pleas'd to impofe, Sir, upon this-------Sweet Sir, your fervant.

Smi. Your humble fervant, Sir.

Johnf. But wilt thou do me a favour now?
Bayes. Ay, Sir : What is't?

Johnf. Why, to tell him the meaning of thy last play.

Bayes. How, Sir, the meaning? do you mean the plot ?

Johnf. Ay, ay; any thing.

Bayes. Faith Sir, the intrigo's now quite out of my head; but I have a new one, in my pocket, that I may fay is a virgin; it has never yet been blown upon. I muft tell you one thing, 'tis all new wit; and though I say it, a better than my laft: and you know well enough how that took. * In fine, it fhall read, and write, and act, and plot, and fhew, ay, and pit, box, and gallery it, with any play in Europe. This morning is it's

* In fine, it shall read, and write, and act, and plot, and fhew, ay, and pit, box, and gallery it, with any play in Europe. "This was the ufual language of the honoura"ble Edward Howard Efq; at the rehearsal of his plays,"

laft

laft rehearsal in their habits, and all that, as it is to be acted; and if you, and your friend will do it but the honour to fee it in its virgin attire, tho' perhaps it may blush, I fhall not be afham'd to I think it is in this

discover it unto you

pocket.

[Puts his hand in his pocket. John Sir, I confefs, I am not able to answer you in this new way; but if you please to lead, I fhall be glad to follow you; and I hope my friend will do fo too.

Smi. Sir, I have no business fo confiderable, as fhould keep me from your company.

Bayes. Yes, here it is. No, cry you mercy; this is my book of Drama Common-places; the mother of many other plays.

Johnf. Drama Common-places! Pray what's

that?

Bayes. Why, Sir, fome certain helps, that we men of art have found it convenient to make ufe of.

Smi. How, Sir, helps for wit? Bayes. Ay, Sir, that's my position. here aver, that no man yet the fun

And I do

e'er fhone

upon

upon has parts fufficient to furnish out a stage, except it were by the help of these my rules.* Johnf. What are those rules, I pray?

Bayes. Why Sir, my first rule is the rule of tranfverfion, or regula duplex: changing verse into profe, or profe into verfe, alternative as you please.

Smi. Well, but how is this done by rule, Sir?

Bayes. Why, thus, Sir; nothing so easy when understood; I take a book in my hand, either at home or elsewhere, for that's all one, if there be any wit in't, as there is no book but has fome, I tranfverfe, it; that is, if it be profe, put it into verfe, (but that takes up fome time) and if it be verfe, put it into profe.

Johnf. Methinks, Mr. Bayes, that putting verfe into profe fhould be calling tranfpofing.

*Thefe my rules.

He who wrote this, not without pain and thought
From French and English theatres, has brought
Th' exacteft rules by which a play is wrought,

The unity of action, place and time;
The scenes unbroken; and a mingled chime
Of Johnson's humour, with Corneille's rhime.

Prologue to the Maiden Queen.
Bayes.

Bayes. By my troth, Sir, 'tis a very good notion, and hereafter it fhall be fo.

Smi. Well, Sir, and what d'ye do with it then? Bayes. Make it my own. "Tis fo chang'd that no man can know it. My next rule is the rule of record by way of table-book. Pray obferve.

Johnf. We hear you, Sir: go on.

Bayes. As thus, I come into a coffee-house, or fome other place where witty men refort; I make as if I minded nothing: (do you mark?) but as foon as any one speaks, pop I flap it down, and make that too my own.

Johns. But, Mr. Bayes, are you not fometimes in danger of their making you reftore, by force, what you have gotten thus, by art?

Bayes. No, Sir; the world's unmindful: they never take notice of these things.

Smi. But pray, Mr. Bayes, amongst all your other rules, have you no one rule for Invention ? Bayes. Yes, Sir, that's my third rule that I have here in my pocket.

Smi. What rule can that be I wonder!

Bayes. Why. Sir, when I have any thing to invent, I never trouble my head about it, as other men do; but presently turn over this book,

1

and there I have, at one view, all that Perfius, Montaigne, Seneca's Tragedies, Horace, Juvenal, Claudian, Pliny, Plutarch's Lives, and the reft, have ever thought upon this fubject; and fo in a thrice, by leaving out a few words, or putting in others of my own, the business is done.

Johnf. Indeed Mr. Bayes, this is as sure, and compendious a way of wit as ever I heard of.

Bayes. Sirs, if you make the least scruple of the efficacy of these my rules, do but come to the play-house, and you shall judge of 'em by the effects.

Smi. We'll follow you, Sir.

Enter three Players upon the Stage.

1 Play. Have you your part perfect ?

[Exeunt.

2 Play. Yes I have it without book; but I don't understand how it is to be spoken.

3 Play. And mine is fuch a one, as I can't guefs for my life what humour I'm to be in; whether angry, melancholy, merry, or in love. I

don't know what to make on't.

I Play. Phoo! the author will be here prefently and he'll tell us all. You must know, this is the new way of writing, and thefe hard things please forty times better than the old plain way.

For,