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THE

FOUNDLING.

A COMEDY,

As written by Mr. MOOR E.

DISTINGUISHING ALSO THE

VARIATIONS OF THE THEATRE,

AS PERFORMED AT THE

Theatre-Royal in Dzury-Lane.

Regulated from the Prompt-Book,

By PERMISSION of the MANAGERS,

By Mr. HOPKINS, Prompter.

AB

3

BODLE

LONDON:

Printed for JoHN BELL, near Exeter-Exchange, in the Strand.

MUCCLXXVII.

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TO HER GRACE THE

DUCH HES S

O F

BEDFORD.

MADAM,

T HE permiffion your Grace honours me with, of prefenting the Foundling to your protection, is the highest gratification of my pride, and my best fecurity for the indulgence of the town. It is in writing as in life; an introduction to the world by a great name is a fanction, even where merit is wanting, and can adorn it where it is. And though my pretentions are inconfiderable, my fears are leffened, while I can boaft the Duchefs of Bedford for my patronefs.

I have no intention to alarm your Grace with the common flattery of dedications. The mind that deferves praise, is above receiving it. Your own confcioufnefs, though in your humbleft hours, will afford truer fatisfaction than the best written panegyric. But while your Grace forbids me praife, I am at liberty to indulge my wishes for your happiness and honour. In thofe, I may be allowed to name the Duke of Bedford with his Duchefs, and to rejoice, with every Englishman, that the highest dignities are the reward of the highest merit.

If I defcend to fay a little of myfelf, I fhall hope. for your Grace's pardon. This is my first attempt in dramatic poetry. Whether I deferve the favour the town

A 2

has

has fhewn me, is fubmitted to your Grace's candour, and the judgment of my readers. The disapprobation which the character of Faddle met with the first night, made it neceffary for me to fhorten it in almost every fcene, where it was not immediately connected with the fable. But though fuccefs has attended the alteration, I have ventured to publish it in its original drefs; fubmitting it fill to your Grace and the public, from whom I have no appeal to my own partiality. But I am detaining your Grace too long, and shall only add, that I am,

Madam,

Your Grace's

Moft obliged, and

Moft obedient fervant,

ED W. MOORE.

PRO

PROLO

PROLOGU E.

Written by Mr. BROOKE.

UNPRACTIS'D in the drama's artful page,

And new to all the dangers of the stage,
Where judgment fits to fave or damn his play,,·
Our poet trembles for his firft effay.

He, like all authors, a conforming race!
Writes to the tafte and genius of the place;
- Intent to fix, and emulous to pleafe
The happy fenfe of thefe politer days,
He forms a model of a virtuous fort,
And gives you more of moral than of Sport;
He rather aims to draw the melting figh,
Or fteal the pitying tear from beauty's eye;
To touch the frings that bumanife our kind,
Man's fweeteft ftrain, the mufic of the mind.
Ladies, he bids me tell you, that from you
His firft, his fav'rite character, he drew;
A young, a lovely, unexperienc'd maid,
In boneft truth and innocence array'd;
Of fortune deftitute, with wrongs oppress'd,.
By fraud attempted, and by love diftrefs'd;
Yet, guarded fill, and every fuff'ring past,
Her virtue meets the fure reward at last.
From fuch examples fhall the fex be taught,
How virtue fixes whom their eyes have caught
How honour beautifies the fairest face,
Improves the mien, and dignifies the grace.
And hence the libertine, who builds a name
On the bafe ruins of a woman's fame,
Shall own, the best of human bleffings lie
In the chafte honours of the nuptial tie;
There lives the homefelt fweet, the near delight
There peace repofes, and there joys unite;
And female virtue was by Heav'n defign'd
To charm, to polifh, and to bless mankind.

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