-
Articles/Ads
Article THE STAGE. ← Page 4 of 4
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Stage.
VV ith cultur'd sense , and with experience sage , Patient he cons thetime-disfigur'd page , Hence oft we see him with success explore , And clear the dross from rich poetic ore , Trace , through the maze of diction , passion ' s clew , And open latent character to view . Though for the muse of trageddesi'd
y gn , In form , in features , passions , and in mind , Yet would he fain the comic nymph embrace . Who seldom without awe beholds his face . . Whene ' er he tries the airy and the gay , Judgment , not genius , marks the cold essay ; But in a graver province he can please With \ vellb
-red spirit , ancl with manly ease . When genuine wit , with satire ' s active force , And faithful love pursues its gen ' rous course , Here , in his Valentine , might CONGREVE view Th ' -embody'd portrait , vi g ' rous , warm and true . Nor let us , with unhallow'd touch , presume luck
To p one spri g of laurel from the tomb ; Yet , with due rev ' rence for the mighty dead , 'Tis just the fame of living worth to spread : And could the noblest vet ' rans now appear , KEMBLE mi ght keep his state , devoid of fear ; Still , while observant of his proper line , With native lustre
as a rival shine . ' ' ¦ Thus has the muse , in artless numbers , try'd The claims of Genius fairly to decide ; Averse to censure , anxious to commend , And to the moral stage a zealous friend . If the known merits of the scenic band Demand the
tribute of a nobler hand , Yet may she boast , nor partial nor severe , Her strains the dictates of a mind sincere ; And should the ventrous boast be deem'd too high , 1 hat all . is seen with an impartial eye , The muse at leasircan feel with honest pride ,-Her bias must be
charg'd on candour ' s side . VOL . vi . K k
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Stage.
VV ith cultur'd sense , and with experience sage , Patient he cons thetime-disfigur'd page , Hence oft we see him with success explore , And clear the dross from rich poetic ore , Trace , through the maze of diction , passion ' s clew , And open latent character to view . Though for the muse of trageddesi'd
y gn , In form , in features , passions , and in mind , Yet would he fain the comic nymph embrace . Who seldom without awe beholds his face . . Whene ' er he tries the airy and the gay , Judgment , not genius , marks the cold essay ; But in a graver province he can please With \ vellb
-red spirit , ancl with manly ease . When genuine wit , with satire ' s active force , And faithful love pursues its gen ' rous course , Here , in his Valentine , might CONGREVE view Th ' -embody'd portrait , vi g ' rous , warm and true . Nor let us , with unhallow'd touch , presume luck
To p one spri g of laurel from the tomb ; Yet , with due rev ' rence for the mighty dead , 'Tis just the fame of living worth to spread : And could the noblest vet ' rans now appear , KEMBLE mi ght keep his state , devoid of fear ; Still , while observant of his proper line , With native lustre
as a rival shine . ' ' ¦ Thus has the muse , in artless numbers , try'd The claims of Genius fairly to decide ; Averse to censure , anxious to commend , And to the moral stage a zealous friend . If the known merits of the scenic band Demand the
tribute of a nobler hand , Yet may she boast , nor partial nor severe , Her strains the dictates of a mind sincere ; And should the ventrous boast be deem'd too high , 1 hat all . is seen with an impartial eye , The muse at leasircan feel with honest pride ,-Her bias must be
charg'd on candour ' s side . VOL . vi . K k