Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Poetry.
POETRY .
PROLOGUE TO THE COMEDY OF CHEAP LIVING . VVRITTHN BY JOHN TAYLOR , ESQ .
J the Stagynte fam'd , as a Critic profound , . [ abound , To tlie Carpers who now in our Island It has still been afloiv'd that to wiitea good Play , - [ or " gay . Is a task somewhat hard , whether solemn Such indeed was the case when the world was but young , [ ginals sprung ; And from Nature ' s rough hand bold
Ori-Ere the polish of manners had levell'd each class , [ whole mass . And strong featur'd characters mark'd the Yet a Dramatist then , from examples so rife , [ from life . Need but just look abroad and take copies lint mankind , since those days , have been sketch'd o ' er and o ' er , * [ before .
And the Stage can but give what it gave you Nay , one mighty genius , with wonderful art , [ heart ; Pervaded our nature , and ransack'd the Hence the works from his hand are so vivid and true , [ lie d reiv . That Time can but merely retouch what After such a description , if Shakspeare we name , [ proclaim .
'Tis but saying what Time shall for ever And since then the Stage has exhausted -. our race ,- [ marvellous space , f And has shewn each degree tliro' the > 'Twixt the Sage and the " Fop , and the \ Good , and the Base , - * A Dramatist now can but hold up his glass , [ pass ; And simplexhibit the times as they
y Content to pick up , as he saunters along , Come anomalous beings , that start from the throng ; And such , we presume , to bring forward to-night , [ spite . But our Bard aims at no individual in He draws from the species , and thinks lie may say , [ day .
i ou may find of such beings a tribe every To prevent disappointment , but not to forestall , To one little hint your attention we call ; l'or this 'tis but right we should tell of his plan—You must fancy a Female is reallv a Man ; Not merely conceal'd , in the manly array , ^ ut a ; in , bjua jidc , throughout the whole play ; VOL . IX ,
This we own , as it else might your feelings perplex , " [ proper sex . Since she charms you so much in her own And now of this dread—but this merciful Court , [ port—A Bard , full cf terrors , once more begs sup-Ah ! kindly adopt the new brat of his brain , You have often endur'd him—endure' him
again . EPILOGUE TO THE SAME . WRITTEN EY ] OHN TAYLOR ., ESQ ^ . SFOKEK HY iMISS DE CAJ ! P .
WELL ! how d'ye like the way of Living Cheap?—What others sow with care , with ease to reap . ' [ way , Our friendly Bard has shewn you all the To share in ev ' ry thing—yet nothing pay . This SPUNGE is really an ingenious man-Yet he practises a modish plan : Yes—he but represents a num'rous
kind—For ev ' ry family its Spunge may find . What are to them the burthens of the State ? Let grov'Iing Industry sustain the . weight . What is to them the mean parochial tax , Who bear , like snails , their mansions on their backs ? [ writs assail , Should tradesmen clamour , and shouH The remedy ' s at-hand—a friend must bail
; A friend , whose liberty is oft the price That gives new scope to folly anil to vice . In short , at once the shifting tribe to draw , A race of robbers , not proscrib'd by law . Yet while ourBard would iash these men of prev , Who ' live by shuffling arts from day to day : Whomerelfor some manual calling
, y made , Pretend to genius , and disdain a trade ; Ah 1 ne ' er can he attempt , with wanton mirth , To wound the man of real wit and worth ; To him , if Fate the gUtt ' ring ore deny , Wealth should , wiih gen ' rous pride , the want supply :
For he , allur'd by Fancy ' s dazzling rays , Like summer myriads by the solar blaze ; Like them , too , thoughtless of the winter's . cold , [ unfold ; The while surrounding sweets their charms The world regarding as a transient toy , . And . the true aim—the present to enjoy ; uu
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Poetry.
POETRY .
PROLOGUE TO THE COMEDY OF CHEAP LIVING . VVRITTHN BY JOHN TAYLOR , ESQ .
J the Stagynte fam'd , as a Critic profound , . [ abound , To tlie Carpers who now in our Island It has still been afloiv'd that to wiitea good Play , - [ or " gay . Is a task somewhat hard , whether solemn Such indeed was the case when the world was but young , [ ginals sprung ; And from Nature ' s rough hand bold
Ori-Ere the polish of manners had levell'd each class , [ whole mass . And strong featur'd characters mark'd the Yet a Dramatist then , from examples so rife , [ from life . Need but just look abroad and take copies lint mankind , since those days , have been sketch'd o ' er and o ' er , * [ before .
And the Stage can but give what it gave you Nay , one mighty genius , with wonderful art , [ heart ; Pervaded our nature , and ransack'd the Hence the works from his hand are so vivid and true , [ lie d reiv . That Time can but merely retouch what After such a description , if Shakspeare we name , [ proclaim .
'Tis but saying what Time shall for ever And since then the Stage has exhausted -. our race ,- [ marvellous space , f And has shewn each degree tliro' the > 'Twixt the Sage and the " Fop , and the \ Good , and the Base , - * A Dramatist now can but hold up his glass , [ pass ; And simplexhibit the times as they
y Content to pick up , as he saunters along , Come anomalous beings , that start from the throng ; And such , we presume , to bring forward to-night , [ spite . But our Bard aims at no individual in He draws from the species , and thinks lie may say , [ day .
i ou may find of such beings a tribe every To prevent disappointment , but not to forestall , To one little hint your attention we call ; l'or this 'tis but right we should tell of his plan—You must fancy a Female is reallv a Man ; Not merely conceal'd , in the manly array , ^ ut a ; in , bjua jidc , throughout the whole play ; VOL . IX ,
This we own , as it else might your feelings perplex , " [ proper sex . Since she charms you so much in her own And now of this dread—but this merciful Court , [ port—A Bard , full cf terrors , once more begs sup-Ah ! kindly adopt the new brat of his brain , You have often endur'd him—endure' him
again . EPILOGUE TO THE SAME . WRITTEN EY ] OHN TAYLOR ., ESQ ^ . SFOKEK HY iMISS DE CAJ ! P .
WELL ! how d'ye like the way of Living Cheap?—What others sow with care , with ease to reap . ' [ way , Our friendly Bard has shewn you all the To share in ev ' ry thing—yet nothing pay . This SPUNGE is really an ingenious man-Yet he practises a modish plan : Yes—he but represents a num'rous
kind—For ev ' ry family its Spunge may find . What are to them the burthens of the State ? Let grov'Iing Industry sustain the . weight . What is to them the mean parochial tax , Who bear , like snails , their mansions on their backs ? [ writs assail , Should tradesmen clamour , and shouH The remedy ' s at-hand—a friend must bail
; A friend , whose liberty is oft the price That gives new scope to folly anil to vice . In short , at once the shifting tribe to draw , A race of robbers , not proscrib'd by law . Yet while ourBard would iash these men of prev , Who ' live by shuffling arts from day to day : Whomerelfor some manual calling
, y made , Pretend to genius , and disdain a trade ; Ah 1 ne ' er can he attempt , with wanton mirth , To wound the man of real wit and worth ; To him , if Fate the gUtt ' ring ore deny , Wealth should , wiih gen ' rous pride , the want supply :
For he , allur'd by Fancy ' s dazzling rays , Like summer myriads by the solar blaze ; Like them , too , thoughtless of the winter's . cold , [ unfold ; The while surrounding sweets their charms The world regarding as a transient toy , . And . the true aim—the present to enjoy ; uu