THE MISER, A COMEDY; By Henry Fielding. WITH PREFATORY REMARKS. THE ONLY EDITION EXISTING WHICH IS FAITHFULLY PUBLISHED BY WELLS AND LILLY-COURT-STREET Remarks. THE MISER. THIS piece is a plagiarism from Moliere, but it might well pass for a tree of English growth, for the characters are copies from nature, and nature is every where the same. The incidents are more humorous than the dialogue, which is, indeed, rather arch and lively than humourous or witty. Moliere, however, is under some obligations to Plautus, and has, on this occasion, not much greater claims to originality than Fielding, at least, as far as character is concerned. Neither seem to have been. aware that a more judicious reaper had been before them on the same ground. Lovegold is infinitely inferior to the Jaques de Prie of Ben Jonson in "THE CASE IS ALTERED," and in the subordinate characters the advantage is still more in favour of our old bard, who moreover, has incident enough in his piece to furnish out a dozen Misers, By uniting the "Aulularia” with the "Captive" of Plautus he has produced a comedy which, though for awhile neglected, must be considered as one of the staple ornaments of the English Drama. For our own parts we do not see that comic authors should play the divines, or that a comedy should be a lesson of morality; if, however the law is a good one-and |