Plays, written by Sir John Vanbrugh, volume the firstVanbrugh, John
General
Plays, written by Sir John Vanbrugh, volume the first
Vanbrugh, John
Comedy plays; English drama -- 18th century; English drama -- Restoration, 1660-1700
_Lop._ Nay, if I must lose my Money; then let me claim another Right:
Losers have leave to speak. Therefore, advance, my Tongue, and say thy
Pleausure; tell this Master of mine, he shou'd die with shame at the
Life he leads: So much unworthy of a Man of Honour: Tell him----
Don _John._ I'll hear no more.
_Lop._ You shall indeed, Sir.
Don _John._ Here, take thy Money, and begone.
_Lop._ Counters all; adieu, you glistring Spangles of the World;
farewel, ye Tempters of the Great, not me. Tell him----
Don _John._ Stay.
_Lop._ Go on; tell him he's worse among the Women than a Ferret among
the Rabbits; at one and all, from the Princess to the Tripe-Woman;
handsome, ugly, old Women and Children, all go down.
Don _John._ Very well.
_Lop._ It is, indeed, Sir, and so are the Stories you tell them to
bring them to your Matters. The Handsome, she's all Divinity, to be
sure; the Ugly, she's so agreeable, were it not for her Virtue, she'd
be over-run with Lovers; the light, airy, Flipflap, she kills him with
her Motions; the dull, heavy-tail'd Maukin melts him down with her
Modesty; the scragged, lean, pale Face has a Shape for Destruction;
the fat over-grown Sow has an Air of Importance; the tall aukward
Trapes with her Majesty wounds; the little, short Trundle-tail shoots a
_Je-ne-sçay-quoy_: In a Word, they have all something for him----and he
has something for them all.
Don _John._ And thus, you Fool, by a general Attack, I keep my Heart my
own; lie with them that like me, and care not Sixpence for them that
don't.
_Lop._ Well said, well said; a very pretty Amusement, truly! But, pray,
Sir, by your leave (Ceremony aside) since you are pleas'd to clear up
into Conversation, what mighty Matters do you expect from boarding a
Woman, you know, is already Heart and Soul engag'd to another?
Don _John._ Why, I expect her Heart and Soul shou'd disengage in a
Week. If you live a little longer with me, Sirrah, you'll know how to
instruct your next Master to the purpose; and therefore, that I may
charitably equip you for a new Service, now I'm turning you out of my
own, I'll let you know, that when a Woman loves a Man best, she's in
the most hopeful way of betraying him; for Love, like Fortune, turns
upon a Wheel, and is very much given to rising and falling.
_Lop._ Like enough: But as much upon the Weathercock as the Ladies are;
there are some the Wind must blow hard to fetch them about: When such a
sturdy Hussy falls in your Honour's way, what account may Things turn
to then, an't please ye?
Don _John._ They turn to a Bottle, you Puppy.
_Lop._ I find they'll always turn to something; but when you pursue a
poor Woman, only to make her Lover jealous, what Pleasure can you take
in that?
Don _John._ That Pleasure.
_Lop._ Look you there, again.
Don _John._ Why, Sirrah, d'ye think there's no Pleasure in spoiling
their Sport, when I can't make my own?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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