First, I desire that I may lay down Aristotle's definition of comedy, which has been the compass by which all the comic poets since his time have steered their course. I mean them whom Mr. CoIlier so very frequently calls comedians; for the distinction between comicus and comoedus and tragicus and tragoedus is what he has not met with in the long progress of his reading.

Comedy (says Aristotle) is an imitation of the worse sort of people. [greek text] , imitatio pejorum. He does not mean the worse sort of people in respect to their quality, but in respect to their manners. This is plain from his telling you immediately after, that he does not mean [greek text], relating to all kinds of vice; there are crimes too daring and too horrid for comedy. But the vices most frequent, and which are the common practice of the looser sort of livers, are the subject matter of comedy. He tells us farther, that they must be exposed after a ridiculous manner. For men are to be laughed out of their vices in comedy; the business of comedy is to delight as well as to instruct; and as vicious people are made ashamed of their follies or faults by seeing them exposed in a ridiculous manner, so are good people at once both warned and diverted at their expense.

Thus much I though necessary to premise, that by showing the nature and end of comedy we may be prepared to expect characters agreeable to it.

Secondly, since comic poets are obliged by the laws of comedy, and to the intent that comedy may answer its true end and purpose above-mentioned, to represent vicious and foolish characters—in consideration of this, I desire that it may not be imputed to the persuasion or private sentiments of the author if at any time one of these vicious characters in any of his plays shall behave himself foolishly or immorally in word or deed. I hope I am not yet unreasonable; it were very hard that a painter should be believed, to resemble all the ugly faces that he draws.

Thirdly, I must desire the impartial reader not to consider any expression or passage cited from any play as it appears in Mr. Collier's book, nor to pass any sentence or censure upon it out of its proper scene, or alienated from the character by which it is spoken; for in that place alone, and in his mouth alone, can it have its proper and true signification.


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