Cynthia's Revels; Or, The Fountain of Self-LoveJonson, Ben
General
Cynthia's Revels; Or, The Fountain of Self-Love
Jonson, Ben
English drama (Comedy); English drama -- 17th century
ASO. They must do so, sister; how should it be the Better Regard,
else?
PHA. Methinks he did not this respectively enough.
PHI. Why, the monsieur but dallies with him.
HED. Dallies! 'Slight, see! he'll put him to't in earnest.--
Well done, Amorphus!
ANA. That puff was good indeed.
CRI. Ods me! this is desperate play: he hits himself o' the
shins.
HED. An he make this good through, he carries it, I warrant him.
CRI. Indeed he displays his feet rarely.
HED. See, see! he does the respective leer damnably well.
AMO. "The true idolater of your beauties shall never pass their
deities unadored: I rest your poor knight."
HED. See, now the oblique leer, or the Janus: he satisfies all
with that aspect most nobly. [A FLOURISH.]
Cri. And most terribly he comes off; like your rodomontado.
PHA. How like you this play, Anaides?
ANA. Good play; but 'tis too rough and boisterous.
AMO. I will second it with a stroke easier, wherein I will prove
his language. [A CHARGE.]
ANA. This is filthy, and grave, now.
HED. O, 'tis cool and wary play. We must not disgrace our own
camerade too much.
AMO. "Signora, ho tanto obligo per le favore resciuto da lei; che
veramente desidero con tutto il core, a remunerarla in parte: e
sicurative, signora mea cara, che io sera sempre pronto a servirla,
e honorarla. Bascio le mane de vo' signoria."
CRI. The Venetian dop this.
PHA. Most unexpectedly excellent! The French goes down certain.
ASO. As buckets are put down into a well;
Or as a school-boy--
CRI. Truss up your simile, jack-daw, and observe.
HED. Now the monsieur is moved.
ANA. Bo-peep!
HED. O, most antick.
CRI. The French quirk, this sir.
ANA. Heart, he will over-run her.
MER. "Madamoyselle, Je voudroy que pouvoy monstrer mon affection,
mais je suis tant malhereuse, ci froid, ci layd, ci--Je ne scay
qui de dire--excuse moi, Je suis tout vostre." [A FLOURISH.]
PHI. O brave and spirited! he's a right Jovialist.
PHA. No, no: Amorphus's gravity outweighs it.
CRI. And yet your lady, or your feather, would outweigh both.
ANA. What's the prize, lady, at this Better Regard?
MOR. A face favourably simpering, and a fan waving.
ANA. They have done doubtfully. Divide. Give the favourable face
to the signior, and the light wave to the monsieur.
AMO. You become the simper well, lady.
MER. And the wag better.
AMO. Now, to our "Solemn Address." Please the well-graced
Philautia to relieve the lady sentinel; she hath stood long.
PHI. With all my heart; come, guardian, resign your place.
[MORIA COMES FROM THE STATE.]
AMO. Monsieur, furnish yourself with what solemnity of ornament
you think fit for this third weapon; at which you are to shew all
the cunning of stroke your devotion can possibly devise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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