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GG(J.764.006
12 Apr 1764:22,31 (54)
To the printer. Sir, One would readily imagine, that
persons who possess a greater fund of spirits, and exhibit a
more lively exertion of them than others, must be in the
same proportion more happy. . . [10 lines on human nature]
The authors of the drama are very studious to preserve
this strong vicissitude in the conduct of their characters,
the incidents that work the change, howsoever natural, ought
to be strongly surprising; and the more effectual and
irrecoverable is the turn, the more pathetick is the
composition. How many mourning brides and fair penitents do
we see in real life, who have been dazzled by their bliss to
their undoing; and, by the torch that has lighted them to
life and pleasure, have kindled a fire to consume their
joys. This is by no means an imaginary picture of human
life; it is as much an appendage of nature, as the starts
and dallies of passion are the certain symptoms of its
weakness . . . [36 more lines, with a quote from Calista and
another by Smart.]
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