The Gamester (1753) Part 23

EPILOGUE.

Written by a FRIEND,

And Spoken by Mrs. PRITCHARD.

On every GAMESTER in th' Arabian nation, 'Tis said, that Mahomet denounc'd d.a.m.nation; But in return for wicked cards and dice, He gave them black-ey'd girls in paradise.

Should he thus preach, good countrymen, to You, His converts would, I fear, be mighty few: So much your hearts are set on sordid gain, The brightest eyes around you s.h.i.+ne in vain: Should the most heav'nly beauty bid you take her, You'd rather hold--_two aces and a maker._ By your example, our poor s.e.x drawn in, Is guilty of the same unnat'ral sin: The study now of every girl of parts Is how to win your money, not your hearts.

O! in what sweet, what ravis.h.i.+ng delights, Our beaux and belles together pa.s.s their nights!

By ardent perturbations kept awake, Each views with longing eyes the other's--stake.

The _smiles_ and _graces_ are from Britain flown, Our_ Cupid _is an errant sharper grown, And _Fortune_ sits on _Cytherea_'s throne.

In all these things, though women may be blam'd, Sure men, the wiser men, should be asham'd!

And 'tis a horrid scandal, I declare, That four strange queens should rival all the fair; Four jilts, with neither beauty, wit nor parts, O shame! have got possession of their hearts; And those bold s.l.u.ts, for all their queenly pride, Have play'd loose tricks, or else they're much bely'd.

Cards were at first for benefits design'd, Sent to amuse, and not enslave the mind: From good to bad how easy the transition!

For what was pleasure once, is now perdition.

Fair ladies, then these wicked GAMESTERS shun, Whoever weds one, is, you see, undone.

FINIS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Act 5. The Gamester. Sc. 4.

Mr. REDDISH as BEVERLEY.

Bev.--_Thou art most friendly to the miserable._ _Published Octo. 19, 1776, by T. Lowndes & Partners_]

_THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY_

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_Publications for the Third Year (1948-1949)_

[Transcriber's Note: Many of the listed t.i.tles are or will be available from Project Gutenberg. Where possible, the e-text number is given in brackets.]

_At least two_ items will be printed from each of the _three_ following groups:

Series IV: Men, Manners, and Critics

Sir John Falstaff (pseud.), _The Theatre _(1720).

Aaron Hill, Preface to _The Creation_; and Thomas Brereton, Preface to _Esther_. [#15870]

Ned Ward, Selected Tracts.

Series V: Drama

Edward Moore, _The Gamester _(1753).

Nevil Payne, _Fatal Jealousy _(1673).

Mrs. Centlivre, _The Busie Body _(1709).

Charles Macklin, _Man of the World _(1781).

Series VI: Poetry and Language

John Oldmixon, _Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley _(1712); and Arthur Mainwaring, _The British Academy _(1712).

Pierre Nicole, _De Epigrammate_.

Andre Dacier, Essay on Lyric Poetry.

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PUBLICATIONS FOR THE FIRST YEAR (1946-1947)

MAY, 1946: Series I, No. 1--Richard Blackmore's _Essay upon Wit_ (1716), and Addison's _Freeholder_ No. 45 (1716). [#13484]

JULY, 1946: Series II, No. 1--Samuel Cobb's _Of Poetry_ and _Discourse on Criticism_ (1707). [#14528]

SEPT., 1946: Series III, No. l--Anon., _Letter to A.H. Esq.; concerning the Stage_ (1698) and Richard Willis' _Occasional Paper_ No. IX (1698).

NOV., 1946: Series I, No. 2--Anon., _Essay on Wit_ (1748), together with Characters by Flecknoe, and Joseph Warton's _Adventurer_ Nos. 127 and 133. [#14973]

JAN., 1947: Series II, No. 2--Samuel Wesley's _Epistle to a Friend Concerning Poetry_ (1700) and _Essay on Heroic Poetry_ (1693).

MARCH, 1947: Series III, No. 2--Anon., _Representation of the Impiety and Immorality of the Stage_ (1704) and anon., _Some Thoughts Concerning the Stage_ (1704). [#15656]