PROLOGUE
to
COMUS
,
Perform'd
for
the
Benefit
of
the
General
Hospital
at
BATH
,
1756.
By
the
Same
.
Spoken
by
Miss
MORRISON
,
in
the
Character
of
a
Lady
of
Fashion
.
She
enters
with
a
Number
of
Tickets
in
her
Hand
.
WELL
,
I've
been
beating
up
for
volunteers
,
But
find
that
—
charity
has
got
no
ears
.
I
first
attack'd
a
colonel
of
the
guards
—
Sir
,
charity
—
consider
its
rewards
.
With
healing
hand
the
saddest
sores
it
skins
,
And
covers
—
oh
!
—
a
multitude
of
sins
.
He
swore
,
the
world
was
welcome
to
his
thoughts
:
'Twas
damn'd
hypocrisy
to
hide
one's
faults
;
And
with
that
sin
his
conscience
ne'er
was
twitted
—
The
only
one
he
never
had
committed
.
Next
,
to
my
knight
I
plead
.
He
—
shook
his
head
;
Complain'd
the
stocks
were
low
—
and
trade
was
dead
.
In
these
Bath-charities
a
tax
he'd
found
More
heavy
than
—
four
shillings
in
the
pound
.
What
with
the
play-house
,
hospital
,
and
abbey
,
A
man
was
strip'd
—
unless
he'd
look
quite
shabby
.
Then
such
a
train
,
and
such
expence
to
fit
!
My
lady
,
all
the
brats
,
and
cousin
Kit
—
He'd
steal
,
himself
—
perhaps
—
into
the
pit
.
Old
lady
Slipslop
,
at
her
morning
cards
,
Vows
that
all
works
of
genus
she
regards
;
Raffles
for
Chinese
Gods
,
card-houses
,
shells
,
Nor
grudges
to
the
music
,
or
the
bells
,
But
has
a
strange
antiquity
to
nasty
ospitels
.
I
hope
your
lordship
—
then
my
lord
replies
—
No
doubt
,
the
governors
are
—
very
wise
;
But
,
for
the
play
,
he
—
wonder'd
at
their
choice
.
In
Milton's
days
such
stuff
might
be
the
taste
,
But
faith
!
he
thought
it
was
damn'd
dull
and
chaste
.
Then
swears
,
he
to
the
charity
is
hearty
,
But
can't
,
in
honour
,
break
his
evening
party
.
When
to
the
gouty
alderman
I
sued
,
The
nasty
fellow
,
(
'gad
!
)
was
downright
rude
.
Is
begging
grown
the
fashion
,
with
a
pox
!
The
mayor
should
set
such
housewives
in
the
stocks
.
Give
you
a
guinea
!
z—ds
!
replied
the
beast
,
'Twou'd
buy
a
ticket
for
a
turtle-feast
.
Think
what
a
guinea-a-head
might
set
before
ye
—
Sir
—
mullet
—
turbot
—
and
a
grand
John
Dorey
,
I'll
never
give
a
groat
,
as
I'm
a
sinner
,
Unless
they
gather
't
in
a
dish
,
at
dinner
.
I
trust
,
by
art
and
more
polite
address
,
You
fairer
advocates
met
more
success
;
And
not
a
man
compassion's
cause
withstood
,
When
beauty
pleaded
for
such
general
good
.