University of Virginia Library

PROLOGUE.

As oft in form'd Assemblies of the Fair,
The strait-lac'd Prude will no loose Passion bear,
Beyond set Bounds no Lover must address,
But secret Flame in distant Sighs express;
Yet if by Chance some gay Coquet sails in,
A joyous Murmur breaks the silent Scene,
Each Heart reliev'd by her enliv'ning Fire,
Feels easy Hope, and unconfin'd Desire;
Then shuddering Prudes with secret Envy burn,
And treat the Fops, they could not catch, with Scorn.
So Plays are valued; not confin'd to Rules,
Those Prudes, the Criticks call them, Feasts for Fools;
And if an Audience 'gainst those Rules is warm'd,
Or by the lawless Force of Genius charm'd,
Their whole Confederate Body is alarm'd:
Then every Feature's false, though ne'er so taking,
The Heart's deceiv'd, though 'tis with Pleasure aking,
They'll prove your Charmer's not agreeable:
Thus far'd it with the Cid of Fam'd Corneille.
In France 'twas charg'd with Faults were past enduring,
But still had Beauties that were so alluring,
It rais'd the Envy of the grave Richlieu,
And Spite of his Remarks, cram'd Houses drew:
Of this Assertion if the Truth you'll know,
Two Lines will prove it from the great Boileau:
En vain contre le Cid un Ministre se ligue,
Tout Paris pour Chimene a les yeux de Rodrigue.
In vain against the Cid the Statesman arms,
Paris with Rodrick feels Ximena's Charms.
This proves, when Passion truly wrought appears,
In Plays imperfect, 'twill command your Tears:
Yet think not from what's said, we Rules despise,
To raise your Wonder from Absurdities;
As France improv'd it from the Spanish Pen,
We hope, now British, 'tis improv'd again:
And though lost Tragedy has long seem'd Dead,
Yet having lately rais'd her awful Head,
To Night with Pains and Cost we humbly strive
To keep the Spirit of that Taste alive:
But if, like Phaeton, in Corneille's Carr,
Th'unequal Muse unhappily should err,
At least you'll own from glorious Heights she fell,
And there's some Merit in attempting well.