| Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. The Book of New York Verse. 1917. | | | | Burlesque Address (abridged) | | By Fitz-Greene Halleck |
| | On the opening of the New Park Theatre, after the fire, September 1, 1821.
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LADIES and gentlemen, | |
| Enlighten’d as you are, you all must know | |
| Our playhouse was burnt down, some time ago, | |
| Without insurance— ’Twas a famous blaze, | |
| Fine fun for firemen, but dull sport for plays. | 5 |
| The proudest of our whole dramatic corps | |
| Such warm reception never met before. | |
| It was a woeful night for us and ours; | |
| Worse than dry weather to the fields and flowers. | |
| The evening found us gay as summer’s lark, | 10 |
| Happy as sturgeons in the Tappan Sea; | |
| The morning—like the dove from Noah’s Ark, | |
| As homeless, houseless, innocent as she, | |
| But—thanks to those who ever have been known | |
| To love the public interest—when their own; | 15 |
| Thanks to the men of talent and of trade, | |
| Who joy in doing well—when they’re well paid, | |
| Again our fire-worn mansion is rebuilt, | |
| Inside and outside, neatly carv’d and gilt, | |
| With best of paint and canvas, lath and plaster, | 20 |
| The Lord bless Beekman and John Jacob Astor. | | | |
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