PROLOGUE
TO
BONDS
WITHOUT
JUDGEMENT
,
OR
THE
LOVES
OF
BENGAL
.
SPOKEN
BY
MR.
HOLMAN
.
WITH
shaft
satyric
shot
from
Phoebus'
bow
'Gainst
Wisdom's
foes
to
aim
th'
unerring
blow
,
To
check
the
rising
follies
of
the
age
,
May
well
be
deem'd
the
Province
of
the
Stage
.
Here
,
whilst
their
gentle
breasts
indignant
burn
,
Here
Fashion's
offspring
may
some
moral
learn
.
This
night
on
India's
shore
our
scene
we
lay
,
Though
not
for
want
of
game
so
far
we
stray
.
When
here
in
vain
on
Beaux
our
Beauties
smile
,
Enrag'd
they
vow
to
quit
the
tasteless
Isle
,
And
,
though
'gainst
venal
love
they
loudly
rail
,
Yet
,
blushing
,
for
the
Land
of
Husbands
Mr.
B.
received
a
smart
trimming
from
his
Mother
for
being
prevailed
on
by
—
—
to
write
this
Prologue
;
—
she
constantly
asserting
,
that
the
unportioned
industrious
daughters
of
gentlemen
,
who
go
to
India
to
ob
tain
a
comfortable
settlement
in
life
,
only
resemble
the
idle
lasses
who
go
every
night
to
Ranelagh
.
Both
mean
to
get
good
husbands
;
the
Ranelagh
misses
generally
fail
;
the
sea-nymphs
seldom
;
for
men
of
sense
and
worth
rarely
choose
a
wife
that
cannot
spend
an
evening
at
home
,
who
,
according
to
Dr.
Young
,
"
Deem
one
moment
unamus'd
a
misery
,
"
&c.
&c.
No
man
esteemed
women
of
sense
and
merit
more
than
Mr.
B.
sail
,
Whilst
Neptune's
self
indignant
bears
the
weight
,
And
with
reluctance
wafts
th'
unworthy
freight
.
When
India's
guilty
shore
these
damsels
reach
,
Unnumber'd
Nabobs
throng
the
golden
beach
,
Who
,
whilst
their
feeble
frames
scarce
stand
the
gale
,
Explore
the
beauties
of
each
living
bale
.
To
you
,
ye
Fair
,
belongs
th'
important
cause
,
'Tis
you
must
vindicate
blest
Hymen's
laws
;
For
,
if
from
th'
East
this
fashion
we
import
,
And
Arcot's
customs
lead
the
British
court
,
To
Flutus
soon
your
ancient
sway
must
yield
,
And
vanquish'd
Love
shall
quit
fair
Albion's
field
.
Were
this
the
case
,
should
some
rich
Heiress
start
,
Whose
countless
thousands
charm
each
throbbing
heart
,
The
fond
enraptur'd
youth
who
wish'd
to
win
her
Must
e'en
go
flirt
with
Christie
or
with
Skinner
.
The
Peer
,
by
adverse
dice
compell'd
to
wed
,
From
ways
and
means
to
Hymen's
altar
led
,
May
ask
his
friend
,
"
Pray
where
bought
you
your
rib
?
"
Whilst
he
replies
,
"
Why
,
faith
,
I
dealt
with
Squib
;
And
,
as
your
courtship
I
am
somewhat
slow
in
,
I
got
her
at
the
hammer
—
"
Just
a
going
.
"
On
you
,
ye
Fair
,
who
haply
scorn
the
plan
,
To
seek
so
far
that
faithless
creature
,
man
,
Who
,
spurning
Plutus
and
his
sordid
art
,
For
Love
alone
exchange
the
generous
heart
,
On
your
support
our
anxious
Bard
relies
,
And
hopes
to
take
his
plaudits
from
your
eyes
;
For
,
if
your
critic
frowns
do
not
confound
him
,
He
smiles
at
all
the
Nabobs
that
surround
him
.