T. S., "To Dr. Goldsmith, on the merited Success of his new Comedy, called, She Stoops to Conquer" Morning Chronicle and London Advertiser (17 April 1773).
While various bards the comic muse have drest, In many a prudish, stiff, ungraceful vest, Each awkward air affected, make her use, Pinch her in stays, or cramp her in high shoes; The mighty ruff, and farthingale put on, And give platonic speech to humble Joan; Raise high the persons, nature meant shou'd stoop, And show a Macaroni for Lolpoop; Make ev'ry order talk above their spheres, And with stale sentiment offend our ears; Mistake the passions, and for mirth give pain, Present the pedant for the simple swain, They try to make their audience laugh in vain. 'Tis thine the task, O Goldsmith, to restore, The comic muse to what she was of yore, And to the stage present her antient ease, So drest by thee, she cannot fail to please. While K[enrick] labours in some dull design, And chills all pleasure, in each frozen line, The genial soul of comedy is thine.