--Ah, Sir, in my young days, what lofty Wit,
What high-strain'd Scenes of Fighting there were writ:
These are slight airy Toys. But tell me, pray,
What has the _House of Commons_ done to day?
Then shews his Politicks, to let you see
Of State Affairs he'll judge as notably,
As he can do of Wit and Poetry._
_The younger Sparks, who hither do resort,
Cry--
Pox o' your gentle things, give us more Sport;
--Damn me, I'm sure 'twill never please the Court._
_Such Fops are never pleas'd, unless the Play
Be stuff'd with Fools, as brisk and dull as they:
Such might the Half-Crown spare, and in a Glass
At home behold a more accomplisht Ass,
Where they may set their Cravats, Wigs and Faces,
And practice all their Buffoonry Grimaces;
See how this-- Huff becomes-- this Dammy-- flare--
Which they at home may act, because they dare,
But-- must with prudent Caution do elsewhere.
Oh that our _Nokes_, or _Tony Lee_ could show
A Fop but half so much to th' Life as you._

POST-SCRIPT

_This Play had been sooner in Print, but for a Report about the Town
(made by some either very Malitious or very Ignorant) that 'twas
_Thomaso_ altered; which made the Book-sellers fear some trouble from
the Proprietor of that Admirable Play, which indeed has Wit enough to
stock a Poet, and is not to be piec't or mended by any but the Excellent
Author himself; That I have stol'n some hints from it may be a proof,
that I valu'd it more than to pretend to alter it: had I had the
Dexterity of some Poets who are not more expert in stealing than in the
Art of Concealing, and who even that way out-do the _Spartan-_Boys I
might have appropriated all to myself, but I, vainly proud of my
Judgment hang out the Sign of _ANGELICA_ (the only Stol'n Object) to
give Notice where a great part of the Wit dwelt; though if the Play of
the _Novella_ were as well worth remembring as _Thomaso_, they might
(bating the Name) have as well said, I took it from thence: I will only
say the Plot and Bus'ness (not to boast on't) is my own: as for the
Words and Characters, I leave the Reader to judge and compare 'em with
_Thomaso_, to whom I recommend the great Entertainment of reading it,
tho' had this succeeded ill, I shou'd have had no need of imploring that
Justice from the Critics, who are naturally so kind to any that pretend
to usurp their Dominion, they wou'd doubtless have given me the whole
Honour on't. Therefore I wi