 | The Mvses Looking-glasse |  |
Sce. 3.
Enter a deformed fellow.Defor.
Roscius, I heare you have a new Play to day.
Rosci.
We want not you to play Mephostopholis.
A pretty naturall vizard!
Defor.
What have you there?
Rosci.
A Looking-glasse, or two.
Defor.
What things are they?
Pray let me see them. Heaven, what sights are here!
I a've seene a Divell. Looking-glasses call you them?
There is no basilisque but a Looking-glasse.
Rosci.
Tis your own face you saw.
Defor.
My own? thou liest:
I'de not be such a Monster for the world.
Rosci.
Look in it now with me, what seest thou now?
Defor.
An Angell and a Divell.
Rosci.
Look on that
Thou callst an Angell, mark it well, and tell me,
Is it not like my face?
7
As twere the same.
Rosci.
Why so is that like thine. Dost thou not see,
'Tis not the glasse but thy deformitie
That makes this ugly shape; if they be fayre
That view the Glasse such the reflections are.
This serves the body: The soule sees her face
In Comedy, and has no other Glasse.
Defor.
Nay then farewell, for I had rather see
Hell then a Looking-glasse or Comedie.
Exit Defor.
Rosci.
And yet me thinks if 'twere not for this Glasse,
Wherein the forme of man beholds his grace,
We could not find another way to see
How neere our shapes approach Divinitie.
Ladies, let they who will your glasse deride,
And say it is an Instrument of Pride:
I will commend you for it; there you see
If yee be fayre, how truly fayre yee bee:
Where finding beauteous faces, I doe know
You'l have the greater care to keepe them so.
A heavenly vision in your beauty lyes,
Which nature hath denied to your own eyes;
Were it not pitty you alone should bee
Debarr'd of that others are blest to see?
Then take your glasses, and your selves enjoy
The benefit of your selves; it is no toy,
Though ignorance at slight esteeme hath set her,
That will preserve us good or make us better.
A Country slut, (for such she was, though here
Ith City may be some as well as there:)
8
Had told her else how sluttish she had beene)
But had her face as nasty as the stall
Of a fishmonger, or a Vsurers Hall
Daub'd ore with dirt: One might have dar'd to say
She was a true peice of Prometheus clay,
Not yet inform'd: And then her unkemb'd haire
Drest up with cobwebs, made her hag-like stare.
One day within her paile (for Country Lasses
(Faire Ladies) have no other Looking-glasses:).
She spied her uglinesse, and faine she would
Have blusht if through so much dirt she could:
Asham'd, within that water, that I say
Which shew'd her filth, she wash'd her filth away.
So Comedies, as Poets doe intend them,
Serve first to shew our faults and then to mend them
Vpon our Stage two glasses oft there be,
The Comick Mirrour and the Tragedie:
The Comick glasse is full of merry strife,
The low reflection of a Country life.
Grave Tragedy void of such homely sports
Is the sad glasse of Cities and of Courts.
I'le shew you both, Thalia come and bring
Thy Buskin'd sister, that of Bloud doth sing.
| The Mvses Looking-glasse | |