Four billets with their answers. Remarks on masquerades The folly of anger. The misery of a peevish old age The history of a young woman that came to London for service The duty of secrecy. The invalidity of all excuses for betraying se- The difference between an author's writings and his conversation The folly of cards. A letter from a lady that has lost her money The unhappiness of marriage caused by irregular motives of choice The danger of ranging from one study to another. The importance Rashness preferable to coward.ce. Enterprise not to be repressed Page The various arts of self-delusion The folly of anticipating misfortunes The observance of Sunday recommended; an allegory The defence of a known mistake highly culpable The vanity of stoicism. The necessity of patience An allegorical history of rest and labour The uneasiness and disgust of female cowardice The unhappiness of women whether single or married The difficulty of giving advice without offending The misery of a modish lady in solitude The inconveniencies of precipitation and confidence Religion and superstition, a vision The causes of disagreement in marriage The mischiefs of rural faction - The proper means of regulating sorrow A DISSERTATION UPON THE GREEK COMEDY, TRANSLATED FROM BRUMOY.* ADVERTISEMENT. I CONCLUDE this work according to my promise, with an account of the Comic Theatre, and entreat the reader, whether a favourer or an enemy of the ancient drama, not to pass his censure upon the authors or upon me, without a regular perusal of this whole work. For, though it seems to be composed of pieces of which each may precede or follow without dependence upon the other, yet all the parts, taken together, form a system which would be destroyed by their disjunction. Which way shall we come at the knowledge of the ancients' shows, but by comparing together all that is left of them? The value and necessity of this comparison determined me to publish all, or to publish nothing. Besides, the reflections on each piece, and on the general taste of antiquity, which, in my opinion, are not without importance, have a kind of obscure gradation, which I have carefully endeavoured to preserve, and of which the thread would be lost by him who should slightly glance sometimes upon one piece, and sometimes upon another. It is a structure which I have endeavoured to make as near to regularity as I could, and which must be seen in its full extent and in proper succession. The reader who skips here and there over the book, might make • Published by Mrs. Lennox in 4to. 1759. To the third volume of this work the following Advertisement is prefixed. "In this volume, the Discourse on the Greek Comedy, and the general conclusion, are translated by the celebrated author of the Rambler. The Comedy of the Birds, and that of Peace, by a young Gentleman. The Comedy of the Frogs, by the learned and ingenious Dr. Gregory Sharpe. The Discourse upon the Cyclops, by John Bourrya, Esq. The Cyclops, by Dr. Grainger, author of the translation of Tibullus." VOL. II-B F.. |