The Works of Aphra Behn Volume I Part 67

p. 198 _Plymouth Cloaks._ Obsolete slang for a cudgel 'carried by one who walked _en cuerpo_, and thus facetiously a.s.sumed to take the place of a cloak'. Fuller (1661), _Worthies_, 'Devon' (1662), 248, 'A Plimouth Cloak. That is a Cane or a Staffe whereof this the occasion. Many a man of good Extraction comming home from far Voiages, may chance to land here [at Plymouth] and being out of sorts, is unable for the present time and place to recruit himself with Cloaths. Here (if not friendly provided) they make the next Wood their Draper's shop, where a Staffe cut out, serves them for a covering'. Ray, _Prov._ (1670), 225, adds, 'For we use when we walk _in cuerpo_ to carry a staff in our hands but none when in a cloak'.

_N.E.D._, which also quotes this pa.s.sage of _The Rover._ cf.

Davenant:--

Whose cloak, at Plymouth spun, was crab-tree wood.

p. 199 _Alb.u.m Graec.u.m._ The excrement of dogs and some other animals which from exposure to air and weather becomes whitened like chalk.

It was formerly much used in medicine.

+Act V: Scene iiib+

p. 209 _Guzman Medicines._ Trashy, worthless medicines. In _The Emperor of The Moon_, Act iii, 2, 'Guzman' is used as a term of abuse to signify a rascal. The first English translation (by James Mabbe) of Aleman's famous romance, _Vida del Picaro Guzman d'Alfarache_, is, indeed, ent.i.tled _The Rogue_, and it had as running t.i.tle _The Spanish Rogue._ There is a novel by George Fidge ent.i.tled _The English Gusman; or, the History of that Unparallel'd Thief James Hind._ (1652, 4to.)

p. 209 _Copper Chains._ In allusion to the trick played by Estifania on the churlish Cacafogo in Fletcher's _Rule a Wife and Have a Wife._ He lends her 1000 ducats upon trumpery which she is pa.s.sing off as rich gems, and when later he scents the cozenage, he bawls out:--

Plague of her jewels, and her copper chains, How rank they smell!

--(Act v, 2.)

The phrase became proverbial for shams.

p. 211 _disimbogue._ This word is generally used of the waters of a river or the outlet of a lake pouring into the open sea.

p. 212 _by Play-Bill, summon'd here._ In Restoration times one method of announcing the next day's performance to the public was by putting out bills on posts in the streets adjacent to the theatre.

There are allusions to this in Pepys, 24 March, 1662 and 28 July, 1664. The whole subject has been exhaustively treated by Mr. W. J.

Lawrence in 'The Origin of the Theatre Programme'-- _The Elizabethan Playhouse_ (Second Series).

+Epilogue+

p. 213. _greasing._ Flattery. Settle's post as City Poet, it is well known, did not bring him in any great emoluments. He was, in fact, desperately poor, and even volunteered to join King James' army at Hounslow Heath. In old age he was reduced to writing drolls performed in a Bartholomew Fair booth kept by one Mrs. Minns and her daughter, Mrs. Leigh. He himself acted in these wretched farces, and on one occasion, in _St. George for England_, appeared as a dragon in a green leather case. Eventually he obtained admission to the Charterhouse, where he died 24 February, 1724.

Errors and Irregularities: The Rover, Part II

the Arbitrary Tyranny _text reads "Tryanny"_ Enter ... follow'd by _Ariadne_ and _Lucia_.

_printed "_Ariadne_ and _Lucia_" with "and" sharing emphatic type_ _Aria._ How prove ye that, good Mr. Philospher?

_spelling unchanged_ Feth. _Have you heard of a _Spanish_ Lady ..._ [Singing.

_speaker's name is in Roman type while he is singing a song printed in italics_ _stage direction in same pa.s.sage not italicized_ [_Lucia_ above and _Ariadne_.]

_anomalous close bracket in original_ _Will._ Love knows no Ceremony, no respect _text reads "repect"_ [_Lucia_ squeaks within, crying, help, help.

_text unchanged_

THE DUTCH LOVER.

[Transcriber's Note:

Entrances and bracketed stage directions were printed in _italics_, with proper names in roman type. The overall _italic_ markup has been omitted for readability.]

ARGUMENT.

Roderigo-- the natural son of the great Count d' Olivarez, minister to Philip IV of Spain-- was, upon his father's disgrace, given over when very young to the care of a certain Don Ambrosio, and by him brought up as his own child. Ambrosio has one son, Marcel, and two daughters, Hippolita and Cleonte. Marcel, whilst in Flanders, promised Hippolita to his friend Alonzo. This Alonzo is the son of a lady Octavia and Don Manuel. But Manuel's rival in Octavia's love, Alonzo, stole their boy when an infant and brought him up to arms, giving him his own name.

Pedro, an old servant, who is cognizant of this, is sworn to secrecy.

Alonzo arrives in Madrid purposing to wed Hippolita as he desires to ally himself with so ancient and powerful a family as Ambrosio's.

Hippolita, however, having been betrayed by a German named Antonio, has fled, and now resides in a house of pleasure in the town, having a.s.sumed the habit of a Venetian courtezan. Alonzo meeting Euphemia, sister to his friend Lovis, becomes enamoured of her, and the lady grants him a rendezvous at a house where they will be uninterrupted-- it happens this house is the bagnio where Hippolita is secreted. Marcel, on his way to visit Clarinda, whom he loves, recognizes Alonzo and follows him to his rendezvous, Olinda, Euphemia's maid, mistakenly introduces Marcel to her mistress. Euphemia is veiled and Marcel, who has heard that his sister is living in that house, in his turn mistakes the lady for Hippolita, more especially as he meets Antonio there. The two men fight, but Alonzo entering interferes. Antonio escapes, bearing away Hippolita. Euphemia, whom Marcel in a pa.s.sion of revenge would kill, is soon discovered not to be Hippolita, and the angry brother duly retires from the scene.

Alonzo, however, leaving the house is accosted for Marcel by Dormida, Clarinda's maid, who gives him the key to their house. Alonzo enters followed by Marcel who is close on his heels. They jostle and fight in the darkness of the hall within, and Alonzo departs leaving Marcel wounded. Dormida fearing trouble drags Clarinda forth and meeting Alonzo in the street they throw themselves on his honourable protection.

A complete stranger, in his dilemma he escorts them to the mansion of Ambrosio, and they chance on Cleonte's chamber. She has just had a visit from Silvio (under which name Roderigo pa.s.ses), who is burning with pa.s.sion for her but shrinks from his supposed sister. Cleonte offers the two ladies a refuge and Alonzo retires. With the aid of his friend Lovis he a.s.sumes the habit of Haunce van Ezel, a Dutch boor who is contracted to Euphemia, and, as Haunce, courts Lovis' sister with the full approbation of their father Don Carlo. When Haunce himself appears he is greeted with some familiarity as having been at the house before. The Dutch Lover, who has newly arrived, chances on a strife between Antonio and Hippolita and interfering disarms Antonio, wounding him in the face.

Cleonte meantime has introduced her guest Clarinda to Silvio, and Marcel seeing them together concludes that his own brother is the man who fought him on the previous night and indeed his favoured rival. At once he challenges him and they arrange to have a duel in a grove near the town. Here, however, comes Hippolita disguised in man's attire, awaiting Antonio to whom she has sent a billet signed 'Alonzo'. She retires, whilst Silvio appears, and when he is engaged with Marcel, Alonzo rushes in and parts them. Alonzo avows that it was he who caused the confusion with Clarinda, and arranges to meet Marcel later in another spot.

Antonio next arrives and Hippolita, calling herself Alonzo, draws, but Alonzo himself insists on taking up the quarrel. At the clash of steel Marcel returns and all four fight, Marcel with Hippolita, whom he wounds, Alonzo with Antonio, whom he disarms-- Hippolita reveals herself, Alonzo claims her, but Antonio declaring that he is bound to her by sacred vows rescues her from Marcel's vengeance and obtains his forgiveness. All return to Ambrosio's house where they find Cleonte and Clarinda. Explanations ensue, and Marcel is at Clarinda's feet. Pedro, however, who attends Alonzo, recognizes his old fellow-servant, Dormida, duenna to Clarinda, and learning Don Manuel is dead, reveals that Alonzo is Clarinda's brother, also handing over papers left by Don Alonzo the foster-father, which bestow 12,000 crowns a year on his adopted son, Alonzo portions Clarinda and gives her to Marcel. Francisca, woman to Cleonte, informs Silvio that Cleonte will yield to him-- Silvio, suddenly revolted, declares he will present himself, but secretly resolves to poinard his sister. Marcel who has overheard the conference, beside himself with rage, dashes on Silvio with dagger drawn and when checked by Ambrosio and the rest who rush in at Francisca's cries makes known the cause of his wrath. Francisca confesses that Cleonte had sent no such message, but herself purposed to take her mistress' place that night and receive Silvio. Ambrosio then reveals the secret of Silvio's birth and gives Cleonte to him, in his joy even taking Hippolita to his arms since Antonio has married her. Alonzo, meanwhile, disguised as Haunce has been united to Euphemia. He is discovered by the arrival on the scene of the real Haunce accompanied by Gload, a foolish tutor.

Carlo is soon reconciled to the new bridegroom, whilst Haunce and Gload joining in a masquerade find themselves unexpectedly wedded to Olinda and Dorice, two women attendant on the lady Euphemia.

SOURCE.

Mrs. Behn founded the plot of _The Dutch Lover_ upon the stories of Eufemie and Theodore, Don Jame and Frederic, in a pseudo-Spanish novel ent.i.tled '_The History of Don Fenise_, a new Romance written in Spanish by Francisco de Las Coveras, And now Englished by a Person of Honour, London, Printed for Humphrey Moseley,' 8vo, 1651. There is of course no such Spanish author as 'the ingenious Don Francisco de las Coveras'. The chief merit of the book is purely bibliographical: it is a very rare volume and difficult to meet with. The Bodleian indeed contains a copy, but it is not to be found in the British Museum library. The somewhat morbid theme of overwhelming pa.s.sion barred by consanguinity eventually discovered to be false, which is here exemplified in the love of Silvio for Cleonte, occurs more than once in the later Jacobean and Carolan drama. In Beaumont and Fletcher's tragicomedy _A King and no King_ (1611: 4to, 1619), we have Arbaces enamoured of Panthea, his reputed sister; similar motives are to be found in Arthur Wilson's _The Swizzer_ (1631); but in Middleton's _Women beware Women_ (circa 1612: 4to, 1657), no contrivance can legitimize the incestuous loves of Hippolito and Isabella, and death is the only solution. In Ma.s.singer's _The Unnatural Combat_ (1621: 4to, 1639), the demoniac Malefort pursues his daughter Theocrine with the same baleful fires as Francesco Cenci looked on Beatrice, but the height of horror, harrowing the soul with pity and anguish, culminates in Ford's terrible scenes _Tis Pity She's a Wh.o.r.e_ (4to, 1633), so tenderly tragic, so exquisitely beautiful for all their moral perversity, that they remain unequalled outside Shakespeare.

In the Restoration Theatre the theme of consanguinity was originally dealt with no less than three times by Dryden: comically, in _The Spanish Friar_ (1681), when Lorenzo-- after all the love-brokerage of pursy Father Dominic-- discovers Elvira to be his sister: tragically, in _Don Sebastian_ (1690), when Sebastian and Almeyda are separated by the disclosures of old Alvarez: sentimentally and romantically, in _Love Triumphant_ (1693-4), when Alphonso wins Victoria whom he has long loved, even whilst she was supposed to be his sister. Otway it will be remembered turns the pathetic catastrophe of _The Orphan_ (1680), upon a deceit which produces similar though unhappy circ.u.mstances. In 1679, _Oedipus_, a joint production of Dryden and Lee, was brought out with great success at the Duke's Theatre, Dorset Gardens.

Unhallowed and incestuous pa.s.sions again form the plot of _The Fatal Discovery; or, Love in Ruins_ (4to, 1698), produced at Drury Lane, a play seemingly derived from _Bandello, Part II_, Novel 35, which coincides with the thirtieth tale of the _Heptameron_. In various forms, however, this legend is to be found in the literature of all countries, and a cognate tradition is even attached to certain districts.

_Innocence Distress'd; or, The Royal Penitents_, a tragedy by Robert Gould (ob. 1709), never performed but published by subscription (8vo, 1737), for the benefit of his daughter Hannah, is based on the same story. Gould's work is weak and insipid.

Later in the eighteenth century we have Horace Walpole's _The Mysterious Mother_ (8vo, 1768), an unacted drama of extraordinary power and undissipated gloom on the same terrible theme; whilst Sh.e.l.ley's _The Centi_, published in 1819, which the poet most emphatically intended for the boards, remains a masterpiece of supreme genius.

Wagner in _Die Walkure_ shows the irresistible pa.s.sion of Siegmund and Sieglinde, brother and sister, from whose union sprang the mighty hero Siegfried; and in _Gengangere_ (Ghosts), 1881, Ibsen threw, by the sickly craving of the fibreless Oswald Alving for Regina, a lurid light across that awesome tragedy of shadows, Nemesis, and blank despair.

THEATRICAL HISTORY.

_The Dutch Lover_ was produced at the Duke's Theatre, Dorset Garden, in February, 1673, but owing to the manifold disadvantages under which it was put on the stage it did not meet with that success it certainly deserved. It was indeed, to quote the preface, 'hugely injured in the acting.' The performers were anything but word perfect and hopelessly forgot or confused their business, which, more especially in a play of such a type as this romantic comedy so full of busy and complicated detail demanding close and continuous attention, was enough to mystify the audience completely and foredoom the piece to failure. The worst sinner was Haunce himself, who hardly spoke one of his lines but gagged from start to finish. Not unnaturally, Mrs. Behn resented this and avows that she would have trounced him roundly in print except 'de mortuis...'

Although the original cast is not given, this detail enables us to fix the representative of Haunce as Angel, a leading comedian, who died in the spring of 1673, his name last appearing as de Boastado in Ravenscroft's _Careless Lovers_.

In addition to these serious detriments the costumes were very poor, especially the disguise of Alonzo as the Hollander, and Haunce's own 'fantastical travelling habit,' dresses on the aptness of which the probability of the intrigue can be made so largely to depend.