Prologue

prologue

spokenbymr.woodsonhisbenefit-night,monday,16thapril,1787.

when,byagenerouspublic'skindacclaim,

thatdearestmeedisgranted—honestfame;

waenhereyourfavouristheactor'slot,

noreventhemaninprivatelifeforgot;

whatbreastsodeadtoheavenlyvirtue'sglow,

butheavesimpassion'dwiththegratefulthroe?

pooristhetasktopleaseabarb'rousthrong,

itneedsnosiddons'powersinsouthern'ssong;

buthereanancientnation,fam'dafar,

forgenius,learninghigh,asgreatinwar.

hail,caledonia,nameforeverdear!

beforewhosesonsi'mhonour'dtoappear?

whereeveryscience,everynoblerart,

thatcaninformthemindormendtheheart,

isknown;asgratefulnationsofthavefound,

farastherudebarbarianmarksthebound.

philosophy,noidlepedantdream,

hereholdshersearchbyheaven-taughtreason'sbeam;

herehistorypaintswitheleganceandforce

thetideofempire'sfluctuatingcourse;

heredouglasformswildshakespeareintoplan,

andharleyrousesallthegodinman.

whenwell-form'dtasteandsparklingwitunite

withmanlylore,orfemalebeautybright,

(beauty,wherefaultlesssymmetryandgrace

canonlycharmusinthesecondplace),

witnessmyheart,howoftwithpantingfear,

asonthisnight,i'vemetthesejudgeshere!

butstillthehopeexperiencetaughttolive,

equaltojudge—you'recandidtoforgive.

nohundred—headedriotherewemeet,

withdecencyandlawbeneathhisfeet;

norinsolenceassumesfairfreedom'sname:

likecaledonians,youapplaudorblame.

othou,dreadpower!whoseempire-givinghand

hasoftbeenstretch'dtoshieldthehonour'dland!

strongmaysheglowwithallherancientfire;

mayeverysonbeworthyofhissire;

firmmaysherise,withgenerousdisdain

attyranny's,ordirerpleasure'schain;

stillself-dependentinhernativeshore,

boldmayshebravegrimdanger'sloudestroar,

tillfatethecurtaindroponworldstobenomore.