The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03Dryden, John
General
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 03
Dryden, John
English drama -- 17th century
Damon. _Love as dull and muddy is,
As decaying liquor:
Anger sets it on the lees,
And refines it by degrees,
Till it works the quicker._
Celimena. _Love by quarrels to beget
Wisely you endeavour;
With a grave physician's wit,
Who, to cure an ague fit,
Put me in a fever._
Damon. _Anger rouses love to fight,
And his only bait is,
'Tis the spur to dull delight,
And is but an eager bite,
When desire at height is._
Celimena. _If such drops of heat can fall
In our wooing weather;
If such drops of heat can fall,
We shall have the devil and all
When we come together._
_Wild._ Your judgment, gentlemen; a man, or a maid?
_Bel._ An you make no better harmony after you are married, than you
have before, you are the miserablest couple in Christendom.
_Wild._ 'Tis no great matter; if I had had a good voice, she would have
spoiled it before to-morrow.
_Bel._ When Maskall has married Beatrix, you may learn of her.
_Mask._ You shall put her life into a lease, then.
_Wild._ Upon condition, that when I drop into your house from hunting, I
may set my slippers at your door, as a Turk does at a Jew's, that you
may not enter.
_Theo._ And while you refresh yourself within, he shall wind the horn
without.
_Mask._ I'll throw up my lease first.
_Bel._ Why, thou wouldst not be so impudent, to marry Beatrix for
thyself only?
_Beat._ For all his ranting and tearing now, I'll pass my word, he shall
degenerate into as tame and peaceable a husband, as a civil woman would
wish to have.
_Enter Don_ MELCHOR, _with a Servant_.
_Mel._ Sir----
_Alon._ I know what you would say, but your discovery comes too late
now.
_Mel._ Why, the ladies are found.
_Aur._ But their inclinations are lost, I can assure you.
_Jac._ Look you, sir, there goes the game: Your plate-fleet is divided;
half for Spain, and half for England.
_Theo._ You are justly punished for loving two.
_Mel._ Yet I have the comfort of a cast lover: I will think well of
myself, and despise my mistresses.
[_Exit._
DANCE.
_Bel._ Enough, enough; let's end the carnival abed.
_Wild._ And for these gentlemen, whene'er they try, May they all speed
as soon, and well as I.
[_Exeunt._
EPILOGUE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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