1

Machine Gefticulantes, Anglice A Puppet-Show.

page 162

Ad Insigniffimum Virum D. Tho. Burnettum, sa-

cræ Theoriæ Telluris Autorem.

The Drummer; or the Haunted-House. A Comedy.

169

The late Trial and Conviction of Count Tariff. 273

The Whig-Examiner.

285

165

А

TRA G E D Y.

As it is Acted at the

Theatre-Royal in Drury Lane.

BY

His MAJESTY'S SERVANTS.

Ecce Spectaculum dignum, ad quod refpiciat, intentus operi fuo, Deus! Ecce par Deo dignum, vir fortis cum malá

fortuna compositus ! Non video, inquam, quid babeat in terris Jupiter pulchrius, si convertere animum velit, quàm ut spectet Catonem, jam partibus non femel fractis, nihilominùs inter ruinas publicas erectum,

Sen. de Divin. Prov.

A 3

V E R S ES

To the AUTHOR of the

TRAGEDY of CATO.

W

HILE you the fierce divided Brtions awe,

And Cato with an equal virtue draw,
While Envy is itself in Wonder loft,
And Factions strive who shall applaud you moft ;
Forgive the fond ambition of a friend,
Wbo hopes bimself, not you, to recommend,

And join th' applause which all the Learn'd bestow
On one, to whom a perfect work they owe.
To my * light Scenes I once inscrib'd your name,
And impotently firove to borrow fame:
Soon will that die, which adds thy name to mine ;
Let me, then, live, join'd to a work of thine.

* Tender Husband, Den

dicated to Mr. Addison.

RICHARD STEEL E.

A 4

Tbo

TH

PERSSUBsce
HO' Cato fines in Virgil's epic fong,

Prescribing laws among th’ Elyfian throng ;
Tho' Lucan's verse, exalted by his name,
O'er Gods themselves has rais'd the Hero's fame ;
The Roman stage did ne'er his image see,
Drawn at full length; a task referu'd

for thee.
By thee we view the finish'd figure rife,
And awful march before our ravish'd eyes“;
We hear his voice, asserting virtue's caufe ;
His fate renew'd'our deep attention draws,
Excites by turns our cyprious hopes and fears,
And all the patriot in thy scene appears....

On Tiber's banks thy thought was firft infpir'da
'Twas there, to some indulgent grove retird,
Rome's ancient fortunes rolling in thy mind,
Thy happy Muse this manly work defign'd:
Or in a dream thou saw / Rome's Genius sand,
And, leading Cato in his facred hand,
Point out th’immortal subject of thy lays,
And ask this labour to record his praise.

'Tis done the Hero lives, and charms our age !
While nobler morals grace the British flage !
Great Shakespear's ghost, the folemn strain to hear,
(Methinks 1 see the laurell d Shade appear!)
Will hover o'er the Scene, and wondring view
His fav'rite Brutus rivald thus by you.
Such Roman greatness in each action shines,
Such Roman eloquence adorns your lines,

That