Prologue
to
Theodosius
:
Spoken
by
Athenais
at
the
Theatre
in
Dublin
,
when
Lord
and
Lady
Carteret
were
in
Ireland
.
Written
by
Mrs.
Grierson
.
You
look
surpriz'd
,
in
this
deriding
Age
,
To
find
that
Love
dares
venture
on
the
Stage
;
Where
you
,
of
late
seem
nothing
to
approve
,
But
what
,
in
Men
of
Sense
,
Contempt
must
move
;
That
after
all
your
Concerts
,
Farces
,
Shows
,
You
must
attend
a
dying
Lover's
Woes
.
I
know
you'll
be
amaz'd
at
what
I
mean
,
In
all
my
Height
of
Fortune
to
complain
:
Ador'd
by
Monarchs
,
and
an
Emp'rot's
Bride
,
You'll
say
,
I
need
not
in
a
Fret
have
dy'd
.
Forbear
;
nor
witless
Jests
on
Love
employ
,
Alike
unknowing
in
its
Pain
and
Joy
:
When
you
despise
its
Happiness
or
Woe
,
You
but
your
Want
of
Sense
,
or
Virtue
,
show
:
Be
humane
then
;
be
touch'd
with
Scenes
refin'd
,
Which
,
while
they
raise
the
Passions
,
mend
the
Mind
:
And
,
by
your
Pity
of
my
Woes
To
night
,
Convince
the
World
,
your
Hearts
are
form'd
aright
.
Or
,
if
you
scorn
to
hear
what
I
advise
,
Let
great
Examples
teach
you
to
be
wise
.
Lovers
are
not
so
out
of
Fashion
here
,
That
Athenais
blushes
to
appear
:
As
fam'd
Lord
and
Lady
Carteret
.
a
Pair
adorns
this
Isle
and
Age
,
As
ever
could
each
other's
Heart
engage
;
Endow'd
with
ev'ry
Grace
of
Form
and
Mind
,
To
raise
the
Love
and
Wonder
of
Mankind
:
Tho'
bless'd
with
ev'ry
Gift
to
merit
Fame
,
Their
highest
Glory
is
their
mutual
Flame
:
A
Flame
,
like
that
my
tender
Bosom
fir'd
;
But
rul'd
by
Reason
,
and
by
Heav'n
inspir'd
:
Their
Love
like
mine
,
but
diff'rent
far
their
Fate
;
As
happy
they
,
as
I
unfortunate
.
But
my
Distress
had
never
reach'd
the
Stage
,
Had
Heav'n
reserv'd
me
to
the
present
Age
:
None
would
have
dar'd
my
Fondness
to
abuse
,
Had
I
from
beauteous
Worsley
learnt
to
chuse
;
Nor
I
my
Heart
on
rash
Varanes
set
,
Had
I
,
like
her
,
but
known
a
Carteret
.