ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Enter DANGLE, PUFF, and SNEER, as before the Curtain.

PUFF:

O, no, Sir; what Shakespeare fays of ACTORS may be better applied to the purpofe of PLAYS; they ought to be the abstract and brief Chronicles of the times.' Therefore when history, and particularly the history of our own country, furnishes any thing like a cafe in point, to the time in which an author writes, if he knows his own intereft, he will take advantage of it; fo, Sir, I call my tragedy The SPANISH ARMADA; and have laid the fcene before TILBURY FORT.

SNEER.

A moft happy thought certainly!

DANGLE.

Egad it was-I told you fo.-But pray now I dont understand how you have contrived to introduce any love into it.

PUFF.

PUFF.

Love! Oh nothing fo eafy; for it is a received point among poets, that where history gives you a good heroic out-line for a play, you may fill up with a little love at your own difcretion in doing which, nine times out of ten, you only make up a deficiency in the private history of the times. Now I rather think I have done this with fome fuccefs.

SNEER.

No scandal about Queen ELIZABETH, I hope?

PUFF.

O Lud! no, no,-I only fuppofe the Governor of Tilbury Fort's daughter to be in love with the fon of the Spanish Admiral.

Oh, is that all?

SNEER.

DANGLE.

Excellent, Efaith!-I fee it at once.-But won't this appear rather improbable ?

PUFF.

To be fure it will-but what the plague! a play is not to fhew occurrences that happen every day, but things juft fo ftrange, that tho' they never did, they might happen.

SNEER.

SNEER.

Certainly nothing is unnatural, that is not phyfically impoffible.

PUFF.

Very true and for that matter DON FEROLO WISKERANDOs-for that's the lover's name, might have been over here in the train of the Spanish Ambaffador; or TILBURINA, for that is the lady's name, might have been in love with. him, from having heard his character, or feen his picture; or from knowing that he was the laft man in the world fhe ought to be in love with-or for any other good female reason.— However, Sir, the fact is, that tho' she is but a Knight's daughter, egad! fhe is in love like any Princess!

DANGLE.

Poor young lady! I feel for her already! for I can conceive how great the conflict must be between her paffion and her duty; her love for her country, and her love for DON FEROLO WISKERANDOS!

PUFF.

O amazing!-her poor susceptible heart is fwayed to and fro, by contending paffions like

[blocks in formation]

Enter UNDER PROMPTER.

"

UNDER PROMPTER.

Sir, the scene is fet, and every thing is ready to begin if you please.--

PUFF.

'Egad; then we'll lofe no time.

UNDER PROMPTER.

Tho' I believe, Sir, you will find it very fhort, for all the performers have profited by the kind permiffion you granted them.

Hey! what!

PUFF.

UNDER PROMPTER.

You know, Sir, you gave them leave to cut out or omit whatever they found heavy or unneceffary to the plot, and I must own they have taken very liberal advantage of your indulgence.

PUFF.

Well, well. They are in general very good judges; and I know I am luxuriant.-Now, Mr. HOPKINS, as foon as you please.

UNDER PROMPTER to the Musick.

Gentlemen, will you play a few bars of fome

thing, juft to

PUFF.

PUFF.

Aye, that's right,-for as we have the scenes, and dreffes, egad, we'll go to't, as if it was the first night's performance ;-but you need not mind stopping between the acts.

[Exit Under Prompter.]

(Orchestra play. Then the Bell rings.)

Soh! ftand clear gentlemen.-Now you know there will be a cry of down!-down!-hats off! filence! Then up curtain, and let us fee what our painters have done for us.

SCENE II.

The Curtain rifes and difcovers TILBURY FORT Two Centinels afleep.

DANGLE.

Tilbury Fort!-very fine indeed!

PUFF.

Now, what do you think I open with?

SNEER.

Faith, I can't guess→→→→

PUFF.

A clock.-Hark!-(clock strikes.) I open with a clock ftriking, to beget an aweful at

[blocks in formation]
« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »