Hear me, ye Scribling Beaus,—­
Why will you in sheer Rhyme, without one stroke   |
Of Poetry, Ladies just Disdain provoke,           |
And address Songs to whom you never spoke?        |
In doleful Hymns for dying Felons fit,
Why do you tax their Eyes, and blame their Wit? 
Unjustly of the Innocent you complain,
’Tis Bulkers give, and Tubs must cure your pain. 
Why in Lampoons will you your selves revile? 
’Tis true, none else will think it worth their while: 
But thus you’re hid! oh, ’tis a politick Fetch;
So some have hang’d themselves to ease_ Jack Ketch.
Justly your Friends and Mistresses you blame,     |
For being so they well deserve the shame,          |
’Tis the worst scandal to have borne that name.    |
[See the late Satir on Poetry]
At Poetry of late, and such whose Skill     |
Excels your own, you dart a feeble Quill;   |
Well may you rail at what you ape so ill.   |
With virtuous Women, and all Men of Worth,
You’re in a state of mortal War by Birth. 
Nature in all her Atom-Fights ne’er knew
Two things so opposite as Them and You. 
On such your Muse her utmost fury spends,
They’re slander’d worse than any but your Friends. 
More years may teach you better; the mean while,
If you can’t mend your Morals, mend your Style.

THE FORC’D MARRIAGE; OR, THE JEALOUS BRIDEGROOM.

ARGUMENT.

The King of France to reward his favourite Alcippus, at the motion of prince Philander, gladly assents to his being created general in place of old Orgulius, who seeks to resign his office, and further on his royal word pledges the new-made commander, Erminia, Orgulius’ daughter, in marriage.  The lady, however, loves the dauphin, whilst the princess Galatea is enamoured of Alcippus.  All three are plunged into despair, and the brother and sister knowing each other’s passion bemoan their hapless fate.  The prince, indeed, threatens to kill Alcippus, upon which Galatea declares she will poniard Erminia.  On the wedding night the bride confesses her love for Philander and refuses to admit Alcippus to her love.  The dauphin at the same time serenades Erminia at her chamber door, but Pisaro, a friend to Alcippus, meeting him, there is a scuffle during which Alcander, the prince’s companion, wounds the intruder.  The noise rouses Erminia who issues from her room and encounters Philander.  Alcippus, seeing them together, mad with jealousy, attacks the prince.  He is, however, beaten back and even wounded, and later his fury is inflamed by Pisaro’s tale, who also informs the favourite that Galatea, for whom the narrator cherishes a hopeless love, dotes fondly upon him.  Erminia, now that she has been joined in wedlock with Alcippus, guards herself carefully from the dauphin’s passion, but when the general is obliged by his duties to leave for the camp Philander hopes to persuade her to yield to him.  Alcippus, however, whose departure is a feint, returns secretly, leaving Pisaro