Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/183

 in a prologue poets justly may Style a new imposition on a play. When Shakespeare, Beaumont, Fletcher, rul'd the stage, There scarce were ten good palates in the age; More curious cooks than guests; for men would eat Most heartily of any kind of meat. And then what strange variety! each play A feast for epicures, and that each day! But mark how oddly it is come about, And how unluckily it now falls out: The palates are grown higher, number increas'd, And there wants that which should make up the feast; And yet y'are so unconscionable, you'd have Forsooth of late, that which they never gave; Banquets before, and after Now pox on him that first good prologue writ! He left a kind of rent-charge upon wit; Which if succeeding poets fail to pay, They forfeit all their worth; and that's their play: Y'have ladies' humours, and y'are grown to that, You will not like the man, 'less that his boots and hat Be right; no play, unless the prologue be And ep'logue writ to curiosity. Well, gentles, 'tis the grievance of the place, And pray consider't, for here's just the case; The richness of the ground is gone and spent, Men's brains grow barren, and you raise the rent.