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the double-dealer-第2章

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And thus; when Charles returned; our empire stood。

Like Janus he the stubborn soil manured;

With rules of husbandry the rankness cured;

Tamed us to manners; when the stage was rude;

And boist'rous English wit with art indued。

Our age was cultivated thus at length;

But what we gained in skill we lost in strength。

Our builders were with want of genius curst;

The second temple was not like the first:

Till you; the best Vitruvius; come at length;

Our beauties equal; but excel our strength。

Firm Doric pillars found your solid base;

The fair Corinthian crowns the higher space;

Thus all below is strength; and all above is grace。

In easy dialogue is Fletcher's praise:

He moved the mind; but had no power to raise。

Great Johnson did by strength of judgment please

Yet doubling Fletcher's force; he wants ease。

In diff'ring talents both adorned their age;

One for the study; t'other for the stage。

But both to Congreve justly shall submit;

One matched in judgment; both o'er…matched in wit。

In him all beauties of this age we see;

Etherege his courtship; Southern's purity;

The satire; wit; and strength of manly Wycherly。

All this in blooming youth you have achieved;

Nor are your foiled contemporaries grieved;

So much the sweetness of your manners move;

We cannot envy you; because we love。

Fabius might joy in Scipio; when he saw

A beardless consul made against the law;

And join his suffrage to the votes of Rome;

Though he with Hannibal was overcome。

Thus old Romano bowed to Raphael's fame;

And scholar to the youth he taught became。



O that your brows my laurel had sustained;

Well had I been deposed if you had reigned!

The father had descended for the son;

For only you are lineal to the throne。

Thus when the state one Edward did depose;

A greater Edward in his room arose。

But now; not I; but poetry is cursed;

For Tom the Second reigns like Tom the First。

But let 'em not mistake my patron's part;

Nor call his charity their own desert。

Yet this I prophesy:  Thou shalt be seen

(Though with some short parenthesis between)

High on the throne of wit; and seated there;

Not mine (that's little) but thy laurel wear。

Thy first attempt an early promise made;

That early promise this has more than paid。

So bold; yet so judiciously you dare;

That your least praise is to be regular。

Time; place; and action may with pains be wrought;

But genius must be born; and never can be taught。

This is your portion; this your native store;

Heav'n; that but once was prodigal before;

To Shakespeare gave as much; she could not give him more。



Maintain your post:  that's all the fame you need;

For 'tis impossible you should proceed。

Already I am worn with cares and age;

And just abandoning th' ungrateful stage:

Unprofitably kept at heav'n's expense;

I live a rent…charge on his providence。

But you; whom every muse and grace adorn;

Whom I foresee to better fortune born;

Be kind to my remains; and oh; defend;

Against your judgment; your departed friend!

Let not th' insulting foe my fame pursue;

But shade those laurels which descend to you:

And take for tribute what these lines express:

You merit more; nor could my love do less。



JOHN DRYDEN。







PROLOGUESpoken by Mrs。 Bracegirdle。







Moors have this way (as story tells) to know

Whether their brats are truly got or no;

Into the sea the new…born babe is thrown;

There; as instinct directs; to swim or drown。

A barbarous device; to try if spouse

Has kept religiously her nuptial vows。



Such are the trials poets make of plays;

Only they trust to more inconstant seas;

So does our author; this his child commit

To the tempestuous mercy of the pit;

To know if it be truly born of wit。



Critics avaunt; for you are fish of prey;

And feed; like sharks; upon an infant play。

Be ev'ry monster of the deep away;

Let's have a fair trial and a clear sea。



Let nature work; and do not damn too soon;

For life will struggle long e'er it sink down:

And will at least rise thrice before it drown。

Let us consider; had it been our fate;

Thus hardly to be proved legitimate:

I will not say; we'd all in danger been;

Were each to suffer for his mother's sin:

But by my troth I cannot avoid thinking;

How nearly some good men might have 'scaped sinking。

But; heav'n be praised; this custom is confined

Alone to th' offspring of the muses kind:

Our Christian cuckolds are more bent to pity;

I know not one Moor…husband in the city。

I' th' good man's arms the chopping bastard thrives;

For he thinks all his own that is his wives'。



Whatever fate is for this play designed;

The poet's sure he shall some comfort find:

For if his muse has played him false; the worst

That can befall him; is; to be divorced:

You husbands judge; if that be to be cursed。







DRAMATIS PERSONAE。







MEN。





MASKWELL; a villain; pretended friend to Mellefont; gallant to Lady

Touchwood; and in love with Cynthia;Mr。 Betterton



LORD TOUCHWOOD; uncle to Mellefont;Mr。 Kynaston



MELLEFONT; promised to; and in love with Cynthia;Mr。 Williams



CARELESS; his friend;Mr。 Verbruggen



LORD FROTH; a solemn coxcomb;Mr。 Bowman



BRISK; a pert coxcomb;Mr。 Powell



SIR PAUL PLYANT; an uxorious; foolish old knight; brother to Lady

Touchwood; and father to Cynthia;Mr。 Dogget





WOMEN。





LADY TOUCHWOOD; in love with Mellefont;Mrs。 Barry



CYNTHIA; daughter to Sir Paul by a former wife; promised to

Mellefont;Mrs。 Bracegirdle



LADY FROTH; a great coquette; pretender to poetry; wit; and

learning;Mrs。 Mountfort



LADY PLYANT; insolent to her husband; and easy to any pretender;

Mrs。 Leigh



CHAPLAIN; BOY; FOOTMEN; AND ATTENDANTS。



THE SCENE:  A gallery in the Lord Touchwood's house; with chambers

adjoining。







THE DOUBLE…DEALERACT I。SCENE I。







A gallery in the Lord Touchwood's home; with chambers adjoining。



Enter CARELESS; crossing the stage; with his hat; gloves; and sword

in his hands; as just risen from table:  MELLEFONT following him。



MEL。  Ned; Ned; whither so fast?  What; turned flincher!  Why; you

wo' not leave us?



CARE。  Where are the women?  I'm weary of guzzling; and begin to

think them the better company。



MEL。  Then thy reason staggers; and thou'rt almost drunk。



CARE。  No; faith; but your fools grow noisy; and if a man must

endure the noise of words without sense; I think the women have more

musical voices; and become nonsense better。



MEL。  Why; they are at the end of the gallery; retired to their tea

and scandal; according to their ancient custom; after dinner。  But I

made a pretence to follow you; because I had something to say to you

in private; and I am not like to have many opportunities this

evening。



CARE。  And here's this coxcomb most critically come to interrupt

you。





SCENE II。





'To them' BRISK。



BRISK。  Boys; boys; lads; where are you?  What; do you give ground?

Mortgage for a bottle; ha?  Careless; this is your trick; you're

always spoiling company by leaving it。



CARE。  And thou art always spoiling company by coming in o't。



BRISK。  Pooh; ha; ha; ha; I know you envy me。  Spite; proud spite;

by the gods! and burning envy。  I'll be judged by Mellefont here;

who gives and takes raillery better than you or I。  Pshaw; man; when

I say you spoil company by leaving it; I mean you leave nobody for

the company to laugh at。  I think there I was with you。  Ha;

Mellefont?



MEL。  O' my word; Brisk; that was a home thrust; you have silenced

him。



BRISK。  Oh; my dear Mellefont; let me perish if thou art not the

soul of conversation; the very essence of wit and spirit of wine。

The deuce take me if there were three good things said; or one

understood; since thy amputation from the body of our society。  He;

I think that's pretty and metaphorical enough; i'gad I could not

have said it out of thy company。  Careless; ha?



CARE。  Hum; ay; what is't?



BRISK。  O MON COEUR!  What is't!  Nay; gad; I'll punish you for want

of apprehension。  The deuce take me if I tell you。



MEL。  No; no; hang him; he has no taste。  But; dear Brisk; excuse

me; I have a little business。



CARE。  Prithee get thee gone; thou seest we are serious。



MEL。  We'll come immediately; if you'll but go in and keep up good

humour and sense in the company。  Prithee do; they'll fall asleep

else。



BRISK。  I'gad; so they will。  Well; I will; I will; gad; you shall

command me from the Zenith to the Nadir。  But the deuce take me if I

say a good thing till you come。  But prithee; dear rogue; make

haste; prithee make haste; I shall burst else。  And yonder your

uncle; my Lord Touchwood; swears he'll disinherit you; and Sir Paul

Plyant threatens to disclaim you for a son…in…law; and my Lord Froth

won't dance at your wedding to…morrow; nor; the deuce ta
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