EPILOGUE

SPOKEN BY MRS. MOUNTFORD.

COULD poets but foresee how plays would take,
Then they could tell what epilogues to make;
Whether to thank or blame their audience most:
But that late knowledge does much hazard cost:
'Till dice are thrown, there's nothing won nor lost.
So, till the thief has stolen, he cannot know
Whether he shall escape the law or no.
But poets run much greater hazards far,
Than they who stand their trials at the bar,
The law provides a curb for its own fury,
And suffers judges to direct the jury:

But in this court, what difference does appear!
For every one's both judge and jury here;
Nay, and what's worse, an executioner.
All have a right and title to some part,
Each choosing that in which he has most art.
The dreadful men of learning all confound,
Unless the fable's good, and moral sound.
The vizor-masks that are in pit and gallery,
Approve or damn the repartee and raillery.
The lady critics, who are better read,
Inquire if characters are nicely bred ;

If the soft things are penn'd and spoke with grace:
They judge of action, too, and time, and place;
In which we do not doubt but they're discerning,
For that's a kind of assignation learning.

Beaux judge of dress; the witlings judge of songs 3
The cuckoldom, of ancient right, to cits belongs.
Poor poets thus the favour are denied

Even to make exceptions, when they're tried.
'Tis hard that they must every one admit;
Methinks I see some faces in the pit
Which must of consequence be foes to wit.
You who can judge, to sentence may proceed;
But though he cannot write, let him be freed
At least from their contempt who cannot read.

LOVE FOR LOVE.

A Comedy.

Nudus agris, nudus numm.is paternis,

Insanire parat certa ratione modoque.-HoRAT. Lib. ii. Sat. 3.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

CHARLES, EARL OF DORSET AND MIDDLESEX,

LORD CHAMBERLAIN OF HIS MAJESTY'S HOUSEHOLD, AND KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER, &C. MY LORD.-A young poet is liable to the same vanity and indiscretion with a young lover; and the great man who smiles upon one, and the fine woman who looks kindly upon t'other, are both of them in danger of having the favour published with the first opportunity.

But there may be a different motive, which will a little distinguish the offenders. For though one should have a vanity in ruining another's reputation, yet the other may only have an ambition to advance his own. And I beg leave, my Lord, that I may plead the latter, both as the cause and excuse of this dedication.

Whoever is king, is also the father of his country; and as nobody can dispute your Lordship's monarchy in poetry; so all that are concerned ought to acknowledge your universal patronage; and it is only presuming on the privilege of a loyal subject, that I have ventured to make this my address of thanks to your Lordship; which, at the same time, includes a prayer for your protection.

I am not ignorant of the common form of poetical dedications, which are generally made up of panegyrics, where the authors endeavour to distinguish their patrons by the shining characters they give them above other men. But that, my Lord, is not my business at this time, nor is your Lordship now to be distinguished. I am contented with the honour I do myself in this epistle, without the vanity of attempting to add to or explain your Lordship's character. I confess it is not without some struggling that I behave myself in this case as I ought; for it is very hard to be pleased with a subject, and yet forbear it. But I choose rather to follow Pliny's precept, than his example, when in his panegyrie to the Emperor Trajan he says" Nec minus considerabo quid aures ejus pati possint, quam quid virtutibus debeatur."

I hope I may be excused the pedantry of a quotation, when it is so justly applied. Here are some lines in the print (and which your Lordship read before this play was acted) that were omitted on the stage, and particularly one whole scene in the third Act, which not only helps the design forward with less precipitation, but also heightens the ridiculous character of Foresight, which indeed seems to be maimed without it. But I found myself in great danger of a long play, and was glad to help it where I could. Though notwithstanding my care, and the kind reception it had from the town, I could heartily wish it yet shorter; but the number of different characters represented in it would have been too much crowded in less room.

This reflection on prolixity (a fault for which scarce any one beauty will atone) warns me not to be tedious now, and detain your Lordship any longer with the trifles of, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient, and most humble servant, WILL. CONGREVE.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

SIR SAMPSON LEGEND, Father to VALENTINE and BEN.
VALENTINE, fallen under his Father's displeasure by
his expensive way of living, in love with ANGELICA,
SCANDAL, his Friend, a free speaker.
TATTLE, a half-willed Beau, vain of his amours, yet
valuing himself for secrecy.

BEN, SIR SAMPSON's younger Son, half home-bred, and
half sea-brid, designed to marry Miss PRUE.
FORESIGHT, an illiterate old fellow, peevish and posi-
tive, superstitious, and pretending to understand
Astrology, Palmistry, Physiognomy, Omens, Dreams,
&c. Uncle to ANGELICA.

JEREMY, Servant to VALENTINE,
TRAPLAND, a Scrivener.

BUCKRAM, a Lawyer.
SNAP, a Bailiff.

ANGELICA, Niece to FORESIGHT, of a considerable For
tune in her own hands.

MRS. FORESIGHT, second Wife to FORESIGHT.
MRS. FRAIL, Sister to MRS. FORESIGHT, a Woman of
the Town.

MISS PRUE, Daughter to FORESIGHT by a former Wif,
a silly awkward country Girl.
Nurse to MISS PRUE.

JENNY, Maid to ANGELICA,

Steward, Sailors, and Servants.

SCENE, LONDON

PROLOGUE

SPOKEN, AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW HOUSE, BY MR. BETTERTON.

THE husbandman in vain renews his toil,

To cultivate each year a hungry soil;
And fondly hopes for rich and generous fruit,

When what should feed the tree devours the root;
The unladen boughs, he sees, bode certain dearth,
Unless transplanted to more kindly earth.
So, the poor husbands of the stage, who found
Their labours lost upon ungrateful ground,
This last and only remedy have proved;
And hope new fruit from ancient stocks removed.
Well may they hope, when you so kindly aid,
Well plant a soil which you so rich have made.
As Nature gave the world to man's first age,
So from your bounty we receive this stage;
The freedom man was born to you've restored,
And to our world such plenty you afford,
It seems like Eden, fruitful of its own accord.
But since in Paradise frail flesh gave way,
And when but two were made, both went astray;
Forbear your wonder and the fault forgive,
If in our larger family we grieve

One falling Adam, and one tempted Eve.
We who remain would gratefully repay
What our endeavours can, and bring, this day,

The first-fruit offering of a virgin play.

We hope there's something that may please each
taste,

And though of homely fare we make the feast,
Yet you will find variety at least.

There's humour, which for cheerful friends we got,
And for the thinking party there's a plot.
We've something too, to gratify ill-nature,
(If there be any here,) and that is satire;
Though satire scarce dares grin, 'tis grown so mild,
Or only shows its teeth as if it smiled.
As asses thistles, poets mumble wit,
And dare not bite, for fear of being bit.

They hold their pens, as swords are held by fools,
And are afraid to use their own edge-tools.
Since the Plain Dealer's scenes of manly rage,

A Not one has dared to lash this crying age.
This time the poet owns the bold essay,
Yet hopes there's no ill-manners in his play:
And he declares by me, he has design'd
Affront to none, but frankly speaks his mind.
And should the ensuing scenes not chance to hit,
He offers but this one excuse, 'twas writ
Before your late encouragement of wit.

ACT I.

SCENE I-VALENTINE'S Lodging. VALENTINE discovered reading, JEREMY waiting: several books upon the table.

Val. Jeremy!
Jer. Sir?

Val. Here, take away; I'll walk a turn, and digest what I have read.

Jer. [Aside.] You'll grow devilish fat upon this paper diet. [Takes away the books. Val. And d'ye hear, go you to breakfast.There's a page doubled down in Epictetus that is a feast for an emperor.

Jer. Was Epictetus a real cook, or did he only write receipts?

Val. Read, read, sirrah! and refine your appetite; learn to live upon instruction; feast your mind, and mortify your flesh; read, and take your nourishment in at your eyes; shut up your mouth, and chew the cud of understanding; so Epictetus advises.

Jer. O Lord! I have heard much of him, when I waited upon a gentleman at Cambridge. Pray what was that Epictetus?

Val. A very rich man-not worth a groat. Jer. Humph, and so he has made a very fine feast where there is nothing to be eaten?

Val. Yes.

Jer. Sir, you're a gentleman, and probably understand this fine feeding; but if you please, I had rather be at b rd-wages. Does your Epictetus, or your Seneca re, or any of these poor rich

rogues, teach you how to pay your debts without
money?
Will they shut up the mouths of your
creditors? Will Plato be bail for you? or Diogenes,
because he understands confinement, and lived in a
tub, go to prison for you? 'Slife, sir, what do
you mean? to mew yourself up here with three or
four musty books, in commendation of starving
and poverty?

Val. Why, sirrah, I have no money, you know it; and therefore resolve to rail at all that have; and in that I but follow the examples of the wisest and wittiest men in all ages these poets and philosophers whom you naturally hate, for just such another reason, because they abound in sense, and you are a fool.

Jer. Ay, sir, I am a fool, I know it; and yet, heaven help me, I'm poor enough to be a wit;but I was always a fool when I told you what your expenses would bring you to; your coaches and your liveries, your treats and your balls; your being in love with a lady that did not care a farthing for you in your prosperity; and keeping company with wits that cared for nothing but your prosperity, and now, when you are poor, hate you as much as they do one another.

Val. Well, and now I am poor I have an oppor tunity to be revenged on 'em all; I'll pursue Angelica with more love than ever, and appear more notoriously her admirer in this restraint, than when I openly rivalled the rich fops that made court to her; so shall my poverty be a mortification to her pride, and perhaps make her compassionate