Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Prologue Written For The Young Gentlemen,
PROLOGUE WRITTEN FOR THE YOUNG GENTLEMEN ,
or THE REVEREND MR . AUDINET's ACADEMY , ELCOMSBURY .
HOW chang'd the modern days from days of yore ! When learning fiourish'd less , but sense the more j When artless manners found a place at court , And truth and genius wantec " , not support ; When censors bow'd to Humour's sportive sway , , And authors wrote for honour , not lor pay ; Mankind then judg'd t ;; e effort as it drew ,
The force of precept ane ! example too . Struck with the jest , or \ vith the moral fir'd , The young were gladr ' en'd ancl the old admir'd ; Bright emulation all its power imprest , And nourisli'd god-like virtues in the breast . But then , as riches grew , and manners turn'd ,
Fell pride encreas'd anel souls with envy burn'd ; Distrust and diffidence with friends arose , And men that Iiv'd as brothers dealt as foes . Discord and hatred ravag'd ail the earth , And greatness was the substitute of worth : The MANLY TRUTHS of PUBLIC SPIRIT fled , And EARLY VIRTUES inoulder'd with the dead . . Still were there some , whose minds defection brav'd ,
Whom mercy cherish'd and whose affection sav'rf ; Who nobly met the terrors of the storm , Wrapt in the image of a Saviour ' s form . litre Hanway ' s spirit claims the pensive pause . HE lov'd our chiid-hood and approv'd our cause . The gen ' rous mind with fostering care he rear'd , lis faults corrected , but its truth revcr'd ; And as tlie magic of his precept taught , The juster moral with the purer thp ' „ -g « t ; Kii own example cheer'd the clie-c / | Uer'd wayB And virtue steni'd the vigour of decay .
Such the kind friends-that mingle ! ierefi > nirht , Who guard our morals as they teach us nfT . - , And eager to approve the scholar ' s parr , Confer on child-hood , praise deny'd to art . From us they learn what greater things arise , The boy that ' s playful , and tlie man that ' s wise . Here may the wretch his shafts of malice spared
To crush tlie effort cherish'd by YOUR care . E'en strangers , when they learn ' tis Nature ' s . cause , Will aid our acting with a FRIEND ' applause . Z .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Prologue Written For The Young Gentlemen,
PROLOGUE WRITTEN FOR THE YOUNG GENTLEMEN ,
or THE REVEREND MR . AUDINET's ACADEMY , ELCOMSBURY .
HOW chang'd the modern days from days of yore ! When learning fiourish'd less , but sense the more j When artless manners found a place at court , And truth and genius wantec " , not support ; When censors bow'd to Humour's sportive sway , , And authors wrote for honour , not lor pay ; Mankind then judg'd t ;; e effort as it drew ,
The force of precept ane ! example too . Struck with the jest , or \ vith the moral fir'd , The young were gladr ' en'd ancl the old admir'd ; Bright emulation all its power imprest , And nourisli'd god-like virtues in the breast . But then , as riches grew , and manners turn'd ,
Fell pride encreas'd anel souls with envy burn'd ; Distrust and diffidence with friends arose , And men that Iiv'd as brothers dealt as foes . Discord and hatred ravag'd ail the earth , And greatness was the substitute of worth : The MANLY TRUTHS of PUBLIC SPIRIT fled , And EARLY VIRTUES inoulder'd with the dead . . Still were there some , whose minds defection brav'd ,
Whom mercy cherish'd and whose affection sav'rf ; Who nobly met the terrors of the storm , Wrapt in the image of a Saviour ' s form . litre Hanway ' s spirit claims the pensive pause . HE lov'd our chiid-hood and approv'd our cause . The gen ' rous mind with fostering care he rear'd , lis faults corrected , but its truth revcr'd ; And as tlie magic of his precept taught , The juster moral with the purer thp ' „ -g « t ; Kii own example cheer'd the clie-c / | Uer'd wayB And virtue steni'd the vigour of decay .
Such the kind friends-that mingle ! ierefi > nirht , Who guard our morals as they teach us nfT . - , And eager to approve the scholar ' s parr , Confer on child-hood , praise deny'd to art . From us they learn what greater things arise , The boy that ' s playful , and tlie man that ' s wise . Here may the wretch his shafts of malice spared
To crush tlie effort cherish'd by YOUR care . E'en strangers , when they learn ' tis Nature ' s . cause , Will aid our acting with a FRIEND ' applause . Z .