Page:The Maid's Tragedy Altered - Waller (1690).djvu/7

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PROLOGUE.

Scarce should we have the boldness to pretendSo long renown'd a Tragedy to mend:Had not already some deserv'd your praiseWith like attempt. Of all our elder Plays,This and Philaster have the lowdest fame:Great are their Faults, and glorious is their Flame.In both our English Genius is exprest;Lofty and bold, but negligently, drest.Above our Neighbours our Conceptions are:But faultless Writing is th' effect of Care.Our Lines reform'd, and not compos'd in haste;Polisht like Marble, would like Marble last.But as the present, so the last Age writ;In both we find like negligence and wit.
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