 | Double Falshood ; or, The Distrest Lovers |  |
PROLOGUE. Written by PHILIP FROWDE, Esq; And Spoken by Mr. Wilks.
As
in some Region, where indulgent Skies
Enrich the Soil, a thousand Plants arise
Frequent and bold; a thousand Landskips meet
Our ravisht View, irregularly sweet:
We gaze, divided, now on These, now Those;
While All one beauteous Wilderness compose.
Enrich the Soil, a thousand Plants arise
Frequent and bold; a thousand Landskips meet
Our ravisht View, irregularly sweet:
We gaze, divided, now on These, now Those;
While All one beauteous Wilderness compose.
Such Shakespeare's Genius was:—Let Britons boast
The glorious Birth, and, eager, strive who most
Shall celebrate his Verse; for while we raise
Trophies of Fame to him, ourselves we praise:
Display the Talents of a British Mind,
Where All is great, free, open, unconfin'd.
Be it our Pride, to reach his daring Flight;
And relish Beauties, he alone could write.
The glorious Birth, and, eager, strive who most
Shall celebrate his Verse; for while we raise
Trophies of Fame to him, ourselves we praise:
Display the Talents of a British Mind,
Where All is great, free, open, unconfin'd.
Be it our Pride, to reach his daring Flight;
And relish Beauties, he alone could write.
Most modern Authors, fearful to aspire,
With Imitation cramp their genial Fire;
The well-schemed Plan keep strict before their Eyes,
Dwell on Proportions, trifling Decencies;
While noble Nature all neglected lies.
Nature, that claims Precedency of Place,
Perfection's Basis, and essential Grace!
Nature so intimately Shakespeare knew,
From her first Springs his Sentiments he drew;
Most greatly wild they flow; and, when most wild, yet true.
With Imitation cramp their genial Fire;
The well-schemed Plan keep strict before their Eyes,
Dwell on Proportions, trifling Decencies;
While noble Nature all neglected lies.
Nature, that claims Precedency of Place,
Perfection's Basis, and essential Grace!
From her first Springs his Sentiments he drew;
Most greatly wild they flow; and, when most wild, yet true.
While These, secure in what the Criticks teach,
Of servile Laws still dread the dangerous Breach;
His vast, unbounded, Soul disdain'd their Rule,
Above the Precepts of the Pedant School!
Of servile Laws still dread the dangerous Breach;
His vast, unbounded, Soul disdain'd their Rule,
Above the Precepts of the Pedant School!
Oh! could the Bard, revisiting our Light,
Receive these Honours done his Shade To-night,
How would he bless the Scene this Age displays,
Transcending his Eliza's golden Days!
When great Augustus fills the British Throne,
And his lov'd Consort makes the Muse her own.
How would he joy, to see fair Merit's Claim
Thus answer'd in his own reviving Fame!
How cry with Pride—“Oblivion I forgive;
“This my last Child to latest Times shall live:
“Lost to the World, well for the Birth it stay'd;
“To this auspicious Æra well delay'd.
Receive these Honours done his Shade To-night,
How would he bless the Scene this Age displays,
Transcending his Eliza's golden Days!
When great Augustus fills the British Throne,
And his lov'd Consort makes the Muse her own.
How would he joy, to see fair Merit's Claim
Thus answer'd in his own reviving Fame!
How cry with Pride—“Oblivion I forgive;
“This my last Child to latest Times shall live:
“Lost to the World, well for the Birth it stay'd;
“To this auspicious Æra well delay'd.
| Double Falshood ; or, The Distrest Lovers | |