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Read Ebook: The Works of Aphra Behn Volume II by Behn Aphra Summers Montague Editor
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Ebook has 43 lines and 20799 words, and 1 pages
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
MEN.
WOMEN.
SONG.
Although Mrs. Behn confessedly does not attain the deep philosophy and exquisite melody of the great Spanish poet, she has produced a first-rate specimen of the romance drama, rococo perhaps, and with quaint ornaments, but none the less full of life, incident and interest.
FOOTNOTES:
THEATRICAL HISTORY.
TO PHILASTER.
THE YOUNG KING; or, The Mistake.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
DACIANS.
SCYTHIANS.
Kill the Dog--down with him!
And, Madam, I do most heartily recommend my most humble Address to your most judicious Consideration, hoping you will most vigorously, and with all your might, maintain the Rights and Privileges of the Honourable City; and not suffer the Force or Persuasion of any Arbitrary Lover whatsoever, to subvert their antient and Fundamental Laws, by seducing and forcibly bearing away so rich and so illustrious a Lady: and, Madam, we will unanimously stand by you with our Lives and Fortunes.--This I learnt from a Speech at the Election of a Burgess.
And here he kist, and there he play'd With this and then the t'other, Till every wanton smiling Maid At last became a Mother.
Madam, I hope you have not made a Resolution to deny me the Honour of your Hand.
--so--he's gone.--Bellissima Signiora,--you have most artificially remov'd him--and this extraordinary proof of your affection is a sign of some small kindness towards me; and though I was something coy and reserv'd before my Governour, Excellentissima Signiora, let me tell you, your Love is not cast away.
To have him in my House, to have him kind, Kind as young Lovers when they meet by stealth; As fond as Age to Beauty, and as soft As Love and Wit cou'd make impatient Youth, Preventing even my Wishes and Desires, --Oh Gods! and then, even then to be defeated, Then from my o'erjoy'd Arms to have him snatcht; Then when our Vows had made our Freedom lawful; What Maid cou'd suffer a Surprize so cruel? --The Day begins to break,--go search the Streets, And bring me news he's safe, or I am lost.
--You call me Boy--but you may find your self mistaken, Sir,--And know--I've that about me may convince ye. --take that fierce Youth, and bear him from my sight.
to injure me, one of my Birth and Quality?
How little do you guess what I'm to say! I'm not to ask how you like Farce or Play: For you must know I've other Business now; It is to tell you, Sparks, how we like you.
Imprimis Slingsby has the fatal Curse To have a Lady's honour with a Player's Purse. Though now she is so plaguy haughty grown | Yet, Gad, my Lady, I a Time have known | When a dull Whiggish Poet wou'd go down. | That Scene's now changed, but Prithee Dandy Beast Think not thyself an Actress in the least. For sure thy Figure ne'er was seen before, Such Arse-like Breasts, stiff neck, with all thy Store, Are certain Antidotes against a Whore.
Thou Thing made up of Buttons, Coach, and Show, The Beasts that draw thee have more sense than thou. Yet still thou mightst have fool'd behind the Scenes, Have Comb'd thy Wig and set thy Cravat Strings, Made love to Slingsby when she played the Queen, The Coxcomb in the Crowd had passed unseen.
FOOTNOTES:
THE YOUNG KING.
Now we set up for tilting in the pit, Where 'tis agreed by bullies chicken-hearted To fright the ladies first, and then be parted.
THE CITY HEIRESS.
Who ever asked the witnesses' high race Whose oath with martyrdom did Stephen grace?
Silken of course alludes to his black silk Doctor's gown.
You good men o' th' Exchange, on whom alone We must depend when Sparks to sea are gone; Into the pit already you are come, 'Tis but a step more to our tiring-room Where none of us but will be wondrous sweet Upon an able love of Lombard-Street.
For in the time that thieving was in ure The gentle fled to places more secure.
O Poland, Poland! had it been thy lot T'have heard in time of this Venetian plot, Thou surely chosen hadst one king from thence And honoured them, as thou hast England since.
Mercuries of furthest regions, Diurnals writ for regulation Of lying, to inform the nation.
That is no more than every lover Does from his hackney-lady suffer.
When men will needlessly their freedom barter For lawless power, sometimes they catch a Tartar;
Whole Troops of Crape Gowns with Curtains of Lawn In the Pale of the Church together are drawn.
How Pennsylvania's air agrees with Quakers, And Carolina's with Associators: Both e'en too good for madmen and for traitors.
Others are bolder, and never cry, shall I? For they make our guards quail And'twixt curtain and rail, Oft combing their hair, they walk in Fop-Alley.
THE FEIGN'D CURTEZANS.
Currer 'tis time thou wert to Ireland gone Thy utmost Rate is here but Half-a-Crown Ask Turner if thou art not fulsome grown.
xii, 621-5. Book xiii commences with a description of the contest of Ajax and Ulysses for the arms of the dead Achilles. They were awarded to the prince of Ithaca.
END OF VOL. II
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