ture. enough to go to war, or to law, which would do almost as well, I would ven[Shrieks repeated without. Heavens! Whence those shrieks? I have not insured my life, therefore I'll take care of number one. [Exit TRANSIT. [Shrieks again, nearer. Captain Hatchway. A female voice, and in distress. I fear my rascals have got hold of some of the girls. I'll massacre every one of the villains if they [Draws his sword. Invoice. This outrage will bring down the natives: I'll join with you to repress it. [Draws his sword. [Shrieks. have. Enter DENGHEL and SABA, armed with javelins, bows, and quivers of arrows. Denghel. Our arrows would soon have reached her, but that we are ordered to take her alive. Saba. I was sorry to lose ao excellent a mark as she presented in running. [They rush towards ERGETTA Captain Hatchway (interposing). Hold, my good friends! there are, as we say at sea, two words to this bargain. If this little skiff has put herself under my protection, do you suppose I shall resign her? Invoice. Or that I shall stand quietly by, and suffer you to carry her off? [DENGHEL and SABA rush upon the CAPTAIN and INVOICE. The former are joined by a number of other Africans, who nearly surround the English. Fight. Captain Hatchway. I find we are like to have a tight job of this. I wish my fellows were hore. (Boatswain pipes.) That's my boatswain, however; he will not flinch from us. Invoice. If he does, be's a dog. [Seeing the CAPTAIN and, INVOICE supporting ERGETTA. Ah ha, my lads! our commander sent ane to see after you, and heaven knows I have had trouble enough; but still he had better have employed me to take care of himself. Bob Boom. Yes; I see he wanted a bit of black. That was hardly fair. Sten. When we had leave to go ashore at Palermo Captain Hatolas ny. What are ye muttering about, lubbers? Stern. You remember the black girl that used to play the hurdy gurdy Bob Boom. If our noble captain does not, I do. Sings. What a smart little lass, Her simpe gave delight, And jacket so whre; Her colour was black, For the officers round,. 'Till each of them thought her his price. Captain Hotelway. If I hear a word more of this frolic, for which all concerned in it ought to have been flogged, Til send you every one to the bilboes. Keep in the olling, and take care the. negroes do not come upon us again. You shall presently take this prize in tow, and steer with her to the factory. Gangway. Never fear, your honour. Bob and I will be the two repeating frigates; and if we do not hoist signals the moment the enemy is in sight, may we be condemned to board with that jurylegged dog, old Gripe'um, the purser that you cashiered because he reduced us to short allowance without any occasion for it. : Stern. I shall be obliged to give these fellows a full allowance of stripesthere's nothing I detest like talking One day the purser was more than half seas over Captain Hatchway. I detest talking more than you; therefore, if you say another word Follow the men, swab! Stern. Fellows that have no command of their jaw, that will reef out their running rigging— Captain Hatchway. Again! Stern. That will give you ten words for one. Zounds! I bate babblers.When we lay abreast of Constantinople -Mum was the word-I shall get them abaft. Captain Hatchway. Was there ever such an old fool? Vanish, I say! Stern. I'll make them vanish, if they do not reel their head tackle. Among the Soosce and the Boolam race, And thro' our fertile fields ongenders gloor. It nought avails that bounteous Providence Diffuses blessings with a liberal hand; That fruits spontaneous creep along the ground, Adorn our walls, and bend our lofty trees; That mountains glow with gold, And scarce demands the languid peasant's toil; That free from ills our bodies long remain, If o'er our spirits hangs a mental chain. Captain Hatchway. What mental chain? Ergetta. The Purrah, that dread secret inquisition, That female tribunal which awes our sex, And bends our free-born minds to love or hate Just as the leaders please. Invoice. What follows else? Captain Hatchway. How came you to offend such cruel laws? Ergetta. Close by yon tow'ring mountain's fertile base, Where palms imperial seem to guard us round, A village rose, beneath their ample shade, Superior in its size, in power and wealth Of its inhabitants. Of these my father Was fetishman, or chief. Our mansion shone Captain Hatchway. What followed this event? Ergetta. My ardent love, and now my present terror; For Alimami, of Mandingo's race (A race obnoxious to the Boolam cast), Was deem'd the chief. Perfect he is in form, Of courage tried. Our passion grew, Till it attracted envious tongues, who spread Their shares around which late envelop'd me. Invoice. How? In what way? Ergetta. The Purrah priestess summon'd me before her.. Her dread assistants urg'd me to confes、sion. Our law is sacred,-no equivocation Is e'er allowed: by my own words condemn'd, Of ardent passion for a hostile youth, For having thus disgrac'd my ancient гасе, I was consign'd to the severest torture. Let Africa no longer boast To cure the wounds of sorrow's dart [Exeunt ERGETTA, Invoice, and Scene continues. Enter JAGO. Jago. This way I heard the sound of human voices; and from the long absence of the captain, I fear some mischief has befallen him. Yet that can hardly be, for I met his men in bigh spirits, and one of them told me that he had a negro-girl in the wind; a tale almost. as improbable as my fear. If he that has so long resisted the shafts of OF THE LATE Charlotte. I do not blame you for be- A SERIES OF ORIGINAL LETTERS ing partial to your own countrywomca; but for the captain to prefer a southern to a northern beauty Jago. That depends upon his situation: you know a sailor finds a wife in every port." [A war-whoop in the woods. Charlotte. Heaven protect us! What noise is this? Jago. Draw your sword, we must protect ourselves; the savages from the woods are upon us. Draw your sword. Charlotte. Draw my sword ? Charlotte. surround them. MR. SAMUEL RICHARDSON, AUTHOR OF PAMELA, CLARISSA, AND SIR CHARLES GRANDISON. (Never before published.) No. XII. WILL not stay till I have recovered thetrain of perplexing business which a three weeks absence from it has added to my disorders of head, before I acknowledge the receipt of my Miss Wescomb's kind letter sent after me to Bath, now on return to town. [She draws with great tremulation. Jago. If we are taken, we shall be tortured. Tortured! "I sincerely desire," says she, “that [The negroes rush in, and you never will indulge me at the expence of your ease or convenience; but take me and leave ine, as the saying is, as suits with both."-Condescending goodness! - You overwhelm me with it.Madam, I cannot be easy 'til I acknowledge it.-1 do acknowledge it. Charlotte. Quarter! quarter! The Chief. Spoke like an African. Charlotte. And so am I.. The Chief. She cannot be in better hands. Lead us to the English, factory. First Negro. We must first go to the Palaver-house, and endeavour to free Alimami. Jago. Who is he? The Chief. Her lover. Charlotte. I am glad she has got a lover, however: let us go by all means. THE CHIEF sings. When the sages are met, c'er sentence is past, I mean humbly for mercy to sue, Were each tried for courting, sure all would be cast, And torture be ev'ry one's due. But men of experience allow for our youth, They consign them to wedlock for triil. THE END OF THE FIRST ACT. How I grieve in the account you give of the fluctuating state of health of your dear mamma! God give you happiness in her established health, and preserve your own: As for wine, which you so kindly enquire alter, a twenty years chronical disorder is too brave to vield to a three weeks excursión; yet was I not worse as we travelled than I expected to be, thank God for that--And that my wife is amended in her health by the journey. We have brought Poll home; we have left Party at Cheltenham with Miss Chapone, whose father is an excellent clergyman, and whose mother is an ornament to her sex, and one of the finest writers of it. But why does my daughter in this letter abuse herscif? "Paltry stuff" does she call her letters? ---I will not allow her to do so. Prittle pratti¿ ! Fie upon you, now I say, as I did to another lady; whose part you so kindly take in our place; yet would so panish in another." Marry her first to si Hargrave! and make her afterwards in love with Lovelace !"--C.ucl Miss Wescomb, I was going to call you! But I accept of and praise you for your qualifyings. "Are there not ugly minds as well as persons, ask you.-Who doubts it? women's eyes, you say, cannot always dis-, corn them; will not, be pleased to 573, instead of cannot, and then, perhaps, you will allow that they are rather to be blamed than pilied; and that as well for their willing ears as for their unrestrained eyes.--"O men, say you, for flattery renowned.” And 0 women, may I return, who never will be flatteryproof! -Men' call themselves galiant because women think them so, for telling them a thousand falsehoods. Am I not cleared of a fib or of an equivocation, madam, when I told you that I sent you long letters in print at a time when you expected long letters in writing? You try me by your expectations then? Is that fair?-But did not my Miss Wescomb take the compliment to herself when I sent her letters in print before publication, and which having been seen by very few night be said to be written only to that few ? when they are laid before the world, then are they written to that world. You do me, my dear Miss Wescomb, great honour when you acknowledge a pleasure in our correspondence. Coafiuue me in your favour, and allow of my paternal love, as I hope your dear mamma will of my fraternal. My wife, my girls, join their sincere good wishes with mine for your mamma's perfect recovery, and for your good continued health. With my compliments to Miss Betsy, I beg of you both to believe me to be, Dear Mrs. Jobson, Dear Miss Wescomb, Your truly affectionate and faithful humble servant, S. RICHARDSON. London, 11 Sep. 1753. No. XIII. FORGIVE this trouble, my dear Miss Wescomb, my daughter, my friend, my beloved correspondent, and place it to my impatience to know, after so alarming a letter as your last, how your dear' mamina does? Better I hope. I have sent more than once to Mr. spooner's chambers; but he was not at home each time. As for my own health, which you so kindly enquired about, I have laboured under an encrease of my nervous disorders but what inclement weather have we had! Remember you ever the like? I who have lived three times your age do not. I hope you will be able to send me good news. If you are, you must let me know how you like the winding up of my story. I have anonymous letters sent me, in which abruptness is charged upon me, and an expectation of more volumes, of one more at least, expressed. I But I have done with my pen. propose, God willing, when we shall be blessed with the return of the sun and clement skies, to take excursions from friend to friend, and begin a new course with myself. Dr. Young says, that I am deep in arrears to my health as to rational amusements. I begin to be of his opinion. Send me good news, my dear Miss Wescomb. My best respects to your good mamma, and best wishes to your dear self, Miss Betsy also, from Your truly paternal friend, and humble servant, March 22d, 1751. S. RICHARDSON, No. XIV. "Ouant to have apologized for so unlooked for, so unseasonable an intrusion as that at North End." Dear madam, what language is this! Is it that of a daughter giving pleasure and doing honour to her papa? Illness!" Has my dear Miss Wescomb been ill? I am sorry for every sake that you can make such an excuse as your mother's and your own indispo sition for your long silence. me soon?" Shall you not see Obliging question! I have thoughts of paying my respects to your maшma and you, accompanied by a girl or two perhaps, some early day, and set out in the morning and return in the evening, and hope i shall not be disappointed; but cannot name the day, as I am not sole master of the question and company. Mrs. Sodrell did not serve you pretty." How was that? "Don't drop you quite." Cruel Miss Wescomb, to suppose it possible for me to drop my daughter! I cannot brag of my health. I was alarmed when your kind enquiry after me was made. These nervous maladies never quit their hold. I call them Engfish mastiffs or bull dogs. May you and those you love never know what they are! |