PROLOGUE

TO SIR JOHN COCKLE AT COURT.

As some poor orphan, at the friendly gate
Where once reliev'd, again presumes to wait;
So mov'd by former kindness to him shown,
Our honest miller ventures up to town.
He greets you all. His hearty thanks I bear
To each kind friend. He hopes you 're all so here.
Hopes the same favour you'll continue still
At court, which late you show'd him at the mill.
Why should you not? If plain untutor'd sense
Should speak blunt truths, who here will take of-
fence?

For common right he pleads, no party's slave;
A foe, on either side, to fool and knave.
Free, as at Mansfield, he at court appears,
Still uncorrupted by mean hopes and fears.
Plainly his mind does to his prince impart,
Alone embolden'd by an honest heart.
These are his merits-on this plea I sue-
But humbly he refers his cause to you.
1 "Small faults, we hope, with candour you 'll ex-
Nor harshly treat a self-convicted muse."
If, after trial, he should mercy find,
He'll own that mercy with a grateful mind;
Or, by strict justice, if he 's doom'd to death,
Will then, without appeal, resign his breath.

EPILOGUE

TO SIR JOHN COCKLE AT COURT.

[cuse,

LORD! what a stupid race these poets are!
This tim'rous fool has made me mad, 1 swear:
Here have I teas'd him every day this week
To get an epilogue-'tis still to seek.
"No, no," he cried: "I fear 'twill meet sad fate;

And can one thank an audience after that?"

Well, Mr. What-d-'ye-call 't," said, "suppose A merry epilogue might do it good." [it shou'd; "Yes, madam," said he, and smil'd-" If I cou'd With humour, fit for you to speak, it might."[write 'Twas very civil of the man, indeed- [ heed." "Come, come," said 1, "write something, never "Well-if it please," said he,-"on that condition, Pray make my compliments with due submission, The matter and the words I leave to you-"

I thank'd him; and I'll try what I can do. [him,
Our author thanks you for this favour shown
The man is modest; that I must say on him.
He says, 'tis your indulgence, not his merit-
But, were I he, faith I'd pluck up a spirit;
I think 'tis meanly giving up his cause,
To claim no merit, when he 'as your applause,
Were I to compliment you as I wou'd,

I'd say, you lik'd the thing, because 'twas good.
But he must have his way-and so to you
His grateful thanks I give, as justly due.

EPILOGUE

TO THE TOY-SHOP.

WELL, Heav'n be prais'd, this dull, grave sermon's done;

(For faith our author might have call'd it one.)

These two lines were added after the first night's performance, occasioned by some things which the audience very justly found fault with; and which, the second time, were left out, or altered as much as possible.

I wonder who the devil he thought to please! Is this a time o' day for things like these? Good sense and honest satire now offend; We're grown too wise to learn, too proud to mend And so divinely wrapt in songs and tunes, The next wise age will all be-fidlers' sons. And did he think plain truth wou'd favour find? Ah! 'tis a sign he little knows mankind! To please, he ought to have a song or dance. The tune from Italy, the caper France: [sense! These, these might charm-But hope to do 't with Alas! alas! how vain is the pretence! But, tho' we told him,-"Faith, 'twill never do-" "Pho! never fear," he cried, "tho' grave, 'tis new: The whim perhaps may please, if not the wit, And, tho' they don't approve, they may permit. If neither this nor that will intercede, Submissive bend, and thus for pardon plead.

"Ye gen'rous few, to you our author sues, His first essay with candour to excuse.

'T has faults, he owns, but if they are but small, He hopes your kind applause will hide them all."

REX ET PONTIFEX,

BEING AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE UPON THE STAGE A NEW SPECIES OF PANTOMIME. PERSONS.

PAGAN, Jewish, Roman, and Mahometan Priests properly habited,

Tyranny, in a coat of mail, a Gothic crown on his head, and chains in his hand.

Imposture, a phantom dress'd up by the priests

Truth, a beautiful woman drest in white, with with a cloak, mask, &c. Liberty, drest in her hair, with a flowing robe, a great plainness and simplicity. wand, &c.

Zeal, has a fool's cap on his head painted with flames, a book in his hand, which he seems to read now and then, casting up his eyes to Heaven, and beating his breast with great violence.

firebrand in the other.

Persecution, has an axe in one hand and a lighted Ambition, is magnificently drest with stars, ribbons, coronets, and other ensigns of civil honour, eyeing them often.

Corruption, has a large bag of money in one hand, and a serpent in the other. Philosophers in Grecian habits.

The Arts and the Muses from antiquity.

REX ET PONTIFEX.1

The curtain rises to solemn music, but something harsh and dissonant, and discovers a magnificent temple; where a cabal of Egyptian priests, Jewish rabbins, Mahometan muftis, a pope, a cardinal, jesuit, and capuchin seem in close combination, and are all earnestly

In Mr. Dodsley's Muse in Livery, is an entertainment designed for her majesty's birthday, the scenery of which very much resembles this, but the poetical part is of inferior merit. C.

employed in dressing up the figure of Imposture. After a while they seem by their whispering, nodding, winking and sneering amongst themselves, to have adjusted matters very much to their own satisfaction. A large cloak is thrown over the shoulders of the figure, to hide its deformities; a mask of a fine composed grave air is clapt upon its ugly visage; and several others, curiously delineated for all occasions, are cunningly disposed of beneath the cloak: which done, the priests withdraw. Then enters a band of ancient philosophers, properly habited; who examining the figure of Imposture with great care, seem to debate amongst themselves with calmness and moderation; and at length, having pulled off its cloak and mask, and discovered and exposed its strange features and monstrous deformities, they are just upon the point of demolishing the figure, when the priests re-enter, leading in Tyranny, with all the ensigns and officers of civil power attending him; by the assistance of whom, the philosophers are driven off the stage, and Imposture is again invested with its cloak and mask. The priests making obeisance to the civil power, seem to beg the continuance of his protection, and the chief of them addresses himself to Tyranny, in the following manner.

RECITATIVE.

THOU, regal power! vicegerent of the skies!
Supreme on Earth, and substitute of Heav'n!
O stretch thy powerful arm, protect and save
Its sacred ministers! nor let bold man,
With his presumptuous reason, dare to mock
Our holy myst'ries, or dispute our rights.

AIR.

Kings the rights of priests defending, More securely hold their own; Priests to kings assistance lending,

Merit succour from the throne: Then give us supreme dominion

Over conscience and the soul! You shall rule (by our opinion)

Lives and goods without controul.

RECITATIVE.

TYRANNY.

Most reverend fathers! delegates to men
From Heaven's high king! ambassadors divine!
Be it as you have said. Teach you mankind
That power unlimited belongs to kings,
That subjects have no rights but to obey;
Then shall the arm of civil power protect

Your highest claims of reverence; and enforce
Assent to every tenet you shall judge
Conducive to establish priestly rule
O'er mind and conscience.

AIR.

Thus in fetters doubly binding,
Souls enslaving, bodies grinding,

We the stupid herd shall sway;
And, supreme in wealth and grandeur,
Silence every bold withstander

That shall dare to disobey.
PRIEST.

But in this grand affair, this high attempt,
To blind, enslave, and fleece a bubbled world;
What instruments, what tools shall we employ ?

TYRANNY.

Ambition and Corruption be my tools

PRIEST:

Be mine blind Zeal and furious Persecution. Enter to the Priests, at one door, Zeal and Persecu tion; and to the Civil Power, at the other, Ambition and Corruption, properly distinguished.

TYRANNY.

Go forth, ye instruments of our high aims, And in our cause possess the sons of men. Cramp and intimidate th' inquiring mind; With base affections taint the human heart: And tame the generous spirit that breathes in man, And prompts him to resist and brave oppression: So shall that head-strong beast, the multitude, Yield to the bit, and crouch beneath its burthen. Zeal, leading Persecution, goes out one way; and Corruption, leading Ambition, the other. Then enter the Muses and the liberal Arts with proper habits and ensigns, who seem to beg protection of the Priests and the Civil Power; but being commanded to fall down and worship the figure of Imposture, they refuse; upon which they are immediately chained and fettered, and cast down bound before it.

And now the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers seem perfectly secure; they shake hands, they embrace, and after a formal solemn dance, in which they alternately bow and reverence each other, they are walking off the stage, when they meet with the goddess of Liberty, who leads in the Philosophers, walks boldly up to the figure of Imposture, and striking it with her wand, speaks as follows:

Hence, Delusion, hence, away;
Nor in Britain dare to stay:"
To some foreign land retire,
Where dull Ign'ránce may admire:
Here, amongst the brave and free,
Truth shall rise, and dwell with me.

Then waving her wand, Imposture immediately sinks g and the goddess of Truth, arrayed in robes of while yet drest with the greatest plainness and simplicity, arises in its room, whom Liberty addresses in the fol lowing

AIR:

O why, ye powers, that rule the race of man,
And you that should instruct him to be wise
And good; why will ye join, O why, in league
Unnatural, to blind and to enslave!
When to reform his morals, and protect
His native rights, are your sole provinces,
From which perform'd, your safety, glory, all
That make kings great, and priests rever'd arise.

AIR.

He whose heart with social fire

Burns to do what good he can; Sure, by the celestial Sire,

Will be deem'd the worthiest man:

So the patriot warmly prest

In his country's sacred cause,

Of all subjects is the best,

Best deserves his king's applause.

TRUTH.

Princes, give ear; give ear, ye reverend seers;
And let the words of Truth make deep impression.
Man was not made for kings, but kings for man.
And that proud tyrant who invades the rights
His hand was scepter'd to defend, becomes
A sovereign rebel. As that priest, who for
The oracles of Heaven gives human creeds,
And, wrapt in mysteries, sneering moral worth,
Delights to puzzle and confound the mind,
Which 'tis his sacred office to enlighten,
Falls from Heaven's minister to that of Hell;
And for man's teacher under God, becomes,
Under the devil, deputy seducer.

AIR.

Yet how sacred! how divine!

Kings and priests have power to be! At the throne, or at the shrine,

Man might bow, and still be free: Let the prelate virtue bring,

Let the prince with goodness sway; To the priest and to the king, All will due obedience pay.

CHORUS.

Power and goodness, when they join, Make kings sacred, priests divine.

THE ART OF PREACHING:

IN IMITATION OF HORACE'S ART OF POETRY.

SHOULD Some strange poet, in his piece, affect Pope's nervous style, with Cibber's jokes bedeck'd; Prink Milton's true sublime with Cowley's wit; And garnish Blackmore's Job with Swift's conceit; Would you not laugh? Trust me, that priest's as bad,

Who in a style now grave, now raving mad,

1 Humano capiti cervicem pictor equinam Jungere si velit, & varias inducere plumas Undique collatis membris, ut turpiter atrum Desinat in piscem mulier formosa superne; Spectatum admissi risum teneatis, amici? Credite, Pisones, isti tabulæ fore librum Persimilem.

Gives the wild whims of dreaming schoolmen vent,
Whilst drowsy congregations nod assent.

2 Painters and priests, 'tis true, great licence claim,
And by bold strokes have often rose to fame:
But whales in woods, or elephants in air,
Serve only to make fools and children stare;
And in religion's name if priests dispense
Flat contradictions to all common sense;
Tho' gaping bigots wonder and believe,
The wise 'tis not so easy to deceive.

3Some take a text sublime, and fraught with

sense,

But quickly fall into impertinence.

On trifles eloquent, with great delight

They flourish out on some strange mystic rite;
Clear up the darkness of some useless text,
Or make some crabbed passage more perplext:
But to subdue the passions, or direct,
And all life's moral duties, they neglect.

Most preachers err (except the wiser few)
Thinking establish'd doctrines, therefore true;
Amuse the world with airy idle dreams:
5 Others, too fond of novelty and schemes,

6 Thus too much faith, or too presuming wit,
Are rocks where bigots, or free-thinkers split.
The very meanest dabbler at Whitehall
Can rail at papists, or poor quakers maul;
But when of some great truth he aims to preach,
Alas, he finds it far beyond his reach. [find
8 Young deacons, try your strength, and strive to
A subject suited to your turn of mind;
Method and words are easily your own,
Or should they fail you-steal from Tillotson.
9 Much of its beauty, usefulness, and force,
Depends on rightly timing a discourse.
Before the 1-ds or c-mm-ns- -far from

-Pictoribus atque poëtis

Quidlibet audendi semper fuit æqua potestasSed non ut placidis coëant immitia

[fessis

3 Incœptis gravibus plerumque & magna pros * Maxima pars vatumDecipimur specie recti

Delphinum silvis appingit, fluctibus aprum.
5 Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam,

6 In vitium ducit culpæ fuga, si caret arte. 7 Æmilium circa ludum faber imus & ungue Exprimet, & molles imitabitur ære capillos; Infelix operis summa, quia ponere totum Nesciet

8 Sumite materiam vestris, qui scribitis, æquam Viribus

9 Ordinis hæc virtus erit, & Venus, aut ego fallor, Ut jam nunc dicat, jam nunc debentia dici Pleraque differat; et præsens in tempus omittat→→ 10 In verbis etiam tenuis cautusque serendis11 Et nova fictaque nuper habebunt verba fidem, Græco fonte cadant, parcè detorta.

12 Barclay or Baxter, wherefore do we blame
For innovations, yet approve the same
In Wickliffe and in Luther? Why are these
Ćall'd wise reformers, those mad sectaries!
'Tis most unjust: 13 Men always had a right,
And ever will, to think, to speak, to write
Their various minds; yet sacred ought to be
The public peace, as private liberty.

14 Opinions are like leaves, which every year
Now flourish green, now fall and disappear.
Once the pope's bulls could terrify his foes,
And kneeling princes kiss'd his sacred toes,
Now he may damn, or curse, or what he will,
There's not a prince in Christendom will kneel.
Reason now reigns, and by her aid we hope
Truth may revive, and sickening errour droop:
She the sole judge, the rule, the gracious light
Kind Heaven has lent to guide our minds aright.
15 States to embroil, and faction to display,
In wild harangues, Sacheverel show'd the way.
16 The fun'ral sermon, when it first began,
Was us'd to weep the loss of some good man;
Now any wretch, for one small piece of gold,
Shall have fine praises from the pulpit sold:
But whence this custom rose, who can decide?
From priestly av'rice? or from human pride?

17 Truth, moral virtue, piety, and peace,
Are noble subjects, and the pulpit grace:
But zeal for trifles arm'd imperious Laud,
His power and cruelty the nation aw'd.

18 Why was he honour'd with the name of priest,
And greatest made, unworthy to be least,
Whose zeal was fury, whose devotion pride,
Power his great god, and interest his sole guide?
19 To touch the passions, let your style be plain;
The praise of virtue asks a higher strain:
Yet sometimes the pathetic may receive
The utmost force that eloquence can give;
As sometimes, in clogiums, 'tis the art,
With plain simplicity to win the heart.

12

"In censuring vice, be earnest and severe; In stating dubious points, concise and clear; Anger requires stern looks and threat'ning style; But paint the charms of virtue with a smile. These different changes common sense will teach, And we expect them from you if you preach; For should your manner differ from your theme, Or in quite different subjects be the same, Despis'd and laugh'd at, you may travel down, And hide such talents in some country town.

22 It much concerns a preacher first to learn The genius of his audience, and their turn. Amongst the citizens be grave and slow; Before the nobles let fine periods flow; The Temple Church asks Sherlock's sense and skill;

Beyond the Tower-no matter-what you will.

23 In facts or notions drawn from sacred writ,
Be orthodox, nor cavil to show wit:
Let Adam lose a rib to gain a wife,
Let Noah's ark contain all things with life,
Let Moses work strange wonders with his rod,
And let the Sun stand still at Joshua's nod,
Let Solomon be wise, and Sampson strong,
Give Saul a witch, and Balaam's ass a tongue.
24 But if your daring genius is so bold
To teach new doctrines, or to censure old,
With care proceed, you tread a dangerous path;
Errour establish'd grows establish'd faith.
'Tis easier much, and much the safer rule
To teach in pulpit what you learnt at school;
With zeal defend whate'er the church believes,
If you expect to thrive or wear lawn sleeves,

25 Some loudly bluster, and consign to Hell
All who dare doubt one word or syllable
Of what they call the faith; and which extends
To whims and trifles without use or ends:

25 Sure 'tis much nobler, and more like divine,
T'enlarge the path to Heaven, than to confine:
Insist alone on useful points, or plain;
And know, God cannot hate a virtuous man.

27 If you expect or hope that we should stay
Your whole discourse, nor strive to slink away;
Some common faults there are you must avoid,
To every age and circumstance ally'd.

23 A pert young student just from college brought, With many little pedantries is fraught: Reasons with syllogism, persuades with wit, Quotes scraps of Greek instead of sacred writ; Or deep immers'd in politic debate,

Reforms the church, and guides the tottering state.

29 These trifles with maturer age forgot, Now some good benefice employs his thought; He seeks a patron, and will soon incline To all his notions civil or divine; Studies his principles both night and day, And as that scripture guides, must preach and pray. 30 Av'rice and age creep on his reverend mind Begins to grow right reverendly inclin'd. Power and preferment still so sweetly call, The voice of Heaven is never heard at all: Set but a tempting bishopric in view, He's strictly orthodox and loyal too; With equal zeal defends the church and state, And infidels and rebels share his hate.

Some things are plain, we can't misunderstand; Some still obscure, tho' thousands have explain'd: Those influence more which reason can conceive, Than such as we thro' faith alone believe; In those we judge, in these you may deceive: But what too deep in mystery is thrown, The wisest preachers choose to let alone. How Adam's fault affects all human kind; How three is one, and one is three combin'd; How certain prescience checks not future will; And why Almighty Goodness suffers ill; Such points as these lie far too deep for man, Were never well explain'd, nor ever can.

32 If pastors more than thrice five minutes preach,

Their sleep focks begin to yawn and stretch. 33 Never presume the name of God to bring As sacred sanction to a trifling thing.

* Before, or after sermon, hymns of praise Exalt the soul, and true devotion raise. In songs of wonder celebrate his name, Who spread the skies, and built the starry frame: Or thence descending view this globe below, And praise the source of every bliss we know.

35 In ancient times, when Heaven was to be Our humble ancestors their voices rais'd, [prais'd, And hymns of thanks from grateful bosoms flow'd, For ills prevented, or for good bestow'd:

But as the church increas'd in power and pride,
The pomp of sound the want of sense supply'd;
Majestic organs then were taught to blow,
And plain religion grew a raree-show:

29 Conversis studiis, ætas animusque virilis Quærit opes & amicitias-`

30 Multa senem circumveniunt

31 Aut agitur res in scenis, aut acta refertur: Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem, Quam quæ sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus, & quæ Ipse sibi tradit spectator.

-in avem Progne vertatur, Cadmus in anguem; Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, incredulus odi.

32 Neve minor, neu sit quinto productior actu Fabula.

33 Nec Deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus Inciderit:

Actoris partes chorus, officiumque virile

Defendat.

35 Tibia non, ut nunc orichalco vincta, tuEmula; sed tenuis simplexque[bæque Postquam cœpit agros extendere victor, & urbem Latior amplecti murus, vinoque diurno Placari genius festis impune diebus; Accessit numerisque modisque licentia major. Indoctus quid enim saperet, liberque laborum, Rusticus urbano confusus, turpis honesto?

Strange ceremonious whims, a numerous race,
Were introduc'd, in truth's and virtue's place.
Mysterious turnpikes block up Heaven's highway,
And for a ticket, we our reason pay.

36 These superstitions quickly introduce
Contempt, neglect, wild satire, and abuse;
Religion and its priests, by every fool
Were thought a jest, and turn'd to ridicule.
Some few indeed found where the medium lay,
And kept the coat, but tore the fringe away

37 Of preaching well if you expect the fame,
Let truth and virtue be your first great aim.
Your sacred function often call to mind,
And think how great the trust, to teach mankind!
'Tis yours in useful sermons to explain,
Both what we owe to God, and what to man.
'Tis yours the charms of liberty to paint,
His country's love in every breast to plant;
Yours every social virtue to improve,
Justice, forbearance, charity, and love;
Yours too the private virtues to augment,
Of prudence, temperance, modesty, content:
When such the man, how amiable the priest;
Of all mankind the worthiest, and the best.

38 Ticklish the point, I grant, and hard to find, To please the various tempers of mankind. Some love you should the crabbed points explain, Where texts with texts a dreadful war maintain: Some love a new, and some the beaten path, Morals please some, and others points of faith: But he's the man, he's the admir'd divine, In whose discourses truth and virtue join: These are the sermons which will ever live, By these our Tonsons and our Knaptons thrive; How such are read, and prais'd, and how they sell,

Let Barrow's, Clarke's, and Butler's sermons tell. 39 Preachers should either make us good or wise,

Him that does neither, who but must despise?
If all your rules are useful, short and plain,
We soon shall learn them, and shall long retain :
But if on trifles you harangue, away
We turn our heads, and laugh at all you say.

40 But priests are men, and men are prone to err
On common failings none should be severe;
All are not masters of the same good sense,
Nor blest with equal powers of eloquence.
'Tis true: and errours with an honest mind,
Will meet with easy pardon from mankind;
But who persists in wrong with stubborn pride
Him all must censure, many will deride.

41 Yet few are judges of a fine discourse, Can see its beauties, or can feel its force;

fons.

mus

41 Non quivis videt immodulata poëmata judes3