Prologue

Tho' modern Prophets were expos'd of late, The Author cou'd not Prophesy his Fate: If with such Scenes an Audience had been fir'd, The Poet must have really been Inspir'd. But these, alas! are Melancholy Days For Modern Prophets and for Modern Plays. Yet since Prophetick Lyes please Fools o' Fashion, And Women are so fond of Agitation; To Men of Sense I'll Prophesy anew, And tell you wond'rous things that will prove true; Undaunted Colonels will to Camps repair, Assur'd, there'll be no Skirmishes this Year; On our own Terms will flow the wish'd-for Peace, All Wars, except 'twixt Man and Wife, will cease. The Grand Monarch may wish his Son a Throne, But hardly will advance to lose his own. This Season most things bear a smiling Face; But Play'rs in Summer have a dismal Case, Since your Appearance only is our Act of Grace. Court Ladies will to Country Seats be gone, My Lord can't all the Year live Great in Town; Where wanting Opera's, Basset, and a Play, They'll sigh, and stitch a Gown, to pass the time away. Gay City-Wives at Tunbridge will appear, Whose Husbands long have labour'd for an Heir; Where many a Courtier may their Wants relieve, But by the Waters only they Conceive. The Fleet-street Sempstress—Toast of Temple Sparks, That runs Spruce Neckcloths for Attorney's Clerks; At Cupid's Gardens will her Hours regale, Sing fair Dorinda, and drink Bottl'd Ale. At all Assemblies Rakes are up and down. And Gamesters, where they think they are not known.

Shou'd I denounce our Author's Fate to Day, To cry down Prophecies, you'd damn the Play: Yet Whims like these have sometimes made you Laugh, 'Tis Tattling all, like Isaac Bickerstaff.

Since War and Places claim the Bards that write, Be kind and bear a Woman's Treat to Night; Let your Indulgence all her Fears allay, And none but Woman-Haters damn this Play.