Occasional Address, Spoken by Miss Fontenelle, on her Benefit-Night

Occasional Address ---- spoken by Miss Fontenelle on her
Benefit night. -----

Still anxious to secure your partial favor,
And not less anxious sure this night than ever,
A Prologue, Epilogue, or some such matter
Would vamp my bill, thought I, if nothing better; --
So sought a Poet{ roosted near the skies in his skyey dome,
Told him, that to admire him in admiration I was come;
I came to feast my curious eyes;
Said, nothing like his works was ever printed;
And last my prologue business slily hinted. --

"O Ma'am!" replied the silly, strutting creature
Screwing each self-important, awkward feature,
"Flatt'ry I hate, as I admire your taste,
"At once so just, correct, profound & chaste. ----
} Out
"{Ma'am
But let me tell you," quoth my Man of rhymes,
I know your bent ---- these are no laughing times; --
"Can you, but Miss, I own I have my fears,
"Dissolve in Pause, & sentimental tears;
"With laden sighs, & solemn-rounded sentence,
"Rouse from his sluggish slumbers, fell Repentance;
"Paint Vengeance as he takes his horrid stand,
"Waving on high the desolating brand,
"Calling the storms, to bear him o'er a guilty Land!"

I could no more ---- askance the creature eyeing,
D'ye think, said I, this face was made for crying?
I'll laugh, that's poz -- nay more, the world shall know it;
And so, your servant; gloomy Master Poet!

Firm as my creed, Sirs,
Believe me, Gentles, 'tis my fix'd belief,
That Misery's another word for Grief:
I also think, so come my soul to bliss!
That so much laughter, so much life happiness. ----

Thou Man of Care, whose task is, to contrive
To make three guineas do the work of five;
Laugh in Misfortune's face --- the beldam witch!
Say, you'll be happy merry, tho' you can't be rich. ----

Thou other Man of Care, the wretch in love,
Who long with jiltish arts & airs hast strove;
Who, as the boughs all temptingly project,
Measur'st, in desp'rate thought -- a rope -- thy neck --
Or where the butling cliffs o'erhangs the deep
Peerest, to meditate the healing leap ----
For shame! For shame! I tell thee, thou art no man:
This for a silly giddy, vain, capricious woman!
A creature ---- tho' I say't, you know, that should not
Ridiculous with her idiot, "Would, & Would not": --

Laugh at her airs -- these frowns no more terrific;
And, love another a kinder -- that's your grand specific. ----

To sum up all, be Merry! I advise:
And as we're merry --may we still be wise!

---------------------------
Thou man of crazy care that inly pines & ceaseless sigh,
Still under bleak Misfortune's blasting eye;
Doom'd to that sorest task of man alive --
To make three guineas do the work of five;
Laugh in &c. ----

Wouldst thou be cur'd, thou silly, moping elf?
Laugh at her follies; laugh e'en at thyself;:
Learn to despise these frowns, now so terrific;
And love &c ----