undetermined in the doubtful appellation of 'The What D'ye Call
It' ... but I added to it 'A Tragi-Comi-Pastoral Farce,' as it contained
all these several kinds of drama." Pope saw the play and wrote about it
to Congreve, March 19th, 1715: "The farce of 'The What D'ye Call It' has
occasioned many different speculations in the town, some looking upon it
as a mere jest upon the tragic poets, others as a satire upon the late
war. Mr. Cromwell, hearing none of the words, and seeing the action to
be tragical, was much astonished to find the audience laugh, and says
the Prince and Princess [of Wales] must doubtless be under no less
amazement on the same account. Several Templars and others of the more
vociferous kind of critics went with a resolution to hiss, and confessed
they were forced to laugh so much that they forgot the design they came
with. The Court in general has come in a very particular manner into the
jest, and the three nights, notwithstanding two of them were Court
nights, were distinguished by very full audiences of the first quality.
The common people of the pit and gallery received it at first with great
gravity and sedateness, and some few with tears; but after the third day
they also took the hint, and have ever since been very loud in their
claps. There are still sober men who cannot be of the general opinion,
but the laughers are so much the majority that one or two critics seemed
determined to undeceive the town at their proper cost, by writing
dissertations against it to encourage them in this laudable design. It
is resolved a preface shall be prefixed to the farce, in vindication of
the nature and dignity of this new way of writing."[1] The fact is that,
as Johnson put it, "the images were comic and the action grave," and
there were many mock-heroic passages which parodied tragedies, including
Addison's "Cato" and Otway's "Venice Preserved," well-known in that day.
Also it contained several ballads, of which perhaps the best is "'Twas
when the seas were roaring" (Act II., Scene 8).

"The What D'ye Call It" was not a piece of much value, but it pleased
the audience, and Gay was highly delighted. "Now my benefit night is
over, it should be my first care to return my thanks to those to whom I
am mostly obliged, and the civilities I have always received from you,
and upon this occasion too, claims this acknowledgment," the author
wrote to Caryll on March 3rd: "'The What D'ye Call It' met with more
succes