Love for Love/Prologue

by William Congreve

---

---

A

PROLOGUE

FOR

The opening of the new Play-House, propos'd to be spoken by Mrs. Bracegirdle in Man's Cloaths.

 

Sent from an unknown Hand.

 

Custom, which every where bears mighty Sway,Brings me to act the Orator to Day:But Women, you will say, are ill at Speeches,'Tis true, and therefore I appear in Breeches:Not for Example to you City-Wives;That by Prescription's setled for your Lives.Was it for gain the Husband first consented?O yes, their Gains are mightily augmented:^[1]$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$And yet, methinks, it must havecost some Strife:A Passive Husband, and an Active Wife!'Tis awkward, very awkward, by my Life.$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$But to my Speech, Assemblies of all NationsStill are suppos'd to open with Orations:Mine shall begin, to shew our Obligations. To you, our Benefactors, lowly Bowing,Whose Favours have prevented our undoing;A long Egyptian Bondage we endur'd,Till Freedom, by your Justice we procur'd:$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Our Taskmasters were grown such very Jews,We must at length have Play'd in Wooden Shooes,Had not your Bounty taught us to refuse.Freedom's of English growth, I think, alone;What for lost English Freedom can attone?A Free-born Player loaths to be compell'd;Our Rulers Tyraniz'd, and We Rebell'd.Freedom! the Wise Man's Wish, the Poor Man's Wealth;Which you, and I, and most of us enjoy by Stealth;$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$The Soul of Pleasure, and the Sweet of Life,The Woman's Charter, Widdow, Maid or Wife,This they'd have cancell'd, and thence grew the Strife.But you perhaps, wou'd have me here confessHow we obtain'd the Favour;—Can't you guess?Why then I'll tell you, (for I hate a Lye)By Brib'ry, errant Brib'ry, let me dye:$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$I was their Agent, but by Jove I swearNo honourable Member had a shareTho' young and able Members bid me Fair:$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$I chose a wiser way to make you willing,Which has not cost the House a single Shilling;Now you suspect at least I went a Billing.You see I'm Young, and to that Air of Youth,Some will add Beauty, and a little Truth;These Pow'rful Charms, improv'd by Pow'rful Arts,Prevail'd to captivate your op'ning Hearts. Thus furnish'd, I prefer'd my poor Petition,And brib'd ye to commiserate our Condition:I Laugh'd, and Sigh'd, and Sung, and Leer'd upon ye;With Roguish Loving Looks, and that way won ye:The Young Men kiss'd me, and the Old I kiss'd,And luringly, I led them as I list.The Ladies in meer Pity took our Parts,Pity's the darling Passion of their Hearts.Thus Bribing, or thus Brib'd, fear no Disgraces;For thus you may take Bribes, and keep your Places.

---

1. Making Horns with her Hands over her Head.