 | The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq |  |
50
A PROLOGUE
SPOKEN BY Mr. LEWIS HALLAM, AT THE OPENING OF A THEATRE AT Philadelphia.
To bid reviving virtue raise her head,
And far abroad her heav'nly instance shed;
The soul by bright examples to inspir'd,
And kindle in each breast celestial fire:
For injur'd innocence to waken fear;
For suff'ring virtue swell the gen'rous tear;
Vice to expose in each assum'd disguise,
And bid the mist to vanish from your eyes,
With keener passion, that you may detest
Her hellish form, howe'er like virtue drest:
The muse to cherish, genius to inspire,
Bid fancy stretch the wing, and wit take fire—
For these we come—for these erect our stage,
And shew the manners of each clime and age:
For these we come—oh! may your smiles attend
The pleasing task, and all our toils befriend.
—Away ye senseless, ye whom nought can move,
Vice to abhor, or virtue to approve;
Whose souls could ne'er enjoy the thought sublime,
Whose ears ne'er taste the muse's flowing rhime.
And far abroad her heav'nly instance shed;
The soul by bright examples to inspir'd,
And kindle in each breast celestial fire:
For injur'd innocence to waken fear;
For suff'ring virtue swell the gen'rous tear;
Vice to expose in each assum'd disguise,
And bid the mist to vanish from your eyes,
With keener passion, that you may detest
Her hellish form, howe'er like virtue drest:
The muse to cherish, genius to inspire,
Bid fancy stretch the wing, and wit take fire—
For these we come—for these erect our stage,
And shew the manners of each clime and age:
For these we come—oh! may your smiles attend
The pleasing task, and all our toils befriend.
—Away ye senseless, ye whom nought can move,
Vice to abhor, or virtue to approve;
Whose souls could ne'er enjoy the thought sublime,
Whose ears ne'er taste the muse's flowing rhime.
But ye whose breasts the pow'rs of softness know,
Who long have learnt to feel another's woe;
Nor blush to heave the sympathetic sigh,
Or drop the pious tear from pity's eye;
Attend our work, and may you ever find
Something to please and to improve the mind:
That as each diff'rent flow'r that decks the field
Does to the bee mellistuous sweetness yield:
So may each scene some useful moral show;
From each performance sweet instruction flow.
Such is our aim—your kind assent we ask,
That once obtain'd, we glory in the task.
Who long have learnt to feel another's woe;
51
Or drop the pious tear from pity's eye;
Attend our work, and may you ever find
Something to please and to improve the mind:
That as each diff'rent flow'r that decks the field
Does to the bee mellistuous sweetness yield:
So may each scene some useful moral show;
From each performance sweet instruction flow.
Such is our aim—your kind assent we ask,
That once obtain'd, we glory in the task.
| The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq | |