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a i pon FOLLY, AT Rance of ſome Great King or Prince, whom every one ſhall fuppofe to fwim in the Luxury of Wealth, and to be a Powerful Lord and Mafter, when, alas, on the one Hand he has Poverty of Spirit enough to make him a meer Beggar, and on the other Side he is worfe than a Galley-flave to his own Lufts and Paffions. Ir I had a mind farther to expatiate I could enlarge upon feveral Inftances of like Nature ; but this one may at preſent ſuffice. Wetr, but what’s the Meaning (will fome fay) of all this?’ Why, obſerve the Application. If any one in a Play-houfe be fo impertinent and rude as to rifle the Actors of their borrow’d Cloaths, make them lay down the Chara&ter affum’d, and force them to return to their Naked Selves, would not fuch a one wholly difcompofe and Spoil the Entertainment ? And wou’d he not deferve to be hifs’d and thrown’ Stones at till the Pragmatical Fool could learn better Manners ? For by fuch a Difturbance the whole Scene will be alter’d : Such as aéted the Afen will perhaps appear to be Women : He that was drefs’d up for a Young Brisk Lover, will be found a tough Old Fellow ; and he that reprefented a King, will remain but a mean ordinary Serveng-Man. The laying Things thus open is Marring all the Sport, which confifts only in Counterfeit and Diſguiſe. Now the World is nothing elfe ‘but’ {uch another Comedy, where every one in the Tire-room is fir Ha: bited ſuitably ‘tó the“ Part he is to at; and as it is fucceffively their Turn, out they come on the Stage} where he that now Perfonates a Es Prince, D
