EPILOGUE

ΤΟ

ALBION AND ALBANIUS.

AFTER our Efop's fable fhown to-day,
I come to give the moral of the play.

Feign'd Zeal, you faw, fet out the speedier

pace;

But the last heat, Plain Dealing won the race: Plain Dealing for a jewel has been known; But ne'er till now the jewel of a crown.

5

When heaven made man, to fhow the work di

vine,

Truth was his image, ftamped upon the coin: And when a king is to a god refined,

On all he fays and does he ftamps his mind: 10
This proves a foul without alloy, and pure;
Kings, like their gold, fhould every touch en-
dure.

To dare in fields is valour; but how few
Dare be fo throughly valiant,-to be true!
The name of great, let other kings affect:
He's great indeed, the prince that is direct.

15

His fubjects know him now, and trust him

more

Than all their kings, and all their laws before. What fafety could their public acts afford? Thofe he can break; but cannot break his

word.

20

So great a truft to him alone was due ;
Well have they trufted whom so well they knew.
The faint, who walked on waves, fecurely trod,
While he believed the beck'ning of his God;
But when his faith no longer bore him out, 25
Began to fink, as he began to doubt.
Let us our native character maintain;
"Tis of our growth, to be fincerely plain.
To excel in truth we loyally may strive,
Set privilege against prerogative:

He plights his faith, and we believe him just;
His honour is to promife, ours to trust.
Thus Britain's bafis on a word is laid,
As by a word the world itself was made.

30

PROLOGUE

ΤΟ

*ARVIRAGUS AND PHILICIA REVIVED:

[BY LODOWICK CARLELL, ESQ;]

SPOKEN BY MR. HART.

WITH fickly actors and an old houfe too, We're match'd with glorious theatres and new, And with our alehoufe fcenes, and cloaths bare

worn,

Can neither raise old plays, nor new adorn.
If all thefe ills could not undo us quite,
A brifk French troop is grown your dear de-

light † ;

5

Who with broad bloody bills call you each day, To laugh and break your buttons at their play;

This tragedy was first acted at Blackfryars in 1639, and revived with fuccefs in 1690. DERRICK.

+ The ftory of Moliere reading his plays to his old fervant (Le Furet) to fee what effect they would have on her, is well known. But it is not fo much known, that when he read over a new piece to the comedians, he used to defire them to bring their children with them, that he might see how they looked, and what notice they took of any paffages.

The famous naturalift Rohault, was the perfon from who.n Moliere drew the character of the philofopher he has introduced

10

Or fee some serious piece, which we presume
Is fall'n from fome incomparable plume;
And therefore, Meffieurs, if you'll do us grace,
Send lacquies early to preserve your place.
We dare not on your privilege intrench,
Or ask you why you like them? they are
French.

Therefore fome go with courtesy exceeding, 15 Neither to hear nor fee, but fhow their breeding:

Each lady ftriving to out-laugh the rest ;
To make it seem they understood the jest.
Their countrymen come in, and nothing pay,
To teach us English were to clap the play: 20
Civil, egad! our hospitable land

Bears all the charge, for them to understand:
Mean time we languish, and neglected lie,
Like wives, while you keep better company;
And wish for your own fakes, without a fatire,
You'd lefs good breeding, or had more good-

nature.

26

in his Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Moliere was intimately acquainted with him. Moliere even borrowed the hat that Rohault commonly wore, and which was of an uncommon fize, and intended to produce it upon the stage, but his friend discovered his defign, and took it out of his hands. Ben Jonfon is faid to have known perfonally a man who could not bear any noise, from whom he exactly copied his character of Morofe.

Dr. J. WARTON,

PROLOGUE

TO

DON SEBASTIAN.

SPOKEN BY A WOMAN.

THE judge remov'd, though he's no more my lord,

May plead at bar, or at the council-board:
So may caft poets write; there's no pretenfion
To argue lofs of wit, from lofs of penfion.
Your looks are chearful; and in all this place 5
I fee not one that wears a damning face.
The British nation is too brave, to show
Ignoble vengeance on a vanquifh'd foe.
At laft be civil to the wretch imploring;
And lay your paws upon him, without roaring.
Suppose our poet was your foe before,
Yet now, the business of the field is o'er;
"Tis time to let your civil wars alone,
When troops are into winter-quarters gone.
Jove was alike to Latian and to Phrygian;
And
you well know, a play's of no religion.

11

15