The Project Gutenberg EBook of Prefaces to Terence's Comedies and Plautus's Comedies (1694), by Lawrence Echard This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Prefaces to Terence's Comedies and Plautus's Comedies (1694) Author: Lawrence Echard Commentator: John Barnard Release Date: August 13, 2009 [EBook #29684] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TERENCE *** Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner, Dave Morgan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [This e-text comes in two forms: Latin-1 and ASCII-7. Use the one that works best on your text reader. --In the Latin-1 version, French words like "comédie" have accents, and "æ" is a single letter. If you see any garbage in this paragraph and can't get it to display properly, try: --In the ASCII-7 version, French accents and cedillas are missing, and "ae" is two letters. Both Prefaces were printed in italic type, with roman used for emphasis, names and quotations. Emphasis within quotations was again italicized. In these passages, the overall italics are not marked; Roman type is shown between +marks+.] The Augustan Reprint Society Lawrence Echard _PREFACES_ _To Terence's_ COMEDIES _And Plautus's_ COMEDIES (1694) _Introduction by_ JOHN BARNARD Publication Number 129 WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY University of California, Los Angeles 1968 GENERAL EDITORS George Robert Guffey, _University of California, Los Angeles_ Maximillian E. Novak, _University of California, Los Angeles_ Robert Vosper, _William Andrews Clark Memorial Library_ ADVISORY EDITORS Richard C. Boys, _University of Michigan_ James L. Clifford, _Columbia University_ Ralph Cohen, _University of Virginia_ Vinton A. Dearing, _University of California, Los Angeles_ Arthur Friedman, _University of Chicago_ Louis A. Landa, _Princeton University_ Earl Miner, _University of California, Los Angeles_ Samuel H. Monk, _University of Minnesota_ Everett T. Moore, _University of California, Los Angeles_ Lawrence Clark Powell, _William Andrews Clark Memorial Library_ James Sutherland, _University College, London_ H. T. Swedenberg, Jr., _University of California, Los Angeles_ CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Edna C. Davis, _William Andrews Clark Memorial Library_ INTRODUCTION Perhaps no higher praise can be paid a translator than posterity's acceptance of his work. Laurence Echard's _Terence's Comedies_, first printed in 1694 in the dress and phraseology of Restoration comedy, has received this accolade through the mediation of no less a modern translator than Robert Graves. In 1963 Graves edited a translation of three of Terence's plays. His Foreword points to the extreme difficulty of translating Terence, and admits his own failure-- "It is regrettable that the very terseness of his Latin makes an accurate English rendering read drily and flatly; as I have found to my disappointment." Graves's answer was typically idiosyncratic. "A revival of Terence in English, must, I believe, be based on the translation made . . . . with fascinating vigour, by a young Cambridge student Laurence Echard . . . ."[1] The Prefaces to Echard's _Terence's Comedies: Made English_ . . . . (1694) and to his _Plautus's Comedies, Amphitryon, Epidicus, and Rudens_ (1694) are of interest for several reasons. Both of them outline the intentions and rationale which lie behind the translations. They also throw light upon the sense of literary rivalry with French achievements which existed in some quarters in late seventeenth-century England, make comments on the contemporary stage, and are valuable both as examples of seventeenth-century attitudes to two Classical dramatists, and as statements of neoclassical dramatic theory. Finally, they are, to some extent, polemical pieces, aiming at the instruction of contemporary dramatists. Laurence Echard, or Eachard (1670?-1730), was a minor cleric, a prolific hack, and an historian, a typical enough confusion of functions for the time. It suggests that Echard had energy, ability, and political commitment, but lacked a generous patron or good fortune to take the place of private means. Within the Church his success was modest: he was installed prebendary of Louth in 1697, but had to wait until 1712 before becoming Archdeacon of Stow. Echard achieved the little fame by which he is remembered as an historical writer. Perhaps he is more accurately described as a compiler rather than as an historian. His major works were _The Roman History, from the Building of the City, to the Perfect Settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar_ . . . (1695-98), the equally comprehensive _A General Ecclesiastical History from the Nativity of Our Blessed Saviour to the First Establishment of Christianity_ . . . (1702), his all-inclusive _The History of England from the first Entrance of Julius Caesar . . . to the Conclusion of the Reign of King James the Second_ . . . (1707-18), and the more detailed but equally long work, _The History of the Revolution, and the Establishment of England in . . . 1688_ (1725). Echard's career as a publisher's jack-of-all-trades ran concurrently with his life's work on history, and showed a similar taste for the voluminously encyclopedic. In 1691 he graduated B.A. at Christ's College, Cambridge, and published four works under the imprint of Thomas Salusbury: _A Most Complete Compendium of Geography; General and Special; Describing all the Empires, Kingdoms, and Dominions in the Whole World_, _An Exact Description of Ireland . . ._, _A Description of Flanders . . ._, and the _Duke of Savoy's Dominions most accurately described_.[2] These were followed in 1692 by _The Gazetteer's or Newsman's Interpreter: being a Geographical Index_ . . . . Two years later the translations of Plautus and Terence were published. All of this work was clearly irrelevant to his main interests: in 1695 he had been urged to undertake his _General Ecclesiastical History_, and by that time he was already at work upon his _Roman History_ (1695-98).[3] Into the bargain, he was in residence at Cambridge until 1695, for he did not gain his M.A. until that year. Despite the apparent success of his publisher's enterprises (_A Most Complete Compendium_ was in its eighth edition by 1713, and _The Gazetteer's or Newsman's Interpreter_ reached a twelfth in 1724), little of the profit reached the penurious Echard. In 1717 Archbishop Wake wrote to Addison that "His circumstances are so much worse than I thought, that if we cannot get somewhat pretty considerable for Him, I doubt He will sink under the weight of his debts . . . ."[4] The sheer quantity of work which Echard accomplished in these early years is astonishing: it is no wonder that in the Preface to the _Plautus_ he explained that "business" had prevented him from translating more than three of the comedies, remarking, ". . . I have taken somewhat less time than was necessary for the translating such an extraordinary difficult Author; for this requires more than double the time of an _Historian_ or the like, which was as much as I cou'd allow my self" (sig. b3). In all of his work Echard sought and acknowledged the help of a whole series of unnamed encouragers and authorities. For the _Plautus_ he "had the Advantage of another's doing their [i.e., "these"?] Plays before me; from whose Translation I had very considerable Helps . . ." (sig. b4). Apart from that aid, the _Plautus_, on the evidence offered by the title-page and the Preface, was all Echard's own. This is not the case with the _Terence_, which was translated by a symposium, with the Preface being written by Echard on the group's behalf. As a result, its Preface uses "we" throughout where the _Plautus_ uses "I." When the first edition of the _Terence_ appeared it gave the authorship as "By Several Hands," but later editions are more detailed, and specify that the work was done "By Mr. Laurence Echard, and others. Revis'd and Corrected by Dr. Echard and Sir R. L'Estrange." The fourth edition also stated firmly in 1716, "The PREFACE, Written by Mr. _Laurence Echard_" (p. i). The only discrepancy which might seem to deny Echard's authorship of the Preface to the _Terence_ is the fact that the two Prefaces contradict one another over the way in which scenes should be marked. The Preface to the _Terence_ simply says that exits and entrances within the acts are a sufficient indication that the scene has changed without numbering them, "for the _Ancients_ never had any other [method] that we know of" (p. xxii). The _Plautus_ on the other hand, numbers the scenes, and the Preface comments, "I have all the way divided the _Acts_ and _Scenes_ according to the true Rules of the Stage . . ." (sig. b2v). Since this was an open question, however, in neoclassical dramatic theory, the simplest explanation is that Echard was free to do as he believed in the _Plautus_, which was all his own, but was, in the Preface to the _Terence_, expressing the views of the whole group of translators. The two volumes are a testimony to Echard's remarkable industry and abilities. They were published the year before he took his M.A., when he was only twenty-four. In the years between coming up to Cambridge in 1687 and 1695, he found time not only to satisfy his university, and to do the very considerable amount of hack work which appeared in 1691 and 1692, as well as embarking upon his large historical works, but also translated two difficult Roman authors with great verve. It would be interesting to know why, in the years between 1691 and 1694, Echard turned his attentions to the art of translation. The venture is a curious deviation from his otherwise single-minded devotion to history and to journalistic enterprises (the only other translation he is known to have done is the brief "Auction of the Philosophers" in _The Works of Lucian_ [1710-11]). The connection of Dr. John Eachard and Sir Roger L'Estrange may offer a slight clue. Echard was closely related to Dr. Eachard (1636?-1697), Master of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, and author of the lively dialogue, _Mr. Hobbs's State of Nature Consider'd_ (1672).[5] With a family connection such as this, Echard might well have hoped for a successful career centered on his stay at Cambridge. The dedication of his _A Most Complete Compendium_ in 1691 to the Master of his own college, Dr. John Covel, suggests that he was looking in this direction. L'Estrange is important not only for his intimate knowledge of the publishing trade, but also because he was a translator in his own right. His _Æsop_ appeared in 1692, and he had early put out translations of Quevedo (1673), Cicero (1680), and Erasmus (1680), and was to go on to translate Flavius Josephus (1702). Since L'Estrange had also been a student at Cambridge, there is some possibility that the translation of Terence was carried out at the instigation of a Cambridge based group. The translation might also be connected with the resurgence of interest in translation and in "correctness" which can be discerned in the 1690's.[6] The two Prefaces differ somewhat in character. It seems clear from remarks made in the Preface to the _Plautus_ that it was written after the _Terence_ had already reached the public and after Echard's copy for the text of Plautus's three comedies was in the printer's hands. Not surprisingly the later Preface is hurried, and at times almost casual. The Preface to the _Terence_ is more ambitious, more carefully written, and more wide-ranging, though giving fewer examples of the kinds of translations made by Echard. Both Prefaces lay claim to substantially the same audience. That to the _Terence_ explains that the translation was undertaken in the first place because of the literary value of Terence's comedy. In consequence, its benefits would apply to "most sorts of People, but especially for the Service it may do our _Dramatick Poets_." Secondly, the work was undertaken for "the Honour of our own _Language_, into which all good Books ought to be Translated, since _'tis now become so Elegant, Sweet and Copious_ . . . ." Thirdly, it might rival the translations done in other countries, particularly those in France. The audience envisaged ranged from schoolboys, who would find the translation less Latinate and the notes more pointed than those of Bernard or Hoole, to "Men of Sense and Learning," who ought to be pleased to see Terence in "modern Dress." As for the dramatists, Terence might serve as an exemplar, especially since the translation could "be read with less Trouble than the Original . . ." (pp. xvii-xix). The _Plautus_ Preface is far less detailed, but refers back to these reasons, while stressing the function of the translation for the schoolboy. Judging by the number of editions, the _Terence_ found its market, for where the _Plautus_ ran to only two editions, the first and that of 1716, the _Terence_ appeared in a seventh edition in 1729. Nor was Echard's audience merely made up of students. If one of his main targets was contemporary dramatists, he would have been elated to learn that William Congreve owned a copy of the first edition of both translations.[7] The Prefaces are perhaps a little disingenuous in acknowledging Echard's and his collaborators' debt to the contemporary French classical scholar and translator, Anne Dacier. On both occasions Echard paid her some tribute. What he does not mention is that the two volumes seem to be modelled on her example. The _Terence_ translates the plays which had appeared in her _Les comédies de Térence_ (Paris, 1688), and it is significant that despite his claims that he wished to translate more than three of Plautus' comedies, he in fact translated only those three which Mme. Dacier had already done in her _Les comédies de Plaute_ (Paris, 1683). Moreover, the notes and to some extent the Prefaces, are modelled on the French scholar's work: Echard's notes are often directly dependent upon Mme. Dacier's and are exactly described by her account of her own volume as being "avec de remarques et un examen de chaque comédie selon les règles du theatre." The views on translation put forward by the Prefaces are an intelligent exposition of progressive contemporary notions of the art. The belief in literal translation which characterizes Jonson and Marvell in the earlier years of the century had been displaced by the more liberal concept of "imitation." Roscommon is a representative of this freer attitude, while Dryden's more severe theory of "paraphrase," whatever his practice may have been, stands somewhere between the two positions. Like Ozell and Gildon, and later Pope, Echard's aim, whether translating by himself or collectively, was to imitate the spirit of his author in English. "A meer _Verbal Translation_ is not to be expected, that wou'd sound so horribly, and be more obscure than the Original . . . . We couldn't have kept closer . . . without too much treading upon the Author's Heels, and destroying our Design of giving it an easie, _Comick Style_, most agreeable to our present Times" (_Terence's Comedies_, p. xx). To this end it was necessary to tone down the "familiarity and bluntness in [Terence's] Discourse" which were "not so agreeable with the Manners and Gallantry of our Times." This was intended to bring Terence up to the level of gentility for which he was credited by compensating for the barbarity of Roman social manners. But the translation was willing to go further than this: it added to the Roman comedy what Echard thought English comedy excelled in, "humour"-- "In some places we have had somewhat more of _Humour_ than the Original, to make it still more agreeable to our Age . . . ." (_ibid._, p. xxii). When speaking for himself alone in the Preface to the _Plautus_, Echard's claims were less grandiose. Here the translation seems much more specifically aimed at schoolboys, and Echard made firm claims for his literalness (sig. b1-2v). On the other hand, he went out of his way to praise Dryden's _Amphitryon_ (1690) for the freedom it had taken with the original, which, said Echard, "may serve for one Instance of what Improvements our Modern Poets have made on the Ancients, when they built upon their Foundations" (sig. b3v-4). The praise of Dryden is to some extent double-edged since it is an implicit assertion of the point made in both Prefaces, that English writers had much to learn from the Roman dramatists. Echard uses the Prefaces to assess and compare Plautus and Terence, but he also uses them as a springboard for a critique of the state of English comedy. Like much neoclassical criticism it is, of course, derivative. The stock comparison of Plautus and Terence comes from Anne Dacier,[8] and Echard's footprints can be tracked in the snows of Cicero, Scaliger, Rapin, André Dacier, the Abbé D'Aubignac, and Dryden. Having set the Ancients against the Moderns, Echard is able to attack the looseness of English double plots by pointing to Terence's success within a similar structure. He is also able to praise Terence's genteel style. Against this, Echard admits, along with his precursors, Plautus' superiority in point of _vis comica_, which he defines, interestingly, as "_Liveliness of Intreague_" (sig. a8). Echard is thus able to claim, with considerable conviction, the superiority of English comedy in several areas, especially in its variety, its humour, "in some Delicacies of _Conversation_," and "above all in _Repartée_" (_Terence's Comedies_, p. xi). What the English had to learn, in Echard's view, was "regularity," that is, the discipline imposed upon a dramatist by observing the Unities, and obeying the other "rules of the drama" (such as the _liaisons_), in pursuit of verisimilitude and tautness of structure. Echard's main hope was that his translation and notes would correct his contemporaries' habit of ignoring the Roman dramatists' "_essential_ Beauties," and "contenting themselves with considering the _superficial_ ones, such as the _Stile_, _Language_, _Expression_, and the like, without taking much notice of the Contrivance and Management, of the _Plots, Characters, etc._" (_Plautus_, sig. a1). The remarkable fact about Echard's discussion of these matters, despite his dependence at times upon that arch-pedant, the Abbé D'Aubignac,[9] is the critical intelligence with which he puts forward his argument. Unlike many neoclassical critics, Echard keeps his eyes fixed firmly on the strengths and weaknesses of Restoration comedy within the context of previous English comedy and the Restoration stage itself. A sign of this is his attention to practical details, which take the form of one or two valuable notes on the theatre of his day. We learn, for instance, that actors were in the "custom of looking . . . full upon the Spectators," and that some members of the Restoration audience took printed copies into the playhouse in order to be able to follow the play on the stage.[10] It is a real loss to the historian of drama and to the critic that these two volumes were Laurence Echard's solitary adventure into the criticism and translation of drama. University of Leeds NOTES TO THE INTRODUCTION 1. _The Comedies of Terence: Echard's Translations Edited with a Foreword by Robert Graves_ (London, 1963), pp. viii-ix. Graves (p. ix) says that Echard's translation of Terence was made in 1689, when he was only nineteen. I have been unable to find any evidence in support of this statement. 2. No copy of the _Duke of Savoy's Dominions_ appears to be extant. It is not recorded in Wing, but appears in _The Term Catalogues, 1688-1709_ . . ., ed. Edward Arber (1903-1906), II, 380. This must have been much smaller than Echard's other publications in this year: it cost only 3d. against the first two's 1s. 6d. 3. _A General Ecclesiastical History_ . . . . (London, 1702), sig. b1. 4. _The Letters of Joseph Addison_, ed. Walter Graham (Oxford, 1941), p. 504. 5. Recently republished with an introduction by Peter Ure as No. XIV (1958) in the University of Liverpool Reprints. 6. "Dryden, Tonson, and Subscriptions for the 1697 _Virgil_," _PBSA_, LVII (1963), 147-48. Raymond Havens makes a rather different emphasis in his "Changing Taste in the Eighteenth Century," _PMLA_, XLIV (1929), 501-18. 7. Items 450 and 595 in _The Library of William Congreve_, ed. John C. Hodges (New York, 1955). [[Project Gutenberg e-text 27606]] 8. _Les comédies de Plaute_, ed. and trans. Anne Dacier (Paris, 1683). For a further statement of her views, see _Les comédies de Térence_ (Paris, 1688). 9. In particular, see his discussion of the _liaisons_ which is derived from François Hédelin, Abbé D'Aubignac, _La practique du théâtre_ . . . . (Paris, 1669), pp. 117-19, 315-20. D'Aubignac's work was translated into English as _The Whole Art of the Stage_ . . . . (1684). 10. _Plautus's Comedies_, sig. a8v; _Terence's Comedies_, p. xiii. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE The texts of this edition are reproduced from copies in the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds. _TERENCE_'s COMEDIES: Made _ENGLISH_. with his LIFE; and some REMARKS at the End. By Several HANDS. _LONDON:_ Printed for _A. Swall_ and _T. Childe_, at the _Unicorn_, at the West-End of St. _Paul_'s Church-yard. 1694. THE PREFACE. Since long +Prefaces+ are lately much in Fashion upon this and the like Occasions, why may not we be allow'd some tolerable Liberty in this kind; provided we keep close to our Author, and our own Translation of him. As for our Author, wherever Learning, Wit or Judgment have flourish'd, this Poet has always had an extraordinary Reputation. To mention all his Excellencies and Perfections were a Task too difficult for us, and perhaps for the greatest Criticks alive; so very few there are that perfectly understand all of 'em; yet we shall venture at some of the most Remarkable. To begin with him in general. He was certainly the most Exact, the most Elaborate, and withal the most Natural of all +Dramatick+ Poets; His +Stile+ so neat and pure, his +Characters+ so true and perfect, his +Plots+ so regular and probable, and almost every thing so absolutely just and agreeable, that he may well seem to merit that Praise which several have given him, +That he was the most correct Author in the World.+ To compare him with +Plautus+, the other great +Latin Comedian+, we may observe that +Plautus+ had more Wit and Spirit, but +Terence+ more Sense and Judgment; the former's Stile was rich and glaring, the latter's more close and even: +Plautus+ had the most dazelling out-side, and the most lively Colours, but +Terence+ drew the finest Figures and Postures, and had the best Design; the one pleas'd the Vulgar, but our Author the Better sort of people; the former wou'd usually set his Spectators into a loud Laughter, but the latter steal 'em into a sweet Smile that shou'd continue from the beginning to the end of the Representation: in short, +Plautus+ was more lively and vigorous, and so fitter for +Action+; and +Terence+ more grave and serious, and so fitter for +Reading+. Tho' +Plautus+'s Beauties were very extraordinary, yet he had his Faults and Indecorums very frequent; but +Terence+'s Excellencies (tho' possibly inferior to some of the others) were more general, better dispers'd, and closer continu'd; and his Faults so inconsiderable, and so very few, that +Scaliger+ said, +There were not three to be found throughout the Six Plays.+ So that our Author seems to want nothing to make him absolutely compleat, but only that same +Vis Comica+ that +Cæsar+ wishes he had, and which +Plautus+ was Master of in such a high degree. We shall determine nothing between 'em, but leave 'em good Friends as we found 'em. This may be sufficient for our Author's Excellencies in general; for his particular ones, we shall begin with his Stile, a thing he has been admir'd for in all Ages, and truly he deserves it; for certainly no one was ever more accurate, natural, and clear in his Expressions than he. But to be a little more particular in this Matter, we shall give you some few of our Author's Excellencies in this kind under three or four different Heads. And first, We may observe of his +Words+, that they are generally nicely chosen, extreamly proper and significant; and many of 'em carry so much Life and Force in 'em, that they can hardly be express'd in any other Language without great disadvantage to the Original. To instance in these following. +Qui cum ingeniis _conflictatur_ ejusmodi.+ +Ut animus in spe atque in timore usque ante hac _attentus_ fuit.+ +Nisi me lactasses amantem, & falsa spe _produceres_.+ +_Pam._ Mi Pater. _Si._ Quid mi Pater? Quasi tu _hujus indigeas_ Patris.+ +Tandem ego non illâ caream, si sit opus, vel totum triduum. _Par._ Hui? _Universum triduum._+ +Quam _elegans_ formarum spectator siem.+ +Hunc comedendum & deridendum vobis _propino_.+ We shall next take notice of one or two Instances of the Shortness and Clearness of his Narrations; as that which +Tully+ mentions. +Funus interim procedit sequimur, ad Sepulchrum venimus, in ignem posita est, Fletur.+ Another may be that in +Phormio+. +Persuasum est homini, factum est, ventum est, vincimur, duxit.+ Another remarkable Beauty of his Stile appears in his Climaxes; where every Word is Emphatical, heightens the Sense, and adds considerably to what went before. As, +Hæc verba Mehercule una falsa Lachrymula, quam oculos terendo miserè vix vi expresserit, restinguet.+ +Quod ille unciatim vix de demenso suo, suum defraudans genium, comparsit miser.+ The last thing we shall give any instance of, is the Softness and Delicacy of his Turns; of which many might be produced; but we think these few may be sufficient for our purpose. +Eheu me miseram! Cur non aut isthæc mihi ætas & forma est, aut tibi hæc sententia.+ +Nam si ego digna hac contumelia sum maxime, at tu indignus qui faceres tamen.+ +Nam dum abs te absum, omnes mihi labores fuere, quos cepi, leves, præterquam tui carendum quod erat.+ +Palam beatus, ni unum desit, animus qui modeste isthæc ferat.+ +Aliis, quia defit quod amant, ægre est, tibi, quod super est, dolet.+ And as for the Purity of his Language in general; we find it very much commended even by +Tully+ himself. And +One+ of the Moderns is not at all out of the way when he tells us: That the +Latin+ Tongue will never be lost, as long as +Terence+ may be had. Our Author's Excellent +Latin+ is now the greatest Cause of his Esteem, and makes him so much read in the World; but for certain, he that reads him purely for his +Latin+ sake, does but a quarter read him; for 'tis his +Characters+ and +Plots+ have so far rais'd him up above the rest of the Poets, and have gain'd him so much Honour among the Criticks in all Ages. His +Stile+, tho' so very extraordinary, in a great measure may be learnt by Industry, long Custom, and continual Usage, and has been imitated to a high degree by several; and indeed this was but as rich Attire, and outward Ornaments to set off a more beautiful Body. But in his +Characters+ and +Manners+ there it is that he triumphs without a Rival; and not only +Dramatick+, but all other Poets must yield to him in that Point. For these are drawn exactly to the Life, perfectly just, truly proportionably, and fully kept up to the last; and as for their being natural, +Rapin+ says, +That no Man living had a greater insight into Nature than he.+ The more a Man looks into 'em, the more he must admire 'em; he'll find there not only such Beauty in his +Images+, but also such excellent Precepts of +Morality+, such solid Sense in each Line, such depth of Reasoning in each Period, and such close arguing between each Party, that he must needs perceive him to be a Person of strong Sense and Judgment. His +Deliberations+ are most compleat, where all the several Accidents, Events, Dangers, Casualties, good and bad Consequences are fully summed up and clearly urg'd; so are the +Answers+ of each Person as perfect, where every thing is so well fitted, so home, and so natural, that if one shou'd study upon 'em never so long, he cou'd scarce find any thing more to the purpose. He had a peculiar Happiness at pleasing and amusing an Audience, perpetually keeping 'em in a most even, pleasant, smiling Temper; and this is the most distinguishing part of his Character from the rest of the World; his Pleasantries were somewhat Manly, and such as reach'd beyond the Fancy and Imagination, even to the Heart and Soul of the Audience; and what is more remarkable yet, one single Scene shall please a whole day together; a Secret which few or no other Poet ever found out. And as we have scarce found one Man in the World that equals him in his Characters, so we find but very few that cou'd come up to him in the Management (we mean his Art and Contrivance) of his +Plots+. We are sensible that many have been so foolish as to count his Plays a +bare Bundle of Dialogues dress'd up in a neat Stile+, and there all his Excellency to consist, or at least that they are very ordinary and mean; but such senseless Suppositions will soon vanish upon giving an Account of the Nature and Perfection of 'em. He well understood the Rules of the Stage, or rather those of +Nature+; was perfectly +Regular+, wonderful exact and careful in ordering each +Protasis+ or Entrance, +Epitasis+ or working up, +Catastasis+ or heighth, and +Catastrophe+ or unravelling the Plot; which last he was famous for making it spring necessarily from the Incidents, and neatly and dextrously untying the Knot, whilst others of a grosser make, would either tear, or cut it in pieces. In short (setting aside some few things which we shall mention by and by) +Terence+ may serve for the best and most perfect +Model+ for our +Dramatick+ Poets to imitate, provided they exactly observe the different Customs and Manners of the +Roman+ and +English+ People; and upon the same account we beg leave to be a little more particular in this Matter, which dispos'd us very much to this Translation. The Nature of his +Plots+ was for the most part grave and solid, and sometimes passionate a little, resembling our Modern +Tragy-Comedies+; only the Comical parts were seldom so merry; the Thinness and clearness of 'em somewhat resembling our Modern +Tragedies+, only more perfect in the latter, and not crouded with too many Incidents. They were all double except the +Hecyra+, or +Mother-in-Law+, yet so contriv'd that one was always an +Under-plot+ to the other: So that he still kept perfectly to the first great Rule of the Stage, the +Unity of Action+. As for the second great Rule the +Unity of Time+ (that is, for the whole Action to be perform'd in the compass of a Day) he was as exact in that as possible, for the longest Action of any of his Plays reaches not Eleven hours. He was no less careful in the third Rule, +The Unity of Place+, for 'tis plain he never shifts his Scene in any one of his Plays, but keeps constantly to the same place from the beginning to the end. Then for the +Continuance in the Action+, he never fails in any one place, but every Instrument is perpetually at work in carrying on their several Designs, and in them the design of the whole; so that the Stage never grows cold till all is finish'd: And to do this the more handsomely and dextrously, he scarce ever brings an +Actor+ upon the Stage, but you presently know his Name and Quality, what part of the Intrigue he's to promote, why he came there, from whence he came, why just at that time, why he goes off, where he's a going, and also what he is or ought to be doing or contriving all the time he's away. His +Scenes+ are always unbroken, so that the Stage is never perfectly clear but between the Acts; but are continually joyn'd by one of the four Unions. Which according to +Mon. Hedelin+ are these; +Presence+, +Seeking+, +Noise+, or +Time+; and when the Action ceaseth (that is, upon the Stage) and the Stage is clear'd, an +Act+ is then finish'd. Then for +Incidents+, and the due Preparation of 'em, +Terence+ was admirable: And the true and exact Management of +these+ is one of the most difficult parts of +Dramatick Poetry+. He contrives every thing in such a manner so as to fall out most probably and naturally, and when they are over they seem almost necessary; yet by his excellent Skill he so cunningly conceals the Events of things from his Audience, till due time, that they can never foresee 'em; by this means they are so amus'd with the +Actors+ Designs, that the +Poets+ is unknown to 'em, till at last, being all along in the dark, they are surpriz'd most agreeably by something they never look'd for: And this is the most taking and the most delightful part of a Play. We might insist much more largely upon each of these Particulars, and upon several others, but at present we shall content our selves with saying that these +Plots+ are all so very +clear+, and +natural+, that they might very well go for a Representation of a thing that had really happen'd; and not the meer Invention of the +Poet+. There are two or three remarkable Objections against our Author which we can't but take notice of. First, 'tis said, +That he has not kept to the Unity of Time in his Heautontimoreumenos, or Self-Tormenter; which contains the space of two days. Then, between the second and third Acts, there's an absolute failure of the Continuance of the Action.+ These are generally believ'd by several Men, and such as are famous too; and some to vindicate +Terence+ the better have added another Mistake, +That the Play was always acted two several times, the two first Acts one, and the three last another.+ But 'tis plain from all Circumstances, that the +Action+ began very late in the Evening, and ended betimes in the Morning (of which we have said something in our +Remarks+ at the end) so that the whole cou'dn't contain above Eleven hours; but as for that of the +Cessation of the Action+, 'tis answer'd two ways, either by the necessity of Sleep at that Interval, and consequently no +Cessation+, or (which is more probable) by the Persons being busie at the Treat at +Chremes+'s House, that being a necessary part of the main +Action+. The two following are Mr. +Dryden+'s Exceptions; where first he lays an Error to our Author's Charge in matter of +Time+. +In the Eunuch+ (says he) +when _Laches_ enters _Thais_'s House by mistake, between his _Exit_ and the Entrance of _Pythias_, who comes to give ample Relation of the Disorder he has rais'd within, _Parmeno_ who is left upon the Stage has not above five Lines to speak.+ In answer to this, +Pythias+ makes no such +ample Relation+, but rather tells him what +Disorders+ such a foolish Act of his was like to raise; and in truth it is not probable she shou'd stay above five or six Lines speaking, since after she saw her Cheat had taken, she cou'dn't keep her countenance within Doors, and was so eager to revenge her self by laughing at the Fool without. Besides here's an excellent Artifice of the Poets, for had she tarry'd longer, +Parmeno+ might ha' been gone, and her Mirth qualified when she saw the good Fortune +Chærea+ had met withal. His other Exception is, that our Author's +Scenes+ are several times broken. He instances in the same Play, +That _Antipho_ enters singly in the midst of the third Act, after _Chremes_ and _Pythias_ were gone off+. As for this, 'tis to be consider'd that +Scenes+ are united by +Time+ as well as +Presence+; and this is a perfect +Union of Time+, apparent to all who understand the +Art of the Stage+. A little farther he says, +That _Dorias_ begins the fourth Act alone;---- She quits the Stage, and _Phedria_ enters next.+ Here +Dorias+ does not quit the Stage till three +Scenes+ after, as appears by +Pythias+, bidding her carry in such things as she had brought with her from the Captain's Entertainment; but if she did, there wou'd be an +Union of Time+ nevertheless, as there is in all other places, where the +Scenes+ seem broken. Some make this Objection; that in the beginning of many Scenes, two +Actors+ enter upon the Stage, and talk to themselves a considerable time before they see or know one another; +Which+ (they say) +is neither probable nor natural+. Those that object this don't consider the great Difference between our little scanty Stage, and the large magnificent +Roman Theatres+. Their Stage was sixty Yards wide in the Front, their Scenes so many Streets meeting together, with all By-Lanes, Rows and Allies; so two +Actors+ coming down two different Streets or Lanes cou'dn't be seen by each other, tho' the +Spectators+ might see both, and sometimes if they did see each other they cou'dn't well distinguish Faces at sixty Yards distances. Besides upon several accounts it might well be suppos'd when an +Actor+ enters upon the Stage out of some House, he might take a turn or two under the +Portico's+, +Cloysters+, or the like (that were usual at that time) about his Door, and take no notice of an +Actor+'s being on the other side the Stage. But since we propose our Master as the best +Model+ for +Dramatick Poets+ to follow, we ought in Justice to mention such things wherein he was any ways faulty, or at least where he ought not to be imitated. The first is, He makes his +Actors+ in some places speak directly, and immediately to the +Audience+ (of which that +Monologue+ of +Mysis+ in the first Act of the first Play is an instance) which is contrary to the Rules of +Dramatick Poetry+, or rather indeed of +Nature+; and this is the only real Fault that +Terence+ was guilty of, as his want of +Vis Comica+ was the only real Defect. His +Plots+ were not always the best for Story, tho' for Contrivance, and wanted somewhat of Length and Variety, fully and compleatly to satisfie an Audience. Take 'em all together, they were too much alike to have always their deserv'd Effect of surprizing; which also gave a mighty Limitation to the Variety of his +Characters+; a great pity for a Man that had such an admirable Knack of drawing them to the Life. It were also to be wish'd that his +Monologues+ or Discourses by single Persons, were less frequent, and sometimes shorter too; for tho' they are all of 'em full of excellent Sence, sound Reasoning, ingenious +Deliberations+, and serv'd truly to carry on the main Design; yet several parts of 'em, especially all +Narrations+, wou'd ha' been more natural as well as Artificial, if told by Persons of the +Drama+ to one another. Then his +Aparts+ or +Asides+ (that is when one +Actor+ speaks something which another that is present is suppos'd to not hear, tho' the Audience do) are sometimes too long to be perfectly natural. Whether he has not sometimes too much Elevation of Passion, or Borders too nigh upon +Tragedy+ for such inferior Persons, we leave to others. These are the main things to be taken notice of by all that make use of him for a +Model+, besides all such as belong purely to the various Customs of Countries, and to the difference of +Theatres+; but those are obvious enough to all. But there's still one great Objection against these +Plays+ in general; that is, +If _Terence_'s Plays are so good as is pretended, why doesn't some Poet or other translate one or more of 'em for the Stage, so save himself the trouble of racking his Brain for new Matter+. We own they wouldn't take upon our Stage; but to clear all, we shall give these two Reasons: First, The Difference between the +Romans+ and our selves in +Customs+, +Humors+, +Manners+ and +Theatres+ is such, that it is impossible to adapt their Plays to our Stages. The +Roman+ Plots were often founded upon the exposing of Children, and their unexpected Delivery, on buying of Misses and Musick-Girls; they were chiefly pleas'd to see a covetous old Father neatly bubbled by his Slave of a round Sum of Money; to find the young Spark his Son (miserably in want of Cash) joyn with the Slave in the Intrigue, that he may get somewhat to stop his Mistress's Mouth, whom he keeps unknown to his Father; to see a bragging Coxcomb wheadled and abus'd by some cunning +Parasite+; to hear a Glutton talk of nothing but his Belly, and the like. Our +Plots+ go chiefly upon variety of Love-Intrigues, Ladies Cuckolding their Husbands most dextrously; Gallants danger upon the same account, with their escape either by witty Fetches, or hiding themselves in dark Holes, Closets, Beds, &c. We are all for Humour, Gallantry, Conversation, and Courtship, and shou'dn't endure the chief Lady in the Play a Mute, or to say very little, as 'twas agreeable to them: Our amorous Sparks love to hear the pretty Rogues prate, snap up their Gallants, and Repartée upon 'em on all sides. We shou'dn't like to have a Lady marry'd without knowing whether she gives her consent or no, (a Custom among the +Romans+) but wou'd be for hearing all the Courtship, all the rare and fine things that Lovers can say to each other. The second Reason of their not taking upon the Stage is this, tho' +Terence+'s Plays are far more +exact+, +natural+, +regular+, and clear than ours, and his Persons speak more like themselves than generally ours do; yet (to speak impartially) our Plays do plainly excel his in some Particulars. First, in the great Variety of the +Matter+ and +Incidents+ of our +Plots+; the Intrigues thicker and finer; the +Stories+ better, longer, and more curious for the most part than his: And tho' there's much confusion, huddle and precipitation in the generality of 'em; yet the great variety and number of +Incidents+ tho' ill manag'd, will have several Charms, and be mighty diverting, especially to a vulgar Audience, like the Sight of a large City at a distance, where there is little of Regularity or Uniformity to be discern'd just by. Next, we do much excel +Terence+ in that which we call +Humour+, that is in our +Comical Characters+, in which we have shewn and expos'd the several Humours, Dispositions, Natures, Inclinations, Fancies, Irregularities, Maggots, Passions, Whims, Follies, Extravagancies, &c. of Men under all sorts of Circumstances, of all sorts of +Ranks+ and +Qualities+, of all +Professions+ and +Trades+, and of all +Nations+ and +Countries+, so admirably, and so lively, that in this no Nation among the Ancients or Moderns were ever comparable to us. Lastly, Our +Comedies+ excel his in some Delicacies of +Conversation+; particularly in the Refinedness of our +Railery+ and +Satyr+, and above all in +Repartée+. Some of these things (especially when mix'd with +Humour+) have made many an ordinary +Plot+ take and come off well; and without a pretty quantity of some of 'em, our Plays wou'd go down very heavily. Since we are accidentally fall'n into the Excellencies of our +Comedies+, we hope it may be pardonable if we mention also some principal Faults in 'em, which seem to need a Regulation. And first, Our +Poets+ seldom or never observe any of the three great +Unities of Action+, +Time+ and +Place+, which are great Errors; For what breeds more Confusion than to have five or six main +Plots+ in a Play, when the Audience can never attend to 'em? What more extravagant than to fancy the Actions of Weeks, Months, and Years represented in the Space of three or four Hours? Or what more unnatural than for the Spectators to suppose themselves now in a Street, then in a Garden, by and by in a Chamber, immediately in the Fields, then in a Street again, and never move out of their place? Wou'dn't one swear there was Conjuration in the Case; that the Theatres were a sort of +Fairy Land+ where all is Inchantment, Juggle and Delusion? Next, our Plays are too often over-power'd with +Incidents+ and +Under-plots+, and our Stage as much crowded with such +Actors+, as there's little or no occasion for; especially at one time. Then the +Matter+, and Discourse of our Plays is very often incoherent and impertinent as to the main Design; nothing being more common than to meet with two or three whole Scenes in a Play, which wou'd have fitted any other part of the Play ev'n as well as that; and perhaps any Play else. Thus some appear to swear out a Scene or two, others to talk bawdy a little, without any manner of dependance upon the rest of the Action. But besides this (which is another great Error) when the +Matter+ and +Discourse+ do serve to carry on the main Design, commonly Persons are brought on to the Stage without any sort of Art, Probability, Reason or Necessity for their coming there; and when they have no such Business as one that comes in to give you a Song or a Jigg. They come there to serve the Poets Design a little, then off they go with as little Reason as they came on; and that only to make way for other Actors, who (as they did) come only to tell the Audience something the Poet has a mind to have 'em know; and that's all their business: And truly that's little enough. This we see frequently in the chief Actor of the Play, who comes on and goes off, and the Spectators all the time stand staring and wondring at what they know not what. Another great Fault common to many of our Plays is, that an Actor's +Name+, +Quality+ or +Business+ is scarce ever known till a good while after his appearance; which must needs make the Audience at a great Loss, and the Play hard to be understood, forcing 'em to carry Books with 'em to the +Play-house+ to know who comes in, and who goes out. The Ancients were guilty of none of these Absurdities, and more especially our Author; and indeed the Non-observance of +Rules+ has occasion'd the great Miscarriages of so many excellent Genius's of ours, particularly that of the immortal +Shakespear+. Since these are such apparent Faults and Absurdities, and still our Beauties are so admirable as to cover, and almost to out-weigh our Errors (else our Plays were not to be endur'd) undoubtedly our +Dramatick Poets+ by the Observance of this Author's Ways and Rules might out-do all the +Ancients+ and +Moderns+ too, both at +Tragedy+ and at +Comedy+; for no Nation ever had greater +Genius+'s than ours for Dramatick Poetry. These ha' been but little observ'd as yet, so that all our fine +Imitations of Nature+ may often be call'd +Lucky hits+, and more by Accident than by Art. We very much need a Reformation in this Case, and our Plays can never arrive to any great Perfection without it; therefore the nigher they come up to this Standard, the more they will be admir'd and lov'd by all Judicious Persons, provided they still keep to those Excellencies before-mention'd. Besides, these are as easily practicable upon ours as upon the +Greek+ and +Roman+ Theatres; and by a strict Observance of the +Unity of Place+, the Stage may be made far more handsome and magnificent with less Charge; and by that of the +Unity of Action+ (especially by the help of an Under-plot or so) the Story may be made far more fine and clear with less trouble. But our Nation by long Custom, and the Success of Irregular Pieces, seems naturally averse to all Rules; and take it very ill to have their Thoughts confin'd and shackled, and tied to the Observance of such Niceties: Therefore in the first place they tell us, That Poets of all Men in the World are perfectly freely, and by no means ought to confine their Noble Fancies to dull pedantick Rules; +For this+ (say they) +is like taking of Bees, cutting off their Wings, and laying such Flowers before 'em to make Honey as they please+. A +Poet+ indeed shou'd be free, and unconfin'd as Air, as to his Though, Fancy and Contrivance, but then his +Poetica Licentia+ shou'dn't transport him to Madness and Extravagancy, making him phrensically transgress the Rules of +Reason+ and +Nature+, as well as +Poetry+. These that we mention are not any Man's Arbitrary +Rules+, but pure Nature only Methodiz'd: They never hamper a +Poet+'s Fancy or clip his Wings, but adorn their Thoughts, and regulate their Flights so as to give 'em a clearer insight into +Nature+, +Probability+ and +Decency+, without something of which it is impossible to please. And these are no more a +Confinement+ to a +Poet+'s Fancy, than the true Proportion of Pillars, the Regularity and Uniformity of Windows are to an Architect; or the exact Imitation of Nature to a Painter: As if there could be half so much Beauty in Grotesque and irregular Whims, as in the due Observation of the Rules of Prospect, Shadows and Proportion. Another Objection is, +That our Nation will never bear Rules, but are much better pleas'd with the ways now in practice.+ 'Tis true, several of our most irregular Plays have come off with a great deal of Applause, but certainly never the more for their Irregularity; but because most of the Audience knew no better, being often dazzled by the Greatness of the Author's Genius, and the Actor's Performances; and those that did, were willing to pardon the Faults for the sake of some choice +Master-stroaks+ they had; and upon the same account a couple of good +Scenes+ have many times carry'd off a very indifferent Play: 'Tis plain that want of Use and Knowledge have been the only Cause of these ways seeming so unpracticable; and if the middle sort of Persons were once truly brought to a Sight of the Excellencies of this, and the Deformities of the other way (as the well reading of these Plays wou'd in a great measure do, being chiefly design'd for them) they wou'd esteem of it far more than now; and certainly they cou'd never pardon those many +Indecencies+, +Improbabilities+, +Absurdities+ that are so frequent in our Plays. 'Tis true, there has been a considerable Regulation among many of 'em since the Days of +Shakespear+, but not to bring things half to perfection. And thus Regulation has made hope for a further, as the Age will be brought to bear it. The last Objection is more particular: They say, +That the Unities of Action, Time and Place must needs take off from the great Variety of the Plot, and a fine Story by this means will be quite murder'd.+ 'Tis true, all +Stories+ whatsoever are not fit for a +Dramatick Poem+; yet there may be an excellent +Plot+ without crowding together Intrigues (little depending upon one another) of half a dozen couple, suppose, in one Play; without hurrying over the Business of three Months in three Hours time, or perhaps without skipping from Gardens to Mountains, from thence to Groves, and then to Town in an Act or two: But our prying, curious Sparks can't rest here, but must be for peeping into Chambers, Closets, and Withdrawing-Rooms, ay, and into Beds too (sometimes with the Ladies in 'em) and have all things brought openly upon the Stage, tho' never so improper, and indecent. But this Objection may yet be better answer'd by Instances; and first for the +Unity of Time+, we may mention the Play call'd, +The Adventures of Five Hours+, the whole +Action+ lasting no longer (much less a day, the extent allow'd for a +Dramatick Poem+) yet this is one of the pleasantest +Stories+ that ever appear'd upon our Stage, and has as much Variety of +Plots+ and +Intrigues+, without any thing being precipitated, improbable or unnatural as to the main +Action+; so by this it appears that this Rule is no Spoiler or Murderer of a finer +Story+. Then for the +Unity of Time+ and Action too, +Ben. Johnson's Silent Woman+ is a remarkable Instance; an excellent +Comedy+ indeed, where the +Action+ is perfectly single, and the utmost extent of the +Time+ exceeds not three Hours and a half (the shortest we ever find) yet still the +Plot+, +Intrigues+, and above all the +Incidents+ are very fine, and no ways unnatural. Lastly, For all three +Unities+, Mr. +Dryden's All for Love+ (tho' a +Tragedy+, and somewhat foreign to our business) is worthy to be taken notice of, that being perfectly +Regular+ according to the Rules of the Stage, the Scenes unbroken, the +Incidents+ exactly and duly prepar'd, and all things noble and beautiful, just and proportionable. This we reckon one of the best +Tragedies+ of our Nation. Now can any Man justly think that these Plays we now mention'd were ever the worse for that +Regularity+ they had; or indeed have we many better in the Nation for +Plot+; or many that have better pleas'd the generality of Persons than these; If so this sufficiently shows the Truth of what we offered; and withal commends our Master's great Judgment in this Point: Who, in our Opinion (besides the Excellency of his +Characters+) plainly deserves a greater Name for his +Plots+, than he does for his +Language+. Come we next then to our own Vindication, in which we shall briefly shew the +Reasons+ why we did it, and likewise what our Performances have been in this Version. The main +Reasons+ why we undertook it were these. First, For the Excellency and Usefulness of this Author in general: And consequently for the benefit (as we shall shew by and by) of most sorts of People, but especially for the Service it may do our +Dramatick Poets+. Next, for the Honour of our own +Language+, into which all good Books ought to be Translated, since +'tis now become so Elegant, Sweet and Copious+: And indeed nothing refines, or gives Foreigners a greater Opinion of any Language than its number of good Translations; of which the +French+ is a great Instance. Thirdly, Because most of our Neighbours have got it in their +Language+, particularly the +French+, who have done it with good Success; and we have no reason for our being out-done by any of our Neighbours, since we have a +Language+ we dare set against any in the World. Lastly, Since the Author is so excellent, we undertook it because no other Persons wou'd. 'Tis strange that none of our great Wits wou'd undertake it before, but let us Persons of Obscurity, take their Works out of their Hands; when we can perceive by our little Performances that our +Language+ will do it to a very high degree, undoubtedly better than the +French+. The most considerable Objections that have been made against our Translation are these. First, +What real Use or Advantage can this Translation be to the Publick? As for school-Boys and Learners, _Bernard_'s and _Hool_'s Translations, the great number of Notes, a School-Master, or their own Industry will well enough teach 'em to construe it. Men of Sense and Learning, they read it wholly for the Latin sake; therefore a Translation is of no use to them.+ Lastly, +They won't fit our Stage; and consequently they are impertinent at best.+ To these we answer; First, As to +School-Boys+ and +Learners+; +Bernard+'s and +Hool+'s Translations are very often false, mostly so obsolete, flat and unpleasant, that a Man can scarce read half a Page without sleeping; the latter is full of +Latinisms+, and both are often more obscure than the Original. The +Notes+ sometimes don't express the Author's Sense; and often very obscurely: In some things they are too short, in others too long and tedious: And most of them have the slight of running very nimbly over those Places which they are afraid they shou'd stick in. +School-Masters+ often want time, and now and then Judgment and Learning to explain things as they ought; then to leave Boys by themselves to pick out the Sense of such a difficult Author as this, is very inconvenient; which besides the Discouragement sometimes of not being able to do it, will often lead 'em into such Errors and Mistakes, as perhaps they'll ne're get clear of. So that this will be of great use even to +School-Boys+ and +Learners+: Beside the great Advantage of teaching 'em, perhaps not the worst +English+; and something of the Idiom of our Tongue. As for the second part of the Objection, +That Men of Sense and Learning read it only for the Latin sake+; This is or ought to be look'd upon as a great Mistake: Since +Terence+ has other and greater Excellencies than his Style, as we have before shewn. But however ingenious Persons must needs receive some pleasure in seeing such excellent Latin now speak tolerable good +English+; and likewise in seeing somewhat of the Conversation, Humour and Customs of the old +Greeks+ and +Romans+ put into a modern Dress; and perhaps not quite out of the Fashion. Besides, since many of these do sometimes upon an occasion make use of +Notes+, 'twill be of equal use (in that respect) to them as to all +Learners+. And that they have often need of such, will appear from the several difficult places (especially as to the Plot) and some obscure dubious Passages in this Author, which the utmost Skill in the +Latin+ Tongue will not teach to explain; since there is as great a necessity for the understanding of the +Roman+ Customs and Theatres in this Case, and of the Art of the Stage, as of the +Latin+ Tongue. How extraordinary useful a Translation can be in perfectly +clearing an Author+, +Roscommon+'s Translation of +Horace+'s +Art of Poetry+ is an apparent Instance; which shews the Sense, Meaning, Design, &c. of +Horace+ better and easier than all the +Paraphrases+ and +Notes+ in the World. Thirdly, Tho' our +Translation+ will never fit our Stage, yet it may be of considerable use to some of the +Dramatick Poets+; which we had some respect to, when we did it; they will serve 'em (as was said before) for +Models+; and tho' many of our Poets do very well understand the Original, yet 'tis plain that some of 'em do not understand it over much. But however, it may not be wholly useless to those that do, and more proper for their business, being ready explain'd to their hands: And upon some accounts to be read with less trouble than the Original: For that is in many places very obscure by reason of corrupted Copies, wrong Points, false Division of whole +Acts+ as well as +Scenes+ and the like: Further, if these Plays come to be frequently read by the more ordinary sort of People, they will by little and little grow more in love with, and more clearly see the true Excellencies of these Rules, and these lively +Imitations of Nature+, which will be the greatest Encouragement our Poets can have to follow 'em. And besides, the common People by these +Plays+ may plainly perceive that +Obscenities+ and +Debaucheries+ are no ways necessary to make a good +Comedy+; and the Poets themselves will be the more ready to blush when they see +Heathens+ so plainly out-do us +Christians+ in their +Morals+; for their principal Vices in their Plays, were chiefly from the Ignorance of the Times, but we have no such pretence. This alone might ha' been a sufficient reason for our undertaking this Design. But to come now to what we have done; 'tis not to be expected we shou'd wholly reach the Air of the Original; that being so peculiar, and the Language so different; We have imitated our Author as well and as nigh as the +English+ Tongue and our small Abilities wou'd permit; each of us joyning and consulting about every Line, not only for the doing of it better, but also for the making of it all of a piece. We follow'd no one +Latin+ Copy by it self, because of the great Disagreements among 'em, but have taken any that seem'd truest. We look'd over all the +Notes+, sometimes they would help us a little, and often not; some hints we had from the +French+, but not very many; besides we had considerable helps from other Persons far above our selves, for whose Care and Pains we shall ever acknowledge our Gratitude. A meer +Verbal Translation+ is not to be expected, that wou'd sound so horribly, and be more obscure than the Original; but we have been faithful Observers of his Sence, and even of his Words too, not slipping any of consequence without something to answer it; nay farther, where two Words seem to be much the same, and perhaps not intended to be very different by the Author, we were commonly so nice as to do them too; such as +Segnitia+ and +Socordia+, +Scire+ and +Noscere+, and the like, which is more exact than most, if not all, our modern Versions. We cou'dn't have kept closer (especially in this Author, which several ingenious Persons told us, +Is the hardest in the World to translate+;) without too much treading upon the Author's Heels, and destroying our Design of giving it an easie, +Comick Style+, most agreeable to our present Times. If we have been guilty of any Fault of this nature, it seems to be that of keeping too close. But still to be more particular; we did all we cou'd to prevent any of the Meaning and Grace of the best +Words+ to be lost; so that we were often forc'd to search and study some time for those most proper, and oftentimes to express 'em by two, and sometimes by a +Circumlocution+: Which Madam +Dacier+ her self, as accurate as she is accompted, has often neglected: And thereby has wholly lost the Force and Beauty of many Emphatical Words. +Terence+ had some Words taken in a great many several Sences, such as +Contumelia+ and +Injuria+, +Odiosus+, +Tristis+, &c. these we have been very careful about; but where he plays upon Words (tho' never so prettily) he ought not in some places to be imitated at all, because the Fineness is more lost that way, than the other; yet we try'd at several when they were Natural and tolerable in +English+. As for his +Allusions+ and the like, many of them perhaps are quite lost to us. However they are commonly lost in our Language. On such places (as well as some others) we made +Remarks+ or +Notes+ at the latter end; some of which we are oblig'd to the +French+ Lady for; these serving to shew our Author's fine Stroaks, as well as to vindicate our Translation. For his +Sense+ and +Meaning+, we have taken more than ordinary care about, and weigh'd all Circumstances before we fix'd. Several of the Passages are done contrary to the general Opinion, and some few differently from all, both as to the +Person that speaks+ as well as the +Meaning+, but not without good Grounds; and if any be so nice in censuring, we desire that Person to shew us three +Terences+ that exactly agree with one another, either in Points or Words, for two Acts together. Of those Passages that were absolutely doubtful, we always took the best, and that, which seem'd to us, the most probable Way and Meaning; and all such as were difficult, knotty or obscure in the Original, we made as plain and clear as we cou'd; and we presume to phansie there are very few Passages in ours, unintelligible to the meanest Capacity. In his +Jests+ and +Repartees+ (except they were +Allusions+ or the like) we hope that the force of 'em is seldom lost. For making every Person speak so exactly like themselves (a thing that our Author was so famous for) is much more difficult in +English+ by reason of its greater variety of +Idioms+ and +Phrases+ than in the +Latin+; and to suit these always right, requires a greater +Genius+ than we can pretend to. +Terence+, tho' reckon'd very genteel in his Days, seems in some place to have a sort of familiarity and bluntness in his Discourse, not so agreeable with the Manners and Gallantry of our Times; which we have mollify'd as well as we cou'd, still making the +Servants+ sawcy enough upon occasion. In some places we have had somewhat more of +Humour+ than the Original, to make it still more agreeable to our Age; but all the while have kept so nigh our Author's +Sence+ and +Design+, that we hope it can never be justly call'd a Fault. We can't certainly tell whither +William+ the Conqueror, the +Grand Seignior+ (and the like) may pass with some: They may possibly take 'em for Blunders in time: which are now become Proverbial Expressions; the first signifying only a great while ago, and t'other a great Man. As for the Division of the +Acts+ and +Scenes+, all the common +Terences+ are most notoriously false: The +Acts+ are often wrong, but the +Scenes+ oftener; and these have bred some obscurity in our Author's +Rules+. Madam +Dacier+ has been more exact in this than all others before her; yet, still she's once mistaken in her +Acts+, and very often in her +Scenes+. We have follow'd her as to her +Acts+, except one in the +Phormio+; but we have not divided the +Scenes+ at all by Figures, because they are of no such use; only the Reader may take notice that whenever any particular +Actor+ enters upon the Stage, or goes off, that makes a different +Scene+; for the +Ancients+ never had any other that we know of. The +Prologues+, by the Advice of several Judicious Persons, are left out, as being the Meanest, the fullest of Quibbles, and the least Intelligible of any thing he wrote: They relating chiefly to private Squabbles between our +Author+ and the +Poets+ of his time: The Particulars of which 'tis impossible for us to understand now, and we need not be much concern'd that we don't. Besides, in the main, they are so much beneath the +Author+, that 'tis much question'd whether they are his or no, especially the Third. The +Arguments+ are certainly none of his, and so far from being useful, that they only serve to forestall the +Plots+, and take away the Pleasure of surprizing. Lastly, That there might be nothing wanting that might make this Translation as intire and clear as possible; we've all the way intermix'd +Notes of Explanation+, such as, +Enter+, +Exit+, +Asides+, and all other things of +Action+, necessary to be known, and constantly practis'd among our Modern +Dramatick Poets+. These serve extreamly to the clearing of the +Plots+ which wou'd be obscure without 'em; especially since their Theatres were so different from ours. And as this sort of +Notes+ are the +shortest+, that are generally us'd, so they are most +compleat+, +useful+ and +clear+, by the help of which any Child almost may apprehend every thing. Perhaps we might have omitted some of 'em, but we have better offend this way than the other. Thus have we said as much as we thought requisite in Vindication of our Master's Honour, and of our own Undertaking. And if we had said ten times as much; and ne're so much to the purpose, People will still think, and talk what they please, and we can't help it. PLAUTUS's COMEDIES, _AMPHITRYON_, _EPIDICUS_, and _RUDENS_, Made English: With +Critical Remarks+ Upon Each PLAY. ---- _Non ego paucis_ _Offendar maculis: quas aut incuria fudit_ _Aut humana parum cavit natura:_ ---- Horat. Art. Poet. _LONDON:_ Printed for _Abel Swalle_ and _T. Child_ at the _Unicorn_ at the West-End of _S. Paul's_ Churchyard, 1694. THE PREFACE. This Nations Excellencies in +Dramatick Poetry+ have been so extraordinary, and our Performance both in +Tragedy+ and +Comedy+ have discover'd such strange +Genius+'s, that we have some reason to believe, that we have not only surpass'd our Neighbours the Moderns, but likewise have excell'd our Masters the Ancients. But the want of Knowledge of the Ancients has been one great Reason for our setting our selves so very much above 'em; for tho' we have many Beauties which they wanted, yet it must be own'd, that they have more which we have not, except that it may be some very few of our Pieces. But then their Excellencies are far less known to us than ours; for the Common People are unacquainted with their Languages, and the more Learned sort, for want of due Observance and Penetration, have been ignorant enough of their essential Beauties; they, for the most part, contenting themselves with considering the +superficial+ ones, such as the +Stile+, +Language+, +Expression+, and the like, without taking much notice of the Contrivance and Management, of the +Plots+, +Characters+, &c. But a considerable Discovery of these Excellencies has been made by means of a late Version of +Terence+, especially by the help of the +Preface+ and +Remarks+: And this has made me hope, that two or three Plays of +Plautus+'s cou'd not be very unacceptable after them; and since the principal Fault of the +Remarks+ in that Version was their being too short, I have made these somewhat longer and clearer, hoping they will prove the principal means of recommending this Book to the World, even tho' the Translation had been brought to the utmost Perfection it was capable of: a Thing which I dare never pretend to. I made Choice of the same three which Madam +Dacier+ had done before me; those being, in many respects, fitter for my purpose. But before I come to Particulars in those Things, I shall give some Character and Account of my Author. +Plautus+, if consider'd as a +Dramatick Poet+, may justly enough be stil'd the Prince of the +Latin Comedians+, for tho' most of 'em are lost, and consequently little capable of being judg'd of, yet, from all Circumstances, we have good reason to presume that they never came up to +Plautus+; so that there is no one to stand in competition with him but +Terence+: But if +Comedy+ consists more in +Action+ than +Discourse+, then +Terence+ himself must be oblig'd to give place to our Author; and as +Terence+ ought to be esteem'd as a Man who spoke admirably, +Plautus+ is to be admir'd as a +Comick-Poet+. The principal Differences of these two Poets have been touch'd upon in the Preface to the English +Terence+; and from thence it will appear, that +Plautus+ had the vaster +Genius+, and +Terence+ the more exquisite Judgment; and, considering what Persons they copied, as the later was call'd the +Half Menander+, so the former may be stil'd the +Half Aristophanes+. +Terence+'s Stile was generally more refin'd and pure, and withal more elaborate than this Poet's; yet undoubtedly, +Plautus+ was a most absolute Master of his Tongue, and in many Places there appear such a Sharpness and Liveliness of Expression, nay and such a Neatness and Politeness too, that is scarce to be found in +Terence+; and this, perhaps, may have occasion'd +Varro+ to say, +That if the Muses were to speak Latin, they wou'd certainly make use of his very Stile+; and +Tanaquill Faber+ to call +Plautus+, +The very Fountain of pure Latin+. As to +Wit+ and +Raillery+, +Terence+ might by no means be compared to him; then he is not always so happy, but often degenerates to a Meanness that +Terence+ wou'd never have been guilty of; and tho' his +Jests+ and +Repartees+ were sometimes admirable, and often far above +Terence+'s, yet they were many times as much below him, and by their Trifling and Quibbling, appear to have been calculated for the Mob. This, probably, made +Rapin+ observe, +That he says the best Things in the World, and yet very often he says the most wretched.+ A little before he says, +_Plautus_ is ingenious in his Designs, happy in his Imaginations, fruitful in his Invention; yet, that there are some insipid Jests that escape from him in the Taste of _Horace_; and his good Sayings that make the People laugh, make sometimes the honester sort to pity him.+ The most remarkable Thing in his Stile, is the natural and unaffected +Easiness+ of it, I mean in opposition to +Stiffness+, which with the true +Elegance+ and +Propriety+ of the +Latin+ Tongue in +Common Discourse+, seems almost its distinguishing Character, and sets him above any other +Roman+ Author in that respect. 'Tis true, +Terence+ has all these Excellencies, and perhaps is more exact in +Propriety of Terms+, and in his Choice of +Words+, yet his extream Closeness and great Elaborateness, I presume, has made it somewhat less +Free+ and +Familiar+, or at least it wou'd be so if any other Man of less Judgment had managed it. So that what I mean is, that +Plautus+'s Stile ought rather to be imitated for +Common Discourse+ than +Terence+'s. +Plautus+ had the Misfortune of living in a worser Age than +Terence+, therefore there must be a larger Allowance for his +Obsolete Words+, his +Puns+, and +Quibbles+, as well as those Words that were peculiar to the Theatre and his Subjects, which, if once transplanted, wou'd never thrive elsewhere. Next, may be consider'd our Authors +Characters+; and in that point indeed, +Terence+ triumphs without a Rival, as was observ'd in the +Preface+ to that Author; and for a just and close Observance of +Nature+, perhaps no Man living ever excell'd him. It ought to be observ'd, that +Plautus+ was somewhat poor, and made it his principal Aim to please and tickle the Common People; and since they were almost always delighted with something new, strange, and unusual, the better to humour them, he was not only frequently extravagant in his +Expressions+, but likewise in his +Characters+ too, and drew Men often more Vicious, more Covetous, more Foolish, &c. than generally they were; and this to set the People a gazing and wondering. With these sort of +Characters+ many of our modern +Comedies+ abound, which makes 'em too much degenerate into +Farce+, which seldom fail of pleasing the Mob. But our Author had not many of these; for a great part of 'em were very true and natural, and such as may stand the Test of the severest Judges. His two most remarkable +Characters+, are his +Miser+, and his +Bragadocio+; and that the Reader may the more clearly understand the nature of these +Characters+, their Resemblance to some of ours, and their Unlikeness to those of +Terence+, I shall give a Translation of some part of 'em. First then, take the First Act of his Third Comedy call'd +Aulularia+, which begins with the Old Covetous Fellow and his Maid. _+Euclio+ and +Staphila+._ _Euc._ Out-a-doors, I say: Come out. I'll fetch ye out with a Horse-pox, for a damnable, prying, nine-ey'd Witch. _Sta._ Why do you misuse a poor Rogue at this rate? _Euc._ To make ye a poor Rogue as long as you live, like a Jade as you are. _Sta._ But why, Sir, am I thrust out-a-doors now? _Euc._ Must I give you an account, you hempen Bitch?---- Get you from the Door:-- that way:-- See how the Jade moves.---- Observe what you'll meet with. If I take a good Cudgel or a Whip, 'sbud, I shall soon put you out o' your Snails pace. _Sta. softly:_] Wou'd I were hang'd out o' the way, rather than be bound to serve such an old Rogue. _Euc._ How the Jipsey mutters to her self!---- Faith, I shall spoil those damn'd eyes, then look what I'm doing if you can.-- Huzzy, go further off:-- Further still:-- Further still:---- Still, I say.---- So! stand there.---- Now, you Baggage, stir one step, move a hairs breadth, or look back i' the least till I speak, and by Cocks-nowns, I'll hang y' up in an instant.-- [_To himself, going off._] I ne're met with a more subtle old Hag than this i' my days: I'm cursedly afraid this Witch shou'd trap me in my discourse, and discover the place where I've hid my Gold: Troth, I believe the consuming Jade has Eyes in her Breech.---- Now for my Gold, that has cost me such a woful deal of trouble, I'll go see whether that be safe as I hid it. _Exit +Euclio+._ _+Staphila+ alone._ As I live, I can't devise or imagine what Evil Genius or Madness has possess'd my Master; he uses me so inhumanely; and kicks me out a doors ten times a day. Troth, it puzzles me strangely to find out the meaning of his crazy Whims: He watches whole Nights together; and sits all day long within doors, like a lame Cobler upon his Stall.---- Well, considering these Plagues, and the difficulty of concealing my young Mistresses Labour, now at hand, I find no way but making a short cut, and hanging my self. _Re-enter +Euclio+._ _Euc._ Now I've found all well within doors, my mind's a little at ease.---- Now come in, and keep House. _Sta._ What, for fear it shou'd be stolen away? There's no Plunder for Thieves; there's nothing but Emptiness and Cobwebs. _Euc._ I'll warrant ye, I must keep a House like an Emperor for your sake, you old Sorceress? Huzzy, I'll have every Cobweb taken care of, and preserv'd. I'm very poor, I confess; but I patiently bear what the Gods lay upon me.---- Get ye in, and make fast the door; I'll be back presently. Take a special care you don't let e're a Soul come within the doors; and that they mightn't pretend an Excuse to borrow Fire, I'll ha' ye put it all out: If there be any now, out with't in an instant. If they want Water, tell 'em the Pump is dry; if they wou'd borrow a Knife, an Axe, a Mortar, or a Pestil, as Neighbours us'd to do, tell 'em the House was robb'd, and they're all stolen. 'Sbud, I'll ha' no body set a step within my House when I'm gone; therefore if _Good-luck_ her self shou'd come, I charge ye keep her out. _Sta._ Troth, you needn't fear her coming; for were she at the Threshold, she'd ne're come in. _Euc._ Hold your prating Tongue, and get ye in. _Sta._ To please you, I'll do both. _Euc._ And besure you secure the Door with two great Bolts: I'll be here instantly. _Exit +Staphila+._ _+Euclio+ alone._ O, I'm wretchedly perplex'd that I'm forc'd to go out a doors now; and troth, it goes sore against my mind; however, 'tis upon sure grounds. For now's the time for our Officer to distribute the Money to the Poor: Now if I shou'd be negligent, and not be among the Beggars, I'm afraid the World wou'd presently conclude, that I had got Gold at home. For 'tis n't likely such a poor Fellow as I pretend to be, shou'd so little value Money, as not to be there. Notwithstanding my restless care of concealing this Gold, it strangely runs in my Head, that all the World knows of it, and every body seems to be more obliging, and to complement me more than ever. They meet me, stay me, embrace me, enquire after my Health, my Welfare, and every thing.---- Well, I'll go, and be back again as soon as possibly. _Exit._ Here we see a considerable deal of the strange Nature of this old miserable Fellow; and this +Character+ he has carry'd through the whole Play: But to see his Humour a little more perfectly, take part of the fourth Scene of the second Act; where the Servant +Strobulus+ and the two Cooks are discoursing about this Miser. _+Strobulus+ and +Congrio+._ _Stro._ A Pumice-stone is not half so dry as that old Huncks. _Con._ Say ye so, introth? _Stro._ Take this from me. If the least Smoke shou'd chance to fly out of his House, he strait allarms the Town, exclaims against Heaven and Earth, that he's undone, and ruin'd for ever!---- I'll tell ye: whene're he goes to Bed he tyes a Bladder at his Nose. _Con._ What for? _Stro._ For fear of losing part of his Soul when he's asleep. _Con._ And doesn't he plug up his lower Bung-hole too, lest any shou'd steal out that way? _Stro._ 'Tis civil to believe me, since I do you. _Con._ Why, truly, I do believe ye. _Stro._ Did you never hear, how it goes to the Soul of him to pour out the Water he has once wash'd his hands in? _Con._ Do'st think, Boy, we shall be able to squeeze out a swinging sum of Money of this old Gripes, to purchase our Freedom with? _Stro._ Troth, shou'd ye beg Hunger it self of him, the Wretch wou'd deny ye. Nay more; whenever he gets his Nails to be cut, he carefully scrapes up all the Parings, and saves 'em. _Con._ Why, faith, this is the most miserable Cur upon the face of the Earth.---- But is he really such a pinching Wretch as you say? _Stro._ Why t'other day a Kite chanc'd to steal a bit of something from him; this poor Devil goes strait to my _Lord Chief Justice_'s, crying, roaring, and houling for his Warrant to apprehend it.---- O, I cou'd tell ye a thousand of these Stories, if I had leisure. This is stretching of a +Character+ a degree above Nature and Probability; yet these sort, at first sight, will glare and dazle a common Audience, and sometimes give a superficial Pleasure to a more judicious one; but are carefully to be avoided by any correct Writer. His +Miles Gloriosus+, or +Braggadocio+, is as remarkable a +Character+ as this, and there you may see another too in the same place, one who wheadles as much as the other boasts, and plays the Knave as much as the other does the Fool. For the Reader's Satisfaction, here follows a Translation of the first Act of the +Miles Gloriosus+, which begins between that Blockhead and his Buffoon. _+Pyrgopolinices+, with his Servant +Artotrogus+, and his Soldiers._ _Pyr. to his Soldiers._] Take care to have my Buckler out-shine the resplendent Sun, when the Heavens are serene; so that in the midst o' the Battel, I may dazle the Eyes of my Enemies, and confound every man of 'em.---- In the mean time, I'll comfort my bold _Bilbo_, that he might n't be dull and melancholly for want of use this long time; for the poor Rogue is damnably eager to slice all my Foes, and make a Hash of 'em.---- But where's _Artotrogus_? _Art._ Here, an't like your Honour, ready to wait upon a Man o' the greatest Fortitude and Fortune i' th' Universe, and o' the most majestick Air; then for personal Valour, Lord, _Mars_ himself dare n't pretend to measure Swords with you. _Pyr._ You mean him in the spatious _Gurgustidonian_ Plains, the mighty Generalissimo, _Bombomachides-- Cluninstaridy-- Sarchides_, great _Neptune_'s Grand-child?---- _Art._ ----The same, Sir. Him with the golden Armour, whose whole Army you blew away with a single Puff, like Leaves before the Wind, and Feathers in a Storm. _Pyr._ By _Hercules_, 'twas nothing. _Art._ No, faith, Sir, nothing at all to what I can relate,---- [_Aside_] but the Devil a bit of Truth's in't. If any Man can shew me a greater Lyer, or a more bragging Coxcomb than this Blunderbuss, he shall take me, make me his Slave, and starve me with Whey and Butter-milk-- Well, Sir? _Pyr._ Where are you? _Art._ Here, Sir:---- Wonderful! how you broke the great _Indian_ Elephants Arm with your single Fist? _Pyr._ What Arm? _Art._ I wou'd ha' said Thigh. _Pyr._ Pshaw, I did that with ease. _Art._ By _Jove_, Sir, had you us'd your full Strength, you'd ha' flead, gutted, and bon'd the huge Beast at once. _Pyr._ I wou'd not ha' ye relate all my Acts at this time. _Art._ Really, Sir, 'tis impossible to innumerate all your noble Acts that I have been Spectator of.---- [_Aside._] 'Tis this Belly of mine creates me all this Plagues. My Ears must bear this Burden, for fear my Teeth shou'd want Work; and to every Lye he tells, I must swear to. _Pyr._ What was I going to say?------ _Art._ O, Sir, I know your meaning.---- 'Twas a noble Exploit; I remember't very well. _Pyr._ What was't? _Art._ Whatever you perform'd, was so. _Pyr._ Ha' ye a Table-Book here? _Art._ D'ye want one, Sir?---- Here's a Pencil too. _Pyr._ Thou'st ingeniously accommodated thy Sentiments to mine. _Art._ O, 'tis my Duty to adapt my Manners to your Nod, and always keep 'em within the compass of your Commands. _Pyr._ Well, how many can you remember? _Art._ I remember a hundred and fifty _Cilicians_, a hundred _Sycolatronideans_, thirty _Sardeans_, and threescore _Macedonians_, you slew in one day. _Pyr._ And how many are there in all? _Art._ Seven thousand. _Pyr._ That's right. You're an excellent Arithmetician. _Art._ I have 'em _in capite_, tho' not in black and white. _Pyr._ Truly, a prodigious Memory! _Art._ That's owing to your Table. _Pyr._ As long as you proclaim my Honour, you shall never want eating: my Table shall be always free to receive ye. _Art._ Then in _Cappadocia_, Sir, where you wou'd ha' certainly cut off five hundred Men, had not your Sword been a little blunt; and those but the Relicts of the Infantry you had just defeated,---- [_Aside_] if there were any such in being.---- But why shou'd I mention these things, when the whole World knows how much the mighty _Pyrgopolinices_ excels the rest of Mortals in Valour, Beauty, and Renown'd Exploits. All the Ladies in Town are ready to run mad for ye; troth, and all the reason i'the World for't, since you've so charming a Countenance. As yesterday, some of 'em catch'd me by the Cloak, and---- _Pyr._ Prithee, what did they say o' me? [_Smiling._ _Art._ They fell to questioning: _Prithee_, says one, _is n't this the stout +Achillis?+ His Brother indeed_, quoth I. _Let me dye_, says another, _if he be n't a wonderful handsome Man, how nobly he looks, and how gracefully he wears his Hair! What a prodigious Happiness 'tis to be his Bed-fellow!_ _Pyr._ Said she so, i' faith? [_Laughing._ _Art._ And more than that, begg'd of me, for God's sake, to get ye to pass that way, that they might see how triumphantly you march'd along. _Pyr._ This same extraordinary Beauty brings a Man to extraordinary Inconveniencies. _Art._ Well, strangely importunate they were, they nothing but begg'd, pray'd, and conjur'd me to bless 'em with a sight of ye; nay, they sent for me so often, that I was sometimes forc'd to neglect your Business. _Pyr._ I think 'tis high time to be marching to the Piazza, and pay off the Soldiers I listed yesterday; for the King was very earnest with me to do him the favour of raising him some new Levies. This day have I appointed to pay him a Visit. _Art._ Let's be marching then. _Pyr._ Guards, follow your Leader. _Exeunt omnes._ I need not make many Reflections upon this Scene; but for the clearer perceiving of it, let us bring it to the Touch-stone of Nature, that is, compare it with Terence, and shew how modestly he has manag'd the same +Subject+ and +Characters+, to wit, his +Thraso+ and +Gnatho+, in the beginning of the third Act of his +Eunuch+. _+Thraso+ and +Gnatho+._ _Thra._ Was the Lady so extremely thankful? _Gna._ O, vastly, Sir. _Thra._ And wonderfully pleas'd, say ye? _Gna._ Really, Sir, not so much for the present as the honorable Person who bestow'd it; and for that, Sir, she triumphs above measure. _Thra._ Truly, 'tis my peculiar Fortune, to have every thing I do most gratefully receiv'd. _Gna._ Faith, Sir, I've observ'd as much. _Thra._ Why the King of _Persia_, whenever I did him a Kindness, was extremely sensible of it: He was n't so to others. _Gna._ A smart Tongue so well hung as yours, Sir, can obtain that Glory with Ease which cost others so much Toil and Labour. _Thra._ Right. _Gna._ The Monarch has you in his Eye then? _Thra._ Right again. _Gna._ And wears you next his heart? _Thra._ Very true: And trusts all his Army and Secrets to my Discretion. _Gna._ Prodigious! _Thra._ Then if he happen'd to be tir'd with Company, or fateagu'd with Business, and was desirous of Ease,---- as tho',---- you know what I mean. _Gna._ Yes, Sir:------ As tho, when he had a mind to clear his Stomach, as a Man may say, of all Concerns,------ _Thra._ Right: Then was I his only Companion hand to fist. _Gna._ Ay marry Sir! This is a Monarch indeed. _Thra._ Oh! he's a Man of a thousand. _Gna._ Yes, one of a million, if he chose you for his Companion. _Thra._ All the Officers envy'd me, and grumbl'd at me behind my back; but I valued it not: They envy'd me intolerably: But above all, one who had the Charge o' the vast _Indian_ Elephants. One day, this Fellow being more turbulent than the rest, I snap'd him up; _Prithee Strato_, said I, _why art thou so fierce? Is't because you're Lord o' the wild beasts?_ _Gna._ Neatly said, as I hope to live; and shrewdly. Bless me! you overthrow Man and Beast.---- What said he, Sir? _Thra._ Not a word. _Gna._ Nay, I can't tell how he shou'd. _Thra._ But, _Gnatho_, did I never tell you how sharp I was upon a young _Rhodian_ Spark at a Feast? _Gna._ Never, Sir; let's hear't, by all means.-- He has told it me a thousand times. [_Aside._ _Thra._ Why this _Rhodian_ Spark I told ye of, was with me at a Feast, where I happen'd to have a small Girl: This Stripling began to be sweet upon her, and waggish upon me too. _How now, you impudent Saucebox_, said I; _you're Man's meat your self, and yet have a mind to a Tid-bit._ _Gna._ Ha, ha, he. _Thra._ What's the matter, hah? _Gna._ Very fine, sharp, and delicate; that cou'd not be mended. But pray, Sir, was this your own? I took it for an old Jest. _Thra._ Did you ever hear't before? _Gna._ Often, Sir; and it takes to a miracle. _Thra._ They're oblig'd to me for't. _Gna._ I'm sorry tho', you were so sharp upon the foolish young Gentleman. But pray, Sir, what did he say then? _Thra._ He was quite dash'd out of Countenance; and the whole Company ready to dye with laughing. After that, every body stood in great awe of me. _Gna._ And truly they had reason. Here may be seen +Bragging+ and +Wheadling+ sufficiently, but still Nature closely observ'd, and all its due proportions; whereas the other has too much out-gone Probability, and strain'd his +Characters+ to an extravagant pitch. I shall not criticise upon the Particulars, but leave the Reader to judge their Differences; but only I may observe, that when +Characters+ are carry'd too high, as many of ours are, they may probably make an Audience laugh very heartily, but can give 'em but small Pleasure; whereas others will give 'em great Delight, tho' less Laughter. I am afraid I have dwelt too long upon this Subject, therefore I pass on to our Author's +Plots+. In that respect, he had not often that +Art+ and +Management+ that +Terence+ had, nor in all his Plays was so +regular+ as he; tho' in several he was, particularly in those I have chosen. But then his Scenes were commonly less languishing, his +Incidents+ more surprizing, and his +Surprizes+ more admirable; undoubtedly he had more of the +Vis comica+, which I may translate +Liveliness of Intreague+, than +Terence+. His +Subjects+ were all more +Simple+ than the other's, but I am apt to believe, that will be reckon'd but a very small Commendation in our Nation, who are but little Lovers of such thin Dyet, as they call it. His +Narrations+ are more lively and sharp than those of +Terence+'s, and, I think, every whit as natural and as well brought in: I'm sure in some of 'em he can never be out-done as to his way of bringing of 'em in. As for the General Rules of the Stage, I refer the Reader to the Preface to +Terence+. Our Author's principal Fault was, his mixing the +Representation+ with the +Theatral Action+ in many places, where he often makes his Actors speak immediately and directly to the Spectators; a Fault that +Terence+ was not wholly free from. This our modern Plays, I think, are never guilty of; only in our +Monologues+ and +Asides+, our Actors have got a custom of looking so full upon the Spectators, that it seems but one degree better. But our Author is not guilty of this in these three Plays, except in +Amphitryon+, and that by way of +Prologue+, or of any other Faults but what, I believe, I have shewn in my +Remarks+. And these that I have here chosen, are no ways inferior to +Terence+'s in matters of +Plot+ and +Intreague+, but in some respects superior, tho' not so elaborately wrought up, or always with that Niceness; so that these may undoubtedly prove excellent Models for our Poets Imitation, provided they observe Differences of Tastes, Humours, Ages, and Persons, and keep to those principal Beauties they already possess, some of which are undoubtedly above the Ancients. Only +Terence+ will teach 'em one thing that +Plautus+ does not, to wit, the great Cunning of working in +Under-Plots+, and still preserving the +Unity of Action+; for +Plautus+ has none of them. As for the Necessity of Rules, the Objections against 'em, and the wonderful Perfection our Plays might arrive to by a more close Observance of 'em, I must once more refer my Reader to the Preface to +Terence+. It was principally upon the Poets Account, and for all such as are desirous of understanding and judging the Excellencies of Dramatick Poetry, that I translated these Plays. If it be objected, that the Poets, Criticks, and Lovers, as well as Judges of Dramatick Poetry, do most of 'em understand the Original; I must deny the Truth of it, tho' several of 'em do: But if they did, these will be much more proper for their Design, especially by means of the +Notes+ and +Remarks+; and the Reasons I urg'd for the translation of +Terence+, bear a greater force in this Author, for here is a greater Obscurity, by reason of corrupted Copies, wrong Points, false Divisions of whole Acts as well as Scenes, besides a greater number of knotty and obscure Passages, than in +Terence+. Tho' this was my principal, it was not my only Design of translating this Author, for I had all the way an Eye to School boys, and Learners of the +Latin+ Tongue: Therefore, upon that account, I have not only kept perfectly close to his Sence, but almost always to his Words too; a thing not only extream difficult in an Author so frequently verbose, but oftentimes dangerous too: And for an Instance, I need not go any further than the very first Sentence of the +Prologue+ to +Amphitryon+, which if I had made shorter, I cou'd have made better. I can't forbear mentioning a Passage in the third Act of the same Play, which just now comes to my remembrance: Nam certo si sis sanus, aut sapias satis, Quam tu impudicam esse arbitrare, & prædicas, Cum ea tu sermonem nec joco, nec serio Tibi habeas, nisi sis stultior stultissimo. Which I have translated, perhaps, too closely thus; +I'm sure, had ye either Wit, or Discretion, or weren't the greatest Fool in Nature, you'd ne'er hold Discourse, either in Mirth or Earnest, with the Woman you believe and declare a Strumpet.+ I'm confident many other Translators wou'd not have been so scrupulously nice, but have made shorter work of it. But I have not only been so scrupulous in this Case, but I have likewise imitated all his Faults and Imperfections, whenever I cou'd do it without extream Injury to the Translation; I speak of his +Puns+, +Quibbles+, +Rhimes+, +Gingles+, and his several ways of playing upon words; which indeed were the Faults of his Age, as it was of ours in +Shakespear+'s and +Johnson+'s days, and of which +Terence+, as correct as he is, is not perfectly clear. Our Author's playing upon words are of that various nature, and so frequent too, I need not go far for a single Instance, which shall be in the fore part of the Prologue to +Amphitryon+: Justam rem & facilem esse oratum à vobis volo. Nam juste ab justis sum orator datus. Nam injusta ab justis impetrare non decet: Justa autem ab injustis petere, insipientia 'st: Quippe illi iniqui jus ignorant, neque tenent. Which I have translated thus: +I desire nothing but what's reasonable, and feasible; for 'tis a reasonable God requires Reason from a reasonable People; but to require Roguery from reasonable People, is base; and to expect Reason from Rascals, is nonsence; since such People neither know Reason nor observe it.+ Our Author's Wit did many times consist in his playing upon Words; a great pity indeed, for a person who was so well able to writ after a more substantial way, of which we have many remarkable Instances. Besides his Quibbling, partly from his Carelesness and Necessities, he hath sometimes a vein of +Trifling+, which was but very indifferent; and on those places the Reader must make some allowance for the translation, and not expect more than the Matter will well bear. As for our Author's +Jests+ and +Repartees+, for what we know of 'em, I took a particular care in preserving their Force; and for the most part, I presume, I have done it in a great measure, sometimes by a lucky hit; or a peculiar happiness of our Tongue, other times by a little Liberty taken, and when all have fail'd, the +Remarks+ have generally supply'd the Defect, a way I was forc'd to content my self withal in many places; the worse they were, they were frequently more difficult to preserve, therefore I thought it as well to slur over some few of the meaner sort. Several of his +Jests+ and bits of +Satyr+ are undoubtedly lost to us, not only in respect of our Language, but also our Knowledge, and this sometimes makes his +Sence+ a little obscure. And as the +Sence+ of an Author ought to be his Translator's chiefest Care, so it has been mine; and tho' I cannot affirm, that I have kept to it in every passage, yet I believe I have often done it where a common Reader will think I have not; and I think it no commendation to my self to say I have hit it on many places where the Common Interpreters have missed. After all, I dare not pretend to say, that this Translation equals the Original, for there is such a peculiar Air in this Author as well as +Terence+, that our Tongue seems uncapable of, or at least it does so to me. Yet still if 'twere always read with the Original, it wou'd make far more for me than otherwise. In short, the Reader ought to look upon this as a Translation of an Author who had several Faults, and such places, as the +English+ must of necessity appear mean, being little better in the Original; and likewise as an Author of Antiquity, some of whose Customs and Manners will appear a little uncouth and unsightly, in spight of all a Translator's Care. I endeavour'd to be as like my Author as I cou'd, especially in that which I reckon his distinguishing Character, to wit, the natural and unaffected easiness of his Stile, and as this seems the most capable of imitation, so I believe I have been more successful in this Particular than in any other: and that is the main Reason I have had so many Abbreviations, to make it appear still more like common Discourse, and the usual way of speaking. Perhaps I may be thought to have been too bold in that point, because I have had some that are not usual in Prose; therefore I don't set this way as a Copy for any one to follow me in, nor shall I use it myself in any other Piece. I have all the way divided the +Acts+ and +Scenes+ according to the true Rules of the Stage, which are extreamly false in all the Editions of this Author, especially the +Scenes+. To make this Translation the most useful that I cou'd, I have made +Remarks+ upon each Play, and those are of two sorts, tho' equally intermix'd: The first, to shew the Author's chief Excellencies as to his Contrivance and Management of his +Plots+ and +Incidents+; the second, to discover several Beauties of +Stile+ and +Wit+, principally such as are not very clear, or cannot well be preserv'd in our Tongue; and those are likewise to vindicate my Translation. Several of these I must own my self oblig'd to Madam +Dacier+ for, or at least the hint, tho' some of 'em I cou'd not have miss'd of in the prosecution of those Designs I aim'd at. I have borrow'd little or nothing from any other, for her's are far the best +Notes+ I ever met with, tho' many of 'em were done more to shew her Parts and Reading than for any real use, a thing which I shall never aim at. I have been forc'd in most of 'em to be extream nice and curious in penetrating into the bottom of the Author, for I find it far more difficult to discover a Beauty than a Fault. I might have enlarg'd upon 'em, and have made several more, with good grounds, but I thought it dangerous to say all that cou'd be said; but instead of that I was forc'd, much against my will, to dash out several of those upon +Amphitryon+ upon the account of the Printer, but the rest are more full and compleat. If business wou'd have permitted me, I shou'd have ventur'd upon three more of our Authors Plays; and upon that Account, I have taken somewhat less time than was necessary for the translating such an extraordinary difficult Author; for this requires more than double the time of a +Historian+ or the like, which was as much as I cou'd allow my self. I made choice of these three Plays as well for their +Modesty+ as +Regularity+, for above all things I wou'd by no means give the least Encouragement to Lewdness or Obscenity, which grow too fast of themselves; and therefore I thought I cou'd not chuse better than after a Lady. +Amphitryon+ had the Name, and never fail'd of a general Approbation; +Epidicus+ was our Author's Favourite, and truly there is much Art in it, tho' it is a little heavy; and +Rudens+ is in several respects a better Play than any of +Plautus+'s or +Terence+'s. I'm afraid +Amphitryon+ will bear the worse in our Tongue, upon the Account of Mr. +Dryden+'s, whose Improvements are very extraordinary; but considering Mr. +Dryden+'s Management is of such a different Nature, this will still be as useful and as proper for my +Design+, or at least to School-boys and Learners. I must do that great Man the Justice in saying, that he has not only much improved the +Humour+, +Wit+, and +Design+ in many places, but likewise the +Thoughts+. I'll mention one, which just now comes into my mind. +Alcmena+ in the Second Act complains thus: +How poor and short are this Life's Pleasures, if once compar'd with the Sorrows we endure? 'Tis Man's Destiny, and Heaven's Pleasure, to mix our Joys with bitter Potions; and for some few Hours of Satisfaction, we meet with Ages of Ills and Troubles.+ Mr. +Dryden+, by the help of Blank Verse, and a little more room, has better'd it extreamly. Ye niggard Gods! you make our Lives too long: You fill 'em with Diseases, Wants, and Woes, And only dash 'em with a little Love; Sprinkled by Fits, and with a sparing Hand. Count all our Joys, from Childhood ev'n to Age, They wou'd but make a Day of ev'ry Year: And to carry it on further yet, and to make it appear more fine and clear, he says, Take back your Sev'nty Years, (the stint of Life) Or else be kind, and cram the Quintessence Of Sev'nty Years into sweet Sev'nty Days: For all the rest is flat, insipid Being. I mention this the rather, because it may serve for one Instance of what Improvements our Modern Poets have made on the Ancients, when they built upon their Foundations. For we find that many of the fine things of the Ancients are like Seeds, that, when planted on +English+ Ground by a Skilful Poet's Hand, thrive, and produce excellent Fruit. But I'm afraid this +Preface+ has been too long and tedious for this small Piece; but the Press stays, and the hast I'm in will not permit me to make it shorter, or so much as review it; yet before I conclude, I must inform the Reader, that I had the Advantage of another's doing their +P+lays before me; from whose Translation I had very considerable Helps, especially in the +Jests+ and +Quibbles+. The Augustan Reprint Society WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT [Decoration] [Where available, Project Gutenberg e-text numbers are given in brackets.] 1948-1949 16. Henry Nevil Payne, _The Fatal Jealousie_ (1673). [16916] 18. Anonymous, "Of Genius," in _The Occasional Paper_, Vol. III, No. 10 (1719), and Aaron Hill, Preface to The Creation (1720). [15870] 1949-1950 19. Susanna Centlivre, _The Busie Body_ (1709). [16740] 20. Lewis Theobald, _Preface to the Works of Shakespeare_ (1734). [16346] 22. Samuel Johnson, _The Vanity of Human Wishes_ (1749), and two _Rambler_ papers (1750). [13350] 23. John Dryden, _His Majesties Declaration Defended_ (1681). [15074] 1950-1951 26. Charles Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1792). [14463] 1951-1952 31. Thomas Gray, _An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard_ (1751), and _The Eton College Manuscript_. [15409] 1952-1953 41. Bernard Mandeville, _A Letter to Dion_ (1732). [29478] 1962-1963 98. _Select Hymns Taken Out of Mr. Herbert's Temple_ (1697). 1963-1964 104. Thomas D'Urfey, _Wonders in the Sun_; or, _The Kingdom of the Birds_ (1706). 1964-1965 110. John Tutchin, _Selected Poems_ (1685-1700). [_In Preparation_] 111. Anonymous, _Political Justice_ (1736). 112. Robert Dodsley, _An Essay on Fable_ (1764). 113. T. R., _An Essay Concerning Critical and Curious Learning_ (1698). 114. _Two Poems Against Pope_: Leonard Welsted, _One Epistle to Mr. A. Pope_ (1730), and Anonymous, _The Blatant Beast_ (1742). [21499] 1965-1966 115. Daniel Defoe and others, _Accounts of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal_. 116. Charles Macklin, _The Covent Garden Theatre_ (1752). [_In Preparation_] 117. Sir George L'Estrange, _Citt and Bumpkin_ (1680). [_In Preparation_] 118. Henry More, _Enthusiasmus Triumphatus_ (1662). 119. Thomas Traherne, _Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation_ (1717). 120. Bernard Mandeville, _Aesop Dress'd or a Collection of Fables_ (1704). [_In Preparation_] 1966-1967 122. James MacPherson, _Fragments of Ancient Poetry_ (1760). [8161] 123. Edmond Malone, _Cursory Observations on the Poems Attributed to Mr. Thomas Rowley_ (1782). [29116] 124. Anonymous, _The Female Wits_ (1704). [_In Preparation_] 125. Anonymous, _The Scribleriad_ (1742). Lord Hervey, _The Difference Between Verbal and Practical Virtue_ (1742). [_In Preparation_] 126. _Le Lutrin: an Heroick Poem, Written Originally in French by Monsieur Boileau: Made English by N. O._ (1682). Subsequent publications may be checked in the annual prospectus. Publications #1 through 90, of the first fifteen years of Augustan Reprint Society, are available in bound units at $14.00 per unit of six from: KRAUS REPRINT CORPORATION 16 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Publications in print are available at the regular membership rate of $5.00 yearly. Prices of single issues may be obtained upon request. William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: University of California, Los Angeles THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY _General Editors_: George Robert Guffey, University of California, Los Angeles; Maximillian E. Novak, University of California, Los Angeles; Robert Vosper, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library. _Corresponding Secretary_: Mrs. Edna C. Davis, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library. The Society's purpose is to publish reprints (usually facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works. All income of the Society is devoted to defraying costs of publication and mailing. Correspondence concerning memberships in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2520 Cimarron St., Los Angeles, California. Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors at the same address. Manuscripts of introductions should conform to the recommendations of the MLA _Style Sheet_. The membership fee is $5.00 a year in the United States and Canada and 30 -- in Great Britain and Europe. British and European prospective members should address B. H. Blackwell, Broad Street, Oxford, England. Copies of back issues in print may be obtained from the Corresponding Secretary. PUBLICATIONS FOR 1967-1968 127-128. Charles Macklin, _A Will and No Will, or a Bone for the Lawyers_ (1746). _The New Play Criticiz'd, or The Plague of Envy_ (1747). Introduction by Jean B. Kern. [_In Preparation_] 129. Lawrence Echard, Prefaces to _Terence's Comedies_ (1694) and _Plautus's Comedies_ (1694). Introduction by John Barnard. [_Present Text_] 130. Henry More, _Democritus Platonissans_ (1646). Introduction by P. G. Stanwood. [_In Preparation_] 131. John Evelyn, _The History of . . . Sabatai Sevi . . . The Suppos'd Messiah of the Jews_ (1669). Introduction by Christopher W. Grose. [_In Preparation_] 132. Walter Harte, _An Essay on Satire, Particularly on the Dunciad_ (1730). Introduction by Thomas B. Gilmore. [29237] ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next in the series of special publications by the Society will be a volume including Elkanah Settle's _The Empress of Morocco_ (1673) with six plates; _Notes and Observations on the Empress of Morocco_ (1674) by John Dryden, John Crowne and Thomas Shadwell; _Notes and Observations on the Empress of Morocco Revised_ (1674) by Elkanah Settle: and _The Empress of Morocco. A Farce_ (1674) by Thomas Duffet, with an Introduction by Maximillian E. Novak. Already published in this series are reprints of John Ogilby's _The Fables of Aesop Paraphras'd in Verse_ (1668) with an Introduction by Earl Miner and John Gay's _Fables_ (1727, 1738), with an Introduction by Vinton A. Dearing. Publication is assisted by funds from the Chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles. Price to members of the Society, $2.50 for the first copy and $3.25 for additional copies. Price to non-members, $4.00. THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY William Andrews Clark Memorial Library 2520 Cimarron Street at West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90018 Make check or money order payable to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. * * * * * * * * * Errata (noted by transcriber) _In the Prefaces, errors were corrected only if a later edition showed the same correction._ _Editor's Introduction_ under the imprint of Thomas Salusbury [_spelling is correct_] another's doing their [i.e., "these"?] Plays before me [_this and following bracketed notes are in the original_] _Preface to Terence_ vix de demenso suo, suum defraudans genium [demcuso ... defrudans] Eheu me miseram! [Ehen] ni unum desit [de sit] perfectly just, truly proportionably [. for,] he never fails in any one place, but [. for,] why he goes off, where he's a going [goes of] the whole cou'dn't contain above Eleven hours [about Eleven hours] for such inferior Persons, we leave to others. [. invisible] or to say very little, as 'twas agreeable to them [_s in "as" invisible_] In some things they are too short, in others too long [. for,] _School-Masters_ often want time, and now and then Judgment [time. and now then and] some hints we had from the _French_, but [. for,] _Odiosus_, _Tristis_, &c. these we [_missing ; or : after "&c.", OR error for "These"_] They may possibly take 'em for Blunders [' missing or invisible] but we have better offend this way than the other [beeter] _Preface to Plautus_ due Observance and Penetration [Penitration] Exit +Euclio+. [Eudio] And besure you secure the Door [_spacing as shown_] For the Reader's Satisfaction, here follows [he follows] _Augustan Reprints_ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES [. for,] and 30 -- in Great Britain and Europe [_unchanged_] End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Prefaces to Terence's Comedies and Plautus's Comedies (1694), by Lawrence Echard *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TERENCE *** ***** This file should be named 29684-8.txt or 29684-8.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/8/29684/ Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner, Dave Morgan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be renamed. 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