103:00,000[' ]| 103:01,000[' ]| 103:01,000[' ]| 103:01,001[A ]| The learned sons of Athens have thought good 103:01,002[A ]| (Long heard, but ne'er seen, felt nor understood) 103:01,003[A ]| In complacence, no longer stout nor proud, 103:01,004[A ]| For once to unmask and peep from out their cloud. 103:01,005[A ]| Believe it: 'tis no small condescending graces 103:01,006[A ]| When such Seraphics come to show their faces. 103:01,007[A ]| But have a care how 'tis you look before ye, 103:01,008[A ]| And gaze too long, too bold on such full glory. 103:01,009[A ]| And now, sirs, for our great heroic drama, 103:01,010[A ]| The history of our fair heirs of Fama:<10> 103:01,011[A ]| Art's brazen leaves, and Wisdom's massiest volume, 103:01,012[A ]| Learning's nil ultra, Wit's Herculean column, 103:01,013[A ]| Nature's surveyors general, the great all, 103:01,014[A ]| Athens, whose vast ecliptic girts the ball: 103:01,015[A ]| For these illustrious heroes kindly greeting 103:01,016[A ]| In elevated coffee cockloft meeting 103:01,017[A ]| Stage somewhat of the narrowest. ~~ But no matter, 103:01,018[A ]| To excuse our humble scenes and small theatre, 103:01,019[A ]| So cooped, so pent ~~ to own their larger due, 103:01,020[A ]| Such greatness should descend to mortal view<20> 103:01,021[A ]| In pomp and state, in full majestic mien, 103:01,022[A ]| Like their great Brentford brothers, in machine. 103:02,000[' ]| 103:02,000[' ]| 103:02,001[A ]| To gain your favourable smile today, 103:02,002[A ]| What a hard task has our unhappy play! 103:02,003[A ]| After so rich a feast of wit before, 103:02,004[A ]| Our coarser fare we fear's a treat too poor. 103:02,005[A ]| Yet let's consider, half our fears to ease, 103:02,006[A ]| What constitutions 'tis we have to please: 103:02,007[A ]| You, who when some bright Celia you've enjoyed, 103:02,008[A ]| How have we seen you, surfeited and cloyed 103:02,009[A ]| With the possession of those fairer charms, 103:02,010[A ]| Run to some little paltry dowdy's arms.<10> 103:02,011[A ]| Change, dear sweet change! 103:02,012[A ]| There you run on so fast, siege, battle, storm: 103:02,013[A ]| Could you your feats of war like those of love perform, 103:02,014[A ]| All so many young headlong Alexanders, 103:02,015[A ]| You'd make a swinging nursery for Flanders. 103:02,016[A ]| That brisk, bold, pushing race! Lord, what a dance 103:02,017[A ]| Would such a set of heroes make in France! 103:02,018[A ]| Ah, sirs, so very fickle in your kisses, 103:02,019[A ]| Would you treat poets as you do your misses? 103:02,020[A ]| Let wit and love your equal graces share,<20> 103:02,021[A ]| Our humble scribbler then need ne'er despair. 103:02,022[A ]| Ah, no! ~~ 103:02,023[A ]| A poet may, perhaps, once in an age 103:02,024[A ]| Have the good fortune your kind hearts to engage; 103:02,025[A ]| They gain your favours slow, but then they last, 103:02,026[A ]| Your kind embrace they win and hold as fast. 103:02,027[A ]| With us, our sex alone, to your disgrace, 103:02,028[A ]| False men, you're every day for a new face: 103:02,029[A ]| Your volatile Mercury is all in love, 103:02,030[A ]| We are the mourning turtles of the grove.<30> 103:02,031[A ]| You're those wild strays, and fly so all at rovers, 103:02,032[A ]| You're beaux, wits, courtiers, everything but lovers; 103:02,033[A ]| Youth, beauty, virtue, all will do no good, 103:02,034[A ]| You're constant everywhere but where you should. 103:03,000[' ]| 103:03,001[A ]| Well, gentlemen, our author bids me say 103:03,002[A ]| He treats you with an out-of-fashion play. 103:03,003[A ]| His fair court miss, perked in her reigning glory, 103:03,004[A ]| In the late age had been a modish story, 103:03,005[A ]| But now the old dull tale will never do. 103:03,006[A ]| And yet I'll swear, the play has something new: 103:03,007[A ]| New, did I say? Yes, if it has no more, 103:03,008[A ]| Here's two new legs you never saw before. 103:03,009[A ]| Nay, and what's more, they come to court you too: 103:03,010[A ]| Ay, sirs, you see what wonders you can do.<10> 103:03,011[A ]| Bring a young suppliant to those sweet faces 103:03,012[A ]| To beg to our poor play your kind good graces. 103:03,013[A ]| Faith, sirs, for once lay by your critic thunder, 103:03,014[A ]| Not for the senseless poet, hang him blunder, 103:03,015[A ]| But for our sakes your angry vengeance stay: 103:03,016[A ]| Consider, sirs, this is the women's play. 103:03,017[A ]| And when we woo your favour, sure you are 103:03,018[A ]| Not so hard-hearted to deny our prayer. 103:03,019[A ]| Besides, let me entreat, baulk not a poor 103:03,020[A ]| Petitioner that never begged before.<20> 103:03,021[A ]| Grant me but this first suit, a boon so easy, 103:03,022[A ]| And in return I'll one day hope to please ye. 103:03,023[A ]| Encouraged by your smiles, a beam so fair, 103:03,024[A ]| Here's two good works at once, for I declare 103:03,025[A ]| You will both save a play and make a player. 103:04,000[' ]| 103:04,000[' ]| 103:04,001[A ]| To write a play is pure poetic rage, 103:04,002[A ]| For you're so hard to please in this nice age 103:04,003[A ]| Who less than mad would scribble for the stage? 103:04,004[A ]| Poets, of their new plays so vainly fond, 103:04,005[A ]| Mistake the bristol for the diamond, 103:04,006[A ]| But when revived Philaster does appear 103:04,007[A ]| We come secure, bring sterling merit here. 103:04,008[A ]| A staunch old orient, with true lustre dressed, 103:04,009[A ]| Wit that has stood the hammer, bore the test: 103:04,010[A ]| No poet shall by this day's doom be killed,<10> 103:04,011[A ]| We safely fight behind great Fletcher's shield. 103:04,012[A ]| That good old play Philaster ne'er can fail, 103:04,013[A ]| But we young actors, how shall we prevail? 103:04,014[A ]| Philaster and Bellario, let me tell ye, 103:04,015[A ]| For those bold parts we have no Hart, no Nelly: 103:04,016[A ]| Those darlings of the stage that charmed you there, 103:04,017[A ]| Our feebler strength must of their heights despair. 103:04,018[A ]| We're tender buds, till you the lords of the soil 103:04,019[A ]| Warm us to life by your auspicious smile; 103:04,020[A ]| The elder heroes of the other stage<20> 103:04,021[A ]| Were striplings once of our young beardless age 103:04,022[A ]| And to perfection did not leap, but climb: 103:04,023[A ]| Merit's the product of long growth and time. 103:04,024[A ]| Who push for fame by fair degrees must strike: 103:04,025[A ]| A general in the field has trailed a pike. 103:04,026[A ]| Grant us this first, our trial year alone, 103:04,027[A ]| Expect performance when our wings are grown, 103:04,028[A ]| Let our pen-feathered strength this favour borrow, 103:04,029[A ]| Only to creep today, and soar tomorrow. 103:05,000[A ]| 103:05,001[A ]| Ladies, to supplicate our play's success, 103:05,002[A ]| Hither I am sent, a small ambassadress. 103:05,003[A ]| Once our Philaster was a lady's play, 103:05,004[A ]| And if in the last age so warm a ray 103:05,005[A ]| From that high sphere the glittering boxes shined, 103:05,006[A ]| Shall Beauty's bright succession be less kind? 103:05,007[A ]| If he pleased then, he must your favour share, 103:05,008[A ]| For goodness is entailed upon the fair. 103:05,009[A ]| I would implore the men's sweet kindness too, 103:05,010[A ]| But I'm too young for their dear smiles to sue.<10> 103:05,011[A ]| Besides, what hopes has my weak eloquence, 103:05,012[A ]| My slender oratory, feeble sense! 103:05,013[A ]| Perhaps I may speak reason - three years hence ~~ 103:05,014[A ]| Then a soft story whispered in your ear 103:05,015[A ]| Would be a tale you would be glad to hear. 103:05,016[A ]| However, though I am too young a face, 103:05,017[A ]| Kind gallants, in your eyes to hope for grace, 103:05,018[A ]| Yet for once let me my request obtain: 103:05,019[A ]| I beg this play may live, nor let me beg in vain. 103:05,020[A ]| Nay, sirs, if nothing else your smiles can buy,<20> 103:05,021[A ]| Be but so kind, out of mere policy, 103:05,022[A ]| To grant me my first suite, on these conditions, 103:05,023[A ]| That I may one day grant you your petitions. 103:06,000[' ]| 103:06,000[' ]| 103:06,001[A ]| They say young actors on the stage appear 103:06,002[A ]| At their first entry with a trembling fear; 103:06,003[A ]| And yet, methinks, by all that I can find, 103:06,004[A ]| The ladies look so gay, and men so kind 103:06,005[A ]| That all my trembling pains are vanished quite: 103:06,006[A ]| Are such fine folks so terrible a sight? 103:06,007[A ]| All that I see do rather please than fright. 103:06,008[A ]| Then I'll be bold, and tell you I am sent 103:06,009[A ]| To make - Make what? ~~ the poet's compliment. 103:06,010[A ]| Not I indeed. ~~ Let him e'en sink or swim:<10> 103:06,011[A ]| Is it fit I should excuses find for him, 103:06,012[A ]| And be so vain to expect any grace 103:06,013[A ]| The very first time that I show my face? 103:06,014[A ]| I must confess I fain his friend would be, 103:06,015[A ]| But I had rather have you friends to me; 103:06,016[A ]| He has, alas, been used to Fortune's frown, 103:06,017[A ]| But if you treat me ill, I am undone. 103:06,018[A ]| Alas! I set up with a stock so small, 103:06,019[A ]| The first miscarriage would quite ruin all. 103:06,020[A ]| For if I now should break, where must I run?<20> 103:06,021[A ]| Privileged places are all quite put down. 103:06,022[A ]| But there's a way for you to help me yet, 103:06,023[A ]| For if I cannot all your favours get 103:06,024[A ]| I hope you'll grant one thing in my behalf: 103:06,025[A ]| Let me but have two-thirds, and I am safe. 103:07,000[' ]| 103:07,001[A ]| Welcome Beauty, all the charms 103:07,002[A ]| Sparkling in that orb of glory; 103:07,003[A ]| All to those protecting arms, 103:07,004[A ]| Thus we bend and kneel before ye. 103:07,005[A ]| If the Fates that rule below 103:07,006[A ]| All are smiling Heaven's creation, 103:07,007[A ]| We have no kind stars but you, 103:07,008[A ]| All in that fair constellation. 103:07,009[A ]| Smile then with a beam divine, 103:07,010[A ]| We'll be blessed if you but shine;<10> 103:07,011[A ]| Happy then our pains and toils, 103:07,012[A ]| Wit only lives when Beauty smiles. 103:07,013[A ]| Your graces let the Muses share, 103:07,014[A ]| And in return they make this prayer: 103:07,015[A ]| In all your quiver 103:07,016[A ]| May there never 103:07,017[A ]| Want a shaft all hearts to gain; 103:07,018[A ]| Whilst all their duty 103:07,019[A ]| Paid to beauty 103:07,020[A ]| The great shall kneel and fair shall reign.<20> 103:01,000[' ]| 103:01,001[A ]| Gallants, 103:01,002[A ]| The author sends me here to win your hearts 103:01,003[A ]| With this full wig, and not his own deserts, 103:01,004[A ]| For he believes, and I suppose you know, 103:01,005[A ]| There's nothing pleases more than a young beau. 103:01,006[A ]| But yet the stage this day has done its best, 103:01,007[A ]| For it has furnished out a miser's feast; 103:01,008[A ]| And if this charge and pains should now be lost, 103:01,009[A ]| 'Twere hard to shipwreck on a golden coast. 103:01,010[A ]| But, gentlemen and ladies, I must say, 103:01,011[A ]| Since I am chose champion to defend this play,<10> 103:01,012[A ]| I'll do it: 103:01,013[A ]| And here, with sword in hand, declare 103:01,014[A ]| To justify it against all that dare 103:01,015[A ]| Strive to undo the painter and the player. 103:01,016[A ]| The poet, he, alas! only depends 103:01,017[A ]| On your good nature to become his friends. 103:01,018[A ]| But now, perhaps, you may believe I fear 103:01,019[A ]| To see this naked weapon. But I swear 103:01,020[A ]| I'd fight our foes, did I not too well know 103:01,021[A ]| 'Twould spoil my character of being a beau.<20> 103:01,022[A ]| Therefore, since I'm good natured, be you kind, 103:01,023[A ]| For, rat me, gentlemen, 'twas well designed. 103:01,024[A ]| But, pax upon 'em, 'tis all homespun cloth, 103:01,025[A ]| All from an English web and English growth. 103:01,026[A ]| But if we'd let it make a costly dance 103:01,027[A ]| To Paris, and bring home some scenes from France, 103:01,028[A ]| I'm sure 'twould take: For you, gadzoods, are civil, 103:01,029[A ]| And wish them well, that wish you at the Devil.