OfthisclassinEngland，alargebody，neitherPuritannorBacchanalian，haveasentimentalobjectiontofacethestudyoftheactualworld。Theytakeupdisdainofit，whenitstruthsappearhumiliating:whenthefactsarenotimmediatelyforcedonthem，theytakeuptheprideofincredulity。Theyliveinahazyatmospherethattheysupposeanidealone。Humorouswritingtheywillendure，perhapsapprove，ifitmingleswithpathostoshakeandelevatethefeelings。TheyapproveofSatire，because，likethebeakofthevulture，itsmellsofcarrion，whichtheyarenot。ButofComedytheyhaveashiveringdread，forComedyenfoldsthemwiththewretchedhostoftheworld，huddlesthemwithusallinanignobleassimilation，andcannotbeusedbyanyexaltedvarietyasascourgeandabroom。Nay，tobeanexaltedvarietyistocomeunderthecalmcuriouseyeoftheComicspirit，andbeprobedforwhatyouare。Menareseenamongthem，andverymanycultivatedwomen。Youmaydistinguishthembyafavouritephrase:\'Surelywearenotsobad！\'andtheremark:\'Ifthatishumannature，saveusfromit！\'
asifitcouldbedone:butinthepeculiarParadiseofthewilfulpeoplewhowillnotsee，theexclamationassumesthesavinggrace。
Yetshouldyouaskthemwhethertheydislikesoundsense，theyvowtheydonot。Andquestioncultivatedwomenwhetheritpleasesthemtobeshownmovingonanintellectuallevelwithmen，theywillanswerthatitdoes;numbersofthemclaimthesituation。Now，Comedyisthefountainofsoundsense;notthelessperfectlysoundonaccountofthesparkle:andComedyliftswomentoastationofferingthemfreeplayfortheirwit，astheyusuallyshowit，whentheyhaveit，onthesideofsoundsense。ThehighertheComedy，themoreprominenttheparttheyenjoyinit。DorineintheTartuffeiscommon—senseincarnate，thoughpalpablyawaiting—maid。
CelimeneisundisputedmistressofthesameattributeintheMisanthrope;wiserasawomanthanAlcesteasman。InCongreve\'sWayoftheWorld，MillamantovershadowsMirabel，thesprightliestmalefigureofEnglishcomedy。
Butthosetworavishingwomen，socopiousandsochoiceofspeech，whofencewithmenandpasstheirguard，areheartless！Isitnotpreferabletobetheprettyidiot，thepassivebeauty，theadorablebundleofcaprices，veryfeminine，verysympathetic，ofromanticandsentimentalfiction？Ourwomenaretaughttothinkso。TheAgnesoftheEcoledesFemmesshouldbealessonformen。TheheroinesofComedyarelikewomenoftheworld，notnecessarilyheartlessfrombeingclear—sighted:theyseemsotothesentimentally—rearedonlyforthereasonthattheyusetheirwits，andarenotwanderingvesselscryingforacaptainorapilot。Comedyisanexhibitionoftheirbattlewithmen，andthatofmenwiththem:andasthetwo，howeverdivergent，bothlookononeobject，namely，Life，thegradualsimilarityoftheirimpressionsmustbringthemtosomeresemblance。TheComicpoetdarestoshowusmenandwomencomingtothismutuallikeness;heisforsayingthatwhentheydrawtogetherinsociallifetheirmindsgrowliker;justasthephilosopherdiscernsthesimilarityofboyandgirl，untilthegirlismarchedawaytothenursery。PhilosopherandComicpoetareofacousinshipintheeyetheycastonlife:andtheyareequallyunpopularwithourwilfulEnglishofthehazyregionandtheidealthatisnottobedisturbed。