Scots'PrologueForMr.Sutherland

scots'prologueformr.sutherland

onhisbenefit-night,atthetheatre,dumfries.

whatneedsthisdinaboutthetowno'lon'on,

howthisnewplayan'thatnewsangiscomin?

whyisoutlandishstuffsaemeiklecourted?

doesnonsensemend,likebrandy,whenimported?

istherenaepoet,burningkeenforfame,

willtrytogieussangsandplaysathame?

forcomedyabroadheneedtotoil,

afoolandknaveareplantsofeverysoil;

norneedhehuntasfarasromeorgreece,

togathermatterforaseriouspiece;

there'sthemesenowincaledonianstory,

wouldshewthetragicmuseina'herglory.—

istherenodaringbardwillriseandtell

howgloriouswallacestood,howhaplessfell?

wherearethemusesfledthatcouldproduce

adramaworthyo'thenameo'bruce?

howhere,evenhere,hefirstunsheath'dthesword

'gainstmightyenglandandherguiltylord;

andaftermonyabloody,deathlessdoing,

wrench'dhisdearcountryfromthejawsofruin!

oforashakespeare,oranotwayscene,

todrawthelovely,haplessscottishqueen!

vainallth'omnipotenceoffemalecharms

'gainstheadlong,ruthless,madrebellion'sarms:

shefell,butfellwithspirittrulyroman,

toglutthatdirestfoe—avengefulwoman;

awoman,(tho'thephrasemayseemuncivil,)

asableandaswickedasthedevil!

onedouglaslivesinhome'simmortalpage,

butdouglasseswereheroeseveryage:

andtho'yourfathers,prodigaloflife,

adouglasfollowedtothemartialstrife,

perhaps,ifbowlsrowright,andrighteeds,

yeyetmayfollowwhereadouglasleads!

asyehaegenerousdone,ifa'theland

wouldtakethemuses'servantsbythehand;

notonlyhear,butpatronize,befriendthem,

andwherehejustlycancommend,commendthem;

andaiblinswhentheywinnastandthetest,

winkhard,andsaythefolkshaedonetheirbest!

woulda'thelanddothis,theni'llbecaition,

ye'llsoonhaepoetso'thescottishnation

willgarfameblawuntilhertrumpetcrack,

andwarsletime,an'layhimonhisback!

forusandforourstage,shouldonyspier,

“whaseaughtthaechielsmaksa'thisbustlehere?”

mybestlegforemost,i'llsetupmybrow—

wehavethehonourtobelongtoyou!