*PROLOGUE TO THE PROPHETESS. BY BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. REVIVED BY MR. DRYDEN. SPOKEN BY MR. BETTERTON. WHAT Noftradame, with all his art can guefs The fate of our approaching Prophetefs? The Prophetefs, or the Hiftory of Dioclefian, was revived in 1690, with alterations and additions, after the manner of an opera, by Mr. Betterton, and not by Dryden, as Langbaine, who is generally pretty exact, afferts. Our author only wrote the prologue, and that was forbid by the Earl of Dorfet, then Lord Chamberlain, after the first day of its being fpoken. King William was at this time profecuting the war in Ireland, which is alluded to in these lines: ""Till rich from vanquifh'd rebels you return; "And the fat fpoils of Teague in triumph draw, "This prologue," fays Colley Cibber in his Apology, "had "fome familiar metaphorical fueers at the Revolution itself; "and as the poetry of it was good, the offence of it was lefs "pardonable. "Go conquerors of your male and female foes, DERRICK. 5 A play, which, like a perspective set right, Your filver goes, that fhould fupport our trade. Each bring his love a Bogland captive home; 31 45 51 PROLOGUE TO THE *MISTAKES. ENTER MR. BRIGHT. GENTLEMEN, we must beg your pardon ; here's no Prologue to be had to-day; our new play is like to come on, without a frontispiece ; as bald as one of you young beaux, without your periwig. I left our young poet, fnivelling and fobbing behind the scenes, and curfing fomebody that has deceived him. ENTER MR. BOWEN. HOLD your prating to the audience: here's honeft Mr. Williams, just come in, half mellow, from the Rofe-Tavern. He fwears he is inspired with claret, and will come on, and that extempore too, either with a prologue of his own or fomething like one: O here he comes The Miftakes, or Falfe Reports, was not written, but, according to G. Jacob, fpoiled by Jofeph Harris, a comedian, who dedicated it to Mr. afterwards Sir Godfrey Kneller. It was acted in 1690. DERRICK. I to his tryal, at all adventures; for my part wifh him a good deliverance. [Exeunt Mr. Bright and Mr. Bowen. ENTER MR. WILLIAMS. SAVE ye, firs, fave ye! I am in a hopeful way. I should speak fomething, in rhyme, now, for the play: But the deuce take me, if I know what to fay. I'll stick to my friend the author, that I can tell ye, To the laft drop of claret, in my belly. 5 So far I'm fure 'tis rhyme-that needs no granting: And, if my verfes' feet ftumble-you fee my own are wanting. Our young poet has brought a piece of work, In which, though much of art there does not lurk, It may hold out three days-and that's as long as Cork. 10 But, for this play-(which till I have done, we fhow not) What may be its fortune-by the Lord-I know not. This I dare fwear, no malice here is writ: 'I'is innocent of all things; even of wit. |