It may seem a Defect (says he) in the antient Stage, that the Characters introduc’d were so few, and those so common, as a covetous old Man, an amorous young, a witty Wench, a crafty Slave, a bragging Soldier.  The Spectators met nothing upon the Stage, but what they met in the Streets, and at every Turn.  All the Variety is drawn only from different and uncommon Events; whereas if the Characters are so too, the Diversity and the Pleasure must needs be the more.  But as of most general Customs in a Country, there is usually some Ground, from the Nature of the People or Climat, so there may be amongst us for this Vein of our Stage, and a greater Variety of Humour in the Picture, because there is a greater Variety in the Life.  This may proceed from the native Plenty of our Soil, the Unequalness of our Climat, as well as the Ease of our Government, and the Liberty of professing Opinions and Factions, which perhaps our Neighbours may have about them, but are forc’d to disguise, and thereby they may come in Time to be extinguish’d.  Plenty begets Wantonness and Pride, Wantonness is apt to invent, and Pride scorns to imitate; Liberty begets Stomach or Heart, and Stomach will not be constrain’d.  Thus we come to have more Originals, and more that appear what they are; we have more Humour, because every Man follows his own, and takes a Pleasure, perhaps a Pride, to shew it.

—­Shakespear, Johnson, Shadwell, Etherege, and Wycherly have shewn the Richness of this Source:  They excell’d in the Variety and Humour of the Characters which they exhibited; and in this they have receiv’d just Applauses:  But yet they did not exhaust the Spring from whence they drew:  The ingenious Mr. Congreve has pursu’d the same Vein of Humour; and he has imitated his Predecessors so well, that he has by far out-done ’em all.  In his Dramatic-Pieces there is the greatest Variety of Humour and of original Characters, set off by the greatest Delicacy of Sentiments, and adorn’d with the Beauties of the justest Diction that can possibly be imagined.  Mr. Dryden must be allow’d to be a competent Judge in an Affair of this Nature, and he has given us the true Character and Panegyric of Mr. Congreve in the following Lines.

  In him all Beauties of this Age we see; }
  Etherege his Courtship, Southern’s Purity; }
  The Satir, Wit and Strength of manly Wicherly. }

’Tis true, there is some Difference between the Characters which enter into the Composition of Dramatic Pieces, and those which are represented by Characteristic-Writers; but this Difference is so small, that I doubt not but he, who is an able Master in one of these Kinds, would as successfully perform in the other.  For, in reality, the essential Parts of the Characters, in the Drama, and in Characteristic-Writings, are the same.