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Article PROLOGUE TO VORTIGERN. Page 1 of 1
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Prologue To Vortigern.
PROLOGUE TO VORTIGERN .
WRITTEN BY SIR J . BiAND BUKGES . SPOKEN BY MR . WHITFIELD .
NO common cause your verdict now demands ; Before the Court immortal SHAKESPEARE stands—That mighty master of the human soul , Who rules the passions , and , with strong controul , Thro' ev ' ry turning of the changeful heart Directs his course sublime and leads his pow ' rful art . When on his birth itious Nature smil'd ,
prop And hung transported o ' er her fav ' rite child , While on his head her choicest gifts she shower'd , And o ' er his mind her inspiration pour'd ; . " Proceed , " she cry'd , " the high decree fulfil 1 " 'Tis thine to rule , with magic sway , the will ; " On Fancy ' s wing to stretch o ' er boundless space , . " And all Creation's varied works to trace ;
" . _ 'Tis thine each flitting p hantom to pursue , " Each hidden pow ' r of verse to bring to view ; " To shed o'er British taste celestial day , " And reign o ' er Genius with unrivall'd sway . " Such was the high behest—The sacred choice Long has been sanftion'd by your candid voice : The favour'd relicks of your Shakspeare ' s hand
Unrivall'd , and inimitable stand . If hope of fame some modern Bards have led To try the path where Shakspeare wont to tread ; If , with presumptuous wing , they dar'd aspire , To catch some portion of his sacred fire , Your critic Powers the vain attempt repell'd ; The flimsy vapour by your breath dispell'd , Expos'd the trembling- culprit to your sight , While Shakspeare ' s radiance shone with doubled light .
From deep Oblivion snatch'd , this Play appears ; It claims respect , since Shakspeare ' s name it bears ; That name , the source of wonder and delight , To a fair hearing has at least a right ; We ask no more—with you the judgment lies , No forgeries escape your piercing eyes ; Unbiass'd then , pronounce your dread decree ,
Alike from prejudice and favour free . If , the fierce ordeal pass'd , you chance to find Rich sterling ore , tho' rude and unrcfin'd , Stamp it your own ; assert your Poet ' s fame , And add fresh wreaths to Shakespeare ' s honour'd name .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Prologue To Vortigern.
PROLOGUE TO VORTIGERN .
WRITTEN BY SIR J . BiAND BUKGES . SPOKEN BY MR . WHITFIELD .
NO common cause your verdict now demands ; Before the Court immortal SHAKESPEARE stands—That mighty master of the human soul , Who rules the passions , and , with strong controul , Thro' ev ' ry turning of the changeful heart Directs his course sublime and leads his pow ' rful art . When on his birth itious Nature smil'd ,
prop And hung transported o ' er her fav ' rite child , While on his head her choicest gifts she shower'd , And o ' er his mind her inspiration pour'd ; . " Proceed , " she cry'd , " the high decree fulfil 1 " 'Tis thine to rule , with magic sway , the will ; " On Fancy ' s wing to stretch o ' er boundless space , . " And all Creation's varied works to trace ;
" . _ 'Tis thine each flitting p hantom to pursue , " Each hidden pow ' r of verse to bring to view ; " To shed o'er British taste celestial day , " And reign o ' er Genius with unrivall'd sway . " Such was the high behest—The sacred choice Long has been sanftion'd by your candid voice : The favour'd relicks of your Shakspeare ' s hand
Unrivall'd , and inimitable stand . If hope of fame some modern Bards have led To try the path where Shakspeare wont to tread ; If , with presumptuous wing , they dar'd aspire , To catch some portion of his sacred fire , Your critic Powers the vain attempt repell'd ; The flimsy vapour by your breath dispell'd , Expos'd the trembling- culprit to your sight , While Shakspeare ' s radiance shone with doubled light .
From deep Oblivion snatch'd , this Play appears ; It claims respect , since Shakspeare ' s name it bears ; That name , the source of wonder and delight , To a fair hearing has at least a right ; We ask no more—with you the judgment lies , No forgeries escape your piercing eyes ; Unbiass'd then , pronounce your dread decree ,
Alike from prejudice and favour free . If , the fierce ordeal pass'd , you chance to find Rich sterling ore , tho' rude and unrcfin'd , Stamp it your own ; assert your Poet ' s fame , And add fresh wreaths to Shakespeare ' s honour'd name .