Provoked Husband (Regents Restoration Drama Series) - Hardcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1815 edition. Excerpt: ... own countrymen are; and although we do not aspire to that savage perfection of patriotism, by which a hero thinks himself bound to set the ties of nature at defiance merely to prove that he isfree, yet the poet has here succeeded so well in giving grace and interest to the ferocious virtues of Publius, that while we detest his unnatural forgetfulness of fraternal feeling, we are reluctantly compelled to admire the motive which misleads him. PROLOGUE. sroxnn BY ma. BARRY. Barrows, to-night, in native pomp we come, True heroes all, from virtuous, ancient Rome; In those far distant times, when Romans knew The sweets of guarded liherty, like you; And, safe from ills which force or faction brings, Saw freedom reign heneath the smile of kings. Yet from such times, and such plain chiefs as these,. What can we frame a polish'd age to please? Say, can you listen to the artless woes Of an old tale, which ev'ry school-boy knows; Where to your hearts alone the scenes apply; No merit theirs but pure simplicity. Our bard has play'd a most advent'rous part, And turn'd upon himself the critic's art: Stripp'd each luxuriant plume from fancy's wings, And torn up similes from vulgar things: Nay, ev'n each moral, sentimental stroke, Where not the character but oet spoke, He lopp'd, as foreign to his c aste design, Nor spar'd an useless, though a golden line. These are his arts; if these caunot atone For all those nameless errors yet unknown, If, shuuning faults which nobler bards commit, He wants the force to strike th' attentive pit, Be just, and tell him so; he asks advice, Willing to learn, and would not ask it twice. Your kind applause may hid him write--heware! Or kinder censure teach...