University of Virginia Library

THE EPILOGUE, Spoke by Mrs. CROSS.

The Female Posse of our varying State,
Jointly impatient of their low'ring Fate,
Were coming in a Body, all about ye,
Plainly to let you know—
Cruel, as you are, They cannot live without ye.
But tho' indeed it cou'd be thought no wonder,
In Tragedy to entertain with Thunder,
Yet, since the Learn'd in Sounds have question'd, whether
Mens Ears can bear Ten Womens Tongues together;
And since to strike you Deaf were our undoing,
I'm come without them, all alone a Wooing:
I come, in short, plainly to tell my Mind,
Which is, in downright English, you're unkind;
A Woman speaks, will you not listen to her?
Once you were Men of other Moulds, I'm sure:
And, as Men shou'd do, you lov'd Change of Old,
What, but Two Stages, and must One catch Cold?
The Old House, out upon't! O fie for Shame!
The Ladies shou'd be frighted at the Name:
Once it was otherwise, and some of you
Have lik'd Things ne'er the worse for being New;
But Tastes will change, and, rather than complain,
We'll strive to court you in your Fav'rite Strain;
Pray therefore, sober Sirs, be pleas'd to know,
We've young, fresh Actresses, whom we don't show;
Because, of late, your Practice seems to own,
You like That best, which you have longest known;
Then certainly you'll ease Us of our Fears,
For, by our Tell-Tale Records, it appears,
That you've known some of us these Twenty Years:
Won't that do neither?—Hang me if it will:
No, no, I find you'll be for changing still;
Well then, if you must change,—
Do it like Statesmen, and in Time restrain
The growing Pow'r of Rival Drury-Lane;
What, tho' you long have, partially, been kind,
Shall Their good Fortune make them think You blind?
Proud as They are, make This a lucky Cast,
And, having won you, Faith, we'll hold you fast.