My pride forbids it ever should be said [Takes off his mask. [a dream." "Give me another horse! bind up my wounds!-soft-'twas but Ay, 'twas but a dream, for now there's no retreating, If I cease Harlequin, I cease from eating. 'Twas thus that sop's stag, a creature blameless, Yet something vain, like one that shall be nameless, Once on the margin of a fountain stood, And cavill'd at his image in the flood. "The deuce confound," he cries, "these drumstick shanks, They never have my gratitude nor thanks; They're perfectly disgraceful! strike me dead; But for a head, yes, yes, I have a head : How piercing is that eye! how sleek that brow! [Taking a jump through the stage door. Who never wanted a good word- The needy seldom pass'd her door, She strove the neighbourhood to please At church, in silks and satins new, Her love was sought, I do aver, But now, her wealth and finery fled, The doctors found, when she was dead Her last disorder mortal. Let us lament in sorrow sore, For Kent Street well may say, That had she liv'd a twelvemonth more- EPIGRAM, ON A BEAUTIFUL YOUTH STRUCK BLIND BY LIGHTNING. SURE 't was by Providence design'd, EPILOGUE TO "SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER." SPOKEN BY MRS. BULKLEY, IN THE CHARACTER OF MISS HARDCASTLE. WELL, having stoop'd to conquer with success, The first act shows the simple country maid, Talks loud, coquets the guests, and scold's the waiters. And quits her Nancy Dawson for Che Faro: Swims round the room, the Heinelle of Cheapside: Till, having lost in age the power to kill, She sits all night at cards, and ogles at spadille. EPILOGUE TO "THE GOOD-NATURED MAN." SPOKEN BY MRS. BULKLEY, As puffing quacks some caitiff wretch procure To swear the pill, or drop, has wrought a cure; Thus, on the stage, our play-wrights still depend For epilogues and prologues on some friend, Who knows each art of coaxing up the town, And make full many a bitter pill go down : Conscious of this, our bard has gone about, And teased each rhyming friend to help him out. An epilogue! things can't go on without it; It could not fail, would you but set about it : "Young man," cries one, (a bard laid up in clover,) Alas! young man, my writing days are over; Let boys play tricks, and kick the straw, not I; Your brother doctor there, perhaps, may try," What I dear Sir," the doctor interposes; "What, plant my thistle, Sir, among his roses! No, no, I've other contests to maintain; To-night I heard our troops at Warwick-lane. Go ask your manager "—" Who, me! Your pardon, Those things are not our forte at Covent Garden." Our author's friends, thus placed at happy distance, Give him good words, indeed, but no assistance. As some unhappy wight, at some new play, At the pit door stands elbowing a way, While oft, with many a smile, and many a shrug, He eyes the centre, where his friends sit snug; His simpering friends, with pleasure in their eyes, Sink as he sinks, and as he rises rise: He nods, they nod; he cringes, they grimace; But not a soul will budge to give him place. Since, then, unhelp'd, our bard must now conform "To 'bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,' Blame where you must, be candid where you can, And be each critic the Good-natured Man. |