Davies' part in the play was a chief one, that of young Wilmot, and the story of the performance may be given in his own words. "Mr Fielding, who had a just sense of our author's merit, and who had often in his humourous pieces laughed at those ridiculous and absurd criticks who could not possibly understand the merit of Barnwell, because the subject was low, treated Lillo with great politeness and friendship. He took upon himself the management of the play and the instruction of the actors. It was during the rehearsal of the _Fatal Curiosity_ that I had an opportunity to see and to converse with Mr Lillo. Plain and simple as he was in his address, his manner of conversing was modest affable and engaging. When invited to give his opinion how a particular sentiment should be uttered by the actor he expresst himself in the gentlest and most obliging terms, and conveyed instruction and conviction with good nature and good manners.... Fielding was not content merely to revise the 'Fatal Curiosity,' and to instruct the actors how to do justice to their parts. He warmly recommended the play to his friends and to the public. Besides all this he presented the author with a well written prologue." This _Prologue_, which has apparently hitherto escaped the collectors of Fielding's _Works_, seems worthy of a reprint here, if only for its characteristic sympathy with virtue and distress 'in humble state,' and for the opening tribute to 'Shakespeare's nature' and to 'Fletcher's ease.' PROLOGUE TO THE FATAL CURIOSITY "The Tragic Muse has long forgot to please With Shakespeare's nature or with Fletcher's ease: No passion mov'd, thro' five long acts you sit, Charm'd with the poet's language or his wit. Fine things are said, no matter whence they fall; Each single character must speak them all. "But from this modern fashionable way To-night our author begs your leave to stray. No fustian hero rages here to-night, No armies fall to fix a tyrant's right: From lower life we draw our scenes' distress: --Let not your equals move your pity less! Virtue distrest in humble state support; Nor think she never lives without the court. "Tho' to our scenes no royal robes belong And tho' our little stage as yet be young Throw both your scorn and prejudice aside; Let us with favour not contempt be try'd, Thro' the first act a kind attention lend The growing scene shall force you to attend: Shall catch the eyes of every tender fair, And make them charm their lovers with a tear. The lover too by pity shall impart His tender passion to his fair one's heart: The breast which others' anguish cannot move Was ne'er the seat of friendship or of love."