Cleonice, Princess of Bithynia A Tragedy |
PROLOGUE. Written by T. Vaughan, Esq.—Spoken by Mr. Bensley.
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 | Cleonice, Princess of Bithynia |  |
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PROLOGUE. Written by T. Vaughan, Esq.—Spoken by Mr. Bensley.
Tell
me, ye gods, ye arbiters of wit,
Who rule the heavens, or who lead the pit,
[Addressing the gallery and pit.
Whence comes it, in an age refin'd by taste,
By science polish'd, and by judgment chaste,
We see the muse, in dignity sublime,
Led on by prologue, ape-ing pantomime?
Whose sportive fancy, and whose comic skill,
All must applaud—where Roscius guides the quill;
Yet when Melpomene in grief appears,
Her suff'ring virtue bath'd in sorrow's tears,
From tyrant laws, or jealous love oppress'd,
Swelling with silence in her tortur'd breast,
How can the heart her genial impulse shew,
Feel as she feels, or weep another's woe;
When gay Thalia has so late possess'd
The laughing transports of the human breast?
Let each her province keep, let jocund mirth
To Epilogue alone give happy birth;
Ease the struck soul from ev'ry anxious fear,
And wipe from beauty's cheek the silent tear.
Who rule the heavens, or who lead the pit,
[Addressing the gallery and pit.
Whence comes it, in an age refin'd by taste,
By science polish'd, and by judgment chaste,
We see the muse, in dignity sublime,
Led on by prologue, ape-ing pantomime?
Whose sportive fancy, and whose comic skill,
All must applaud—where Roscius guides the quill;
Yet when Melpomene in grief appears,
Her suff'ring virtue bath'd in sorrow's tears,
From tyrant laws, or jealous love oppress'd,
Swelling with silence in her tortur'd breast,
How can the heart her genial impulse shew,
Feel as she feels, or weep another's woe;
When gay Thalia has so late possess'd
The laughing transports of the human breast?
Let each her province keep, let jocund mirth
To Epilogue alone give happy birth;
Ease the struck soul from ev'ry anxious fear,
And wipe from beauty's cheek the silent tear.
Twice Metastasio's wings have borne our bayes,
And safely brought him o'er the critic seas;
Fir'd with success, he dares this awful night,
Cheer'd by your smiles to take a bolder flight;
Nor longer stoop beneath a foreign shade,
Like Dian shining from a borrow'd aid;
But comes impregnate with Icarian pride,
To stretch his pinions, and forsake his guide;
Yet doubtful flies, lest vapours damp his force,
And one black cloud should stop his airy course,
To awful heights his proud ambition soars,
And the dread regions of applause explores;
No sun he fears—but courts its warmest ray,
'Tis yours to raise—or sink him in the sea.
And safely brought him o'er the critic seas;
vi
Cheer'd by your smiles to take a bolder flight;
Nor longer stoop beneath a foreign shade,
Like Dian shining from a borrow'd aid;
But comes impregnate with Icarian pride,
To stretch his pinions, and forsake his guide;
Yet doubtful flies, lest vapours damp his force,
And one black cloud should stop his airy course,
To awful heights his proud ambition soars,
And the dread regions of applause explores;
No sun he fears—but courts its warmest ray,
'Tis yours to raise—or sink him in the sea.
Let Candour then proceed to try the cause,
That Magna Charta of dramatic laws!
That Magna Charta of dramatic laws!
| Cleonice, Princess of Bithynia | |