as if I patronized my own nonsense, I may reasonably suppose they have never read Horace. _Serpit humi tutus_, &c. are his words: He, who creeps after plain, dull, common sense, is safe from committing absurdities; but can never reach any height, or excellence of wit; and sure I could not mean, that any excellence were to be found in nonsense. With the same ignorance, or malice, they would accuse me for using--_empty arms_, when I write of a ghost, or shadow; which has only the appearance of a body or limbs, and is empty, or void, of flesh and blood; and _vacuis amplectitur ulnis_, was an expression of Ovid's on the same subject. Some fool before them had charged me in "The Indian Emperor" with nonsense in these words, And follow fate, which does too fast pursue; Which was borrowed from Virgil, in the eleventh of his Æneids, _Eludit gyro interior, sequiturque sequentem_[N]. I quote not these to prove, that I never writ nonsense; but only to shew, that they are so unfortunate as not to have found it. VALE. [Footnote M: See the prologue to this play.] [Footnote N: We may be allowed to suspect that this resemblance was discovered _ex post facto_.] PROLOGUE. Self-love, which, never rightly understood, Makes poets still conclude their plays are good, And malice, in all critics, reigns so high, That for small errors, they whole plays decry; So that to see this fondness, and that spite, You'd think that none but madmen judge or write. Therefore our poet, as he thinks not fit T' impose upon you what he writes for wit; So hopes, that, leaving you your censures free, } You equal judges of the whole will be: } They judge but half, who only faults will see. } Poets, like lovers, should be bold and dare, They spoil their business with an over-care; And he, who servilely creeps after sense, Is safe, but ne'er will reach an excellence. Hence 'tis, our poet, in his conjuring, Allowed his fancy the full scope and swing. But when a tyrant for his theme he had, He loosed the reins, and bid his muse run mad: And though he stumbles in a full career, Yet rashness is a better fault than fear. He saw his way; but in so swift a pace, To chuse the ground might be to lose the race. They then, who of each trip the advantage take, Find but those faults, which they want wit to make. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ MAXIMIN, _Tyrant of Rome_. PORPHYRIUS, _Captain of the Prætorian Bands_. CHARINUS, _the Emperor's son_. PLACIDIUS, _a great officer_. VALERIUS, } } _Tribunes of the army_. ALBINUS, } NIGRINUS, _a Tribune and conjurer_. AMARIEL, _guardian-angel to St_ CATHARINE. APOLLONIUS, _a Heathen philosopher_. BERENICE, _wife to_ MAXIMIN. VALERIA, _daughter to_ MAXIMIN. _St_ CATHERINE, _Princess of Alexandria_. FELICIA, _her mother_.