SCENE-A Room in an ordinary Lodging-House at WEIMAR-PUDDINGFIELD and BEEFINGTON,† sitting at a small deal table, and playing at ALL-FOURS. Young POTTINGEN, at another table in the corner of the Room, with a Pipe in his mouth, and a Saxon Mug of a singular shape beside him, which he repeatedly applies to his lips, turning back his head, and casting his eyes towards the firmament—at the last trial he holds the Mug for some moments in a direly inverted position; then he replaces it on the table, with an air of dejection, and gradually sinks into a profound slumber.-The Pipe falls from his hand, and is broken.§ BEEFINGTON-I beg. PUDDINGFIELD-(Deals three cards to BEEFINGTON.Are you satisfied? * The success of the imitation of the German Drama, which we presented in our last number, has by some persons been considered doubtful; they observe that no German play in existence can give fair scope for such severity of sarcasm. The conduct of Cecilia and Matilda has been conceived to be unnaturally forced into extravagance: we admit it; but it is not more ridiculous than other events in many German plays frequently are. But even were the objection valid, we reply in the words of the author, that the scene we allude to is taken almost word for word from STELLA,' a German piece' formerly in much repute. † Puddingfield and Beefington, should be Puddingcrantz and Beefinstern,. to resemble more accurately the German originals. This behaviour of Young Pottingen reminds us of a case in 'Self Immola tion, when the hero is described as acting strange pranks in a coffee house, just before he sacrifices himself, by plunging into the Thames. The stage direction which is given in The Rovers, or Double Arrangement, has a decided superiority over that frequently contained in the German DraThe audience can be supposed to comprehend the nature of the acr tions exhibited in this case, if they are not able to discover any extraordiVol. I. mas. PP BEEF.-Enough. What have you? BEEF. Damnation! 'Tis my deal. (Deals-Turns up a Knave.)-One for his heels! (Triumphantly.) PUDD. Is King highest? BEEF.-No. (Sternly.)-The Game is mine-The Knave gives it me. PUDD.-Are Knaves so prosperous ? BEEF.-Aye marry are they in this world. They have the game in their hands. Your kings are but noddies* to them. PUDD.-Ha! Ha! Ha!-Still the same proud spirit, BEEFINGTON, which procured thee thine exile from England. BEEF.-England! my native land! when shall I revisit thee? (during this time PUDDINGFIELD deals, and begins to arrange his hand.) BEEFINGTON (Continues)-Phoo-Hang ALL-FOURS; what are they to a mind ill at ease?-Can they cure the heart-ach? Can they soothe banishment? Can they lighten ignominy ?— Can ALL-FOURS do this? O! my PUDDINGFIELD, thy limber and lightsome spirit bounds up against affliction-with the elasticity of a well bent bow; but mine-O! mine-(falls into an agony, and sinks back in his chair. Young POTTINGEN, awakened by the noise, rises, and advances with a grave demeanour, towards BEEF. and PUDD.-The former begins to recover.) nary meaning in them: but what spectator who is not inspired could be able to understand such stage exhibitions as the following directions imply? In The Stranger,' the hero being described as in great emotion ('throws himself on a seat; takes from his pocket Zimmerman on Solitude,' and reads.") Now, though the Stranger may take out a book very naturally from his pocket, the difficulty which a spectator would feel in discovering whether it was Zimmerman on Solitude,' or not, must, we think, be manifest to every one. In the same play, we think the best actress would find it pretty difficult to portray the following emotions described as belonging to the character of Mrs. Hal ler. 'Mrs. Haller casts her eyes upon the ground, and contends against the confusion of an exalted soul when surprised in a good action! BARON stands opposite to her, and from time to time casts a glance at her, in which bis heart is swimming !' * This is an excellent joke in German; the point and spirit of which is but ill-rendered in a Translation. A NODDY, the Reader will observe, has two fignifications-the one a Knave at All-fours; the other a Fool, or BOOBY.See the Translation of COUNT BENYOWSKY, or the CONSPIRACY of KAMSCHATKA, a German Tragi-Comi-Comi-Tragedy; where the Play opens with a Scene of a Game at Chess, (from which the whole of this Scene is copied) and a joke of the same point and merriment about PAWNS (i. e.) Boors be ing a match for KINGS, Y. POT. What is the matter, Comrades ?*-you seem agitated. Have you lost or won? BEEF. Lost. I have lost my Country. Y. POT. And I my sister.-I came hither in search of her. BEEF.-O, England! Y. POT.-O, MATILDA ! BEEF. Exiled by the tyranny of an Usurper, I seek the means of revenge, and of restoration to my Country. Y. POT. Oppressed by the tyranny of an Abbot, persecuted by the jealousy of a Count, the betrothed Husband of my Sister languishes in a loathsome captivity-Her lover is fled no one knows whither-and I, her Brother, am torn from my paternal roof and from my studies in Chirurgery; to seek him and her, I know not where-to rescue ROGERO, I now not how.-Comrades, your counsel-my search fruitless-my money gone-my baggage stolen! What am I to do?-In yonder Abbey-in these dark, dank vaults, there, my friends-there lies ROGERO -there MATILDA's heart SCENE 11. Enter WAITER-Sir, here is a person who desires to speak with you. BEEF.-(Goes to the door, and returns with a Letter, which he opens-On perusing it, his countenance becomes illuminated, and expands prodigiously)—Hah, my Friend, what joy! (Turning to PUDDINGFIELD.) PUDD.-What? tell me-Let you PUDDINGFIELD partake it. BEEF.-(In a significant tone)-A Newspaper !† BEEF. Yes, PUDDINGFIELD, and see here—(shews it partially) -from England. PUDD. (With extreme earnestness)-Its name? BEEF.-The Daily Advertiser PUDD.-Oh ecstacy! * This word in the original is strictly fellow-lodgers-" Co-occupants of the same room, in a bouse let out at a small rent by the week."-There is no single word in English which expresses so complicated a relation, except perhaps the cant term of Chum, formerly in use at our Universities. ↑ See the plays of Kotzebue and Schiller, almost universally. BEEF.-(With a dignified severity.)--PUDDINGFIELD, calm yourself-repress those transports-remember that you are a man. PUDD (After a pause with suppressed emotion)-Well, I will be -I am calm-Yet tell me, BEEFINGTON, does it contain any news? BEEF. Glorious news, my dear PUDDINGFIELD-the Barons are victorious-KING JOHN has been defeated-MAGNA CHARTA, that venerable immemorial inheritance of Britons, was signed last Friday was three weeks, the Third of July Old Style. PUDD.-I can scarce believe my ears-but let me satisfy my eyes-Shew me the Paragraph. BEEF. Here it is, just above the Advertisements. PUDD.-(reads)" The great demand for Packwood's Razor Straps❞— BEEF. 'Pshaw! What, ever blundering-you drive me from my patience-See here, at the head of the Column. PUDD.-(reads) 6 6 A hireling Print, devoted to the Court, Has dared to question our Veracity Respecting the Events of yesterday; But by to-day's accounts, our information The Royal Signature at five o'clock, To Cardinal PANDULFO; and their Majesties, After partaking of a cold collation, 'Return'd to Windsor.'-I am satisfied. BEEF. Yet here again-there are some further particulars (Turns to another part of the Paper) Extract of a Letter from Egham My Dear Friend, we are all here in high spirits• The interesting event which took place this morning at Runnymede, in the neighbourhood of this town' PUDD.-Hah! Runnymede-Enough-No more-my doubts are vanished, then are we free indeed!— BEEF. I have besides, a Letter in my pocket from your Friend the immortal BACON, who has been appointed Chancellor. Our Outlawry is reversed!-What says my Friend-Shall we return by the next Packet ? PUDD.-Instantly, instantly! BOTH.-Liberty!-ADELAIDE !-Revenge! (Exeunt-Young POTTINGEN following, and waving his hat, but obviously without much consciousness of the meaning of what has passed.) SCENE changes to the outside of the Abbey. A Summer's EveningMoonlight. Companies of AUSTRIAN and PRUSSIAN Grenadiers march across the Stage, confusedly, as if returning from the Seven Years War. Shouts and Martial Musick. The Abbey Gates are opened.-The MONKS are seen passing in procession, with the PRIOR at their head. The choir is beard chaunting Vespers. After which a pause.—Then a Bell is heard, as if ringing for Supper. Soon after a noise of singing and jollity. Enter from the Abbey, pushed out of the Gates by the Porter, a Troubadour, with a bundle under his cloak, and a Lady under his armTROUBADOUR seems much in liquor, but caresses the FEMALE MIN STREL. FEM. MINST. Trust me, GIERONYMO, thou seemest melancholy. What hast thou got under thy cloak? TROUBADOUR.-'Pshaw, Women will be enquiring. Melan choly Not I.-I will sing thee a Song, and the subject of it shall be thy question- What have I got under my cloak? It is a Riddle, MARGARET-I learnt it of an Almanack-maker at GOTHA-If thou guessest it after the first Stanza, thou shalt have never a drop for thy pains. Hear me and, d'ye mark! twirl thy thingumbob while I sing. FEM. MIN. 'Tis a pretty tune, and hums dolefully.-(Plays on her Balalaika.*) (TROUBADOUR sings.) I bear a secret comfort here, (Putting his hand on the bundle, but without shewing it. } A joy I'll ne'er impart ; It is not wine, it is not beer, But it consoles my heart. FEM. MINST. (Interrupting him).—I'll be hang'd if you don't mean the bottle of cherry-brandy that you stole out of the vaults in the Abbey cellar. The BALALAIKA is a Russian Instrument, resembling the Guitar.-See the Play of "COUNT BENYOWSKY,” rendered into English. |