Hath been too useless to myself and country; 'Tis time I should employ it, to deserve A name within their registry, that bring The wealth, the harvest, home of well-bought honour.1 Bell. Yet I can see Through all this revolution, Giovanni, "Tis something else has wrought this violent change. Gio. You may be angry, Madam, and chide it as a saucy pride Bell. I may therefore justly suspect there is Enlarge my knowledge with the secret. Gio. At this command I open my heart. Madam, I must confess there is another cause, Which I dare not in my obedience Obscure, since you will call it forth; and yet I know you will laugh at me— Bell. It would ill Become my breeding, Giovanni- Know, Madam, I am in love. Bell. In love with whom? Gio. With one I dare not name, she is so much Above my birth and fortunes. Bell. I commend Your flight. But does she know it? Gio. I durst never Appear with so much boldness to discover My heart's so great ambition; it is here still A strange and busy guest. Bell. And you think absence May cure this wound Gio. Or death Bell. I may presume You think she's fair Gio. I dare as soon question your beauty, Madam, The only ornament and star of Venice, VOL. IV.-32 1[Twenty-one lines omitted.] Pardon the bold comparison; yet there is Something in you, resembles my great Mistress. Such very beams disperseth her bright eye, But when she frowns, and changes from her sweet [Act iii., Sc. 2.1] THE DEVIL'S LAW CASE. A TRAGI-COMEDY. BY JOHN WEBSTER [See page 162] Clergy-comfort. I must talk to you, like a Divine, of patience.—2 Of their own slightest injuries, but stark mad Sepulture. [Act ii., Sc. 3.3] Two Bellmen, a Capuchin; ROMELIO, and others. 4 For two unfortunate Nobles, whose sad fate Leaves them both dead and excommunicate. But as their fury wrought them out of breath, Rom. Denied Christian burial! I pray, what does that? Or the dead lazy march in the funeral? [Works, 1833, vol. v. For other extracts from Shirley see note to page 393.] 2["Of patience" should be in brackets. It is the subject of the foregoing conversation.] "[Five lines omitted.] Or the flattery in the epitaph?-which shows Rom. Very well then I have a certain meditation, (If I can think of,) somewhat to this purpose ;- "You that dwell near these graves and vaults, And are to the Drapers a good hearing; "Tween heav'n and this, yield no more light To remove you to a place more airy, Of sacrilege have turn'd graves to vilder uses. Here rest these bones to the Last Day; When Time, swift both of foot and feather, May bear them the Sexton knows not whither?— Be in the desart, or in the deep; [Act ii., Sc. 3.] 1 Webster was parish clerk at St. Andrew's, Holborn. The anxious recurrence to church-matters; sacrilege; tomb-stones; with the frequent introduction of dirges in this, and his other tragedies, may be traced to his professional sympathies. Immature Death. Contarino's dead. O that he should die so soon! Why, I pray, tell me : Is not the shortest fever best? and are not Bad plays the worse for their length? -are like the visits of Franciscan friars, They never come to prey upon us single. Last Love strongest. as we love our youngest children best, So the last fruit of our affection, Wherever we bestow it, is most strong, Most violent, most irresistible; [Act iii., Sc. 3.] [Ibid.] [Ibid.] Since 'tis indeed our latest harvest home, [Ibid.] Leonora. Ha, my Son! Mother's Anger. I'll be a fury to him; like an Amazon lady, Distraction from Guilt. Leonora (sola). Ha, ha! What say you? I do talk to somewhat methinks; it may be, My Evil Genius.--Do not the bells ring? [Ibid.] I have a strange noise in my head. Oh, fly in [pieces]. That have no good to hope for.1 Let me sink, Where neither man nor memory may find me. (Falls to the ground.2) Confessor (entering). You are well employ'd, I hope; the best pillow in th' world For this your contemplation is the earth, And the best object, Heaven. To a dead friend Obstacles. Let those, that would oppose this union, [Act iii., Sc. 3.] Falling out. To draw the Picture of Unkindness truly [Act i., Sc. 2.] [Act i., Sc. 1.] THE BRIDE. A COMEDY [PUBLISHED 1640]. BY THOMAS NABBS Antiquities. HORTEN, a Collector. His friend. Friend. You are [likewise] learned in Antiquities ? I should affect them more, were not tradition One of the best assurances to show They are the things we think them. What more proofs, [Four lines and a half omitted.] 2[Four lines.] |