udent Saucebox_, said I; _you're Man's meat your self,
and yet have a mind to a Tid-bit._

_Gna._ Ha, ha, he.

_Thra._ What's the matter, hah?

_Gna._ Very fine, sharp, and delicate; that cou'd not be mended.
But pray, Sir, was this your own? I took it for an old Jest.

_Thra._ Did you ever hear't before?

_Gna._ Often, Sir; and it takes to a miracle.

_Thra._ They're oblig'd to me for't.

_Gna._ I'm sorry tho', you were so sharp upon the foolish young
Gentleman. But pray, Sir, what did he say then?

_Thra._ He was quite dash'd out of Countenance; and the whole
Company ready to dye with laughing. After that, every body stood
in great awe of me.

_Gna._ And truly they had reason.

Here may be seen +Bragging+ and +Wheadling+ sufficiently, but still
Nature closely observ'd, and all its due proportions; whereas the
other has too much out-gone Probability, and strain'd his
+Characters+ to an extravagant pitch. I shall not criticise upon the
Particulars, but leave the Reader to judge their Differences; but
only I may observe, that when +Characters+ are carry'd too high, as
many of ours are, they may probably make an Audience laugh very
heartily, but can give 'em but small Pleasure; whereas others will
give 'em great Delight, tho' less Laughter.

I am afraid I have dwelt too long upon this Subject, therefore I
pass on to our Author's +Plots+. In that respect, he had not often
that +Art+ and +Management+ that +Terence+ had, nor in all his Plays
was so +regular+ as he; tho' in several he was, particularly in
those I have chosen. But then his Scenes were commonly less
languishing, his +Incidents+ more surprizing, and his +Surprizes+
more admirable; undoubtedly he had more of the +Vis comica+, which I
may translate +Liveliness of Intreague+, than +Terence+. His
+Subjects+ were all more +Simple+ than the other's, but I am apt to
believe, that will be reckon'd but a very small Commendation in our
Nation, who are but little Lovers of such thin Dyet, as they call
it. His +Narrations+ are more lively and sharp than those of
+Terence+'s, and, I think, every whit as natural and as well brought
in: I'm sure in some of 'em he can never be out-done as to his way
of bringing of 'em in. As for the General Rules of the Stage,
I refer the Reader to the Preface to +Terence+.

Our Author's principal Fault was, his mixing the +Representation+
with the +Theatral Action+ in many places, where he often makes his
Actors speak immedi