This Lady promises Worthy her Endeavours to corrupt Amanda; and then They make a Profane jest upon the Office.p. 51.[413] In the progress of the Play after a great deal of Lewd Discourse with Lovelace, Berinthia is carried off into a Closet, and Lodged in a Scene of Debauch.p. 74.[414] Here is Decency, and Reservedness, to a great exactness! Monsieur Rapin blames Ariosto, and Tasso, for representing two of their Women over free, and airy.Reflect. p. 40.[415] These Poets says he, rob Women of their Character, which is Modesty. Mr. Rymer is of the same Opinion: His words are these. Nature knows nothing in the Manners which so properly, and particularly distinguish a Woman, as her Modesty.——An impudent Woman is fit only to be kicked, and expos'd in Comedy.Tragedies of the last Age consider'd, &c. p. 113, 114.[416]

Now Berinthia appears in Comedy 'tis true; but neither to be kick'd, nor expos'd. She makes a Considerable Figure, has good Usage, keeps the best Company, and goes off without Censure, or Disadvantage. Let us now take a Turn or two with Sir Tun-belly's Heiress of 1500 pounds a year. This Young Lady swears, talks smut, and is upon the matter just as rag-manner'd as Mary the Buxsome. 'Tis plain the Relapser copyed Mr. Durfey's Original, which is a sign he was somewhat Pinch'd. Now this Character was no great Beauty in Buxsome; But it becomes the Knights Daughter much worse. Buxsome was a poor Pesant, which made her Rudeness more natural, and expected. But Deputy Lieutenants Children don't use to appear with the Behaviour of Beggars. To breed all People alike, and make no distinction between a Seat, and a Cottage, is not over artful, nor very ceremonious to the Country Gentlemen. The Relapser gives Miss a pretty Soliloquy, I'll transcribe it for the Reader.

She swears by her Maker, 'tis well I have a Husband a coming, or I'de Marry the Baker I would so. No body can knock at the Gate, but presently I must be lock'd up, and, here's the Young Gray-hound——can run loose about the House all day long, she can, 'tis very well!!p. 59.[417] Afterwards her Language is too Lewd to be quoted. Here is a Compound of Ill Manners, and Contradiction Is this a good Resemblance of Quality, a Description of a great Heiress, and the effect of a Cautious Education? By her Coarsness you would think her Bred upon a Common, and by her Confidence, in the Nursery of the Play-house. I suppose the Relapser Fancies the calling her Miss Hoyden is enough to justifie her Ill Manners. By his favour, this is a Mistake. To represent her thus unhewn, he should have suited her Condition to her Name, a little better. For there is no Charm in Words as to matters of Breeding, An unfashionable Name won't make a Man a Clown. Education is not form'd upon Sounds, and Syllables, but upon Circumstances, and Quality. So that if he was resolv'd to have shown her thus unpolish'd, he should have made her keep Sheep, or brought her up at the Wash-Boul.

Sir Tun-belly accosts Young Fashion much at the same rate of Accomplishment.p. 61.[418] My Lord,——I humbly crave leave to bid you Welcome in a Cup of Sack-wine. One would imagine the Poet was overdozed before he gave the Justice a Glass. For Sack-wine is too low for a Petty Constable. This peasantly expression agrees neither with the Gentlemans Figure, nor with the rest of his Behaviour. I find we should have a Creditable Magistracy, if the Relapser had the Making them. Here the Characters are pinch'd in Sense, and stinted to short Allowance. At an other time they are over-indulged, and treated above Expectation.

For the purpose. Vanity and Formalizing is Lord Foplingtons part. To let him speak without Aukwardness, and Affectation, is to put him out of his Element. There must be Gumm and stiffening in his Discourse to make it natural However, the Relapser has taken a fancy to his Person, and given him some of the most Gentile raillery in the whole Play. To give an Instance or two. This Lord in Discourse with Fashion forgets his Name, flies out into Sense, and smooth expression, out talks his Brother, and abating the starch'd Similitude of a Watch, discovers nothing of Affectation, for almost a Page together.p. 42.[419] He relapses into the same Intemperance of good Sense, in an other Dialogue between him and his Brother. I shall cite a little of it.

Y. Fash. Unless you are so kind to assist me in redeeming my Annuity, I know no Remedy, but to go take a Purse.

L. Fopl. Why Faith Tam——to give you my Sense of the Thing, I do think taking a Purse the best Remedy in the World, for if you succeed, you are releiv'd that way, if you are taken——you are reliev'd to'ther.p. 43.[420]

Fashion being disappointed of a supply quarrels his Elder Brother, and calls him the Prince of Coxcombs.p. 44.[421]

L. Fopl. Sir I am proud of being at the Head of so prevailing a party.

Y. Fash. Will nothing then provoke thee? draw Coward.