Yes, they are handsome women, they have handsome parts too, Pretty becoming parts. La Ca. 'Tis like they have, sir. Lug. Yes, yes, and handsome education they have had too, Had it abundantly; they need not blush at it: I taught it, I'll avouch it. La Ca. You say well, sir. Lug. I know what I say, sir, and I say but right, sir: I am no trumpet of their commendations Before their father; else I should say further. La Ca. 'Pray you, what's this gentleman ? Nant. One that lives with me, sir; A man well bred and learn'd, but blunt and bitter; [in't: Yet it offends no wise man; I take pleasure Many fair gifts he has, in some of which, That lie most easy to their understandings, H' has handsomely bred up my girls, I thank him. Lug. I have put it to 'em, that's my part, I have urg'd it; It seems, they are of years now to take hold on't 9. Nant. He's wondrous blunt. La Ca. By my faith I was afraid of him; Does he not fall out with the gentlewomen sometimes? Nant. No, no; he's that way moderate and discrete, sir. [him. Ros. If he did, we should be too hard for Too hard for thy husband's head, if he wear not armour. Enter Mirabell, Pinac, Belleur, De Gard, and Oriana. Nant. Many of these bick'rings, sir. La Ca. I'm glad, they are no oracles! Sure as I live, he beats them, he's so puissant. Ori. Well, if you do forgetMir. 'Prithee, hold thy peace! I know thou art a pretty wench; I know thou lov'st me; [on't, Preserve it till we have a fit time to discourse And a fit place; I'll ease thy heart, I warrant thee: Thou seest, I have much to do now. Ori. I am answer'd, sir: [ditions. With me you shall have nothing on these cou De Ga. Your father and your friends. La Ca. You're welcome home, sir! 'Bless you, you're very welcome! 'Pray know this gentleman, And these fair ladies. Nant. Monsieur Mirabell, I am much affected with your fair return, sir; You bring a general joy. Mir. I bring you service, And these bright beauties, sir. Nant. Welcome home, gentlemen! Bel. Pinac. We thank you, sir. [too. [gers, They'll look upon us, tho' we shew like stranNant. Monsieur De Gard, I must salute you also, And this fair gentlewoman: You're welcome from your travel too! All welcome, all! De Ga. We render you our loves, sir, The best wealth we bring home. By your favours, beauties! One of these two": You know my meaning. Ori. Well, sir; [fess it; They're fair and handsome, I must needs conAnd, let it prove the worst, I shall live after it I have put it to 'em, that's my part, I have urg'd it, He's wondrous blunt.] A small degree of attention will shew us that the two first lines can properly belong to no one but Lugier. Sympson. 10 The best wealth, &c.] Mr. Sympson has made a strange piece of work here; he puts no part of this line into the text of his edition, and yet has quoted the latter part of it in the following note. "One of these two: You know my meaning, &c.] This De Gard speaks aside to his sister, as the text stands at present, and seemingly her answer that follows fixes it here; but what is there left then to introduce and make way for Mirabell's To marry, sir?' To remove all difficulties, it would perhaps be the best to make the whole run thus; by your favours, beautics. La Ca. One of these two: You know my meaning. Aside to Mir. Oriana. Well Aside to herself. Sympson. During the dialogue in the text, La Castre has been talking apart to Mirabell, and it is their supposed conversation which is to introduce and make way for Mirabell's To marry, sir?' We do not see how Sympson's arrangement removes the difficulty he has created. For, if I die o' th' first fit, I'm unhappy, La Ca. You know, I am an old man, you In lies all my hope, and all my name, The making good or wretched of my memory, The safety of my state. Mir. And you've provided, Out of this tenderness, these handsome gentlewomen, [of? Daughters to this rich man, to take my choice La Ca. I have, dear son. Mir. 'Tis true, you're old, and feebled; Would you were young again, and in full vigour! I love a bounteous father's life, a long one; Do what they can to break the boughs they La Ca. You'll render me your reasons? You would have me marry a maid? La Ca. A maid? what else? I never lov'd to prove those; nor never long'd The appearing are fantastic things, mere shaAnd, if you mark 'em well, they want their heads too; Only the world, to cozen misty eyes, Has clapt 'em on new faces. The maids being A man may venture on, if he be so mad to marry, [fortune; If he have neither fear before his eyes, nor And let him take heed how he gather these [lons, too; For look you, father, they are just like meMusk-melons are the emblems of these maids; Now they are ripe, now cut 'em they taste pleasantly, And are a dainty fruit, digested easily; Neglect this present time, and come tomorrow, They are so ripe, they're rotten-gone 12 ! their sweetness Run into humour, and their taste to surfeit! You talk of two? [too, That man that feeds well, promises as well I should expect indeed something of worth [fram. Mir. She would have me get two dozen, Like buttons, at a birth. Ros. You love to brag, sir; If you proclaim these offers at your marriage, (You are a pretty-timber'd man; take heed!) They may be taken hold of, and expected, Yes, if not hop'd for at a higher rate too. Mir. I will take heed, and thank you for your counsel.- Father, what think you? La Ca. 'Tis a merry gentlewoman; Will make, no doubt, a good wife. Mir. Not for me: Sympson. 12 They are rotten gone.] Probably, rotten grown.' We think rotten gone better than rotten grown ;' but a stop renders it still better: They are so ripe, they are rotten-gone !' &c. 182 If down-right doing-Sh' has a perilous coun- If I could meet one that would believe me, stance Mir. You shall have your will, sir; I will try the other'; But 'twill be to small use.-I hope, fair lady, (For, methinks, in your eyes I see more mercy) You will enjoin your lover a less penance; And tho' I'll promise much, as men are liberal, And vow an ample sacrifice of service, Yet your discretion, and your tenderness, [fulaess Lil. Good sir, speak louder, Mir. Hark ye, hark ye! Ods-bobs, you're angry, lady! Lil. Angry? no, sir; I never own'd an anger to lose poorly. Mir. But you can love, for all this; and For all your set austerity, to hear Lil. You say true, sir; [years, For, by my troth, I've heard of none these ten The dropping-down from Heav'n; for they're That you may guess at all my hope, but hearing Mir. Why may not I be one? Lil. You were near 'em once, sir, When ye came o'er the Alps; those are near But since you miss'd that happiness, there is Mir. Can ye love a man? Lil. Yes, if the man be lovely; That is, be honest, modest. I would have His anger slow, but certain for his honour; For 'tis fairer to know manners well than wanderer, Of one finds no retreat for fair behaviour. I must not lie with her in common language, tences, or so; Your powder'd beef and problems, a rare Sappho, or such a fidling kind of poetess, My dogs must look their names too, and all Lelaps, Melampus! no more Fox and Bau- I married to a sullen set of sentences? In the gold weights of discretion? I'll be La Ca. Prithce reclaim thyself. your 'Till then see more, and try more 13! come! And now let's in to supper. Mir. How dost like 'em? [Exit. 13 'Till I see more, and try more.] The sense here seems to indicate a slight corruption; which, however, makes a material difference: We would read, ''Pray ye, give me time then : If they can set me any thing to play at, 'That seems fit for a gamester, have at the fairest! "Till then see more, and try more! La Ca. Take your time then.' Pinac. You're happy. Mir. My only fear is that I must be forc'd, Against my nature, to conceal myself: Health and an able body are two jewels. Pinac. If either of these two women were offer'd to me now, I would think otherwise, and do accordingly; And put a little of my travell'd liberty Bel. Methinks, the other, The home-spoken gentlewoman, that desires to be fruitful, That treats of the full manage of the matter, (For there lies all my aim) that wench, methinks, If I were but well set on, for she is a fable14, If I were but hounded right, and one to teach me: [th' point! She speaks to th’matter, and comes home to Now do I know I have such a body to please her, [sure on't, As all the kingdom cannot fit her with, I'm If I could but talk myself into her favour. Mir. That's easily done. Bel. That's easily said; 'would 'twere done! You should see then how I would lay about me. If I were virtuous, it would never grieve me, Mir. Will you go to 'em? Tho' I am sure 'twill be the hardest I e'er * Glorious trifles.] i. e. Vain trifles. The word occurs twice again, in the same sense, in this act, p. 186. So the French often use gloire and glorieux. 14 for she is a fable.] The glaring nonsense of this passage strikes at first sight. I shall give the reader what I imagine was the original lection, and leave it to him whether it must stand or fall: -for she is affuble.' Sympso Sympson's conjecture is ingenious, though we cannot think the present reading glaring nonsense; and the next line seems to enforce it. The whole passage should be in a parenthesis, thus, -that wench, methinks, 'If I were but well set on-(for she is a fable, 'If I were but hounded right, and one to teach me )— Sympson. 15 And my calf's tongue.] And ought evidently to be changed into Then. Thou wilt so please her, she'll go near to ravish thee. Bel. I would 'twere come to that once! Let me pray a little. Mir. Now for thine honour, Pinac! Board me this modesty, [conquest Warm but this frozen snow-ball, 'twill be a (Altho' I know thou art a fortunate wencher, And hast done rarely in thy days) above all thy ventures. Bel. You will be ever near? Mir. At all necessities; And take thee off, and set thee on again, boy, And cherish thice, and stroke thee. Bel. Help me out too; For I know I shall stick i'th' mire. If ye see us close once, [denly, Be gone, and leave me to my fortune, sudFor I am then determin'd to do wonders. Farewell, and fling an old shoe . How my heart throbs! 'Would I were drunk! Farewell, Pinac! Heav'n send us A jovful and a merry meeting, man! Pinac. Farewell, And chear thy heart up! and remember, Belleur, They are but women. Bel. I had rather they were lions. [Exeunt Bel. & Pinnc. Mir. About it; I'll be with ye instantly. Enter Oriana. Shall I ne'er be at rest? no peace of conscience? No quiet for these creatures? am I ordain'd To be devour'd quick by these she-cannibals? Here's another they call handsome; I care not for her, I ne'er look after her: When I am half tippled, It may be I should turn her, and peruse her; Or, in my want of women, I might call for her; But to be haunted when I have no fancy, No maw to th' matter-Now! why do you follow me? Ori. I hope, sir, 'tis no blemish to my tue; vir Nor need you, out of scruple, ask that question, If you remember you, before your travel, The contract you tied to me: 'Tis my love, sir, That makes me seek you, to confirm your me◄ mory; And that being fair and good, I cannot suffer. Ori. For that fair piece of honesty you shew'd, sir, That constant nobleness. Mir. How? for I am short-headed. Ori. I'll tell ye then; for refusing that free offer Of monsieur Nantolet's, those handsomė beauties, Those two prime ladies, that might well have prest ye, If not to have broken ", yet to have bow'd your promise. I know it was for my sake, for your faith sake, You slipt 'em off; your honesty compell'd ye; And let me tell ye, sir, it shew'd most handsomely. Mir. And let me tell thee, there was no such matter; Nothing intended that way, of that nature : I have more to do with my honesty than to fool it, Or venture it in such leak barks as women. I put 'em off because I lov'd 'em not, Because they are too queasy for my temper, And not for thy sake, nor the contract sake, Nor vows nor oaths; I have made a thousand of 'em ; They are things indifferent, whether kept or broken; Mere venial slips, that grow not near the conscience: Nothing concerns those tender parts; they are trifles: For, as I think, there was never man yet hop'd for Either constancy or secrecy, from a woman, And hold it positively, as a principle, 16 Fling an old shoe.] i. e. In order to produce good luck. It is a saying not yet obsolete. R. 17 If not to have broken, yet to have bow'd your promise.] Butler probably had this place in his head when he wrote these lines: Which all men either break or bow.' Sympsom. 18 Can be a tial.] Mr. Theobald makes a query about tial in his margin: as it is a word I do not know any where to be found, I have, with Mr. Seward, taken the freedom to alter it. Sympson. Mr. Sympson changes tial to tie: We have retained the old word, and think it is intelli gible, though there be no other authority for it. |