TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, CHARLES Earl of Orrery, Knight of the most Antient Order of the Thistle.
The Story of Perolla and Izadora was the
Product of the Earl of Orrery Your Lordship's
Noble Grandfather's leisure Hours in
the Fam'd Romance of Parthenissa, which I found so
irresistably Inviting, that I cou'd not help Aspiring
(beyond what some People are pleas'd to call my
Talent) in this Attempt of Forming it into a Tragedy:
For I saw so many Beautiful Incidents in the
Characters, and so just a Distress in the Passions, that
I had little more than the Trouble of Blank Verse
to make it fit for the Theatre: So that the Faults
in the Figure it now makes are wholly owing to
its present Dress, and not an Original want of Beauties.
Just before I hurry'd it upon the Stage, Your
Lordship did me the Honour of Adjusting its Garniture,
the Expression: Wherein I must own my
Vanity was sufficiently mortified, to see after all my
flattered Hopes and Care, how little I had been doing.
But my Disquiet from Criticism was soon
allav'd by the Advantage of the Instruction: And
tho' I dare not yet say, 'tis wholly excusable, yet
I am bound to acknowledge, that Your Lordship's
Perusal has left it several secret Faults fewer than it
had: By the good Fortune of which Assistance it
has been the better able to make its way through a
favourable Third and Sixth Day, to claim its farther
(I might say Native) Right to Your Lordship's Protection.
Nor can I repent in the Possession of that
Hope, which perhaps first drew me into
Helicon a little
out of my depth: Tho' I never thought it in danger
of sinking, after I found Your Lordship thought it
worthy Your Correction: For as I knew it impossible
to make Faults, that Your Judgement wou'd not find,
so I knew Your Understanding wou'd not find any,
if the whole were incorrigible. This will easily be
believ'd by those that know Your Lordship's Strength
in Poetry, to which your Genius is not only Great
and Easie, but Inherent. And tho' it is the Misfortune
of Poetry to stand in the Rank of neglected
Arts, and to make few Men considerable, who have
no other Quality to recommend 'em; yet in our Account
of Mankind (tho' the Greatest Men have follow'd
the Muses, yet) History tells us of a Thousand
Hero's for One Great Poet. But your Lordship makes
a right Use of the Art: You have the Power of Writing
well, tho' you now forbear it, and rather choose
to be Eminent according to the Age's Understanding.
The Field is now in Fashion, and Your Lordship has
prudently stept into the Ranks of
Mars, when due
Occasion shall call You forward to share in the Defence
of Your Country. And as late Experience
tells us, how Discerning Her Majesty's Judgement has
been in the Distribution of Her Favours; so we may
modestly conclude, that Her Foresight does not a
little rely on the Promises of Your Lordship's growing
Reputation, by the late Honours done Your Lordship,
Enrolling you a Companion of that Order, which
carries a peculiar Veneration in its Title,
The most
Ancient Order of the Thistle. But I am drawing my
self into a Subject, that less needs a Panegyrick, than
I shou'd Your Lordship's Pardon, shou'd I continue it.
I will therefore beg leave to subscribe my self, with
all Submission,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's
Most Obedient and
Most Humble Servant,
Colley Cibber.
