Transcribed from the 1895 Methuen and Co. edition (Comediesof William Congreve, Volume 2) , email
Nudus agris, nudus nummispaternis,
Insanire parat certa ratione modoque.—Hor.
My Lord,—A young poet isliable to the same vanity and indiscretion with a young lover;and the great man who smiles upon one, and the fine woman wholooks kindly upon t’other, are both of ’em in dangerof having the favour published with the first opportunity.
But there may be a different motive, which will a littledistinguish the offenders. For though one should have avanity in ruining another’s reputation, yet the other mayonly have an ambition to advance his own. And I beg leave,my lord, that I may plead the latter, both as the cause andexcuse of this dedication.
Whoever is king is also the father of his country; and asnobody can dispute your lordship’s monarchy in poetry, soall that are concerned ought to acknowledge your universalpatronage. And it is only presuming on the privilege of aloyal subject that I have ventured to make this, my address ofthanks, to your lordship, which at the same time includes aprayer for your protection.
I am not ignorant of the common form of poetical dedications,which are generally made up of panegyrics, where the authorsendeavour to distinguish their patrons, by the shining charactersthey give them, above other men. But that, my lord, is notmy business at this time, nor is your lordship now to bedistinguished. I am contented with the honour I do myselfin this epistle without the vanity of attempting to add to orexplain your Lordships character.
I confess it is not without some struggling that I behavemyself in this case as I ought: for it is very hard to be pleasedwith a subject, and yet forbear it. But I choose rather tofollow Pliny’s precept, than his example, when, in hispanegyric to the Emperor Trajan, he says:—
Nec minus considerabo quid aures ejus patipossint, quam quid virtutibus debeatur.
I hope I may be excused the pedantry of a quotation when it isso justly applied. Here are some lines in the print (andwhich your lordship read before this play was acted) that wereomitted on the stage; and particularly one whole scene in thethird act, which not only helps the design forward with lessprecipitation, but also heightens the ridiculous character ofForesight, which indeed seems to be maimed without it. ButI found myself in great danger of a long play, and was glad tohelp it where I could. Though notwithstanding my care andthe kind reception it had from the town, I could heartily wish ityet shorter: but the number of different characters representedin it would have been too much crowded in less room.
This reflection on prolixity (a fault for which scarce any onebeauty will atone) warns me not to be tedious now, and detainyour lordship any longer with the trifles of, my lord, yourlordship’s most obedient and most humble servant,
WILLIAM CONGREVE.
Spoken, at the opening of the newhouse, by Mr. Betterton.
The husbandman invain renews his toil
To cultivate each year a hungry soil;
And fondly hopes for r