deed good Repreſentations, but his are the things they Repreſent; (if you’ll pardon that ſeeming Contradiction of the Expreſſion) many of our Writers have given us good Images of the Fools of our Age, but they are ſtill but Images; but when you read or ſee Mr. Van Brug’s, you ſee the very Originals, all is ſo free, so eaſie, and ſo bold, as perſwade them to be no Copies, you evidently ſee the Lineaments of Nature, without they ſtifneſs of Art, which would but debaſe his Work. Others of our Comic Writers, who have ſucceeded moſt in that way, pick out Characters that are indeed diverting enough on the Stage, but which ſcarce one ſenſible Man in a Thouſand can read in his Chamber, ſo much is left to the Action: But Mr. Van Brug’s Characters are Compo’d of that part of Nature, which is not ſo Monſtrous to ſhock the Reader, or Nauſeate his Palate, but which yield a pleaſing Entertainment; he puts Folly into ſuch a Light, that it is as diverting to the Reader as Spectator; and his Fools are ſo pleaſing, that you are not weary of their Company before they leave you.
Another Quality diſtinct from many of our Received Poets, is, That his Men of Wit are really ſo, and not like Mr. Shadwell’s, the dulleſt in the Play: I have ventured to ſay all this, without either the Proſpect of Encolpius in Petronius Arbiter, Ut foris Cenaris Poetam Laudaſti, or the fear of that Wity Cenſure of The Plain Dealer, for chooſing to flatter the Poets of the Age, rather than not flatter at all. Becauſe one that is unknown, can have but little expectations of the former, or juſtly deſerve the latter, when he ſpeaks but what is juſtly his due; unleſs the Praiſe of Wit be as unallowable as ſuperfluous. He has Honoured his Country with three Plays that he owns: Of theſe in their Order.
Æsop, a Comedy 4 to. Acted at the Theatre Royal, 1697. In the Preface we learn both the Fate of the Play, and that the Author owes his Foundation to the French; for it was writ Originally in French by Mr. Bourſaut, and had almoſt the ſame Fate there as here, as to its Succeſs; the firſt day it was not lik’d, the next it ſcarce gain’d Ground, the third it held up its Head, and the fourth Triumphed, and was in Paris Acted for near a Month together. It is ſo far from wanting any Beauties of the French, that it e’ry where excels it; and that extreamly diverting Scene of Sir Polydorus Hogſtye, may be ſaid to be entirely his own, as are all the three Scenes that were ſince added of the Players, the Senator, and the Beau, and which were receiv’d with Univerſal Applauſe, as indeed they juſtly merited. It will perhaps be wondered that it ſhould Act ſo very often in Paris, and not hold out a Fortnight nor ten days here; for which there may be two Reaſons Aſſigned: Firſt, in Paris there is not that fooliſh and extravagant Prejudice againſt the Stage, as is entertain’d in a numerous Party of this City, who rail againſt that and Common Prayer with an equal Zeal: So that in
