A Trip to Scarborough; and, The Critic Part 14

_Sir Walt_. Thy fears are just.

_Sir Christ_. But where? whence? when? and what The danger is,--methinks I fain would learn.

_Sir Walt_. You know, my friend, scarce two revolving suns, And three revolving moons, have closed their course Since haughty Philip, in despite of peace, With hostile hand hath struck at England's trade.

_Sir Christ_. I know it well.

_Sir Walt_. Philip, you know, is proud Iberia's king!

_Sir Christ_. He is.

_Sir Walt_. His subjects in base bigotry And Catholic oppression held;-while we, You know, the Protestant persuasion hold.

_Sir Christ_. We do.

_Sir Walt_. You know, beside, his boasted armament, The famed Armada, by the Pope baptized, With purpose to invade these realms-- _Sir Christ_. Is sailed, Our last advices so report.

_Sir Walt_. While the Iberian admiral's chief hope, His darling son-- _Sir Christ_. Ferolo Whiskerandos hight-- _Sir Walt_. The same--by chance a prisoner hath been ta'en, And in this fort of Tilbury-- _Sir Christ_. Is now Confined--'tis true, and oft from yon tall turret's top I've mark'd the youthful Spaniard's haughty mien Unconquer'd, though in chains.

_Sir Walt_. You also know-- Dang. Mr. Puff, as he knows all this, why does Sir Walter go on telling him?

_Puff_. But the audience are not supposed to know any-thing of the matter, are they?

Sneer. True; but I think you manage ill: for there certainly appears no reason why Sir Walter should be so communicative.

_Puff_. 'Fore Gad, now, that is one of the most ungrateful observations I ever heard!--for the less inducement he has to tell all this, the more, I think, you ought to be obliged to him; for I am sure you'd know nothing of the matter without it.

_Dang_. That's very true, upon my word.

_Puff_. But you will find he was not going on.

"_Sir Christ_. Enough, enough--'tis plain--and I no more Am in amazement lost!"-- _Puff_. Here, now you see, Sir Christopher did not in fact ask any one question for his own information.

_Sneer_. No, indeed: his has been a most disinterested curiosity!

_Dang_. Really, I find that we are very much obliged to them both.

_Puff_. To be sure you are. Now then for the commander-in-chief, the Earl of Leicester, who, you know, was no favourite but of the queen's.--We left off--_in amazement lost!_ "_Sir Christ_. Am in amazement lost. But, see where n.o.ble Leicester comes supreme in honours and command.

_Sir Walt_. And yet, methinks, At such a time, so perilous, so fear'd, That staff might well become an abler grasp.

_Sir Christ_. And so, by Heaven! think I; but soft, he's here!"

_Puff_. Ay, they envy him!

_Sneer_. But who are these with him?

_Puff_. Oh! very valiant knights: one is the governor of the fort, the other the master of the horse. And now, I think, you shall hear some better language: I was obliged to be plain and intelligible in the first scene, because there was so much matter of fact in it; but now, i'faith, you have trope, figure, and metaphor, as plenty as noun-substantives.

"_Enter_ EARL OF LEICESTER, GOVERNOR, MASTER OF THE HORSE, KNIGHTS, &c.

_Leic_.

How's this, my friends! is't thus your new-fledged zeal, And plumed valour moulds in roosted sloth?

Why dimly glimmers that heroic flame, Whose reddening blaze, by patriot spirit fed, Should be the beacon of a kindling realm?

Can the quick current of a patriot heart Thus stagnate in a cold and weedy converse, Or freeze in tideless inactivity?

No! rather let the fountain of your valour Spring through each stream of enterprise, Each petty channel of conducive daring, Till the full torrent of your foaming wrath O'erwhelm the flats of sunk hostility!"

_Puff_. There it is--followed up!

"_Sir Walt_.

No more!--the freshening breath of thy rebuke Hath fill'd the swelling canvas of our souls!

And thus, though fate should cut the cable of [_All take hands._]

Our topmost hopes, in friends.h.i.+p's closing line We'll grapple with despair, and if we fall, We'll fall in glory's wake!

_Leic_.

There spoke old England's genius!

Then, are we all resolved?

_All_.

We are--all resolved.

_Leic_.

To conquer--or be free?

_All_.

To conquer, or be free.

_Leic_.

All?

_All_.

All."

_Dang. Nem. con_. egad!

_Puff_. O yes!--where they do agree on the stage, their unanimity is wonderful!

"_Leic_.

Then let's embrace--and now--[_Kneels._"

_Sneer_. What the plague, is he going to pray?

_Puff_. Yes; hus.h.!.+--in great emergencies, there Is nothing like a prayer.

"_Leic_.

O mighty Mars!"

_Dang_. But why should he pray to Mars?

_Puff_. Hus.h.!.+

"_Leic_.

If in thy homage bred, Each point of discipline I've still observed; Nor but by due promotion, and the right Of service, to the rank of major-general Have risen; a.s.sist thy votary now!

_Gov_.

Yet do not rise--hear me! [_Kneels._]

_Mast_.

And me! [_Kneels.]

Knight_.

And me! [_Kneels.]

Sir Walt_.

And me! [_Kneels.]