Search -
The poetical works of Johnson, Parnell, Gray, and Smollett
The poetical works of Johnson Parnell Gray and Smollett Author:Samuel Johnson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PROLOGUE SPOKEN BY MR GARRICK, AT THE OPENING OF THE THEATRE-ROYAL DRURY-LANE, 1747. When Learning's triumph o'er her barbarous foes First rear'd the stag... more »e, immortal Shakspeare rose ; Each change of mauy-colour'd life he drew, Exhausted worlds, and then imagined new : Existence saw him spurn her bounded reign, And panting Time toil'd after him in vain ; His powerful strokes presiding Truth impress'd, And unresisted Passion storm'd the breast. Then Jonson came, instructed from the school, To please in method, and invent by rule ; 10 His studious patience and laborious art, By regular approach essay'd the heart: Cold Approbation gave the lingering bays, For those who durst not censure, scarce could praise; A mortal born, he met the general doom, But left, like Egypt's kings, a lasting tomb. The wits of Charles found easier ways to fame, Nor wish'd for Jonson's art, or Shakspeare's flame. Themselves they studied; as they felt, they writ: Intrigue was plot, obscenity was wit. 20 Vice always found a sympathetic friend ; They pleased their age, and did not aim to mend. Yet bards like these aspired to lasting praise, And proudly hoped to pimp in future days. Their cause was general, their supports were strong; Their slaves were willing, and their reign was long : Till Shame regain'd the post that Sense betray'd, And Virtue call'd Oblivion to her aid. 38 Johnson's Poems. Then crush'd by rules, and weaken'd as refined, 29 For years the power of Tragedy declined ; From bard to bard the frigid caution crept, Till Declamation roar'd, whilst Passion slept; Yet still did Virtue deign the stage to tread, Philosophy remain'd though Nature fled. But forced, at length, her ancient reign to quit, She saw great Faustus lay the ghost of Wit; Exulting Folly hail'd the joyo...« less