The Fine Ladys Airs | Page 4

I follow
this source.]
[Footnote 3: It was still too lively, however, to be acted outside London.
The Harvard Theatre Collection has a copy once owned by Joe Haines
with "cuts" designed to soften it for playing in the provinces. Such lines
as, "The Godly never go to Taverns, but get drunk every Night at one
another's Houses," "Citizens are as fond of their Wives, as their Wives
are of other People," and "Virtue's an Impossibility ... every Citizen's
Wife pretends to't," are carefully expunged.]
[Footnote 4: E.g., Bloom to Mrs. Driver, "One moment into that Closet,
if it be but to read the Practice of Piety" becomes "One Moment into
that Closet, Dear, dear Creature; they say it's mighty prettily furnish'd,"
And in her aside, "I vow, I've a good mind; but Virtue--the Devil, I
ne're was so put to't i' my Life," for the words "the Devil" are
substituted the words "and Reputation."]
[Footnote 5: No. 50, Sept. 14; No. 61, Oct. 26.]
[Footnote 6: According to the impression I have of this "morbus" it was
a skin-ailment particularly appropriated to beggars, who might contract
it upon long exposure to filth and louse-bites. Even then, though there

would doubtless be a certain amount "of discomfort about it, it would
scarcely prove fatal.]
[Footnote 7: This and subsequent vital statistics as to Baker's university
and clerical career are from the account of him in J. and J.A. Venn,
Alumni Cantabrigienses, 1922 et sq.]
[Footnote 8: British Apollo, No. 49, Sept. 14, 1709.]
[Footnote 9: _Ibid._]
[Footnote 10: Both Paul Bunyan Anderson, "The history and authorship
of Mrs. Crackenthorpe's Female Tatler," MP, XXVIII (1931), 354-60,
and Walter Graham, "Thomas Baker, Mrs. Manley, and The Female
Tatler," MP, XXXIV (1937), 267-72, think that some, at least, of the
_F.T._ is from Baker's pen, but they disagree as to what part and how
much. I am considering the matter and may have an opinion to express
in future.]
[Footnote 11: Victoria History of Bedfordshire, II, 181 n.; III, 128.]

THE Fine Lady's Airs: OR, AN EQUIPAGE of LOVERS. A
COMEDY.
As it is Acted at the THEATRE-ROYAL IN _DRURY-LANE._
Written by the Author of the Yeoman of Kent.
_LONDON_:
Printed for BERNARD LINTOTT at the _Cross-Keys_, between the
Two Temple Gates in Fleetstreet.
Price 1_s._ 6d.

TO

Sir ANDREW FONTAINE
To Address a Man of your Character, gives me greater Concern than to
finish the most Elaborate Play, and support the various Conflicts which
naturally attend ev'ry Author; how the Town in general will receive it.
To harangue some of the First Quality, whose Titles are the greatest
Illustration we can give 'em, is a sort of Common-Place Oratory; which
Poets may easily vary in copying from one another; but, when I'm
speaking to the most finish'd young Gentleman any Age has produced,
whose distinguish'd Merits exact the nicest Relation, I feel my inability,
and want a Genius barely to touch on those extraordinary
Accomplishments, which You so early, and with so much ease, have
made Your self perfect Master of.
But, when I reflect on the Affability of Your Temper, the generous and
obliging Reception, You always gave me, and the ingaging Sweetness
of Your Conversation, I'm the more incourag'd to pay my Duty to You
in this Nature, fully persuading my self, You'll lay aside the Critick, by
considering, in how many Respects, Your condescending Goodness has
shown You are my Friend.
The vast stock of Learning You acquir'd in Your Non-age, has
manifested to the World, that a Scholar, and a fine Gentleman are not
Inconsistent, and rendered You so matchless an Ornament to the
University of Oxford, particularly to _Christ-Church-_College, where
You imbib'd it.
'Tis a Misfortune that attends many of our English Gentlemen to set out
for Travel without any Foundation; and wanting a Tast of Letters, and
the Knowledge of their own Country, the Observations they make
Abroad, to reflect no further, are generally useless and impertinent.
But You so plentifully were furnish'd with all this Kingdom afforded,
that Foreign Languages became Natural to You, and the unparallell'd
Perfections You accumulated Abroad, particularly Your most Judicious
and Critical Collection of Antiquities, made You so eminently
Conspicuous, and justly Admir'd at the Great Court of Hannover, and

since Your Return, have so cordially recommended You to the good
Graces of the most Discerning Nobleman in the Kingdom.
Amongst other Degrees of Knowledge, I have heard You express some
value for Poetry; which, cou'd one imitate Your right Tast of those less
profitable Sciences, who permit it but at some Seasons, as a familiar
Companion to relieve more serious Thoughts, and prevent an Anxiety,
which, the constant Application, You have always been inclin'd to give
harder Studies, might probably draw on You, is an Amusement worthy
the greatest Head-piece.