“Wit and Language, and Humour also in some measure, we had before him; but something of Art was wanting to the Drama, till he came.  He managed his strength to more advantage than any who preceded him.  You seldom find him making love in any of his Scenes, or endeavouring to move the passions:  his genius was too sullen and saturnine to do it gracefully; especially when he knew, he came after those who had performed both to such a height.  Humour was his proper sphere; and in that, he delighted most to represent mechanic [uncultivated] people.

“He was deeply conversant in the Ancients, both Greek and Latin; and he borrowed boldly from them.  There is scarce a Poet or Historian, among the Roman authors of those times, whom he has not translated in SEJANUS and CATILINE:  but he has done his robberies so openly, that one may see he fears not to be taxed by any law.  He invades authors, like a Monarch; and what would be Theft in other Poets, is only Victory in him.  With the spoils of these Writers, he so represents old Rome to us, in its rites, ceremonies, and customs; that if one of their own poets had written either of his Tragedies, we had seen less of it than in him.

“If there was any fault in his Language, ’twas that he weaved it too closely and laboriously in his serious Plays.  Perhaps, too, he did a little too much Romanize our tongue; leaving the words which he translated, almost as much Latin as he found them:  wherein, though he learnedly followed the idiom of their language, he did not enough comply with ours.

“If I would compare him with SHAKESPEARE, I must acknowledge him, the more correct Poet; but SHAKESPEARE, the greater Wit.  SHAKESPEARE was the HOMER, or Father of our Dramatic Poets; JOHNSON was the VIRGIL, the pattern of elaborate writing.  I admire him; but I love SHAKESPEARE.

“To conclude of him.  As he has given us the most correct Plays; so in the Precepts which he has laid down in his Discoveries, we have as many and profitable Rules as any wherewith the French can furnish us.

“Having thus spoken of this author; I proceed to the examination of his Comedy, the Silent Woman.

“Examen of the Silent Woman.

“To begin, first, with the Length of the Action.  It is so far from exceeding the compass of a natural day, that it takes not up an artificial one.  ’Tis all included in the limits of three hours and a half; which is no more than is required for the presentment [representation of it] on the Stage.  A beauty, perhaps, not much observed.  If it had [been]; we should not have looked upon the Spanish Translation [i.e., the adaptation from the Spanish] of Five Hours [pp. 533, 541], with so much wonder.

“The Scene of it is laid in London.  The Latitude of Place is almost as little as you can imagine:  for it lies all within the compass of two houses; and, after the First Act, in one.