 | A Fairy Tale |  |
SCENE III.
a Landskip.Re-enter Emmeline and Matilda.
Em.
This way, this way, Matilda;
Now my Arthur's gone, the loveliest object
To my new-born sight, I'll look round and round
Upon the lesser beauties of creation.
Enter Osmond at the other door, who gazes on Emmeline, and she on him.
Em.
Ha! I'm deceiv'd; save me from this ugly thing,
This foe to sight! speak; dost thou know him?
Mat.
Too well; 'tis Oswald's fiend, the great magician.
Em.
It cannot be a man, he's so unlike the man I love.
Osm.
[Aside.]
Death to my eyes, she sees!
Em.
I wish I could not; but I'll close my sight,
And shut out all I can—It wo'not be;
Winking, I see thee still, thy odious image
Stares full into my soul; and there infects the room
33
Osm.
[Aside.]
I find too late,
That Merlin and her lover have been here.
If I was fir'd before when she was blind,
Her eyes dart lightning now; she must be mine.
Em.
I pr'ythee, dreadful thing, tell me thy business here;
And, if thou canst, reform that odious face;
Look not so grim upon me.
Osm.
My name is Osmond; and my business, love.
Em.
Thou hast a grizly look forbidding what thou ask'st,
If I durst tell thee so.
Osm.
My pent-house eye-brows, and my shaggy beard,
Offend your sight, but these are manly signs:
Faint white and red abuse your expectations;
Be woman; know your sex, and love full pleasures.
Em.
Love from a monster, fiend?
Osm.
Come, you must love; or you must suffer love;
No coyness, none, for I am master here.
Em.
And when did Oswald give away his power,
That thou presum'st to rule? Be sure I'll tell him:
For as I am his prisoner, he is mine.
Osm.
Why then thou art a captive to a captive.
O'er-labour'd with the fight, opprest with thirst,
That Oswald, whom you mention'd, call'd for drink,
I mix'd a sleepy potion in his bowl,
Which he and his fool friend quaff'd greedily.
The happy dose wrought the desir'd effect;
Then to a dungeon's depth I sent both bound;
Where, stow'd with snakes and adders, now they lodge;
Two planks their beds, slippery with oose and slime,
The rats, that brush o'er their faces with their tails,
And croaking paddocks, crawl upon their limbs;
Since when the garrison depends on me:
Now know you are my slave.
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He strikes a horror thro' my blood.
Em.
I freeze, as if his impious art had fix'd
My feet to earth.
Osm.
But love shall thaw ye.
I'll show his force in countries cak'd with ice,
Where the pale pole star, in the north of heav'n,
Sits high, and on the frosty winter broods;
Yet there love reigns: for proof, this magic wand
Shall change the mildness of sweet Britain's clime
To Iceland, and the farthest Thule's frost,
Where the proud god, disdaining winter's bounds,
Oe'rleaps the fences of eternal snow,
And with his warmth supplies the distant sun.
Osmond waves his wand. The Scene changes to a stormy wintry country.
Enter Cupid.
Recitative. Miss Rogers.
What ho, thou genius of the clime, what ho!
Ly'st thou asleep beneath those bills of snow?
Stretch out thy lazy limbs; awake, awake,
And winter from thy furry mantle shake.
Genius arises upon a bank of ice.
Air. Mr. Champnes.
What power art thou, who from below
Hast made me rise, unwillingly, and slow,
From beds of everlasting snow?
See'st thou not how stiff and wond'rous old,
Far unfit to bear the bitter cold,
I can scarcely move or draw my breath?
Let me, let me, freeze again to death.
Air. Cupid.
Thou doating fool, forbear, forbear;
What, dost thou dream of freezing here?
At Love's appearing all the sky clearing,
The stormy winds their fury spare:
Winter subduing, and spring renewing.
My beams create a more glorious year.
Thou doating fool, forbear, forbear;
What, dost thou dream of freezing here?
Air. Mr. Champnes.
Great Love, I know thee now;
Eldest of the gods art thou:
Heav'n and earth by thee were made,
Human nature
Is thy creature;
Every where thou art obey'd.
Recit. Cupid.
No part of my dominion shall be waste;
To spread my sway, and sing my praise,
Ev'n here I will a people raise,
Of kind embracing lovers, and embrac'd.
Cupid waves his wand, upon which the scene opens, and discovers an extensive prospect of ice and snow.
Peasants appear.
CHORUS.
See, see, we assemble,
Thy revels to hold;
Tho' quiv'ring with cold,
We chatter and tremble.
Air. Cupid.
'Tis I, 'tis I, 'tis I that have warm'd ye;
In spite of cold weather,
I've brought you together;
'Tis I, 'tis I, 'tis I, that have arm'd ye.
CHORUS.
'Tis Love, 'tis Love, 'tis Love that has warm'd us;
In spite of cold weather,
He brought us together:
'Tis Love, 'tis Love, 'tis Love that has arm'd us.
Cupid waves his wand, the frost scene vanishes, and a summer prospect appears.
A grand dance.
Em.
Recitative. Miss Rogers.
What ho, thou genius of the clime, what ho!
Ly'st thou asleep beneath those bills of snow?
Stretch out thy lazy limbs; awake, awake,
And winter from thy furry mantle shake.
Genius arises upon a bank of ice.
Air. Mr. Champnes.
What power art thou, who from below
Hast made me rise, unwillingly, and slow,
From beds of everlasting snow?
See'st thou not how stiff and wond'rous old,
Far unfit to bear the bitter cold,
I can scarcely move or draw my breath?
Let me, let me, freeze again to death.
35
Thou doating fool, forbear, forbear;
What, dost thou dream of freezing here?
At Love's appearing all the sky clearing,
The stormy winds their fury spare:
Winter subduing, and spring renewing.
My beams create a more glorious year.
Thou doating fool, forbear, forbear;
What, dost thou dream of freezing here?
Air. Mr. Champnes.
Great Love, I know thee now;
Eldest of the gods art thou:
Heav'n and earth by thee were made,
Human nature
Is thy creature;
Every where thou art obey'd.
Recit. Cupid.
No part of my dominion shall be waste;
To spread my sway, and sing my praise,
Ev'n here I will a people raise,
Of kind embracing lovers, and embrac'd.
Cupid waves his wand, upon which the scene opens, and discovers an extensive prospect of ice and snow.
Peasants appear.
CHORUS.
See, see, we assemble,
Thy revels to hold;
Tho' quiv'ring with cold,
We chatter and tremble.
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'Tis I, 'tis I, 'tis I that have warm'd ye;
In spite of cold weather,
I've brought you together;
'Tis I, 'tis I, 'tis I, that have arm'd ye.
CHORUS.
'Tis Love, 'tis Love, 'tis Love that has warm'd us;
In spite of cold weather,
He brought us together:
'Tis Love, 'tis Love, 'tis Love that has arm'd us.
Cupid waves his wand, the frost scene vanishes, and a summer prospect appears.
A grand dance.
I cou'd be pleas'd with any one but thee,
Who entertain'd my sight with such gay shows,
As men and women moving here and there;
That coursing one another in their steps,
Have made their feet a tune.
Osm.
What, coying it again!
No more; but make happy.
Em.
From my sight,
Thou, all thy devils in one, thou dar'st not force me.
Osm.
You teach me well;
I'll give you that excuse your sex desire.
[He seizes her and she struggles.
Grim.
[within.]
O help me, master, help me!
Osm.
Who's that, my Grimbald! Come and help thou me;
For 'tis thy work t'assist a ravisher.
Grim.
[within.]
I cannot stir; I am spell caught by Philidel,
And purs'd within a net,
37
Laid on my head, that keeps me down from rising.
Osm.
I'll read'em backwards, and release thy bonds.
Mean time go in:—
[To Emmeline.
Prepare yourself, to meet my love,
But if you will not fairly be enjoy'd,
A little honest force is well employ'd.
[Exit Osmond.
Em.
Heav'n be my guard, I have no other friend!
Heav'n, ever present to thy suppliant's aid,
Protect and pity innocence betray'd.
[Ex. Emmeline and Matilda.
| A Fairy Tale | |