The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
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PROLOGUE, To the Double Deceit.
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 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
PROLOGUE, To the Double Deceit.
Poets misled by fondness for their own,
Think, the same fondness actuates the town:
Like the charm'd parent, that its child surveys,
And wonders, any, with less joy, can gaze:
Till better taught, both see their weakness, plain,
And, by their former joy, now, weigh their pain.
Think, the same fondness actuates the town:
Like the charm'd parent, that its child surveys,
And wonders, any, with less joy, can gaze:
Till better taught, both see their weakness, plain,
And, by their former joy, now, weigh their pain.
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Convinc'd of this, (e'er an example made)
Our bard, by no self-love will be betray'd:
To your free judgments, he submits his cause,
And asks, from what you feel yourselves, applause,
Yet, from your justice, dares this hope maintain,
You take no joy, to give another—pain,
Our bard, by no self-love will be betray'd:
To your free judgments, he submits his cause,
And asks, from what you feel yourselves, applause,
Yet, from your justice, dares this hope maintain,
You take no joy, to give another—pain,
JUDGMENT, oft, varies, as th' affected mind
Is, from within, to joy, or grief, inclin'd:
If pleas'd, the well wrote play affords delight,
And each gay scene looks gayer, in your sight:
If vex'd—(as sorrow disinclines the brain,)
The poet suffers, for your private pain.
Is, from within, to joy, or grief, inclin'd:
If pleas'd, the well wrote play affords delight,
And each gay scene looks gayer, in your sight:
If vex'd—(as sorrow disinclines the brain,)
The poet suffers, for your private pain.
Above
each weakness, dare, from sense alone,
To praise, or blame, what will, to night, be shown;
If to the task unequal, he shou'd seem;
Th' attempt, to please you, merits some esteem:
If he should please—remove, at once, his pain;
Applause will make him grateful, but not vain.
To praise, or blame, what will, to night, be shown;
If to the task unequal, he shou'd seem;
Th' attempt, to please you, merits some esteem:
If he should please—remove, at once, his pain;
Applause will make him grateful, but not vain.
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |