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Show P R O L O G U E By Mr. Fenton, andfpokenby Mr. Cibber. ^X7 HEN Realms are ravag'd with invaftve Toes, W Eack Bofom with heroick Ardor glows ; Old Chiefs, refietlhg on their former Deeds, Difdain to rufl with batter d Invalides ; But active in the foremofi Ranks appear, And leave young fmock-fac'd Beaux to guard the Km. So, to repel the Vandals of the Stage, Our Vet'ran Bard refumes his Tragic Rage; jfe throws the Gauntlet O t w a y us'd to meld, And calls for fcnglilhmen to jndge the field: Thus arm'd, to refiue Nature from Difrace, MeiTieurs/ lay down your WmflreWu and Grimm: The brawnieft Xouths ./Troy the Combat fezrd, When old Enrellus in the Lifts appear'd. ret what avails the Champion's Giant Size, When Pigmies are made Umpires of the fftul Tour lathers {Men of Senfe, and honeft Bowlm) Vifdtin'd the Mummery of foreign Strollers: • JBy their Examples wou'd yon form your Ttfte, The prefent Age might emulate W paft We Lfd that Art and Genius had fecurd yew, 2 * foon facetious Harlequin allur'dyou: , w r u Ml to fee their friends exalting, The Mufes blufh d to jee t» Thofe elegant Deltghts of ? « , and Vaulting. P R O L O G U E. Se charm'd you were, you teas'd nwhde to doat On Nonftnfe, gargl'd in an Eunuch'* Throat. £1 pleas'd to hear the chairing Monflers fpeak, js old Wives wonder at the Varfin's Greek. Such light Ragoufts and Mufhrooms may be good, jo whet your Appetites for wholefome Food: $Ht the bold Britton ne'er in earneft dines Ifithout fubftantial Haunches, and Surloins. In Wit, as well as War, they give us Vigour, CrelTy was loft by Kick/haws, and Soupe meagre. Inftead of light Defferts, and lufcious Froth, Our ?oet treats To-night with Spartan Broth 9 To which, as well as all his former Feafts, The Ladies are the chief invited Guefts. Cmn'd with a kind of GlalTcnbury Bays, That bloom amid the Winter of his Days; Ht comes, ambitious in his green Decline, To eonfecrate his Wreath at Beauty's Shrine, His Oroonoko never fid'a to engage jhe rdimt Circles of the former Age: Inch Bofom heav'd, all Eyes were feen to flow. And fympathize with IfabellaV Woe: Mt Fate referv'd, to crown his elder Fame, The brighteft Audience for the Spartan D a m e. Ff |
