ON the 10th of January, 1777, the Comedy of the Provok'd Hufband was acted, at a New Theatre, near Henley upon Thames, by the following per ९ MOST raw recruits, in times of Peace appear To brave all dangers, and to mock at fear; But when call'd forth to tread th' embattl'd plain, Whilft hardy vet'rans, long inur'd to arms, Thus we, unpractis'd in the stage's arts, (Tho' fure to pleafe) 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 lessons 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 shall taste no more; } "For Lady Wronghead's occupation's o'er. "' How shall I drag out life, and how, alas! 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 satire they'll decry it, "Turn all to farce, and swear '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 ftory, Which the French Poet means to lay before ye, I'll tell you in plain English what he says: A young unmarried Prince, in former days, Some were too fhort, and others were too tall;` But yet he was a piece of mere ftill life, A wife he thought fome little warmth fhould fhare, (Are there none here whofe wives have fome to spare?) He kifs'd her oft; but, ah! how cold the kifs, Especially in fuch a night as this. |