POETRY. 261

PR O L O G U E jjao/len 6] Mr. POWELL, and fizid ta 6e written 5; Mr. G , on r/ze opening JIM Brillol ‘Theatre.

EFORE you fee, one of your fiage-direélors; Or, if you pleafe, one ofthofe {trange projeEtors,

Whofe heated brain, in fatal magic bound, Seeks for that lione which never can be found ; But in projeétion comes the dreadful llroke, The glaffes burfi, and all is bounce and fmoke! Though doubtful fiill our fate-I bite my thumbs, And my heart fails me—for projection comes ; Your {miles would chace our fears {till I could dream, Rich as a Nabob, with my golden fcheme!

That all the world's a Rage, you can’: deny; And what's our fiage? a lhop--I’ll tell you why: You are the cullomers, the tradefrnen we;

And well for us, you pay before you fee;

We give no truft, a ready money trade;

Should you {lop payment, we are bankrupts made. To feall your minds, and {oothe each worldly care, We’ll LARGELY traffic in dramatic ware;

Then {wells our fhop, a warehoufe to your eyes, And we, from {mall retailers, merchants rife! From Shakefpeafls golden mines we’ll fetch the ore, And land his riches 0n this happy fhore!

For we, theatric merchants, never quit

His boundlefs fiorcs of univerfal wit!

But we, in vain, {ball richly-laden come,

Unle{s deep water brings us fafely home;

Unle{s your favour in full tides will How,

Ship, crew, and cargo, to the bottom go! Indulge us then, and from our hearts receive

Our warmefi wi{hes;---all we have to give. May honour’d commerce, with her {ails unfurPd, Still bring you treafures from each diltant world 5 From Eat’: to Wefi, extend this city’s name,

Still to her {ons increafing wealth with fame.

And may this merit be our honefl: boafi,

To give you plea{ure, and no virtue lolt!

EPILOGUE.

N days of yore, it was a coniiant rule, That ev’ry Knight fhould have his ’Squire and F001: When forth the Hero went, they follow’d after-

One bore his fhield; the other rais’d his laughter; S 3 The