appearing afterwards, and the Support of the main _Plot_, by _Bulls_, and
_Nurses_ attesting the Marriage, contain's little of Moment. And here we
may observe that Lord _Foplington_ has an unlucky Disagreement in his
_Character_; This Misfortune sits hard upon the credibility of the Design.
Tis true he was Formal and Fantastick, Smitten with Dress, and Equipage,
and it may be vapour'd by his Perfumes But his Behaviour is far from that
of an Ideot.[405] This being granted, 'tis very unlikely this Lord with his
five Thousand pounds _per annum_, should leave the choise of his Mistress
to _Coupler_, and take her Person and Fortune upon _Content_. To court thus
blindfold, and by _Proxy_, does not agree with the Method of an Estate, nor
the Niceness of a _Beau_. However the _Poet_ makes him engage Hand over
Head, without so much as the sight of her Picture.[406] His going down to
Sir _Tun-belly_ was as extraordinary as his Courtship. He had never seen
this Gentleman. He must know him to be beyond Measure suspicious, and that
there was no Admittance without _Couplers_ Letter. This _Letter_ which was,
the Key to the Castle, he forgot to take with him, and tells you _'twas
stolen by his Brother Tam_. And for his part he neither had the Discretion
to get another, nor yet to produce that written by him to Sir
_Tun-belly_.[407] Had common Sense been consulted upon this Occasion, the
_Plot_ had been at an End, and the _Play_ had sunk in the Fourth _Act_. The
Remainder subsists purely upon the strength of Folly, and of Folly
altogether improbable, and out of _Character_. The _Salvo_ of Sir _John
Friendly's_ appearing at last, and vouching for Lord _Foplington_, won't
mend the matter. For as the _Story_ informs us, Lord _Foplington_ never
depended on this Reserve.[408] He knew nothing of this Gentleman being in
the Country, nor where he Lived. The truth is, Sir _John_ was left in
_Town_, and the Lord had neither concerted his journey with him, nor
engaged his Assistance.[409]
Let us now see how Sir. _Tun-belly_ hangs together. This Gentleman the
_Poet_ makes a _Justice_ of _Peace_, and a _Deputy Lieutenant_, and seats
him fifty Miles from _London_: But by his Character you would take him for
one of _Hercules_'s Monsters, or some Gyant in _Guy_ of _Warwick_. His
Behaviour is altogether _Romance_, and has nothing agreeable to Time, or
Country. When _Fashion_, and _Lory_, went down, they find the Bridge drawn
up, the Gates barr'd, and the Blunderbuss cock'd at the first civil
Question. And when Sir _Tun-belly_ had notice of this formidable
Appearance, he Sallies out with the _Posse_ of the Family, and marches
against a Couple of Strangers with a _Life Gaurd_ of Halberds, Sythes, and
Pitchforks. And to make sure work, Young _Hoyden_ is lock'd up at the first
approach of the Enemy. Here you have prudence and wariness to the excess of
Fable, and Frensy. And yet this mighty man of suspition, trusts _Coupler_
with the Disposal of his only Daughter, and his Estate into the Bargain.
And what was this _Coupler_? Why, a sharper by _Character_, and little
better by Profession. Farther. Lord _Foplington_ and the Knight, are but a
days Journey asunder, and yet by their treating by Proxy, and Commission,
one would Fancy a dozen Degrees of _Latitude_ betwixt them. And as for
Young _Fashion_, excepting _Couplers_ Letter, he has all imaginable Marks
of Imposture upon him. He comes before his Time, and without the Retinue
expected, and has nothing of the Air of Lord _Foplington's_ Conversation.
When Sir _Tun-belly_ ask'd him, _pray where are your Coaches and Servants
my Lord_? He makes a trifling excuse. _Sir, that I might give you and your
Fair Daughter a proof how impatient I am to be nearer akin to you, I left
my Equipage to follow me, and came away Post, with only one Servant._[410]
To be in such a Hurry of Inclination for a Person he never saw, is somewhat
strange! Besides, 'tis very unlikely Lord _Foplington_ should hazard his
Complexion on Horseback, out ride his Figure, and appear a Bridegroom in
_Deshabille_. You may as soon perswade a Peacock out of his Train, as a
_Beau_ out of his Equipage; especially upon such an Occasion. Lord
_Foplington_ would scarsely speak to his Brother just come a _Shore_, till
the Grand Committee of _Taylors, Seamtresses, &c._ was dispatch'd.[411]
Pomp, and Curiosity were this Lords Inclination; why then should he
mortifie without necessity, make his first Approaches thus out of Form and
present himself to his Mistress at such Disadvantage? And as this is the
Character of Lord _Foplington_, so 'tis reasonable to suppose Sir
_Tunbelly_ acquainted with it. An enquiry into the Humour and management of
a Son in Law, is very natural and Customary. So that we can't without
Violence to Sense, suppose Sir _Tunbelly_ a Stranger to Lord _Foplington_'s
Singularities. These Reasons were enough in all Conscience to make Sir
_Tunbelly_ suspect a Juggle, and that _Fashion_ was no better then a
Counterfeit. Why then was the _Credential_ swallow'd without chewing, why
was not _Hoyden_ lock'd up, and a pause made for farther Enquiry? Did this
_Justice_ never hear of such a Thing as Knavery, or had he ever greater
reason to guard against it? More wary steps might well have been expected
from Sir _Tunbelly_. To run from one extream of Caution, to another of
Credulity, is highly improbable. In short, either Lord _Foplington_ and Sir
_Tunbelly_ are Fools, or they are not. If they are, where lies the Cunning
in over-reaching them? What Conquest can there be without Opposition? If
they are not Fools, why does the _Poet_ make them so? Why is their Conduct
so gross, so particolour'd, and inconsistent? Take them either way, and the
_Plot_ miscarries. The first supposition makes it dull, and the later,
incredible. So much for the _Plot_. I shall now in the
_4th_. Place touch briefly upon the _Manners_.
The _Manners_ in the Language of the _Stage_ have a signification somewhat
particular. _Aristotle_ and _Rapin_ call them the Causes and Principles of
Action. They are formed upon the Diversities of Age, and Sex, of Fortune,
Capacity, and Education. The propriety of _Manners_ consists in a
Conformity of Practise, and Principle; of Nature, and Behaviour. For the
purpose. An old Man must not appear with the Profuseness and Levity of
Youth; A Gentleman must not talk like a Clown, nor a Country Girl like a
Town Jilt. And when the _Characters_ are feign'd 'tis _Horace_'s Rule to
keep them Uniform, and consistent, and agreeable to their first setting
out. The _Poet_ must be careful to hold his _Persons_ tight to their
_Calling_ and pretentions. He must not shift, and shuffle, their
Understandings; Let them skip from Wits to Blockheads, nor from Courtiers
to Pedants; On the other hand. If their business is playing the Fool, keep
them strictly to their Duty, and never indulge them in fine Sentences. To
manage otherwise, is to desert _Nature_, and makes the _Play_ appear
monstrous, and Chimerical. So that instead of an _Image of Life_, 'tis
rather an Image of Impossibility. To apply some of these remarks to the
_Relapser_.
The fine _Berinthia_, one of the Top-Characters, is impudent and Profane.
_Lovelace_ would engage her Secrecy, and bids her Swear. She answers _I
do_.
_Lov._ By what?
Berinth. _By Woman._
Lov. _That's Swearing by my Deity, do it by your own, or I shan't believe
you._
Berinth. _By Man then._[412]
This Lady promises _Worthy_ her Endeavours to corrupt _Amanda_; and then
They make a Profane jest upon the Office.[413] In the progress of the
_Play_ after a great deal of Lewd Discourse with _Lovelace_, _Berinthia_ is
carried off into a Closet, and Lodged in a _Scene_ of Debauch.[414] Here is
Decency, and Reservedness, to a great exactness! Monsieur _Rapin_ blames
_Ariosto_, and _Tasso_, for representing two of their Women over free, and
airy.[415] These _Poets_ says he, _rob Women of their Character, which is
Modesty_. Mr. _Rymer_ is of the same Opinion: His words are these. _Nature
knows nothing in the Manners which so properly, and particularly
distinguish a Woman, as her Modesty.----An impudent Woman is fit only to be
kicked, and expos'd in Comedy._[416]
Now _Berinthia_ appears in _Comedy_ 'tis true; but neither to be _kick'd_,
nor _expos'd_. She makes a Considerable Figure, has good Usage, keeps the
best Company, and goes off without Censure, or Disadvantage. Let us now
take a Turn or two with Sir _Tun-belly's_ Heiress of 1500 pounds a year.
This Young Lady swears, talks smut, and is upon the matter just as
rag-manner'd as _Mary the Buxsome_. 'Tis plain the _Relapser_ copyed Mr.
_Durfey's_ Original, which is a sign he was somewhat Pinch'd. Now this
_Character_ was no great Beauty in _Buxsome_; But it becomes the Knights
Daughter much worse. _Buxsome_ was a poor Pesant, which made her Rudeness
more natural, and expected. But _Deputy Lieutenants_ Children don't use to
appear with the Behaviour of Beggars. To breed all People alike, and make
no distinction between a _Seat_, and a _Cottage_, is not over artful, nor
very ceremonious to the Country Gentlemen. The _Relapser_ gives _Miss_ a
pretty Soliloquy, I'll transcribe it for _the Reader_.
She swears by her Maker, _'tis well I have a Husband a coming, or I'de
Marry the Baker I would so. No body can knock at the Gate, but presently I
must be lock'd up, and, here's the Young Gray-hound----can run loose about
the House all day long, she can, 'tis very well!_![417] Afterwards her
Language is too Lewd to be quoted. Here is a Compound of Ill Manners, and
Contradiction Is this a good Resemblance of Quality, a Description of a
great Heiress, and the effect of a Cautious Education? By her Coarsness you
would think her Bred upon a Common, and by her Confidence, in the Nursery
of the _Play-house_. I suppose the _Relapser_ Fancies the calling her _Miss
Hoyden_ is enough to justifie her Ill Manners. By his favour, this is a
Mistake. To represent her thus unhewn, he should have suited her Condition
to her Name, a little better. For there is no Charm in _Words_ as to
matters of Breeding, An unfashionable Name won't make a Man a Clown.
Education is not form'd upon Sounds, and Syllables, but upon Circumstances,
and Quality. So that if he was resolv'd to have shown her thus unpolish'd,
he should have made her keep _Sheep_, or brought her up at the _Wash-Boul_.
Sir _Tun-belly_ accosts Young _Fashion_ much at the same rate of
Accomplishment.[418] My Lord,----_I humbly crave leave to bid you Welcome
in a Cup of Sack-wine_. One would imagine the _Poet_ was overdozed before
he gave the _Justice_ a Glass. For _Sack-wine_ is too low for a _Petty
Constable_. This peasantly expression agrees neither with the Gentlemans
Figure, nor with the rest of his Behaviour. I find we should have a
Creditable _Magistracy_, if the _Relapser_ had the Making them. Here the
_Characters_ are pinch'd in Sense, and stinted to short Allowance. At an
other time they are over-indulged, and treated above Expectation.
For the purpose. Vanity and Formalizing is Lord _Foplingtons_ part. To let
him speak without Aukwardness, and Affectation, is to put him out of his
Element. There must be Gumm and stiffening in his Discourse to make it
natural However, the _Relapser_ has taken a fancy to his Person, and given
him some of the most Gentile raillery in the whole _Play_. To give an
Instance or two. This Lord in Discourse with _Fashion_ forgets his Name,
flies out into Sense, and smooth expression, out talks his Brother, and
abating the starch'd Similitude of a _Watch_, discovers nothing of
Affectation, for almost a _Page_ together.[419] He relapses into the same
Intemperance of good Sense, in an other Dialogue between him and his
Brother. I shall cite a little of it.
_Y._ Fash. _Unless you are so kind to assist me in redeeming my Annuity, I
know no Remedy, but to go take a Purse_.
_L._ Fopl. _Why Faith_ Tam----_to give you my Sense of the Thing, I do
think taking a Purse the best Remedy in the World, for if you succeed, you
are releiv'd that way, if you are taken----you are reliev'd to'ther_.[420]
_Fashion_ being disappointed of a supply quarrels his Elder Brother, and
calls him _the Prince of Coxcombs_.[421]
_L._ Fopl. _Sir I am proud of being at the Head of so prevailing a party._
_Y._ Fash. _Will nothing then provoke thee? draw Coward._
_L._ Fopl. _Look you_ Tam, _your poverty makes your Life so burdensome to
you, you would provoke me to a Quarrel, in hopes either to slip through my
Lungs into my Estate, or else to get your self run through the Guts, to put
an end to your Pain. But I shall disappoint you in both_. &c.
This Drolling has too much Spirit, the Air of it is too free, and too
handsomly turn'd for Lord _Foplingtons_ Character. I grant the _Relapser_
could not aford to lose these Sentences. The Scene would have suffer'd by
the Omission. But then he should have contriv'd the matter so, as that they
might, have been spoken by Young _Fashion_ in _Asides_, or by some other
more proper Person. To go on. Miss _Hoyden_ sparkles too much in
Conversation. The _Poet_ must needs give her a shining Line or two,[422]
which serves only to make the rest of her dullness the more remarkable.
Sir. _Tun-belly_ falls into the same Misfortune of a Wit, and rallies above
the force of his Capacity.[423] But the place having a mixture of
Profaness, I shall forbear to cite it. Now to what purpose should a Fools
Coat be embroider'd? Finery in the wrong place is but expensive
Ridiculousness. Besides, I don't perceive the _Relapser_ was in any
Condition to be thus liberal. And when a _Poet_ is not overstock'd, to
squander away his Wit among his _Block-heads_, is meer Distraction. His men
of Sense will smart for this prodigality. _Lovelace_ in his discourse of
_Friendship_, shall be the first Instance. _Friendship_ (says he) _is said
to be a plant of tedious growth, its Root composed of tender_ Fibers, nice
in their Tast, _&c._ By this Description the Palate of a _Fiber_, should be
somewhat more _nice_ and distinguishing, then the _Poets_ Judgment. Let us
examin some more of his Witty People. Young _Fashion_ fancies by _Misses_
forward Behaviour, she would have a whole _Kennel_ of _Beaux_ after her at
_London_. And then _Hey to the Park, and the Play, and the Church, and the
Devil_.[424] Here I conceive the ranging of the Period is amiss. For if he
had put the _Play_, and the _Devil_ together, the Order of Nature, and the
Air of Probability had been much better observ'd.
Afterwards _Coupler_ being out of Breath in coming up stairs to _Fashion_,
asks him _why the ---- canst thou not lodge upon the Ground-floor_?[425]
_Y._ Fash. _Because I love to lye as near Heaven as I can._ One would think
a Spark just come off his Travels, and had made the _Tour_ of _Italy_ and
_France_, might have rallied with a better Grace! However if he lodg'd in a
_Garret_, 'tis a good _Local_ jest. I had almost forgot one pretty
remarkable Sentence of _Fashion_ to _Lory._[426] _I shall shew thee_ (says
he) _the excess of my Passion by being very calm_. Now since this
_Gentleman_ was in a vein of talking Philosophy to his Man, I'm sorry he
broke of so quickly. Had he gone on and shown him the _Excess_ of a Storm
and no Wind stirring, the Topick had been spent, and the Thought improv'd
to the utmost.
Let us now pass onto _Worthy_, the _Relapsers_ fine Gentleman. This Spark
sets up for Sense, and Address, and is to have nothing of Affectation or
Conscience to spoil his Character. However to say no more of him, he grows
Foppish in the last _Scene_, and courts _Amanda_ in Fustian, and Pedantry.
First, He gives his Periods a turn of Versification, and talks _Prose_ to
her in _Meeter_. Now this is just as agreeable as it would be to _Ride_
with one Leg, and _Walk_ with the other. But let him speak for himself. His
first business is to bring _Amanda_ to an Aversion for her Husband; And
therefore he perswades her to _Rouse up that Spirit Women ought to bear;
and slight your God if he neglects his Angel_.[427] He goes on with his
Orisons. _With Arms of Ice receive his Cold Embraces and keep your Fire for
those that come in Flames._ Fire and Flames, is Mettal upon Mettal; 'Tis
false Heraldry. _Extend the Arms of Mercy to his Aid. His zeal may give him
Title to your Pity, altho' his Merit cannot claim your Love._[428] Here you
have _Arms_ brought in again by Head and shoulders. I suppose the design
was to keep up the Situation of the _Allegory_. But the latter part of the
Speech is very Pithy. He would have her resign her Vertue out of Civility,
and abuse her Husband on Principles of good Nature. _Worthy_ pursues his
point, and Rises in his Address. He falls into a Fit of Dissection, and
hopes to gain his Mistress by Cutting his Throat. He is for _Ripping up his
Faithful Breast_, to prove the Reality of his Passion. Now when a Man
Courts with his Heart in his Hand, it must be great Cruelty to refuse him!
No Butcher could have Thought of a more moving Expedient! However, _Amanda_
continues obstinate, and is not in the usual Humour of the _Stage_. Upon
this, like a well bred Lover he seizes her by Force, and threatens to Kill
her. _Nay struggle not for all's in vain, or Death, or Victory, I am
determin'd._[429] In this rencounter the Lady proves too nimble, and slips
through his Fingers. Upon this disappointment, he cries, _there's Divinity
about her, and she has dispenc'd some Portion on't to me_. His Passion is
Metamorphos'd in the Turn of a hand: He is refin'd into a _Platonick_
Admirer, and goes off as like a _Town Spark_ as you would wish. And so much
for the _Poets_ fine Gentleman.
I should now examine the _Relapser's Thoughts and Expressions_, which are
two other Things of Consideration in a _Play_. The _Thoughts_ or
_Sentiments are the Expressions of the Manners, as Words are of the
Thoughts_.[430] But the view of the _Characters_ has in some measure
prevented this Enquiry. Leaving this Argument therefore, I shall consider
his _Play_ with respect to the
_Three Unities_ of Time, Place, and Action.
And here the _Reader_ may please to take notice, that the Design of these
Rules, is to conceal the Fiction of the _Stage_, to make the _Play_ appear
Natural, and to give it an Air of Reality, and _Conversation_.
The largest compass for the first _Unity_ is Twenty Four Hours: But a
lesser proportion is more regular. To be exact, the Time of the History, or
_Fable_, should not exceed that of the _Representation_: Or in other words,
the whole Business of the _Play_, should not be much longer than the Time
it takes up in _Playing_.
The Second _Unity_ is that of _Place_. To observe it, the _Scene_ must not
wander from one Town, or Country to another. It must continue in the same
House, Street, or at farthest in the same City, where it was first laid.
The Reason of this Rule depends upon the _First_. Now the Compass of _Time_
being strait, that of _Space_ must bear a Correspondent Proportion. Long
journeys in _Plays_ are impracticable. The Distances of _Place_ must be
suited to Leisure, and Possibility, otherwise the supposition will appear
unnatural and absurd. The
Third _Unity_ is that of _Action_; It consists in contriving the chief
Business of the _Play_ single, and making the concerns of one Person
distinguishably great above the rest. All the Forces of the _Stage_ must as
it were serve Under one _General_: And the lesser Intrigues or Underplots,
have some Relation to the Main. The very Oppositions must be useful, and
appear only to be Conquer'd, and Countermin'd. To represent Two
considerable Actions independent of each other, Destroys the beauty of
Subordination, weakens the Contrivance, and dilutes the pleasure. It splits
the _Play_, and makes the _Poem_ double. He that would see more upon this
subject may consult _Corneille_.[431] To bring these Remarks to the Case in
hand. And here we may observe how the _Relapser_ fails in all the _Rules_
above mention'd.
_1st._ His _Play_ by modest Computation takes up a weeks Work, but five
days you must allow it at the lowest. One day must be spent in the First,
Second, and part of the Third _Act_, before Lord _Foplington_ sets forward
to Sir _Tun-belly_. Now the Length of the Distance, the Pomp of the
Retinue, and the Niceness of the Person being consider'd; the journey down,
and up again, cannot be laid under four days.[432] To put this out of
doubt, Lord, _Foplington_ is particularly careful to tell _Coupler_, how
concern'd he was not to overdrive _for fear of disordering his
Coach-Horses_. The Laws of _Place_, are no better observ'd than those of
_Time_. In the Third _Act_ the _Play_ is in _Town_, in the Fourth _Act_
'tis stroll'd Fifty Miles off, and in the Fifth _Act_ in _London_ again.
Here _Pegasus_ stretches it to purpose! This _Poet_ is fit to ride a Match
with Witches. _Juliana Cox_ never Switched a Broom stock with more
Expedition! This is exactly
_Titus_ at _Walton Town_, and _Titus_ at _Islington_.
One would think by the probability of matters, the _Plot_ had been stolen
from Dr. _O----s_.
The _Poet's_ Success in the last _Unity_ of _Action_ is much the same with
the former. _Lovelace_, _Amanda_, and _Berinthia_, have no share in the
main Business. These Second rate _Characters_ are a detatched Body: Their
Interest is perfectly Foreign, and they are neither Friends, nor Enemies to
the _Plot_. _Young Fashion_ does not so much as see them till the Close of
the Fifth _Act_, and then they meet only to fill the _Stage_: And yet these
_Persons_ are in the _Poets_ account very considerable; Insomuch that he
has misnamed his _Play_ from the Figure of two of them. This strangness of
_Persons_, distinct Company, and inconnexion of Affairs, destroys the Unity
of the _Poem_. The contrivance is just as wise as it would be to cut a
Diamond in two. There is a loss of Lustre in the Division. Increasing the
Number, abates the Value, and by making it more, you make it less.
Thus far I have examin'd the _Dramatick_ Merits of the _Play_. And upon
enquiry, it appears a Heap of Irregularities. There is neither Propriety in
the _Name_, nor Contrivance in the _Plot_, nor Decorum in the _Characters_.
'Tis a thorough Contradition to Nature, and impossible in _Time_, and
_Place_. Its _Shining Graces_ as the Author calls them,[433] are
_Blasphemy_ and _Baudy_, together with a mixture of _Oaths_, and _Cursing_.
Upon the whole; The _Relapser's_ Judgment, and his Morals, are pretty well
adjusted. The _Poet_, is not much better than the _Man_. As for the
_Profane_ part, 'tis hideous and superlative.[434] But this I have
consider'd elsewhere. All that I shall observe here is, that the Author was
sensible of this Objection. His Defence in his _Preface_ is most wretched:
He pretends to know nothing of the Matter, and that _'tis all Printed_;
Which only proves his Confidence equal to the rest of his Virtues. To
out-face Evidence in this manner, is next to the affirming there's no such
Sin as _Blasphemy_, which is the greatest Blasphemy of all. His Apology
consists in railing at the _Clergy_; a certain sign of ill Principles, and
ill Manners. This He does at an unusual rate of Rudeness and Spite. He
calls them the Saints with Screw'd _Faces, and wry Mouths_. And after a
great deal of scurrilous Abuse too gross to be mention'd, he adds;[435] _If
any Man happens to be offended at a story of a Cock and a Bull, and a
Priest and a Bull-dog, I beg his Pardon_, &c. This is brave _Bear-Garden_
Language! The _Relapser_ would do well to transport his Muse to
_Samourgan_.[436] There 'tis likely he might find Leisure to lick his
_Abortive Brat_ into shape; And meet with proper Business for his Temper,
and encouragement for his Talent.
CHAP. VI.
_The Opinion of_ Paganism, _of the_ Church, _and_ State, _concerning the_
Stage.
Having in the foregoing _Chapters_ discover'd some part of the Disorders of
the _English Stage_; I shall in this Last, present the _Reader_ with a
short View of the Sense of _Antiquity_, To which I shall add some _Modern_
Authorities; From all which it will appear that _Plays_ have generally been
look'd on as the _Nurseries_ of _Vice_, the _Corrupters_ of _Youth_, and
the _Grievance_ of the _Country_ where they are suffer'd.
This proof from _Testimony_ shall be ranged under these three Heads.
Under the _First_, I shall cite some of the most celebrated _Heathen
Philosophers_, Orators, and Historians; Men of the biggest Consideration,
for Sense, Learning, and Figure. The
_Second_, Shall consist of the _Laws_ and _Constitutions_ of _Princes, &c._
The
_Third_, Will be drawn from _Church-Records_, from _Fathers_, and
_Councils_ of unexceptionable Authority, both as to Persons, and Time.
_1st._ I shall produce some of the most celebrated Heathen Philosophers
_&c._ To begin with _Plato_. 'This Philosopher tells us that _Plays_ raise
the Passions, and pervert the use of them, and by consequence are dangerous
to Morality. For this Reason he banishes these Diversions his
_Common-Wealth_.'[437]
_Xenophon_ who was both a Man of _Letters_ and a great _General_, commends
the _Persians_ for the Discipline of their Education. 'They won't (says he)
so much as suffer their Youth to hear any thing that's Amorous or
Tawdry.'[438] They were afraid want of Ballast might make them miscarry,
and that 'twas dangerous to add weight to the Byass of Nature.