Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE INDIAN EMPEROR: PROLOGUE, by JOHN DRYDEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE INDIAN EMPEROR: PROLOGUE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Almighty critics! Whom our indians here
Last Line: And leave the rest upon the poet's hands.
Subject(s): Judges; Plays & Playwrights ; Poetry & Poets; Dramatists


ALMIGHTY critiques! whom our Indians here
Worship, just as they do the Devil -- for fear;
In Rev'rence to your Power, I come this day,
To give you timely warning of our Play.
The Scenes are old, the Habits are the same
We wore last Year, before the Spaniards came.
Our Prologue, th' old-cast too
For to observe the new it should at least
Be spoke by some ingenious Bird or Beast. 9
Now, if you stay, the Blood that shall be shed
From this poor Play be all upon your Head.
We neither promise you one Dance or Show;
Then Plot and Language, they are wanting too.
But you, kind Wits, will those light Faults excuse,
Those are the common Frailties of the Muse;
Which who observes, he buys his Place too dear;
For 'tis your Business to be cozen'd here.
These wretched Spies of Wit must then confess,
They take more Pains to please themselves the less.
Grant us such Judges, Phoebus, we request,
As still mistake themselves into a Jest;
Such easy Judges that our Poet may
Himself admire the Fortune of his Play;
And arrogantly, as his Fellows do,
Think he writes well, because he pleases you.
This he conceives not hard to bring about,
If all of you would join to help him out:
Would each Man take but what he understands,
And leave the rest upon the Poet's Hands.





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