This awful jury all impatient wait;

Let him come in, I say, and meet his fate.
Strange, very strange, if such a piece succeeds!
(Punish the culprit for his vile misdeeds)
Know ye, to-night that his presumptuous works
Have turn'd good Christians into Heathen Turks?
And if the genius an't corrected soon,

In his next trip he'll mount us to the moon.
Methinks I hear him say---" For mercy's sake
"Hold your rash tongue---my Love and Fame's at
"When you behold me---diffident---distrest, [stake.
'Tis cruelty to make my woes'a jest.

"Well---if you will---but why should I distrust? "My judges are as merciful as just;

"I know them well, have oft their friendship try'd, "And their protection is my boa-t---my pride."

Hoping to please, he form'd this bustling plan; Hoping to please! 'tis all the Moderns can. Faith! let him 'scape, let Love and Fame survive; With your kind sanction keep his scenes alive; Try to approve (applaud we will exempt) Nor crush the bardling in this hard attempt. Could he write up to an illustrious theme, There's mark'd upon the register of Fame A subject---but beyond the warmest lays; Wonder must paint when 'tis a G---nby's praise.

On Opening the New Theatre in Newcastle, 1766. IF to correct the follies of mankind,

To mend the morals---to enlarge the mind,
To strip the self-deceiving passions bare,
With honest mirth to kill an evening's care;
If these kind motives can command applause,
For these the motley stage her curtain draws.

Does not the poet, that exists by praise,
Like to be told that he has reach'd the bays?
Is not the wretch (still trembling for his store)
Pleas'd when he grasps a glitt'ring thousand more?
Cheer not the mariner propitious seas?

Likes not the lawyer to be handling fees?
Lives not the lover but in hopes of bliss?
To ev'ry question we'll reply with---Yes.
Suppose them gratify'd---their full delight
Falls short of our's on this auspicious night,
When rich in happiness---in hopes elate,
Taste has receiv'd us to our fav'rite seat..

O that the soul of action were but our's,
And the vast energy of vocal pow'rs!
That we might make a grateful off'ring, fit
For these kind judges that in candour sit.

Before such judges, we confess, with dread,
These new dominions we presume to tread;

Yet if you smile, we'll boldly do our best,

And leave your favours to supply the rest.

A PROLOGUE,

TO THE MUSE OF OSSIAN,

A little Piece adapted to the Stage from the celebrated Poem of Ossian the Son of Fingal, spoken at Edinburgh.

To form a little work of nervous merit,
To give the sleepy stage a nobler spirit,

To touch a sacred Muse, and not defile her,
This was the plan propos'd by our Compiler.

Tho' Caution told him---the presumption's glar ing,

Dauntless, he cry'd, "It is but nobly daring! "Can we peruse a pathos more than Attic,

"Nor wish the golden measure stamp'd dramatic? "Here are no lines---in measur'd pace that trip it," "No modern scenes---so lifeless! so insipid! "Wrought by a Muse---(no sacred fire debarr'd her) "'Tis nervous! noble! 'tis true northern ardour!"

Methinks I hear the Grecian bards exclaiming, (The Grecian bards! no longer worth the naming) "In song the northern tribes so far surpass us, "One of their Highland hills they'll call Parnassus, "And from the sacred mount decrees shall follow, "That Ossian was himself---the true Apollo."

Spite of this flash---this high poetic fury,
He trembles for the verdict of his jury.
As from his text he ne'er presum'd to wander,
But gives the native Ossian to your candour,
To an impartial judgment we submit him;
Condemn---or rather (if you can) acquit him.

A PROLOGUE,

TO THE COMEDY OF RULE A WIFE.
Spoken at Edinburgh.

'Tis an odd portrait that the poet drew; A strange irregular he sets in view!

"Mongst us--thank Heav'n--the character's unknown, (Bards have creative faculties, we own)

And this appears a picture from his brain,

Till we reflect the lady liv'd in Spain.

Should we the portrait with the sex compare,
'Twould add new honours to the northern fair;
Their merit's by the foil conspicuous made,
And they seem brighter from contrasting shade.
Rude were the rules our fathers form'd of old,
Nor should such antiquated maxims hold.
Shall subject man assert superior sway,
And dare to bid the angel-sex obey?
Or if permitted to partake the throne,
Despotic call the reins of pow'r his own?

Forbid it all that's gracious---that's polite !
(The fair to liberty have equal right)

Nor urge the tenet, tho' from Fletcher's school,
That ev'ry husband has a right to rule.

A matrimonial medium may be hit,
Where neither governs, but where both submit.
The nuptial torch with decent brightness burns,
Where male and female condescend by turns:
Change then the phrase, the horrid text amend,
And let the word Obey---be Condescend.

A PROLOGUE,

Spoken by Mr. Digges, on Opening the Edinburgh Theatre. in 1763.

To rectify some errors that of late
Had crept into the bosom of our state;

To court Propriety, a matron chaste!

To make strong leagues 'twixt Novelty and Taste; To alter---to adopt---to plan---revive,

To spare no pains to make the drama thrive;

These are the labours that to-night commence,

*

By Beauty sanction'd, and approv'd by Sense. †

Suppose some Corydon---some country swain,
Enamour'd of some Phillis of the plain,

At early dawn should seek the dappled glade,
To form a nosegay for the fav'rite maid;