Johnson who understands what he does as well as any man, exposes the impertinence of an old fellow, who has lost his senses, still pursuing pleasures, with great mastery. The ingenious Mr. Penkethman is a bashful rake, and is sheepish without having modesty, with great success. Mr. Bullock succeeds Nokes in the part of Bubble, and in my opinion is not much below him; for he does excellently that sort of folly we call absurdity, which is the very contrary of wit, the author or compiler of above thirty dramatic pieces, and of odes, catches, and songs, without number. His talent it seems consisted in setting words and rhymes to any tune and singing them in a lively entertaining manner, without stammering, as he did very much in his common conversation. It was probably this impediment in his speech, that obliged him to relinquish the practice of the law, for which he was first designed. As he higgled one day in Clare-market about the price of a shoulder of mutton, the butcher agreed to let him have it for nothing, if he would cheapen it without stuttering, which he readily did to some tune. D'Urfey is genteely bantered on the pretended nobility of his birth, in the last paper of the Lover, by Steele, who made him and his writings frequently the subjects of his fine raillery in the Tatler, but always in a friendly way, and often with an intention to serve him. Tom seems to have taken all this jocularity as it was meant, in good part, and to have retained a grateful sense of Steele's friendship for him, to the last of a long life; for when he died, in February, 1723, he left his gold watch and his diamond ring to sir Richard, who was at the expence of burying him in the porch of St. James's church-yard. 'He is now at peace, and wants no further assistance;' there can therefore be no harm in saying that the compass of his perfections was very narrow. His plays, &c. were pilfered, and poor things. The reader is doubtless abundantly satisfied with the account given here of his Plotting Sisters; and may see a similar account of a similar play, called, Wonders in the Sun, in Dr. King's Works, vol. ii. p. 118. et seqq. edit. crown 8vo. 3 vol. 1776. It was perhaps on his way from the first of these plays, that a gentleman said to Dryden, 'Was there ever such stuff! I did not think that even this author could have written so ill.' 'O sir,' replied the old bard, 'you don't know my friend Tom; I'll answer for him he shall write worse yet.' See Medley, No. 6. and sir J. Hawkins's Hist. of Music, vol. 5. p. 159, et seqq. where there is a fine print of D'Urfey. His songs &c. were published in 3 vols. in 1715, under the title of Laugh and be Fat, or Pills to purge Melancholy. These, with his other works, were republished, by subscription, in six volumes, in 1719, with the new title of Wit and Mirth or Pills to purge Melancholy. His operas and comical stories were likewise printed in 8vo. 1721. See Tat. Nos. 1. 11. and 43. Notes on T. D'Urfey; Guard Nos. 29. and 67. e See Tat. No. 188; and note on Mr. Bullock. but, next to that, is of all things the properest to excite mirth. What is foolish is the object of pity; but absurdity often proceeds from an opinion of sufficiency, and consequently is an honest occasion for laughter. These characters in this play cannot choose but make it a very pleasant entertainment, and the decorations of singing and dancing will more than repay the good-nature of those who make an honest man a visit of two merry hours to make his following year unpainful. INDEX ΤΟ THE FIRST VOLUME. The Figures in this Index refer to the Numbers of the Guardian. ACADEMY, what a youth first learns there, 24. dwells upon past times, 5. Auguire, his story, an instance of the spirit of revenge, 3. Alcibiades, his character and soliloquy before an engagement, 81. Aminta of Tasso, compared with Garini's Pastor Fido, 28. all that is good in writing not borrowed from Animals, a degree of gratitude owing to them that serve us, cruelty towards them condemned, ibid. Anne Bullen, tragedy of, a scene of distress therein, 19. Arcadian, the true character of one, 23. Artificers capital, a petition from them, 64. Aspasia, a most excellent woman, 2. 5. Astronomy, the study of it recommended, 70. Author, account of one raising contributions, 58. BACON, Sir Francis, remarks on the style of his history Barbers, inconveniences attending their being historians, 50. Bath, Wife of, a comedy, characterized, 50. a species to be commiserated, 62. Beveridge, bishop, a sublime passage quoted from his works, Bicknell, Mrs. a comedian, commended, 50. furnished with a dress from the wardrobe of the Lizards, ibid. Blanket, when that discipline is necessary, 74. CALAMITIES, the general source of them, 1. Cambray, Fenelon, archbishop of, account of his treatise of Cardan, the philosopher, what he says of the affliction of Cato, tragedy of, commended, 33. 43. beautiful similies in that tragedy, 64. Prologue and Epilogue thereto, 33. Charwell, Mr. his character, 9. His purchase and im- Chastity, the noblest male qualification, 45. Church (Christian) the divine order and oeconomy thereof, the word misapplied, 80. wherein the word wants explanation, ibid. Clergymen, respect due to them, 3. the end they should propose to themselves, 13. Coaches, young gentlemen reproved for driving them, 14. Cock-fighting, a barbarous custom, 61. Colbert, monsieur, his conversation with the French king Colleges, chiefly erected on religious considerations, 62. Common fame, vision of, 67. Conversation, one of the noblest privileges of reason, 24. Covetousness, precautions against it, 19. the vice of, enters deeper into the soul than any other, ibid. Country life, the charms and pleasures of it, 22. Cowards never forgive, 20. Cowley, Mr., criticism on his songs, 16. Crabtree, major, his sour sayings of the ladies, 26. Critics, false, 12. 16. Criticism on song-writing, 16. Customs, barbarous, in England, an account of them, 61. Cyr, Saint, account of that monastery founded by madam DAVIGNE, Messrs. father and grandfather of madam Mainte- David (king) the beauty of his lamentation for Jonathan, 51. an infirmity not to desire it, 20. of an author to himself, ibid. Definition of words necessary, 80. Des Cartes, discovered the pineal gland in the brain, 35. Dewlap, Dick, well made for a jester, 42. Distress, a scene of it in the tragedy of Anne Bullen, 19. Dream, concerning reproof and reproach, 56. Dress, the greatest motive to love, 81. not to be too much valued or despised, 10. Druids, held the doctrine of transmigration of souls, 18. Drunkenness, a deforming foolish intemperance, 56. a saying of his, recommending chastity in men, 45. 82. Dutch, their advantages over the French, 52. EASE, loved by all men, 22. in writing, what it is, 12. 15. |