Page:The Rehearsal - Villiers (1672).djvu/17

 Ush. Thirdly, and lastly, both he, and they [Exeunt Whispering. Bayes. There they both whisper. Now, Gentlemen, pray tell me true, and without flattery, is not this a very odd beginning of a Play?

Johns. In troth, I think it is, Sir. But why two Kings of the same place?

Bayes. Why? because it's new; and that's it I aim at. I despise your Johnson, and Beaumont, that borrow'd all they writ from Nature: I am for fetching it purely out of my own fancie, I.

Smi. But what think you of Sir John Suckling, Sir?

Bayes. By gad, I am a better Poet than he.

Smi. Well, Sir; but pray why all this whispering?

Bayes. Why, Sir, (besides that it is new, as I told you before) because they are suppos'd to be Polititians; and matters of State ought not to be divulg'd.

Smi. But then, Sir, why

Bayes. Sir, if you'l but respite your curiosity till the end of the fifth Act, you'l find it a piece of patience not ill recompenc'd.

Johns. How dost thou like this, Frank? Is it not just as I told thee?

Smi. Why, I did never, before this, see any thing in Nature; and all that, (as Mr. Bayes says) so foolish, but I could give some ghess at what mov'd the Fop to do it; but this, I confess, does go beyond my reach.

Johns. Why, 'tis all alike: Mr. Wintershull has inform'd me of this Play before. And I'l tell thee, Frank, thou shalt not see one Scene here, that either properly ought to come in, or is like any thing thou canst imagine has ever been the practice of the World. And then, when he comes to what he calls good language, it is, as I told thee, very fantastical, most abominably dull, and not one word to the purpose.

Smi. It does surprise me, I am sure, very much.

Johns. I, but it won't do so long: by that time thou hast seen a Play or two, that I'l shew thee, thou wilt be pretty well acquainted with this new kind of Foppery.