The Modern British Drama: Comedies

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Walter Scott
William Miller, 1811 - English drama

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Page 1 - He rather prays you will be pleased to see One such, today, as other plays should be; Where neither chorus wafts you o'er the seas, Nor creaking throne comes down the boys to please, Nor nimble squib is seen to make afeard The gentlewomen, nor rolled bullet heard To say it thunders, nor tempestuous drum Rumbles to tell you when the storm doth come...
Page 76 - I'll go look A little, how it heightens. [Exit.] MAM. Do. — My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet,* soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew. My gloves of fishes and birds' skins, perfum'd With gums of paradise, and Eastern air SUR.
Page 418 - I hate a lover that can dare to think he draws a moment's air independent on the bounty of his mistress. There is not so impudent a thing in nature as the saucy look of an assured man, confident of success. The pedantic arrogance of a very husband has not so pragmatical an air.
Page 76 - Oil'd mushrooms; and the swelling unctuous paps Of a fat pregnant sow, newly cut off, Drest with an exquisite, and poignant sauce ; For which, I'll say unto my cook, There's gold, Go forth, and be a knight.
Page 401 - tis better as 'tis,; 'tis better to trade with a little loss, than to be quite eaten up with being overstocked.
Page 174 - We worldly men, when we see friends and kinsmen, Past hope sunk in their fortunes, lend no hand To lift them up, but rather set our feet Upon their heads, to press them to the bottom...
Page 75 - Nay, I mean, Restore his years, renew him, like an eagle, To the fifth age; make him get sons and daughters, Young giants; as our philosophers have done, The ancient patriarchs, afore the flood, But taking, once a week, on a knife's point, The quantity of a grain of mustard of it; Become stout Marses, and beget young Cupids.
Page 409 - To know this, and yet continue to be in love, is to be made wise from the dictates of reason, and yet persevere to play the fool by the force of instinct.
Page 401 - I'll tell thee, Fainall, she once used me with that insolence, that in revenge I took her to pieces ; sifted her, and separated her failings: I studied 'em, and got 'em by rote. The catalogue was so large, that I was not without hopes one day or other to hate her heartily : to which end I so...
Page 418 - Vanity! no— I'll fly, and be followed to the last moment. Though I am upon the very verge of matrimony, I expect you should solicit me as much as if I were wavering at the grate of a monastery, with one foot over the threshold. I'll be solicited to the very last, nay, and afterwards.

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