I am therefore to remind my reader, that on this day, being the 15th of June, the Plotting Sifters is to be acted for the benefit of the author, niy old friend Mr d'Urfey. This comedy was honoured with the presence of King Charles II. three of its first five nights.
My friend has in this work fhown himsel a master*; and made not only the characters of the play, but also the furniture of the house contribute to the main defign. He has made excellent ufe of a table with a carpet, and the key of a closet. With thefe two imple ments, which would, perhaps, have been overlooked by an ordinary writer, he contrives the most natural perplexities (allowing only the use of these houfholdgoods in poetry) that ever were represented on a flage. He has alfo made good advantage of the knowledge of the ftage itself; for in the nick of being furprised, the lovers are let down, and escape at a trap door. word, any who have the curiofity to obferve what pleafed in the laft generation, and does not go to a comedy with a refolution to be grave, will find this evening ample food for mirth. Johnson, who understands what he does as well as any man, expoies the impertinence of an old fellow, who has loft his fenfes, ftill puriuing pleafures, with great mastery. The ingenious Mr Pinkethman is a bashful rake, and is theepish without having modefty, with great fuccefs. Mr Bullock fuc ceeds Nokes in the part of Bubble and, in my opinion is not much below him; for he does excellently that fort of folly we call abfurdity, which is the very contrary of wit; but, next to that, is of all things the properest to excite mirth. What is foolish is the object of pity: but abfurdity often proceeds from an opinion of uffici. ency; and confequently is an honeft occafion for laughter. The characters in this play cannot chufe but make it a very pleasant entertainment; and the decorations of fing ing and dancing will more than c Kepay the good-nature of those who make an honest man a vifit of two merry hours, to make his following year unpainful.
The figures refer to the numbers of the papers.
Madam Maintenon 48. 'Tis the occafion of his difgrace ib. His treatife of the exift- ence, wisdom, and omnipo- tence of God 69. Cardan, what he fays of the affliction of love 7. Cato, the tragedy fo called, its character 33. The pro- logue and epilogue ib. Some of its beauties 44. 59. Its beautiful funilies 64. Charity recommended 79. Charwel, Mr, the merchant, his character, wealth, and purchase 9. His improve
ments of his estate ib. Chastity, the nobleft male- qualification 45. Church, Chriftian, its divine or- der and oeconomy 70. of England, its excellent rules 74. Its term wants expla- nation 80. Mifapplied ib. Clergymen, the refpect due to their function 3. What thofe that take it upon them should propofe to themselves ib. 13. Abufed by the Examiner 80. Cock-fighting, a barbarous cuf-
Cocking, a precaution against
it 14. Colbert, Mr, his conversation
with the French King about the power of the Dutch 52. Converfation, the nobleft pris vilege of reafon 24., Rules for it ib. Covetoufnefs, precautions a gainst it 19. 49. Country life, its pleasures 22. Coward, never forgives 20. Cowley, Mr, a criticism on his
fongs 17. Crabtree, Major, his four fay- ing of the ladies 26. Critics, falfe ones 12
vations on them 77- Criticism on fong writing 16. Customs, barbarous ones in England 61.
Cyr, St, monaftery of an ac count of it 48. Cyrus, his chastity 45.
Aubigne, Meffieurs, father and grandfather of Madam Maintenon, their story 36. David's lamentation for Jona- than, the beauty of it 51. Dedications, the abufe of them 4. by female authors ib. An inftance of it ib. An author's to him felf ib.
Dewlip, Dick, well made for a jefter 42. Descartes, his difcovery of the pineal gland in the brain 35. Disorders of the play house, by whom raised 19.
Diftrefs, a fcene of it in the
tragedy of Anne Bullen 19. Donne, Dr, a criticism on his fongs 15.
Dream of reproof, reproach, &c. 56.
Drefs, not to be too much va-
lued or despised 1 0. Druids, their doctrine of the tranfmigration of fouls 18. Dryden, a faying of his recom-
mending chastity 45- Mo ral verfes out of his Juvenal
Duel, the danger of dying in
D'Urfey, Mr, the world's in- gratitude to him 29. His Newmarke; ode 67. Other, odes of his ib. His merit ib. His Plotting Sifters recom- mended, and why 82. Dutch, the advantages they have over the French 62.
Epic poem, rules concerning it 12. A receipt to make one 78.
Epigram, a French one, mif. called a fong 16. Equality in mens happiness and mifery 54. Fflays on feveral extraordinary subjects 60.
Examiner, his infolence and
ill manners 41. Mr Steele's
letter to the Guardian about him 53. His fcandal on the greatest man in England re- proved ib. An advocate for a lady who was faid not.to have been lain: with 63. A very grofs offender 80. Mif- applies the word church ib. Abufes the clergy ib. Lords and Commons ib, His falfe- hood ib.
ignorance 3 9. 27. 55 Description of their pineal gland 39. Enemies to let ters 62. Compared to flies 70. Obfervations on them 77. French, their poverty 52, French King, the ftory of him and Madam Maintenon 47- Governed by her 48. Mar. ries her ib. His converfation with Mr Colbert about the power of the Dutch 52. Front box, how the ladies are marshalled there 29
Future ftate, proofs of it from the works of the creation 27
Gallantry, the falfe notions of it in this kingdom 20. Gale, John, many prints of him 1.
Garth, Dr, his agreeable epi- logue to Cato 23. Gentlemanly, gentleman like, c. how ill applied 38. Gladiator, a ftatue of one as eafy as that of a Venus 12. Gnatho, the mad doctor's let-- ter to the Guardian 1. God, his existence, wildom and omnipotence, demon- ftrated 69.. Reflections on his nature and attributes 74. Good Friday, reflections prc. paratory to the day 20. Good will and charity recom- mended 79.
Gofpels, the excellence of them 21..
HAmlet, the prologue in it as fpoken by Mr William Peer 82.
Happiness, various notions of it 31. with refpect to mar- riage ib. In what it confifts ib. Hawthorn, Nic. his whimfical letter about public spirit $8. Hearty, Sir William, why he was not a fine gentleman 34. Henry VII. Lord Verulam's hiftory of, criticifins on it
Hilaria, her madness and cure
Hiftory, rules for writing it 25. Holiness, the beauty of it 21. Horfes, how managed by Sir Harry Lizard 6.
How-d'ye call, Sufan, her peti-
tion to the Guardian 64. Humour, pleasant mistakes con- cerning it 42
Hunting, a remain of Gothic barbarity 61.
I AM THAT I AM, reflec- tions on that faying 74. Janglings, matrimonial 73. Jealoufy, its fatal effects 37. Jefts for a death bed, by whom published 27.
Jefus Chrift, his converfation with two difciples after his crucifixion 21. Jilfirts, the occafion of our ill
breed of men 26. Ingratitude, man's, to beafts 61. Intrigue between a wild young gentleman and a jilt 14. Jofeph, the story of his chasti- ty45.
Tronfide, Neftor, Efq; his birth and education 2. Italian comedians driven, from
and intereft and trade Adies, all women fuch 26, fupport each other 76: Laugh and be fat, the effects of reading a collection of fon nets fo called 49. Laughers, the feveral charac- ters of them 29. Laughter, the chorus of con- verfation 29.
Letter to Sir Francis Walling ham, from Sir Thomas Smith. about Queen Elifabeth's mar- rying the French King's
brother 7. About Free think- ers, to the Guardian 9. From an Oxford beau 10. From Gnatho the mad doctor 11 From T. S. about two wild youths 13. From the fame ib. The Guardian's letter. to Sir Harry Lizard, recom- mending a wife to him 29. From Ulyffes Cosmopolita to the Guardian 35.39. To the Guardian, in favour of panning 36. From Will. Bareface 38. "About the Examiner's grofsly affron- ing Lady Ch-tte 41. From the Sparkler, about the cha- racters of Lucia and Marcia in Cato 43. About the old men of Gray's Inn walks 44. From R. B. about his journey to the country; his enter- tainment and pleasures 50. About David's lamentation for Jonathan 51. From Mr
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