 | Junius Brutus |  |
12
PROLOGUE.
Spoken by Mr. MILWARD.
The
Tragic Muse subdues relentless Hearts,
Corrects light Mirth, and pleasing Woe imparts.
Her soothing Strains with awful Pomp controul
The Pride of Pow'r, and humanize the Soul;
While guilty Mortals, with just Terror, view
The Tortures that their daring Crimes pursue.
Tho' lately banish'd from the British Stage,
She boldly now resumes her gen'rous Rage.
Corrects light Mirth, and pleasing Woe imparts.
Her soothing Strains with awful Pomp controul
The Pride of Pow'r, and humanize the Soul;
While guilty Mortals, with just Terror, view
The Tortures that their daring Crimes pursue.
Tho' lately banish'd from the British Stage,
She boldly now resumes her gen'rous Rage.
When Infant Rome, for warlike Arts renown'd,
Began t'enlarge her Empire's narrow Bound,
A Prince arose who by no Laws confin'd,
Trampled on all the Rights of Humankind;
With unrelenting Rage enslav'd the Land;
The People groan'd beneath his cruel Hand:
The Patriot-Citizens essay'd in vain,
The Torrent of his Fury to restrain.
Began t'enlarge her Empire's narrow Bound,
A Prince arose who by no Laws confin'd,
Trampled on all the Rights of Humankind;
With unrelenting Rage enslav'd the Land;
The People groan'd beneath his cruel Hand:
The Patriot-Citizens essay'd in vain,
The Torrent of his Fury to restrain.
Then Brutus, rais'd by Heav'n for Public Good,
Himself descended from the Royal Blood,
Stood forth t'assert the suff'ring Romans Cause,
And vindicate their violated Laws.
Himself descended from the Royal Blood,
Stood forth t'assert the suff'ring Romans Cause,
And vindicate their violated Laws.
13
A foreign Bard these Scenes in Britain plann'd,
Britain, dear Liberty! thy Darling Land.
The Genius of our Isle here shines confest,
Which warm'd with British Fire a Gallic Breast!
Since, in Defiance of Despotic Sway,
A Stranger durst such gen'rous Truths display,
It were a Crime to doubt of Your Applause,
Who are so happy to be rul'd by Laws.
Britain, dear Liberty! thy Darling Land.
The Genius of our Isle here shines confest,
Which warm'd with British Fire a Gallic Breast!
Since, in Defiance of Despotic Sway,
A Stranger durst such gen'rous Truths display,
It were a Crime to doubt of Your Applause,
Who are so happy to be rul'd by Laws.
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