The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 05Dryden, John
History
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 05
Dryden, John
English literature
_Col._ He did; I think they call her Isabinda, who received baptism
for his sake, before he hence departed.
_Har._ 'Tis much against the will of all her friends, she loves your
countryman, but they are not disposers of her person; she's beauteous,
rich, and young, and Towerson well deserves her.
_Beam._ I think, without flattery to my friend, he does. Were I to
chuse, of all mankind, a man, on whom I would rely for faith and
counsel, or more, whose personal aid I would invite, in any worthy
cause, to second me, it should be only Gabriel Towerson; daring he is,
and thereto fortunate; yet soft, and apt to pity the distressed, and
liberal to relieve them: I have seen him not alone to pardon foes, but
by his bounty win them to his love: If he has any fault, 'tis only
that to which great minds can only subject be--he thinks all honest,
'cause himself is so, and therefore none suspects.
_Fisc._ I like him well for that; this fault of his great mind, as
Beamont calls it, may give him cause to wish he was more wary, when it
shall be too late. [_Aside._
_Har._ I was in some small hope, this ship had been of our own
country, and brought back my son; for much about this season I expect
him. Good-morrow, gentlemen; I go to fill a brendice to my noble
captain's health, pray tell him so; the youth of our Amboyna I'll send
before, to welcome him.
_Col._ We'll stay, and meet him here.
[_Exeunt_ HARMAN, FISCAL, _and_ VAN HERRING.
_Beam._ I do not like these fleering Dutchmen, they overact their
kindness.
_Col._ I know not what to think of them; that old fat governor, Harman
van Spelt, I have known long; they say he was a cooper in his country,
and took the measure of his hoops for tuns by his own belly: I love
him not, he makes a jest of men in misery; the first fat merry fool I
ever knew, that was ill-natured.
_Beam._ He's absolutely governed by this Fiscal, who was, as I have
heard, an ignorant advocate in Rotterdam, such as in England we call a
petty-fogging rogue; one that knows nothing, but the worst part of the
law, its tricks and snares: I fear he hates us English mortally. Pray
heaven we feel not the effects on't.
_Col._ Neither he, nor Harman, will dare to shew their malice to us,
now Towerson is come. For though, 'tis true, we have no castle here,
he has an awe upon them in his worth, which they both fear and
reverence.
_Beam._ I wish it so may prove; my mind is a bad prophet to me, and
what it does forbode of ill, it seldom fails to pay me. Here he comes.
_Col._ And in his company young Harman, son to our Dutch governor. I
wonder how they met.
_Enter_ TOWERSON, HARMAN _Junior, and a Skipper._
_Tow._ [_Entering, to the Skipper._] These letters see conveyed with
speed to our plantation. This to Cambello, and to Hitto this, this
other to Loho. Tell them, their friends in England greet them well;
and when I left them, were in perfect health.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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