Your Actors must by Reason be control'd;
Let young men speak like young, old men like old:
Observe the Town, and study well the Court;
For thither Characters resort:
Thus 'twas great Iohnson purchas'd his renown,
And in his Art had born away the Crown;
If less desirous of the Peoples praise,
He had not with low Farce debas'd his Playes;
Mixing dull Buffoonry with Wit refin'd,
And Harlequin with noble Terence joyn'd.
Let young men speak like young, old men like old:
Observe the Town, and study well the Court;
For thither Characters resort:
Thus 'twas great Iohnson purchas'd his renown,
And in his Art had born away the Crown;
If less desirous of the Peoples praise,
He had not with low Farce debas'd his Playes;
Mixing dull Buffoonry with Wit refin'd,
And Harlequin with noble Terence joyn'd.
Boileau - Art of Poetry
