Obrazy na stronie
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IV.

Maffinger.

Philip Masjinger, geb. zu Salisbury 1584, geft. zu London 1639, oder nach andern, minder wahrscheinlichen, Angaben erst 1669, gehört zu den bessern frühern Lustspiels dichtern der Engländer, und verdiente es gar sehr, daß man vor zwölf Jahren eine neue Ausgabe seiner Werke verans staltete, ob sich gleich seine Schauspiele auf der Bühne nicht erhalten, haben. Bei ihrer ersten Erscheinung fanden sie großen Beifall; und noch jeßt verdienen sie alle Achtung sos wohl wegen der Reinigkeit ihrer Schreibart, als wegen der Innreichen Erfindung und weisen Dekonomie ihres Inhalts. Ueberall verrathen fie genaue Herzenskunde und tief eindrins genden Beobachtungsgeist; und bei so schäßbaren Talenten gereicht diesem Dichter die große Bescheidenheit, die ihm eigen war, zu nicht geringem Ruhme. Sie erwarb ihm die Zus neigung und Freundschaft der besten Dichter seines Zeitals ters, die auch bei einigen Schauspielen seine Sehülfen was ren, oder sich seines Beistandes bedienten. Die Titel sainer Lustspiele sind: The Picture The Maid of Honour —

A New Way to pay old Debts - The Great Duke of

Florence The Bafhful Lover

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The Guardian

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Old Law- City Madam The Noble Choice The Wandering Lover The Italian Night-Piece The Judge - The Spanish Viceroy, or, the Honour of Woman Antonio and Vallia Faft and Welcome. Unter diesen Stücken, wovon die ießtern zum Theil umgedruckt sind, zeichnet sich das, A New Way to pay old Debts, am meisten aus, und ist eins der besten åltern Lustspiele der Englånder; auch wurde es var einigen Jahren von neuem gespielt. Am glücklichsten ist der arglis stige und hassenswerthe Charakter des hartherzigen Erpress fers, Sir Giles Overreach geschildert, und in folgender

Scene

Scene mit der ebeln Denkungsart des Lord Lovell sehr güt Contrastirt:

Overreach. To my wifh, we're private, I come not to make offer with my daughter A certain portion; that were poor and trivial, In one word I pronounce all that is mine In lands, of leases, ready coin, or goods, With her, Mylord, comes to you: nor fhall you have One motive to induce you to believe,

I live too long, fince ev'ry year I'll add

Something unto the heap, which shall be yours tog. Lovell, You are a right kind father,

Over. You fhall have reafon

To think me fuch. How do you like this feat?
It is well wooded, and well-water'd; the acres
Fertile and rich; would it not serve for change
To entertain your friends in a fummer's progrefs?
What thinks my noble Lord?

Lov. 'Tis a wholefome air,

And well-built; and fhe that is mistress of it,
Worthy the large revenue.

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Over. She the mistress?

It may be fo for a time: but let my Lord

Say only, that he but like it, and would have it,

I lay e'er long 'tis his.

Lov. Impoffible!

Overs You do conclude too faft; not know.

Nor the engines I work by,

ing me,
'Tis not alone

The lady Allworth's lands; for those once Wellborn's,
(As by her doatage on him I know they will be,)
Shall foon be mine. But point out any man's
In all the fhire, and fay they lie convenient

And

And useful for your Lordship; and once more
I fay aloud, they are yours.

Lov. I dare not own

What's by unjust and cruel means extorted:
My fame and credit are more dear to me,
Than so to expose'em to be cenfur'd by
The publick voice.

Over. You run, my Lord, no hazard;
Your reputation fhall ftand as fair
In all good men's opinions as now:
Nor can my actions, tho'condemn'd for ill,
Caft any foul afperfion upon yours.
For tho' I do contemn report myself,

As a mere found; I still will be fo tender'
Of what concerns you in all points of honour,
That the immaculate whiteness of your fame,
Nor your unquestion'd integrity,

Shall e'er be fullied with one taint or spot,

That may take from your innocence and candour.
All my ambition is to have my daughter

Right honourable, which my Lord can make her.
And might I live to dance upon my knee
A young Lord Lovell, born by her unto you,
Į write nil ultra to my proudest hopes.
As for poffeffions and annual rents,
Equivalent to maintain you in the port
Your noble birth and present state require,

I do remove that burthen from your fhoulders,
And take it on mine own: for tho' I ruin

The country to fupply your riotous waste,

The fcourge of prodigals, want, fhall never find you.

Lov. Are you not frighted with the imprecations And curfes of whole families, made wretched

By your finifter practices?

Ovet. Yes, as rocks are

When foamy billows split themselves against
Their flinty ribs; or as the moon is mov'd,

When wolves with hunger pin'd howl at her bright nefs.

I am of a solid temper, and like these

Steer on an constant course: with mine own fword,
If call'd into the field, I can make that right,
Which fearful enemies murmur'd at as wrong.
Now for those other piddeling complaints,
Breath'd out in bitterness, as when they call me
Extortioner, Tyrant, Cormorant, or Intruder,
On my poor neighbour's right, or grand Inclofer
Of what was common, to my private ufe;

Nay, when my ears are pierc'd with widows cries,
And undone orphans wafh with tears my threshold;
I only think what 'tis to have my daughter
Right honourable; and 'tis a powerful charm
Makes me infenfible of remorfe, or pity,
Or the least sting of conscience.

Lov. I admire

The toughness of your nature.

Over. 'Tis for you,

My Lord, and for my daughter, I am marble.
Nay more, if you will have my character

In little, I enjoy more true delight

In my arrival to my wealth, these dark

And crooked ways, than you fhall e'er take pleasure In fpending what my induftry hath compafs'd.

My hafte commands me hence; in one word there

Is it a match?

fore,

Lov. I hope, that is past doubt now.

Over. Then reft fecure. Not the hate of all mankind here,

Nor fear of what can fall on ne hereafter,

`Shall make me study aught but your advancement
One ftory higher. An Earl! if gold can do it,
Dispute not my religion, nor my faith,
Though I am born thus headlong by my will;
You may make choice of what belief you please,

To me they are all equal; fo, my Lord, good morrow.

(Exit.)

Lov. He's gone. I wonder how the earth can
bear

Such a portent! I that have liv'd a foldier,
And stood the enemy's violent charge undaunted,
To hear this blafphemous beaft, I'm bath'd all over
In a cold fweat; yet like a mountain he,
Confirm'd in atheistical affertions,

Is no more shaken, than Olympus is,
When angry Boreas loads his double head
With fudden drifts of fnow.

V.

Beaumont und Fletcher.*)

Man nennt diese beiden Schauspielbichter fast immer In Werbindung mit einander, weil sie ihre Schauspiele ges meins

* umfändlicher sehe man über diese beiden Dichter die biogras phischen und kritischen Abhandlungen von Sympson, Ses ward und Langbaine, welche Hr. v. Gerstenberg seiner Nebersehung der Braut, (The Maids Tragedy) Koppenh. und Leipzig, 1765. 8. beigefügt bat; und des jüngern Hrn. Huber vorläufige Anmerkungen zu seiner lebersetung des Stücks, A King and wo King, unter dem Titel: Ethelwolf, oder, der König kein König, Dessau und Leiptis, 1785. 8.

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