University of Virginia Library

A spurious and very imperfect Copy of this, and the following little Poem, with a few others inserted in the Course of this Work, may have been seen in Print before.

The D---l's A---e of Peak.

A Provincial Phrase for four Butter-Milk.

The Mahometans believe that Elias never died; but, was translated alive into Heaven.

A yearly Festival of the Mahometans, beginning on the Day of the New-Moon, in April.

Ispahan; so called by the Persians.

A Title of Honour in Persia, something similar to our Dukes.

Aziel, the Angel of Death.

Now Lady Millsington.

The Flowers.

The late Earl and Countess of Rothes, to whose justly-respected Memory the Author drops a Tear of Gratitude.—Let it be recorded, to the Honour of this honest-hearted Nobleman, that, soon after his Arrival in Ireland, a very national Bill passed the Lords and Commons, and was in Course laid before the Privy-Council. The Abettors of Prerogative thought it their Interest to throw it out, and warmly sollicited his Concurrence. But he (though invested with the chief Command of the Forces, and possessed of several other lucrative Appointments under Government) sensibly and greatly answered, “I am but a Stranger in this Country, and cannot take upon me to judge correctly of its true Interests; but as this Bill has been approved of in both Houses of Parliament, by a great Majority, I must take it for granted, 'tis the Sense of the Nation, and that must determine me.” He voted accordingly.

The Right Honourable Lady Jane Elizabeth Leslie, now Evelyn.

The Writer of this Trifle has borrowed a few Lines, and Half Lines, from an elegant little Poem of Dr. Lowth, Bishop of Oxford, upon the same Subject: It is scarcely necessary to add, that they are both indebted to Xenophon for the Fable.

Now, Mrs. Palmer.

Matthew Prior.

Countess of Louth.

The PARTS were cast as follow, viz.

• Osman, The Right Hon. Lady Elizabeth Birmingham.
• Lusignan, The Earl of Louth, Premier Baron of Ireland.
• Nerestan, and the Prologue, Mr. Whyte.
• Orasmin, Mr. ô Reilly.
• Zara, Miss ô Reilly.
• Selima, The Right Hon. Lady Mary Birmingham.

Diable Boiteux, and the Lyar, two Farcical Comedies, by Foot.

Zara was written by Voltaire, in Imitation of Othello, and translated by Aaron Hill.

The remaining Part of the Prologue, as it more particularly refers to the Performers on this Occasion, will be best understood from the Dramatis Personæ on the opposite Page.

The three young Ladies who appeared in the principal Characters, and for whose Improvement in Elocution the Entertainment was intended, were Mr. Whyte's Pupils.

Mr. H. to whom this Epistle is addressed, after having spent about two Years at the Temple, had at this Time returned to Ireland, partly upon a Visit to his Friends in that Kingdom, and partly to attend the Election of a Representative for the County of Kerry.

The Globe Coffee-House, in Essex-street, Dublin.

One of these Coffee-House Politicians is admirably painted by our late lively and spirited Satyrist, Dr. Young.

Faulkner's Dublin Journal, which was inclosed in this Letter.

The Account of the Surrender of Louisbourgh arrived in Dublin, just at the Time this Letter was written.

This Ode is here printed exactly according to the Original. In disposing it for Music, the first, and second Stanza, only, were taken into the Recitative; the third omitted, as 'twas thought it would make it too long; the fourth and fifth Stanza were given to the Air; the two following composed a Duet; the last, the Chorus.

Lady Elizabeth, Lady Mary, and Lady Louisa Birmingham.

Nothing without Trouble.

An Extempore Address.

This Imitation is founded upon a well-known, and recent Fact: The Litigation was tedious, and expensive; and, to heighten the Ridicule, the Parties were—Brothers-in-law.

The Reader will perceive, that the last Stanza of the above Trifle is not imitated from the Latin: The Writer is indebted for the Hint to a well-known, and admired French Apologue: He has taken the Liberty, however, to change the Frenchman's Oyster into a Turtle; that the Lawyers, the Agents, and the Officers, (as well as the Judge) might have each something to pick; which, to do them Justice, however bare the Bone, they seldom fail to contrive.

The Miss Riches, Nieces to the Earl of Warwick.

The Writer does not presume to offer this as an original Composition of his own; it is a Translation of an antient Greek Ode, which, though never hitherto published, the critical Eye will discover to have been well known to, and carefully studied by most of the modern Lyric Writers; who have, without Scruple or Acknowlegement, copied from it the most brilliant Passages of many of their Odes: The Original, which (it must be acknowleged) in many Places, particularly in the Simile with which it concludes, soars a Flight beyond modern Daring, will shortly be presented to the Public, accompanied with a copious Commentary and Illustrations, tending chiefly to shew in what Instances some late Writers of the first Reputation have borrowed from this valuable Remnant of antient Literature.

Timanthi, vel plurimum assuit Ingenii: Ejus enim est Iphigenia, Oratorum Laudibus celebrata; qua stante ad Aras peritura, cum mœstos pinxisset omnes, præcipue Patruum, cum Tristitiæ omnem Imaginem consumpsisset, Patris ipsius Vultum velavit, quem digne non poterat ostendere. Plin. Lib. xxxv. c. 10.