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PROLOGUE.
Spoken by Mr. Hodgson.
WELL! Now for a kind-hearted Pitt to day,
To hide the Blushes of a Virgin Play.
Oh Pox! Here's store of old Campaigning Faces;
Faith, Criticks, now you'd best to quit your Places▪
These are the Men, that point of Honour know,
And will be gen'rous even to a Foe:
Whilst you your snarling brutish Rage display,
And Cannibal like, upon each other Prey.
From the nice powder'd Sparks we little fear,
Their Judgment only does in Dress appear;
Nor need we care, how much we do expose
Those tame unthinking Animals, the Beaux;
Who still are Satyr-Proof, be't ne're so keen;
They'll all things bear, rather than not be seen.
But welcome now, you She-obliging Cits,
Who gull your Husbands to equip the Wits,
Leaving the Drones to mind their Cheating Tasks,
And hither flock, prink'd up in Vizor-Masks:
So may your Issue still supply the Stage,
And furnish Scandal for th' ensuing Age.
To the Ladies.
And now to you, the Glories of our Isle,
Give but to day one kind consenting Smile;
'Twill more than doubly pay the Poet's Toil.