The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Iv Part 63

Spoken by _Cloris_.

Ladies, the Prince was kind at last, But all the Danger is not past; I cannot happy be till you approve My hasty condescension to his Love.

'Twas want of Art, not Virtue, was my Crime; And that's, I vow, the Author's Fault, not mine.

She might have made the Women pitiless, But that had harder been to me than this: She might have made our Lovers constant too, A Work which Heaven it self can scarcely do; But simple Nature never taught the way To hide those Pa.s.sions which she must obey.

E'en humble Cottages and Cells, Where Innocence and Virtue dwells, Than Courts no more secure can be From Love and dangerous Flattery.

Love in rural Triumph reigns, As much a G.o.d amongst the Swains, As if the Sacrifices paid Were wounded Hearts by Monarchs made: And this might well excuse th' Offence, If it be so to love a Prince.

But, Ladies, 'tis your Hands alone, And not his Power, can raise me to a Throne; Without that Aid I cannot reign, But will return back to my Flocks again.

_Guilliam_ advances.

_Guil._ How, go from Court! nay, zay not zo.

Hear me but speak before you go: Whoy zay the Leadies should refuse ye, The Bleads I'm sure would better use ye-- So long as ye are kind and young, I know they'll clap ye right or wrong.

NOTES: The Amorous Prince

NOTES ON THE TEXT.

+Dramatis Personae+

p. 123 _Dramatis Personae._ I have added to the list '_Salvator_, Father to _Lorenzo_ and _Laura_.' 'Ismena' is spelled 'Ismenia'

throughout by 1724.

+ACT I: Scene i+

p. 124, l. 10 _Should those._ 4to 1671 reads 'Dwell'st perceive us'

as a separate line. Throughout the play, except in lines as this specially noted, I carefully follow the metrical division of 4to 1671.

1724 prints many speeches and whole scenes as prose which the quarto gives as verse. It is noticeable that the edition of 1711 follows the quarto.

p. 125, l. 17 _Bays._ 1724 'Bay'.

+ACT I: Scene ii+

p. 127, l. 31 _Exit Pietro._ 1724 'Exit.' which would tend to a confusion here.

p. 131, l. 1 _Thinking._ 4to 1671 ends this line at 'Life' and makes 'Might ... Virtue' a second line.

+ACT I: Scene iii+

p. 133, l. 15 _accompted._ 1724 'accounted'.

p. 134, l. 34 _a my._ 1724 'on my'.

p. 137, l. 15 _They retire._ 4to 1671 'Exeunt.'

+ACT I: Scene iv+

p. 137, l. 16 _Scene IV. The Same._ All previous editions 'Scene IV.'

p. 140, l. 28 _fixt._ 1724 'fit'.

p. 141, l. 2 _me alone._ 1724 'me all alone'.

p. 141, l. 28 _Ism. I can._ 1724 wrongly gives this speech to Isabella.

p. 144, l. 4 _if there need an Oath between us--_ 1724 'is there need of Oaths between us?'

+ACT II: Scene i+

p. 144, l. 15 _Gal. My Lord._ All previous editions give Galliard's lines with speech-prefix 'Ser.'

p. 145, l. 30 _An._ 4to 1671 'And'.

p. 146, l. 30 _Exit._ I have supplied this stage direction.

+ACT II: Scene ii+

p. 146, l. 31 _Antonio's House._ I have added the locale.

p. 147, l. 10 _hurt ones._ 4to 1671 'hurts one'. 1724 'hurt one'.

p. 147, l. 16 _Cure._ 1724 'spare'.

+ACT II: Scene iii+

p. 152, l. 18 _The Street._ I have supplied this locale.

p. 152, l. 32 _being retir'd._ 1724 'retires'.

p. 154, l. 34 _Pag._ All previous editions here give speech-prefix 'Boy'. The alteration from 'Page' to 'Boy' is quite unnecessary.

p. 155, l. 13 _Lor. and Page run._ All previous editions 'Lor. runs away', but obviously the Page accompanies his master.

+ACT II: Scene iv+

p. 156, l. 1 _Antonio's House._ I have supplied this locale.

p. 157, l. 10 _Puts on the Veil._ 1724 merely reads 'Exeunt.'

+ACT II: Scene v+

p. 157, l. 12 _A Chamber._ I have supplied the locale.

p. 157, l. 29 _Exit Page._ I have added this stage direction.