University of Virginia Library

TO THE AUTHOR, ON HER Tragedy, call'd Fatal Friendship.

Great Sappho, with some few that shar'd her Glory,
Kept the bright Character they had in Story,
With doubted right; till after-ages came;
By fair examples to assert their Fame:
As when the tribute of our praise we give,
They by your worth to endless Fame Survive:
Nor can I silently my thoughts delay,
The joys too exquisite, and will have way;
Tho' greatest Beauties, less in praise appear,
'Tis hard, to see, be charm'd, and not cry out she's Fair:
Your Play with an exalted Genius shines,
And charming numbers every thought refines;
But sure thy mind was meant the Court of Love,
Soft as the joys that yeilding Virgins move;
There every Grace does to thy Pen repair,
Firing the Brave, melting the rigid Fair;
Nor less in Honour's School hast thou been read,
Thy Men with equal steps, the tract of glory tread;
As when some Master-Hand a Cupid draws,
With pointed Arrow in a Lovers cause;
On th'other side a Mars with many grace,
Expressing right and Victory in his Face;
The sporting Fair who now despis'd his art,
Feels from the shadow a resistless dart;
And He—
Who for inglorious ease could Fame forego,
Rouz'd at the sight starts forward to the Foe:
Nor does thy rules for Life alone excel,
You've taught the harder task of dying well;
Safe from the gingling folly of our time,
Whose Heroes die in simile and rhyme
'Tis thus you may support the sinking Stage,
Thus learn the Scriblers that infect this Age;
To Mourn how Nature stinted their poor lot
And leave for humbler arts their Plays and Plot:
Let Congreve, Granvile, and the few who yet,
Support the credit of our Poets Wit;
With you the Empire of the Stage maintain,
Nor suffer Fools so oft t'usurp your reign;
Then perfect Plays would perfect joys inspire,
Touch to the Soul, and waken dead desire:
Deny each chatt'ring Ape his fancy'd part,
And teach us to revere your Sacred Art.