THE Printed for Jacob Tonfon; and Sold by James Knapton at the To the Right Honourable RALPH Earl of MOUNTAGUE, &c. My LORD, W Hether the World will arraign me of Vanity, or not, that I have prefum'd to Dedicate this Comedy to Your Lordship, I am yet in Doubt: Tho' it may be it is fome degree of Vanity even to doubt of it. One who has at any time had the Honour of Your Lordship's Converfation, cannot be suppos'd to think very meanly of that which he would prefer to your Perufal: Yet it were to incur the Imputation of too much Sufficiency, to pretend to fuch a Merit as might abide the Teft of Your Lordship's Cenfure. Whatever Value may be wanting to this Play while yet it is mine, will be fufficiently made up to it, when it is once become Your Lordship's, and it is my Security, that I cannot have over-rated it more by my Dedication, than Your Lordship will dignifie it by Your Patronage. That it fucceeded on the Stage, was almoft beyond my Expe&tation, for but little of it was prepar'd for that general Taste which feems now to be predominant in the Pallats of our Audience. Those Characters which are meant to be ridicul'd in most of our Comedies, are of Fools so grefs, that in my humble Opinion, they should rather difturb than divert the well-natur'd and reflecting Part of an Audience; they are rather Objects of Charity than Contempt; and inftead of moving our Mirth, they ought very often to excite our Compaffion. This Reflection mov'd me to design some Characters, which fhould appear ridiculous not fo much thro' a natural Folly (which is incorrigible, and therefore not proper for the Stage) as thro' an affected Wit, a Wit, which at the fame time that it is affected, |