and with music by Purcell (see Downes). The date is fixed with some accuracy by the references to King William's campaign in Ireland, from June 4 to September 6, 1690, during which time Queen Mary acted as regent. The prologue gave offense by its political references; and, as Cibber tells us in his Apology, 66 was forbid by the Lord Dorset after the first day of its being spoken." "It must be confessed," Cibber adds, "that this prologue had some familiar, metaphorical sneers at the Revolution itself; and as the poetry of it was good, the offense of it was less pardonable."

This prologue was not printed with The Prophetess on its publication in 1690; it first appeared in the second edition, 1708, of The Annual Miscellany for the Year 1694 (the Fourth Miscellany).]

WHAT Nostradame, with all his art, can guess

The fate of our approaching Prophetess?
A play, which, like a prospective set right,
Presents our vast expenses close to sight;
But turn the tube, and there we sadly view
Our distant gains; and those uncertain too:
A sweeping tax, which on ourselves we
raise,

Beauty for valor's best reward he chose; Peace, after war; and after toil, repose. Hence, ye profane, excluded from our sights;

And, charm'd by day with honor's vain delights,

Go, make your best of solitary nights.
Recant betimes, 't is prudence to submit; 40
Our sex is still your overmatch in wit:
We never fail with new, successful arts,
To make fine fools of you, and all your
parts.

EPILOGUE

SPOKEN BY PHÆDRA, MRS. MOUNTFORT

I'm thinking (and it almost makes me mad) How sweet a time those heathen ladies had. Idolatry was ev'n their gods' own trade; They worship'd the fine creatures they had made.

Cupid was chief of all the deities,

And love was all the fashion in the skies. When the sweet nymph held up the lily hand,

Jove was her humble servant at command.
The treasury of heav'n was ne'er so bare,
But still there was a pension for the fair. 10
In all his reign adult'ry was no sin,
For Jove the good example did begin.
Mark, too, when he usurp'd the husband's

'Tis civil to swear, and say things of course;
We mean not the taking for better for worse.
When present, we love; when absent, agree:
I think not of Iris, nor Iris of me.
The legend of love no couple can find,
So easy to part, or so equally join'd.

10

But what to-day will take away,

To-morrow will restore.

Thus at the heighth we love and live, And fear not to be poor.

PROLOGUE TO THE MISTAKES

OR, THE FALSE REPORT

[This play, a tragi-comedy by Joseph Harris, a comic actor of no great note, was probably acted in 1690; it was published early in 1691, being entered in the Term Catalogue for Hilary Term (February). According to Giles Jacob, in The Poetical Register, or The Lives and Characters of all the English Poets, 1723, this play was "originally composed by another person; but being put into his [Harris's] hands, he, by altering, spoiled it."]

Enter MR. BRIGHT

GENTLEMEN, we must beg your pardon; here's no prologue to be had to-day; our new play is like to come on without a frontispiece, as bald as one of you young beaux without your periwig. I left our young poet sniveling and sobbing behind the scenes, and cursing somebody that has deceiv'd him.

Enter MR. BOWEN

Hold your prating to the audience: here's honest Mr. Williams, just come in, half mellow, from the Rose Tavern. He swears he is inspir'd with claret, and will come on, and that extempore too, either with a prologue of his own or something like one. O here he comes to his trial, at all adventures; for my part I wish him a good deliverance.

[Exeunt Mr. Bright and Mr. Bowen.

Enter MR. WILLIAMS Save ye, sirs, save ye! I am in a hopeful way,

I should speak something, in rhyme, now, for the play:

But the deuce take me, if I know what