The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Iii Part 84

Oft has the soft, insipid Sonneteer In_ Nice _and_ Flutter, _seen his Fop-face here.

Well was the ignorant lampooning Pack Of shatterhead Rhymers whip'd on_ Craffey's _back; But such a trouble Weed is Poetaster, The lower 'tis cut down, it grows the faster.

Though Satir then had such a plenteous crop, An After Math of c.o.xcombs is come up; Who not content false Poetry to renew, By sottish Censures wou'd condemn the true.

Let writing like a Gentleman--fine appear, But must you needs judge too_ en Cavalier?

_These whiffling Criticks, 'tis our Auth'ress fears, And humbly begs a Trial by her Peers: Or let a Pole of Fools her fate p.r.o.nounce, There's no great harm in a good quiet Dunce.

But shield her, Heaven! from the left-handed blow Of airy Blockheads who pretend to know.

On downright Dulness let her rather split, Than be Fop-mangled under colour of Wit.

Hear me, ye Scribling Beaus,-- Why will you in sheer Rhyme, without one stroke Of Poetry, Ladies just Disdain provoke, And address Songs to whom you never spoke? In doleful Hymns for dying Felons fit, Why do you tax their Eyes, and blame their Wit?

Unjustly of the Innocent you complain, 'Tis Bulkers give, and Tubs must cure your pain.

Why in Lampoons will you your selves revile?

'Tis true, none else will think it worth their while: But thus you're hid! oh, 'tis a politick Fetch; So some have hang'd themselves to ease_ Jack Ketch.

_Justly your Friends and Mistresses you blame, For being so they well deserve the shame, 'Tis the worst scandal to have borne that name. [See the late Satir on Poetry]

At Poetry of late, and such whose Skill Excels your own, you dart a feeble Quill; Well may you rail at what you ape so ill. With virtuous Women, and all Men of Worth, You're in a state of mortal War by Birth.

Nature in all her Atom-Fights ne'er knew Two things so opposite as Them and You.

On such your Muse her utmost fury spends, They're slander'd worse than any but your Friends.

More years may teach you better; the mean while, If you can't mend your Morals, mend your Style_.

THE FORC'D MARRIAGE; OR, THE JEALOUS BRIDEGROOM.

ARGUMENT.

The King of France to reward his favourite Alcippus, at the motion of prince Philander, gladly a.s.sents to his being created general in place of old Orgulius, who seeks to resign his office, and further on his royal word pledges the new-made commander, Erminia, Orgulius' daughter, in marriage. The lady, however, loves the dauphin, whilst the princess Galatea is enamoured of Alcippus. All three are plunged into despair, and the brother and sister knowing each other's pa.s.sion bemoan their hapless fate. The prince, indeed, threatens to kill Alcippus, upon which Galatea declares she will poniard Erminia. On the wedding night the bride confesses her love for Philander and refuses to admit Alcippus to her love. The dauphin at the same time serenades Erminia at her chamber door, but Pisaro, a friend to Alcippus, meeting him, there is a scuffle during which Alcander, the prince's companion, wounds the intruder. The noise rouses Erminia who issues from her room and encounters Philander.

Alcippus, seeing them together, mad with jealousy, attacks the prince.

He is, however, beaten back and even wounded, and later his fury is inflamed by Pisaro's tale, who also informs the favourite that Galatea, for whom the narrator cherishes a hopeless love, dotes fondly upon him.

Erminia, now that she has been joined in wedlock with Alcippus, guards herself carefully from the dauphin's pa.s.sion, but when the general is obliged by his duties to leave for the camp Philander hopes to persuade her to yield to him. Alcippus, however, whose departure is a feint, returns secretly, leaving Pisaro to continue the journey alone. Isillia, Erminia's woman, has already admitted Philander to her mistress'

chamber, when the lovers are surprised by the arrival of Alcippus on the scene. The prince is concealed, although the meeting had been purely innocent, but he is betrayed owing to the fact of his inadvertently leaving his hat and sword upon a table. He departs unmolested, but once he is gone Alcippus, beside himself with blind fury, strangles Erminia with an embroidered garter--Pisaro, coming in a few moments after, reproaches him with the murder but hurries him away to concealment. The deed, however, is discovered and noised abroad by Falatius, a busy c.o.xcomb courtier. Orgulius demands Alcippus' life from the King, but Galatea, heart-broken, pleads for the man she loves. Philander is distraught with grief, and the King decides that if he harms himself Alcippus shall straightway pay the forfeit. The prince is about to wreak his vengeance on the cruel husband when he is met by Erminia herself, who, owing to her maid's attentions, has recovered from the swoon Alcippus took for death. It is resolved that Alcippus, who is now torn with agony and remorse, must be fittingly punished, and accordingly as he lies sick at heart in his chamber Erminia enters as a spirit, and so looking over his shoulder into a mirror wherein he is gazing tells him plainly of Galatea's love. The princess then pa.s.ses by as it were a phantom, and after a masque, which he takes for a dream, he is conducted to a room draped in black wherein is placed a catafalque. Here he encounters Philander and as they are at hot words the King, who has been privy to the whole design, enters and the two are reconciled. Erminia next appears, and the happy accident explained, Erminia is bestowed upon the dauphin, whilst the princess is united to the favourite.

There is a slight underplot which deals with the amours of Aminta, sister to Pisaro, and Alcander. She is also courted by the cowardly fop, Falatius.

SOURCE.

_The Forc'd Marriage; or, The Jealous Bridegroom_ is the earliest, and most certainly one of the weakest of Mrs. Behn's plays. This is, however, far from saying that it is not a very good example of the Davenant, Howard, Porter, Stapylton school of romantic tragi-comedy. But Aphara had not yet hit upon her brilliant vein of intrigue. In _The Forced Marriage_ she seems to have remembered _The Maid's Tragedy_. The situation between Alcippus and Erminia, Act ii, III, has some vague resemblance to that of Amintor and Evadne, Act ii, I. Aminta also faintly recalls Dula, whilst the song 'Hang love, for I will never pine'

has a far-off echo of 'I could never have the power.' But Mrs. Behn has not approached within measuring distance of that supreme masterpiece.

THEATRICAL HISTORY.

The stage history of _The Forc'd Marriage; or, The Jealous Bridegroom_ is best told in the quaint phrase of old Downes. Produced in December, 1670 at the Duke's Theatre, Lincoln's Inn Fields, _The Jealous Bridegroom_, says the veteran prompter, 'wrote by Mrs. Behn, a good play and lasted six days'. This, it must be remembered, was by no means a poor run at that time. 'Note,' continues the record, 'In this play, Mr.

Otway the poet having an inclination to turn actor; Mrs. Behn gave him the King in this play for a probation part, but he being not us'd to the stage, the full house put him to such a sweat and tremendous agony, being dash'd, spoilt him for an actor.'

To quote Mr. Gosse's excellent and cla.s.sic essay on Otway:--'The choice of the part showed the kindly tact of the shrewd Mrs. Behn. The king had to speak the few first words, to which the audience never listens, to make some brief replies in the first scene, and then not to speak again until the end of the fourth act. In the fifth act he had to make rather a long speech to Smith [Mr. Gosse by a slip writes 'Betterton'. The King (v, III) is talking to Philander, acted by Smith. Betterton played the favourite Alcippus.], explaining that he was "old and feeble, and could not long survive," and this is nearly all he had to say till the very end, where he was in great force as the kind old man who unites the couples and speaks the last words. It was quite a crucial test, and Otway proved his entire inability to face the public. He trembled, was inaudible, melted in agony, and had to leave the stage. The part was given to Westwood, a professional actor, and Otway never essayed to tread the boards again.'

_The Forced Marriage_ seems never to have been revived since its production. On the t.i.tle page of the second quarto (1690), _The Forc'd Marriage_ is said to have been played at the Queen's Theatre. This is because the Duke's House temporarily changed its name thus. It does not refer to a second run of the play.

THE FORC'D MARRIAGE;

or, the Jealous Bridegroom.

_Va mon enfant! prends ta fortune_.

PROLOGUE.

_Gallants, our Poets have of late so us'd ye, In Play and Prologue too so much abus'd ye, That should we beg your aids, I justly fear, Ye're so incens'd you'd hardly lend it here.

But when against a common Foe we arm, Each will a.s.sist to guard his own concern.

Women those charming Victors, in whose Eyes Lie all their Arts, and their Artilleries, Not being contented with the Wounds they made, Would by new Stratagems our Lives invade.

Beauty alone goes now at too cheap rates; And therefore they, like Wise and Politick States, Court a new Power that may the old supply, To keep as well as gain the Victory.

They'll join the force of Wit to Beauty now, And so maintain the Right they have in you.

If the vain s.e.x this privilege should boast, Past cure of a declining Face we're lost.

You'll never know the bliss of Change; this Art Retrieves (when Beauty fades) the wandring Heart; And though the Airy Spirits move no more, Wit still invites, as Beauty did before.

To day one of their Party ventures out, Not with design to conquer, but to scout.

Discourage but this first attempt, and then They'll hardly dare to sally out again.

The Poetess too, they say, has Spies abroad, Which have dispersed themselves in every road, I'th' Upper Box, Pit, Galleries; every Face You find disguis'd in a Black Velvet Case.

My life on't; is her Spy on purpose sent, To hold you in a wanton Compliment; That so you may not censure what she 'as writ, Which done, they face you down 'twas full of Wit.

Thus, while some common Prize you hope to win, You let the Tyrant Victor enter in.

I beg to day you'd lay that humour by, Till your Rencounter at the Nursery; Where they, like Centinels from duty free, May meet and wanton with the Enemy_.

Enter an Actress.

_How hast thou labour'd to subvert in vain, What one poor Smile of ours calls home again?

Can any see that glorious Sight and say_

[Woman pointing to the ladies.

_A Woman shall not Victor prove to day?

Who is't that to their Beauty would submit, And yet refuse the Fetters of their Wit?

He tells you tales of Stratagems and Spies; Can they need Art that have such powerful Eyes?

Believe me, Gallants, he'as abus'd you all; There's not a Vizard in our whole Cabal: Those are but Pickeroons that scour for prey And catch up all they meet with in their way; Who can no Captives take, for all they do Is pillage ye, then gladly let you go.

Ours scorns the petty Spoils, and do prefer The Glory not the Interest of the War: But yet our Forces shall obliging prove, Imposing nought but Constancy in Love: That's all our Aim, and when we have, it too, We'll sacrifice it all to pleasure you_.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.