ing upon you this instant, did not that lady, and this roof, protect you. Sir Bril. Harsh language to a friend- Sir Bril. If you will but hear meLove. Sir, I insist; I won't hear a word. Sir Bril. I declare upon my honour――― Love. Honour! for shame, Sir Brilliant: honour and friendship are sacred words, and you profane them both. Sir Bril. If imploring forgiveness of that ladyLove. That lady!--I desire you will never speak to that lady. Sir Bril. Can you command a moment's patience? Love. Sir, I am out of all patience: this must be settled between us: I have done for the pre sent. Enter Sir BASHFUL. Sir Bash. Did not I hear loud words among you? I certainly did. What are you quarrelling about? Love. Read that, Sir Bashful. [Gives him Sir BRILLIANT's letter.] Read that, and judge if I have not cause-[Sir BASHFUL reads to himself. Sir Bril. Hear but what I have to sayLove. No, sir, no; we shall find a fitter time. As for you, madam, I am satisfied with your conduct. I was indeed a little alarmed, but I have been a witness of your behaviour, and I am above harbouring low suspicions. Sir Bash. Upon iny word, Mr Lovemore, this is carrying the jest too far. Love. It is the basest action a gentleman can be guilty of; and to a person who never injured him, still more criminal. Sir Bash. Why so I think. Sir Brilliant, [To him aside.] here, take this letter, and read it to him, his own letter to my wife. Sir Bril. Let me see it. [Takes the letter. Sir Bash. 'Tis indeed, as you say, the vilest action a gentleman can be guilty of. Love. An unparalleled breach of friendship. Sir Bril. Not altogether so unparalleled: I believe it will not be found without a precedent for example ―as, [Reads. "To my Lady Constant"Why should I conceal, my dear madam, that your charms have awaken'd my tenderest passion?" [Aside. Love. Confusion !—my letterSir Bril. [Reading.] "I long have loved you, long adored. Could I but flatter myself”— [LOVEMORE walks about uneasy; Sir BRILLIANT follows him. Sir Bash. There, Mr Lovemore, the basest treachery! Sir Bril. [Reads.] "Could I but flatter my self with the least kind return". Love. Confusion! let me seize the letter out of his hand. [Snatches it from him. Sir Bush. An unparalleled breach of friendship, Mr Lovemore. Love. All a forgery, sir; all a forgery. Sir Bash. That I deny; it is the very identical letter my lady threw away with such indignation. She tore it in two, and I have pieced it together. Love. A mere contrivance to varnish his guilt. Sir Bril. Ha, ha! my dear Lovemore, we know one another. Have not you been at the same work with the Widow Bellmour ?-If I spoke to her, it was to serve you, sir. Sir Bash. Are you sure of that? Love. Po! I won't stay a moment longer among ye.-I'll go into another room to avoid ye all. I know little or nothing of the Widow Bellmour, sir. [Opens the door. Enter Mrs Bellmour. Hell and destruction!—what fiend is conjured up here?-Zoons! let me make my escape out of the house. [Runs to the opposite door. Mrs Love. I'll secure this pass: you must not go, my dear. Love. 'Sdeath, madam, give me way! Mrs Love. Nay, don't be in such a hurry: I want to introduce an acquaintance of mine to you. Love. I desire, madam Mrs Bell. My lord, my Lord Etheridge; I am heartily glad to see your lordship! [Taking hold of him. Mrs Love. Do, my dear, let me introduce this lady to you. [Turning him to her. Love. Here's the devil and all to do! [Aside. Mrs Bell. My lord, this is the most fortunate encounter. Love. I wish I was fifty miles off. [Aside. Mrs Love. Mrs Bellmour, give me leave to introduce Mr Lovemore to you. [Turning him to her. Mrs Bell. No, my dear ma'am, let me introduce Lord Etheridge to you. [Pulling him.] My lord Sir Bril. In the name of wonder, what is all this? Sir Bush. This is another of his intrigues blown up. Mrs Love. My dear madam, you are mistaken: this is my husband. Mrs Bell. Pardon me, ma'am, 'tis my Lord Etheridge. Mrs Love. My dear, how can you be so ill. bred in your own house?-Mrs Bellmour,-this is Mr Lovemore. Love. Are you going to toss me in a blanket, madam?-call up the rest of your people, if you Love. This is the most damnable accident! [Aside. Mrs Bell. I hope your lordship has not forgot your appointment at my house this evening. Love. I deserve all this. [Aside. Mrs Bell. Pray, my lord, what have I done, that you treat me with this coldness? Come, come, you shall have a wife: I will take compassion on you. Love. Damnation! I cann't stand it. [Aside. Sir Bash. Murder will out: murder will out. Mrs Bell. Come, cheer up, my lord: what the deuce, your dress is altered! what's become of the star and ribband? And so the gay, the florid, the magnifique Lord Etheridge dwindles down into plain Mr Lovemore, the married man!-Mr Lovemore, your most obedient, very humble servant, sir. Love. I cann't bear to feel myself in so ridiculous a circumstance. [Aside. Sir Bash. He has been passing himself for a lord, has he? Mrs Bell. I beg my compliments to your friend Mrs Loveit; I am much obliged to you both for your very honourable designs. [Curtseying to him. Love. I was never so ashamed in all my life! Sir Bril. So, so, so, all his pains were to hide the star from me. This discovery is a perfect cordial to my dejected spirits. Mrs Bell. Mrs Lovemore, I cannot sufficiently acknowledge the providence that directed you to pay me a visit, though I was wholly unknown to you; and I shall henceforth consider you as my deliverer. Love. So! it was she that fainted away in the closet, and be damn'd to her jealousy. [Aside. Sir Bril. By all that's whimsical, an odd sort of an adventure this! My lord, [Advances to him.] my lord, my Lord Etheridge, as the man says in the play, "Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark." Love. Now he comes upon me.- -Oh! I'm in a fine situation. Sir Bril. My lord, I hope that ugly your lordship's side is abated. [Aside. pain in Love. Absurd and ridiculous! [Aside. Sir Bril. There is nothing forming there, I hope, my lord. Love. I shall come to an explanation with you, sir. Sir Bril. The tennis-ball from Lord Racket's unlucky left-hand. Love. No more at present, Sir Brilliant, I leave you now to yourselves, and-[Goes to the door in the back scene.]—'Sdeath, another fiend! I am beset by them. Enter Lady Constant. No way to escape Love. Ay, it is all over-all must come to light. Lady Cons. I have lost every rubber; quite broke; four by honours against me every time. Do, Mr Lovemore, lend me another hundred. Love. I would give a hundred pounds you were all in Lapland. [Aside. Lady Cons. Mrs Lovemore, let me tell you, you are married to the falsest man; he has deceived me strangely. Mrs Love. I begin to feel for him, and to pity his uneasiness. Mrs Bell. Never talk of pity; let him be probed to the quick. Sir Bash. The case is pretty plain, I think, now, Sir Brilliant. Sir Bril. Pretty plain, upon my soul!-Ha! ha! Love. I'll turn the tables upon Sir Bashful, for all this-[Takes Sir BASHFUL's letter out of his pocket. Where is the mighty harm now in this letter? Sir Bash. Where's the harm? Love. [Reads.] "I cannot, my dearest life, any longer behold" Sir Bash. Shame and confusion! I am undone. Love. Mind, Sir Bashful-" I am therefore resolved, after many conflicts with myself, to throw off the mask, and frankly own a passion, which the fear of falling into ridicule has, in appearance, suppressed.' Sir Bush. 'Sdeath! I'll hear no more of it. [Snatches at the letter. Love. No, sir; I resign it here, where it was directed; and with it, these notes, which Sir Bashful gave me for your use. Lady Cons. It is his hand, sure enough. Love. Yes, madam, and those are his sentiments, which he explained to me more at large. Lady Cons. [Reads.] "Accept the presents which I myself have sent you; money, attendance, equipage, and every thing else you shall command; and, in return, I shall only entreat you to conceal from the world that you have raised a flame in this heart, which will ever show "Your admirer, "And truly affectionate husband, "BASHFUL CONSTANT." me, Sir Bril. Profligates? Love. Ay! both! we are pretty fellows in deed! Mrs Bell. I am glad to find you are awakened to a sense of your error. Love, I am, madam, and am frank enough to own it. I am above attempting to disguise my feelings, when I am conscious they are on the side of truth and honour. With the sincerest remorse I ask your pardon.—I should ask pardon of my Lady Constant too, but the fact is, Sir Bashful threw the whole affair in my way; and, when a husband will be ashamed of loving a valuable woman, he must not be surprised if other people take her case into consideration, and love her for him. Sir Bril. Why, faith, that does in some sort make his apology. Sir Bash. Sir Bashful! Sir Bashful! thou art ruined. [Aside. Mrs Bell. Well, sir, upon certain terms, I don't know but I may sign and seal your pardon. Love. Terms!-what terms? Mrs Bell. That you make due expiation of your guilt to that lady. [Pointing to Mrs LOVEMORE. Love. That lady, ma'am !-That lady has no reason to complain. Mrs Love. No reason to complain, Mr Love more? Love. No, madam, none; for whatever may have been my imprudences, they have had their source in your conduct. Mrs Love. In my conduct, sir? Love. In your conduct :-I here declare before this company, and I am above misrepresenting the matter; I here declare, that no man in England could be better inclined to domestic happiness, if you, madam, on your part, had been willing to make home agreeable. at worst, an error in judgment; whereas, on yours Mrs Bell. Po! po! never stand disputing: you know each other's faults and virtues: you have nothing to do but to mend the former, and enjoy the latter. There, there, kiss and friends. There, Mrs Lovemore, take your reclaimed libertine to your arms. Love. 'Tis in your power, madam, to make a reclaimed libertine of me indeed. Mrs Love. From this moment it shall be our mutual study to please each other. Love. A match, with all my heart. I shall hereafter be ashamed only of my follies, but never ashamed of owning that I sincerely love you. Sir Bash. Sha'n't you be ashamed? Love. Never, sir. Sir Bash. And will you keep me in countenance? Sir Bush. Give me your hand. I now forgive you all. My Lady Constant, I own the letter, I own the sentiments of it; [Embraces her.] and from this moment I take you to my heart.-Lovemore, zookers! you have made a man of me. Sir Brilliant, come; produce the buckles. Lady Cons. If you hold in this humour, Sir [Gives Lady CONSTANT the buckles. Sir Bash. Ay, ay, make restitution. Lovemore! this is the consequence of his having some tolerable phrase, and a person, Mr Lovemore, ha! ha! Sir Bril. Why, I own the laugh is against me. With all my heart; I am glad to see my friends happy at last. Lovemore, may I presume to hope for pardon at that lady's hands? [Points to Mrs LOVEMORE. Love. My dear confederate in vice, your par don is granted. Two sad libertines we have been. But come, give us your hand: we have used each other scurvily for the future we will endeavour to atone for the errors of our past misconduct. : Sir Bril. Agreed; we will henceforward behave like men, who have not forgot the obligations of truth and honour. Mrs Love. There, I confess, he touches me. [Aside. Love. You could take pains enough before marriage; you could put forth all your charms; practise all your arts, and make your features please by rule; for ever changing; running an eternal round of variety; and all this to win my affections: but when you had won them, you did Love. And now I congratulate the whole comnot think them worth your keeping; never dress- pany, that this business has had so happy a tened, pensive, silent, melancholy; and the only en-dency to convince each of us of our folly. tertainment in my house was the dear pleasure of a dull conjugal tête-à-tête; and all this insipidity, because you think the sole merit of a wife consists in her virtue: a fine way of amusing a husband, truly! Sir Bril. Upon my soul, and so it is [Laughing. Mrs Love. Sir, I must own there is too much truth in what you say. This lady has opened my eyes, and convinced me there was a mistake in my former conduct. Love. Come, come, you need say no more. forgive you; I forgive. I Mrs Love. Forgive! I like that air of confidence, when you know that, on my side, it is, Mrs Bell. Pray, sir, don't draw me into a share of your folly. Love. Come, come, my dear ma'am, you are not without your share of it. This will teach you, for the future, to be content with one lover at a time, without listening to a fellow you know nothing of, because he assumes a title, and spreads a fair report of himself Mrs Bell. The reproof is just, I grant it. Love. Come, let us join the company cheerfully, keep our own secrets, and not make our selves the town-talk. Sir Bash. Ay, ay; let us keep the secret. Love. What, returning to your fears again? you will put me out of countenance, Sir Bashful. FALSTAFF'S WEDDING. WRITTEN IN IMITATION OF SHAKESPEARE. BY W. KENRICK, LL.D PROLOGUE. SPOKEN BY MR DODD, IN THE CHARACTER OF MERCURY. [Mercury descends from the clouds, flying across the stage : re-enters, followed by a servant, carrying a counsellor's gown and wig.] A LA MERCURE, equipp'd from top to toe, The errand's not in character, 'tis true; grown To such a height as ne'er before was knownsay, a forgery hath been committed, I By which king Pluto's myrmidons, outwitted, Link'd in a gang, each cut-purse with his crony, I shall not trespass on your worship's time, Pistol, with yellow nightcap patch'd with red, With mother Quickly was retired to bed; And, waking, swore, by Styx, he would not come, Sans preparation, pike and beat of drum. Of aqua-vite having stole a flaggon, Bardolph and Nym were playing at snap-dragon; Sometimes proceeding from hard words to blows, As by mistake Nym seiz'd on Bardolph's nose. With Falstaff sat Doll Tearsheet, cheek by jofl, And while she buss'd his chin and scratch'd his poll, |