I have only to add, that the play is founded on a story in the “Cyrus,” which he calls the Queen of Corinth; in whose character, as it has been affirmed to me, he represents that of the famous Christina, queen of Sweden.  This is what I thought convenient to write by way of preface to “The Maiden Queen;” in the reading of which I fear you will not meet with that satisfaction, which you have had in seeing it on the stage; the chief parts of it, both serious and comic, being performed to that height of excellence, that nothing but a command, which I could not handsomely disobey, could have given me the courage to have made it public.

PROLOGUE.

I.

He who writ this, not without pains and thought,
From French and English theatres has brought
The exactest rules, by which a play is wrought.

II.

The unities of action, place, and time;
The scenes unbroken; and a mingled chime
Of Jonson’s humour, with Corneille’s rhyme.

III.

But while dead colours he with care did lay,
He fears his wit, or plot, he did not weigh,
Which are the living beauties of a play.

IV.

Plays are like towns, which, howe’er fortified
By engineers, have still some weaker side,
By the o’er-seen defendant unespied.

V.

And with that art you make approaches now;
Such skilful fury in assaults you show,
That every poet without shame may bow.

VI.

Ours, therefore, humbly would attend your doom,
If, soldier-like, he may have terms to come,
With flying colours, and with beat of drum.

The Prologue goes out, and stays while a tune is played, after which he returns again.

SECOND PROLOGUE.

I had forgot one half, I do protest,
And now am sent again to speak the rest. 
He bows to every great and noble wit;
But to the little Hectors of the pit
Our poet’s sturdy, and will not submit. 
He’ll be beforehand with ’em, and not stay
To see each peevish critic stab his play;
Each puny censor, who, his skill to boast,
Is cheaply witty on the poet’s cost. 
No critic’s verdict should, of right, stand good,
They are excepted all, as men of blood;
And the same law shall shield him from their fury,
Which has excluded butchers from a jury. 
You’d all be wits—­
But writing’s tedious, and that way may fail;
The most compendious method is to rail: 
Which you so like, you think yourselves ill used,
When in smart prologues you are not abused.