bolder fault, has wrested two whole scenes from the original, (the
   Massacre just before mentioned,) which, after the vacation, he will
   be forced to pay.  I was, I confess, through indignation, forced to
   limb my own child, which time, the true cure for all maladies and
   injustice, has set together again.  The play cost me much pains, the
   story is true, and, I hope, the object will display treachery in
   its own colours.  But this farce, comedy, tragedy, or mere play, was
   a revenge for the refusal of the other.”  This last sentence alludes
   to the suppression of the “Massacre of Paris,” which, according to
   the author’s promise, appeared with all its appurtenances restored
   in 1690, the year following.]

37.  When the days of Whiggish prosperity shone forth, Shadwell did his
   best to retort upon our poet.  In the prologue to “Bury Fair,” we
   find the following lines of exultation, on his having regained
   possession of the stage: 

     Those wretched poetitos, who got praise,
     By writing most confounded loyal plays,
     With viler coarser jests, than at Bear-garden,
     And silly Grub-street songs, worse than Tom Farthing;
     If any noble patriot did excel,
     His own and country’s rights defending well,
     These yelping curs were straight ’looed on to bark,
     On the deserving man to set a mark;
     Those abject fawning parasites and knaves. 
     Since they were such, would have all others slaves. 
     ’Twas precious loyalty, that was thought fit
     To atone for want of honesty and wit;
     No wonder common sense was all cried down,
     And noise and nonsense swaggered through the town;
     Our author then opprest would have you know it. 
     Was silenced for a non-conformist poet;
     Now, sirs, since common sence has won the day,
     Be kind to this as to his last year’s play;
     His friends stood firmly to him, when distressed,
     He hopes the number is not now decreast. 
     He found esteem from those he valued most;
     Proud of his friends, he of his foes could boast.

38.  “Know then, to prevent the farther shedding of Christian blood, we
   are all content Ventoso shall be viceroy, upon condition I may be
   viceroy over him.”  Tempest, as altered by Dryden, vol. iii. p. 124.

39.  The fable alluded to occurs in the Pia Hilaria of Gazaeus, and in
   Le Grand’s Fabliaux; it makes the subject of a humorous tale by
   Mr Robert Southey.

40.  Alluding to the well-known catastrophe of poor Settle acting in
   Bartholomew fair: 

     “Reduced at last to hiss in his own dragon.”

41.  The say, or assay, is the first cut made on the stag when he
   is killed.  The hunter begins at the brisket, and draws the knife
   downwards.  The purpose is, to ascertain how fat he is: