THE public has made so little diffi­culty hitherto, in swallowing nau­seous, or at best, insipid verses, when they have been wrapped up in agreeable music; that to offer a word, either by way of defence, or apology, for the fol­lowing trifle, seems altogether unne­cessary.

IT will be easily believed, that the author did not write it with a view to acquire the reputation of a genius: he must be a simpleton indeed, who hopes to give people an idea of his wealth by shewing them a handful of farthings. He wrote it merely to comply with the request of a theatrical person, whom he had an inclination to oblige; it was de­signed [Page ii] and finished in somewhat less than a fortnight; and his excuse for now suf­fering it to appear in print (and he really thinks such an excuse necessary) must be the nature of a musical entertainment, which requires, that the words should be put into the hands of the audience, who would otherwise find it impossible to ac­company the performers in what they sing upon the stage.

HE is no stranger to the whimsical prejudice, which inclines most people to measure the worth of dramatic pieces by their length; and because a musical en­tertainment is unavoidably the shortest of any, makes them, for that reason, deny its being capable of any degree of merit at all. But though what he here ven­tures into the world, is neither a Tragedy, a Comedy, or even so much as a Comedy of two acts; he flatters himself, there are some few, who will not condemn it, merely because it is not, what it was not [Page iii] designed for: he hopes they will consi­der, that when he sat down to write it, he sat down to write a musical entertain­ment; and that a certain poet and critic, who is allowed to have been a tolerable judge in such matters, has told us, no au­thor can compass more than he intends.

IF after this, any persons have an in­clination to find fault with it, they are heartily welcome: nay, he will so far subscribe to their opinion, as to confess, there are some as bad lines in it, as the worst dablers in sing-song ever were guilty of; but he thought it needless to correct them, as every thing of this kind must be castrated, in order to make it perfectly musical; and stretched and altered, to fit the shape of the stage. Howe­ver, he would certainly point out the exceptionable lines, to shew he is not ig­norant of them; but that he takes it for granted, there will be people enough ready to save him that trouble.

[Page iv]THUS far by way of Preface; which the author has written, only because he is assured there is nothing so acceptable to the purchasers of any thing in the form of a book, now a-days, as a reasonable pennyworth in print and paper; and he had a mind to avail himself of the advan­tages attending an additional half-sheet.

FOR the same reason too he might possibly have attempted a Dedication; but, unfortunately, the only personages likely to patronize his performance are united in a particular society; and he was at a loss in what manner to order their titles, so as to make a proper blazon at the head of a page. However, in this place he would be understood to inscribe the following rhimes to those vagrant choiresters, who, like the bards of old, sing verses about the public streets; and if, when they [Page v] have thought proper to advance the fol­lowing ballads to a place in the Chimney­sweeper's Garland, the Sweetheart's Delight, or any other of their ingenious collections; they should, (thro' their novelty, and the prevailing argument of playhouse tunes) be the means of rendering more reason­able in their demands, those grinders of the muses, who have the conscience to expect six and thirty pretty songs in one book for a halfpenny; he shall think the time, and pains they cost him in compo­sing, very well bestowed.

TO conclude. The author thinks there is no doubt, on account of the music, which is admirable; and the performance, which will be excellent; but this little piece must come off well upon the stage; but after having been acquitted there, he foresees, some busy people will be for bringing it before the judges in the court of criticism. Now he applies himself [Page vi] to the said judges, requiring them to consider all such proceedings as arbitrary, at least, if not unprecedented: He desires, that they will suffer the insignificancy of this piece, to screen it from their cog­nizance; and that they will not attempt to break a butterfly upon a wheel.