In rural sports I gain'd the prize, Nor charms the eye, nor shades the swain. I Since the sun rose, I have been in continual exercise; I feel exhausted, and will try to rest a quarter of an hour on this bank. [Lies down on a Bank by the Fountain. Gleaners pass the Stage, with sheaves of Corn on their Heads; last ROSINA, who comes forward singing. Light as thistle-down moving, which floats on heart. Bel. To what motive do I owe this tender attention? Ros. Ah, sir! do not the whole village love you? Bel. You tremble; why are you alarm'd? DUETT. BELVILLE and ROSINA. Bel. [Taking her Hand] For you, my sweet maid, pay, be not afraid, [los. withdraws her Hand. feel an affection which yet wants a name. Ros. When first-but in vain-1 seek to explain, What heart but must love you? I blush, fear, and shame Bel. Why thus timid, Rosina? still safe by my side, Let me be your guardian, protector, and guide, Be you my protector, my guardian, ny guide. Ros. My timid heart pants, etc. Bel. Unveil your mind to me, Rosina. The graces of your form, the native dignity of What do I see? Mr. Belville asleep? I'll your mind which breaks through the lovely steal softly at this moment I may gaze on simplicity of your deportment, a thousand him without blushing. [Lays down the Corn, circumstances concur to convince me you and walks softly up to him] The sun points were not born a villager. full on this spot; let me fasten these branches Ros. To you, sir, I can have no reserve. together with this riband, and shade him from A pride, I hope an honest one, made me wish to sigh in secret over my misfortunes. Bel. [Eagerly] They are at an end. Ros. Dorcas approaches, sir! she can best relate my melancholy story. its beams-yes-that will do-But if he should [She flies, and endeavours to hide her- Enter DORCAS. Dor. His honour here? Good lack! How sorry I am I happen'd to be from home. Troth, I'm sadly tir'd. [Half raising himself. Bel. Will you let me speak with you a Ros. He is angry-How unhappy I am!-moment alone, Dorcas? How I tremble! [Aside. Dor. Rosina, take this basket, Bel. This riband I have seen before, and on the lovely Rosina's bosom [Exit Rosina, with the Basket. Bel. Rosina has referr'd me to you, Dor[He rises, and goes toward the Collage. cas, for an account of her birth, which I have Ros. I will hide myself in the house. [Ro-long suspected to be above her present situasina, opening the Door, sees Capt. Beloille, tion. and starts back] Heavens! a man in the house! Dor. To be sure, your honour, since the Capt. B. Now, love assist me! dear child gives me leave to speak, she's of as [Comes out and seizes Rosina; she breaks good a family as any in England. Her mofrom him, and runs affrighted across ther, sweet lady, was my bountiful old master's the Stage; Belville follows; Captain daughter, squire Welford, of Lincolnshire. His Belville, who comes out to pursue her, estate was seiz'd for a mortgage of not half sees his Brother, and steals off at the its value, just after young madam was marother Scene; Belville leads Rosina back. ried, and she ne'er got a penny of her porBel. Why do you fly thus, Rosina? What tion. can you fear? You are out of breath. Bel. And her father? Ros. O, sir!-my strength fails-[Leans Dor. Was a brave gentleman too, a coloon Belville, who supports her in his Arms] nel. His honour went to the Eastern Indies, Where is he?-A gentleman pursued me- to better his fortune, and madam would go [Looking round. with him. The ship was lost, and they, with Bel. Don't be alarm'd, 'twas my brother-all the little means they had, went to the he could not mean to offend you. bottom. Young madam Rosina was their onRos. Your brother! Why then does he ly child; they left her at school; but when not imitate your virtues? Why was he here? this sad news came, the mistress did not care Bel. Forget this: 'you are safe. But tell me, for keeping her, so the dear child has shar'd Rosina, for the question is to me of import- my poor morsel. ance, have 1 not seen you wear this riband? Bel. But her father's name? Ros. Forgive me, sir; I did not mean to disturb you. I only meant to shade you from the too great heat of the sun. Dor. Martin; colonel Martin. Bel. I am too happy; he was the friend of my father's heart: a thousand times have I heard him lament his fate. Rosina's virtues offended almost past forgiveness. Will the shall not go unrewarded. offer of my hand repair the injury? Dor. Yes, I know'd it would be so. Heaven never forsakes the good man's children. Bel. I have another question to ask you, Dorcas, and answer my sincerely, is her heart free? Dor. To be sure, she never would let any of our young men come a near her; and yetBel. Speak: I am on the rack. Dor. I'm afeard-she mopes and she afeard the captain Bel. If Rosina accepts it, I am satisfied. Ros. [To Belville] Will you, sir, suffer? This hope is a second insult. Whoever offends the object of his love is unworthy of obtaining her. Bel. This noble refusal paints your character. I know another, Rosina, who loves you with as strong, though purer ardour:—but if pines allowed to hope I'm Ros. Do not, sir, envy me the calm delight of passing my independent days with Bel. Then my foreboding heart was right. Dorcas; in whom I have found a mother's [Aside. tenderness.. Enter the Two Irishmen. 1 Irish. [To Dorcas] Dry your tears, my jewel; we have done for them. Dor. Have you sav'd her? I owe you more than life. Dor. Bless thee, my child; thy kindness melts my heart. Bel. Do you refuse me too then, Rosina? [Rosina raises her Eyes tenderly on Belville, lowers them again, and leans on Dorcas. Dor. You, sir? You? Ros. My confusion-my blushes- Pho. I am asham'd-William and I, your honour-William pray'd me to let him keep me company- -so he gain'd my good will to have him; if so be my grandmother consents. [Courtesying, and playing with her Apron. Will. If your honour would be so good to speak to Dorcas. Bel. Dorcas, you must not refuse me any thing to-day. I'll give William a farm. Dor Your honour is too kind-take her, William, and make her a good husband. Will. That I will, dame. Will. Pha. [To Belville] Thank your honour. Belville joins their Hands, they bow and courtesey. 1 Irish. Faith, good woman, you owe me Re-enter RUSTIC, leading ROSINA, who throws Will. What must I do with the purse, your honour? Dorcas would not take it. Bel. I believe my brother has the best right. Capt. B. Tis yours, William; dispose of it Will. Then I'll give it to our honest Irishmen, who fought so bravely for our Rosina. Bel. You have made good use of it, William; nor shall my gratitude stop here. Capt. B. Allow me to retire, brother. When I am worthy of your esteem, I will return, and demand my rights in your affection. Bel. You must not leave us, brother. Resume the race of honour; be indeed a soldier, and be more than my brother-be my Rust. Your honour need not go far a field, I believe; it must have been some friend of friend. the captain's, for his French valet commanded the party. Capt. B. I confess my crime; my passion for Rosina hurried me out of myself. Be. FINALE. To bless, and to be blest, be ours, Whate'er our rank, whate'er car powers; Bel. You have dishonour'd me, dishonour'd the glorious profession you have embrac'dBut be gone, I renounce you as my brother, Capt. B. On some her gifts kind fartuse and renounce my ill-plac'd friendship. 1) Rescue. 2) Oak-sticks.-The Irish are famous for the use of the stick; it is generally a piece of oak, and the regular size is as big round as their wrist, and the exact length their arm. showers, Who reap, like us, in this rich scene. Capt. B. Yet those who taste her bounty less Comic Opera, by Isaak Bickerstaff. Acted 1769, at Covent Garden. This performance, though compiled from Charles Johnson's Village Opera, Wycherley's Gentleman Dancing-Master, Marivaux's Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard, and other musical pieces, yet met with so much favour from the town, that it was acted the first season almost as many times as The Beggar's Opera had formerly been, and nearly with as much success. It certainly has the merit of being inoffensive in its tendency, probable in its incidents, spirited in its action, agreeable for its ease and regularity, and natural in the delineation of character, SCENE L-A Garden, with Statues, Foun tains, and Flower-pots. Several Arbours appear in the side Scenes; ROSETTA and LUCINDA are discovered at work, seated upon two Garden-chairs. DUETT. Ros. HOPE! thou nurse of young desire, Painted vapour, glowworm fire, Deal out pleasures unpossest; Luc. Heigho!-Rosetta! For shame, you a lover! Take courage, nor here longer mope; Run riot, like me, And, to perfect the picture, elope. Luc. Here's my hand; positively I'll follow it-I have already sent to my gentleman, who is now in the country, to let him know he may come hither this day; we will make use of the opportunity to settle all preliminaries— And then-But take notice, whenever we decamp, you march off along with us. Ros. Oh! madam, your servant; I have no inclination to be left behind, I assure youBut you say you got acquainted with this spark, while you were with your mother during her last illness at Bath, so that your father has never seen him. Luc. Never in his life, my dear; and, I am Ros. Well, child, what do you say? confident, he entertains not the least suspicion Luc. Tis a sad thing to live in a village a of my having any such connexion: my aunt, hundred miles from the capital, with a pre- indeed, has her doubts and surmises; but, beposterous gouty father, and a superannuated sides that my father will not allow any one maiden aunt.-I am heartily sick of my situation. to be wiser than himself, it is an established Ros. And with reason-But 'tis in a great maxim between these affectionate relations, measure your own fault: here is this Mr. never to agree in any thing. Eustace, a man of character and family; he Ros. Except being absurd; you must allow likes you, you like him: you know one ano- they sympathize perfectly in that - But, now ther's minds, and yet you will not resolve to we are on the subject, I desire to know what make yourself happy with him. I am to do with this wicked old justice of peace, this father of yours? He follows me about the house like a tame goat. AIR. Whence can you inherit Confin'd thus, and chain'd to a log! Tis leading the life of a dog. Luc. Nay, I'll assure you he hath been a wag in his time - you must have a care of yourself. Ros. Wretched me! to fall into such hands, who have been just forced to run away from my parents to avoid an odious marriage Ros. Indeed, Lucinda, you are very silly. You smile at that now; and I know you think, AIR. My heart's my own, my will is free, And is there then no saving clause, Ros. Blush! I am sure I don't blush. Ros. Pshaw! Lucinda, how can you be so ridiculous? Luc. Well, don't be angry, and I have doneBut suppose you did like him, how could you help yourself? [Exeunt into an Arbour. Enter young MEADOWS. Young M. Let me see-on the fifteenth of June, at half an hour past five in the morning, Luc. Well, but my dear, mad girl— [Taking out a Pocket-book] I left my father's Ros. Lucinda, don't talk to mee-Was your house unknown to any one, having made free father to go to London; meet there by acci- with a coat and jacket of our gardener's that dent with an old fellow as wrong-headed as fitted me, by way of a disguise; so says my himself; and, in a fit of absurd friendship, pocket-book: and chance directing me to this agree to marry you to that old fellow's son, village, on the twentieth of the same month whom you had never seen, without consulting I procured a recommendation to the worshipyour inclinations, or allowing you a negative, ful justice Woodcock, to be the superintendant in case he should not prove agreeable - of his pumpkins and cabbages, because I would Luc. Why I should think it a little hard, let my father see, I chose to run any lengths, I confess yet, when I see you in the charac- rather than submit to what his obstinacy would ter of a chambermaidhave forced me, a marriage against my inRos. Is is the only character, my dear, in clination, with a woman I never saw. [Puls which I could hope to lie concealed; and, I up the Book, and takes up a Wateringcan tell you, I was reduced to the last ex-pot] Here I have been three weeks, and in tremity, when, in consequence of our old that time I am as much altered as if I had boarding-school friendship, I applied to you to changed my nature with my babit.-'Sdeath, receive me in this capacity; for we expected to fall in love with a chambermaid: And yet, the parties the very next week. if I could forget that I am the son and heir of Sir William Meadows. But that's impossible. Luc. But had not you a message from your intended spouse, to let you know he was as little inclined to such ill-concerted nuptials as you were? Ros. More than so; he wrote to advise me, by all means, to contrive some method of breaking them off; for he had rather return to his dear studies at Oxford: and, after that, what hopes could I have of being happy with him? Luc. Then you are not at all uneasy at the strange rout you must have occasioned at home? I warrant, during this month you have been absent A I R. O! had I been by fate decreed Some humble cottage swain; My sheep upon the plain; Ye envious powers! why have ye plac'd My fair one's lot so low? Ha! who was it I had a glimpse of as I pass'd by that arbour? Was it not she sat reading there? the trembling of my heart tells me my eyes were not mistaken-Here she comes. [Retires. Rosetta comes down from the Arbour. Ros. Oh! don't mention it, my dear; I have had so many admirers, since I commenced Abigail ), that I am quite charmed with my situation-But hold, who stalks yonder in the Ros. Lucinda was certainly in the right of yard, that the dogs are so glad to see? it; and yet I blush to own my weakness even Luc. Daddy Hawthorn, as I live! He is to myself -- Marry, hang the fellow for not come to pay my father a visit; and never being a gentleman. more luckily, for he always forces him abroad. Young M. I am determined I won't speak By the way, what will you do with yourself to her. [Turning to a Rose-tree, and plucking while I step into the house to see after my the Flowers] Now or never is the time to trusty messenger, Hodge? conquer myself: besides, I have some reason Ros. No matter; I'll sit down in that arbour, to believe the girl has no aversion to me and and listen to the singing of the birds: you as I wish not to do her an injury, it wou know I am fond of melancholy amusements. be cruel to fill her head with notions of wh Luc. So it seems, indeed: sure, Rosetta, can never happen. [Hums a Tune P none of your admirers had power to touch rot these roses, how they prick one's fin your heart; you are not in love, I hope? Ros. He takes no notice of me; le Ros. In love! that's pleasant: who do you much the better; I'll be as indifferent suppose I should be in love with, pray? is. I am sure the poor lad likes me; Luc. Why, let me see-What do you think I was to give him any enco of Thomas, our gardener? There he is at the pose the next thi other end of the walk-He's a pretty young buying a rir man, and the servants say, he's always writing Oh, dear ▾ verses on you. 1) Servant-maid. Young look! |