To
Her
Highness
,
the
Lady
MARY
,
Eldest
Daughter
of
His
Royal
Highness
THE
DUKE
.
MADAM
,
BEing
unexpectedly
called
out
of
my
Obscurity
,
to
the
Glory
of
serving
your
Highness
,
(
and
indeed
the
whole
Court
)
in
an
Entertainment
so
considerable
as
this
;
my
fears
and
amazements
were
such
as
(
I
believe
)
Shepherds
and
Herdsmen
had
of
old
,
when
from
their
Flocks
and
Herds
they
were
call'd
to
Prophesie
to
Kings
.
I
knew
not
how
to
interpret
the
meaning
of
that
Command
,
which
laid
on
such
feeble
shoulders
,
a
burden
too
heavy
for
the
strongest
to
bear
.
Fain
would
I
have
shrunk
back
again
into
my
former
shades
,
and
hid
my self
in
my
Native
Obscurity
;
but
fearing
to
dispute
with
Oracles
,
and
resist
Heavenly
Powers
,
I
adventur'd
on
dangerous
Obedience
,
knowing
that
if
I
must
perish
,
it
was
better
to
perish
a
Martyr
,
than
a
Criminal
.
But
recollecting
my self
,
I
remembred
that
Divine
Commands
were
Presages
rather
of
Favour
,
than
Ruine
;
That
when
Heaven
prest
any
to
his
Wars
,
he
gave
'em
Courage
,
as
well
as
Pay
:
This
made
me
hope
,
that
in
the
glorious
Work
to
which
I
was
called
,
I
should
be
inspired
.
And
this
I
thought
it
my
duty
to
believe
,
when
I
remembred
in
whose
Service
I
was
employ'd
,
in
the
Service
of
a
Princess
,
over
whose
great
and
victorious
Father
,
a
glorious
Genius
alwayes
hover'd
,
assisting
the
meanest
of
his
Followers
,
when
engaged
in
Services
of
his
,
of
what
kind
soever
;
and
sure
(
thought
I
)
he
will
not
neglect
me
,
now
I
serve
so
fair
,
so
excellent
,
and
so
considerable
a
part
of
him
;
now
I
am
under
the
shadow
of
his
wings
,
I
shall
partake
of
his
influence
.
This
made
me
think
it
a
sin
to
despair
,
and
thrust
me
on
with
all
the
boldness
and
giddiness
(
but
,
to
my
sorrow
,
not
with
the
exalted
Raptures
)
of
one
inspired
:
For
,
after
all
,
it
was
not
with
me
according
to
my
Faith.
This
Poem
savours
too
little
of
Inspiration
,
and
too
much
of
my
own
weak
unassisted
self
:
Nay
,
as
it
was
first
written
it
came
even
short
of
my self
,
and
sure
that
must
be
a
wretched
thing
which
wants
the
perfection
I
can
give
it
.
And
though
no
man
is
to
blame
for
having
no
more
Wit
than
he
has
,
yet
he
is
an
ill-manner'd
Churle
,
who
will
not
spend
his
whole
stock
to
entertain
such
a
Guest
.
For
my
defects
and
inabilities
,
Nature
alone
must
answer
,
(
and
I
am
heartily
sorry
for
them
)
but
I
must
,
with
all
submission
,
charge
your
Highness
with
being
the
occasion
of
my
latter
Offence
.
If
you
will
invite
your Self
to
the
greatest
Table
in
England
,
and
not
give
'em
time
to
prepare
,
you
will
not
find
an
Entertainment
fit
for
you
.
A
Poem
,
is
a
thing
,
consists
of
many
and
different
Images
;
and
though
a
Man's
Estate
be
but
small
,
yet
if
it
lies
in
many
hands
,
it
will
�equire
time
to
get
it
in
.
Nature
her self
proceeds
always
slowly
,
and
gradually
,
to
Perfection
;
nay
,
we
find
Heaven
pondering
and
consulting
,
when
he
was
to
make
a
Creature
on
which
he
meant
to
bestow
Excellence
.
I
will
not
pretend
,
that
I
have
Materials
in
me
,
to
have
formed
a
Poem
of
such
perfection
,
as
so
great
an
Occasion
required
;
but
I
am
certain
I
could
have
written
something
more
worthy
of
your
Highnesses
Favor
,
and
the
great
Honor
to
which
this
was
preferred
,
had
I
had
time
enough
allowed
me
to
ripen
my
Conceptions
.
But
(
Madam
)
if
your
Highness
did
expect
,
I
should
have
endited
Thoughts
fine
as
your
own
;
and
made
you
speak
as
excellently
as
you
think
,
you
then
laid
a
task
on
me
too
great
for
any
thing
but
an
Angel
For
none
can
have
Angelical
Thoughts
,
but
they
who
have
Angelical
Virtues
;
and
none
do
,
or
ever
did
,
in
so
much
Youth
,
come
so
near
the
perfection
of
Angels
as
your Self
,
and
your
young
Princely
Sister
,
in
whom
all
those
Excellencies
shine
,
which
the
best
of
us
can
but
rudely
paint
.
But
,
Madam
,
what
need
was
there
of
that
perfection
of
Wit
,
the
Charms
of
your
Person
,
Youth
,
and
Meen
,
the
Lustre
of
your
high
Quality
,
and
the
extraordinary
Grace
that
attended
every
thing
you
said
and
did
,
spoke
to
the
Eyes
and
Souls
of
all
that
saw
you
,
in
a
Language
more
Divine
than
Wit
can
invent
,
in
a
Language
wherein
Nature
entertain'd
'em
with
her
own
Ingenuity
,
and
by
a
thousand
charming
Expressions
so
took
up
all
their
attention
,
that
the
best
of
Writers
could
not
have
made
you
speak
any
thing
,
your
Audience
would
have
been
at
leisure
to
regard
,
or
for
which
they
would
have
descended
from
one
moments
pleasure
of
admiring
you
.
The
foresight
of
this
,
made
Fortune
,
who
alwayes
loves
to
favor
the
least
deserving
,
throw
the
honour
of
this
service
on
me
:
she
knew
there
was
no
need
of
Excellence
in
a
Writer
,
when
there
was
so
much
in
you
;
and
since
the
best
of
Writers
would
not
have
appeared
considerable
,
indulged
her
humor
in
selecting
the
worst
:
A
favor
,
which
in
many
respects
exalts
me
above
all
my
Contemporaries
,
and
will
make
the
World
judge
me
,
though
not
the
best
,
the
happiest
Writer
of
the
Age.
But
,
Madam
,
as
it
is
the
Fate
of
all
things
to
be
subject
to
inconstancy
,
and
neither
happiness
nor
misery
last
long
,
especially
when
in
Extremes
:
This
Poem
,
made
like
the
first
Man
,
by
the
Command
,
and
for
the
Service
of
a
Divinity
,
(
almost
out
of
nothing
too
)
and
placed
at
the
instant
of
its
formation
,
in
a
Paradise
of
Happiness
and
Honor
,
now
driven
from
its
blest
Estate
,
and
it
s
ever
flourishing
Gardens
,
is
going
to
wander
round
the
World
,
in
a
condition
of
Poverty
,
Misery
,
and
Exile
;
where
,
in
stead
of
its
past
Felicities
,
the
many
Visions
of
Heaven
,
when
the
soveraign
Glories
of
this
Isle
descended
frequently
to
visit
(
and
seem'd
to
recreate
themselves
in
)
its
Bowers
;
instead
of
the
extreme
Lustre
it
received
from
the
most
graceful
action
of
your
Highness
,
of
the
Princess
Anne
your
Sister
,
and
of
the
other
young
Ladies
,
which
like
so
many
beautiful
Angels
attended
you
,
it
is
now
condemned
to
Want
and
Nakedness
,
to
starve
under
the
cold
wind
of
Censure
,
to
all
the
sufferings
that
the
Native
of
a
rich
and
happy
Soyle
,
must
expect
when
banisht
to
cold
and
barbarous
Regions
.
In
this
condition
,
forced
by
its
misery
,
and
bound
by
the
duty
of
a
Creature
,
it
makes
this
humble
Sacrifice
of
it self
to
your
Highness
,
to
beg
such
a
share
of
your
Protection
and
Favor
,
as
may
enable
it
to
live
in
a
condition
,
becoming
a
Creature
which
had
once
the
Honor
to
be
so
near
to
you
,
and
to
receive
such
particular
Graces
from
you
.
Your
Highnesses
Favor
will
yet
make
it
spend
its
dayes
in
Honor
,
revive
with
pleasure
the
remembrance
of
the
past
Glories
,
and
give
an
immortality
,
not
only
to
this
poor
Poem
,
but
to
the
(
otherwise
)
most
obscure
name
of
,
MADAM
,
Your
Highnesses
most
humble
And
most
devoted
Servant
,
John
Crowne
.
TO
THE
READER
.
READER
,
IF
you
were
ever
a
Spectator
of
this
following
Entertainment
,
when
it
was
Represented
in
its
Glory
,
you
will
come
(
if
you
come
at
all
)
with
very
dull
Appetite
,
to
this
cold
lean
Carkass
of
it
.
The
Dancing
,
Singing
,
Musick
,
which
were
all
in
the
highest
Perfection
,
the
most
graceful
Action
,
incomparable
Beauty
,
and
rich
and
splendid
Habit
of
the
Princesses
,
whose
Lustre
received
no
moderate
encrease
from
the
Beauties
and
rich
Habits
of
the
Ladies
who
had
the
Honor
to
accompany
'em
,
and
share
in
the
performance
,
must
needs
have
afforded
you
a
delight
so
extraordinary
,
that
this
will
appear
very
insipid
.
If
you
have
never
seen
it
,
then
(
perhaps
)
you
may
receive
some
pleasure
;
but
yet
(
I
fear
)
not
so
much
as
you
expect
.
You
(
no
doubt
)
will
imagine
,
(
and
you
have
reason
)
that
an
Entertainment
so
much
honoured
and
adorned
,
followed
at
innumerable
Rehearsals
,
and
all
the
Representations
by
throngs
of
Persons
of
the
greatest
Quality
,
and
designed
for
the
Pleasures
and
Divertisements
of
Their
Majesties
,
and
Royal
Highnesses
,
and
accordingly
very
often
Graced
with
Their
Presences
,
should
be
some
superlative
piece
.
But
you
will
be
disappointed
,
you
will
find
nothing
here
answer
those
swelling
expectations
.
How
it
happens
to
be
so
,
it
is
enough
to
tell
you
,
That
it
was
written
by
me
;
and
it
would
be
very
strange
,
if
a
bad
Writer
should
write
well
:
but
,
which
was
as
great
an
unhappiness
,
I
had
not
time
enough
allowed
me
,
to
muster
together
,
on
so
great
an
occasion
,
those
few
Abilities
I
have
;
I
was
invaded
,
on
the
sudden
,
by
a
Powerful
Command
,
to
prepare
an
Entertainment
for
the
Court
,
which
was
to
be
written
,
learnt
,
practised
,
and
performed
,
in
less
time
than
was
necessary
for
the
writing
alone
.
True
,
it
was
not
performed
,
till
some
Months
after
the
time
first
decreed
,
but
that
hapned
from
the
discretion
of
those
on
whom
the
Dancing
and
Musical
parts
depended
,
who
found
it
required
time
to
do
any
thing
in
Perfection
;
but
I
not
knowing
it
would
be
so
deferred
,
finished
my
Part
within
the
time
first
alotted
me
,
which
was
scarce
a
Month
:
not
only
for
the
Play
,
but
the
Prologue
,
and
Songs
,
the
Nature
of
which
I
was
wholly
a
stranger
to
,
having
never
seen
any
thing
of
the
kind
;
and
by
these
means
,
I
was
forced
upon
a
brisk
dullness
,
writing
quick
,
but
flat
I
was
also
confined
in
the
number
of
the
Persons
;
I
had
but
seven
allow'd
me
,
neither
more
nor
less
:
those
seven
to
be
all
Ladies
,
and
of
those
Ladies
,
two
onely
were
to
appear
in
Mens
Habits
.
Next
,
for
my
Subject
,
it
was
not
,
I
confess
,
imposed
upon
me
by
Command
�
but
it
was
for
want
of
time
to
find
a
better
:
For
I
had
but
some
few
hours
allow'd
me
to
choose
one
.
And
as
Men
who
do
things
in
haste
,
have
commonly
ill
Fortune
,
as
well
as
ill
Conduct
;
I
resolving
to
choose
the
first
tolerable
Story
I
could
meet
with
,
unhappily
encountred
this
,
where
,
by
my
own
rashness
,
and
the
malice
of
Fortune
,
I
involved
my self
,
before
I
was
aware
,
in
a
difficulty
greater
than
the
invention
of
the
Philosophers
Stone
,
that
only
endeavors
to
extract
Gold
out
of
the
coursest
Metals
,
but
I
employed
my self
to
draw
one
contrary
out
of
another
;
to
write
a
clean
,
decent
,
and
inoffensive
Play
,
on
the
Story
of
a
Rape
,
so
that
I
was
engaged
in
this
Dilemma
,
either
wholly
to
deviate
from
my
Story
,
and
so
my
Story
would
be
no
Story
,
or
by
keeping
to
it
,
write
what
would
be
unfit
for
Princesses
and
Ladies
to
speak
,
and
a
Court
to
hear
.
That
which
tempted
me
into
so
great
a
Labyrinth
,
was
the
fair
and
beautiful
Image
that
stood
at
the
Portall
,
I
mean
,
the
exact
and
perfect
Character
of
Chastity
,
in
the
person
of
Calisto
,
which
I
thought
a
very
proper
Character
for
the
Princess
to
represent
;
nor
was
I
mistaken
in
my
judgment
,
the
difficulty
lay
in
the
other
part
of
the
Story
,
to
defend
Chastity
,
was
easie
,
the
danger
was
in
assaulting
it
;
I
was
to
storm
it
,
but
not
to
wound
it
;
to
shoot
at
it
,
but
not
offend
it
;
my
Arrows
were
to
be
invisible
,
and
without
Piles
;
my
Guns
were
to
be
charged
with
white
Powder
;
the
Bullets
were
to
flie
,
but
give
no
Report
.
These
were
Niceties
required
skill
to
perform
,
and
would
have
puzled
a
finer
Invention
than
mine
;
and
,
indeed
,
I
did
a
little
fail
in
my
first
attempt
;
my
Arrows
(
though
as
fine
as
I
could
then
in
haste
turn
'em
)
yet
were
too
course
for
a
Court.
I
often
pared
'em
,
and
much
difficulty
I
found
to
make
'em
thin
enough
to
pass
through
nice
and
delicate
Ears
,
without
wounding
'em
,
an
Art
which
with
much
pains
in
this
Emendation
I
attained
.
The
last
,
and
not
the
least
,
difficulty
imposed
on
me
in
the
Entertainment
,
was
in
the
Chorusses
;
I
was
obliged
to
invent
proper
Occasions
,
to
introduce
all
the
Entries
;
and
particularly
,
for
the
closing
of
all
with
an
Entry
of
Africans
.
How
I
have
succeeded
in
it
,
I
leave
the
Reader
to
judge
.
Under
all
these
difficulties
did
this
poor
Poem
labour
even
before
it
was
an
Embrio
,
and
when
sleeping
in
its
causes
;
and
when
in
the
womb
it
was
squeez'd
,
and
hinder'd
of
its
due
growth
by
intolerable
strait
lacings
;
and
lastly
,
forced
on
an
immature
and
hasty
birth
;
by
all
which
inconveniences
,
it
was
impossible
it
should
prove
otherwise
than
a
weak
,
lean
,
ricketty
,
deformed
piece
,
and
as
such
(
notwithstanding
the
kindness
it
received
from
others
,
)
it
was
looked
on
by
me
;
and
accordingly
I
was
impatient
till
I
had
strangled
it
,
and
in
the
room
produced
something
less
imperfect
,
something
of
a
constitution
strong
enough
to
endure
the
blows
of
its
Enemies
,
and
of
a
Complexion
beautiful
enough
to
delight
its
Parents
and
Friends
,
and
such
a
thing
(
in
some
low
degree
at
least
)
this
is
which
you
see
.
Far
be
it
from
me
,
to
say
it
is
as
well
as
it
ought
to
be
,
or
as
others
of
greater
Abilities
would
have
written
it
.
Nor
(
give
me
leave
to
say
)
so
well
as
I
my self
would
have
done
on
a
better
Subject
,
and
in
less
haste
;
for
this
was
written
in
a
hurry
as
well
as
the
former
,
being
finished
and
learnt
between
the
second
and
third
Representation
;
but
having
the
advantage
of
Features
and
dead
Colours
laid
,
it
was
easie
to
work
something
on
that
foundation
better
than
the
former
;
and
I
undertook
the
trouble
,
not
only
to
repair
my
own
Reputation
,
but
to
give
some
refreshment
to
the
Audiences
,
who
would
have
been
weary
of
a
better
Play
at
the
second
or
third
Representation
,
and
therefore
must
needs
be
weary
of
that
at
the
20
th
or
30
th
,
for
near
so
often
it
had
been
Rehearsed
and
Acted
.
Some
,
perhaps
,
will
expect
I
should
not
only
Apologize
for
not
writing
better
,
but
daring
on
such
an
occasion
to
write
at
all
;
but
having
said
it
was
done
by
Command
,
none
can
have
so
little
manners
as
to
expect
I
should
make
excuse
for
Obedience
.
I
must
confess
it
was
great
pity
,
that
in
an
Entertainment
where
the
Sense
was
so
deliciously
feasted
,
the
Understanding
should
be
so
slenderly
treated
;
and
had
it
been
written
by
him
,
to
whom
by
the
double
right
of
place
and
merit
,
the
honour
of
the
employment
belonged
,
the
pleasure
had
been
in
all
kinds
complete
.
However
this
appeared
not
so
contemptible
,
but
it
attained
the
felicity
for
which
it
was
made
,
to
afford
some
delight
to
His
Royal
Mind
,
to
whose
Pleasure
all
our
endeavors
ought
to
be
,
and
this
more
particularly
was
devoted
.
And
of
this
I
have
full
assurance
,
by
the
best
,
and
to
me
most
pleasing
testimony
of
it
,
that
of
His
most
Princely
bounty
.
Having
said
this
,
the
devouring
Critick
must
cease
his
pursuit
,
for
the
poor
Sinner
is
out
of
the
reach
of
his
Fangs
,
and
safe
in
Glory
.
And
now
it
is
at
my
courtesie
to
make
any
farther
Apologies
,
yet
because
I
know
the
Criticks
will
be
nibling
at
any
thing
they
think
they
can
catch
,
I
must
now
answer
for
some
Errors
,
which
I
suppose
they
hope
I
have
ignorantly
,
but
I
confess
to
have
wilfully
committed
.
I
have
in
the
Prologue
represented
the
River
Thames
by
a
Woman
,
and
Europe
by
a
Man
,
contrary
to
all
Authority
and
Antiquity
.
To
that
I
answer
,
I
know
of
no
Sexes
in
Lands
and
Rivers
,
nor
of
any
Laws
in
Poetry
,
but
the
fundamental
one
to
please
;
they
who
do
that
,
follow
the
highest
Authority
,
and
agree
with
the
best
Antiquity
.
The
principal
part
of
the
Prologue
being
the
River
,
my
business
was
not
to
consider
how
the
Latin
Poets
painted
it
,
but
how
to
represent
it
best
and
most
beautiful
on
our
Stage
;
not
to
trouble
my
head
with
hic
haec
hoo
,
to
please
the
Grammarians
,
but
how
to
have
the
Part
sung
best
to
delight
the
Court
;
and
the
graceful
motions
and
admirable
singing
of
Mrs.
Davis
,
did
sufficiently
prove
the
discretion
of
my
choice
.
And
Thames
,
Peace
and
Plenty
,
being
represented
by
Women
,
I
was
necessitated
(
in
spite
of
the
Lady
that
bestrid
the
Bull
)
to
make
Europe
a
Man
,
and
to
call
it
not
Her
but
�
His
fair
Continent
�
Otherwise
I
must
either
have
spoiled
the
Figure
,
and
made
three
parts
of
the
World
Men
,
and
one
a
Woman
;
or
worse
,
by
representing
'em
all
by
Women
,
have
spoiled
the
Musick
by
making
it
consist
all
of
Trebles
.
But
these
are
Criticisms
for
none
but
those
of
School-boys
learning
,
and
School-boys
understandings
.
Some
other
Faults
there
are
in
the
Style
and
Expression
,
which
,
Reader
,
if
you
can
discover
,
you
may
insult
over
as
you
think
fit
,
the
whole
having
obtained
the
happiness
to
please
,
I
shall
not
concern
my self
for
every
trifling
Error
which
slipt
from
me
unawares
,
and
which
I
had
not
leisure
to
mend
;
perhaps
you
may
find
fault
with
my
different
Numbers
,
that
I
have
not
kept
to
one
kind
of
Verse
,
but
written
part
in
Pindarique
,
and
part
Heroique
.
To
that
I
answer
,
the
Pindarique
is
what
I
left
of
the
old
Play
uncorrected
,
as
not
needing
Emendation
;
and
I
chose
that
kind
of
measure
at
first
,
not
as
the
best
,
and
most
pleasing
to
the
ear
,
but
as
the
readiest
and
quickest
for
one
that
was
in
haste
;
it
being
in
comparison
of
the
grave
Heroique
,
a
kind
of
mixt
pace
,
betwixt
ambling
and
galloping
,
where
the
Poet
is
not
bound
to
wait
the
leisure
of
a
stubborn
syllable
to
Rime
,
but
to
take
the
Rime
where
he
can
catch
it
,
without
any
more
trouble
.
But
upon
the
correction
,
I
chose
the
Heroique
as
more
Majestick
,
Lofty
and
Musical
,
and
(
as
I
hope
)
made
Emendation
,
both
in
Sense
and
Sound
.
Having
made
this
little
vindication
of
my self
,
I
were
now
bound
in
gratitude
(
before
I
conclude
)
to
record
the
due
praises
of
those
whose
admirable
performances
in
their
several
kinds
,
lent
this
Entertainment
much
of
the
praise
it
had
;
namely
,
the
Singers
,
and
the
Composer
of
all
the
Musick
both
Vocal
and
Instrumental
Mr.
Staggins
;
but
their
excellencies
lying
far
out
of
that
road
my
understanding
travels
in
,
I
should
praise
'em
so
ignorantly
,
if
I
should
attempt
it
,
that
I
should
discover
my
own
folly
,
more
than
their
merit
.
But
if
the
judgments
of
others
,
and
those
the
most
skilful
too
,
be
not
mistaken
,
Mr.
Staggins
has
not
only
delighted
us
with
his
excellent
Composition
,
but
with
the
hopes
of
seeing
in
a
very
short
time
a
Master
of
Musick
in
England
,
equal
to
any
France
or
Italy
have
produced
.
No
less
praise
may
be
said
of
the
best
and
choicest
of
the
Singers
.
But
Reader
,
I
shall
detain
you
no
longer
,
now
take
what
pleasure
you
can
find
in
the
perusal
of
the
following
Pages
.