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ring, I cannot but think it much more juft, than that which prevailed in our English Opera's before this Innovation. The Tranfition from the Air to the Recitativo Mufick being more natural than the paffing from a Song to plain. and ordinary Speaking, which was the common Method in Purcel's Opera's. This, to make Sense of it, and render it of a Piece with what went before, requires all the Art of the Tatler, Spectator, Guardian. For how can that be faid to be more natural than any thing, which is in all its Parts entirely unnatural. Then what does he mean by the Tranfition from Speaking to Mufick in Harry Purcel's Opera's? In them, what was proper for Mufick, was fung, and the Drama performed as all other Drama's were. The fame might be faid of the Tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides, and the rest of the Ancients; when the Actors came to a Paufe, the Chorus fung, and when the Chorus had done finging, the Actors spoke again: And would this Author perfwade any one in his Senfes, that the Modern Opera's had a more natural Tranfition than the Greek Tragedies?

For my Part (interrupted Mrs. Lamode) I have fo humble an Opinion of my felf, as to think, that what pleafes every Body, at least, the People of Fa fhion, ought to pleafe me; and I have this Satisfaction, to find an Abundance of Pleasure in erring with all my Acquaintance. For that I may not be deceiv'd in my Opinion of a Play or Opera, I never go to ei ther, till I hear a Character of them from fome of my Friends, and know how it takes with the Town. The Particulars fometimes the obliging Mr. Trifle does me the Favour of conveying to me, and fometimes my dear fachar; and what pleafes moit, I always take to be beft,

I profefs (aflum'd Trifle) I think your Ladyship ins finitely in the Right. I always do the very fame. I am content to leave the Critics the furly Satisfaction of being pleafed with nothing that is not Two Thou fand Years old; the regular, stiff Pieces of the Anci

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ears; the Rules and Forms of an old dull Philosopher, who never understood Gayery and Gallantry; Ariftotle with his Sophocles, and I know not what Greek Bites refüfe me..

Admirably rally my Dear Mr. Trifie (affum'd Mrs. Lamode laughing) give me the Wit and Poetry of a fälhionable Turn, fine Things and fine Language. For dear Laudon, there's a Mode of Wit and Poetry, as well as of loaths; and he or the, that is out of the Fashion, makes a very ridiculous Figure, and is very fcandalous Company. Wou'd it not be a very prettySight to have a young Lady come into the Drawings. Room in a Ruf, and Farthingal ? London, and Athens,.. are quite different Places, and the Modes, and Manners of the People differ fo much, that what was bright, and pleafing in. Athens, must be dully and infipid in Fonden.

Laudon (purfi'd fachary don't you think, that my Spouse has froken like an Oracle The Critics have not thought enough on this Point... I have been bred at the University my felf, and I have read the Antients, and profefe, I can't difcover thofe killing Beauties, which the Affectation of the Critics pretends to find in them. I vow I can't help thinking that Cowley is finer than Ovid, and the Arthurs as good as Homer, or Virgil Nor can I fee any Reafon why our Dramatic Poets are not more valuable than Sophocles, or Eurípides. All the Advantage thefe have, is, that they liv'd a great while ago, and that they writ in Greek. What fay you, fair Lady (concluded he to Morisina) Iam fure you can never admire those Heathen Roets, whom you do not understand, above our own Countrymen, whom you do.

I find fo many Reafons (reply'd Morifina) to diffike thofe, whom I do understand, that I fancy I fhou'd have as many to like thofe whom Edo not understand ; efpecially when I find the Accounts the Learned give of them (in the Languages I know) and the Ob jections drawn from the Antients by themy against :

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the Abfurdities of our modern Poets fo agreeable to Nature and Refon. As for your Ladyship's Mode and Fashion of Wit, it may, perhaps, hold of the Poems of our Time; for we feldom find, that they keep up their eafily acquir'd Reputation more than one Seafon. But as the prefent Duke of Buckingham has it in · his admirable Effay on Poetry,

True Wit is everlafting like the Sun.

And to fhew your Ladyship, that your Simile of Ruffs, and Farthingal's, will be little Proof of what you urg'd it for; you must remember, that ShakeSpear's Wit holds in Fashion ftill, though of the fame Date with thofe Ornaments of Drefs, which wou'd ' now appear fo very ridiculous. Time, that has fo often chang'd our Modes of Apparel, and made the fame Things fo often modifh and antiquated, hasonly added Force, Respect, and Authority to the true Wit of One Hundred and Fifty Years fanding. As we find this beyond Difpure in Shakespear, fo the fime will hold good of thofe great Masters of Poetry among the Antients of Rome, and Athens; who have in all. Times, and all Nations (as foon as underfood) kepr up, nay encreas'd their Efteem, and Value, whilft every thing elfe chang'd: Imperial Families, Kingdoins, whole Nations, and People have perished or alter'd their Modes, Forms, and Languages.

And as for your Ladyship's fine Things, and fine Lan guage, to prefer thefe to more charming, and more effential Excellencies, wou'd be as ridiculous, as to prefer your Eady fhip's Drefs to your Perfon: AComplement, I dare believe, that you would not think fo gallant, as the Mode and Fashion require. It is indeed, in fome Po ems, and fome fort of Poetry the most valuable Part; but then that fort is of the most inferiour Rank, and full of the most base Allay; as perhaps the Men may really think fome Women of lefs Value than their Cloaths.

Noram I furpriz'd at the facetions Mr. Trifle's humble Content in leaving the Critics the Satisfaction of

being pleas'd with nothing but the regular Pieces of Antiquity, and the Rules and Forms of an old doting Philofopher; for I think that he ought to be confiftent with himfelf, and no more approve of Regularity and Order in the Works of the Poets, than in his own Conduct, and Actions. Establish'd Cuftoms, Habits, and Inclinations eafily bribe a weak Judgment_to their fide; and render every thing agreeable, that carries any Refemblance to themselves.

As for Mr. Lamode's putting the modern Authors on a Foot with Homer, I am very confident, that the admirable Author of the Creation, has too much Judgment, and too much Modefty, to have any fuch Thought himfelf. Let it fuffice, that the Author of the Arthurs has the Glory of excelling Lucretius, it is a Palm gain'd only by him; but leave the Soveraignty of Homer untouch'd, even by Milton himself; who, I am afraid, in Juftice with all his vaft Imagination and Strength of Genius, will come in for no more than the fecond Place.

But, Madam, I wonder that your Ladyfhip, who yalue your felf for the grand Gouft in all the fine Pleafures above every one elfe, thou'd be for levelling your Understanding with the very Canaille, the Grofs of the Readers and Spectators, who not only fill up the Houfe, but like the Shoe-maker of Madrid (as Madam Dunois tells you) difpos'd of the Fate of a Play. At this Rate you make your Footman in the Upper Gallery, as good a Judge as your felf. An Affront invented by the Malice of a half-witted Enemy, cou'd never be more reproachful than what you wou'd here put on your felf. But, dear Madam, I am fo much your Friend, that I can never bear fuch an Indignity to your Senfe, even from your own fair Mouth. Befides, if you allow the Applaufe of the Town to be the Teft of what is Good, you must allow its Neglect or Exploding to be the Mark of the Bad; and then the very fame thing must be good and bad, the best, and the worst, and the fame Mea in the fame

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Poem the most excellent, and the moft execrable of Poets. To avoid Inftances of living Authors, the Mamamouche, on its firft Appearance, was acted a Month together, which muft exalt it to the highest Excellence; but when it was reviv'd (as I am affur'd by those who were at it) it was hiss'd off the Stage; and fo by the fame Teft became the worst of Farces Thus you wou'd make the Orphan yield to the Empress. of Morocco, and the Plain-dealer to the Quixots, yet, Madam, I am confident your Ladyfhip will never prefer the last to the first.

You must therefore, Madam, for your own fake, find out fome furer Way of judging of the leffer Poems, as well as of Plays, than that Run, and Reception, they meet with from the Town, which is fo uncertain, and varying in the frail Praise fhe beftows, that Poems have already loft their Glory, and are become as great Drugs as Quare's, and Withers, which for a while carry'd the Acclamations along with them: Nay, Cowley himself, fo much ador'd for near Forty Years, lofes every Day Ground with all thofe, who love Nature, and Harmony, which are Virtues not very common in that learned and witty Perfon.

Here the bright Morifina made an End, discovering as many Charms in her Soul, as Eyes. Thefe may, perhaps, be equall'd by many of her Sex ; but a Tafte fo fine, he enjoys almoft without a Rival. Mrs. Lamode was confounded, and difmay'd, and cou'd fcarce muster up Spirits enow to defire her to point out a better Method of judging, than the Opinion of the Town. But Dinner now coming in, fufpended her Reply.

After our Repaft was over, and the Tea on the Table, Mrs Lamode renew'd her Request to Morifina to correct her Error, and give her a more infallible Method of judging juftly of the Poets Performance, than the Applause they meet with from the Town.

Madam (anfwer'd Morifina) I know your Ladyfhip is an admirable Artift at your Needle, and I have with Wonder feen you rival Nature, when with

that

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