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A

TRAGEDY.

As it is Acted at the

EATRE-ROYAL in Drury Lane.

BY

His MAJESTY'S SERVANTS.

Spectaculum dignum, ad quod refpiciat, intentus operi Deus! Ecce par Deo dignum, vir fortis cum malâ una compofitus! Non video, inquam, quid habeat in is Jupiter pulchrius, fi convertere animum velit, n ut spectet Catonem, jam partibus non femel fractis, Jominus inter ruinas publicas erectum.

Sen. de Divin. Prov.

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ERS E S

To the AUTHOR of the

TRAGEDY of CATO.

HILE you the fierce divided Brtions awe, And Cato with an equal virtue draw, Envy is itself in Wonder loft,

Factions ftrive who fhall applaud you moft;

e the fond ambition of a friend,

pes himself, not you, to recommend,

in th' applause which all the Learn'd beflow =, to whom a perfect work they owe.

*

light Scenes I once infcrib'd your name, potently frove to borrow fame:

ill that die, which adds thy name to mine ; , then, live, join'd to a work of thine.

er Husband, Ded to Mr. Addison.

RICHARD STEELE.

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TH

Preferibing laws among th' Elyfian throng;

Tho' Lucan's verfe, exalted by his name,

O'er Gods themselves has rais'd the Hero's fame;
The Roman flage did ne'er his image fee,
Drawn at ull length; a task refer'd for thee.
By thee we view the finish'd figure rife,
And awful march before our ravish'd eyes s
We hear his voice, afferting virtue's cause ;
His fate renew'd'our deep attention draws,
Excites by turns our various hopes and fears,
And all the patriot in thy fcene appears..

On Tiber's banks thy thought was first inspir'd,
•Twas there, to fome indulgent grove retir'd,
Rome's ancient fortunes rolling in thy mind,
Thy happy Mufe this manly work defign'd:
Or in a dream thou faw'ft Rome's Genius ftand,
And, leading Cato in his facred hand,
Point out th' immortal fubject of thy lays,

And ask this labour to record his praise.

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'Tis done the Hero lives, and charms our age!
While nobler morals grace the British stage!
Great Shakespear's ghoft, the folemn ftrain to hear,
(Methinks I fee the laurell'd Shade appear!)
Will hover o'er the Scene, and wond ring view
His fav'rite Brutus rival'd thus by you.
Such Roman greatness in each action spines,
Such Roman eloquence adorns your lines,

That

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