All that FANCY's felf has feign'd,. Painted lawns, and chequer'd fhades, Let thy fkin my skin improve; Thou by night shall grace my arm, And by day halt teach to charm. } } } PROLOGUE to the CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Written by Mr. GARRICK, and Spoken by Mr. HOLLAND. OETS and painters, who from nature draw this law; Το To night your matchlefs Hogarth gives the thought, The painter's dead, yet ftill he charms the eye; On poor Jack Falfiaff's grave, and Juliet's bier! SCENE, an Affembly.. Several perfons at cards, at different tables; among the rest Col. Trill, Lord Minum, Mrs. Quaver, Sir Patrick Mahony. At the Whift-table. Ld. Min. I hate a play-house-trump-It makes me fick. Ld. Min. And we the odd trick. Pray do you know the author, Colonel Trill? Col. T, I know no poets, heaven be prais'd-Spadille! 1 Lady. I'll tell you who, my Lord! Ld. Min. What, he again? (whispers my Lord) "And dwell fuch daring fouls in little men!" Be whofe it will, they down our throats will cram it! Col. T. O, no.-I have a club-the beft.-We'll damn it. Ld. Min. And mine, by Jupiter-We've won the game, Mrs. Qu. No, not Handel's. And nafty plays Ld. Min. Are fit for Goths and Vandals. (Rife from the table, and pay.) From the Picquett-table. Sir Pat. Well, faith and troth!-that Shakespeare was no fool. (Pay and rife from table.} SONG by the Colonel I hate all their nonfenfe, Their Shakespeares and Johnsons, Their plays, and their playhouse, and bards: 'Tis finging, not faying, But playing as we do at cards! Am pleas'd too with Comus; So clever, so neat in Their tricks, and their cheating! Like them we would fain deal our cards. Sir Pat. King Lear is touching!-And how fine to fee Oh, he's an angel of a blackamoor! Ld. Min. What, when he chokes his wife? Col. T. And calls her whore? Sir Pat. King Richard calls his horfe and then Macbeth, To fee the dagger-that's invifible. Sir Pat. Laugh if you pleafe, a pretty play— Ld. Min. Is pretty Sir Pat. And when there's wit in't Col. T. To be fure 'tis witty. (All laugh.) Sir Pat. I love the playhoufe-now to light and gay, Col. T. Put out the light, and then Ld. Min. 'Tis fo much lighter. Sir Pat. Pray do you mane, Sirs, more than you exprefs? Mrs. Qu. An't Ld. Min. Either more or lefs. afham'd, Sir? (To Sir Pat.) you For little Shake peare, faith! I'll take a push. Ld. Min. News! news!-here comes Mifs Crotchet from the play. Mrs. Qu. Enter Mifs Crotchet. Well, Crotchet, what's the news? Mifs Cro. We have loft the day. Col. T. Tell us, dear Mils, all you have heard and seen. Mifs Cro. I'm tir'd-a chair-here, take my capuchin! Ld. Min. And is'nt damn'd, Mils? Mijs Cro. No, my Lord, not quite: But we fall damn it. Col. T. When? Miss Cro. To-morrow night. There is a party of us, all of fathion, Refolv'd t'exterminate this vulgar paflion: A play. A playhouse, what a place!-I must forfwear it; Such crouds of city folks! fo rude and preffing; Ld Min. We have among us, Mifs, fome foolish folks. There was fome merit in the piece no doubt. And talk, and quarrel-as they come and go- Scream, faint, fcold, kifs-and go to bed again. (All laugh} Oh, damn it! Mrs. Qu. Damn it! 1ft Lady. Damn it! Mij Cro Ld. Min. Danin it! Damn it! Sir Pat. Well faith, you speak your minds, and I'll be free~ ` RECITATIVE.. Col. T. Now the barbarian's gone, Mifs, tune your tongue, And let us raife our Ipirits high with long. RE |