Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PROLOGUE INTENDED FOR 'THE OLD BACHELOR', by ANTHONY CARY First Line: Most authors on the stage at first appear Last Line: If he holds out to please you the third night. Alternate Author Name(s): Falkland, 4th Viscount Subject(s): Congreve, William (1670-1729) | ||||||||
MOST authors on the stage at first appear Like widows' bridegrooms, full of doubt and fear; They judge from the experience of the dame, How hard a task it is to quench her flame: And who falls short of furnishing a course, Up to his brawny predecessor's force, With utmost rage from her embraces thrown, Remains convicted, as an empty drone. Thus often, to his shame, a pert beginner Proves, in the end, a miserable sinner. As for our youngster, I am apt to doubt him, With all the vigour of his youth about him, But he, more sanguine, trusts in one-and-twenty, And impudently hopes he shall content you; For though his Bachelor be worn and cold, He thinks the young may club to help the old; And what alone can be achieved by neither, Is often brought about by both together. The briskest of you all have felt alarms, Finding the fair one prostitute her charms, With broken sighs, in her old fumbler's arms. But for our spark, he swears he'll ne'er be jealous Of any rivals, but young lusty fellows. Faith, let him try his chance, and if the slave, After his bragging, prove a washy knave, May he be banished to some lonely den, And never more have leave to dip his pen; But if he be the champion he pretends, Both sexes sure will join to be his friends; For all agree, where all can have their ends. And you must own him for a man of might, If he holds out to please you the third night. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVER: A BALLAD by MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU TO MR. CONGREVE , ON 'THE OLD BACHELOR' by JOHN DRYDEN TO MR. CONGREVE, OCCASIONED BY HIS COMEDY 'THE WAY OF THE WORLD' by RICHARD STEELE ODES III, 9. THE RECONCILEMENT BETWEEN JACOB TONSON AND MR. CONGREVE by QUINTUS HORATIUS FLACCUS TO MR. CONGREVE by JONATHAN SWIFT THE SOLDIER'S FORTUNE: PROLOGUE by ANTHONY CARY LOVE IN TWILIGHT by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SAY by JAMES GALVIN JOURNEY by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. MR. GEORGE WHITEFIELD, 1770 by PHILLIS WHEATLEY |
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