With her trumpet-tongues proclaim The loved, revered, immortal name, Shakspeare! Shakspeare! Shakspeare! AIR. SWEETEST bard that ever sung, Warble forth such wood-notes wild! Come each Muse, and sister Grace, Bring the laurel, bring the flowers, Tho' Philip's famed unconquer'd son, But when our Shakspeare's matchless pen, Like Alexander's sword had done with men; He heaved no sigh, he made no moan, Not limited to human kind, He fired his wonder-teaming mind, Raised other worlds, and beings of his own! * PROLOGUE TO TASTE. Spoken by Mr. Garrick, in the Character of an BEFORE this court I Peter Puff appear, 'Tis said this night a certain wag intends Should this odd doctrine spread throughout the land, Before you buy be sure to understand, Oh think on us what various ills will flow, Are ever decent, delicate, and pure ; The smallest hair their looser thoughts might hold, No amourous passion with deep knowledge thrives; 'Tis the complaint indeed of all our wives! I ne'er for trinkets rack my pericranium, They furnish not my room from Herculaneum. But hush Should it be known that English are employ'd, Our manufacture is at once destroy'd ; No matter what our countrymen deserve, They'll thrive as antients, but as moderns starve. If we should fail, to you it will be owing; Farewel to Arts-they're going, going, going; The fatal hammers' in your hand, oh Town! Then set Us up-and knock the Poet down. JOHN LANGHORNE. 1779. Dr. Langhorne was Rector of Blagden, in Somersetshire, and is well known as the translator of Plutarch's Lives. He was also author of several other literary productions. Hymn to Humanity. PARENT of virtue, if thine ear Attend not now to sorrow's cry; If now the pity-streaming tear Should haply on thy cheeks be dry; Indulge my votive strain, O sweet Humanity, |