Page:Poetical Works of John Oldham.djvu/164

154 At first the music of our stage was rude, Whilst in the cockpit and Blackfriars it stood; And this might please enough in former reigns, A thrifty, thin, and bashful audience, When Bussy d’Ambois and his fustian took, And men were ravished with Queen Gordobuc. But since our monarch, by kind heaven sent, Brought back the arts with him from banishment, And by his gentle influence gave increase To all the harmless luxuries of peace; Favoured by him, our stage has flourished too, And every day in outward splendour grew; In music, song, and dance of every kind, And all the grace of action 'tis refined; And since that opera 's at length come in, Our players have so well improved the scene With gallantry of habit, and machine, As makes our theatre in glory vie With the best ages of antiquity; And mighty Roscius were he living now, Would envy both our stage and acting too. Those who did first in tragedy essay, (When the vile goat was all the poet's day)