But Moliere painted with a bolder Hand,
And mark'd his Oafs with the Fool's-Cap and Band:
To ev'ry Vice he tagged the just Reproach,
Shew'd Worth on Foot, and Rascals in a Coach."


[Footnote: The plot of _The Man of Taste_, as we have said before, was
partly borrowed from Moliere's _School for Husbands_, partly from the
_Pretentious Young Ladies_, and other of his plays. The first-mentioned
French comedy owes part of its plot to Terence's _Adelphi_, hence the
allusion to "his immortal Pen." in the above poem.]

Mrs. Aphra Behn, a voluminous writer of plays, novels, poems, and
letters, all of a lively and amorous turn, was the widow of a Dutch
merchant, and partly occupied the time not engaged in literary pursuits
in political or gallant intrigues. Her comedies are her best works, and
although some of her scenes are often indecent, and not a few of her
expressions indelicate, yet her plots are always lively and well
sustained and her dialogues very witty. The date of her birth is
unknown, but she died on the 16th of April, 1689, and was buried in the
cloisters of Westminster Abbey.

In 1682, was performed, at the Theatre, Dorset Garden, her play. _The
False Count, or a New Way to Play an Old Game_. The prologue attacks the
Whigs most furiously, and the epilogue, spoken by Mrs. Barry, is very
indecent. The plot of this play, or rather farce, is very improbable,
and the language is more than free. Julia, in love with Don Carlos,
afterwards Governor of Cadiz, was forced by her father to marry
Francisco, a rich old man, formerly a leather-seller; the latter going
with his family to sea on a party of pleasure, are taken prisoners by