T

By the Honorable RICHARD FITZPATRICK.

HE Sifter Muses, whom these realms obey,

THE

Who o'er the Drama hold divided sway,
Sometimes, by evil counsellors, 'tis faid
Like earth-born potentates have been misled:
In those gay days of wickedness and wit,
When Villiers criticiz'd what Dryden writ,
The Tragick Queen, to please a tastelefs crow'd,
Had learn'd to bellow, rant, and roar fo loud,
That frighten'd Nature, her best friend before,
The bluft'ring beldam's company forfwore.
Her comic Sifter, who had wit 'tis true,
With all her merits, had her failings too;

And would fometimes in mirthful moments use
A ftyle too flippant for a well-bred Mufe.
Then female modesty abash'd began

To feek the friendly refuge of the fan,

Awhile behind that flight entrenchment ftood,
"Till driv'n from thence, the left the ftage for good.
In our more pious, and far chaster times!

These fure no longer are the Mufe's crimes!
But fome complain that, former faults to fhun,
The reformation to extremes has run.

The frantick hero's wild delirium paft,
Now infipidity fucceeds bombaft;

So flow Melpomene's cold numbers creep,
Here dullness seems her drowsy court to keep,

And we; are scarce awake, whilft you are fast asleep.

Thalia, once fo ill behav'd and rude,
Reform'd; is now become an arrant prude,

Retailing nightly to the yawning pit,
The pureft morals, undefil'd by wit!
Our Author offers in these motley scenes,
A flight remonstrance to the Drama's queens,
Nor let the goddeffes be over nice;

Free spoken fubjects give the best advice.
Although not quite a novice in his trade,
His caufe to night requires no common aid.
To this, a friendly, juft, and pow'rful court,
I come Ambaffador to beg fupport.

Can he undaunted, brave the critick's rage?
In civil broils, with brother bards engage?
Hold forth their errors to the publick eye,
Nay more, e'en News-papers themselves defy?
Say, muft his fingle arm encounter all?

By numbers vanquish'd, e'en the brave may fall;
And though no leader fhould fuccefs diftruft,
Whofe troops are willing, and whofe caufe is juft;
To bid fuch hofts of angry foes defiance,

His chief dependance must be, YOUR ALLIANCE.

Guards, Conftables, Servants, Chorus, Rivers, At

1

THE

CRITIC.

A C T I.

SCENE I.

Mr. and Mrs. DANGLE at Breakfast, and reading

56

B

Newspapers.

DANGLE (reading.)

RUTUS to LORD NORTH."-" Letter

the fecond on the STATE OF THE "ARMY"-Pfhaw! "To the firft L- dash "D of the A- dafh Y."..." Genuine Ex"tract of a Letter from St. KITT'S."--" Cox"HEATH INTELLIGENCE."--" It is now confi

dently afferted that SIR CHARLES HARDY."--. Pfhaw !---Nothing but about the fleet, and the nation !---and I hate all politics but theatrical politics.---Where's the MORNING CHRONICLE?

Mrs. DAN