*ARVIRAGUS AND PHILICIA REVIVED:
[BY LODOWICK CARLELL, ESQ;]
WITH fickly actors and an old house too, We're match'd with glorious theatres and new, And with our alehoufe fcenes, and cloaths bare
Can neither raise old plays, nor new adorn.
If all these ills could not undo us quite,
A brifk French troop is grown your dear de-
Who with broad bloody bills call each day, To laugh and break your buttons at their play;
This tragedy was firft acted at Blackfryars in 1639, and reDERRICK. vived with fuccefs in 1690.
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 fee how they looked, and what notice they took of any paffages.
The famous naturalift Rohault, was the perfon from whom Moliere drew the character of the philofopher he has introduced
Or fee fome ferious piece, which we prefume
Is fall'n from fome incomparable plume;
And therefore, Meffieurs, if you'll do us grace,
Send lacquies early to preferve your place.
We dare not on your privilege intrench,
Or ask you why you like them? they are
French.
Therefore fome go with courtefy exceeding, 15
Neither to hear nor fee, but fhow their breed-
Each lady ftriving to out-laugh the reft ;
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 hofpitable 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-
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 said to have known perfonally a man who could not bear any noise, from whom he exacly copied his character of Morofe. Dr. J. WARTON.
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
То 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; 15
And
you well know, a play's of no religion.
Take good advice, and please yourselves this
No matter from what hands you have the play.
Among good fellows every health will pafs,
That ferves to carry round another glafs : 20
When with full bowls of Burgundy you dine,
Though at the mighty monarch you repine,
You grant him ftill Moft Chriftian in his wine.
Thus far the poet; but his brains
grow addle,
And all the reft is purely from this noddle. 25
You have feen young ladies at the fenate-door
Prefer petitions, and your grace implore;
However grave the legiflators were,
Their cause went ne'er the worfe for being fair.
Reasons as weak as theirs, perhaps, I bring; 30
But I could bribe you with as good a thing.
I heard him make advances of good nature;
That he, for once, would fheath his cutting fa-
tire.
Sign but his peace, he vows he'll ne'er again
The facred names of fops and beaus profane, 35
Strike up the bargain quickly; for I fwear,
As times go now, he offers very fair,
Be not too hard on him with ftatutes neither;"
Be kind; and do not fet your teeth together,
To ftretch the laws,' as coblers do their lea-
ther.
Horses by Papifts are not to be ridden,
But fure the Mufes' horfe was ne'er forbidden;
For in no rate-book it was ever found
That Pegasus was valued at five pound;
Fine him to daily drudging and inditing:
And let him pay his taxes out in writing.
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