We indeed esteem Johnson, as a good Writer, and Mr St. Evremont is of our Opinion. No Man hath searched further into humane Nature, or hath better finished the Characters he hath introduced upon the Stage. I own, he knew nothing of Gallantry; but that, as well as all other Faults he is reproached with, must be attributed to the Manners of the Age he lived in. Women began not to appear on the English Stage, till after the Restoration of King Charles II.

(16-17)

Comedy has had its highest Period in England, as well as in France: Ben. Johnson, that lived in the Beginning of this Century, is the Poet that carried it farthest. Let it be him that the English would prefer to Moliere, I agree to it, since they must prefer themselves to the rest of the World on every Subject; we are however obliged to them for making choice of so great a Man to carry away the Prize. But if I might be dispensed with from submitting to the Decision of these Gentlemen, and durst give my Opinion in the Controversy, without running too great a Risque, I would say that Ben. Johnson, tho' undoubtedly a great Poet in some Respects, is yet inferior to Moliere in many Things. In my Opinion he had less Wit, and was less natural; he was a Stranger to every Kind of Gallantry, he brought a great Number of Mechanicks on the Stage, and among all his Plays there are but three or four very good: He makes a Man hide himself under a great Tortoise Shell, and to pass for the Creature. Whereas the Sack with which they reproach Moliere is seen only in a Farce, and has nothing in it improbable.

[The translator's note identifies this as a reference to Molière's Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671); in this play, the cunning servant Scapin persuades his enemy Géronte into a sack and beats him, putting on voices to suggest it is Géronte's other enemies who are attacking him. Boileau, for one, disapproved of this scene (L'Art Poétique, 3.399-400 ). On the reception of the play, see John T. Stoker (ed.), Les Fourberies de Scapin (1971), pp. 5-8.]

In a Word, he had not Courage enough to attack the Faults of his Country; and it may be well said of him, that he did much good to Comedy, but none to the English. There's one Thing however to be offer'd in his Favour; that Moliere had more proper Materials for the Stage. The Characters in France are general, and comprehend an entire Order or Rank of People; but in England, where every one lives according to his Fancy, the Poet can hardly find any thing but particular Characters, which are very numerous, and can never produce any great Effect. After all, it must be acknowledged that Ben. Johnson was a very judicious Poet, and that he distinguishes and supports his Characters to Admiration, and that his good Plays are excellent in their Kind. But let us drop their good Poets, 'tis not those they set up against Moliere; I am to defend him only against the Poets of our own Days, that dare pretend to excel him ....

(19-20)