资源描述：
《The Way of the World(如此世道) 》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、TheWayoftheWorldTheWayoftheWorldWilliamCongreve1TheWayoftheWorldTOTHERIGHTHONOURABLERALPH,EARLOFMOUNTAGUE,ETC.MyLord,--Whethertheworldwillarraignmeofvanityornot,thatIhavepresumedtodedicatethiscomedytoyourlordship,Iamyetindoubt;though,itmaybe,itissomedegreeofvanit
2、yeventodoubtofit.Onewhohasatanytimehadthehonourofyourlordship'sconversation,cannotbesupposedtothinkverymeanlyofthatwhichhewouldprefertoyourperusal.Yetitweretoincurtheimputationoftoomuchsufficiencytopretendtosuchameritasmightabidethetestofyourlordship'scensure.Wha
3、tevervaluemaybewantingtothisplaywhileyetitismine,willbesufficientlymadeuptoitwhenitisoncebecomeyourlordship's;anditismysecurity,thatIcannothaveoverrateditmorebymydedicationthanyourlordshipwilldignifyitbyyourpatronage.Thatitsucceededonthestagewasalmostbeyondmyexpe
4、ctation;forbutlittleofitwaspreparedforthatgeneraltastewhichseemsnowtobepredominantinthepalatesofouraudience.Thosecharacterswhicharemeanttoberidiculedinmostofourcomediesareoffoolssogross,thatinmyhumbleopiniontheyshouldratherdisturbthandivertthewell-naturedandrefle
5、ctingpartofanaudience;theyareratherobjectsofcharitythancontempt,andinsteadofmovingourmirth,theyoughtveryoftentoexciteourcompassion.Thisreflectionmovedmetodesignsomecharacterswhichshouldappearridiculousnotsomuchthroughanaturalfolly(whichisincorrigible,andtherefore
6、notproperforthestage)asthroughanaffectedwit:awitwhich,atthesametimethatitisaffected,isalsofalse.Asthereissomedifficultyintheformationofacharacterofthisnature,sothereissomehazardwhichattendstheprogressofitssuccessuponthestage:formanycometoaplaysooverchargedwithcri
7、ticism,thattheyveryoftenletflytheircensure,whenthroughtheirrashnesstheyhavemistakentheiraim.ThisIhadoccasionlatelytoobserve:forthisplayhadbeenactedtwoorthreedaysbeforesomeofthesehastyjudgescouldfindtheleisuretodistinguishbetwixtthecharacterofaWitwoudandaTruewit.I
8、mustbegyourlordship'spardonforthisdigressionfromthetrue2TheWayoftheWorldcourseofthisepistle;butthatitmaynotseemaltogetherimpertinent,IbegthatImaypleadtheoccasi
