Fatal Curiosity A True Tragedy |
PROLOGUE, Written by Henry Fielding, 1736. Spoken by Mr. Roberts.
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 | Fatal Curiosity |  |
PROLOGUE, Written by Henry Fielding, 1736. Spoken by Mr. Roberts.
The
tragic Muse has long forgot to please
With Shakespear's Nature, or with Fletcher's Ease:
No Passion mov'd, thro' five long Acts you sit,
Charm'd with the Poet's Language, or his Wit.
Fine Things are said, no matter whence they fall;
Each single Character might speak them all.
With Shakespear's Nature, or with Fletcher's Ease:
No Passion mov'd, thro' five long Acts you sit,
Charm'd with the Poet's Language, or his Wit.
Fine Things are said, no matter whence they fall;
Each single Character might speak them all.
But from this modern fashionable Way,
To-night, our Author begs your Leave to stray.
No fustian Hero rages here to-night;
No Armies fall, to fix a Tyrant's Right:
From lower Life we draw our Scene's Distress:
—Let not your Equals move your Pity less!
Virtue distrest in humble State support;
Nor think, she never lies without the Court.
To-night, our Author begs your Leave to stray.
No fustian Hero rages here to-night;
No Armies fall, to fix a Tyrant's Right:
From lower Life we draw our Scene's Distress:
—Let not your Equals move your Pity less!
Virtue distrest in humble State support;
Nor think, she never lies without the Court.
Tho' to our Scenes no Royal Robes belong,
And tho' our little Stage as yet be young ,
Throw both your Scorn and Prejudice aside,
Let us with Favour, not Contempt, be try'd;
Thro' the first Acts a kind Attention lend,
The growing Scene shall force you to attend;
Shall catch the Eyes of every tender Fair,
And make them charm their Lovers with a Tear.
The Lover too by Pity shall impart
His tender Passion to his fair One's Heart:
The Breast which others Anguish cannot move,
Was ne'er the Seat of Friendship, or of Love.
And tho' our little Stage as yet be young ,
Throw both your Scorn and Prejudice aside,
Let us with Favour, not Contempt, be try'd;
Thro' the first Acts a kind Attention lend,
The growing Scene shall force you to attend;
Shall catch the Eyes of every tender Fair,
And make them charm their Lovers with a Tear.
The Lover too by Pity shall impart
His tender Passion to his fair One's Heart:
The Breast which others Anguish cannot move,
Was ne'er the Seat of Friendship, or of Love.
| Fatal Curiosity | |