Some zealous Protestants may possibly be shocked at this Lady's theological notions; however, as in other respects she is a woman of an excellent character, and obferves the moral precepts of Christianity with as much attention as if her creed had been purified by Luther, and doubly re- The BRITISH PROLOGUE To FATAL FALSEHOOD. A Tragedy, by the Author of PERCY. Spoken by Mr. HULL. UR modern Poets scarce know how A fubject worthy of the Tragic Muse; MUSE. EPILOGUE, Written by R. B. SHERIDAN, Esq; and spoken by Mr. LEE LEWES, in the Character of an enraged Author. UNhand me, Gentlemen, by Heaven, I fay, I'll make a ghost of him who bars my way. Forth let me come-a poetafter true, For scene or history, we've none but men, For classic themes demand a classic pen : -She dares not touch the drama's nobler The fate of nations, and the fall of Kings; The humbler scenes of private life the thews, A fimple story of domestic woes. The weight of Crowns, a kingdom's weal or woe, How few can judge, because how few can know! But here you all may boast the Critic's art, Here all are judges-who possess a heart. These ravagers which spoil the human Oh! deign to learn this obvious desson here! The verse is feeble, but the moral clear. Your candour once endur'd our Author's lays; Endure them now that will be ample praife. Each puny Bard must surely burst with spite, To find that women with fuch fame can write : But, oh! your partial favour is the cause, Yet still our tribe shall feek to blaft their And ridicule each fair pretender's aim; vex! While waids and thetaphors conspire to Mufe; Round her strew'd room a frippery chaos There, dormant patterns pine for future gauze. A moral When dire mishap, though neither shame nor fin, SAPPHO herself, and not her Muse, lies in. The Virgin Nine in terror fly the bower, And matron Juno claims despotic power; Soon Gothic hags the claffic pile o'erturn, The CONTEST of the SEASONS; A caudle-cup fupplants the sacred urn; Nor books, nor implements, escape their rage, They spike the ink-stand, and they rend the page; Poems and Plays one barbarous fate partake; Ovid and Plutus fuffer at the stake, And Ariftotle's only fav'd to wrap plum-cake. } Yet, shall a WOMAN tempt the tragic feene? And dare-but hold-I must reprefs my fpleen; Old Summer grew warm, and faid, 'twas I see your hearts are pledg'd to her applaufe, While Shakespeare's spirit seems to aid her caufe; Well pleas'd to aid - fince o'er his facred bier } enough, That too often he had heard fuch common place stuff: That to Him the bright fun all in fplendor arifing, Was an object by far more fublime and furprizing. All your pleasures, quoth Autumn, nothing to mine; are My fruits are ambrofia, and nectar my wine. His bow o'er his shoulder was carelessly tied, Not one of you think Winter merits regard, His quiver in negligence clank'd at his fide; reward. A handful of arrows he held to my view, Each wing'd with a feather that differ'd in hue; Or that Winter amusements are worthy all night? This, fledg'd from the eagle,' he smiling begun, skip it, I aim at the heart that no dangers will You talk too of lambkins that prettily Don't my Misses at Almack's as merrily trip it? Then, T THE VIOLET. By THEOPHILUS SWIFT, Esq. HEE, Flora's first and favourite By Zephyr nurit on Green-bank wild, Chaite Vi'let, Queen of flowers! Thy velvet birth, in golden groves, Her fylvan mantle fpread. Thus kisses blow the lover's fire, Mature the Spring of joy. Blue skirts the Rain-bow's arch in air, Blue melts the mass of colours there, The Heavens are hung with blue.And the, the nymph that charms my foul, Her eyes celeftial azure roll, And best resemble you. What though in humble shades you dwell, Wafting your sweets away? And there shalt reign, diftinguish'd long, Then quit the wild, lest some rude thorn Still lodge thee next his heart. Extract from the Ancient ENGLISH WAKE: А РОЕМ. : Of war and daring Chiefs the master fung, At length, defcending from his lofty mood, So dear to melody which Scotland owns. To where the troop display'd the gaudy They first presented to th' expecting view, Now stately ent'ring on the splendid scene, * Dr. Warton observes in his History of English Poetry, that the fubject of this fort of spectacle was (till the reign of Henry the Seventh) confined to moral allegory, or to religion blended with buffoonery. EXPLANATION of the annexed PLATE representing the Dress of T the Grecian Women in the Island NIO, one of the Cyclades. HE island Nio, anciently called Ios from being first planted by a colony of Ionians, and celebrated as the burial-place of Homer; lies between Naxi to the north, Armago to the eaft, Santorino to the South, and Sikino to the west. It is about 35 miles in circumference, and is fertile in corn, but has very little wood or oil. A few years ago, a Dutch Officer in the Russian service, who had occafion to visit this ifland, from the finding fome antique marbles, perfuaded himself that he had discovered the tomb of Homer; but as we have head no more about it, there 19 -- |