months before _Love in Several Masques_ appeared, for a first play by an
untried youth of twenty, however promising, is not easily brought upon
the boards in any era; and from his own utterances in _Pasquin_, ten
years later, it is clear that it was no easier then than now. The
sentiments of the Fustian of that piece in the following protest
probably give an accurate picture of the average dramatic experiences of
Henry Fielding:--

"These little things, Mr. _Sneerwell_, will sometimes happen. Indeed a
Poet undergoes a great deal before he comes to his Third Night; first
with the Muses, who are humorous Ladies, and must be attended; for if
they take it into their Head at any time to go abroad and leave you, you
will pump your Brain in vain: Then, Sir, with the Master of a
_Playhouse_ to get it acted, _whom you generally follow a quarter of a
Year before you know whether he will receive it or no_; and then perhaps
he tells you it won't do, and returns it you again, reserving the
Subject, and perhaps the Name, which he brings out in his next
_Pantomime_; but if he should receive the Play, then you must attend
again to get it writ out into Parts, and Rehears'd. Well, Sir, at last
the Rehearsals begin; then, Sir, begins another Scene of Trouble with
the Actors, some of whom don't like their Parts, and all are continually
plaguing you with Alterations: At length, after having waded thro' all
these Difficulties, his [the?] Play appears on the Stage, where one Man
Hisses out of Resentment to the Author; a Second out of Dislike to the
House; a Third out of Dislike to the Actor; a Fourth out of Dislike to
the Play; a Fifth for the Joke sake; a Sixth to keep all the rest in
Company. Enemies abuse him, Friends give him up, the Play is damn'd, and
the Author goes to the Devil, so ends the Farce."

To which Sneerwell replies, with much promptitude: