Upon a curious fancy hit,
Hung out a board on which he boasted,
'Dinner for threepence, boiled and roasted!
The hungry read, and in they trip
With eager eye and smacking lip:
'Here bring this boiled and roasted, pray!'
Enter potatoes, drest each way!
All stared and rose, the house forsook,
Cursed the dinner, and kicked the cook."
It is a singular thing that authors had little or no control over the prologues or epilogues attached to their plays. In this respect, the manager acted as he pleased, licensed such sentiments as he approved of, and was irresponsible. Thus, the refined Dr. Young was insulted by an unclean epilogue attached to his "Brothers," which was played for the benefit of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and Dr. Browne, one of the vainest of authors, was horrified by hearing Garrick, in the epilogue to "Barbarossa," make Woodward ask the public—referring to the doctor, to "Let the poor devil eat! allow him that!" Home, however, seems to have exercised, in some respect, his own judgment, when "Douglas" was played. That is, he refused to tag a satirical address to so solemn a tragedy; but another poet laughed at him, through Barry, who came on exclaiming—