The Third Volume of the Works of Mr. William Congreve containing Poems upon Several Occasions |
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PROLOGUE TO QUEEN MARY,
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 | The Third Volume of the Works of Mr. William Congreve |  |
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PROLOGUE TO QUEEN MARY,
UPON Her Majesty's coming to see the Old Batchelour, after having seen the Double-Dealer.
By this repeated Act of Grace, we see
Wit is again the Care of Majesty;
And while thus honour'd our proud Stage appears,
We seem to rival Ancient Theatres.
Thus flourish'd Wit in our Forefathers Age,
And thus the Roman and Athenian Stage.
Wit is again the Care of Majesty;
And while thus honour'd our proud Stage appears,
We seem to rival Ancient Theatres.
Thus flourish'd Wit in our Forefathers Age,
And thus the Roman and Athenian Stage.
Whose Wit is best, we'll not presume to tell;
But this we know, our Audience will excel:
For never was in Rome, nor Athens, seen
So fair a Circle, and so bright a Queen.
But this we know, our Audience will excel:
For never was in Rome, nor Athens, seen
So fair a Circle, and so bright a Queen.
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Long has the Muses Land been over-cast,
And many rough and stormy Winters past;
Hid from the World, and thrown in Shades of Night,
Of Heat depriv'd, and almost void of Light:
While Wit, a hardy Plant, of Nature bold,
Has strugled strongly with the killing Cold:
So does it still through Opposition grow,
As if its Root was warmer kept by Snow:
But when shot forth, then draws the Danger near,
On ev'ry side the gath'ring Winds appear,
And Blasts destroy that Fruit, which Frosts wou'd spare.
But now, new Vigour and new Life it knows,
And Warmth that from this Royal Presence flows.
And many rough and stormy Winters past;
Hid from the World, and thrown in Shades of Night,
Of Heat depriv'd, and almost void of Light:
While Wit, a hardy Plant, of Nature bold,
Has strugled strongly with the killing Cold:
So does it still through Opposition grow,
As if its Root was warmer kept by Snow:
But when shot forth, then draws the Danger near,
On ev'ry side the gath'ring Winds appear,
And Blasts destroy that Fruit, which Frosts wou'd spare.
But now, new Vigour and new Life it knows,
And Warmth that from this Royal Presence flows.
O wou'd She shine with Rays more frequent here!
How Gay wou'd then, this drooping Land appear!
Then, like the Sun, with Pleasure she might view,
The smiling Earth, cloath'd by her Beams anew.
O'er all the Meads, shou'd various Flowers be seen
Mix'd with the Lawrel's never-fading Green,
The new Creation of a Gracious Queen.
How Gay wou'd then, this drooping Land appear!
Then, like the Sun, with Pleasure she might view,
The smiling Earth, cloath'd by her Beams anew.
964
Mix'd with the Lawrel's never-fading Green,
The new Creation of a Gracious Queen.
| The Third Volume of the Works of Mr. William Congreve | |