THE Bard perceiving his piece cavill'd at
By partial criticks, and his adversaries
Misrepresenting what we're now to play,

Pleads his own cause; and you shall be the judges,
Whether he merits praise or condemnation.

The Synapothnescontes is a piece

By Diphilus, a comedy which Plautus, Having translated, called COMMORIENTES. In the beginning of the Græcian play There isa youth, who rends a girl perforce From a procurer: and this incident, Untouch'd by Plautus, render'd word for word, Has our Bard interwoven with his Brothers; The new piece which we represent to-day. Say then if this be theft, or honest use Of what remain'd unoccupied.-For that Which malice tells, that certain noble persons* Assist the bard, and write in concert with him; That which they deem a heavy slander, he Esteems his greatest praise: that he can please Those, who please you, who all the people please ; Those, who in war, in peace, in counsel, ever Have render'd you the dearest services,

And ever borne their faculties so meekly.

Expect not now the story of the play:
Part the old men, who first appear, will open;
Part will in act be shewn.-Be favourable;
And let your candour to the poet now
Increase his future earnestness to write!

PERSON S.

PROLOGUE.

DEMEA, Father of Æschinus and Ctesipho.

MICIO, Brother to Demea.

ESCHINUS, A Young Man.

CTESIPHO, A Young Man.

HEGIO, An Old Man.

SANNIO, A Pimp.

SYRUS, A Servant.

GETA, A Servant.

DROMO, A Servant.

PARMENO; other Servants, &c.

SOSTRATA, A Matron.

CANTHARA, A Nurse.

MUSICK-GIRL; and other Mutes.

SCENE-Athens.

THE

BROTHERS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

MICIO.

HO, Storax! -No reply ?-Then Eschinus
Never return'd, it seems, last night from supper; ond 17
Nor any of the slaves who went to meet him.

-'Tis commonly (and oh, how truly!) said,
If you are absent, or delay, 'twere best

That should befall you, which your wife declares,
Or which in anger she supposes of you,
Than that which kindest parents fear.---Your wife,
If you delay, suspects that you're engag'd
In some intrigue, debauch, or entertainment;
Consulting your own happiness abroad,

While she, poor soul! is left to pine at home.3 (0
---But what a world of fears possess me now! og bat.
How many ills I figure to myself,,anoiton soon) ob 10/
As causes that my son is not return'd !aqu enmo a n
Lest he have taken cold, or had a fall, soy oyd We

Or broke a limb!---Good heavens! that a man
Should doat so much, or suffer any one mid wolfA
To wind himself so close about his heart,nirao C→
As to grow dearer to him than himself! ni Lind

of my son, but my bro

And yet he is not my son, but my brother's, 1 ful

Whose

1

220

Whose bent of mind is wholly different.

I, from youth upward even to this day,
Have led a quiet, and serene, town-life;
And, as some reckon fortunate, ne'er married.
He, in all points the opposite of this,

Has past his days entirely in the country

With thrift, and labour; married; had two sons.
The elder boy is by adoption mine;

I've brought him up; kept; lov'd him as my own;
Made him my joy, and all my soul holds dear,
Striving to make myself as dear to him.

I give, o'erlook, nor think it requisite
That all his deeds should be controll❜d by me,
Giving him scope to act as of himself;

So that the pranks of youth, which other children
Hide from their fathers, I have us'd my son
For whosoe'er
Not to conceal from me.

Hath won upon, himself to play the false one,

And practise impositions on a father,
Will do the same with less remorse to others;
And 'tis, in my opinion, better far 12
To bind your children to you by the ties
Of gentleness and modesty, than fear.

And yet my brother don't accord in this,

Nor do these notions, nor this conduct please him.

Oft he comes open-mouth'd---" Why how now, Micio?

"Why do you ruin this young lad of ours?

"Why does he wench? why drink? and why do you "Allow him money to afford all this?

"You let him dress too fine. "Tis idle in

you."

---'Tis hard in him, unjust, and out of reason.

And he, I think, deceives himself indeed,

Who

Who fancies that authority more firm

Founded on force, than what is built on friendship;
For thus I reason, thus persuade myself:
He who performs his duty, driven to't
By fear of punishment, while he believes
His actions are observ'd, so long he's wary;
But if he hopes for secrecy, returns

T his own ways again: But he whom kindness,
Him also inclination makes your own:

He burns to make a due return, and acts,
Present or absent, evermore the same.
'Tis this then is the duty of a father,
To make a son embrace a life of virtue,
Rather from choice, than terror or constraint.
Here lies the mighty difference between
A father and a master. He who knows not
How to do this, let him confess he knows not
How to rule children.---But is this the man,
Whom I was speaking of? Yes, yes, 'tis he.
He seems uneasy too, I know not why,
And I suppose, as usual, comes to wrangle ".

SCENE II.

Enter DEMEA.

Micio. Demea, I'm glad to see you well.

Demea. Oho!

Well met 4: the very man I came to seek.

Micio. But you appear uneasy: what's the matter? Demea. Uneasy? Well I may.---The matter, say you? What can the matter be but Æschinus ?

Micio. I said it would be so.--- What has he do ne?

Demea.