The Double-Dealer | Page 4

talks to himself, it is
monstrous and
ridiculous to the last degree. Nay, not only in this case,
but in any part of a play, if there is expressed any knowledge of an
audience, it is insufferable. But otherwise, when a man in soliloquy
reasons with himself, and PRO'S and CON'S, and weighs all his
designs, we ought not to imagine that this man either talks to us or to
himself; he is only thinking, and thinking such matter as were
inexcusable folly in him to speak. But because we are concealed
spectators of the plot in agitation, and the poet finds it necessary to let
us know the whole mystery of his contrivance, he is willing to inform
us of this person's thoughts; and to that end is forced to make use of the
expedient of speech, no other better way being yet invented for the
communication of thought.
Another very wrong objection has been made by some who have not
taken leisure to distinguish the characters. The hero of the play, as they
are pleased to call him (meaning Mellefont), is a gull, and made a fool,
and cheated. Is every man a gull and a fool that is deceived? At that
rate I'm afraid the two classes of men will be reduced to one, and the
knaves themselves be at a loss to justify their title. But if an
open-hearted honest man, who has an entire confidence in one whom
he takes to be his friend, and whom he has obliged to be so, and who,
to confirm him in his opinion, in all appearance and upon several trials
has been so: if this man be deceived by the treachery of the other, must
he of necessity commence fool immediately, only because the other has
proved a villain? Ay, but there was caution given to Mellefont in the
first act by his friend Careless. Of what nature was that caution? Only
to give the audience some light into the character of Maskwell before
his appearance, and not to convince Mellefont of his treachery; for that
was more than Careless was then able to do: he never knew Maskwell
guilty of any villainy; he was only a sort of man which he did not like.
As for his suspecting his familiarity with my Lady Touchwood, let 'em
examine the answer that Mellefont makes him, and compare it with the
conduct of Maskwell's character through the play.

I would beg 'em again to look into the character of Maskwell before
they accuse Mellefont of weakness for being deceived by him. For
upon summing up the enquiry into this objection, it may be found they
have mistaken cunning in one character for folly in another.
But there is one thing at which I am more concerned than all the false
criticisms that are made upon me, and that is, some of the ladies are
offended. I am heartily sorry for it, for I declare I would rather
disoblige all the critics in the world than one of the fair sex. They are
concerned that I have represented some women vicious and affected.
How can I help it? It is the business of a comic poet to paint the vices
and follies of humankind; and there are but two sexes, male and female,
MEN and WOMEN, which have a title to humanity, and if I leave one
half of them out, the work will be imperfect. I should be very glad of an
opportunity to make my compliment to those ladies who are offended;
but they can no more expect it in a comedy than to be tickled by a
surgeon when he's letting 'em blood. They who are virtuous or discreet
should not be offended, for such characters as these distinguish THEM,
and make their beauties more shining and observed; and they who are
of the other kind may nevertheless pass for such, by seeming not to be
displeased or touched with the satire of this COMEDY. Thus have they
also wrongfully accused me of doing them a prejudice, when I have in
reality done them a service.
You will pardon me, sir, for the freedom I take of making answers to
other people in an epistle which ought wholly to be sacred to you; but
since I intend the play to be so too, I hope I may take the more liberty
of justifying it where it is in the right.
I must now, sir, declare to the world how kind you have been to my
endeavours; for in regard of what was well meant, you have excused
what was ill performed. I beg you would continue the same method in
your acceptance of this dedication. I know no other way of making a
return to that humanity you shewed, in