the double-dealer-第1章

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The　Double…Dealer



by　William　Congreve








Interdum　tamen　et　vocem　Comoedia　tollit。HOR。　Ar。　Po。

Huic　equidem　consilio　palmam　do：　　hic　me　magnifice

effero；　qui　vim　tantam　in　me　et　potestatem　habeam

tantae　astutiae；　vera　dicendo　ut　eos　ambos　fallam。



SYR。　in　TERENT。　Heaut。







TO　THE　RIGHT　HONOURABLE　CHARLES　MONTAGUE；

ONE　OF　THE　LORDS　OF　THE　TREASURY。







Sir；I　heartily　wish　this　play　were　as　perfect　as　I　intended　it；

that　it　might　be　more　worthy　your　acceptance；　and　that　my　dedication

of　it　to　you　might　be　more　becoming　that　honour　and　esteem　which　I；

with　everybody　who　is　so　fortunate　as　to　know　you；　have　for　you。　　It

had　your　countenance　when　yet　unknown；　and　now　it　is　made　public；　it

wants　your　protection。



I　would　not　have　anybody　imagine　that　I　think　this　play　without　its

faults；　for　I　am　conscious　of　several。　　I　confess　I　designed

（whatever　vanity　or　ambition　occasioned　that　design）　to　have　written

a　true　and　regular　comedy；　but　I　found　it　an　undertaking　which　put

me　in　mind　of　SUDET　MULTUM；　FRUSTRAQUE　LABORET　AUSUS　IDEM。　　And　now；

to　make　amends　for　the　vanity　of　such　a　design；　I　do　confess　both

the　attempt　and　the　imperfect　performance。　　Yet　I　must　take　the

boldness　to　say　I　have　not　miscarried　in　the　whole；　for　the

mechanical　part　of　it　is　regular。　　That　I　may　say　with　as　little

vanity　as　a　builder　may　say　he　has　built　a　house　according　to　the

model　laid　down　before　him；　or　a　gardener　that　he　has　set　his

flowers　in　a　knot　of　such　or　such　a　figure。　　I　designed　the　moral

first；　and　to　that　moral　I　invented　the　fable；　and　do　not　know　that

I　have　borrowed　one　hint　of　it　anywhere。　　I　made　the　plot　as　strong

as　I　could　because　it　was　single；　and　I　made　it　single　because　I

would　avoid　confusion；　and　was　resolved　to　preserve　the　three

unities　of　the　drama。　　Sir；　this　discourse　is　very　impertinent　to

you；　whose　judgment　much　better　can　discern　the　faults　than　I　can

excuse　them；　and　whose　good　nature；　like　that　of　a　lover；　will　find

out　those　hidden　beauties　（if　there　are　any　such）　which　it　would　be

great　immodesty　for　me　to　discover。　　I　think　I　don't　speak

improperly　when　I　call　you　a　LOVER　of　poetry；　for　it　is　very　well

known　she　has　been　a　very　kind　mistress　to　you：　　she　has　not　denied

you　the　last　favour；　and　she　has　been　fruitful　to　you　in　a　most

beautiful　issue。　　If　I　break　off　abruptly　here；　I　hope　everybody

will　understand　that　it　is　to　avoid　a　commendation　which；　as　it　is

your　due；　would　be　most　easy　for　me　to　pay；　and　too　troublesome　for

you　to　receive。



I　have　since　the　acting　of　this　play　harkened　after　the　objections

which　have　been　made　to　it；　for　I　was　conscious　where　a　true　critic

might　have　put　me　upon　my　defence。　　I　was　prepared　for　the　attack；

and　am　pretty　confident　I　could　have　vindicated　some　parts　and

excused　others；　and　where　there　were　any　plain　miscarriages；　I　would

most　ingenuously　have　confessed　'em。　　But　I　have　not　heard　anything

said　sufficient　to　provoke　an　answer。　　That　which　looks　most　like　an

objection　does　not　relate　in　particular　to　this　play；　but　to　all　or

most　that　ever　have　been　written；　and　that　is　soliloquy。　　Therefore

I　will　answer　it；　not　only　for　my　own　sake；　but　to　save　others　the

trouble；　to　whom　it　may　hereafter　be　objected。



I　grant　that　for　a　man　to　talk　to　himself　appears　absurd　and

unnatural；　and　indeed　it　is　so　in　most　cases；　but　the　circumstances

which　may　attend　the　occasion　make　great　alteration。　　It　oftentimes

happens　to　a　man　to　have　designs　which　require　him　to　himself；　and

in　their　nature　cannot　admit　of　a　confidant。　　Such　for　certain　is

all　villainy；　and　other　less　mischievous　intentions　may　be　very

improper　to　be　communicated　to　a　second　person。　　In　such　a　case；

therefore；　the　audience　must　observe　whether　the　person　upon　the

stage　takes　any　notice　of　them　at　all　or　no。　　For　if　he　supposes　any

one　to　be　by　when　he　talks　to　himself；　it　is　monstrous　and

ridiculous　to　the　last　degree。　　Nay；　not　only　in　this　case；　but　in

any　part　of　a　play；　if　there　is　expressed　any　knowledge　of　an

audience；　it　is　insufferable。　　But　otherwise；　when　a　man　in

soliloquy　reasons　with　himself；　and　PRO'S　and　CON'S；　and　weighs　all

his　designs；　we　ought　not　to　imagine　that　this　man　either　talks　to

us　or　to　himself；　he　is　only　thinking；　and　thinking　such　matter　as

were　inexcusable　folly　in　him　to　speak。　　But　because　we　are

concealed　spectators　of　the　plot　in　agitation；　and　the　poet　finds　it

necessary　to　let　us　know　the　whole　mystery　of　his　contrivance；　he　is

willing　to　inform　us　of　this　person's　thoughts；　and　to　that　end　is

forced　to　make　use　of　the　expedient　of　speech；　no　other　better　way

being　yet　invented　for　the　communication　of　thought。



Another　very　wrong　objection　has　been　made　by　some　who　have　not

taken　leisure　to　distinguish　the　characters。　　The　hero　of　the　play；

as　they　are　pleased　to　call　him　（meaning　Mellefont）；　is　a　gull；　and

made　a　fool；　and　cheated。　　Is　every　man　a　gull　and　a　fool　that　is

deceived？　　At　that　rate　I'm　afraid　the　two　classes　of　men　will　be

reduced　to　one；　and　the　knaves　themselves　be　at　a　loss　to　justify

their　title。　　But　if　an　open…hearted　honest　man；　who　has　an　entire

confidence　in　one　whom　he　takes　to　be　his　friend；　and　whom　he　has

obliged　to　be　so；　and　who；　to　confirm　him　in　his　opinion；　in　all

appearance　and　upon　several　trials　has　been　so：　　if　this　man　be

deceived　by　the　treachery　of　the　other；　must　he　of　necessity

commence　fool　immediately；　only　because　the　other　has　proved　a

villain？　　Ay；　but　there　was　caution　given　to　Mellefont　in　the　first

act　by　his　friend　Careless。　　Of　what　nature　was　that　caution？　　Only

to　give　the　audience　some　light　into　the　character　of　Maskwell

before　his　appearance；　and　not　to　convince　Mellefont　of　his

treachery；　for　that　was　more　than　Careless　was　then　able　to　do：　　he

never　knew　Maskwell　guilty　of　any　villainy；　he　was　only　a　sort　of

man　which　he　did　not　like。　　As　for　his　suspecting　his　familiarity

with　my　Lady　Touchwood；　let　'em　examine　the　answer　that　Mellefont

makes　him；　and　compare　it　with　the　conduct　of　Maskwell's　character

through　the　play。



I　would　beg　'em　again　to　look　into　the　character　of　Maskwell　before

they　accuse　Mellefont　of　weakness　for　being　deceived　by　him。　　For

upon　summing　up　the　enquiry　into　this　objection；　it　may　be　found

they　have　mistaken　cunning　in　one　character　for　folly　in　another。



But　there　is　one　thing　at　which　I　am　more　concerned　than　all　the

false　criticisms　that　are　made　upon　me；　and　that　is；　some　of　the

ladies　are　offended。　　I　am　heartily　sorry　for　it；　for　I　declare　I

would　rather　disoblige　all　the　critics　in　the　world　than　one　of　the

fair　sex。　　They　are　concerned　that　I　have　represented　some　women

vicious　and　affected。　　How　can　I　help　it？　　It　is　the　business　of　a

comic　poet　to　paint　the　vices　and　follies　of　humankind；　and　there

are　but　two　sexes；　male　and　female；　MEN　and　WOMEN；　which　have　a

title　to　humanity；　and　if　I　leave　one　half　of　them　out；　the　work

will　be　imperfect。　　I　should　be　very　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　make

my　compliment　to　those　ladies　who　are　offended；　but　they　can　no　more

expect　it　in　a　comedy　than　to　be　tickled　by　a　surgeon　when　he's

letting　'em　blood。　　They　who　are　virtuous　or　discreet　should　not　be

offended；　for　such　characters　as　these　distinguish　THEM；　and　make

their　beauties　more　shining　and　observed；　and　they　who　are　of　the

other　kind　may　nevertheless　pass　for　such；　by　seeming　not　to　be

displeased　or　touched　with　the　satire　of　this　COMEDY。　　Thus　have

they　also　wrongfully　accused　me　of　doing　them　a　prejudice；　when　I

have　in　reality　done　them　a　service。



You　will　pardon　me；　sir；　for　the　freedom　I　take　of　making　answers　to

other　people　in　an　epistle　which　ought　wholly　to　be　sacred　to　you；

but　since　I　intend　the　play　to　be　so　too；　I　hope　I　may　take　the　more

liberty　of　justifying　it　where　it　is　in　the　right。



I　must　now；　sir；　declare　to　the　world　how　kind　you　hav