 | Miscellanies (1785) |  |
PROLOGUE TO THE ORPHAN OF CHINA.
From Hiersall gazing on his Georgian star,
To daring Jeff'ries balancing in air,
The law supreme that governs human kind,
Pleasure to give and take we still shall find,
Social the source whence all our passions flow,
Mutual is every joy and every woe:
Nor e'er to self we stint the liberal flame,
Which gilds the path of glory or of fame.
To daring Jeff'ries balancing in air,
The law supreme that governs human kind,
Pleasure to give and take we still shall find,
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Mutual is every joy and every woe:
Nor e'er to self we stint the liberal flame,
Which gilds the path of glory or of fame.
Hence, Sirs, each glowing purpose of the soul,
And parts, as sung the bard, but serve the whole:
Hence issues forth “indebted and discharged,”
The generous feeling and the thought enlarged.
Hence young Ambition spreads her proudest sail,
Power climbs the mountain, and Peace decks the vale;
Hence Sculpture bids the soften'd marble warm,
And Painting emulates life's vivid form:
Music her voice, and Poesy her lyre,
With equal incense feed the social fire.
Love breathes his vow, Compassion drops her tear,
Pleasure and Pain both pay their homage here:
The world's great drama this fair truth can tell,
Not for themselves alone, would men excel.
And parts, as sung the bard, but serve the whole:
Hence issues forth “indebted and discharged,”
The generous feeling and the thought enlarged.
Hence young Ambition spreads her proudest sail,
Power climbs the mountain, and Peace decks the vale;
Hence Sculpture bids the soften'd marble warm,
And Painting emulates life's vivid form:
Music her voice, and Poesy her lyre,
With equal incense feed the social fire.
Love breathes his vow, Compassion drops her tear,
Pleasure and Pain both pay their homage here:
The world's great drama this fair truth can tell,
Not for themselves alone, would men excel.
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To-night, no less obedient to the power
Of social pleasure, we devote the hour,
To cheer the gale that chills the coming spring,
To melt the snow yet lodged on Winter's wing;
Like lovers, we, by moon-light woo the heart,
And try the powers that grace the scenic art!
Friendship for this calls Candour to our stage,
Who brings no catcall, bids no party rage:
The shining rows that grace this little round,
Will fright our heroes with no fearful sound;
Arm'd with no terrors do our critics sit,
To rowl the thunder of a London pit:
No awful phalanx sedulous to blame,
Blasts the fair rose-buds of our private fame:
The full-grown flowers, which on her summit grow,
Conscious we quit, to crop the shrubs below.
All our kind Gods too, are from malice free,
Our members ne'er divide, but all agree;
And tho' both sexes on our edicts wait,
In a full house we dread no harsh debate;
A zeal to please ye animates us all;
And should we fail, your smiles would break our fall:
Yet if we please not, our best hopes we maim,
“Self-love and social,” we shall feel “the same.”
Of social pleasure, we devote the hour,
To cheer the gale that chills the coming spring,
To melt the snow yet lodged on Winter's wing;
Like lovers, we, by moon-light woo the heart,
And try the powers that grace the scenic art!
Friendship for this calls Candour to our stage,
Who brings no catcall, bids no party rage:
The shining rows that grace this little round,
Will fright our heroes with no fearful sound;
Arm'd with no terrors do our critics sit,
To rowl the thunder of a London pit:
No awful phalanx sedulous to blame,
Blasts the fair rose-buds of our private fame:
The full-grown flowers, which on her summit grow,
Conscious we quit, to crop the shrubs below.
All our kind Gods too, are from malice free,
Our members ne'er divide, but all agree;
And tho' both sexes on our edicts wait,
In a full house we dread no harsh debate;
279
And should we fail, your smiles would break our fall:
Yet if we please not, our best hopes we maim,
“Self-love and social,” we shall feel “the same.”
| Miscellanies (1785) | |