Rom. Most happy man!-I now forgive the injuries Thy former life exposed thee to. Liv. Turn capuchin! He! whilst I stand a cypher, and fill up In an unthrifty lewdness, that must buy [Aside. Rom. Sister, you cannot taste this course but bravely, But thankfully. Flav. He's now dead to the world, And lives to Heaven; a saint's reward reward him! My only loved lord, all your fears are henceforth Confined unto a sweet and happy penance. [Aside. Re-enter TROYLO, with CASTAMELA, CLARELLA, FLORIA, SILVIA, and MOROSA. Oct. Behold, I keep my word; these are the jewels Deserve a treasury; I can be prodigal Amongst my friends: examine well their lustre, Does it not sparkle! wherefore dwells your silence In such amazement? Liv. Patience, keep within me, Leap not yet rudely into scorn of anger! [Aside. Flav. Beauties incomparable! Oct. Romanello, I have been only steward to your pleasures; You loved this lady once; what say you now to her? Cast. I must not court you, sir. Rom. By no means, fair one; Enjoy your life of greatness. Sure the spring I dare not venture for a blank, excuse me.- Liv. Hark ye, Troylo. Troy. Spare me. Oct. You then renounce all right in Castamela? Say, Romanello. Rom. Gladly. Troy. Then I must not: Thus I embrace mine own, my wife; confirm it Thus-When I fail, my dearest, to deserve thee, Comforts and life shall fail me!7 Cast. Like vow I, For my part. Troy. Livio, now my brother, justly I have given satisfaction. confirm it Thus-When I fail, &c.] The old copy places the point after it. I have not disturbed the arrangement without some hesitation; but it seems as if Troylo meant to confirm the act of taking possession of his mistress, by imprecating a curse on himself if he proved unworthy of her love. A better brother, he a better friend Rom. Am I cozen'd? Oct. You are not, Romanello: we examined On what conditions your affections fix'd, And found them merely courtship; but my nephew Loved with a faith resolv'd, and used his policy To draw the lady into this society, More freely to discover his sincerity; Even without Livio's knowledge; thus succeeded And prosper'd:-he's my heir, and she deserv'd him. Jul. Storm not at what is past. Flav. A fate as happy May crown you with a full content. Oct. Whatever [To Rom. Report hath talk'd of me abroad, and these, Know they are all my nieces, are the daughters To my dead only sister; this their guardianess Since they first saw the world: indeed, my mis tresses They are, I have none other; how brought up, Portions they shall not want, both fit and worthy; 8 Liv. Most noble lord, I am struck silent. thus succeeded, &c.] Meaning, perhaps, thus he (Troylo) succeeded: if this be not admitted, it will be expedient to read, this succeeded, for thus. Flav. Brother, Here's noble choice. Rom. Frenzy, how didst thou seize me? Clar. We knew you, sir, in Pragnioli's pos ture. Flo. Were merry at the sight. Sil. And gave you welcome. Mor. Indeed, forsooth, and so we did, an't like. you. Oct. Enough, enough.-Now, to shut up the night, Some menial servants of mine own are ready Gentry, Fool, Scholar, Merchant-man, and Clown; [Music. Enter SPADONE, SECCO, NITIDO, and other Maskers, dressed, respectively, as the six characters mentioned above. A DANCE. Your duties are perform'd. Henceforth, Spadone, Much cannot be said in favour of the plot of this drama, as Ford has conducted it. He has imperfectly executed his own design, for the story is capable of furnishing, in judicious hands, a series of events neither uninstructive nor unamusing; but, with his usual ill-fortune, he entangled himself at the outset with a worthless rabble of comic characters, and after debasing his plot to the utmost, is compelled by their outrages on decorum, to terminate it prematurely. The Fancies are wholly insignificant, and the "great marquess" must have imbibed strange notions of female elegance and delicacy, when he confided the education of his nieces to the vulgar and profligate set who conduct his boasted Academy. All, however, is not in this reprobate strain. The leading characters are well conceived, and judiciously sustained. Castamela, in particular, is beautifully depicted. Though indigent, and affectionately attached to her brother, she indignantly resents the compromise which she supposes him to have made with fortune at her expense; and when he appears willing to abandon his hopes, and, apprehensive of her danger, to return with her to their pristine poverty, she rejects the thought with scorn, and, secure in her high sense of female decorum, and of virtue, resolves to brave the severe trial to which his impatience of want had exposed her. Livio is only inferior to his sister; and his struggles to extricate himself with honour from the toils which appear to lie in his way, are described in that strong, free, and vivid language which marks the more serious parts of this singular play. The second or under-plot of Julio and Flavia, like most of our author's intermedes, contributes nothing to the advancement of the main-story; it is not, however, without merit. Flavia is skilfully drawn, and has many touches of sensibility, for which we are not prepared by her first appearance; and her brother Romanello, perplexed, like Livio, in the extreme, but less fortunate, is entitled, both for language and sentiment, to considerable praise. |