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149
The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World
·
Duchess of Margaret Cavendish Newcastle
144
The
Emperor
asked,
Whether
the
Property
of
Plays
were
not
to
describe
the
several
Humours,
Actions
and
Fortunes
of
Mankind?
'Tis
so,
answered
the
Duchess.
Why
then,
replied
the
Emperor,
the
natural
Humours,
Actions
and
Fortunes
of
Mankind,
are
not
done
by
the
Rules
of
Art:
But,
said
the
Duchess,
it
is
the
Art
and
Method
of
our
Wits
to
despise
all
Descriptions
of
Wit,
Humour,
Actions
and
Fortunes
that
are
without
such
Artificial
Rules.
The
Emperor
asked,
Are
those
good
Plays
that
are
made
so
Methodically
and
Artificially?
The
Duchess
answer'd,
They
were
Good
according
to
the
Judgment
of
the
Age,
or
Mode
of
the
Nation,
but
not
according
to
her
Judgment:
for
truly,
said
she,
in
my
Opinion,
their
Plays
will
prove
a
Nursery
of
whining
Lovers,
and
not
an
Academy
or
School
for
Wise,
Witty,
Noble
and
well-behaved
men.
But
I,
replied
the
Emperor,
desire
such
a
Theatre
as
may
make
wise
Men;
and
will
have
such
Descriptions
as
are
Natural,
not
Artificial.
If
your
Majesty
be
of
that
Opinion,
said
the
Duchess's
Soul,
then
my
Playes
may
be
acted
in
your
Blazing-
World,
when
they
cannot
be
acted
in
the
Blinking-World
of
Wit;
and
the
next
time
I
come
to
visit
your
Majesty,
I
shall
endeavour
to
order
your
Majesty's
Theatre,
to
present
such
Playes
as
my
Wit
is
capable
to
make.
Then
the
Empress
told
the
Duchess,
That
she
loved
a
foolish
Farse
added
to
a
wise
Play.
The
Duchess
answered,
That
no
World
in
Nature
had
fitter
Creatures
for
it
than
the
Blazing-World:
for,
said
she,
the
Lowse-
men,
the
Bird-men,
the
Spider-
and
Fox-men,
the
Ape-men
and
Satyrs
appear
in
a
Farse
extraordinary
pleasant.
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