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LIFE.

A COMEDY,

IN FIVE ACTS.

AS PERFORMED AT THE

THEATRE-ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN.

By FREDERICK REYNOLDS.

THE FIFTH EDITION.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY A. STRAHAN, PRINTERS-STREET;

FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND O. REES, PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1801.

[Price Two Shillings.]

1

PROLOGUE,

WRITTEN BY A FRIEND.

NATURE's a worn-out coat-her comic vein

Bards following bards have turn'd and turn'd again-
Can you expect it as bran new--as

when

'Twas first cut out by Shakspeare and Old Ben ?
They had, in aid of their fuperior art,

The nap of novelty on every part.

Would we a braggart paint, abfurd and vain,

We can but dress up Pistol o'er again;
And change, like variations to old tunes,
His old flash'd breeches into pantaloons :
Or would we reftlefs jealoufy attack,
Kitely's turn'd coat muft fit a modern back.
Will you not therefore spare us, who, tho' loth,
Muft cut our coat according to our cloth.
Full fifteen years has your refponfive smile
And cheering roar repaid our author's toil.
Think what laborious pangs, what lofs of reit
To furnish out an annual crop of jeft-
"If jeft it can be call'd, which jeft is none,"
Till your kind hands its dubious merits own.
But fhould, perchance, one year of dreary dearth
To dullness turn our author's wish'd for mirth;
Tho' now condemn'd by your impartial laws,
His grateful homage own your paft applause.

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SCENE-A Sea-Port Town, and the Neighbourhood.

LIFE.

ACT I.

SCENE-Outfide of CRAFTLY's Library; View of the Town, the Sea, &c.

Enter MARCHMONT (with a Manuscript in his Hand) and Rosa.

ROSA.

CHEER up, cheer up, my father! furely this

should be a day of joy.

March. It fhould; but 'twill not be; I have out-toil'd my strength. Rofa. You have. For ten long years the produce of your pen has been our fole fupport; and for these fix months paft the labour of the brain has been unceafing; night after night has been devoted to that one compofition (pointing to the manufcript in MARCHMONT's hand). But now the book is finished, and yonder lives the gentleman who by the purchase of it will recompence you amply. Look, there's the library; will not that revive you, father?

March.

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