"mr. wycherley was naturally modest until king charles' court, that late disgrace to our times, corrupted him. he then gave himself up to all sorts of extravagances and to the wildest frolics that a wanton wit could devise.… never was so much ill-nature in a pen as in his, joined with so much good nature as was in himself, even to excess; for he was bountiful, even to run himself into difficulties, and charitable even to a fault. it was not that he was free from the failings of humanity, but he had the tenderness of it, too, which made everybody excuse whom everybody loved; and even the asperity of his verses seems to have been forgiven."

i the plain dealer am to act to-day.

*****

now, you shrewd judges, who the boxes sway,

leading the ladies' hearts and sense astray,

and for their sakes, see all and hear no play;

correct your cravats, foretops, lock behind:

the dress and breeding of the play ne'er mind;

for the coarse dauber of the coming scenes

to follow life and nature only means,

displays you as you are, makes his fine woman

a mercenary jilt and true to no man,

shows men of wit and pleasure of the age

are as dull rogues as ever cumber'd stage.

william wycherley.—prologue to the plain dealer.