Gulliveriana or, a fourth volume of miscellanies. Being a Sequel of the Three Volumes published by Pope and Swift. To which is added, Alexanderiana; or, A Comparison between the Ecclesiastical and Poetical Pope. And many Things, in Verse and Prose, relating to the latter. With an ample Preface; and a Critique on the Third Volume of Miscellanies lately publish'd by those two facetious Writers [by Jonathan Smedley] |
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EPILOGUE to Mr. Hoppy's Benefit-Night, at Smock-Alley.
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EPILOGUE to Mr. Hoppy's Benefit-Night, at Smock-Alley.
Hold! Hold, my good Friends; for one Moment pray, stop ye,
I return you my Thanks, in the Name of poor Hoppy.
He's not the first Person, who never did write,
And, yet, has been fed by a Benefit-Night.
The Custom is frequent, on my Word, I assure ye,
In our fam'd elder House, of the Hundred's of Drury.
But then, you must know, those Players, still, act on
Some very good Reasons, for such Benefaction.
I return you my Thanks, in the Name of poor Hoppy.
He's not the first Person, who never did write,
And, yet, has been fed by a Benefit-Night.
The Custom is frequent, on my Word, I assure ye,
In our fam'd elder House, of the Hundred's of Drury.
But then, you must know, those Players, still, act on
Some very good Reasons, for such Benefaction.
A deceas'd Poet's Widow, if pretty, can't fail;
From Cibber, she holds, as a Tenant in Tail:
Your emerited Actors, and Actresses too,
For what they have done (tho' no more they can do)
And Setters and Songsters, and Chettwood and G---;
And sometimes A Poor Sufferer in the South Sea;
A Machine-man; A Tire-woman; a Mute and a Spright,
Have been all kept from Starving, by a Benefit-Night.
From Cibber, she holds, as a Tenant in Tail:
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For what they have done (tho' no more they can do)
And Setters and Songsters, and Chettwood and G---;
And sometimes A Poor Sufferer in the South Sea;
A Machine-man; A Tire-woman; a Mute and a Spright,
Have been all kept from Starving, by a Benefit-Night.
Thus, for Hoppy's bright Merits, at length, we have found
That he must have of us, Ninety-nine and one Pound,
Paid to him, clear Money, once every Year:
And, however some think it a little too Dear,
Yet for Reasons of State, this Sum we'll allow,
Tho' we pay the Good Man, with the Sweat of our Brow.
That he must have of us, Ninety-nine and one Pound,
Paid to him, clear Money, once every Year:
And, however some think it a little too Dear,
Yet for Reasons of State, this Sum we'll allow,
Tho' we pay the Good Man, with the Sweat of our Brow.
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First, because, by the King, to us he was sent,
To guide the whole Session of this Parliament.
To preside in our Councils, both Publick and Private,
And to learn by the Bye, what both Houses do drive at.
When bold B--- roars, or meek M--- raves,
When Ash prates by Wholesale, or Be---h by Halves.
When Whigs become Whims, or join with the Tories;
And to himself constant, when a Member, no more is;
But changes his Sides, and Votes and Unvotes;
As S---t, is Dull, and with S---d, who Dotes;
Then, up must get Hoppy, and with Voice very low,
And with eloquent Bow, the House he must show,
That that worthy Member, who spoke last, must give
The Freedom to him, humbly, most to conceive,
That his Sentiment, on this Affair, isn't right:
That he mightily wonders which way he came by't:
That for his Part, God knows, he does such Things disown,
And so, having convinc'd him, he most humbly, sits down.
To guide the whole Session of this Parliament.
To preside in our Councils, both Publick and Private,
And to learn by the Bye, what both Houses do drive at.
When bold B--- roars, or meek M--- raves,
When Ash prates by Wholesale, or Be---h by Halves.
When Whigs become Whims, or join with the Tories;
And to himself constant, when a Member, no more is;
But changes his Sides, and Votes and Unvotes;
As S---t, is Dull, and with S---d, who Dotes;
Then, up must get Hoppy, and with Voice very low,
And with eloquent Bow, the House he must show,
That that worthy Member, who spoke last, must give
The Freedom to him, humbly, most to conceive,
That his Sentiment, on this Affair, isn't right:
That he mightily wonders which way he came by't:
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And so, having convinc'd him, he most humbly, sits down.
For these and more Reasons, which perhaps you may hear,
Pounds hundred, this Night, and One hundred this Year,
And so on, we are forc'd, tho' we sweat out our Blood,
To make these Walls pay, for poor Hoppy's Good;
To supply with rare Diet, his Pot and his Spit;
And with richest Margoux to wash down a Tit Bit.
To wash, oft, his fine Linnen; so clean and so neat,
And to buy him much Linnen, To fence against Sweat:
All which he deserves; for altho' all the Day,
He oft-times is Heavy; yet all Night he's Gay;
And if he rise early, to watch for the State;
To keep up his Spirits, he'll sit up as late:
Thus, for these and more Reasons, as before I did say,
Hop has got all the Money, for our acting this Play;
Which makes us, poor Actors, look, Je ne sçai quoy.
Pounds hundred, this Night, and One hundred this Year,
And so on, we are forc'd, tho' we sweat out our Blood,
To make these Walls pay, for poor Hoppy's Good;
To supply with rare Diet, his Pot and his Spit;
And with richest Margoux to wash down a Tit Bit.
To wash, oft, his fine Linnen; so clean and so neat,
And to buy him much Linnen, To fence against Sweat:
All which he deserves; for altho' all the Day,
He oft-times is Heavy; yet all Night he's Gay;
And if he rise early, to watch for the State;
To keep up his Spirits, he'll sit up as late:
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Hop has got all the Money, for our acting this Play;
Which makes us, poor Actors, look, Je ne sçai quoy.
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