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A

PROLOGUE

Written and Spoken by

THE POET LABERIUS,

A Roman Knight whom CESAR forced upon the Stage.

PRESERVED BY MACROBIUS. *

W

HAT! no way left to fhun the inglorious stage, And fave from infamy my finking age. Scarce half alive, opprefs'd with many a year, What in the name of dotage drives me here? A time there was, when glory was my guide, Nor force nor fraud could turn my steps afide; Unaw'd by pow'r, and unappal'd by fear, With honeft thrift I held my honour dear :

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* This Tranflation was first printed in one of our Author's earliest works," The prefent State of Learning in Europe." 12mo. 1759

But this vile hour difperfes all my store,
And all my hoard of honour is no more;
For ah! too partial to my life's decline,
Cæfar perfuades, fubmiffion must be mine;
Him I obey, whom Heav'n itself obeys,
Hopeless of pleafing, yet inclined to please.
Here then at once I welcome ev'ry shame,
And cancel at threescore a life of fame;
No more my titles shall my children tell,
The old buffoon will fit my name as well;
This day beyond its term my fate extends,
For life is ended when our honour ends.

THE

DOUBLE TRANSFORMATION.

A TALE.

SECLUDED from domestic strife,

Jack Book-worm led a college life;
A fellowship at twenty-five;
Made him the happiest man alive;
He drank his glafs and crack'd his joke,
And freshmen wondered as he spoke.

Such pleasures unallay'd with care,
Could any accident impair?

Could Cupid's fhaft at length transfix,
Our fwain arriv'd at thirty-fix?
O had the archer ne'er come down
Το ravage in a country town!
Or Flavia been content to stop
At triumphs in a Fleet-street shop;
O had her eyes forgot to blaze!
Or Jack had wanted eyes to gaze;
O! But let exclamation ceafe,
Her prefence banish'd all his peace.
So with decorum all things carry'd;

Mifs frown'd, and blush'd, and then was-married.

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