which we can find a greater Variety of original _Humour_, than amongst
the _English_. Sir _William Temple_, speaking of the Dramatic
Performances of the Stage, expresses himself after the following
Manner.--[Z]

[Z: Essay on Poetry, p. 355, _&c_.]

In this the _Italian_, the _Spanish_, and the _French_, have all had
their different Merit, and receiv’d their just Applauses. Yet I am
deceiv’d, if our _English_ has not in some Kind excell’d both the
Modern and the Antient; which has been by Force of a Vein, natural
perhaps to our Country, and which with us is call’d _Humour_, a Word
peculiar to our Language too, and hard to be express’d in any other;
nor is it (that I know of) found in any Foreign Writers, unless it be
_Moliere_, and yet his it self has too much of the Farce, to pass for
the same with ours. _Shakespear_ was the first that opened this Vein
upon our Stage, which has run so freely and so pleasantly ever since,
that I have often wonder’d to find it appear so little upon any
others; being a Subject so proper for them, since _Humour_ is but
a Picture of particular Life, as Comedy is of general; and tho’ it
represents Dispositions and Customs less common, yet they are not
less natural than those that are more frequent among Men.

_Humour_ is the only genuine Source of all that agreeable Variety of
original Characters, which is so entertaining to a Spectator and
Reader: And Sir _William Temple_ proceeds to observe, that in this
Point the Moderns in general, and the _English_ in particular, have
far excell’d the Antients. This Observation is very just, however
partial it may seem to a Foreigner, and the Reason of it is very
obvious. I shall represent ’em both in Sir _William_’s own Words. The