but fuch as we may think will not need to be erafed, but confift with the Happiness of the Human Soul in the next. This illuftrious Character has its proper Influence on all below it; the other virtuous Perfonages are, in their Degree, as worthy, and as exemplary as the Principal; the Conduct of the Lovers, (who are more warm, though more difcreet, than ever yet appeared on the Stage) has in it a conftant Senfe of the great Catastrophe which was expected from the Approach of Cæfar. But to fee the Modesty of an Heroine, whose Country and Family were at the fame time in the most imminent Danger, perferv'd, while fhe breaks out into the moft fond and open Expreffions of her Paffion for her Lover, is an Inftance of no common Addrefs. Again, to observe the Body of a galant young Man brought before us, who, in the Bloom of his Youth, in the Defence of all that is Good and Great, had received numberlefs Wounds; I fay, to observe that this dead Youth is introduced only for the Example of his Virtue, and that his Death is fo circumftantiated, that we are fatisfied, for all his Virtue, it was for the good of the World, and his own Family, that his warm Temper was not to be put upon farther Trial, but his Tafk of Life ended while it was yet virtuous, is an Employment worthy the Confideration of our young Britons. We are obliged to Authors, that can do what they will with us, that they do not play our Affections and Paffions

against

against ourselves, but to make us fo foon refigned to the Death of Marcus, of whom we were fo fond, is a Power that would be unfortunately lodged in a Man without the Love of Virtue.

WERE it not that I fpeak on this Occafion, rather as a Guardian than a Critick, I could proceed to the Examination of the Justnefs of each Character, and take notice that the Numidian is as well drawn as the Roman. There is not an Idea in all the Part of Syphax which does not apparently arise from the Habits which grow in the Mind of an African; and the Scene between Juba and his General, where they talk for and against a liberal Education, is full of Instruction: Syphax urges all that can be faid against Philofophy, as it is made fubfervient to ill Ends by Men who abuse their Talents; and Juba fets the lefs Excellencies of Activity, Labour, Patience of Hunger, and Strength of Body, which are the admired Qualifications of a Numidian, in their proper Subordination to the Accomplishments of the Mind. But this Play is fo well recommended by others, that I will not, for that, and fome private Reafons, enlarge any farther. Dr. Garth has very agreeably rallied the Mercenary Traffick between Men and Women of this Age in the Epilogue by Mrs. Porter who acted Lucia. And Mr. Pope has prepared the Audience for a new Scene of Paffion and Transport on a more noble Foundation than they have before been enter0 4 tained

tained with in the Prologue. I fhall take the Liberty to gratify the Impatience of the Town by inferting thefe two excellent Pieces, as Earnefts of the Work itself, which will be printed within few Days.

PROLOGUE to CATO.

By Mr. POP E.

Spoken by Mr. WILKS.

O wake the Soul by tender Strokes of Art,
To raise the Genius, and to mend the Heart;
To make Mankind in confcious Virtue bold,
Live o'er each Scene, and Be what they behold:
For this the Tragick Mufe firft trod the Stage,
Commanding Tears to ftream thro' every Age;
Tyrants no more their Savage Nature kept,
And Foes to Virtue wonder'd how they wept.
Our Author fhuns by vulgar Springs to move
The Hero's Glory, or the Virgin's Love;
In pitying Love we but our Weakness show,
And wild Ambition well deferves its Woe.
Here Tears fhall flow from a more gen'rous Cause,
Such Tears as Patriots fhed for dying Laws:
He bids your Breafts with Ancient Ardor rife,
And calls forth Roman Drops from British Eyes.
Virtue confefs'd in human Shape he draws,
What Plato thought, and God-like Cato was.
No common Object to your Sight difplays;
But what with Pleafure Heaven itself furveys,
A brave Man ftruggling in the Storms of Fate,
And greatly falling with a falling State.
While Cato gives his little Senate Laws,

What

What Bofom beats not in his Country's Caufe?
Who fees him act, but envies ev'ry Deed?

Who bears bim groan, and does not wish to bleed?
Ev'n when proud Cæfar, 'midft triumphal Cars,
The Spoils of Nations, and the Pomp of Wars,
Ignobly vain, and impotently great,

Show'd Rome her Cato's Figure drawn in State;
As her dead Father's rev'rend Image paft,
The Pomp was darken'd, and the Day o'ercaft,
The Triumph ceas'd-Tears gufh'd from ev'ry Eye;
The World's great Victor paft unheeded by:
Her laft good Man dejected Rome ador'd,
And bonour'd Cæfar's less than Cato's Sword.
Britons attend: Be Worth like this approv❜d,
And fhow you have the Virtue to be mov'd.
With boneft Scorn the firft fam'd Cato view'd
Rome learning Arts from Greece, whom she subdu’d.
Our Scene precariously fubfifts too long

On French Tranflation, and Italian Song:
Dare to have Senfe your felves, affert the Stage,
Be justly warm'd with your own Native Rage.
Such Plays alone fhould please a British Ear,
As Cato's felf had not difdain'd to hear.

EPILOGUE to CAT O.
By Dr. GAR T H.

WH

Spoken by Mrs. PORTER.

HAT odd fantastick Things we Women do!
Who would not liften when young Lovers woo!
What! die a Maid, yet have the Choice of Two!
Ladies are often cruel to their Coft:

To give you Pain, themselves they punish most.
Vows of Virginity fhould well be weigh'd
Too oft they're cancell'd, tho' in Convents made.

;

Wou'd

33

Wou'd you revenge fuch rafh Refolves

you may

Be fpiteful and believe the thing we fay;
We hate you when you're eafily faid Nay.

How needlefs, if you knew us, were your Fears?
Let Love bave Eyes, and Beauty will have Ears.
Our Hearts are form'd, as you your felves would choofe,
Too proud to ask, too bumble to refufe:

We give to Merit, and to Wealth we fell;
He fighs with most Success that fettles well.
The Woes of Wedlock with the Joys we mix
'Tis beft repenting in a Coach and fix.
Blame not our Conduct, fince we but purfue
Thofe lively Leffons we have learn'd from you:
Your Breafts no more the Fire of Beauty warms,
But wicked Wealth ufurps the Pow'r of Charms
What Pains to get the gaudy thing you hate,
To fwell in Show, and be a Wretch in State!
At Plays you ogle, at the Ring you bow;
Ev'n Churches are no Sanctuaries now,
There Golden Idols all your Vows receive;
She is no Goddess who has nought to give.
Ob may once more the happy Age appear,
When Words were artless, and the Soul fincere ;
When Gold and Grandeur were unenvy'd things,
And Crowns lefs coveted than Groves and Springs.
Love then fhall only mourn when Truth complains,
And Conftancy feel Transport in its Chains ;
Sighs with Success their own foft Anguish tell,
And Eyes fhall utter what the Lips conceal:
Virtue again to its bright Station climb,
And Beauty fear no Enemy but Time:
The Fair fhall liften to Defert alone,
And every Lucia find a Cato's Son.

Monday,