EPILOGUE.

Nay, cease, and hear me—I am come to scold—
Whence this night's plaudits, to a thought so old?
To gain a Lover, hid behind a Mask!
What's new in that? or where's the mighty task?
For instance, now—What Lady Bab, or Grace,
E'er won a Lover—in her natural Face?
Mistake me not—French red, or blanching creams,
I stoop not to—for those are hackney'd themes;
The arts I mean, are harder to detect,
Easier put on, and worn to more effect;—
As thus——
Do Pride and Envy, with their horrid lines,
Destroy th' effect of Nature's sweet designs?
The Mask of Softness is at once applied,
And gentlest manners ornament the Bride.
Do thoughts too free inform the Vestal's eye,
Or point the glance, or warm the struggling sigh?
Not Dian's brows more rigid looks disclose;
And Virtue's blush appears, where Passion glows.
And you, my gentle Sirs, wear Vizors too;
But here I'll strip you, and expose to view
Your hidden features——First I point at you.		}
That well-stuff'd waistcoat, and that ruddy cheek;
That ample forehead, and that skin so sleek,
Point out good-nature, and a gen'rous heart——
Tyrant! stand forth, and, conscious, own thy part:
Thy Wife, thy Children, tremble in thy eye;
And Peace is banish'd—when the Father's nigh.
Sure 'tis enchantment! See, from ev'ry side
The Masks fall off!—In charity I hide
The monstrous features rushing to my view——
Fear not, there, Grand-Papa—nor you—nor you:
For should I shew your features to each other,
Not one amongst ye'd know his Friend, or Brother.
'Tis plain, then, all the world, from Youth to Age,
Appear in Masks—Here, only, on the Stage,
You see us as we are: Here trust your eyes;
Our wish to please, admits of no disguise.

Of the Publisher may be had,
By the same Author,

The Runaway, a Comedy.
Albina, a Tragedy.
Who's the Dupe? a Farce.
The Maid of Arragon, a Poem, Part I.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

The book cover image was created by the transcriber and is placedin the public domain.

Hyphenation in inconsistent throughout; missing punctuation andoccasional missing spaces have been added. The errata have beenincorporated. The spelling of character names has been harmonised.Overall, contemporary spellings have been retained; however, a smallnumber of words have been modernised to prevent misunderstanding.One instance of "genus" was left unchanged, since it may wellserve a purpose in furthering the characterisation. Asection of publisher's advertising at the end was illegible and has beenomitted. One instance of double typesetting (same word at end of oneline and the beginning of the next) was corrected.
Although there is occasional reference in the stage directions to "(the)Miss Ogles" it is clear from the context that the name is "Ogle" andonly one character of that name is present, so the name was changedaccordingly.
At the end of the scene at Sir George's in Act 2, Mrs Racketexits twice in short order; this reflects the original.Three substantive changes were made and can beidentified in the text by a grey dotted underline:

Mr. Doricourt, may be you take my Daughter for a Fool; but your are mistaken: she's a sensible Girl, as any in England.Mr. Doricourt, may be you take my Daughter for a Fool; but you are mistaken: she's a sensible Girl, as any in England.
Flut. On, every creature.—A Mask is nothing at all to me. Flut. Oh, every creature.—A Mask is nothing at all to me.
Is is true that Doricourt is mad?Is it true that Doricourt is mad?