EPILOGUETOANAMATEURPERFORMANCEOF"RICHARDII."

epiloguetoanamateurperformanceof"richardii."

(1824)

ofallthatact,thehardesttaskistheirs,

who,brednoplayers,playatbeingplayers;

copytheshrug—inkembleonceapproved;—

meremimics'mimics—naturetwiceremoved.

shadesofashadow!whobutmusthaveseen

thestage-struckhero,insomeswellingscene

aspiringtobelear—stumbleonkean?

theadmiredactor'sfaultsourstepsbetray,—

nolesshisverybeautiesleadastray!

in"sadcivility"oncegarricksate

toseeaplay,mangledinformandstate;

plebeianshakspearemustthewordssupply,—

theactorsallwerefools—ofquality.

thescenes—thedresses—wereaboverebuke;—

scarceaperformertherebelowaduke.

hesate,andmusedhowinhisshakspeare'smind

theideaofoldnobilityenshrined

shouldthenceagraceandarefinementhave

whichpassedtheselivingnoblestoconceive,—

whowithsuchapish,basegesticulation,

remnantsofstarts,anddregsofplayhousepassion,

sofoulbeliedtheirgreatforefathers'fashion!

hesaw—andtruenobilityconfessed

lessinthehigh-bornblood,thanlowlypoet'sbreast.

iflordsenactinglordssometimesmayfail,

whatgentleplea,spectators,canavail

forwightoflowdegreewhodarestostir

thelong-rakedashesofoldlancaster,

andonhisnothing-martialfronttoset

ofwarlikegaunttheloftyburgonet?

forwhoshallthatplantagenetdisplay,

majesticalinsicknessanddecay?

orpainttheshowerofpassionsfierceandthick

onrichard'shead—thatroyalsplenetic?

yourpardon,notyourplaudits,thenweclaim

ifwe'vecomeshort,wheregarrickhadbeentame!