philippo_, _Lucetta’s_ Gallant, Mr. _Percival_. _Sancho_, Pimp to _Lucetta_, Mr. _John Lee_. _Risky_ and _Sebastian_, two Bravoes to _Angelica_. _Diego_, Page to Don _Antonio_. Page to _Hellena_. Boy, Page to _Belvile_. _Blunt’s_ Man. Officers and Soldiers. WOMEN. _Florinda_, Sister to Don _Pedro_, Mrs. _Betterton_. _Hellena_, a gay young Woman design’d for a Nun, and Sister to _Florinda_, Mrs. _Barrey_. _Valeria_, a Kinswoman to _Florinda_, Mrs. _Hughes_. _Angelica Bianca_, a famous Curtezan, Mrs. _Gwin_. _Moretta_, her Woman, Mrs. _Leigh_. _Callis_, Governess to _Florinda_ and _Hellena_, Mrs. _Norris_. _Lucetta_, a jilting Wench, Mrs. _Gillow_. Servants, other Masqueraders, Men and Women. SCENE _Naples_, in Carnival-time. 10 ACT I. Scene I. A chamber. Enter _Florinda_ and _Hellena_. Flor. What an impertinent thing is a young Girl bred in a Nunnery! How full of Questions! Prithee no more, _Hellena_; I have told thee more than thou understand’st already.