The Prologue, spoken by Mr. Cibber, is racy. We give the first half of it:--
"Wit springs so slow in our bleak Northern Soil, It scarce, at best, rewards the Planter's Toil. But now, when all the Sun-shine, and the Rain, Are turn'd to cultivate a Foreign grain; When, what should cherish, preys upon the Tree, What generous Fruit can you expect to see? Our Bard, to strike the Humour of the Times, Imports these Scenes from kindlier Southern Climes; Secure his Pains will with Applause be crown'd, If you're as fond of Foreign sense as ... sound: And since their Follies have been bought so dear, We hope their Wit a moderate Price may bear. Terence, Great Master! who, with wond'rous Art, Explor'd the deepest Secrets of the Heart; That best Old Judge of Manners and of Men, First grac'd this Tale with his immortal Pen. Molière, the Classick of the Gallick Stage, First dar'd to modernize the Sacred Page; Skilful, the one thing wanting to supply, Humour, that Soul of Comic Poesy. The Roman Fools were drawn so high ... the Pit Might take 'em now for Modern Men of Wit. But Molière painted with a bolder Hand, And mark'd his Oafs with the Fool's-Cap and Band: To ev'ry Vice he tagged the just Reproach, Shew'd Worth on Foot, and Rascals in a Coach."
[Footnote: The plot of _The Man of Taste_, as we have said before, was partly borrowed from Molière's _School for Husbands_, partly from the _Pretentious Young Ladies_, and other of his plays. The first-mentioned French comedy owes part of its plot to Terence's _Adelphi_, hence the allusion to "his immortal Pen." in the above poem.]
Mrs. Aphra Behn, a voluminous writer of plays, novels, poems, and letters, all of a lively and amorous turn, was the widow of a Dutch merchant, and partly occupied the time not engaged in literary pursuits in political or gallant intrigues. Her comedies are her best works, and although some of her scenes are often indecent, and not a few of her expressions indelicate, yet her plots are always lively and well sustained and her dialogues very witty. The date of her birth is unknown, but she died on the 16th of April, 1689, and was buried in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey.
In 1682, was performed, at the Theatre, Dorset Garden, her play. _The False Count, or a New Way to Play an Old Game_. The prologue attacks the Whigs most furiously, and the epilogue, spoken by Mrs. Barry, is very indecent. The plot of this play, or rather farce, is very improbable, and the language is more than free. Julia, in love with Don Carlos, afterwards Governor of Cadiz, was forced by her father to marry Francisco, a rich old man, formerly a leather-seller; the latter going with his family to sea on a party of pleasure, are taken prisoners by Carlos and his servants, disguised as Turks. They are carried to a country house, and made to believe they are in the Grand Turk's seraglio. There is also an underplot, in which Isabella, Francisco's proud and vain daughter, is courted by Guilion, a supposed Count, but in reality a chimney-sweep, whose hand she accepts. In the end everything is discovered, and Guilion comes to claim his wife in his sooty clothes.