Omicron and Omega from us
Would each hope to be O in Thomas;
| And all th' ambitious vowels vie, |  |
|
| No less than Pythagorick Y, |  |
|
| To have a place in Tom D'Urfy. |  |
"Then well-belov'd and trusty letters!
Cons'nants, and vowels much their betters,
We, willing to repair this breach,
And, all that in us lies, please each,
Et cæt'ra to our aid must call;
Et cæt'ra represents ye all:
| Et cæt'ra therefore, we decree, | |
|
| Henceforth for ever joined shall be | |
|
| To the great name of Tom D'Urfy." | |
PROLOGUE
DESIGNED FOR MR. D'URFY'S LAST PLAY.
GROWN old in rhyme, 'twere barbarous to discard
Your persevering, unexhausted bard:
Damnation follows death in other men,
But your damn'd poet lives, and writes again.
Th' adventurous lover is successful still,
Who strives to please the fair against her will:
Be kind, and make him in his wishes easy,
Who in your own despite has strove to please ye.
He scorn'd to borrow from the wits of yore,
But ever writ, as none e'er writ before.
You modern wits, should each man bring his claim,
Have desperate debentures on your fame;
And little would be left you, I'm afraid,
If all your debts to Greece and Rome were paid.
