EPILOGUE TO MR. ROWE'S JANE SHORE. DESIGNED FOR MRS. OLDFIELD. 6 PRODIGIOUS this! the Frail-one of our Play Our sex are still forgiving at their heart ; Scolds with her maid, or with her chaplain crams. II 15 20 Would you enjoy foft nights and folid dinners? He draws him gentle, tender, and forgiving, • In days of old, they pardon'd breach of vows, 25 30 Plu-Flutarch, what's his name, that writes his life? To lend a Wife, few here would scruple make, 35 The man had courage, was a fage, 'tis true, 39 45 To NOTES. VER. 44. Who ne'er faw] A fly and oblique ftroke on the fuicide of Cato; which was one of the reafons, as I have been informed, why this epilogue was not spoken. WARTON. VER. 46. Edward's Mifs] Sir Thomas More fays, fhe had one accomplishment uncommon in a woman of that time; she could read and write. WARTON. To fee a piece of failing flesh and blood, In all the rest so impudently good; Faith, let the modeft Matrons of the town 49 Come here in crouds, and ftare the ftrumpet down. THOMSON, in his Epilogue to Tancred and Sigifmunda, feverely cenfures the flippancy and gaiety of modern Epilogues, as contrary to those impreffions intended to be left on the mind by a well-written Tragedy. The laft new part Mrs. Oldfield took in tragedy was in Thomson's Sophonisba; and it is recorded that the fpoke the following line, Not one base word of Carthage for thy foul, in fo powerful a manner, that Wilkes, to whom it was addressed, was aftonished and confounded. Mrs. Oldfield was admitted to vifit in the best families. George II. and Queen Caroline, when Princess of Wales, condefcended fometimes to converfe with her at their levees. And one day the Princess asked her, if she was married to General Churchill?" So it is faid, may it please your Highness, but we have not owned it yet." Her Lady Betty Modifh and Lady Townly have never yet been equalled. She was univerfally allowed to be well bred, fenfible, witty, and gene. She gave poor Savage an annual penfion of fifty pounds; and it is ftrange that Dr. Johnfon feems rather to approve of Savage's having never celebrated his benefactress in any of his poems. WARTON. rous. |