REPRESENTED BY SOME OF THE WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS, AT HICKFORD'S DANCING ROOM, FEBRUARY 2, 1720 .

What ! would my humble comrades have me say,
Gentle spectators, pray excuse the play?
Such work by hireling actors should be done,
Whom you may clap or hiss for half a crown.
Our generous scenes for friendship we repeat;
And, if we don't delight, at least we treat.
Ours is the damage, if we chance to blunder;
We may be ask'd " whose patent we act under? "
How shall we gain you, a la mode de France?
We hir'd this room; but none of us can dance;
In cutting capers we shall never please:
Our learning does not lie below our knees.
Shall we procure you symphony and sound?
Then you must each subscribe two hundred pound.
There we should fail too, as to point of voice:
Mistake us not; we're no Italian boys:
True Britons born; from Westminster we come;
And only speak the style of ancient Rome.
We would deserve, not poorly beg, applause;
And stand or fall by Friend's and Busby's laws.
For the distress'd, your pity we implore:
If once refus'd, we'll trouble you no more,
But leave our Orphan squalling at your door.