On Mr. GARRICK

In Roman Days, once, Cato the severe, With awful Brow, went to the Theatre: But, O! instead of manly Fire, and Rage, And all the true Pathetic of the Stage, He saw, he heard, the Rant, the Droll, the Stare; Saw Nature, and the Passions, murder'd there— Saw, and retir'd—But, shou'd he now revive, And see glad Nature in her Garrick live, He'd laugh at Bayes, and weep with injur'd Lear, Curse Tyrant Richard, but applaud the Player! By Joy, Rage, Pity, all the Passions mov'd, Garrick wou'd well by Cato be approv'd: The Wise, the Virtuous Cato, wou'd forbear His rigid Censures, and in Raptures swear, That by some Pow'r Divine the Stage was trod, And, in the matchless Actor, own the God.