own Confession for proof. He declares the _Poets end in this Play was the
Punishment of Vice, and the Reward of Virtue_.[319] _Ben_ was forced to
strain for this piece of Justice, and break through the _Unity of Design_.
This Mr. _Dryden_ remarks upon him: How ever he is pleased to commend the
Performance, and calls it an excellent _Fifth Act_.
_Ben Johnson_ shall speak for himself afterwards in the Character of a
Critick; In the mean time I shall take a Testimony or two from
_Shakespear_. And here we may observe the admir'd _Falstaffe_ goes off in
Disappointment. He is thrown out of Favour as being a _Rake_, and dies like
a Rat behind the Hangings. The Pleasure he had given, would not excuse him.
The _Poet_ was not so partial, as to let his Humour compound for his
Lewdness. If 'tis objected that this remark is wide of the Point, because
_Falstaffe_ is represented in Tragedy, where the Laws of Justice are more
strickly observ'd, To this I answer, that you may call _Henry_ the Fourth
and Fifth, Tragedies if you please. But for all that, _Falstaffe_ wears no
_Buskins_, his Character is perfectly Comical from end to end.
The next Instance shall be in _Flowerdale_ the _Prodigal_. This Spark
notwithstanding his Extravagance, makes a lucky Hand on't at last, and
marries a rich Lady.[320] But then the Poet qualifies him for his good
Fortune, and mends his Manners with his Circumstances. He makes him repent,
and leave off his Intemperance, Swearing _&c._ And when his Father warn'd
him against a Relapse, He answers very soberly,
_Heaven helping me I'le hate the Course of Hell._
I could give some instances of this kind out of _Beaumount_ and _Fletcher_,
But there's no need of any farther Quotation; For Mr. _Dryden_ is not
satisfied with his Apology from Authority: He does as good as own that this
may be construed no better than defending one ill practise by another. To
prevent this very reasonable objection he endeavours to vindicate his
_Precedents_ from the Reason of the Thing. To this purpose he _makes a wide
difference between the Rules of Tragedy and Comedy. That Vice must be
impartially prosecuted in the first, because the Persons are Great &c._
It seems then _Executions_ are only for _Greatness_; and _Quality_.
_Justice_ is not to strike much _lower_ than a _Prince_. _Private People_
may do what they _please_. They are too _few_ for _Mischief_, and too
_Little_ for _Punishment_! This would be admirable Doctrine for _Newgate_,
and give us a general _Goal-Delivery_ without more ado. But in _Tragedy_
(says the _Mock Astrologer_.) _the Crimes are likewise Horrid_, so that
there is a necessity for Severity and Example. And how stands the matter in
_Comedy_? Quite otherwise. There the _Faults are but the follies of Youth,
and the Frailties of Human Nature_.[321] For Instance. There is nothing but
a little Whoring, Pimping, Gaming, Profaness _&c_, And who could be so hard
hearted to give a Man any Trouble for This? Such Rigours would be strangely
Inhumane! A _Poet_ is a better natur'd Thing I can assure you. These little
Miscarrages _move Pity and Commiseration, and are not such as must of
necessity be Punish'd_.[322] This is comfortable Casuistry! But to be
Serious. Is Dissolution of Manners such a Peccadillo? Does a Profligate
Conscience deserve nothing but Commiseration? And are People damn'd only
for _Humane Frailties_? I perceive the Laws of Religion and those of the
_Stage_ differ extreamly! The strength of his Defence lies in this choice
Maxim, that the _Cheif End of Comedy is Delight_. He questions _whether
Instruction has any thing to do in Comedy_; If it has, he is sure _'tis no
more then its secondary end_: _For the business of the Poet is to make you
laugh_.[323] Granting the Truth of this Principle, I somewhat question the
serviceableness of it. For is there no Diversion to be had unless Vice
appears prosperous, and rides at the Head of Success. One would think such
a preposterous, distribution of Rewards, should rather shock the Reason,
and raise the Indignation of the _Audience_. To laugh without reason is the
Pleasure of Fools, and against it, of something worse. The exposing of
Knavery, and making _Lewdness_ ridiculous, is a much better occasion for
Laughter. And this with submission I take to be the End of _Comedy_. And
therefore it does not differ from _Tragedy_ in the End, but in the _Means_.
Instruction is the principal Design of both. The one works by Terror, the
other by Infamy. 'Tis true, they don't move in the same Line, but they meet
in the same point at last. For this Opinion I have good Authority, besides
what has been cited already.
_1st._ Monsieur _Rapin_ affirms 'That Delight is the End that Poetry aims
at, but not the Principal one. For Poetry being an Art, ought to be
profitable by the quality of it's own nature, and by the Essential
Subordination that all Arts should have to Polity, whose End in General is
the publick Good. This is the Judgment of _Aristotle_ and of _Horace_ his
chief Interpreter.[324] _Ben Johnson_ in his Dedicatory Epistle of his
_Fox_ has somewhat considerable upon this Argument; And declaims with a
great deal of zeal, spirit, and good Sense, against the Licentiousness of
the _Stage_. He lays it down for a Principle, 'That 'tis impossible to be a
good _Poet_ without being a good _Man_. That he (a good Poet) is said to be
able to inform Young Men to all good Discipline, and enflame grown Men to
all great Virtues &c.--That the general complaint was that the _Writers_ of
those days had nothing remaining in them of the Dignity of a _Poet_, but
the abused Name. That now, especially in Stage Poetry, nothing but
Ribaldry, Profanation, _Blasphemy_, all Licence of Offence to God and Man,
is practised. He confesses a great part of this Charge is over-true, and is
sorry he dares not deny it. But then he hopes all are not embark'd in this
bold Adventure for Hell. For my part (says he) I can, and from a most clear
Conscience affirm; That I have ever trembled to think towards the least
Profaness, and loath'd the Use of such foul, and unwash'd Bawdry, as is now
made the Food of the _Scene_.--The encrease of which Lust in Liberty, what
Learned or Liberal Soul does not abhor? In whole _Enterludes_ nothing but
the Filth of the Time is utter'd--with Brothelry able to violate the Ear of
a _Pagan_, and Blasphemy, to turn the Blood of a Christian to Water. He
continues, that the Insolence of these Men had brought the _Muses_ into
Disgrace, and made _Poetry_ the lowest scorn of the Age. He appeals to his
Patrons the _Universities_, that his Labour has been heretofore, and mostly
in this his latest Work, to reduce not only the antient Forms, but Manners
of the _Scene_, the Innocence and the Doctrine, which is the Principal End
of Poesy, to inform Men in the best Reason of Living.' Lastly he adds, that
'he has imitated the Conduct of the Antients in this _Play_, The goings out
(or Conclusions) of whose _Comedies_, were not always joyful but oft-times
the Bawds, the Slaves, the Rivals, ye and the Masters are multed, and
fitly, it being the Office of a _Comick Poet_ (mark that!) to imitate
Justice, and Instruct to Life _&c._' Say you so! Why then if _Ben Johnson_
knew any thing of the Matter, Divertisment and Laughing is not as Mr.
_Dryden_ affirms, the _Chief End_ of _Comedy_. This Testimony is so very
full and clear, that it needs no explaining, nor any enforcement from
Reasoning, and Consequence.
And because Laughing and Pleasure has such an unlimited Prerogative upon
the _Stage_, I shall add a Citation or two from _Aristotle_ concerning this
Matter. Now this great Man 'calls those Buffoons, and Impertinents, who
rally without any regard to Persons or Things, to Decency, or good Manners.
That there is a great difference between Ribaldry, and handsom Rallying. He
that would perform exactly, must keep within the Character of Virtue, and
Breeding. He goes on, and tells us that the old Comedians entertain'd the
Audience with Smut, but the Modern ones avoided that Liberty, and grew more
reserv'd. This latter way he says was much more proper and Gentile then the
other. That in his Opinion Rallying, no less than Railing, ought to be
under the Discipline of Law; That he who is ridden by his _Jests_, and
minds nothing but the business of _Laughing_, is himself Ridiculous. And
that a Man of Education and Sense, is so far from going these Lengths that
he wont so much as endure the hearing some sort of Buffoonry.'[325]
And as to the point of Delight in general, the same Author affirms, 'that
scandalous Satisfactions are not properly Pleasures. 'Tis only Distemper,
and false Appetite which makes them palatable. And a Man that is sick,
seldom has his Tast true. Besides, supposing we throw Capacity out of the
Question, and make Experiment and Sensation the Judge; Granting this, we
ought not to chop at every Bait, nor Fly out at every Thing that strikes
the Fancy. The meer Agreableness must not overbear us, without
distinguishing upon the Quality, and the Means. Pleasure how charming
soever, must not be fetched out of Vice. An Estate is a pretty thing, but
if we purchase by Falshood, and Knavery, we pay too much for't. Some
Pleasures, are Childish and others abominable; And upon the whole,
Pleasure, absolutely speaking, is no good Thing.'[326] And so much for the
Philosopher. And because _Ribaldry_ is used for Sport, a passage or two
from _Quintilian_, may not be unseasonable. This Orator does not only
Condemn the grosser Instances, but cuts off all the _Double-Entendre's_ at
a Blow. He comes up to the Regularity of Thought, and tells us 'that the
Meaning, as well as the Words of Discourse must be unsullied.'[327] And in
the same _Chapter_ he adds that 'A Man of Probity has always a Reserve in
his Freedoms, and Converses within the Rules of Modesty, and Character. And
that Mirth at the expence of Virtue, is an Over-purchase,' _Nimium enim
risus pretium est si probitatis impendio constat_.
Thus we see how these great _Masters_ qualify Diversion, and tie it up to
_Provisoes,_ and Conditions. Indeed to make _Delight_ the main business of
_Comedy_ is an unreasonable and dangerous Principle. It opens the way to
all Licentiousness, and Confounds the distinction between Mirth, and
Madness. For if Diversion is the _Chief End_, it must be had at any Price,
No serviceable Expedient must be refused, tho' never so scandalous. And
thus the worst Things are said, and best abus'd; Religion is insulted, and
the most serious Matters turn'd into Ridicule! As if the Blindside of an
Audience ought to be caress'd, and their Folly and Atheism entertain'd in
the first Place. Yes, if the Palate is pleas'd, no matter tho' the Body is
Poyson'd! For can one die of an easier Disease than Diversion? But Raillery
apart, certainly Mirth and Laughing, without respect to the Cause, are not
such supreme Satisfactions! A man has sometimes Pleasure in losing his
Wits. Frensy, and _Possession_, will shake the Lungs, and brighten the
Face; and yet I suppose they are not much to be coveted. However, now we
know the Reason of the Profaness, and Obscenity of the _Stage_, of their
Hellish Cursing, and Swearing, and in short of their great Industry to make
God, and Goodness Contemptible: 'Tis all to Satisfie the Company, and make
People Laugh! A most admirable justification! What can be more engaging to
an _Audience_, then to see a _Poet_ thus Atheistically brave? To see him
charge up to the Canons Mouth, and defy the Vengeance of Heaven to serve
them? Besides, there may be somewhat of Convenience in the Case. To fetch
Diversion out of Innocence is no such easy matter. There's no succeeding it
may be in this method, without Sweat, and Drudging. Clean Wit, inoffensive
Humour, and handsom Contrivance, require Time, and Thought. And who would
be at this Expence, when the Purchase is so cheap another way? 'Tis
possible a _Poet_ may not alwaies have Sense enough by him for such an
Occasion. And since we are upon supposals, it may be the _Audience_ is not
to be gain'd without straining a Point, and giving a Loose to Conscience:
And when People are sick, are they not to be Humour'd? In sine, We must
make them Laugh, right or wrong, for _Delight_ is the _Cheif End of
Comedy_. _Delight!_ He should have said _Debauchery_: That's the English of
the Word, and the Consequence of the Practise. But the Original Design of
_Comedy_ was otherwise: And granting 'twas not so, what then? If the _Ends_
of Thing are naught, they must be mended. Mischief is the Chief end of
Malice, would it be then a Blemish in Ill Nature to change Temper, and
relent into Goodness? The Chief _End_ of a Madman it may be is to Fire a
House, must we not therefore bind him in his Bed? To conclude. If _Delight_
without Restraint, or Distinction without Conscience or Shame, is the
Supream Law of _Comedy_, 'twere well if we had less on't. Arbitrary
Pleasure, is more dangerous than Arbitrary Power. Nothing is more Brutal
than to be abandon'd to Appetite; And nothing more wretched than to serve
in such a Design. The _Mock-Astrologer_ to clear himself of this
Imputation, is glad to give up his Principle at Last. _Least any Man should
think_ (says He) _that I write this to make Libertinism amiable, or that I
cared not to debase the end, and Institution of_ Comedy. (It seems then
_Delight_ is not the Chief end.) _I must farther declare that we make not
Vitious Persons Happy, but only as Heaven makes Sinners so._ &c. If this
will hold, all's well. But _Heaven_ does not forgive without Repentance.
Let us see then what Satisfaction he requires from his _Wild-Blood_, and
what Discipline he puts him under. Why, He helps him to his Mistress, he
Marries him to a Lady of Birth and Fortune. And now do you think He has not
made him an Example, and punish'd him to some Purpose! These are frightful
Severities! Who would be vitious when such Terrors hang over his Head? And
does _Heaven make Sinners happy_ upon these Conditions? Sure some People
have a good Opinion of Vice, or a very ill one of Marriage, otherwise they
would have Charged the Penance a little more. But I have nothing farther
with the _Mock-Astrologer_.
And now for the Conclusion of a _Chapter_, I shall give some Instances of
the _Manners_ of the _Stage_, and that with respect to Poetry, and
Ceremony. _Manners_ in the Language of Poetry, is a Propriety of Actions,
and Persons. To succeed in this business, there must always be a regard had
to Age, Sex, and Condition: And nothing put into the Mouths of Persons
which disagrees with any of these Circumstances. 'Tis not enough to say a
witty Thing, unless it be spoken by a likely Person, and upon a Proper
occasion. But my Design will lead me to this Subject afterwards, and
therefore I shall say no more of it at present, but proceed to apply the
Remark.
One Instance of Impropriety in _Manners_ both Poetical and Moral, is their
making Women, and Women of Quality talk Smuttily. This I have proved upon
them already, and could cite many more places to the same Purpose were it
necessary.
But I shall go on, and give the _Reader_ some other examples of Decency,
Judgment, and Probability. _Don Sebastian_ will help us in some measure.
Here the _Mufti_ makes a foolish Speech to the Rabble, and jests upon his
own Religion. He tells them, _tho' your Tyrant is a Lawful Emperour, yet
your Lawful Emperour is but a Tyrant,----That your Emperour is a Tyrant is
most Manifest, for you were born to be Turks, but he has play'd the Turk
with you._ And now is not this Man fit to Manage the _Alcoran_, and to be
set up for on Oracle of State? _Captain Tom_ should have had this Speech by
right: But the _Poet_ had a farther Design, and any thing is good enough
for a _Mufti_.
_Sebastian_ after all the violence of his Repentance, his grasping at self
Murther, and Resolutions for the _Cell_, is strangely pleased with the
Remembrance of his _Incest_, and wishes the Repetition of it: And _Almeida_
out of her Princely Modesty, and singular Compunction, is of the same mind.
This is somewhat surprising! _Oedipus_ and _Jocasta_ in _Sophocles_ don't
Repent at this rate. No: The horror of the first Discovery continues upon
their Spirits: They never relapse into any fits of Intemperance, nor
entertain themselves with a lewd Memory. This sort of Behaviour is not only
more Instructive but more Natural too. It being very unlikely one should
wish the Repeating a Crime, when He was almost Distracted at the thoughts
on't, At the thoughts on't, tho' 'twas comitted under all the Circumstances
of excuse. Now when Ignorance and meer Mistake are so very disquieting,
'tis very strange if a Man should plague his Mind with the Aggravations of
Knowledge; To carry Aversion, and Desire, in their full strength upon the
same Object; To fly and pursue with so much eagerness, is somewhat
Unusual.[328]
If we step to the _Spanish Fryar_ He will afford us a Flight worth the
observing. 'Tis part of the Addresses of _Torrismond_ to _Leonora_.
_You are so Beautiful
So wondrous Fair, you justifie Rebellion;
As if that faultless Face could make no Sin,
But Heaven by looking on it must forgive._
These are strange Compliments! _Torrismond_ calls his Queen Rebel to her
head, when he was both her General and her Lover. This is powerful
Rhetorick to Court a Queen with! Enough one would think to have made the
Affair desperate. But he has a Remedy at hand. The _Poets Nostrum_ of
Profaness cures all. He does as good as tell Her, she may Sin as much as
she has a mind to. Her Face is a Protection to her Conscience. For Heaven
is under a necessity to forgive a Handsom Woman. To say all this ought to
be pass'd over in _Torrismond_ on the score of his Passion, is to make the
Excuse more scandalous than the Fault, if possible. Such Raptures are fit
only for _Bedlam_, or a place which I shan't name. _Love Triumphant_ will
furnish another Rant not altogether inconsiderable. Here _Celadea_ a Maiden
Lady when she was afraid her Spark would be married to another, calls out
presently for a _Chaos_. She is for pulling the World about her ears,
tumbling all the Elements together, and expostulates with Heaven for making
Humane Nature otherwise than it should have been.
_Great Nature break thy chain that links together
The Fabrick of this Globe, and make a Chaos,
Like that within my Soul._----[329]
Now to my fancy, if she had call'd for a _Chair_ instead of a _Chaos_,
trip'd off, and kept her folly to her self, the Woman had been much wiser.
And since we have shown our Skill in vaulting on the High Ropes, a little
_Tumbling_ on the _Stage_, may not do amiss for variety.
Now then for a jest or two. _Don Gomez_ shall begin:[330] And here he'le
give us a Gingle upon the double meaning of a word.
_I think_, says _Dominick_ the Fryar, _it was my good Angel that sent me
hither so opportunely_. _Gomez_ suspects him brib'd for no creditable
business and answers.
Gom. _Ay, whose good Angels sent you hither, that you know best, Father._
These _Spaniards_ will entertain us with more of this fine Raillery.
Colonel _Sancho_ in _Love Triumphant_ has a great stroak at it. He says his
Bride _Dalinda_ is no more _Dalinda_, but _Dalilah_ the _Philistine_.[331]
This Colonel as great a Soldier as he is, is quite puzzled at a _Herald_.
He _thinks they call him_ Herod, _or some such Jewish Name_. Here you have
a good Officer spoil'd for a miserable jest.[332] And yet after all, this
_Sancho_ tho' he can't pronounce _Herald_, knows what 'tis to be
_Laconick_, which is somewhat more out of his way. _Thraso_ in
_Terence_[333] was a man of the same size in Sense, but for all that he
does not quibble. _Albanact_ Captain of the Guards,[334] is much about as
witty as _Sancho_. It seems _Emmeline_ Heiress to the Duke of _Cornwal_ was
Blind. _Albanact_ takes the rise of his Thought from hence; And observes
_that as Blind as she is, Coswald would have no blind Bargain of her_.
_Carlos_ tells _Sancho_ he is sure of his Mistress,[335] and _has no more
to do but to take out a License_.
_Sancho_ replies, _Indeed I have her License for it_. _Carlos_ is somewhat
angry at this Gingle, and cries, _what quibling too in your Prosperity_?
Adversity it seems is the only time for _punning_. Truly I think so too.
For 'tis a sign a Man is much Distress'd when he flies to such an
Expedient. However, _Carlos_ needed not to have been so touchy: For He can
stoop as low himself upon occasion. We must know then that _Sancho_ had
made Himself a Hunch'd Back, to counterfeit the _Conde Alonzo_. The two
Colonels being in the same Disguise, were just upon the edg of a Quarrel.
After some Preliminaries in Railing, _Sancho_ cries, _Don't provoke me; I
am mischeivously bent_.
Carlos replies, _Nay, you are_ Bent _enough in Conscience, but I have a_
Bent Fist _for Boxing_. Here you have a brace of Quibbles started in a Line
and a half. And which is worst of all, they come from _Carlos_, from a
_Character_ of Sense; And therefore the poet, not the _Soldier_, must
answer for them.
I shall now give the _Reader_ a few Instances of the Courtship of the
_Stage_, and how decently they treat the Women, and _Quality_ of both
_Sexes_. The _Women_ who are secured from Affronts by Custom, and have a
Privilege for Respect, are sometimes but roughly saluted by these Men of
Address. And to bar the Defence, this Coarseness does not alwaies come from
Clowns, and Women-haters; but from _Persons_ of Figure, neither singular,
nor ill Bred. And which is still worse, The Satir falls on blindly without
Distinction, and strikes at the whole _Sex_.
Enter _Raymond_ a Noble-man in the _Spanish Fryar_.[336]
_O Vertue! Vertue! What art thou become?
That men should leave thee for that Toy a woman,
Made from the dross and refuse of a Man;
Heaven took him sleeping when he made her too,
Had Man been waking he had nee'r consented._
I did not know before that a Man's Dross lay in his _Ribs_; I believe
sometimes it lies Higher. But the Philosophy, the Religion, and the
Ceremony of these Lines, are too tender to be touched. _Creon_ a Prince in
_Oedipus_,[337] railes in General at the _Sex_, and at the same time is
violently in Love with _Euridice_. This upon the Matter, is just as
natural, as 'tis Civil. If any one would understand what the _Curse of all
tender hearted Women is, Belmour_ will inform him. What is it then? 'Tis
the _Pox_.[338] If this be true, the Women had need lay in a stock of ill
Nature betimes. It seems 'tis their only preservative. It guards their
Virtue, and their Health, and is all they have to trust to. _Sharper_
another Man of Sense in this _Play_, talks much at the same rate. _Belinda_
would know of him _where he got that excellent Talent of Railing_?
Sharp. _Madam the Talent was Born with me.----I confess I have taken care
to improve it, to qualifie me for the Society of Ladies._[339] _Horner_, a
Topping _Character_ in the _Country Wife_, is advised to _avoid Women, and
hate them as they do him_. _He Answers._
_Because I do hate them, and would hate them yet more, I'll frequent e'm;
you may see by Marriage, nothing makes a Man hate a Woman more than her
Constant Conversation._[340] There is still something more Coarse upon the
_Sex_ spoken by _Dorax_[341] but it is a privileged Expression, and as such
I must leave it. The _Relapse_ mends the Contrivance of the Satir, refines
upon the Manner, and to make the Discourse the more probable, obliges the
Ladies to abuse themselves. And because I should be loath to tire the
_Reader, Berenthia_ shall close the Argument. This Lady having undertook
the Employment of a _Procuress_, makes this remark upon it to her self.
Berinth. _So here is fine work! But there was no avoiding it.----Besides, I
begin to Fancy there may be as much Pleasure in carrying on another Bodies
Intrigue, as ones own. This is at least certain, It exercises almost all
the Entertaining Faculties of a Woman. For there is Employment for
Hypocrisie, Invention, Deceit, Flattery, Mischief, and Lying._