_Snarle._ Why Macklin gives out that some Gentleman, a Friend of his, has made him a Present of it, but I shrewdly suspect it to be his own.
_Snarle._ Write? Ay, and damnably too, I assure you, ha! ha! He writ a Tragedy this Winter, but so merry a Tragedy was never seen since the first night of Tom Thumb the Great.
_Smart._ I was at it and a merry Tragedy it was and a merry Audience!
_Snarle._ I never laughed so heartily at a Play in my Life; if his Farce has half so much Fun in it as his Tragedy had, I'll engage it succeeds.
_Smart._ Come, come. There was some tolerable Things in his Tragedy.
_Snarle._ Psha! psha! Stuff! Stuff! damned Stuff! Pray Sir, what do you think of Lady Catherine Gordon's Letter to her Father, Lord Huntley, that begun honoured Papa, hoping you are in good Health as I am at this present Writing. There was a Stile for Tragedy!
_Smart._ Well, I wish his Farce may succeed, however.
_Snarle._ O so do I upon my word, Sir.--I have a great Regard for Macklin--but to be sure he is a very egregious Blockhead ever to think of writing; that I believe everybody will allow.
_Omnes._ Ay, ay, there's nobody will dispute that with you, Mr. Snarlewit.
_Snarle._ Notwithstanding he is such a Blockhead, I assure you, Mr. Smart, I have an Esteem for him.
_Smart._ Do you know what Characters or Business he has in his Farce?
_Snarle._ I think his chief Character is an old Fellow, one Sir Isaac Skinflint, who is eaten up with Diseases, and who promises everybody Legacies, but dreads making a Will, for the Instant he does that he thinks he shall die.
_Rattle._ That's a very common Character; my Uncle was just such a superstitious Wretch.
_Snarle._ And the Business of the Farce is to induce this old Fellow to disinherit all his Relations, except a Nephew who wants to be his sole Heir, which according to the Rules of Farce, you may suppose it to be brought about by a Footman who upon these Occasions always has more Wit than his Master.
_Smart._ But when is the Prologue to begin?
_Snarle._ Why as soon as the Curtain is drawn up you will see the Stage disposed in the Form of a Pit, and that you are to imagine the Prologue, and when they let the Curtain down, why then you must suppose it to be ended.