THE Pretty Gentleman; OR, SOFTNESS of MANNERS VINDICATED From the falfe RIDICULE exhibited under the Character of WILLIAM FRIBBLE, Esq. First Printed in the Year 1747. ΤΟ Mr. GARRICK. SIR, S in the Wantonnefs of your petulant A Fancy, you have fallen upon a Sett of Gentlemen, who cannot poffibly have given you any perfonal Provocation; I have thought proper to prefix your Name to this their Defence, and call upon you thus publickly to justify your Behaviour, if it be poffible. But furely, Sir, it must have been a fecret Admiration of their Elegant and Refined Manners, that called forth your Spleen, to turn into Ridicule thofe foft Accomplishments you defpaired to equal; and, as a Comic Writer did by the Divine Socrates, mimic and burlesque upon the Stage what you had not the Face to imitate in real Life. But your Wit was as impotent as your Malice was ftrong. Your Farce was no fooner feen, than it was laughed at; you know, Sir, it was laughed at; most prodigiously laughed at: A plain Proof, that it was judged to be very ridiculous. Believe me, Sir, you have fallen most miferably fhort in your Attempt. And how fhould it be otherwife? You pretend to exhibit a Representation of The Pretty Gentleman, who are by no means an Adept in the Character! You! that are an entire Stranger to those fine Sensations, which are requifite to give a thorough Notion, and true Relish of the Enjoyments it affords! How fhould you paint what Nature has not given you Faculties to feel? As far as She leads you by the Hand, you may, perhaps, fucceed: But to leave her behind, and tread those secret Paths to which her Guidance never points; This, Mr. Garrick, This is far beyond the Power of your limited Genius. So wishing you more fortunate in your next Effay, and wife enough never to expose yourfelf again to Derifion, by endeavouring to laugh out of Countenance a Character, which all fenfible Men look upon with Admiration and Aftonishment, I take leave to fubfcribe myself, as much as I ought to be, SIR, Your Humble Servant, PHILAUT U S. |