Titus and Berenice, a tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre : with a farce called The cheats of Scapin / by Tho. Otway.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE▪ IOHN EARL of ROCHESTER. One of the Gentlemen of his Majesties Bed-Chamber, &c.

My Lord,

DEdications are grown things of so nice a Nature, That it is almost impossi∣ble for me to pay your Lordship those Acknowledgments I owe you, And not (from those who cannot Iudge of the Sentiments I have of your Lordships Favours) incurre the Censure either of a fawner or a flatterer. Both which ought to be as hateful to an Ingenuous Spi∣rit as Ingratitude. None of these would I be guilty of, and yet in letting the World know how Good and how Generous a Patron I have, (in spight of Malice) I am sure I am honest.

My Lord,

Never was Poetry under so great an oppression as now, as full of Phanaticism's as Religion, where every one pretends to the Spirit of Wit, sets up a Doctrine of his own, and hates a Poet worse then a Quaker does a Priest.

To examine how much goes to the making up one of those dreadful things that resolve our disso∣lution. It is for the most part, a very little French breeding much assurance, with a great deal of talk and no sence.

Thus he comes to a New Play, Enquires the Author of it, and (if he can find any) m••kes ••••s personal misfortunes the subject of his ••alice ••o some of his Companions, who have as ••••ttle ••••it and as much ill Nature as himself; and so to ••e sure (as far as he can) the Play is damn'd.

At night he never fails to Appear in the With-drawing room, where he picks out some that have as little to do there as himself, who mustring up all their puny Forces damn as possitively, as if like Muggleton it were their gift, when indeed they have as little right to Wit, as a Iourney man Taylor can have to Prophecy.

Wit, which was the mistress of former Ages, is become the Scandal of ours; Either the Old Satyr to let us understand what he has known Damns and decryes all Poetry, but the old; or else the young affected Fool that is impudent beyond Cor∣rection, and ignorant above instruction, will be Censuring the present; tho he misplace his wit as he generally does his Courage, and ever makes use of it on the wrong occasion.

How great a Hazzard then does your Lord∣ship run in so stedfastly protecting a poor Exil'd thing that has so many Enemies! B••t that your Wit is more Eminent than all their Folly or Ig∣norance, and your Goodness greater than any Ma∣lice or Ill Nature can be. I am sure (and I must own it with gratitude) I have tasted of it much above my Merit, or what even Vanity might prompt me to expect; Though in doing this, I shall at best but appear an humble debtor, who acknow∣ledges honestly what he owes, though to keep up his Credit he must be forc'd to borrow more; For my Genius alwayes led me to seek an interest in your Lordship; and I never see you, but I am fir'd with an Ambition of being in your Favour:

for all I have receiv'd, the highest return I am able to make, is my acknowledgment, in which I can hardly distinguish whether my Thankful∣ness or my Pride by the greater, when I subscribe my self

Your Lordships Most Obliged and most Devoted Servant, THO. OTWAY.