prologue spoken at the theatre of dumfries

on new year's day evening, 1790.

no song nor dance i bring from yon great city,

that queens it o'er our taste—the more's the pity:

tho' by the bye, abroad why will you roam?

good sense and taste are natives here at home:

but not for panegyric i appear,

ie to wish you all a good new year!

old father time deputes me here before ye,

not for to preach, but tell his simple story:

the sage, grave ancient cough'd, and bade me say,

“you're one year older this important day,”

if wiser too—he hinted some suggestion,

but 'twould be rude, you know, to ask the question;

and with a would-be roguish leer and wink,

said—“sutherland, in one word, bid them think!”

ye sprightly youths, quite flush with hope and spirit,

who think to storm the world by dint of merit,