A PROLOGUE WRITTEN AND SPOKEN BY THE POET LABERIUS, A ROMAN KNIGHT, WHOM CESAR FORCED UPON THE STAGE WHAT! no way left to shun th' inglorious stage And fave from infamy my sinking age! Scarce half alive, opprefs'd with many a year, Preferved by Macrobius, tranflated and printed in 1759. But hour difperfes all my store, hoard of honour is no more; partial to my life's decline, des, fubmiffion must be mine; whom Heaven itself obeys, leafing, yet inclin'd to please. once, I welcome every shame, at threefcore, a life of fame; titles fhall my children tell, on will fit my name as well; ond it's term my fate extends, ded when our honour ends. EPILOGUE SPOKEN BY MR. LEE LEWES, IN THE CHARACTER OF HARLEQUIN, AT HIS BENEFIT. OLD! Prompter, hold! à word before your nonfenfe; I'd fpeak a word or two to ease my conscience. [Takes off bis majk. Whence, and what art thou, vifionary birth? In thy black afpect every passion fleeps, The joy that dimples, and the woe that weeps! my veins. Oh for a Richard's voice to catch the themes 1 Give me another horfe! bind up my wounds!-foft-'twas but a dream. Aye, 'twas but a dream, for now there's no retreating: If I ceafe Harlequin, I cease from eating. "Twas thus that Æsop's ftag, a creature blameless, Yet fomething vain, like one that shall be nameless; `Once on the margin of a fountain stood, And cavill'd at his image in the flood. "The deuce confound," he cries, "these drumstic "fhanks, *They never have my gratitude nor thanks; "They're "They're perfectly disgraceful! ftrike me dead! "But for a head, yes, yes, I have a head. "How piercing is that eye! how fleek that brow! He quits the woods, and tries the beaten ways; Whilft his ftrong limbs confpire to fet him free, [Taking a jump through the frage door. A SON |