 | The False Friend, Or, the Fate of Disobedience |  |
PROLOGUE. By Mr. Hodgson.
Amongst
Reformers of this Vitious Age,
Who think it Duty to Refine the Stage:
A Woman, to Contribute, does Intend,
In Hopes a Moral Play your Lives will Mend.
Matters of State, she'l not pretend to Teach;
Or Treat of War, or things above her Reach:
Nor Scourge your Folly's, with keen Satyrs Rage;
But try if good Example will Engage.
For Precepts oft do fail from Vice to win,
And Punishments but harden you in Sin.
Therefore (Male Judges) She prescribes no Rule
And knows 'tis vain to make Wise Men of Fools.
Lest all those Wholesom Laws that she can give,
You'd think too much below you to receive.
—That part then of the Reformation,
Which she believes the fittest for her Station;
Is, to shew Man the surest way to Charm:
And all those Virtues, Women most Adorn.
Who think it Duty to Refine the Stage:
A Woman, to Contribute, does Intend,
In Hopes a Moral Play your Lives will Mend.
Matters of State, she'l not pretend to Teach;
Or Treat of War, or things above her Reach:
Nor Scourge your Folly's, with keen Satyrs Rage;
But try if good Example will Engage.
For Precepts oft do fail from Vice to win,
And Punishments but harden you in Sin.
Therefore (Male Judges) She prescribes no Rule
And knows 'tis vain to make Wise Men of Fools.
Lest all those Wholesom Laws that she can give,
You'd think too much below you to receive.
—That part then of the Reformation,
Which she believes the fittest for her Station;
Is, to shew Man the surest way to Charm:
And all those Virtues, Women most Adorn.
First then,—No Beau can e're Succesful prove,
Narcissus like, who's with himself in Love.
No wretched Miser must e're hope to find,
With Chest's Lok'd up, a Friend 'mongst Woman kind.
No Drunkard, Fool, Debauchee, or one that Swears,
Can Win a Woman, or beguile her Fears;
But he that's Honest, Generous, and Brave,
That's Wise and Constant, may his Wishes have.
Narcissus like, who's with himself in Love.
No wretched Miser must e're hope to find,
With Chest's Lok'd up, a Friend 'mongst Woman kind.
No Drunkard, Fool, Debauchee, or one that Swears,
Can Win a Woman, or beguile her Fears;
But he that's Honest, Generous, and Brave,
That's Wise and Constant, may his Wishes have.
But Hold, I'de forgot—
You must not be Ill-natur'd and Unkind,
Moroseness Suits not with their Tender Minds.
They are all soft, as is the Down of Doves,
As Innocent and Harmless are their Loves;
And those Misfortunes which on Men do fall,
To their False Selves they Chiefly owe 'em all.
Did Men Reform, all Women wou'd do well:
In Virtue, as in Beauty they'd Excell.
But while each strive the other to Betray,
Both are to Fears and Jealosie's a Prey.
Let not Ill-nature then Reign here to Night,
Nor think you shew most Wit, when most you Spite;
But Strive the Beauties of the Play to find,
The Modest Scenes, and Nicest Actions mind,
Then to your Selves, and Authress you'l be kind.
You must not be Ill-natur'd and Unkind,
Moroseness Suits not with their Tender Minds.
They are all soft, as is the Down of Doves,
As Innocent and Harmless are their Loves;
And those Misfortunes which on Men do fall,
To their False Selves they Chiefly owe 'em all.
Did Men Reform, all Women wou'd do well:
In Virtue, as in Beauty they'd Excell.
But while each strive the other to Betray,
Both are to Fears and Jealosie's a Prey.
Let not Ill-nature then Reign here to Night,
Nor think you shew most Wit, when most you Spite;
But Strive the Beauties of the Play to find,
The Modest Scenes, and Nicest Actions mind,
Then to your Selves, and Authress you'l be kind.
| The False Friend, Or, the Fate of Disobedience | |