Enter YARICO and TRUDGE. Yar. My love! Trudge. I have been showing her all the wigs and bales of goods we met on the quay, sir. Yar. Oh! I have feasted my eyes on wonders. Trudge. And I'll go feast on a slice of beef, in the inn, here. [Exit. Yar. My mind has been so busy, that I almost forgot even you. I wish you had staid with me-You would have seen such sights! Inkle. Those sights have become familiar to me, Yarico. Yar. And yet I wish they were not-You might partake my pleasures-but now again, methinks, I will not wish so-for, with too much gazing, you might neglect poor Yarico. Inkle. Nay, nay, my care is still for you. Yar. I am sure it is: and if I thought it was not, I would tell you tales about our poor old grot-bid you remember our palm-tree near the brook, where in the shade you often stretched yourself, while I would take your head upon my lap, and sing my love to sleep. I know you'll love me then. SONG. Our grotto was the sweetest place! The bending boughs, with fragrance blowing, 'Twas then my bosom first knew fear, -Fear to an Indian maid a stranger— For him, by day, with care conceal'd, To search for food I climb'd the mountain; [Exeunt. SCENE II, An Apartment in the House of SIR CHRISTOPHER CURRY. Enter SIR CHRISTOPHER and MEDIUM. Sir Chr. I tell you, old Medium, you are all wrong. Plague on your doubts! Inkle shall have my Narcissa. Poor fellow! I dare say he's finely chagrined at this temporary parting-Eat up with the blue devils, I warrant. Med. Eat up by the black devils, I warrant; for I left him in hellish hungry company. Sir Chr. Pshaw! he'll arrive with the next vessel, depend on't-besides, have not I had this in view ever since they were children? I must and will have it so, I tell you. Is not it, as it were, a marriage made above? They shall meet, I'm positive. Med. Shall they? Then they must meet where the marriage was made; for hang me, if I think it will ever happen below. Sir Chr. Ha!-and if that is the case-hang me, if I think you'll ever be at the celebration of it. Med. Yet, let me tell you, Sir Christopher Curry, my character is as unsullied as a sheet of white paper. Sir Chr. Well said, old fools-cap! and it's as mere a blank as a sheet of white paper. You are honest, old Medium, by comparison, just as a fellow sentenced to transportation is happier than his companion condemned to the gallows-Very worthy, because you are no rogue; tender-hearted, because you never go to fires and executions; and an affectionate father and husband, because you never pinch your children, or kick your wife out of bed. Med. And that, as the world goes, is more than every man can say for himself. Yet, since you force me to speak my positive qualities-but no matter,you remember me in London; didn't I, as member of the Humane Society, bring a man out of the New River, who, it was afterwards found, had done me an injury? Sir Chr. And, dam'me, if I would not kick any man into the New River that had done me an injury. There's the difference of our honesty. Oons! if you want to be an honest fellow, act from the impulse of nature. Why, you have no more gall than a pigeon. Med. And you have as much gall as a turkey cock, and are as hot into the bargain-You're always so hasty; among the hodge-podge of your foibles, passion is always predominant. Sir Chr. So much the better.Foibles, quotha? foibles are foils that give additional lustre to the gems of virtue. You have not so many foils as I, perhaps. Med. And what's more, I don't want 'em, Sir Christopher, I thank you. Sir Chr. Very true; for the devil a gem have you to set off with 'em. Med. Well, well; I never mention errors; that, I flatter myself, is no disagreeable quality-It don't become me to say you are hot. Sir Chr. 'Sblood! but it does become you: it becomes every man, especially an Englishman, to speak the dictates of his heart. Enter SERVANT. Serv. An English vessel, sir, just arrived in the harbour. Sir Chr. A vessel! Od's my life! -Now for the news-If it is but as I hope- Any dispatches? Serv. This letter, sir, brought by a sailor from the [Exit. Sir Chr. [Opening the letter.] Huzza! here it is. He's safe-safe and sound at Barbadoes. quay. [Reading.]—Sir, My master, Mr Inkle, is just arrived in your harbour. Here, read, read! old Medium— Med. [Reading.] Um'-Your harbour;-we were taken up by an English vessel, on the 14th ult. He only waits till I have puffed his hiar, to pay his respects to you and Miss Narcissa: In the mean time, he has ordered me to brush up this letter for your honour, from Your humble servant, to command, TIMOTHY TRudge. Sir Chr. Hey-day! Here's a style! the voyage has jumbled the fellow's brains out of their places; the water has made his head turn round. But no matter; mine turns round too. I'll go and prepare Narcissa directly; they shall be married slap-dash, as soon as he comes from the quay. From Neptune to Hymen: from the hammock to the bridal bed-Ha! old boy! Med. Well, well; don't flurry yourself-you're so hot! Sir Chr. Hot! blood, ar'n't I in the West Indies? Ar❜n't I governor of Barbadoes? He shall have her as soon as he sets his foot on shore. "But plague on't, he's so slow."-She shall rise to him like Venus out of the sea. His hair puffed? He ought to have been puffing, here, out of breath, by this time. a blank as a sheet of white paper. You are honest, old Medium, by comparison, just as a fellow sentenced to transportation is happier than his companion condemned to the gallows-Very worthy, because you are no rogue; tender-hearted, because you never go to fires and executions; and an affectionate father and husband, because you never pinch your children, or kick your wife out of bed. Med. And that, as the world goes, is more than every man can say for himself. Yet, since you force me to speak my positive qualities-but no matter,you remember me in London; didn't I, as member of the Humane Society, bring a man out of the New River, who, it was afterwards found, had done me an injury? Sir Chr. And, dam'me, if I would not kick any man into the New River that had done me an injury. There's the difference of our honesty. Oons! if you want to be an honest fellow, act from the impulse of nature. Why, you have no more gall than a pigeon. Med. And you have as much gall as a turkey cock, and are as hot into the bargain-You're always so hasty; among the hodge-podge of your foibles, passion is always predominant. Sir Chr. So much the better.Foibles, quotha? foibles are foils that give additional lustre to the gems of virtue. You have not so many foils as I, perhaps. Med. And what's more, I don't want 'em, Sir Christopher, I thank you. Sir Chr. Very true; for the devil a gem have you to set off with 'em. Med. Well, well; I never mention errors; that, I flatter myself, is no disagreeable qualityIt don't become me to say you are hot. Sir Chr. 'Sblood! but it does become you: it becomes every man, especially an Englishman, to speak the dictates of his heart. |