Our fond Unfitnefs gives you great Offence.
Well! to your Favour then let this restore us:
Allur'd by Fame, we read the Piece before us:
We glow'd; we read again; the gen'rous Heat
Heav'd at our Hearts, and in our Pulfes beat: 30
The godlike Patriot stood before our Eyes;
We faw his little Senate round him rife!
Each Youth was lifted to a CATO's Son,
And, in Defire, the Race of Virtue run ;
Put on the Perfon, as the Language fir'd,
And gave up all his Soul to be infpir'd!

Forgive us then, if, ardent in her Cause,
We pant for Virtue, and contemn Applause!
Nor think we aim to triumph o'er the Heart,
With BOOTH'S Authority, or WILKS his Art!

35

40

their Lives in profecuting their Schemes. MARK, or MarCUs, the Son of CATO, is in Love with LUCIA, as well as his Brother PORTIUS. He is kill'd in opofing SYHHAX, JUBA, Prince of NUMIDIA, is in Love with MARCIA, CATO's Daugh ter, and kills SEMPRONIUS, his Rival, who atttempts to car ry her off in a NUMIDIAN Drefs.

Ver. 40. BOOTH-WILKS.] Two celebrated Players, joint Managers of the Theatre in DRURY-LANE with Mr. CIBBER. The former play'd Caro, and the latter JUBA.

For who can do it?-JUBA is no more!
Great CA TO's Silence all the Nine deplore!
The mimic Father faintly ftrikes our Ears:
Thy Shade, NUMIDIAN! languidly appears :
Beauty and Grace are wander'd from the Stage; 45
And TRAGEDY laments the dull, degenerate Age!
To draw in Miniature, each Actor strives,

Virtues we'd copy largely in our Lives:
Or, make our Souls with Indignation rife
Against the Villain, in whate'er Disguise.

Ye Ladies then! espouse fair Virtue's Part;

And, in Reward, claim each a faithful Heart;

In our Attempt our Refolution fee;

And bear us witnefs, what we wish to be!

50

Ver. 41. JUBA is no more! Great CATO's Silence, &c.] Mr. WILKS was juft dead at the Time of writing this, and Mr. BOOT н was incapable of playing.

Ver. 43, 44] The Author had just before feen the Tragedy of CATO performed, in his Opinion, very indifferently. Mr. QUIN has fince got confiderable Reputation in the principal Character of that Play.

EPI

EPILOGUE to CATO.

*

OW all are dead that were to die To-day,

NOW

been:

And my grave Sire has moraliz'd the Play, One would have thought there was no more to say! But, thank good Friends! we better taught haveThey tell us Mirth must close the Tragic Scene, 5 For fear the Beaux should bear away the Spleen, Whate'er the Play, the Epilogue fhould burft 'em.--So fay the Learn'd, and all the Unlearn'd truft 'em.-Well! fince 'tis fo, we must submit to Custom.

Leaving Disputes toPlay-wrights and Play-factors,

10

Ladies, let's criticise these gay young Actors;
Thefe Sparks, who, void of GREEK, unread in PLA-
Without Philosophy pretend to copy CATO.

TO,

* Written on the fame Occafion as the Prologue, and addrefs'd to the Ladies alfo, in the Character of LuCIA.

Ver. 2. My grave Sire.] LUCIUS, a ROMAN Senator, the Friend of CATO. His laft Speech (after the Death of CATO) contains a general Application of the Moral defign'd by Mr. ADDISON in his Performance.

What! fend a Woman to apologize?

Well, mimic ROMANS, I fhall tell no Lies.

15

The ROMANS, Ladies, were a sturdy Nation; They frequently fent forth fome new Plantation: Where-e'er they faw uncultivated Ground,

neft!

With Manners, and with Men, they stock'd it round!
At Honour's Call in fhining Steel they harness'd: 20
They lov'd, they fought, they did all Things in ear-
These are mere Shadows of that mighty People!
As well were NISUS copy'd by a Cripple.
(Nisus, obferve, as VIRGIL tells the Story,

Run e'er fo fwift, would always run before ye.) 25
But 'tis a Scandal to compare them fo.-

An antient ROMAN, and a modern Beau!

'Tis like my Arm against this puny

Handle!

'Tis like the Sun against a Farthing Candle!

Ver. 23. Nisus-as VIRGIL tells the Story, &c] The Character of Nisus is thus tranflated by Mr. DRYDEN:

fwift Nisus all o'erpafs'd

Nor Storms, nor Thunder, equal half his Hafe.

Ver. 28. 'Tis like my Arm against this puny Handle.] Pointing to the Handle of her Fan.

Ver. 30. JUBA.] He was the Son of JUBA, King of MAURITANIA and NUMIDIA, who taking POMPEY's Part against

And then that JUBA, that polite NUMIDIAN, 30 In all this mighty Buftle, what has he done? I grant, he drew his Sword, he flew his Man: But 'twas a Pigmy fought against a Crane! Lord! had we fome true SEMPRONIUS here, Such as I've mention'd, and as ROMANS were,

35 He'd foon have made the gay Sir FOPPLING totter: For MARCIA's Part, he bravely must have got her. And, Ladies, where had then been MARCIA'S A Hero for a Beau,-a mortifying Cross!

Lof?

40

To fum up all :-Upon this worldly Stage, The Fool in publick oft' appears a Sage: Vain Coxcombs may impofe upon the Grave; And Cowards find a Time to dare the Brave: But who in private Life can play the ROMAN, 'Tis He's the Man-to please an ENGLISH Woman!

45

CESAR, and being overcome by the latter, together with PÅTREIUS A ROMAN General, the two unfortunate Commanders kill'd one another by mutual Consent. His Son follow'd the Fortune of CATO, and is drawn by Mr. ADDISON as in Love with MARCIA, CATO's Daughter. Vide Note on Ver. 20 of the Prologue. Young JUBA made a confiderable Figure at Rons after the Death of CATO.

PRO