text:  In his "Defence of the Essay on Dramatic Poesy" he replies thus:--"A play will still be supposed to be a composition of several persons speaking extempore " quoth Sir Robert; "I must move leave to dissent from his opinion " requoth John; "for if I am not deceived a play is supposed to be the work of the poet imitating or representing the conversation of several persons; and this I think to be as clear as he thinks the contrary