Memoirs of the Life of the Rt. Hon. Richard Brinsley Sheridan Volume I Part 24

"_Thorn._ Why no--deceive her?--why--indeed--as to that--but--but, for G.o.d's sake, let me hear no more on this subject, for, 'faith, you make me sad, Jack. If you continue your admonitions, I shall begin to think you have yourself an eye on the girl. You have promised me your a.s.sistance, and when you came down into the country, were as hot on the scheme as myself: but, since you have been two or three times with me at Primrose's, you have fallen off strangely. No encroachments, Jack, on my little rose-bud--if you have a mind to beat up game in this quarter, there's her sister--but no poaching.

"_Arn._ I am not insensible to her sister's merit, but have no such views as you have. However, you have promised me that if you find in this lady that real virtue which you so firmly deny to exist in the s.e.x, you will give up the pursuit, and, foregoing the low considerations of fortune, make atonement by marriage.

"_Thorn._ Such is my serious resolution.

"_Arn._ I wish you'd forego the experiment. But, you have been so much in raptures with your success, that I have, as yet, had no clear account how you came acquainted in the family.

"_Thorn._ Oh, I'll tell you immediately. You know Lady Patchet?

"_Arn._ What, is she here?

"_Thorn._ It was by her I was first introduced. It seems that, last year, her ladyship's reputation began to suffer a little; so that she thought it prudent to retire for a while, till people learned better manners or got worse memories. She soon became acquainted with this little family, and, as the wife is a prodigious admirer of quality, grew in a short time to be very intimate, and imagining that she may one day make her market of the girls, has much ingratiated herself with them.

She introduced me--I drank, and abused this degenerate age with the father--promised wonders to the mother for all her brats--praised her gooseberry wine, and ogled the daughters, by which means in three days I made the progress I related to you.

"_Arn._ You have been expeditious indeed. I fear where that devil Lady Patchet is concerned there can be no good--but is there not a son?

"_Thorn._ Oh! the most ridiculous creature in nature. He has been bred in the country a b.u.mpkin all his life, till within these six years, when he was sent to the University, but the misfortunes that have reduced his father falling out, he is returned, the most ridiculous animal you ever saw, a conceited, disputing blockhead. So there is no great matter to fear from _his_ penetration. But come, let us begone, and see this moral family, we shall meet them coming from the field, and you will see a man who was once in affluence, maintaining by hard labor a numerous family.

"_Arn._ Oh! Thornhill, can you wish to add infamy to their poverty?

"[Exeunt.]"

There also remain among his papers three Acts of a Drama, without a name,--written evidently in haste, and with scarcely any correction,-- the subject of which is so wild and unmanageable, that I should not have hesitated in referring it to the same early date, had not the introduction into one of the scenes of "Dry be that tear, be hush'd that sigh," proved it to have been produced after that pretty song was written.

The chief personages upon whom the story turns are a band of outlaws, who, under the name and disguise of _Devils_, have taken up their residence in a gloomy wood, adjoining a village, the inhabitants of which they keep in perpetual alarm by their incursions and apparitions.

In the same wood resides a hermit, secretly connected with this band, who keeps secluded within his cave the beautiful Reginilla, hid alike from the light of the sun and the eyes of men. She has, however, been indulged in her prison with a glimpse of a handsome young huntsman, whom she believes to be a phantom, and is encouraged in her belief by the hermit, by whose contrivance this huntsman (a prince in disguise) has been thus presented to her. The following is--as well as I can make it out from a ma.n.u.script not easily decipherable--the scene that takes place between the fair recluse and her visitant. The style, where style is attempted, shows, as the reader will perceive, a taste yet immature and unchastened:--

"_Scene draws, and discovers_ REGINILLA _asleep in the cave.

"Enter_ PEVIDOR _and other Devils, with the_ HUNTSMAN--_unbind him, and exeunt._

"_Hunts._ Ha! Where am I now? Is it indeed the dread abode of guilt, or refuge of a band of thieves? it cannot be a dream (_sees_ REGINILLA.) Ha! if this be so, and I _do_ dream, may I never wake-- it is--my beating heart acknowledges my dear, gentle Reginilla. I'll not wake her, lest, if it be a phantom, it should vanish. Oh, balmy breath!

but for thy soft sighs that come to tell me it is no image, I should believe ... (_bends down towards her_.) a sigh from her heart!-- thus let me arrest thee on thy way. (_kisses her_.) A deeper blush has flushed her cheek--sweet modesty! that even in sleep is conscious and resentful.--She will not wake, and yet some fancy calls up those frequent sighs--how her heart beats in its ivory cage, like an imprisoned bird--or as if to reprove the hand that dares approach its sanctuary! Oh, would she but wake, and bless this gloom with her bright eyes!--Soft, here's a lute--perhaps her soul will hear the call of harmony.

"Oh yield, fair lids, the treasures of my heart, Release those beams, that make this mansion bright; From her sweet sense, Slumber! tho' sweet thou art, Begone, and give the air she breathes in light.

"Or while, oh Sleep, thou dost those glances hide, Let rosy slumbers still around her play, Sweet as the cherub Innocence enjoy'd, When in thy lap, new-born, in smiles he lay.

"And thou, oh Dream, that com'st her sleep to cheer, Oh take my shape, and play a lover's part; Kiss her from me, and whisper in her ear, Till her eyes shine, 'tis night within my heart.

[Footnote: I have taken the liberty here of supplying a few rhymes and words that are wanting in the original copy of the song. The last line of all runs thus in the ma.n.u.script:--

"Till her eye shines I live in darkest night,"

which, not rhyming as it ought, I have ventured to alter as above.]

"_Reg._ (_waking_.) The phantom, father! (_seizes his hand._) ah, do not, do not wake me then. (_rises._)

"_Hunts._ (_kneeling to her._) Thou beauteous sun of this dark world, that mak'st a place, so like the cave of death, a heaven to me, instruct me how I may approach thee--how address thee and not offend.

"_Reg._ Oh how my soul would hang upon those lips! speak on--and yet, methinks, he should not kneel so--why are you afraid, Sir? indeed, I cannot hurt you.

"_Hunts._ Sweet innocence, I'm sure thou would'st not.

"_Reg._ Art thou not he to whom I told my name, and didst thou not say thine was--

"_Hunts._ Oh blessed be the name that then thou told'st--it has been ever since my charm, and kept me from distraction. But, may I ask how such sweet excellence as thine could be hid in such a place?

"_Reg._ Alas, I know not--for such as thou I never saw before, nor any like myself.

"_Hunts._ Nor like thee ever shall--but would'st thou leave this place, and live with such as I am?

"_Reg._ Why may not you live here with such as I?

"_Hunts._ Yes--but I would carry thee where all above an azure canopy extends, at night bedropt with gems, and one more glorious lamp, that yields such bashful light as love enjoys--while underneath, a carpet shall be spread of flowers to court the pressure of thy step, with such sweet whispered invitations from the leaves of shady groves or murmuring of silver streams, that thou shalt think thou art in Paradise.

"_Reg._ Indeed!

"_Hunts._ Ay, and I'll watch and wait on thee all day, and cull the choicest flowers, which while thou bind'st in the mysterious knot of love, I'll tune for thee no vulgar lays, or tell thee tales shall make thee weep yet please thee--while thus I press thy hand, and warm it thus with kisses.

"_Reg._ I doubt thee not--but then my Governor has told me many a tale of faithless men who court a lady but to steal her peace and fame, and then to leave her.

"_Hunts._ Oh never such as thou art--witness all....

"_Reg._ Then wherefore couldst thou not live here? For I do feel, tho' tenfold darkness did surround this spot, I could be blest, would you but stay here; and, if it made you sad to be imprison'd thus, I'd sing and play for thee, and dress thee sweetest fruits, and though you chid me, would kiss thy tear away and hide my blushing face upon thy bosom--indeed, I would. Then what avails the gaudy day, and all the evil things I'm told inhabit there, to those who have within themselves all that delight and love, and heaven can give.

"_Hunts._ My angel, thou hast indeed the soul of love.

"_Reg._ It is no ill thing, is it?

"_Hunts._ Oh most divine--it is the immediate gift of heaven, which steals into our breast ... 'tis that which makes me sigh thus, look thus--fear and tremble for thee.

"_Reg._ Sure I should learn it too, if you would teach me.

(_Sound of horn without--Huntsman starts._)

"_Reg._ You must not go--this is but a dance preparing for my amus.e.m.e.nt--oh we have, indeed, some pleasures here--come, I will sing for you the while.

"_Song._

"Wilt thou then leave me? canst thou go from me, To woo the fair that love the gaudy day?

Yet, e'en among those joys, thou'lt find that she, Who dwells in darkness, loves thee more than they.

For these poor hands, and these unpractised eyes, And this poor heart is thine without disguise.

But, if thou'lt stay with me, my only care Shall be to please and make thee love to stay, With music, song, and dance * * * * *

But, if you go, nor music, song, nor dance, * * * * *

If thou art studious, I will read Thee tales of pleasing woe-- If thou art sad, I'll kiss away The tears.... that flow.