Entertainment, An, by Way of Epilogue, in the Characters of Wisdom, and Love
P ALLAS .
Pallas , the guardian of the slighted stage ,
Brings a complaint , that fires her into rage:
Stung to the soul , she cannot — will not, bear it,
But for the sex's honour must declare it.
O F fifty powder'd beaux ; here, wedgid , behind,
Not one fast friend can fading woman find!
They rail — they joke — nor their distaste conceal ;
Unconscious of your power , from head , to heel!
Cupid ! thou airy God of empty dreams!
How fall'n thy empire! and how false thy schemes!
Why weighs the sex , too light , in love's own scale?
And why , thus faintly , does thy power prevail?
Cupid .
Goddess! I heard thee — thy reproachful pride
I, thus defy — and shade thy towery side!
I, too, dare strutt!
P ALLAS .
— Proud toy! his wings he spreads:
But his blunt arrows , all, have lost their heads!
Go, helpless, tasteless, thoughtless, powerless, Chit ,
Thou ghost of passion! and thou jest of wit!
Where are thy boasts , of touching man with pain?
And, what is W OMAN , now? —
Cupid .
— Vain — sweetly vain .
P ALLAS .
'Tis thence love languishes —
Cupid .
— unjust complaint.
Love languishes , because desire grows faint:
And that , proud scorner! I must charge on thee .
Thine are their minds . — their beauties busy me .
Of late, e'en there, my power has been unknown ;
All their new modes of charming are — their own .
I taught the sex their art, of wounding sure ,
But they themselves have taught the arts of cure .
Each amorous scene, that fills this active space ,
Sees a light laugh , disarm some angel face:
No serious sounds can their light hearts engage,
Sweet sep'rate Actors! they despise the stage!
Attention is beneath a Beauty 's care,
Her whirlwind spirit scatters sense in air .
Absent , in presence they unlistening sit,
Too gay for meaning! and too fine for wit!
Or, when they grieve , they bring their own chagrin ,
Nor feel the foreign sorrows of the scene .
Impatient, five, long, acts , they loll, reclin'd:
And sigh for Plays of a more winning kind,
All, of one mind , of late, agreed — they fall,
Victims, to one gallant .
P ALLAS .
— But one , for A LL ?
Sure! he must be some rarity!
Cupid .
— No doubt ,
I'll draw his picture , and you'll point him out .
A painted, thin, smooth, pale-sac'd, tottering beau!
Deaf, dumb, blind, lame — too weak to stand or go!
From hand to hand, kind souls! they stoop to shift him;
For he can't stir a limb , but as they lift him!
Yet, more than love , or wit , their hearts he moves,
And changes oft'ner, than they change their loves!
P ALLAS .
And do they like this monster?
Cupid .
Aye: — and will .
P ALLAS .
What! all?
Cupid .
All — all
P ALLAS .
What is his name?
Cupid .
— — — Quadrille .
P ALLAS .
It has been said, that love and folly , fit:
But you're a J OKER , Cupid! and a W IT ,
Let us, each, singly , — our perswasion try:
Take you one half the house — the other I.
Cupid .
Alas! 'twill never do — 'Tis fruitless zeal:
Passions , that move that sex, must make 'em feel .
All — you can SAY , they laugh at — — — .
P ALLAS .
Boy, be still ,
Yours, let the Ladies hear — the men MY will.
If, Gentlement! you disregard the Player ,
Or hear him, coldly, and with-hold your care ;
For your own sakes , support his powerful A RT ,
That lets in love , and pity to the heart .
H ERE , first , imprinted sighs an entrance find;
And the soul opening , leaves disguise , behind.
Taught by the scene with gen'rous warmth to glow,
To feel another's joy , and share his woe ;
Your fair adopts each suff'ring lover's view,
And by the worth of heroes , measures YOU .
But if, regardless, of your cause, and ours ,
You join the enemy 's triumphant powers;
— Sly Matadores will each man's hope betray,
And melt his mistress down , the quite wrong way.
— Now Cupid , to the Ladies .
Cupid .
— — — E're I go,
I'm sure, my labour's lost — — —
P ALLAS ,
— Despair not, so .
Cupid .
Ladies! your rivals in gay climes , complain,
That winds and frosts , assail your charms, in vain ;
'Twere glorious envy! could they, also say ,
That, while their taste quits love and wit , for P LAY ,
You , noblier-minded, and of sense more true ,
Scorn to be loveliest , and not wisest, too!
That, form'd , like them, to be the themes of wit ,
You not , like them, for sake — but cherish it.
Think of your glory , Ladies!
P ALLAS .
— — Gentlemen!
Think of your int'rest — and forsake the scene ,
At your own peril — Wives, who, from Quadrille ,
Return, with ruffled face, and fighting will!
Would, at the scenes soft fire, new point their charms;
And bring redoubled transport , to your arms.
Cupid .
Enough — The prudent urge no wish, too high .
P ALLAS .
E'en Love can counsel well when Wisdom's by!
Cupid .
You , Goddess boast your power in man's strong breast;
But I know woman's weaker bosom, best .
Still what they will , they WILL — — —
P ALLAS .
Then, be it ours ,
Perswasion failing, to exert new powers .
Let both henceforth, our diff'rent influence join ,
And see reluctant beauty forc'd to shine.
Cupid .
Great Pallas! I embrace thee: — Be it so —
Goddess of arts, and arms! receive my bow :
Take, and new-point , Love's every blunted dart :
And tipt with reason , wound, and heal , the heart:
P ALLAS .
Cupid! — associate God, of smiles , and joy!
Take, in exchange, this spear — no feath'ry toy!
And now, where'er thou see'st a fair one's breast
Flutter , too lightly, — touch — and give it rest .
But, where some solid virtue sighs, in vain ,
Wound, with MY lance : and dignify the pain .
Cupid .
Now , woman's empire's FIX'D !
P ALLAS .
Confirm it, Love!
Cupid .
Love softens Wisdom —
P ALLAS .
— Wisdom strengthens love.
Pallas , the guardian of the slighted stage ,
Brings a complaint , that fires her into rage:
Stung to the soul , she cannot — will not, bear it,
But for the sex's honour must declare it.
O F fifty powder'd beaux ; here, wedgid , behind,
Not one fast friend can fading woman find!
They rail — they joke — nor their distaste conceal ;
Unconscious of your power , from head , to heel!
Cupid ! thou airy God of empty dreams!
How fall'n thy empire! and how false thy schemes!
Why weighs the sex , too light , in love's own scale?
And why , thus faintly , does thy power prevail?
Cupid .
Goddess! I heard thee — thy reproachful pride
I, thus defy — and shade thy towery side!
I, too, dare strutt!
P ALLAS .
— Proud toy! his wings he spreads:
But his blunt arrows , all, have lost their heads!
Go, helpless, tasteless, thoughtless, powerless, Chit ,
Thou ghost of passion! and thou jest of wit!
Where are thy boasts , of touching man with pain?
And, what is W OMAN , now? —
Cupid .
— Vain — sweetly vain .
P ALLAS .
'Tis thence love languishes —
Cupid .
— unjust complaint.
Love languishes , because desire grows faint:
And that , proud scorner! I must charge on thee .
Thine are their minds . — their beauties busy me .
Of late, e'en there, my power has been unknown ;
All their new modes of charming are — their own .
I taught the sex their art, of wounding sure ,
But they themselves have taught the arts of cure .
Each amorous scene, that fills this active space ,
Sees a light laugh , disarm some angel face:
No serious sounds can their light hearts engage,
Sweet sep'rate Actors! they despise the stage!
Attention is beneath a Beauty 's care,
Her whirlwind spirit scatters sense in air .
Absent , in presence they unlistening sit,
Too gay for meaning! and too fine for wit!
Or, when they grieve , they bring their own chagrin ,
Nor feel the foreign sorrows of the scene .
Impatient, five, long, acts , they loll, reclin'd:
And sigh for Plays of a more winning kind,
All, of one mind , of late, agreed — they fall,
Victims, to one gallant .
P ALLAS .
— But one , for A LL ?
Sure! he must be some rarity!
Cupid .
— No doubt ,
I'll draw his picture , and you'll point him out .
A painted, thin, smooth, pale-sac'd, tottering beau!
Deaf, dumb, blind, lame — too weak to stand or go!
From hand to hand, kind souls! they stoop to shift him;
For he can't stir a limb , but as they lift him!
Yet, more than love , or wit , their hearts he moves,
And changes oft'ner, than they change their loves!
P ALLAS .
And do they like this monster?
Cupid .
Aye: — and will .
P ALLAS .
What! all?
Cupid .
All — all
P ALLAS .
What is his name?
Cupid .
— — — Quadrille .
P ALLAS .
It has been said, that love and folly , fit:
But you're a J OKER , Cupid! and a W IT ,
Let us, each, singly , — our perswasion try:
Take you one half the house — the other I.
Cupid .
Alas! 'twill never do — 'Tis fruitless zeal:
Passions , that move that sex, must make 'em feel .
All — you can SAY , they laugh at — — — .
P ALLAS .
Boy, be still ,
Yours, let the Ladies hear — the men MY will.
If, Gentlement! you disregard the Player ,
Or hear him, coldly, and with-hold your care ;
For your own sakes , support his powerful A RT ,
That lets in love , and pity to the heart .
H ERE , first , imprinted sighs an entrance find;
And the soul opening , leaves disguise , behind.
Taught by the scene with gen'rous warmth to glow,
To feel another's joy , and share his woe ;
Your fair adopts each suff'ring lover's view,
And by the worth of heroes , measures YOU .
But if, regardless, of your cause, and ours ,
You join the enemy 's triumphant powers;
— Sly Matadores will each man's hope betray,
And melt his mistress down , the quite wrong way.
— Now Cupid , to the Ladies .
Cupid .
— — — E're I go,
I'm sure, my labour's lost — — —
P ALLAS ,
— Despair not, so .
Cupid .
Ladies! your rivals in gay climes , complain,
That winds and frosts , assail your charms, in vain ;
'Twere glorious envy! could they, also say ,
That, while their taste quits love and wit , for P LAY ,
You , noblier-minded, and of sense more true ,
Scorn to be loveliest , and not wisest, too!
That, form'd , like them, to be the themes of wit ,
You not , like them, for sake — but cherish it.
Think of your glory , Ladies!
P ALLAS .
— — Gentlemen!
Think of your int'rest — and forsake the scene ,
At your own peril — Wives, who, from Quadrille ,
Return, with ruffled face, and fighting will!
Would, at the scenes soft fire, new point their charms;
And bring redoubled transport , to your arms.
Cupid .
Enough — The prudent urge no wish, too high .
P ALLAS .
E'en Love can counsel well when Wisdom's by!
Cupid .
You , Goddess boast your power in man's strong breast;
But I know woman's weaker bosom, best .
Still what they will , they WILL — — —
P ALLAS .
Then, be it ours ,
Perswasion failing, to exert new powers .
Let both henceforth, our diff'rent influence join ,
And see reluctant beauty forc'd to shine.
Cupid .
Great Pallas! I embrace thee: — Be it so —
Goddess of arts, and arms! receive my bow :
Take, and new-point , Love's every blunted dart :
And tipt with reason , wound, and heal , the heart:
P ALLAS .
Cupid! — associate God, of smiles , and joy!
Take, in exchange, this spear — no feath'ry toy!
And now, where'er thou see'st a fair one's breast
Flutter , too lightly, — touch — and give it rest .
But, where some solid virtue sighs, in vain ,
Wound, with MY lance : and dignify the pain .
Cupid .
Now , woman's empire's FIX'D !
P ALLAS .
Confirm it, Love!
Cupid .
Love softens Wisdom —
P ALLAS .
— Wisdom strengthens love.
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