-The Drama, a Picture of Life; how useful.-Actors should Itudy in the volume of nature.-Different powers and qualifications -should adhere to their respective walks- different and peculiar requifites adapted to different parts.-Candid expoftulation.— Caufes of failure.-Ill fuccefs in worldly matters.—Examples: Moffop, Woodward, Rofs, Digges, Wilder, Barry, Ryder, &c.— Parental folicitude, disappointment and affliction.-Stage attach ment in what refpects culpable.-Prospects on it at best unfavourable and precarious; efpecially to thofe not born in that lineinimical and forbidding to females, particularly in an unprotected ftate their critical fituation-fingularly expofed to obloquy unmerited, infidious machinations, infurmountable embarrasments and final mifery-Bellamy a melancholy instance.-Remonftrance.-Talents, fortitude and good conduct have raised some from obfcurity.-Fitz-Henry, an excellent actress, a good wife, a fenfible, difcreet and provident mother-In fortune and merit ranked with Pritchard.—Their debut on the stage of life—various ftruggles, perfeverance and fuccefs.-Cards, their origin and end. Theatrical purfuits ineligible to those more favourably circumftanced.Shakspeare, his character, genius and writings-mangled by critics as well as actors-Digression.-Afiatic scene. Mercenary views and conduct of Europeans.-Immense Acquisitions their probable confequences.-Wealth inefficacious in cafes of confcience.-Tranfition to fubjects lefs forbidding.— Domestic profpects.-Man governed by caprice and fashion.Shakspeare and nature difcarded.-Stage reformation defirable;abufes there no argument for its fuppreffion; Prynne, Collier, &c. -under proper regulation might answer excellent moral purpofes.-Advice to novices.-Vanity of fome theatrical ladies— Inattention to their parts-contrafted with the Jane Shore of the Poem-manner of performing the part.-Author's obligations to a late amiable and worthy character deceafed.-Satire an unfavourable line of writing-often perverted-evil tendency of grofs expreffions and licentious details.---Peter Aretin and his followers reprobated. Conclufion.

POEMS, Mifcellaneous, &c.

THE

Imtemperate Youth! could Youth alas! reflect? Here's ample caufe thy Frenzy to correct.

ON

VARIOUS SUBJECT S.

THE THEATRE;

OR,

MIRROUR FOR YOUTH ADDICTED TO THE THEATRO-MANIA.

W

HEN the last plaudits were to Cibber paid,
And Pritchard her decifive exit made,

The Tragic Muse her comely treffes tore
That she should look upon their like no more:
Nor vain her fears-now frantic o'er the Stage,
Beyond all temperance, our Heroines rage;
To very tatters every passion rend,

As if they ftudied only to offend.

'Tis true,

'tis pity they so strut and strain

To tire our patience, and contempt to gain.
And then their action-hold, good Cenfor! there-
'Tis fuited well to make the groundlings stare;

B

5

ΤΟ

Froth

Froth and extravagance the herd admire,
Probatum eft, and smoke's a proof of fire.
Trick'd in forc'd attitudes and foreign grace,
Foreign indeed to fubject, time, and place,
On fluttering pinions of burlesque they rife,
And facrifice the heart to catch the eyes.
Some, in the oppofite extreme, are cool;
Languid by principle, and tame by rule;

Exploding Art, they reft on Nature's laws;
But, partially conceived, betray her caufe;
Provoke to laughter where 'twas meant to weep,

Or chaunt with drawling lullabies to sleep.

15

20

And are there none whom just applause delights; 25 Whom Emulation warms or Fame excites?

None to whom favour or refpect is due;

Are all fo loft?-The exceptions are but few.
From true Desert 'twere baseness to detract,

And Wits are found not guiltless of the fact.

30

Rhymers too oft feized with the carping fit,

Lofe fight of Candour in purfuit of Wit;

Refolv'd to fhine, to fhine they bend their thoughts, Through the cheap medium of promulging faults; Merit at will they torture and disguise,

35

And guard abuse with falfehood and furmife;

With quips and quillets line by line they cram

In all the pretty rage of Epigram,

And.