Puff. O! very valiant knights; one is the governor of the fort, the other the master of the horse. And now, I think you shall hear some better language: I was obliged to be plain and intelligible in the first scene, because there was so much matter of fact in it; but now, efaith, you have trope, figure, and metaphor, as plenty as noun-substantives. Enter EARL OF Leicester, GovERNOR, and MASTER of the HORSE, R. Lei. How's this, my friends! is't thus your new 'And plumed valour moulds iu roosted sloth? Thus stagnate in a cold and weedy converse, Puff. [Runs up and embraces him,] Allow me to introduce Mr. Horrebow to you-Mr. Dangle and Mr. Sneer. [Returns to L. Sir W. No more! the fresh'ning breath of thy rebuke 'Hath fill'd the swelling canvass of our souls! 'And thus, though fate should cut the cable of [All take hands. Our topmost hopes, in friendship's closing line 'We'll grapple with despair, and if we fall, 'We'll fall in Glory's wake! [They part hands. 'Lei. [Slowly.] There spoke Old England's genius!' Puff. No, no, sir: Old England's genius never spoke in that way. She must be a devilish queer genius if she did. No, sir, keep it up. [Quotes with heroic bombast.] "There spoke Old England's genius.' Lei. [With Puff's manner.] There spoke Old England's genius! 'Then, are we all resolv'd ? 'All. We are-all resolv'd. 'Lei. To conquer-or be free. All. To conqueror be free. 'Lei. All? 'All. All.' Dan. Nem. con. egad! Puff. O yes, where they do agree on the stage, their unanimity is wonderful. 'Lei. Then, let's embrace,-[They embrace.]-and [Kneels. now' Sneer. What the plague, is he going to pray? Puff. Yes, hush! In great emergencies, there is nothing like a prayer! 'Lei. O mighty Mars!' Puff. Stop, my dear sir. You do not expect to find Mars there. No, sir, whenever you address the gods, always look into the upper gallery. Lei. [Looking up to the gallery.] O mighty Mars!' Dan. But why should he pray to Mars? Puff. Hush!. 'Lei. O mighty Mars, if in thy homage bred, 'Each point of discipline I've still observ'd; 'Nor but by due promotion, and the right 'Of service, to the rank of Major-General Have ris'n;' Puff. Keep up the Major-General! [Repeats the line with force.] To the rank of Major-General have ris'n!' Tip them the Major-General, pray. 'Lei. [After Puff's manner.] To the rank of MajorGeneral Have ris'n; assist thy votary now! 'Gov. [Kneels on Leicester's R.] Yet do not rise-hear me! 'Mast. of H. [Kneels on Governor's R] And me! Sir W. [Kneels on Leicester's R.] And me! 'Sir C. [Kneels on Sir II':'s L.] And me!' Puff. [Kneels L.] And me! Now, mind your hits; pray all together. All. Behold thy votaries submissive beg, "That thou wilt deign to grant them all they ask ;' Puff No, no, gentlemen, the emphasis is upon the word all. Thus : 'Behold thy votaries submissive beg, "That thou wilt deign to grant them all they ask ;' Now, gentlemen. All. Behold thy votaries submissive beg, That thou wilt deign to grant them all they ask And sanctify whatever means they use Sneer. A very orthodox quintetto! Puff. Vastly well, gentlemen, indeed, for persons who are not much in the habit of praying. Is that well managed or not? I believe you haven't such a prayer as that on the stage. Sneer. Not exactly. Lei. [To Puff] But, sir, you haven't settled how we are to get off here. Puff. You could not go off kneeling, could you? Lei. O no, sir, impossible! Puff. It would have a good effect, efaith, if you could! exeunt praying!" Yes, and would vary the established mode of springing off with a glance at the pit. Sneer. O never mind, so as you get them off, I'll answer for it, the audience won't care how. Puff. Well, then, repeat the last line standing, and go off the old way. 'All. And sanctify whatever means we use to gain them.' Dan. Bravo! a fine exit. Sneer. Stay a moment. The Centinels get up. [Exeunt, R. 1st Cen. All this shall to Lord Burleigh's ear. '2nd Cen. "Tis meet it should.' [Exeunt Centinels, R. Dan. Hey!-why, I thought those fellows had been asleep? Puff. Only a pretence; there's the art of it; they were spies of Lord Burleigh's. But take care, my dear Dangle, the morning gun is going to fire. Dan. Well, that will have a fine effect. Puff. I think so, and helps to realize the scene. [Cannon, three times from Battery, L.] What the plague !three morning guns!-there never is but one! Aye, this is always the way at the Theatre-give these fellows a good thing, and they never know when to have done with it. You have no more cannon to fire? Promp. [From within, L.] No, sir. Puff. It shews that Tilburina is coming; nothing introduces you a heroine like soft music.-Here she comes. Dan. And her confidant, I suppose ? Puff. To be sure: here they are-inconsolable-to the [Soft music in Orchestra.. minuet in Ariadne ! Enter TILBURINA and CONFidant, r, Til. Now flowers unfold their beauties to the sun, 'And blushing, kiss the beam he sends to wake them. 'The strip'd carnation, and the guarded rose, The vulgar wall-flow'r, and smart gilly-flower, "The polyanthus mean-the dapper daisy, 'Sweet William, and sweet marjorum,'The tribe of single and of double pinks! -and all 'Now, too, the feather'd warblers tune their notes 'Around, and charm the list'ning grove-The lark! 'The linnet! chafinch! bullfinch! goldfinch! greenfinch! But O to me, no joy can they afford! 'Nor rose, nor wall-flow'r, nor smart gilly-flower, 'Nor polyanthus mean, nor dapper daisy, Nor William sweet, nor marjorum-nor lark, Linnet, nor all the finches of the grove!' Puff. [Holding his handkerchief to his eyes.] Your white handkerchief, madam-there, if you please. Til. I thought, sir, I wasn't to use that 'till "heartrending woe." Puff. O yes, madam-at'the finches of the grove,' if you please. • Til. Nor lark, Linnet, nor all the finches of the grove !' Puff. Vastly well, madam! Dan. Vastly well, indeed! [Weeps. Til. For, O too sure, heart-rending woe is now "The lot of wretched Tilburina!' Dan. O! 'tis too much. Sneer. Oh!--it is, indeed. Con. (R.) Be comforted, sweet lady for who knows, 'But heav'n has yet some milk-white day in store. Til. Alas, my youthful-gentle Nora, "Thy tender youth as yet hath never mourn'd Love's fatal dart. 'Con. But see where your stern father comes; It is not meet that he should find you thus.' Puff. Hey, what the plague! what a cut is here!—why, what is become of the description of her first meeting with Don Whiskerandos ? his gallant behaviour in the sea-fight, and the simile of the canary bird? 'Ti. Indeed, sir, you'll find they will not be miss❜d: Puff. Very well.-Very well! Til. The cue, ma'am, if you please. Con. It is not meet that he should find you thus. Til. Thou counsel'st right, but 'tis no easy task For barefac'd grief to wear a mask of joy. Enter GOVERNor, r. Gov. How's this-in tears?—O—' Puff. There's a round O! for you. Sneer. A capital O! Gov. Tilburina, shame! Is this a time for maudling tenderness, 6 Til. [Seizing Governor's hand.] Then, is the crisis of my fate at hand! 'I see the fleet's approach-I see-' Puff. Now, pray, gentlemen, mind. This is one of the most useful figures we tragedy-writers have, by which a hero or heroine, in consideration of their being often obliged to overlook things that are on the stage, is allowed to hear and see a number of things that are not. Sneer. Yes; a kind of poetical second-sight! • Til. -I see their decks 'Are clear'd!-I see the signal made! The line is form'd !-a cable's length asunder! And now, I hear the thunder of the guns! "I hear the victor's shouts-I also hear 'The vanquish'd groan-and now 'tis smoke-and now 'I see the loose sails shiver in the wind! 'I see-I see-what soon you'll see ' [Swoons in the Governor's arms. Puff. [In rapture, taking Tilburina's hand.] Mrs. Gibbs, allow me to introduce you to Mr. Dangle and Mr. Sneer. This is Mrs. Gibbs, one of the very best actresses on the stage, I assure you, gentlemen. 'Gov. Hold, daughter! peace! this love hath turn'd thy brain: 'The Spanish fleet thou caus't not see-because "It is not yet in sight!' |