EPIGRAM TO THE TWO NEW MEMBERS FOR BRAMBER, 1708.
HOUGH in the Commons House you did prevail,
THOUG sir inleve Moore, and gentle Mafter Hale;
Yet on good luck be cautious of relying,
Burgess for Bramber is no place to die in.
Your predeceffors have been oddly fated;
Afgill and Shippen have been both translated.
VERSES MADE TO A SIMILE OF POPE'S.
HILE at our houfe the fervants brawl,
Wand raife an uproar in the hall;
When John the butler, and our Mary,
About the plate and linen vary:
Till the fmart dialogue grows rich,
In fneaking dog! and ugly bitch
Down comes my lady like the devil,
And makes them filent all and civil.
Thus cannon clears the cloudy air,
And scatters tempefts brewing there :
Thus bullies fometimes keep the peace,
And one fcold makes another cease.
ON NICOLINI AND VALENTINI'S FIRST COMING. TO THE HOUSE IN THE HAY-MARKET.
MPHION ftrikes the vocal lyre,
And ready at his call,
Harmonious brick and stone conspire
To raise the Theban wall.
In emulation of his praise
Two Latian Signors come,
A finking theatre to raise
And prop Van's tottering dome.
But how this last should come to pafs
Muft ftill remain unknown,
Since these poor gentlemen, alas!
Bring neither brick nor stone.
EPILOGUE TO THE INCONSTANTA
A COMEDY. BY MR. FARQUHAR.
AS IT WAS ACTED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL IN DRURY-LANE, 1703.
ROM Fletcher's great Original *, to-day
We took the hint of this our Modern Play:
Our author, from his lines, has ftrove to paint
A witty, wild, inconftant, free gallant :
*See, The Wild-Goose Chace.
With a gay foul, with fenfe, and will to rove,
With language, and with softness fram'd to move,
With little truth, but with a world of love.
Such forms on maids in morning flumbers wait,
When fancy first inftructs their hearts to beat,
When first they wish, and figh for what they know
not yet.
Frown not, ye fair, to think your lovers may
Reach your cold hearts by fome unguarded way;
Let Villeroy's misfortune make you wife,
There's danger still in darkness and furprize;
Though from his rampart he defy'd the foe,
Prince Eugene found an aquedu&t below.
With easy freedom, and a gay address,
A preffing lover feldom wants fuccefs:
Whilft the respectful, like the Greek, fits down,
And wastes a ten years fiege before one town.
For her own fake let no forfaken maid,
Our wanderer for want of love, upbraid;
Since 'tis a fecret, none fhould e'er confefs,
That they have loft the happy power to please.
If you fufpect the rogue inclin'd to break,
Break first, and swear you've turn'd him off a week;
As princes when they refty states-men doubt,
Before they can furrender, turn them out.
What-e'er you think, grave uses may be made,
As much, ev'n for Inconftancy be faid.
Let the good man for Marriage Rites defign'd,
With ftudious care, and diligence of mind,
Turn over every Page of Womankind;
Mark every Sense, and how the Readings vary,
And when he knows the worft on't--let him marry.
PROLOGUE TO THE GAMESTER:
A COMEDY. BY MRS. CENTLIVRE.
AS IT WAS ACTED AT THE NEW THEATRE IN LIOCOLN'S-INN FIELDS, 1704.
F humble wives, that drag the marriage-chain
With curfed dogged husbands, may complain;
If turn'd at large to starve, as we by you,
They may, at leaft, for alimony fue.
Know, we refolve to make the cafe our own,
Between the plaintiff stage, and the defendant town.
When first you took us from our father's house,
And lovingly our intereft did espouse,
You kept us fine, carefs 'd, and lodg'd us here,
And honey-moon held out above three year;
At length, for pleasures known do feldom last,
Frequent enjoyment pall'd your sprightly tafte;
And though at firft you did not quite neglect,
We found your love was dwindled to refpect.
Some times, indeed, as in your way it fell,
You ftopp'd, and call'd to fee if we were well.
Now, puite eftrang'd, this wretched place you shun,
Like bad wine, bus'nefs, duels, and a dun.
Have we for this increas'd Apollo's race?
Been often pregnant with your wits embrace?
And borne you many chopping babes of grace?
Some ugly toads we had, and that's the curfe,
They were fo like you, that you far'd the worse;
For this to-night, we are not much in pain,
Look on 't, and if you like it, entertain:
If all the midwife fays of it be true,
There are some features too like some of you:
For us, if you think fitting to forfake it,
We mean to run away, and let the parish take it.
At the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, April the 7th, 1709, at her playing in LOVE FOR LOVE with Mrs. Bracegirdle, for the benefit of Mr. Betterton.
S fome brave knight, who once with fpear and
.fhield
Had fought renown in many a well-fought field;
But now no more with facred fame inspir'd,
Was to a peaceful hermitage retir'd :
There, if by chance difaftrous tales he hears,
Of matrons wrongs, and captive virgins tears,
He feels foft pity urge his generous breast,
And vows once more to fuccour the distress'd.
Buckled in mail, he fallies on the plain,
And turns him to the feats of arms again.
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