 | The Genuine Works in Verse and Prose, Of the Right Honourable George Granville, Lord Lansdowne |  |
Prologue to Mr. Bevil Higgons' excellent Tragedy, call'd, The Generous Conqueror
Your Comick Writer is a common Foe,
None can intrigue in Peace, or be a Beau,
Nor wanton Wife, nor Widow can be sped,
Not even Russel can inter the Dead,
But straight this Censor, in his Whim of Wit,
Strips, and presents you naked to the Pit.
Thus Criticks should, like these, be branded Foes,
Who for the Poison only, suck the Rose;
Snarling and carping, without Wit or Sense;
Impeach Mistakes, o'erlooking Excellence,
As if to ev'ry Fop it might belong,
Like Senators to censure, right or wrong.
None can intrigue in Peace, or be a Beau,
Nor wanton Wife, nor Widow can be sped,
Not even Russel can inter the Dead,
But straight this Censor, in his Whim of Wit,
Strips, and presents you naked to the Pit.
Thus Criticks should, like these, be branded Foes,
Who for the Poison only, suck the Rose;
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Impeach Mistakes, o'erlooking Excellence,
As if to ev'ry Fop it might belong,
Like Senators to censure, right or wrong.
But generous Minds have more heroick Views,
And Love and Honour are the Theams they choose,
From yon bright Heav'n our Author fetch'd his Fire,
And paints the Passions that your Eyes inspire:
Full of that Flame, his tender Scenes he warms,
And frames his Goddess by your matchless Charms.
And Love and Honour are the Theams they choose,
From yon bright Heav'n our Author fetch'd his Fire,
And paints the Passions that your Eyes inspire:
Full of that Flame, his tender Scenes he warms,
And frames his Goddess by your matchless Charms.
| The Genuine Works in Verse and Prose, Of the Right Honourable George Granville, Lord Lansdowne | |