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PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON; OTRIDGE AND SON; J. NICHOLS;
J. SEWELL; LONGMAN AND REES; CADELL AND DAVIES;

G. AND J. ROBINSON; VERNOR AND HOOD; J. WALKER ;

J SCATCHERD; OGILVY AND SON; T. HURST;

J. MAWMAN; J. NUNN; J. CUTHELL;

W. J. AND J. RICHARDSON; AND

J. HOOKHAM.

J. Cundee, Printer, Ivy-Lane, Paternoster-Row.

THE

REVENGE;
A Tragedy.

ACTED AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL IN DRURY-LANE,

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PROLOGUE.

BY A FRIEND.

OFT has the buskin'd Muse, with action mean,
Debas'd the glory of the Tragic scene ;

While puny villains, dress'd in purple pride,
With crimes obscene the heaven-born rage bely'd.
To her belongs to mourn the Hero's fate,
To trace the errors of the Wise and Great;
To mark th' excess of passions too refin'd,
And paint the tumults of a God-like mind;
Where, mix'd with rage, exalted thoughts combine,
And darkest deeds with beauteous colours shine.
Such lights and shades in a well-mingled draught,
By curious touch of artful pencil wrought,

With soft deceit amuse the doubtful eye,

Pleas'd with the conflict of the various dye.

Thus, thro' the following scenes, with sweet surprize, Virtue and guilt in dread confusion rise;

And Love and Hate, at once, and Grief and Joy,

Pity and Rage, their mingled force employ.

Here the soft Virgin sees, with secret shame,
Her charms excell'd by friendship's purer flame;
Forc'd, with reluctant virtue, to approve
The generous Hero, who rejects her love.
Behold him there with gloomy passions stain'd,
A wife suspected, and an injur'd friend;
Yet such the toil where innocence is caught,
That rash suspicion seems without a fault.

We dread a while, lest beauty should succeed,
And almost wish e'en virtue's self may bleed.

Mark well the black Revenge, the cruel Guile,
The traitor-fiend trampling the lovely spoil,
Of Beauty, Truth, and innocence oppress'd;
Then let the rage of furies fire your breast.

Yet may his mighty wrongs, his just disdain,
His bleeding country, his lov'd father slain,
His martial pride, your admiration raise,
And crown him with involuntary praise.

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