PREFACE.

THE public has made ſo little diffi⯑culty hitherto, in ſwallowing nau⯑ſeous, or at beſt, inſipid verſes, when they have been wrapped up in agreeable muſic; that to offer a word, either by way of defence, or apology, for the fol⯑lowing trifle, ſeems altogether unne⯑ceſſary.

IT will be eaſily believed, that the author did not write it with a view to acquire the reputation of a genius: he muſt be a ſimpleton indeed, who hopes to give people an idea of his wealth by ſhewing them a handful of farthings. He wrote it merely to comply with the requeſt of a theatrical perſon, whom he had an inclination to oblige; it was de⯑ſigned [ii] and finiſhed in ſomewhat leſs than a fortnight; and his excuſe for now ſuf⯑fering it to appear in print (and he really thinks ſuch an excuſe neceſſary) muſt be the nature of a muſical entertainment, which requires, that the words ſhould be put into the hands of the audience, who would otherwiſe find it impoſſible to ac⯑company the performers in what they ſing upon the ſtage.

HE is no ſtranger to the whimſical prejudice, which inclines moſt people to meaſure the worth of dramatic pieces by their length; and becauſe a muſical en⯑tertainment is unavoidably the ſhorteſt of any, makes them, for that reaſon, deny its being capable of any degree of merit at all. But though what he here ven⯑tures into the world, is neither a Tragedy, a Comedy, or even ſo much as a Comedy of two acts; he flatters himſelf, there are ſome few, who will not condemn it, merely becauſe it is not, what it was not [iii] deſigned for: he hopes they will conſi⯑der, that when he ſat down to write it, he ſat down to write a muſical entertain⯑ment; and that a certain poet and critic, who is allowed to have been a tolerable judge in ſuch matters, has told us, no au⯑thor can compaſs more than he intends.

IF after this, any perſons have an in⯑clination to find fault with it, they are heartily welcome: nay, he will ſo far ſubſcribe to their opinion, as to confeſs, there are ſome as bad lines in it, as the worſt dablers in ſing-ſong ever were guilty of; but he thought it needleſs to correct them, as every thing of this kind muſt be caſtrated, in order to make it perfectly muſical; and ſtretched and altered, to fit the ſhape of the ſtage. Howe⯑ver, he would certainly point out the exceptionable lines, to ſhew he is not ig⯑norant of them; but that he takes it for granted, there will be people enough ready to ſave him that trouble.

[iv]THUS far by way of Preface; which the author has written, only becauſe he is aſſured there is nothing ſo acceptable to the purchaſers of any thing in the form of a book, now a-days, as a reaſonable pennyworth in print and paper; and he had a mind to avail himſelf of the advan⯑tages attending an additional half-ſheet.

FOR the ſame reaſon too he might poſſibly have attempted a Dedication; but, unfortunately, the only perſonages likely to patronize his performance are united in a particular ſociety; and he was at a loſs in what manner to order their titles, ſo as to make a proper blazon at the head of a page. However, in this place he would be underſtood to inſcribe the following rhimes to thoſe vagrant choireſters, who, like the bards of old, ſing verſes about the public ſtreets; and if, when they [v] have thought proper to advance the fol⯑lowing ballads to a place in the Chimney⯑ſweeper's Garland, the Sweetheart's Delight, or any other of their ingenious collections; they ſhould, (thro' their novelty, and the prevailing argument of playhouſe tunes) be the means of rendering more reaſon⯑able in their demands, thoſe grinders of the muſes, who have the conſcience to expect ſix and thirty pretty ſongs in one book for a halfpenny; he ſhall think the time, and pains they coſt him in compo⯑ſing, very well beſtowed.

TO conclude. The author thinks there is no doubt, on account of the muſic, which is admirable; and the performance, which will be excellent; but this little piece muſt come off well upon the ſtage; but after having been acquitted there, he foreſees, ſome buſy people will be for bringing it before the judges in the court of criticiſm. Now he applies himſelf [vi] to the ſaid judges, requiring them to conſider all ſuch proceedings as arbitrary, at leaſt, if not unprecedented: He deſires, that they will ſuffer the inſignificancy of this piece, to ſcreen it from their cog⯑nizance; and that they will not attempt to break a butterfly upon a wheel.