CHAP. XIX.

FOOTE's Farce of TASTE-A keen Satire on the Arts of Auc* tioneers, and the Folly of Connoisseurs-GARRICK's Excellent Prologue in the Character of an Auctioneer-EUGENIA, a Tra gedy by Dr. FRANCIS-The Play taken from a French Comedy, and, without a Tragic Situation, called a Tragedy, for no other Reason than because it is written in Blank Verse-The Comedy of Love's LAST SHIFT, by COLLEY CIB BER revived with considerable Success CONGREVE's Opinion of the Play, as related by CIBBER himself WOODWARD ig SIR NOVELTY FASHION. J

IN the month of January 1752, Mr. Foote presented a farce, to which he gave the title of Taste. The design was to expose to ridicule the fashionable folly of what is called virtu, which in general is a pretended enthusiastic passion for the arts, without any skill or know.

ledge,

ledge. The piece, at the same time, discovered the tricks and various frauds committed by auctioneers and dealers in pictures, medals, busts, and pretended works of antiquity. The famous Jemmy Worsdall, well known as` a painter, but more eminent for a peculiar vein of wit and humour, joined Mr. Foote in the business, and in many of the satirical passages. The character of Lady Pentweazle was writ、 ten and acted by Worsdall. The scene between her and Carmine, the painter, to whom she sits for her picture, was full of wit and pleasantry. But, upon the whole, the subject was by no means popular. It was relished by the boxes only, and was, therefore, after a short run of four or five nights, discontinued, but in a week afterwards, was repeated once more, for the benefit of Mr. Worsdall. The prologue was written and delivered by

Mr. Garrick, in the character of an auctioneer. The critics admired it, but thought that it an ticipated the wit and humour of the scenes that followed. It will entertain the reader more than any thing this writer can add.

PROLOGUE.

BEFORE this court, I, Peter Puff, appear,
A Briton born, and bred an auctioneer;
Who for myself, and eke a hundred others,
My useful, honest, learned, bawling brothers,
With much humility and fear implore ye,
To lay our present desp'rate case before ye.

"Tis said, this night a certain wag intends To laugh at us, our calling, and our friends, If lords and ladies, and such dainty folks,

Are cur'd of auction-hunting by his jokes ;

Should this odd doctrine spread throughout the land,

"Before you buy, be sure you understand,"

Oh !

Oh! think on us what various ills will flow,

When great ones only purchase what they know.

Why laugh at Taste? it is a harmless fashion,
And quite subdues each detrimental passion;
The fair one's heart will ne'er incline to man,
While thus they rage for China and Japan.
The virtuoso too, and connoisseur,

Are ever decent, delicate, and pure.

The smallest hair their looser thoughts might hold, Just warm, when single, and when married, cold, Their blood at sight of beauty gently flows,

Their Venus must be old, and want a nose. No am'rous passion with deep knowledge thrives, "Tis the complaint indeed of all our wives.

'Tis said, virtù to such a height is grown,
All artists are encourag'd but our own.
Be not deceiv'd, I here declare on oath,
I never yet sold goods of foreign growth;

Ne'er sent commissions out to Greece or Rome,
My best antiquities are made at home!

I've Romans, Greeks, Italians, near at hand,
True Britons all, and living in the Strand.

I ne'er for trinkets rack my pernicranium,
Nor furnish out my rooms from Herculaneum.
But hush!

Should it be known that English are employ'd,
Our manufacture is at once destroy'd,

No matter what our countrymen deserve,
They'll thrive as ancients, but as moderns starve,
If we should fail, to you it will be owing,
Farewell to arts! they're going, going, going!
The fatal hammer's in your hands, O town;
Then set us up, and knock the poet down.

THE author of the farce was, in fact, knocked down by the general opinion in five nights. Soon after this, Dr. Francis, the translator of Horace and Demosthenes, excited the