Edward The Black Prince ; Or, The Battle of Poictiers An Historical Tragedy |
THE PROLOGUE, Spoken by Mr. Havard.
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 | Edward The Black Prince ; Or, The Battle of Poictiers |  |
THE PROLOGUE, Spoken by Mr. Havard.
The
Sons of Genius search, thro' ev'ry Age,
For proper Heroes to adorn the Stage:
Here Greeks and Romans rise again to View,
Again fight bravely, and their Fame renew.
The great unshaken Cato here you see,
And Cæsar falls for English Liberty.
No Standard-Virtue ripen'd yet on Earth,
But you behold it in a second Birth;
To strike, impress—impel the vig'rous Mind,
And give ye all the Boasts of all Mankind.
For proper Heroes to adorn the Stage:
Here Greeks and Romans rise again to View,
Again fight bravely, and their Fame renew.
The great unshaken Cato here you see,
And Cæsar falls for English Liberty.
No Standard-Virtue ripen'd yet on Earth,
But you behold it in a second Birth;
To strike, impress—impel the vig'rous Mind,
And give ye all the Boasts of all Mankind.
Such Spurs to Glory—if they Glory raise,
Deserve Protection—nay, demand your Praise.
Deserve Protection—nay, demand your Praise.
Our Bard to night, no doubtful Story brings,
Of native, genuine English Feats he sings:
Here no false Varnish glitters to surprise,
But just historic Truths in Order rise;
And sure that Tale must have for Britons Charms,
That shews you France subdu'd by British Arms:
Our Lions traversing their ravag'd Plains,
Their Armies broken, and their King in Chains.
Of native, genuine English Feats he sings:
Here no false Varnish glitters to surprise,
But just historic Truths in Order rise;
And sure that Tale must have for Britons Charms,
That shews you France subdu'd by British Arms:
Our Lions traversing their ravag'd Plains,
Their Armies broken, and their King in Chains.
Our Poet fir'd by England's ancient Fame,
(And humbly aiming at great Shakespear's Flame!)
On Candour's Judgment bids his Hopes repose,
Alike disdaining partial Friends and Foes.
If his warm Glow excites a Patriot-Zeal,
If from your Eyes soft Drops of Pity steal;
If Fears, Hopes, Sorrows, rise with vary'd Art,
And by the Hand of Nature touch the Heart;
There let him reign—Be there his Pow'r confess'd,
And gen'rous Judges will o'erlook the rest!
(And humbly aiming at great Shakespear's Flame!)
Alike disdaining partial Friends and Foes.
If his warm Glow excites a Patriot-Zeal,
If from your Eyes soft Drops of Pity steal;
If Fears, Hopes, Sorrows, rise with vary'd Art,
And by the Hand of Nature touch the Heart;
There let him reign—Be there his Pow'r confess'd,
And gen'rous Judges will o'erlook the rest!
With the humane and the exalted Mind,
The Absent and the Dead, Indulgence find.
Know then—a Parent breathing foreign Air,
This Night commits his Darling to your Care.
No Faction's form'd to prostitute Applause,
No Art, no Int'rest, to support his Cause:
The public Honour 'tis his Pride to trust,
Nor can he think your Voice will be unjust.
Attentive hear, unprejudic'd explore,
And judge like Englishmen—he asks no more.
The Absent and the Dead, Indulgence find.
Know then—a Parent breathing foreign Air,
This Night commits his Darling to your Care.
No Faction's form'd to prostitute Applause,
No Art, no Int'rest, to support his Cause:
The public Honour 'tis his Pride to trust,
Nor can he think your Voice will be unjust.
Attentive hear, unprejudic'd explore,
And judge like Englishmen—he asks no more.
| Edward The Black Prince ; Or, The Battle of Poictiers | |