Whilst hardy vet'rans, long inur'd to arms, Thus we, unpractis'd in the stage's arts, (Tho' fure to please) might feel fome palpitation. EPILOGUE, WRITTEN BY MR. COLMAN, FOR LADY WRONG.. HEAD, AND ALTERED FOR MANLY. SPOKEN BY MR. MILLES. I FEAR the Ladies think my last night's dealing Betray'd a heart quite destitute of feeling; Who Who to my married friends fuch leffons gave, And just step in to tell you that I found The lines marked with inverted Commas were in the original.. "Farewel Farewel-dear fcenes, where late fuch joys I knew, Drefs, cards, and dice, I bid ye all adieu ! "Those joys thus vanish'd, I fhall taste no more; } "For Lady Wronghead's occupation's o'er. "How fhall I drag out life, and how, alas! "Shall tedious country winter evenings pafs." Dear Ma'am, I faid, your groundless fears difmifs, I have a thought a new one-it is this: Shall we come down, and try to act a play? A play!-and what d'ye think the wits will fay? Unheard, with keenest fatire they'll decry it, "Turn all to farce, and fwear 'tis vain to try it." Avaunt, fuch wits! who, with ill-judging spleen, Shall rudely strive to blaft the well-meant fcene. Far happier he, his faults, like us, who flops, And checks his follies when the curtain drops. No more in vice or error to engage, And play the fool at large on life's great stage. VOL. VI. C PROLOGUE PROLOGUE TO THE FRENCH PIECE OF PYGMALION, PER FORMED BY MONSIEUR TESSIER. SPOKEN BY LORD MALDEN. As fome there are who may not know the story, Which the French Poet means to lay before ye, A young unmarried Prince, in former days, Some were too fhort, and others were too tall;` But yet the was a piece of mere ftill life, A wife he thought fome little warmth should share, Vain was his art, (for do whate'er he cou'd) His pray'r was heard-to him she turn'd her head, Lord Villiers admirably fupported the very difficult character of Lord Townly, both as to voice, figure, action, and elocution :-He was eafy, animated, and graceful;-and perhaps the character never appeared to more advantage in the hands of any performer, except Mr. Barry. If any part of his performance can be found fault with, he did not feem to exprefs fufficient displeasure in his countenance at his Lady's conduct; but that is not to be wondered at, as Lady Villiers never gives him reafon to practise it; and without practise it was impoffible to be feigned, when the enchanting Mifs Hodges, in the character of Lady Townly, was fmiling before his eyes. We beg both Meffrs. Yates and Macklin's pardon, when we fay we prefer Mr. Fury to either of them for C 2 a Sir |