The Opening PROLOGUE Paraphras'd in a Familiar
Stile, for better Conception of the True Meaning, and
for the Particular Uſe of Mr. Jer. Collier.

Good People,

THIS fame theatre here being intended for Pious and Virtuous Repreſentati-
ons, in Oppoſition to the late Immorality and Proſaneneſs of the Stage, you
muſt underſtand that the Two moſt indecent Authors of that Kind are pitch'd
upon for its Foundation and Government, upon a prudent Preſumption that
the greateſt Offenders are moſt likely to become the greateſt Penitents and Saints;
eſpecially ſince your Generous Subſcriptions to the Undertaking will make Virtue to be
literally its own Reward. That we may give you full Aſſurances at our firſt Open-
ing we deſire to prepoſſeſs you with theſe following Moral, Religious and Witty
Notions. You ſee what a ſtately Building we've run up here for you; and we
can do no leſs than tell you that it equals, if not exceeds, the Stupendous Crea,
tion of the World, which ſome ſimple People make ſuch a Wonderment at. Tho' there
are thoſe who reckon your Poets a Set of the moſt idle and uſeleſs Fellows upon
Earth, yet we do moſt riligiouſly aſſure you that they are all of' 'em Creators Gi-
vers of Being, and God Almighties; nor is there any Odium in ſuch Compariſons:
And that we may tell you a new Thing of 'em, which never was ſaid of thought of
by any Living Man before the Author of this Prologue, you muſt know that Mo-
numents which your Poets raiſe out-laſt Wood, Brick Stone and Iron; witneſs the
May-Pole in the Strand, which is ſcarce higher than a Ninepin; whilſt Chevy-
Chace, and the Two Children in the Wood, make their Original Figure in the Hun-
dredth Edition. That we mayn't Bambouzle you with hard Names, whenever we
mention Venus, we intend to call her Fair, leſt ſhe be miſtaken for a Lancaſhire-Witch.
That Minerva mayn't paſs for an Iriſh Woman, we'll call her Learned. In like
manner it ſhall be Red Scarlet, that you mayn't imagine we mean a Feuille Morte
Colour. We're under a Security that the next Great Wind will ſcarce be able
to blow this Houſe about our Ears, ſince 'tis Founded by Beauty, and Deſign'd by
Wit; no inconſiderable Inſurance. To convince you what vigorous War we intend
to carry on againſt the Exorbitant Tower of Immorality and Profaneneſs, we muſt
let you into the Secret,that Igvorance is the mother of Devotion; that the moſt
Waſte Ground in England is where Churches ſtand; that they never been Built
but for Fools; that Zeal's a Jeſt and all Religion Nonſence. This Age, Bleſſed be
God, is grown, wiſer and wickeder than thoſe Times of Blindneſs: nor are we
without ſome Hopes that the Citizens Wives may prevail with their Husbands to
turn Paul's into a play-Houſe. But now we'll tell you the moſt Poetical and
Witty thing you ever heard : You ſee where theſe Columns here ſtand, Pray what
Thus you may ſee how neceſſary Hiſtory may be to a Poet, for from hence this
very Street originally took its Name. We muſt adviſe you, left you mayn't know
it already, that the Buſneſs of a stage is to repreſent the Actions and Paſſions of
Mankind. The Goddeſſes that you ſee whipping up and down in Machines, you muſtn't                                                            imagine to be dowdy, draggle tail'd Actreſſes, but real She-Angels coming from above.
And now, moſt Refulgent Ladies; we will conclude with a fine-ſpun Complement to
you, that your Eyes are much brighter than the Sun or Lighting; which Firſt of all we
tell you is a perfect new Thought, never us'd before by any Wit Breathing.
Secondly, It hasn't one a Tittle of t new Truth, Nature Reaſon or Senſe in it. Thirdly, How
ever, It may pleaſe you, ſhou'd any country Squire uſe it to his Lady-Mother's Cham-
ber-Maid, the Wench wou'd laugh at the Coxcomb. Theſe are ſome of the Diffcul-
ties we patiently chuſe to go through, rather than fail to pay you our Reſpects in the
Sublimeſt manner. And to ſhow that you are fooliſh enough to be Tickled with ſuch
Hyperbolical Nonſence, we hope to ſee you here to Morrow again, that we may break
Mr. Rich and Mr. Eaſtcourt.

                  L 0 N D 0 N:

Printed, and Sold by B. Bragg, in Ave-Mary-Lane.