 | Mariamne |  |
PROLOGUE Written by a FRIEND. SPOKEN BY Mr. RYAN.
When
breathing statues mould'ring waste away,
And Tombs, unfaithful to their trust, decay;
The Muse recalls the suffering Good to fame,
Or wakes the prosp'rous villain into shame:
To the stern tyrant gives fictitious pow'r,
To reign the restless monarch of an hour.
And Tombs, unfaithful to their trust, decay;
The Muse recalls the suffering Good to fame,
Or wakes the prosp'rous villain into shame:
To the stern tyrant gives fictitious pow'r,
To reign the restless monarch of an hour.
Obedient to her call, this night appears
Great Herod, rising from a length of years:
A name enlarg'd with titles not his own,
Servile to mount, and savage on the throne:
Whose bold ambition trembling Jewry view'd,
In blood of half her royal race imbru'd.
But now reviving in the British scene,
He looks majestic with a milder mien:
His features soften'd with the deep distress
Of love, made greatly wretched by excess!
From lust of pow'r to jealous fury tost,
We shew the tyrant in the lover lost.
Great Herod, rising from a length of years:
A name enlarg'd with titles not his own,
Servile to mount, and savage on the throne:
Whose bold ambition trembling Jewry view'd,
In blood of half her royal race imbru'd.
But now reviving in the British scene,
He looks majestic with a milder mien:
His features soften'd with the deep distress
Of love, made greatly wretched by excess!
From lust of pow'r to jealous fury tost,
We shew the tyrant in the lover lost.
If no compassion, when his crimes are weigh'd,
To his ill-fated fondness must be paid;
Yet see, ye Fair! and see with pitying eyes
The bright afflicted Mariamne rise.
No fancy'd tale! our op'ning scenes disclose
Historic truth, and swell with real woes.
Awful in virtuous grief the Queen appears,
And strong the eloquence of royal tears.
Then, let her fate your kind attention raise,
Whose perfect charms were but her second praise:
Beauty and Virtue your protection claim,
Give tears to Beauty, and to Virtue fame.
To his ill-fated fondness must be paid;
The bright afflicted Mariamne rise.
No fancy'd tale! our op'ning scenes disclose
Historic truth, and swell with real woes.
Awful in virtuous grief the Queen appears,
And strong the eloquence of royal tears.
Then, let her fate your kind attention raise,
Whose perfect charms were but her second praise:
Beauty and Virtue your protection claim,
Give tears to Beauty, and to Virtue fame.
| Mariamne | |