Will, like the storied cloud, screen thee from fight; Confound thy foes, and fhield thee from their spite
But, fafe in covert, keep from baseness free:
No rule are knaves and hypocrites to thee.
3d Witch. And by our art inftructed in my task,
I from a ftatefman borrow'd him the MASK.
They, who the phantoms of ambition chase,
Have often need, I wot, to hide their face,
And left at fome fhort turn our vagrant fall,
Why not, as great folks wont, the time foreftall? Hecate. PRUDENCE, deceit apart, I don't condemn; That dole be his, the other leave to them;
And in his tripping ftep and motley veft,
They'll find anon their idol's freaks express'd.—
Go now, accomplished cap-a-pee, appear,
And run fecure thy frolicsome career:
A beauteous COLUMBINE at hand remains,
The pledge of peace, to recompence thy pains.-
In fcrapes or 'fcapes, pursuing or purfu'd,
'Tis all a type of life's viciffitude:
Then cheerly on and play your mimic parts;
Juftice and candour dwell in worthy hearts;
To them appeal, make their applause your aim ;
On Wisdom's bafis refts the throne of fame;
And in life's real fcenes, as yet unknown,
Be goodness ftill and blifs unchang'd your own.
Aufpicious fpirits! your affent declare,
And charm with dulcet notes the vocal air.
SUNG BEHIND THE SCENES.
IN youth's cheerful feafon, the morning of life,
Unclouded with care and untroubled with ftrife,
In dreams of amufement the night fleets away,
And pleasure's gay funshine illumines the day.
Tho' frail are the notions of joys ever new,
The paths of discretion take heed to pursue ;
So time's fruitful harvest shall ne'er know decrease,
And Virtue shall lead you to honour and peace.
It is not generally understood, that the character of Harlequin is conceived in the ftyle of burlesque allegory, defigned by the Italians in ridicule of CHARLES V. (CARLO QUINTo from whom it derives its name.-" -There is no particular authority for the appellation here affigned to his fword, &c. tho' perfectly conformable to the ufage of the times of Chivalry and Romance.
ON THE APPEARANCE OF A NEW IMOINDA, MONDAY, NOVEMBER VIIITH, MDCCLXXXIV.
SPOKEN BY MR. YOUNG.
W HEN tight and trim the freighted bark appears,
And just a-port with wind and current fteers,
Some adverse blaft oft her due courfe defeats,
And on the fhoals the founder'd veffel beats:
Vain is the pilot's fkill, his courage vain,
He struggles-faints-is buried in the main.
So fares it on the ftage! fad truths atteft,
And recent fome your memory may suggest.
Here, reft and peace to his respected shade!
Mossop his vaft energic powers display'd;
But, fhame to tell! confummate in his art,
Stung with neglect, it broke his noble heart.
Harmonious BARRY, on whofe filver tongue
Emotion glow'd, and charm'd attention hung,
Deferted, hence fair nature's ftandard bore,
While all the loves ftood weeping on the shore!
And laft came RYDER; many a hard campaign
He fought, ill-ftarr'd! his ftation to maintain;
Forc'd by dear-bought experience to confefs,
"'Tis not in mortals to command fuccefs."-
Upon this fea of troubles, tempeft tofs'd,
How oft too have the fofter fex been loft!
Here, lur'd from far, in youth and beauty's pride,
Imperial YATES her dawning genius tried,
And here, even here, 'twas folemnly decreed,
Prepofterous fentence! she could ne'er fucceed.
BRENT too, another damning proof to give,.
As here 'twere doom'd no nightingales fhould livė,
Driven by the frenzy of a Gothic age,
Long reign'd the idol of a jufter stage.
But pafs we thefe ungracious fubjects o'er,
And look to brighter profpects now in ftore.
Loudly 'tis rumour'd, and I fear too true,
Tho' prone to novelty, yet nothing new
Can make its way in this faftidious town,
Unless our neighbours firft its merit crown;
But once it gains the imprimatur there,
We are fure to echo and applaud it here:
Hence we are afpers'd for poverty of tafte,
Our judgment flouted, and our name disgrac'd.
'Tis yours the imputation to remove
Think for yourselves, and for yourselves approve.
Too long inthrall'd, emancipated now,
No more to foreign influence meanly bow;
In arts as arms, let your traducers fee
You are, and juftly merit to be free.
If youth and beauty can afford delight,
We truft you'll prove unanimous to-night;
For who, folicited by youth and beauty,
Would not declare for the protecting duty?
To doubt in fuch a cafe, were much to wrong ye,
Then cheer our Heroine, fhe was born among ye,
And with a firm patriotic affociation,
Support the fpirit of non-importation.
Opprefs'd, difmay'd, fhe views the awful scene,
Really her first attempt, and not eighteen,
Trembling to tread, and anxious for her fate,
Where towering genius plum'd her wings fo late:
Yet while due tribute to defert is paid,
Shall native talents languish in the shade?
Forbid it, firs! and you, ye matchlefs fair!
Candid as beauteous, take her to your care,
And for her youth her imperfections fpare.
There the defponding ftands, drooping and pale,
Like the pearl'd rofe-bud fhivering at the gale;
But in the beams of your aufpicious eyes,
May bloom a CRAWFORD, or a SIDDONS rife!
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