Page:Horace's Art of Poetry made English - Roscommon (1680).djvu/27

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His harsh, unequal Verse, was Musick then,
And Rudeness had the Priviledge of Wit:
When Thespis first expos'd the Tragick Muse,
Rude were the Actors, and a Cart the Scene,
Where ghastly faces stain'd with lees of Wine,
Frighted the Children, and amus'd the Croud;
This Æschilus (with indignation) saw,
And built a Stage, found out a decent dress,
Brought Vizards in (a Civiler disguise)
And taught men how to speak, and how to Act;
Next Comedy appear'd with great applause,
Till her licentious, and abusive Tongue,
Wakened the Magistrates Coercive power,
And forc'd it to suppress her Insolence;
Our Writers have attempted every way,
And they deserve our praise, whose daring Muse,
Disdain'd to be beholden to the Greeks,

And