 | The Italian Husband |  |
The PRÆLUDE.
Enter Poet and Critic.Crit.
I have been very attentive to your Rehearsal, and
what I tell you you'll find true.
Po.
Well, good Mr. Critics, let me alone with my faults,
I don't allow your objections.
Po.
I tell you, Sir, you'll anger the Ladies, they'll be against
you.
Crit.
I'm not of your opinion.
Crit.
You are Poet Positive right.
Po.
And you Critic Find-fault, right or wrong.
Enter Mr. Peregrine.
Crit.
Oh, here's Mr. Peregrine, we'll ask his judgment.
Po.
With all my heart; he's a Traveller, and knows the
Customs of other Countries.
Per.
Your Servant Gentlemen: what is the matter? what
am I to be Judge of betwixt you?
Crit.
Why Sir, Mr. Scribble here has writ a Play, that's
to be acted to day.
Per.
I know it Sir, and am come to see't.
Crit.
Lord, Lord, Sir! he calls it a Tragedy.
Per.
Then I suppose it is one.
Crit.
A Tragedy! No, it has but three Acts.
Per.
What then, Sir?
Crit.
If it has but three Acts it must be a Farce.
Per.
Why so, Sir?
Crit.
Why so! did you ever see it otherwise?
Per.
Ask him—
Po.
Yes, Sir, a Farce may be two, three, or five Acts; as
you have seen upon our Stage already.
Per.
'Tis the same amongst the French and Italians.
Crit.
What then is a Farce?
I'll tell you: A Play is not call'd a Farce from any number
of Acts, but from the lowness of the Subject and Characters;
which are not true Characters in Nature, nor just
representations of humane actions (as Comedy is or should be)
but from the oddness and extravagancy of the Characters and
Subject: Which, tho not natural, yet not always against Nature;
and tho not true, yet diverting, and foolishly delightful.
A Farce is like Dutch piece of Painting, or a Grotesque Figure,
extravagant and pleasant.
Per.
In my judgment it is so.
Crit.
Well, we'll pass over that point. But why do you
make a Tragedy but three Acts?
Per.
O, that's customary in other Countries.
Po.
I have observ'd that many Plays of late are all talk and
no business; others have some business, but so much talk,
that the business is almost lost in the multiplicity of words,
and the Plays lag and grow tedious. Therefore, to avoid
this, I have now laid the business so close, that every Scene
may seem necessary to carry on the design and story of the
Play, and with as few words as I cou'd suppose sufficient;
therefore I confine my self to three Acts, which gives me also
opportunity to introduce some Musical Entertainments, and
those seeming natural to the Play; which few Poets have yet
observ'd.
Crit.
I confess they bring in their Musick by head and
shoulders, and may serve in one Play as well as another. But
the main objection against your Play is, Your Lady, or chief
Character in your Play, being of Quality, and a marry'd woman,
sees a young Lord, hearkens to his Love, and gives up
her Honour in the first Act, without much ceremony or couttship:
How will the Boxes like this, Sir? There you are lost.
Po.
Mr. Peregrine, you have been a Traveller, and are a
fit Judge: In the first place, I say this great Lady and her
Lover were not strangers to each other, courtship had formerly
past betwixt them, they were contracted by Vows; but
being separated before they could be joined in Marriage, and
By acaident they see each other, have opportunity of discourse,
their Love renews, the Gallant presses, the Lady is frail, and
they agreed upon the present moment.
Per.
Where lies the Scene?
Po.
In Italy; you know it is not there as in England, where
we have easie access, and freedom of conversation, and opportunity
of Courtship. An opportunity there once lost, is
not to be recovered.
Per.
Right, therefore, there if the Gentleman likes the Lady,
and the Lady the Gentleman, they presently come to the
point. An Italian Dame wou'd think you a very dull, heavy,
phlegmatick Lover, if you shou'd waste time in idle Ceremony
and Compliments. When Love is the Banquet, they fall to
without saying Grace, I can tell you.
Crit.
Ay, but the custom of that Country won't be an excuse
here.
Per.
But it ought; for if the Scene lies in a foreign Country,
the Poet may write after the custom of that Country.
Crit.
But they won't like a great Lady losing her Honor;
they won't like that, Sir.
Po.
It is not the design of my Play to expose a Lady's frailty,
so much as to raise her up to virtue when fallen. I intend
her fall not an example for vice. The great design being to
bring a guilty person to be pity'd in her circumstances. Many
Plays have made the Vertuous in misfortunes to be pity'd,
but the Guilty never yet, as I remember.
Per.
Very well: That design indeed is new, I like it.
Po.
And lastly, Sir, to show what evils may follow one ill
action, tho repented on as soon as done. And let the Moral
of the Play show, that one error brings more fatal consequences
than many virtuous actions can remedy; and therefore,
tho it is good to repent of ill, 'tis better not to do ill.
Crit.
I like your Moral well enough; I have but one thing
more to say, your Play has no lofty flights, nor ne're a fine
dying Speech.
We have too much of them in every Play.
Po.
I have endeavour'd in this to make my persons speak
like men and women, and in such words as the real persons
represented might be supposed to discourse in the same circumstance.
The Scene lyes in Italy, and I have writ in the
stile of the Italian Tragedies; how it may please here I know
not.
Crit.
Ay, but Sir, you have left out Similies: 'Y Gad I
scarce remember three Similies in the whole Play; and
Mr. Peregrine I am a passionate lover of Similies.
Per.
I confess in English Writers great part of the Wit lyes
in Similies; we have too many of 'em.
Crit.
Too many Similies! 'Y Gad Mr. Peregrine now I question
your judgment: Oh! they are the prettiest things in
nature. I had as live see, The Firmament without Stars,
A Tree without Blossoms, A Garden without Flowers, A Lady's
Face without Patches, or A Pudding without Plumbs, as
a Play without Similies. There are your Similies now! who
cou'd have exprest so much Wit without Similies?
Per. & Po.
Ha, ha, he.
Po.
See, the Prologue's going to be spoke, the Curtain is
drawing up.
Crit.
Well, well, I'll tell you more anon: I'll go into the
Pit.
Exit.
Po.
Pray follow, and sit by him; your presence will awe
him; 'tis the nature of Critics to be malicious: He'll be finding
fault to show his Wit.
Per.
I'll drink a Bottle with you when the Play is done,
and tell you my opinion.
[Exit.
Po.
Less blame it is in new attempts to fail,
Than in the old but meanly to previal.
Exeunt.
| The Italian Husband | |