well writ, is disfigur'd by a dull Love-Plot, which ſpreads a certain Languor over the whole, that quite murders it.
The Cuſtom of introducing Love at random and at any rate in the Drama, paſs'd from Paris to London about 1660. with our Ribbons and our Peruques. The Ladies who adorn the Theatrical Circle, there, in like Manner as in this City, will ſuffer Love only to be the Theme of every Converſation. The judicious Mr. Addiſon had the effeminate Complaiſance to ſoften the Severity of his dramatic Character ſo, as to adapt it to the Manners of the Age; and from an Endeavour to pleaſe, quite ruin'd a Maſter-Piece in its kind. Since his Time, the Drama is become more regular, the Audience more difficult to be pleas'd, and Writers more correct and leſs bold. I have ſeen ſome new Pieces that were written with great Regularity, but which at the ſame Time were very flat and inſipid. One would think that the Engliſh had been hitherto form'd to produce irregular Beauties only. The ſhining Mon-
