 | The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq |  |
52
EPILOGUE FOR TAMERLANE,
SPOKEN BY Mrs. DOUGLAS.
Once more, as custom hath ordain'd, I come
To speak the epilogue, and learn our doom:
Oh! may you be to our endeavours kind,
And let us hope your glad applause to find!
To speak the epilogue, and learn our doom:
Oh! may you be to our endeavours kind,
And let us hope your glad applause to find!
The moral of our play I need not tell,
You who observ'd it sure must know it well.
In all her glory virtue stood confest,
With just rewards and happy triumphs blest:
Whilst sullen tyranny no more to rise,
Low in the dust, debas'd and vanquish'd lies.
Who but abhors a Bajazet to see?
Who would not wish a Tamerlane to be?
Oh! lovely virtue, such thy charms appear,
That e'en thy greatest foes thy name revere!
And you, ye fair! in bright Arpasia find
Merit well worthy to engage the mind.
How firmly fix'd was her unshaken love,
Which neither threats nor offer'd crowns could move?
Too few, I fear, are like Arpasia found,
For such heroic constancy renown'd.
—But hark!—methinks I hear a voice this way
Which seems, in angry accents, thus to say:
“Why, what a stupid epilogue is this:
“Let's stop her serious prating with a hiss.”—
Good sir, have patience, I shall soon have done;
But one short sentence more and I'll be gone.
You who observ'd it sure must know it well.
In all her glory virtue stood confest,
With just rewards and happy triumphs blest:
Whilst sullen tyranny no more to rise,
Low in the dust, debas'd and vanquish'd lies.
Who but abhors a Bajazet to see?
Who would not wish a Tamerlane to be?
Oh! lovely virtue, such thy charms appear,
That e'en thy greatest foes thy name revere!
And you, ye fair! in bright Arpasia find
Merit well worthy to engage the mind.
How firmly fix'd was her unshaken love,
Which neither threats nor offer'd crowns could move?
Too few, I fear, are like Arpasia found,
For such heroic constancy renown'd.
—But hark!—methinks I hear a voice this way
Which seems, in angry accents, thus to say:
53
“Let's stop her serious prating with a hiss.”—
Good sir, have patience, I shall soon have done;
But one short sentence more and I'll be gone.
Hail happy people! thus with freedom blest,
By no insulting Bajazet opprest!
Fair virtue here shall fix her radiant throne,
And ignorance and vice in setters grone.
Here polish'd learning shall adorn the mind,
And merit ever due respect shall find;
Whilst British liberty—celestial sound,
Bids ev'ry heart be gay, and nature smile around.
By no insulting Bajazet opprest!
Fair virtue here shall fix her radiant throne,
And ignorance and vice in setters grone.
Here polish'd learning shall adorn the mind,
And merit ever due respect shall find;
Whilst British liberty—celestial sound,
Bids ev'ry heart be gay, and nature smile around.
| The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq | |