University of Virginia Library

PROLOGUE. Written by Major PACK. Spoken by Mr. RYAN.

Struck with each Ancient Greek or Roman Name,
Blindly We Pay Devotion to Their Fame.
Their Boasted Chiefs in Partial Lights are shown:
Neglect, or Envy, still Attends Our Own.
Poets and Priests, the People to Deceive,
Form Gods and Heroes Neither do Believe.
Our Author scorns All Worship but the True:
He brings Unquestion'd Wonders to Your View.
An English Martyr shall Ascend the Stage,
To Shame the Last, and Warn the Present Age.
The Tragic Scene with moving Art will tell
How Brave He Fought—how Wrong'd the Soldier Fell.
‘Ambition is a Mistress Few enjoy!
‘False to Our Hopes, and to Our Wishes Coy;
‘The Bold She Baffles, and Defeats the Strong;
‘And All are Ruin'd Who Pursue Her long.
‘Yet so Bewitching are Her Fatal Charms,
‘We think it Heav'n to Dye within Her Arms.
‘Thus Raleigh Thought—and in the Glorious Strife
‘Immortal Honour gain'd—but lost His Life.
Jealous of Virtue That was so Sublime,
His Country Damn'd His Merit as a Crime.
The Traytor's Doom did on the Patriot Wait:
He Sav'd—and then He Perish'd by the State.
A Patient Monarch, too securely Wise,
(Unhappy Kings! They See with Others Eyes)
Weakly Consented to the Guilty Deed,
And made Three Kingdoms in their Champion Bleed.
Britains, by This Example Taught, Unite!
Wound not the Publick out of Private Spight.
To Great Atchievements Just Rewards allow;
Nor tear the Lawrel from the Victor's Brow.
Exert Your Vigour in the Nation's Cause;
But Grudge no Rival His Deserv'd Applause.
Safely We may Defy Madrid or Rome,
If no Sly Gundamor Prevails at Home.