British Theatre Author:John Bell Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PROLOGUE. Written by Mr. Keli.y. Spoken by Mr. King. WELL, here you are, and comfortably squeezed But do you come quite willing to he pleas'd r1— Say... more », do you wish for. bravo--fine—encore Or—hiss—off, off—no more—m more—no more . Though for true taste 1 hnown the 'warmth you feel, A roasted poet is a glorious meal And oft I 'ise hnown a miserable wit, 'Through downright laughter fasten'd on the spit, Basted, witb cat-call sauce, for very fun, Not till quite ready but till ytite undone And yet you. serv'd the puppy as you ouht How dare he thinh to tell you of afav.lt What fair one.here from prudence ever strays, What loiser here e'er flatters or hetrays ? ' What husband here is ever found to roam, What wife is here that does not doat on home ? 1tt yon gay circle, not a blooming face from Club's rude hing could point you out the ace ; No soher trader, in that crowded pit, 'Till clear broad-day, will o'er his hottle sit; Nor, iabile our commerce fatally decays, Ert8 bis villa, or set up bis chaise Hay, you ahove, in rate-consuming hontfrs, Who through whole Sundays munge away your hours; You are so mild, so gentle, that ev.n here, Your sweet ton'd voices never wound the ear; Ne'er mahe the louse for tune or prologue ring, Roast bcef-.-roaf heef—the prologue, prologue—King— Why then, thus weigb'a' in truth's severest scale, Shall each pert scribbler impudently rail, With dull morality disgrace the stage, And talh of vices in so pure an age; Your wise forefathers, in politer days, Had erfa their faults commended in their plays, To cheat a friend, or violate a wife, Was then true humour, comedy, and life But nmu the bard hecomes your highest hoast, Whose ill-bred pen traduces you the most; ...« less