love and freindship-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


d　at　others　of　Vivacity　the　most　striking。　　She　appears　to　have　infinite　Wit　and　a　good　humour　unalterable；　her　conversation　during　the　half　hour　they　set　with　us；　was　replete　with　humourous　sallies；　Bonmots　and　repartees；　while　the　sensible；　the　amiable　Julia　uttered　sentiments　of　Morality　worthy　of　a　heart　like　her　own。　　Mr　Millar　appeared　to　answer　the　character　I　had　always　received　of　him。　　My　Father　met　him　with　that　look　of　Love；　that　social　Shake；　and　cordial　kiss　which　marked　his　gladness　at　beholding　an　old　and　valued　freind　from　whom　thro'　various　circumstances　he　had　been　separated　nearly　twenty　years。　　Mr　Millar　observed　（and　very　justly　too）　that　many　events　had　befallen　each　during　that　interval　of　time；　which　gave　occasion　to　the　lovely　Julia　for　making　most　sensible　reflections　on　the　many　changes　in　their　situation　which　so　long　a　period　had　occasioned；　on　the　advantages　of　some；　and　the　disadvantages　of　others。　　From　this　subject　she　made　a　short　digression　to　the　instability　of　human　pleasures　and　the　uncertainty　of　their　duration；　which　led　her　to　observe　that　all　earthly　Joys　must　be　imperfect。　She　was　proceeding　to　illustrate　this　doctrine　by　examples　from　the　Lives　of　great　Men　when　the　Carriage　came　to　the　Door　and　the　amiable　Moralist　with　her　Father　and　Sister　was　obliged　to　depart；　but　not　without　a　promise　of　spending　five　or　six　months　with　us　on　their　return。　　We　of　course　mentioned　you；　and　I　assure　you　that　ample　Justice　was　done　to　your　Merits　by　all。　　〃Louisa　Clarke　（said　I）　is　in　general　a　very　pleasant　Girl；　yet　sometimes　her　good　humour　is　clouded　by　Peevishness；　Envy　and　Spite。　　She　neither　wants　Understanding　or　is　without　some　pretensions　to　Beauty；　but　these　are　so　very　trifling；　that　the　value　she　sets　on　her　personal　charms；　and　the　adoration　she　expects　them　to　be　offered　are　at　once　a　striking　example　of　her　vanity；　her　pride；　and　her　folly。〃　So　said　I；　and　to　my　opinion　everyone　added　weight　by　the　concurrence　of　their　own。　Your　affectionate　Arabella　Smythe。



THE　FIRST　ACT　OF　A　COMEDY

CHARACTERS　Popgun　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Maria　Charles　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pistolletta　Postilion　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hostess　Chorus　of　ploughboys　　　　　Cook　　and　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　and　Strephon　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chloe

SCENEAN　INN

ENTER　Hostess；　Charles；　Maria；　and　Cook。

Hostess　to　Maria）　If　the　gentry　in　the　Lion　should　want　beds；　shew　them　number　9。

Maria）　Yes　Mistress。　EXIT　Maria

Hostess　to　Cook）　If　their　Honours　in　the　Moon　ask　for　the　bill　of　fare；　give　it　them。

Cook）　I　wull；　I　wull。　　EXIT　Cook。

Hostess　to　Charles）　If　their　Ladyships　in　the　Sun　ring　their　Bellanswerit。

Charles）　Yes　Madam。　　EXEUNT　Severally。


SCENE　CHANGES　TO　THE　MOON；　and　discovers　Popgun　and　Pistoletta。

Pistoletta）　Pray　papa　how　far　is　it　to　London？

Popgun）　My　Girl；　my　Darling；　my　favourite　of　all　my　Children；　who　art　the　picture　of　thy　poor　Mother　who　died　two　months　ago；　with　whom　I　am　going　to　Town　to　marry　to　Strephon；　and　to　whom　I　mean　to　bequeath　my　whole　Estate；　it　wants　seven　Miles。


SCENE　CHANGES　TO　THE　SUN

ENTER　Chloe　and　a　chorus　of　ploughboys。

Chloe）　Where　am　I？　　At　Hounslow。Where　go　I？　　To　London。　　What　to　do？　To　be　married。　　Unto　whom？　　Unto　Strephon。　　Who　is　he？　A　Youth。　Then　I　will　sing　a　song。

SONG　I　go　to　Town　And　when　I　come　down；　I　shall　be　married　to　Streephon*　＇*Note　the　two　e's＇　And　that　to　me　will　be　fun。

Chorus）　Be　fun；　be　fun；　be　fun；　And　that　to　me　will　be　fun。

ENTER　Cook　Cook）　Here　is　the　bill　of　fare。

Chloe　reads）　2　Ducks；　a　leg　of　beef；　a　stinking　partridge；　and　a　tart。I　will　have　the　leg　of　beef　and　the　partridge。　EXIT　Cook。　And　now　I　will　sing　another　song。

SONG　I　am　going　to　have　my　dinner；　After　which　I　shan't　be　thinner；　I　wish　I　had　here　Strephon　For　he　would　carve　the　partridge　if　it　should　be　a　tough　one。

Chorus）　Tough　one；　tough　one；　tough　one　For　he　would　carve　the　partridge　if　it　Should　be　a　tough　one。　EXIT　Chloe　and　Chorus。

SCENE　CHANGES　TO　THE　INSIDE　OF　THE　LION。

Enter　Strephon　and　Postilion。　Streph：）　You　drove　me　from　Staines　to　this　place；　from　whence　I　mean　to　go　to　Town　to　marry　Chloe。　　How　much　is　your　due？

Post：）　Eighteen　pence。　Streph：）　Alas；　my　freind；　I　have　but　a　bad　guinea　with　which　I　mean　to　support　myself　in　Town。　　But　I　will　pawn　to　you　an　undirected　Letter　that　I　received　from　Chloe。

Post：）　Sir；　I　accept　your　offer。

END　OF　THE　FIRST　ACT。



A　LETTER　from　a　YOUNG　LADY；　whose　feelings　being　too　strong　for　her　Judgement　led　her　into　the　commission　of　Errors　which　her　Heart　disapproved。

Many　have　been　the　cares　and　vicissitudes　of　my　past　life；　my　beloved　Ellinor；　and　the　only　consolation　I　feel　for　their　bitterness　is　that　on　a　close　examination　of　my　conduct；　I　am　convinced　that　I　have　strictly　deserved　them。　　I　murdered　my　father　at　a　very　early　period　of　my　Life；　I　have　since　murdered　my　Mother；　and　I　am　now　going　to　murder　my　Sister。　　I　have　changed　my　religion　so　often　that　at　present　I　have　not　an　idea　of　any　left。　I　have　been　a　perjured　witness　in　every　public　tryal　for　these　last　twelve　years；　and　I　have　forged　my　own　Will。　　In　short　there　is　scarcely　a　crime　that　I　have　not　committedBut　I　am　now　going　to　reform。　　Colonel　Martin　of　the　Horse　guards　has　paid　his　Addresses　to　me；　and　we　are　to　be　married　in　a　few　days。　As　there　is　something　singular　in　our　Courtship；　I　will　give　you　an　account　of　it。　　Colonel　Martin　is　the　second　son　of　the　late　Sir　John　Martin　who　died　immensely　rich；　but　bequeathing　only　one　hundred　thousand　pound　apeice　to　his　three　younger　Children；　left　the　bulk　of　his　fortune；　about　eight　Million　to　the　present　Sir　Thomas。　　Upon　his　small　pittance　the　Colonel　lived　tolerably　contented　for　nearly　four　months　when　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　determine　on　getting　the　whole　of　his　eldest　Brother's　Estate。　　A　new　will　was　forged　and　the　Colonel　produced　it　in　Courtbut　nobody　would　swear　to　it's　being　the　right　will　except　himself；　and　he　had　sworn　so　much　that　Nobody　beleived　him。　At　that　moment　I　happened　to　be　passing　by　the　door　of　the　Court；　and　was　beckoned　in　by　the　Judge　who　told　the　Colonel　that　I　was　a　Lady　ready　to　witness　anything　for　the　cause　of　Justice；　and　advised　him　to　apply　to　me。　　In　short　the　Affair　was　soon　adjusted。　　The　Colonel　and　I　swore　to　its'　being　the　right　will；　and　Sir　Thomas　has　been　obliged　to　resign　all　his　illgotten　wealth。　　The　Colonel　in　gratitude　waited　on　me　the　next　day　with　an　offer　of　his　hand　。　　I　am　now　going　to　murder　my　Sister。　Yours　Ever；　Anna　Parker。



A　TOUR　THROUGH　WALES　in　a　LETTER　from　a　YOUNG　LADY

My　Dear　Clara　I　have　been　so　long　on　the　ramble　that　I　have　not　till　now　had　it　in　my　power　to　thank　you　for　your　Letter。　We　left　our　dear　home　on　last　Monday　month；　and　proceeded　on　our　tour　through　Wales；　which　is　a　principality　contiguous　to　England　and　gives　the　title　to　the　Prince　of　Wales。　　We　travelled　on　horseback　by　preference。　My　Mother　rode　upon　our　little　poney　and　Fanny　and　I　walked　by　her　side　or　rather　ran；　for　my　Mother　is　so　fond　of　riding　fast　that　she　galloped　all　the　way。　　You　may　be　sure　that　we　were　in　a　fine　perspiration　when　we　came　to　our　place　of　resting。　Fanny　has　taken　a　great　many　Drawings　of　the　Country；　which　are　very　beautiful；　tho'　perhaps　not　such　exact　resemblances　as　might　be　wished；　from　their　being　taken　as　she　ran　along。　　It　would　astonish　you　to　see　all　the　Shoes　we　wore　out　in　our　Tour。　　We　determined　to　take　a　good　Stock　with　us　and　therefore　each　took　a　pair　of　our　own　besides　those　we　set　off　in。　　However　we　were　obliged　to　have　them　both　capped　and　heelpeiced　at　Carmarthen；　and　at　last　when　they　were　quite　gone；　Mama　was　so　kind　as　to　lend　us　a　pair　of　blue　Sattin　Slippers；　of　which　we　each　took　one　and　hopped　home　from　Hereford　delightfully…　I　am　your　ever　affectionate　Elizabeth　Johnson。




A　TALE。

A　Gentleman　whose　family　name　I　shall　conceal；　bought　a　small　Cottage　in　Pembrokeshire　about　two　years　ago。　　This　daring　Action　was　suggested　to　him　by　his　elder　Brother　who　promised　to　furnish　two　rooms　and　a　Closet　for　him；　provided　he　would　take　a　small　house　near　the　borders　of　an　extensive　Forest；　and　about　three　Miles　from　the　Sea。　　Wilhelminus　gladly　accepted　the　offer　and　continued　for　some　time　searching　after　such　a　retreat　when　he　was　one　morning　agreably　releived　from　his　suspence　by　reading　this　advertisement　in　a　Newspaper。

TO　BE　LETT　A　Neat　Cottage　on　the　borders　of　an　extensive　forest　and　about　three　Miles　from　the　Sea。　　It　is　ready　furnished　except　two　rooms　and　a　Closet。

The　delighted　Wilhelminus　posted　away　immediately　to　his　brother；　and　shewed　him　the　advertisement。　　Robertus　congratulated　him　and　sent　him　in　his　Carriage　to　take　possession　of　the　Cottage。　After　travelling　for　three　days　and　six　nights　without　stopping；　they　arrived　at　the　Forest　and　following　a　track　which　led　by　it's　side　down　a　steep　Hill　over　which　ten　Rivulets　meandered；　they　reached　the　Cottage　in　half　an　hour。　　Wilhelminus　alighted；　and　after　knocking　for　some　time　without　receiving　any　answer　or　hearing　any　one　stir　within；　he　opened　the　door　which　was　fastened　only　by　a　wooden　latch　and　entered　a　small　room；　which　he　immediately　perceived　to　be　one　of　the　two　that　were　unfurnishedF