University of Virginia Library

To my friend Mr. Thomas Randolph on his Play called the Entertainment, Printed by the name of the Muses Looking-Glass.

Some austere Cato's be that do not stick
To term all Poetry base that's Dramatick:
These contradict themselves; For bid them tell
How they like Poesie, and they'l answer well.
But as a stately Fabrick raised by
The curious Science of Geometrie,
If one side of the Machine perish, all
Participates with it a ruinous fall:
So they are enemies to Helicon,
That vow they love all Muses saving one.
Such supercilious humours I despise,
And like Thalia's harmless Comedies.
Thy entertainment had so good a Fate
That who soe're doth not admire thereat
Discloseth his own Ignorance; for no
True Moralist would be supposed thy foe.
In the pure Thespian Spring thou hast refin'd
Those harsh rude rules thy Author hath design'd:
And made those precepts which he did reherse
In heavy prose, to run in nimble verse.
The Stagarite will be slighted; who doth list
To read or see't becomes a Moralist:
And if his eyes and ears are worth thine Ore,
Learn more in two hours then two years before.
Thou hast my suffrage Friend; And I would fain
Be a Spectator of thy Scenes again.