be temped even to quit Lilliput, were the proposal made to me by by one whose honour, bravery, and affection might make the loss of my own country lèss grevious to me. Gul. I am certainly in a fine situation-She certainly wants to elope with me. L. Flim. Why won't your lordship converse with me upon these topics ? Gul. Upon my word, madam, I have been much at a loss to comprehend you; and now I do comprehend you, I am still at a loss how to answer you-But madam-look upon your delicate self and me- -Supposing there were no other objectious, surely this disproportion L. Flim. I despise it, my lord-Love is a great laveller, and I have ambition-and I think, if I make no objections, your lordship need not. Gul. To pretend now not to understand you, would be affectation, and not to speak my mind to you wou'd be insincerity-I am most particularly sorry, madam, that I cannot offer you my services; but, to speak the truth, I am unfortunately engaged. L. Flim. Engaged, my lord! to whom, pray? Gul. To a wife and six children. L. Flim. Is that all! have not I, my, lord, the same plea? and does it weigh any thing against my affection? have not I a rusband and as many children? Gul. I allow that; but your ladyship is, most luckily and politely, regardless of 'em-I, madam, not having the good fortune to be born and bred in high life, am a slave to vulgar passions; and to expose at once my want of birth and education-with confusion I speak it—I really love my wife and children. L. Flim. Is it possible! Gul. I am ashamed of my weakness, but it is too true, madam. L. Flim. I am ashamed of mine, I must confess-What! have I really cast my affections upon a monster, a married monster, and who, still more monstrous, confesses a passion for his wife and children? Gul. Guilty madam. L. Flim. Guilty indeed! thou are ten-fold guilty to me-but I am eur'd of one passion-and shall now give way to another-As for your lordship's virtue-I leave and and bequeath it, with all its purity, to your fair lady and her numerous offspring-Don't imagine that I'm quite unhappy at your coolness to me I now as heartily despise you as before I lov'd you-and so, my dear Gully-yours -yours-yours-Here, Toadel Enter TOADEL. Let us be gone-I am finely punish'd for my folly. Toad. For heaven's sake, madam, be compos'd, and don't exasperate him; should he grow outrageous, he might commit violence upon us. L. Flim. He commit violence! he is a poor, tame spiritless creature-His great mountainous body promises wonders indeed; and when your expectations are raised instead of the roaring dragon, out creeps the pusillanimous mouse. Toad. Dear my 1.dy, be pacified: here comes my lord and your ladyship's brothers. How will this end? L. Flim. To my honour, assure yourself-Be sure do you second, me, when I want you. Toad. Play what ture your ladyship pleases, I am always ready with the second part. Enter FLIMNAP, BolGolam, and FRIPPEREL Flim. Now, brother, am I unreasonably jealous, or not? See and judge yourselves. Bol. I have judg'd, and now I'll execute. [Draws his sword. Frip. What, without a trial? fye, for shame, admiral ; that may be sea law, but it is not land law. Gul. What means this insult, ad:niral, in my apartments? -If you have no dread of a man who could puff you away with his breath, at least reverence whom your king has henoured. Bol. No place shall protect a dishonourable sister. Flim. And no strength shali protect him, who has dishonour'd Flimnap. [Lays bis band upon bis sword, Frip. I say, hear the parties first-If then matters arê not cleared, you shall draw your swords, and I'll-withdraw into the next room. L. Flim. Hear me, my lord and brother, and then determine-I confess appearances are against ine; an impruB 3 dent dent curiosity urged me to see this monster, and hear him talk of his country and its customs. Flim. The infection, madam, that is taken in at the eyes and ears, will make a quick progress through the rest of the body. L. Flim. Jealousy, my lord, will make a quicker-but I defy it-My friend, Toadel, here, can witness that curiosity was merely my motive. Toad O yes, my lord, I swear that. Frip. And so will I too-Toadel is a woman of immense honour. L. Flim. Having no harm myself, I suspected noneThe monster has always behaved mild, tame, and gentle to me-but just now-his eyes flashing with desire-he own'd a violent passion for me; nay, proposed even taking me away with him into his own country Frip. In his great-coat pocket, I suppose!And he would have made money of you too, if his countrymen love rarities! Bol. How can you jest at a such a time as this? L. Flim. Pray, my dear, contain yourselfThen this wicked monster-Ay, you may well turn up your eyesupon my being shoc kd at his proposal, and declaring my unalterable love to you-began to grind his teeth and bite his knuckles-I trembled, and begg'd for mercy-At last, gathering strength, from fear I fell into rage; and being strong in virtue, and warm with my conjugal affections, I broke out into a bitterness against the villain who would have been my undoer. [Bursts into tears. Toad. Which certainly hinder'd him from committing violence. Frip. Poor soul!-by all that's mischievous she's a genius. Aside. Flim. You have eas'd my heart, madam, of its suspicions; but my honour must have satisfaction here. [Draws bis sword. Gul Pray, my lord, sheath your anger; the odds are rather against you-I wave this private trial, and insist upon a public one; and till then, I beg to retire from the jeaousy of a husband, the partiality of brothers, and the irreisstible eloquence of so fine a lady. Flim. To-morrow the grand court of justice sits, and I summon thee, nardac Gulliver, before the king and peers, to answer to the wrongs thou hast done me. Gul. Clumglum Flimnap-I'll meet thee there. [Goes into the inner room. L. Flim. For heaven's sake, my lord, let us leave this den of wickedness. Enter KEEPER. A letter to my lord Flimnap. [Going. Frip. Now for it, sister,- -have at the other monster. [Flimnap reads, and seems disorder'd.] L. Flim. No bad news, I hope, my dear? [Aside. Bol. Speak it out, brother-Your keeping it to your self won't make it better. Flim. Nothing at all—a private business. L. Flim. I shall grow uneasy, my lord-I must know. [Soothing bim, Flim. You can't, my dear-It is a state affair. L. Flim. State affairs have been often postpon'd for a mistress; why may they not for once be intrusted to a wife. Frip. That's a choaker. (Aside.) Bol. Zounds! what's all this mistery about? L. Flim. If you don't cominunicate, my lord, I will. L. Flim. Your state secret-the contents of that letter -What, confounded, my sweet husband!—the paragon of chastity out of countenance !-ha! ha! Bol. Expound this riddle, or I'll march off. L. Flim. There, brother, is a true copy of the negociation that great statesman is carrying on for the good of the nation. [Gives a paper. Flim. Then I'm discover'd. Bol. Hum-bum-bum-the tender languishing Moretta! Is this true? my lord. Flim. I confess it. Bol. So, so here are fine doings! what, do you keep a whore, and are jealous of your wife too? Frip. That's damn'd unreasonable indeed! Bal. Look'e, my lord, I promised you justice, if she had B 4 injured Injured you; and, moreover, I promised to cut your throat, If you should injure her-Therefore, if you'll walk with me into the burying-ground, brother, I'll be as good as my word. Flim. I should ill deserve the name of gentleman, if I was not as ready to defend my follies, as commit themI'll attend you. [Exit Flim and Bolgolam. Toad. Won't you prevent mischief, my Lady? L. Flim. No, no; the losing a little blood will do 'em both service; it will cool the wantonness of one, and the choler of the other. Frip. Let the worst happen-I shall only be an elder brother, and you a husband, out of pocket. L. Flim. O no! there will be no mischief; Iam confident the admiral will bring him to-If my lord did not suffer himself to be bullied now and then, there would be no living with him. But what noise is that?-Ho, here he heroes come — Enter BOLGOLAM and FLIMNAP. Frip. Well, gentlemen, do either of you want a surgeon? Bol. Why here's the devil to do!-the whole city's in an uproar-the man-mountain has made his escape out of his chamber-he has straddled over the walls of the palacegarden, made the best of his way to the sea side, seized upon my ship, a first rate, put his cloaths on board her, weighed her anchor, and is now towing her over an arm of the sea, towards Blefuscu. Frip. Then you have lost your commission, admiral; and you your lover, sister. L. Flim. A good voyage to him-I was sure he would run away-You see, my lord, that he durst not stand the trial; for all his mightiness, he could not bear the consciousness of his guilt, nor the force of my virtue. Flim. 1 see it, madam, and acknowledge my mistake. L. Flim. Is that a satisfaction, my lord, adequate to the injury? My innocence, my lord, is not to be wounded, without having other remedies to heal it. Bol. If you dont apply one, my Lord, instantly; I shall. [Claps bis baud to his sword. Flim. I am ready, Madam, this moment to make you easy and happy for the future. L. Flim, And how will your lordship bring it about? |