William Congreve Author:William Congreve, William Archer Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE WAY OF THE WORLD Audire est operae pretium, procedere recte Qui mcechos non vultis, [ut omni parte laborent]." — Horat. Lib. i. Sat. 2. [37-38]. ... more »[Haec] metuat, doti deprensa." — Ibid., Lib. i. Sat. 2. [131].THE WAY OF THE WORLD The Way of the World was first acted in 1700 at the Theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and was not a success despite the brilliancy of the dialogue and the admirable quality of its representation of the foppish manners of the time. Congreve vowed in consequence never to write for the stage again ; and he kept his word. The comedy was printed in the same year and has since been regarded as the author's masterpiece in comedy. COMMENDATORY VERSES To Mr. Congreve, occasioned by his Comedy called "The Way of the World" When pleasure's falling to the low delight, In the vain joys of the uncertain sight;" No sense of wit when rude spectators know, But in distorted gesture, farce and show; How could, great author, your aspiring mind Dare to write only to the few refined? Yet though that nice ambition you pursue, 'Tis not in Congreve's power to please but few. Implicitly devoted to his fame, Well-dressed barbarians know his awful name; 10 Though senseless they're of mirth, but when they laugh, As they feel wine, but when, till drunk, they quaff." On you from fate a lavish portion fell In every way of writing to excel. Your muse applause to Arabella n brings, In notes as sweet as Arabella sings. Whene'er you draw an undissembled woe, With sweet distress your rural numbers flow: Pastora's the complaint of every swain, Pastora still the echo of the plain! 20 Or if your muse describe, with warming force, The wounded Frenchman falling from his horse; And her own William glorious in the strife," Bestowing on the prostrate foe his life...« less