Prologue & Persons Of The Drama

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_ Ye glitt'ring train, whom lace and velvet bless,
Suspend the soft solicitudes of dress!
From grov'ling bus'ness and superfluous care,
Ye sons of avarice, a moment spare!
Vot'ries of fame, and worshippers of power,
Dismiss the pleasing phantoms for an hour!
Our daring bard, with spirit unconfin'd,
Spreads wide the mighty moral for mankind.
Learn here, how heaven supports the virtuous mind,
Daring, though calm; and vig'rous, though resign'd;
Learn here, what anguish racks the guilty breast,
In pow'r dependant, in success depress'd.
Learn here, that peace from innocence must flow;
All else is empty sound, and idle show.

If truths, like these, with pleasing language join;
Ennobled, yet unchang'd, if nature shine;
If no wild draught depart from reason's rules;
Nor gods his heroes, nor his lovers fools;
Intriguing wits! his artless plot forgive;
And spare him, beauties! though his lovers live.

Be this, at least, his praise, be this his pride;
To force applause, no modern arts are try'd.
Should partial catcals all his hopes confound,
He bids no trumpet quell the fatal sound.
Should welcome sleep relieve the weary wit,
He rolls no thunders o'er the drowsy pit;
No snares, to captivate the judgment, spreads,
Nor bribes your eyes to prejudice your heads.
Unmov'd, though witlings sneer, and rivals rail,
Studious to please, yet not asham'd to fail,
He scorns the meek address, the suppliant strain,
With merit needless, and without it vain.
In reason, nature, truth, he dares to trust:
Ye fops, be silent: and, ye wits, be just!

 

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.

  MEN.
MAHOMET, Emperour of the Turks,  Mr. Barry.
CALI BASSA, First vizier,        Mr. Berry.
MUSTAPHA, A Turkish aga,         Mr. Sowden.
ABDALLA, An officer,             Mr. Havard.
HASAN, Turkish captains          Mr. Usher
        
CARAZA, Turkish captains         Mr. Burton
DEMETRIUS, Greek nobleman        Mr. Garrick
             
LEONTIUS, Greek nobleman         Mr. Blakes.
MURZA, An eunuch,                Mr. King

  WOMEN.
ASPASIA, Greek lady              Mrs. Gibber,
            
IRENE, Greek lady                Mrs. Pritchard.
Attendants on IRENE. 

_

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