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PROLOGUE.
Spoken by MRS. BOUTELL, in man’s clothes.
WOMEN 1 like us (passing for Men) you’l cry, | |
| Presume too much upon your Secresie. | |
| There’s not a Fop in Town but will pretend, | |
| To know the Cheat himself, or by his Friend. | |
| Then make no words on’t, Gallants, ’tis e’en true, | 5 |
| We are condemn’d to look, and strut, like you. | |
| Since we thus freely our hard Fate confess, | |
| Accept us, these bad Times, in any Dress. | |
| You’ll find the sweet on’t, now old Pantaloons | |
| Will go as far, as formerly new Gowns; | 10 |
| And from your own cast Wigs expect no Frowns. | |
| The Ladies we shall not so easily please. | |
| They’l say what impudent bold things are these, | |
| That dare provoke, yet cannot do us right, | |
| Like Men, with huffing Looks, that dare not fight. | 15 |
| But this reproach our Courage must not daunt, | |
| The Bravest Souldier may a Weapon want, | |
| Let Her that doubts us, still send Her Gallant. | |
| Ladies, in us you’l Youth and Beauty find, | |
| All Things, but one, according to your Mind. | 20 |
| And when your Eyes and Ears are feasted here, | |
| Rise up, and make out the short Meal elsewhere. | |
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EPILOGUE
Spoken by MRS. REEVE, in man’s clothes.
What think you, Sirs, was’t not all well enough? | |
| Will you not grant that we can strut, and huff? | |
| Men may be proud; but faith, for ought I see, | 25 |
| They neither walk, nor cock, so well as we; | |
| And for the fighting part, we may in time | |
| Grow up to swagger in heroick Rhime; | |
| For though we cannot boast of equal Force, | |
| Yet at some Weapons Men have still the worse. | 30 |
| Why should not then we Women act alone, | |
| Or whence are Men so necessary grown? | |
| Our’s are so old, they are as good as none. | |
| Some who have tri’d ’em, if you’l take their Oaths, | |
| Swear they’re as arrant Tinsell as their Cloaths. | 35 |
| Imagine us but what we represent, | |
| And we could e’en give you as good Content. | |
| Our Faces, Shapes,—all’s better than you see, | |
| And for the rest, they want as much as we. | |
| Oh, would the higher Pow’rs be kind to us, | 40 |
| And grant us to set up a female House. | |
| Wee’l make ourselves to please both Sexes then, | |
| To the Men Women, to the Women Men. | |
| Here we presume, our Legs are no ill Sight, | |
| And they will give you no ill Dreams at Night. | 45 |
| In Dreams both Sexes must their Passions ease, | |
| You make us then as civil as you please. | |
| This would prevent the Houses joyning too, | |
| At which we are as much displeas’d as you; | |
| For all our Women most devoutly swear, | 50 |
| Each would be rather a poor Actress here | |
| Than to be made a Mamamouchi there. | |
