Love's Last Shift, 1702; the Queenes Bussy (Brome) 1657- Thierry (Beaumont and Fletcher), 1649; Yy\^ D'amboise (Diirfey), 1691; and Others
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OR, THE A As it is Aded at the THEATRE ROYA BY His Majeftys Servants.' Written by C. C IBB E K '"-'-'Fuit hitc Sapientia quondam^ Concuhitu prohibere vagoydarejure Mariti. Hor. de Art. Poet* L N D JN, Printed forR Rhodes, in Fleetftree- , R. Parker, at the Royd . Exchange ^ and R, Wellmgton, ^t tae Dolphin and Crown^ the Weft-end of St. ^auV'i Church-yard, 1 702. Lately Pubiifhed, Michaeljs Etmulkri Opera Omnia in Compendium reduEta. Price 8 j-, Hovoel'% Elements of Hi'Lry, from the Creadon of the World to ±t Reir-^n° of .Co^f- , fimt'm the Great. Price 5 j-. " , /5't'/?mH's Novels, w^. The Fruitlefs Precaution, the Hypocrites, the Innocent Adul- tery th^ Judge in his own C-jufc, the flivd Er<:ther, the InvifibJe Miftrefs, the Chaltikmenc cf Avarice, the Unexpcrted Choice. Pricey i-. Where you may have Novels at 6 s. a Vo^en, and aR forts of P lays at reafomble Rates. V ^/ - 2_ 7 9 9 ^* v*i ^%S: Exchange 128. Love's Last Shift, 1702; The Queenes Bussy (Brome) 1657- Thierry (Beaumont and Fletcher), 1649; yy\^ D'Amboise (Diirfey), 1691; and others. 7 voX small 4to, various H^-^U>^^^'^/c^ 'iSoAA^^iA^ bindings. Various editions. T^»>vr<-W'^ * Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2011 with funding from LYRASIS iVJembers and Sloan Foundation 33V 7 -70 1 a. http://www.archive.org/details7loveslastshiftor00cibb «*»^" n • <I .*r^4*s i " i T O RICHARD NORTON, oi Southwick, Efq; SIR, TH O' I can't without Ingratitude, conceal the Exceeding Favours, which the Town liave this Ihown Piece ; yet tliey muft give me leave to own, that even my Vanity lay Hufht, quite ftifled in my Fears, tilll had fecurdy fixt its good Fortune, by Publilhing your Approbation of it : An Ad- vantage, which, as it will confirm my Friends in their favourable Opinion, fo it muft in fome Meafure, qualifie the Severity of the Malicious. After this Declaration, let the World Imagine, hQw Difficult it is for me, not to Launch into your Gharader : But fince the Smoothnefs of your Temper, and depth of Judgment, are my chief Proteftion, I am loath to dilcompole you, by an ungrate- ful kepetition of thofe Virtues, which only pleafeyou in the Praftice : The World as lit- tle wants the Knowledge of 'em, as you de- fire the Recital. The Dedication, 'Tis your Happinefs, Sir, that your For- tune has fixed you above the need of Praife^ or Friends, yet both are equally unavoida- ble: For even to your Solitude, Praife will follow you, and grows fonder of you for your, Coldnefs ; (lie Loves you for your Choice of Pieafure, tliofe noble Pkafures of a Iweet Retirement, from v/hich nothing but th^ .Confideration of your Countrey's Weal cou'd draw you. ' But as no Man can properly be made a Pa- tron, whole Virtues have not in fome lort qualified him for fuch a Gare : So, Sir, it is- fufficient for me, that your Life and Conver- fation are the beft Heralds of your Power and my Safety. Here, Sir, I mufl: beg leave to clear my felf from what the ill Wifhesof fome wou'd haVe the World believe, that what I now of- fer you is Spurious, and not the Produfl: of my own Labour : And tho' I am pleas'd that this Report feems to allow it fome Beauties, yet 1 am forry, it has made a Diicovery of fame Perfons, who think me worth their Malice. This Dedication were little better than an ilffront, unlefs I cou'd with all Sin- cerity aflure you. Sir, that the Fable is in- tirely my own ; nor is there a Line or Thought, throughout the Whole, for which I am wittingly oblig'd either to the Dead, or Living 3 lor i cou'd no more be pleas d with a ftol'n The Dedication, {torn Reputation, than withaMiftrefs, who yielded only upon the Interceffion of my Friend : It fatisfies me, Sir, that you believe it mine, and I hope Vvhat others fay to the contrary, is rather owing to an mireafonable Difguft, than their Real Opinion, I am not Ignorant,of thofe Overilghts I have commit- ted, nor have the diffefl:ingCriticks' much dif- courag'd me; For 'tis their Diverfion to find Fault ; and to have none, is to them an Un- pardonable Difappointment ; no Man can ex- pect to go free, while they don t fpare one a- nother : But as I write not in defiance of their Cenfure ; fo, after having diverted you, Sir, I fhall not trouble my felf for a Defenfive Preface. Had it not lucceeded, I fliou'd have had Modefty enough to impute it to my own want of Merit : For certainly the Town can take no Pleafure in decrying any Mans La- bours, when 'tis their Intereft to Encourage 'em ; every Gueft is the beft Judge of his own Pallat, and a Poet ought no more to Impole good Senle upon the Galleries, than Dull Farce upon the undifputed Judges. I firft confider'd who my Guefts were, before I pre- pared my Entertainment ; and therefore I ihall only add this as a general Anfwer to ail Objedions, that it has every way exceeded mine, and hitherto has not wrong'd the Houfes, Expectation ; that Mr. Souther)fs Good Nature (whofe own Works beft recom- mend The Dedication. mend his Judgment,) engag'd his Reputation for the Succefs, which its Reception, and your Approbation, Sir, has fince redeeni'd to the Intire Satisfaftion of S I R, Your moft Devoted^ Humble Servant? ' CoUey Cihber. PRO- ^ PROLOG By a F RIEND. Spoken by Mr. Ferbiuggen. T bears fo thin a Crop this Duller Age^ WIWere forced to Glean it from the Barren Stage. Evn PlayerSy fledged by nobler Pensy take Wing Themfehes^ and their own Rude Compojures Sing. one dread a Nor need our Toung Shipwrack here i Who Trades without a Stocky has nought to fear. In euery Smile of yours^ a Prize he draws And ifyou Damn hiniy he^s but rphere he xpojs^ rphere"s the Reafonfor the Critick CreWy Tet y With killing Blaftsy like Wintery to purfue > ^ The Tender Plant^ that Ripens but foryou ? in all her Works requires Timey Nature ^ Kindnefs^ and Tears y 'tis makes the Virgin Climb^ > and to the J Andjhooty hafien expeSed Prime ; Andthen^ if untaught Fancy fail to Pleafe^ the rpilling Pupil by T'infiruSi Degrees 5 By Gentle Lejfonsyou your Joys improve^ And mould her Awkward Pajfion into Love, Evn Folly has its Growth : Few Fools are made Tou Drudgey and Sweat fdft^ as it were a Trade. 'TLs half the Labour of your Trifling Agey To Fajhionyou fit Subj'eBsfor the Stage, a Weill Well I If our Author Fail to Drarpyou likely In thefirfi Draughty yourr notJo ezpeS Vandike, Whaty tho' no Majier-ftroke in this Jppears^ Tetfome may find Features refembling Theirs, Nor do the alone his Colours /hare -> ^ad ^ NegleSed Virtue is at leaft fhoivn Fair • > And thafs enough 6 Confcience for a Player. ^ But ifyou d have him take a holder Flighty And draw your PiSures by a Truer Lights Tou muft yourfelvesy by Follies yet unknorpny Infpire his Pencil^ and divert the Town. Nor Judge by this^ his Genim at a ftand -^ Fot Time^ that makes new Fools^may mend his Hand. E P I. EPILOG Spoken by Mifs Crofs, who Sung CUPID. W Gallants^ for the Author : firU to yon Kmd Citty-Gentlcmen^ o^tU middle-Row .* He hopes yon nothing to his Charge can lay^ There's not one Cuckold made in all his Play. Nay^ yon muU own^ ifyou I believe your Eyes, He draws his Pen againsi your Enemies .* For he declares to day, he meerly Urives To maul the Beaux becaufe they maul your Wives. Sirs, to Religion ^Now, you J whofe fole s Drinkin^^ Whoring^ Roaring, without the Pain of Thinking • He fears IPas made a fault, you II ne'er firgive, Crime, beyond the hopes a Reprieve A of ^ An Hjncjl Rake forego the Joys of Ufe! His Whores, and Wine ! t' Embrace a DullChafie Wife 5 Such out of fajhion Jiuffl But then agen I He's Lewd for abovefour Alls, Gentlemen I For faith he k^ew. when once he'd chang'd hk Fortune And reform'd hk Viee, 'twas Time—to drop theCurtaiff^ Four ABs for your Courfe PaUats was defignd ^ J But then the Ladies TaU k more refind, > They for Amanda'/ Sah^ will jure he Kind.. J Pray let thk Figure once your Pity move. Can yon refiU the pleading God of Love I In vain my Prafrs the other Sex purfue, Un lefs your conquering Smiles their fluhborn Heartsfubdne. ' . Dramatis Perfon^e. m E N. Sir Wi//, Wifevooud- A Rich old Gentleman, that-^ fancies him (elf a great Ma- (, "Mr. Johnfon, fter of hisPaffion,which he y only is in trivial matters. "^ "^ hovekfs. Of a debaucht' Lifb, .grew weary of his Wife- in fix Months, left her, and the Town, for Debts he did not , -, _- , care to pay: and having ,l>^r'^^''^''^.^<^^^' fpent the laft part of his j Eftate beyond Sea, returns to England in a very mean j Condition. J" Sir Novelty I''q/Joh?i. A Coxcomb that loves to be7 ^ Gibber. the firfi: in all Foppery, j * Elder Worthy. A fober Gentleman ofa fair ly. Williams. Eftate,inlove with HUlaria-.^^^' Toung Worthy. HisBrother, of a loofer Tem-o Mr. Horden. per. Lover to JVizm'//^/.