Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, CompleteVarious
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, Complete
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
Mr. Selby, as Rupert from Warsaw, then appears, in a dress most
correctly copied from the costume of the knave of clubs. Being a Pole,
he stirs up the Cardinal vigorously enough to provoke some exceedingly
intemperate language, chiefly by bringing to his memory a case of child-
stealing, to which Martinuzzi was, before he had quite sown his wild
oats, particeps criminis. This case having got into the papers (which
Rupert had preserved), the Cardinal wants to obtain them, but offers a
price not long enough for the Pole, who, declaring that Martinuzzi
carries it too high to be trusted with them, vanishes. Mr. Morley
afterwards comes forward to sing a song according to Act of Parliament,
and the scene changes for Miss Collect to comply, a second time, with
the 25th of George II.
In the following scene, the Queen Dowager of Hungary, Isabella,
introduces herself to the audience, to inform them that the Austrian
gentleman, Castaldo, is
the mild,
Pity-fraught object of her fondness.
He appears. She makes several inflammatory speeches, which he seems
determined not to understand, for he is in love with the virgin queen;
and maidens before dowagers is evidently his sensible motto.
The second act opens with the queen junior stating her assurance, that
if she lives much longer she will die, and that when she is quite dead,
she will hate Martinuzzi33. Czerina. When I am deadwhich will be
soonI feel, If I much longer on my throne remain, I shall abhor the
name of Martinuzzi.. As, however, she means to hate when she is
deceased, she will make the most of her time while alive, by devoting
herself to courtship and Castaldo: for a very tender love-scene ensues,
at the end of which the lady elopes, to leave the lover a clear stage
for some half-dozen minutes ecstatics, appropriately ended by his
arrest, ordered by Martinuzzi. Why, it is not stated, the officer not
even producing the copy of a writ.
In the next scene, Isabella is visited by Rupert, who disinterestedly
presents the dowager with the papers for nothing, which he was before
offered an odd castle and snug estate for, by Martinuzzi. This is
accounted for on no other supposition, than the proverbial gallantry of
gentlemen from Warsaw.
Martinuzzi, possessing a ward whom he is anxious should wed the queen,
opens the third act by declaring he will precipitate the match, and so
the author considerately sends Czerina to him, to talk the matter over.
But the young lady gets into a passion, and the Cardinal declares he can
make nothing of her, in the following passage:
Fool! I can make thee nothing but a laugh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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