The Crown Jewel A Drama in Five Acts |
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Scene 5.
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 | The Crown Jewel |  |
Scene 5.
Room in the Palace discovers two courtiers.1st.
The king can do no wrong, is an old saying
Which finds acceptance with all honest men
Only the disaffected and disloyal
Pervert it, as the devil does the scripture.
The virtue negative ascribed to thrones
Is now made positive. The king does right,
And loyalty expands.
2nd.
This turn of things
Comes late, but better late than not at all.
The self-denial of our sovereign
Upon his lieges (throw the court aside),
Hath tak'n effect unwholesome, and the air
Charged with dissension and fanatic gloom.
Such coming from the throne have been the force
And sequel of example; and to stay
The progress of the evil, only he
That set it first a-going can prevail:
Therefore of all things opportune and welcome
Is this return to reasonable customs.
The etiquette dispensed with and parade
Are to our kingdom's life essential.
They make of consequence its royal head,—
Exalt his peers, bring courtesy to play
In every circle, give our armies strength
And the significance which keeps in awe,
While it diverts, the shifty populace.
A monarch to be monarch must keep up
The customs of the Cæsars and put on
With the demeanour of a god, his harness,
And that grand nature which the great God hath
Of being, beyond the power to estimate,
Munificent and prodigal of pleasures.
This is the secret of imperial success!
And now that the traditions of our realm
And its regalia, so stirring once,
Have become drivel and a nursery tale,
It is high season to resuscitate
The glories which monarchical caprice
Sought to annihilate.
1st.
How the spirit catches
That breaks the stiff neck of the Puritan
And melts the people to their ruler's humour!
More by his dazzling than his hazy moods,
The sun maintains his grand supremacy;
So in the case of kings: Magnificence
In state blent with munificence in action
Carries the day.
2nd.
We meet again to-night,
And shall have opportunity to speak
Our minds out on this sudden turn of things.
The Count Vicente, I incline to think,
Takes prominent hand in't.
[Exeunt.
| The Crown Jewel | |