this Opera in a Fortnight. Such are the Wits,
to whose Tastes we so ambitiously conform our selves.
The Truth of it is, the finest Writers among the Modern
Italians express themselves in such a florid
form of Words, and such tedious Circumlocutions, as
are used by none but Pedants in our own Country; and
at the same time, fill their Writings with such poor
Imaginations and Conceits, as our Youths are ashamed
of, before they have been Two Years at the University.
Some may be apt to think that it is the difference
of Genius which produces this difference in the Works
of the two Nations; but to show there is nothing in
this, if we look into the Writings of the old Italians,
such as Cicero and Virgil, we shall
find that the English Writers, in their way
of thinking and expressing themselves, resemble those
Authors much more than the modern Italians
pretend to do. And as for the Poet himself from
whom the Dreams of this Opera are taken, I must entirely
agree with Monsieur Boileau, that one Verse
in Virgil is worth all the Clincant
or Tinsel of Tasso.
But to return to the Sparrows; there have been so
many Flights of them let loose in this Opera, that
it is feared the House will never get rid of them;
and that in other Plays, they may make their Entrance
in very wrong and improper Scenes, so as to be seen
flying in a Lady’s Bed-Chamber, or perching
upon a King’s Throne; besides the Inconveniences
which the Heads of the Audience may sometimes suffer
from them. I am credibly informed, that there
was once a Design of casting into an Opera the Story
of Whittington and his Cat, and that in order
to it, there had been got together a great Quantity
of Mice; but Mr.
Rich, the Proprietor of the
Play-House, very prudently considered that it would
be impossible for the Cat to kill them all, and that
consequently the Princes of his Stage might be as much
infested with Mice, as the Prince of the Island was
before the Cat’s arrival upon it; for which
Reason he would not permit it to be Acted in his House.
And indeed I cannot blame him; for, as he said very
well upon that Occasion, I do not hear that any of
the Performers in our Opera, pretend to equal the
famous Pied Piper, who made all the Mice of a great
Town in Germany [4] follow his Musick, and
by that means cleared the Place of those little Noxious
Animals.
Before I dismiss this Paper, I must inform my Reader,
that I hear there is a Treaty on Foot with London
and Wise [5] (who will be appointed Gardeners
of the Play-House,) to furnish the Opera of Rinaldo
and Armida with an Orange-Grove; and that the
next time it is Acted, the Singing Birds will be Personated
by Tom-Tits: The undertakers being resolved to
spare neither Pains nor Mony, for the Gratification
of the Audience.
