To
Mr.
GARRICK
.
By
the
Same
.
ON
old
PARNASSUS
,
t'
other
day
,
The
Muses
met
to
sing
and
play
;
Apart
from
all
the
rest
were
seen
The
tragick
and
the
comick
queen
,
Engag'd
,
perhaps
,
in
deep
debate
,
On
RICH'S
,
or
on
FLEETWOOD'S
fate
.
When
,
on
a
sudden
,
news
was
brought
That
GARRICK
had
the
patent
got
,
And
both
their
ladyships
again
Might
now
return
to
Drury-lane
.
They
bow'd
,
they
simper'd
,
and
agreed
They
wish'd
the
project
might
succeed
,
'Twas
very
possible
,
the
case
Was
likely
too
,
and
had
a
face
—
A
face
!
Thalia
titt'ring
cry'd
,
And
cou'd
her
joy
no
longer
hide
;
Why
,
sister
,
all
the
world
must
see
How
much
this
makes
for
you
and
me
;
No
longer
now
shall
we
expose
Our
unbought
goods
to
empty
rows
,
Or
meanly
be
oblig'd
to
court
From
foreign
aid
a
weak
support
;
No
more
the
poor
polluted
scene
Shall
teem
with
births
of
Harlequin
;
Or
vindicated
stage
shall
feel
The
insults
of
the
dancer's
heel
.
Such
idle
trash
we'll
kindly
spare
To
operas
now
—
they'll
want
them
there
;
For
Sadler's-Wells
,
they
say
,
this
year
Has
quite
undone
their
engineer
.
Pugh
,
you're
a
wag
,
the
buskin'd
prude
Reply'd
,
and
smil'd
;
besides
'tis
rude
To
laugh
at
foreigners
,
you
know
,
And
triumph
o'er
a
vanquish'd
foe
:
For
my
part
,
I
shall
be
content
If
things
succeed
as
they
are
meant
;
And
should
not
be
displeas'd
to
find
Some
changes
of
the
tragick
kind
.
And
say
,
THALIA
,
mayn't
we
hope
The
stage
will
take
a
larger
scope
?
Shall
he
whose
all-expressive
powers
Can
reach
the
heights
that
SHAKESPEAR
soars
,
Descend
to
touch
an
humbler
key
,
And
tickle
ears
with
poetry
;
Where
every
tear
is
taught
to
flow
Thro'
many
a
line's
melodious
woe
,
And
heart-felt
pangs
of
deep
distress
Are
fritter'd
into
similes
?
—
O
thou
,
whom
nature
taught
the
art
To
pierce
,
to
cleave
,
to
tear
the
heart
,
Whatever
name
delight
thine
ear
,
OTHELLO
,
RICHARD
,
HAMLET
,
LEAR
,
O
undertake
my
just
defence
,
And
banish
all
but
nature
hence
!
See
,
to
thy
aid
with
streaming
eyes
The
fair
afflicted
Mrs.
Cibber
.
CONSTANCE
flies
;
Now
wild
as
winds
in
madness
tears
Her
heaving
breasts
and
scatter'd
hairs
;
Or
low
on
earth
disdains
relief
With
all
the
conscious
pride
of
grief
.
My
PRITCHARD
too
in
HAMLET'S
queen
—
The
goddess
of
the
sportive
vein
Here
stop'd
her
short
,
and
with
a
sneer
,
My
PRITCHARD
,
if
you
please
,
my
dear
!
Her
tragick
merit
I
confess
,
But
surely
mine's
her
proper
dress
;
Behold
her
there
with
native
ease
,
And
native
spirit
,
born
to
please
;
With
all
MARIA'S
charms
engage
,
Or
MILWOOD'S
arts
,
or
TOUCHWOOD'S
rage
,
Thro'
every
foible
trace
the
fair
,
Or
leave
the
town
,
and
toilet's
care
To
chaunt
in
forests
unconfin'd
The
wilder
notes
of
ROSALIND
.
O
thou
,
where-e'er
thou
fix
thy
praise
,
BRUTE
,
DRUGGER
,
FRIBBLE
,
RANGER
,
BAYS
!
O
join
with
her
in
my
behalf
,
And
teach
an
audience
when
to
laugh
.
So
shall
buffoons
with
shame
repair
To
draw
in
fools
at
Smithfield
fair
,
And
real
humour
charm
the
age
,
Tho'
Mr.
Quin
,
inimitable
in
that
character
,
who
was
then
leaving
the
stage
.
FALSTAFF
should
forsake
the
stage
.
She
spoke
.
MELPOMENE
reply'd
,
And
much
was
said
on
either
side
;
And
many
a
chief
,
and
many
a
fair
,
Were
mention'd
to
their
credit
there
.
But
I'll
not
venture
to
display
What
goddesses
think
fit
to
say
.
However
,
GARRICK
,
this
at
least
Appears
,
by
both
a
truth
confess'd
,
That
their
whole
fate
for
many
a
year
But
hangs
on
your
paternal
care
.
A
nation's
taste
depends
on
you
—
Perhaps
a
nation's
virtue
too
.
O
think
how
glorious
'twere
to
raise
A
theatre
to
virtue's
praise
.
Where
no
indignant
blush
might
rise
,
Nor
wit
be
taught
to
plead
for
vice
:
But
every
young
attentive
ear
Imbibe
the
precepts
,
living
there
.
And
every
unexperienc'd
breast
There
feel
its
own
rude
hints
express'd
,
And
,
waken'd
by
the
glowing
scene
,
Unfold
the
worth
that
lurks
within
.
If
possible
,
be
perfect
quite
;
A
few
short
rules
will
guide
you
right
.
Consult
your
own
good
sense
in
all
,
Be
deaf
to
fashion's
fickle
call
,
Nor
e'er
descend
from
reason's
laws
To
court
what
you
command
,
applause
.