I read Melopoyn's Tragedy, and conceive a vast Opinion of his Genius--he recounts his Adventures While we ate our breakfast together, I made him acquainted with the character and condition of the poet, who came in with his play at that instant, and, imagining we were engaged about business, could not be prevailed upon to sit; but, leaving his performance, went away.

My friend's tender heart was melted at the sight of a gentleman and Christian (for he had a great veneration for both these epithets) in such misery; and assented with great cheerfulness to a proposal I made of clothing him with the our superfluities; a task with which he charged himself, and departed immediately to perform it.
He was to sooner gone than I locked my door, and sat down to the tragedy; which I read to the end with vast pleasure, not a little amazed at conduct of the managers who had rejected it.

The fable, in my opinion, was well chosen and naturally conducted, the incidents interesting, the characters beautifully contrasted, strongly marked, and well supported; the diction poetical, spirited and correct; the unities of the drama maintained with the most scrupulous exactness; the opening gradual and engaging, the peripeteia surprising, and the catastrophe affecting.

In short, I judged it by the laws of Aristotle and Horace, and could find nothing in it exceptionable but a little too much embellishment in some few places, which objection he removed to my satisfaction, by a quotation of Aristotle's poetics, importing, that the least interesting parts of a poem ought to be raised and dignified by the charms and energy of diction.
I revered his genius, and was seized with an eager curiosity to know the particular events of a fortune so unworthy of his merit.

At that instant Strap returned with a bundle of clothes, which I sent with my compliments to Mr.Melopoyn, as s small token of my regard, and desired the favour of his company to dinner.