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Mr. Cooke's Original Poems

with Imitations and Translations of Several Select Passages of the Antients, In Four Parts: To which are added Proposals For perfecting the English Language

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PROLOGUE the Sixth. Spoke by Mr. Milward to the Country Wife.
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167

PROLOGUE the Sixth. Spoke by Mr. Milward to the Country Wife.

Censure, Detraction, and the Critic's Rage,
Are Mulcts on all who labour for the Stage;
These once our Author bore, and bore with Ease,
As they are chiefly lay'd on such as please.
The Curse of Fools was mighty Dryden's Lot;
Nor while he lives, will they be quite forgot:
To blast his Worth a Bigot Milbourne rose,
A Collier, Blackmore, and a Herd of Foes:
His Fame still blooms, and gathers Strength with Time;
And they're remember'd—as the Pests of Rhyme.
Detractive Envy, when her Object's fled,
Tho she the living haunts, should spare the dead:

168

If Manly too morosely fills the Scene,
His honest Satire shou'd excuse his Spleen:
Unhurt, untouch'd, remain the virtuous Fair,
When Horner shews what wanton Women are:
Tho black the Jet we call, and black the Crow,
White is the Ermine still, and white the Snow.
Be Faults, if few, from vulgar Eyes conceal'd,
Like Spots scarce heeded on the burnish'd Shield.
Beautys with Errors in the Ballance weigh;
And, where the first are heavyest, crown the Lay.