EPILOGUE'. SPOKEN BY A DANCER. FIR "IRST, my fear; then, my court'fy; laft, my fpeech. My fear is, your difpleasure; my court'fy, my duty; and my speech, to beg your pardons. If you look for a good speech now, you undo me: for what I have to fay, is of mine own making, and what, indeed, I should say, will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the purpose, and fo to the venture. Be it known to you (as it is very well) I was lately here in the end of a difpleafing play, to pray your patience for it, and to promife you a better. I did mean, indeed, to pay you with this; which if, like an ill venture, it come unluckily home, I break; and you, my gentle creditors, lofe. Here, I promifed you, I would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies: bate me fome, and I will pay you fome, and, as moft debtors do, promife you infinitely. If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will you command me to use my legs? and yet that were but light payment, to dance out of your debt. But a good confcience will make any poffible fatisfaction, and fo will I. 2 All the gentlewomen bere have forgiven me; if the gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen before in such an affembly. One word more, I beseech you; if you be not too much cloy'd with fat meat, our bumble author will continue the story with Sir John in it, and make you merry with This epilogue was merely occafional, and alludes to fome theatrical tranfaction. JOHNSON. 2 All the gentlemen, &c.] The trick of influencing one part of the audience by the favour of the other, has been played already in the epilogue to As you like it. JOHNSON. fair Catherine of France; where, for any thing, I know, Falstaff fhall die of a fweat, unless already he be kill'd with your hard opinions; 3 for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary; when my legs are too, I will bid you good night, and fo kneel down before you; but, indeed, to pray for the queen. 3 for Oldcastle died a martyr, &c.] This alludes to a play in which Sir John Oldcastle was put for Falstaff. POPE. The reader will find this affertion difputed in a note on the play of Henry the Fifth. STEEVENS. END OF VOLUME THE FIFTH. |