Poems upon Several Occasions/78

by George Granville

Prologue to the British Enchanters.

POETS by Observation find it true,
'Tis harder much to please themselves, than you:
To weave a Plot, to work and to refine
A labour'd Scene, to polish ev'ry Line,
Judgment must sweat, and feel a Mother's Pains:
Vain Fools! thus to disturb and rack their Brains,
When more indulgent to the Writer's Ease,
You are too good, to be so hard to please:
No such convulsive Pangs it will require
To write———the pretty Things that you admire.
Our Author then to please you in your Way,
Presents you now a Bawble of a Play,
In gingling Rhyme, well fortify'd and strong,
He fights entrench'd, o'er Head and Ears, in Song.
If here and there some evil-fated Line
Shou'd chance, thro' Inadvertency, to shine,
Forgive him, Beaus, he means you no Offence,⁠$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$
But begs you, for the Love of Song and Dance,
To pardon———All the Poetry and Sense.