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PROLOGUE:
THIS season with what Arts both Houses strive,
By your kind presence, to be kept alive!
W' have still new things, or old ones we revive;
We plot, and strive to bring them first o'th' Stage,
Like wary Pilot for his Weather-gage.
W' have Every Act, and every week a Play;
Nay, w' have had new ones studied for one Day;
W' have double Duty, and w' have but half Pay.
VV' have scaling Monkies, and w' have dancing Swans,
To match our nimble cap'ring Chairs and Stands:
There Opera's with, and here without Machines:
Here, Scenes well wrought, and there, well painted Scenes;
Castles and Men i'th' Air, the World l'th' Moon,
Where you, like Swallows fly, but soon y'are gone.
W've something ev'ry different Taste to hit,
I gad, I think, w' have ev'ry thing but Wit;
For w' have full Scenes, and w' have an empty Pitt.
Faith, Sirs, we scarce cou'd hope, you here wou'd be
So num'rous, tho' we have a new Comedy.
For there's in Plays, you know, a Reformation
(A thing to which y' have no great inclination)
I fear you'll seek some loser Occupation.
From those Lewd Poets all these mischiefs flow;
They, like Drawcansirs, maul'd both Friend and Foe.
Wou'd they'd been serv'd like their Plays long ago!
All cautious Dons and Matrons hence they scar'd,
And all this did they do, because they dar'd.
Yet, that you're hardn'd Sinners they may boast,
The more they lash'd you, you seem'd tickled most.
But now no Luscious Scenes must lard their Plays:
No Lady now will need to hide her face;
But I'll be hang'd if one i'th' Gallery stays.
To hear ill-natur'd Truths no more you'll sit,
But mortifie an inoffensive Wit;
Lord! how still we shall have you in the Pit!
For I dare say, of what m•…•…st pleas'd our Guests,
Nine parts in Ten were still sheer Bawdy Jests.
Methinks I see some here who seem to say
Gad, e're the Curtain's drawn I'll slip away;
No Bawdy, this can't be a Women's Play.
Nay, I confess there's Cause enough to doubt,
But, Faith, they say there was a deal cut out,
Then stay and use it gently, some of you,
Since to be maim'd y'are somewhat subject too.
Spare it, you who for harmless sports declare,
Show that this age a modest Play can bear.
Twice has our Poetess kind usage found;
Change not her Fortune, tho' she cang'd her Ground,