trary Virtues with all the Force and Eloquence they are capable of. To write in Defence of the Legal Constitution can never be called being of a Party, but is the Duty of an honeft Man, and a good Subject; and he is the Inftrument of Party and Faction who has Wickednefs enough to contrive the Subverfion of the established Government, to abet its Enemies, and difcourage its Friends. I hope there are but few of this worft Sort of Men among us, and that a Zeal for His prefent Majefty King George, and his Family, the Proteftant Religion, and our Libertys, (without all which no Man can be faid to wifh well to his Country) will find all due Encourage-ment, wherever we meet with it, either among ft the graver Bufinefs or the Diverfions of Life. This is what every Body, except the avowed Enemies of the Government, profeffes to mean; and if they do mean it, I don't fee why that execrable Spirit of Rancour and The Dedication. Bitternefs fhould be kept up amongst us. I could not but congratulate the Publick, upon feeing Men on all fides agree fo unanimoutly as they did upon two late Occafions; I mean in the Applaufe of Mr. Addifon's Cato, and the Encouragment given to Mr. Pope's Tranflation of Homer. For the first, I think no good man but must be highly delighted with thofe noble Sentiments of Virtue, Liberty, and the Love of ones Country that run thro' that Tragedy; and for the latter, Mr. Pope is fo mafterly a Writer in our Language, that the Task he has undertaken feems to have been referv'd for. him. Thefe Gentlemen deferve greatly, and the World has agreed in doing them Juftice. I hope it is an Omen of their Unanimity in other Matters. I hope, my Lord, you have a long Series of good Years before you, Fam ferrea primum Definet & toto furget gens Aurea mundo. I I hope there is an Age coming on, worthy fuch an Ornament as your Lordfhip will be to it. Your firft Appearance in publick Life has created an Expectation of fomething great and good from you. It is now become a Debt and Obligation upon you; and I doubt not, my Lord, but that you will acquit your felf wor hily of it: That your Country will be eminently oblig'd to you for your Example and Services, and your Freinds fully fatisfy'd in every Hope they had conceiv'd of you. That amongst the reft it may be the Pride of the latter part of my Life to let the World know that I have had the Honour of being, My Lord, Your Lordship's moft obedient and most faithful N. Rowe. THE Ambitious STEP-Mother; A TRAGEDY: As it is Acted at the New Theatre. in Little Lincolns-Inn Fields, By His MAJESTY's Servants. Written by N. Rowe, Efq; Author of TAMERLANE. The THIRD EDITION. Decet hac dare dona novercam. Ovid. Metam. lib. Vane Ligur, fruftraq; animis elata fuperbis. تو Virg. Æn. lib. 11. LONDON: Printed by J. DARBY for M. WELLINGTON, and Sold by A. BETTESWORTH in Paternoster-Row, and F. CLAY without Temple-Bar. M. DCC. XX. |