The works of John Dryden Illustrated with notes, historical, critical, and explanatory, and a life of the author, by Sir Walter Scott |
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PROLOGUE TO THE KING AND QUEEN,
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| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV, XV. |
 | The works of John Dryden |  |
394
PROLOGUE TO THE KING AND QUEEN,
UPON THE UNION OF THE TWO COMPANIES, IN 1686.
395
Since faction ebbs, and rogues grow out of fashion,
Their penny scribes take care t'inform the nation,
How well men thrive in this or that plantation:
Their penny scribes take care t'inform the nation,
How well men thrive in this or that plantation:
How Pennsylvania's air agrees with Quakers,
And Carolina's with Associators;
Both e'en too good for madmen and for traitors.
And Carolina's with Associators;
Both e'en too good for madmen and for traitors.
Truth is, our land with saints is so run o'er,
And every age produces such a store,
That now there's need of two New Englands more.
And every age produces such a store,
That now there's need of two New Englands more.
396
What's this, you'll say, to us, and our vocation?
Only thus much, that we have left our station,
And made this theatre our new plantation.
Only thus much, that we have left our station,
And made this theatre our new plantation.
The factious natives never could agree;
But aiming, as they called it, to be free,
Those playhouse Whigs set up for property.
But aiming, as they called it, to be free,
Those playhouse Whigs set up for property.
Some say, they no obedience paid of late;
But would new fears and jealousies create,
Till topsy-turvy they had turned the state.
But would new fears and jealousies create,
Till topsy-turvy they had turned the state.
Plain sense, without the talent of foretelling,
Might guess 'twould end in downright knocks and quelling;
For seldom comes there better of rebelling.
Might guess 'twould end in downright knocks and quelling;
For seldom comes there better of rebelling.
When men will, needlessly, their freedom barter
For lawless power, sometimes they catch a Tartar;—
There's a damned word that rhymes to this, called Charter.
For lawless power, sometimes they catch a Tartar;—
There's a damned word that rhymes to this, called Charter.
But, since the victory with us remains,
You shall be called to twelve in all our gains,
If you'll not think us saucy for our pains.
You shall be called to twelve in all our gains,
If you'll not think us saucy for our pains.
397
Old men shall have good old plays to delight them;
And you, fair ladies and gallants, that slight them,
We'll treat with good new plays, if our new wits can write them.
And you, fair ladies and gallants, that slight them,
We'll treat with good new plays, if our new wits can write them.
We'll take no blundering verse, no fustian tumour,
No dribbling love, from this or that presumer;
No dull fat fool shammed on the stage for humour:
No dribbling love, from this or that presumer;
No dull fat fool shammed on the stage for humour:
398
For, faith, some of them such vile stuff have made,
As none but fools or fairies ever played;
But 'twas, as shopmen say, to force a trade.
As none but fools or fairies ever played;
But 'twas, as shopmen say, to force a trade.
We've given you tragedies, all sense defying,
And singing men, in woful metre dying;
This 'tis when heavy lubbers will be flying.
And singing men, in woful metre dying;
This 'tis when heavy lubbers will be flying.
All these disasters we will hope to weather;
We bring you none of our old lumber hither;
Whig poets and Whig sheriffs may hang together.
We bring you none of our old lumber hither;
Whig poets and Whig sheriffs may hang together.
| The works of John Dryden | |