This comedy was acted and printed in 1690. It was very favourably received; and continued long to be what is called a stock-play. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: This caution is given by Mercury in the prologue. "Nunc internosse ut vos possitis facilius, Ego has habebo hic usque in petaso pinnulas, Tum meo patri autem torulus inerit aureus Sub petaso: Id signum Amphitruoni non erit. Ea signa nemo horumce familiarium Videri poterit; verum vos videbitis."] TO THE HONOURABLE SIR WILLIAM LEVESON GOWER, BARONET.[2] There is one kind of virtue which is inborn in the nobility, and indeed in most of the ancient families of this nation; they are not apt to insult on the misfortunes of their countrymen. But you, sir, I may tell it without flattery, have grafted on this natural commiseration, and raised it to a nobler virtue. As you have been pleased to honour me, for a long time, with some part of your esteem, and your good will; so, in particular, since the late Revolution, you have increased the proofs of your kindness to me; and not suffered the difference of opinions, which produce such hatred and enmity in the brutal part of human kind, to remove you from the settled basis of your good nature, and good sense. This nobleness of yours, had it been exercised on an enemy, had certainly been a point of honour, and as such I might have justly recommended it to the world; but that of constancy to your former choice, and the pursuance of your first favours, are virtues not over-common amongst Englishmen. All things of honour have, at best, somewhat of ostentation in them, and self-love; there is a pride of doing more than is expected from us, and more than others would have done. But to proceed in the same track of goodness, favour, and protection, is to shew that a man is acted by a thorough principle: it carries somewhat of tenderness in it, which is humanity in a heroical degree; it is a kind of unmoveable good-nature; a word which is commonly despised, because it is so seldom practised. But, after all, it is the most generous virtue, opposed to the most degenerate vice, which is that of ruggedness and harshness to our fellow-creatures.