[34] NYKY was employed by ROSCIUS to correct the Plain-dealer of
Wycherly; which he accordingly attempted, and inscribed the attempt to
his patron, "as a tribute of _affection_ and esteem for his many
shining and _amiable_ qualities." "The licentiousness of Wycherly's
muse," says this modern corrector, "rendered her shocking to us, with
all her charms: or, in other words, we could allow no charms in a
tainted beauty, who brought contagion along with her." Of the play of
the Plain-dealer, in particular, he intimates that it had been long
excluded the theatre; because, to the honour of the present age, it
was immoral and indecent: that on a close examination, he found in it
excessive obscenity; that the character of Manly was rough even to
outrageous brutality; and that he thought it necessary to work the
whole materials up again, with a mixture of alloy agreeable to the
rules of modern refinement! SEE PREFACE TO B---- FF'S PLAIN-DEALER.
What a champion for decency and delicacy, morality and humanity! What
improvement may not sterling wit receive from the mixture of such
alloy! What an idea may we not hence acquire of modern refinement!
How will _Plain-dealers_[35] triumph, to my sorrow!
And PAPHOS rise o'er SODOM and GOMORRAH!