ON THE SAME SUBJECT. HELEN was just slipt into bed: Her eye-brows on the toilet lay: Away the kitten with them fled, As fees belonging to her prey. For this misfortune careless Jane, Assure yourself, was loudly rated: And madam, getting up again, With her own hand the mouse-trap baited. On little things, as sages write, Depends our human joy or sorrow: If we don't catch a mouse to-night, Alas! no eye-brows for to-morrow. PHILLIS'S AGE. How old may Phillis be, you ask, To answer is no easy task : For she has really two ages. Stiff in brocade, and pinch'd in stays, Her patches, paint, and jewels on; All day let envy view her face, And Phillis is but twenty-one. Paint, patches, jewels laid aside, FORMA BONUM FRAGILE. WHAT a frail thing is beauty! says baron Le Cras, Perceiving his mistress had one eye of glass: And scarcely had he spoke it, When she more confus'd as more angry she grew, By a negligent rage prov'd the maxim too true: She dropt the eye, and broke it. A CRITICAL MOMENT How capricious were Nature and Art to poor Nell! She was painting her cheeks at the time her nose fell. AN EPIGRAM. WRITTEN TO THE DUKE DE NOALLES. VAIN the concern which you express, That uncall'd Alard will possess Your house and coach, both day and night, And that Macbeth was haunted less By Banquo's restless spright. With fifteen thousand pounds a year, Lend him but fifty louis-d'or; EPILOGUE TO PHEDRA AND HIPPOLITUS.1 BY MR. EDMUND SMITH. SPOKEN BY MRS. OLDFIELD, WHO ACTED ISMENA. LADIES, to-night your pity I implore 1 This excellent tragedy, although performed by Betterton, Booth, Mrs. Barry, and Mrs. Oldfield, met with but a very cold reception from the public on its first appearance. In the Spectator, No. 18, Mr. Addison says-"Would one think it was possible (at a time when an author lived that was able to write the Phædra and Hippolitus) for a people to be so stupidly fond of the Italian opera, as scarce to give a third day's hearing to that admirable tragedy." The prologue to it was written by Mr. Addison. And comes to town to let us moderns know, If that be all, said I, e'en burn your play: Egad! we know all that, as well as they : Show us the youthful, handsome charioteer, Firm in his seat, and running his career; Our souls would kindle with as generous flames, As e'er inspir'd the ancient Grecian dames: Every Ismena would resign her breast; And every dear Hippolitus be blest. But, as it is, six flouncing Flanders mares Are even as good as any two of theirs: And if Hippolitus can but contrive To buy the gilded chariot, John can drive. Now of the bustle you have seen to-day, And Phædra's morals in this scholar's play, Something at least in justice should be said; But this Hippolitus so fills one's headWell! Phædra liv'd as chastely as she could! For she was father Jove's own flesh and blood. Her awkward love indeed was oddly fated; She and her Poly were too near related; And yet that scruple had been laid aside, If honest Theseus had but fairly died: But when he came, what needed he to know, But that all matters stood in statu quo? There was no harm, you see; or grant there were, She might want conduct; but he wanted care. 'Twas in a husband little less than rude, Upon his wife's retirement to intrude— He should have sent a night or two before, But if these gay reflections come too late, EPILOGUE TO LUCIUS.1 A TRAGEDY, BY MRS. DE LA RIVIERE MANLEY. SPOKEN BY MRS. HORTON. THE female author who recites to-day, 1 This play was acted at Drury-lane, in 1717, with success. In the dedication to Sir Richard Steele, who wrote a prologue to it, the author apologizes for the severity of her former writings against him. |