It may be proper to observe in this Place, that the Business of COMEDY is to exhibit the whimsical unmischievous Oddities, Frolics, and Foibles of Persons in real Life; And also to expose and ridicule their real Follies, Meanness, and Vices.  The former, it appears, is more pleasurable to the Audience, but the latter has the Merit of being more instructive.

The Business of TRAGEDY is to exhibit the Instability of human Grandeur, and the unexpected Misfortunes and Distresses incident to the Innocent and Worthy in all Stations.—­And also to shew the terrible Sallies and the miserable Issue and Punishment of ungovern’d Passions and Wickedness.—­The former softens the Heart and fills it with Compassion, Humility and Benevolence.—­Compositions of this Sort are the highest, most admirable, and useful in all Nature, when they are finish’d with Propriety and Delicacy, and justly wrought up with the Sublime and Simplicity.—­The latter Species of Tragedy terrifies and shocks us, in exhibiting both the Crimes and the Punishments.  It threatens us into Moderation and Justice, by shewing the terrible Issue of their Contraries.  Pieces of this Sort, conducted with Propriety, and carrying Application to ourselves, can scarcely be desireable; But as they are generally conducted, they amount only to giving us an absurd Representation of a Murther committed by some furious foaming Basha, or Sultan.

To return.—­Johnson in his COMIC Scenes has expos’d and ridicul’d Folly and Vice; Shakespear has usher’d in Joy, Frolic and Happiness.—­The Alchymist, Volpone and Silent Woman of Johnson, are most exquisite Satires.  The comic Entertainments of Shakespear are the highest Compositions of Raillery, Wit and Humour. Johnson conveys some Lesson in every Character. Shakespear some new Species of Foible and Oddity.  The one pointed his Satire with masterly Skill; the other was inimitable in touching the Strings of Delight.  With Johnson you are confin’d and instructed, with Shakespear unbent and dissolv’d in Joy. Johnson excellently concerts his Plots, and all his Characters unite in the one Design. Shakespear is superior to such Aid or Restraint; His Characters continually sallying from one independent Scene to another, and charming you in each with fresh Wit and Humour.