“In the New Comedy which succeeded, the Poets sought, indeed, to express the [Greek:  aethos] [manners and habits]; as in their Tragedies, the [Greek:  pathos] [sufferings] of mankind.  But this [Greek:  aethos] contained only the general characters of men and manners; as [of] Old Men, Lovers, Servingmen, Courtizans, Parasites, and such other persons as we see in their Comedies.  All which, they made alike:  that is, one Old Man or Father, one Lover, one Courtizan so like another, as if the first of them had begot the rest of every [each] sort. Ex homine hunc natum dicas.  The same custom they observed likewise in their Tragedies.

“As for the French.  Though they have the word humeur among them:  yet they have small use of it in their Comedies or Farces:  they being but ill imitations of the ridiculum or that which stirred up laughter in the Old Comedy.  But among the English, ’tis otherwise.  Where, by Humour is meant some extravagant habit, passion, or affection, particular, as I said before, to some one person, by the oddness of which, he is immediately distinguished from the rest of men:  which, being lively and naturally represented, most frequently begets that malicious pleasure in the audience, which is testified by laughter:  as all things which are deviations from common customs, are ever the aptest to produce it.  Though, by the way, this Laughter is only accidental, as the person represented is fantastic or bizarre; but Pleasure is essential to it, as the Imitation of what is natural.  This description of these Humours[9], drawn from the knowledge and observation of particular persons, was the peculiar genius and talent of BEN.  JOHNSON.  To whose Play, I now return.

“Besides MOROSE, there are, at least, nine or ten different Characters and Humours in the Silent Woman:  all which persons have several concernments of their own; yet are all used by the Poet to the conducting of the main Design to perfection.

“I shall not waste time in commending the Writing of this Play:  but I will give you my opinion, that there is more Wit and Acuteness of Fancy in it, than in any of BEN.  JOHNSON’s.  Besides that, he has here described the conversation of gentlemen, in the persons of TRUE WIT and his friends, with more gaiety, air, and freedom than in the rest of his Comedies.

“For the Contrivance of the Plot:  tis extreme[ly] elaborate; and yet, withal, easy.  For the [Greek:  desis], or Untying of it:  ’tis so admirable, that, when it is done, no one of the audience would think the Poet could have missed it; and yet, it was concealed so much before the last Scene, that any other way would sooner have entered into your thoughts.