.« »Just now,« said he, »you chid me for thinking on her, and
would ha' her left to you.« »And if you will promise to interpose no more,«
answered she, »I will, out of my Regard to my Niece, undertake the Charge.«
»Well, do then,« said the Squire, »for you know I always agreed, that Women are
the properest to manage Women.«
    Mrs. Western then departed, muttering something with an Air of Disdain,
concerning Women and the Management of the Nation. She immediately repaired to
Sophia's Apartment, who was now, after a Day's Confinement released again from
her Captivity.
 

                                    Book VII

                             Containing three Days.
 

                                   Chapter I

                 A Comparison between the World and the Stage.
 
The World hath been often compared to the Theatre; and many grave Writers, as
well as the Poets, have considered human Life as a great Drama, resembling, in
almost every Particular, those scenical Representations, which Thespis is first
reported to have invented, and which have been since received with so much
Approbation and Delight in all polite Countries.
    This Thought hath been carried so far, and is become so general, that some
Words proper to the Theatre, and which were, at first, metaphorically applied to
the World, are now indiscriminately and literally spoken of both: Thus Stage and
Scene are by common Use grown as familiar to us, when we speak of Life in
general, as when we confine ourselves to dramatic Performances; and when
Transactions behind the Curtain are mentioned, St. James's is more likely to
occur to our Thoughts than Drury-Lane.
    It may seem easy enough to account for all this, by reflecting that the
theatrical Stage is nothing more than a Representation, or, as Aristotle calls
it, an Imitation of what really exists; and hence, perhaps, we might fairly pay
a very high Compliment to those, who by their Writings or Actions have been so
capable of imitating Life, as to have their Pictures, in a Manner confounded
with, or mistaken for the Originals.
    But, in Reality, we are not so fond of paying Compliments to these People,
whom we use as Children frequently do the Instruments of their Amusement; and
have much more Pleasure in hissing and buffeting them, than in admiring their
Excellence. There are many other Reasons which have induced us to see this
Analogy between the World and the Stage.
    Some have considered the larger Part of Mankind in the Light of Actors, as
personating Characters no more their own, and
