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eine Nachahmung des Molierischen Tartuffe, in den befanns ten Tompsonschen, Miscellanies abgedruckt ist; so:schone ich des Raumes, und gebe keine Probe, wozu ich sonst eine oder andre Scene aus dem besten Stücke dieses Dichters, The Careless Husband, wählen würde.

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XII.

Stee I e.

A

Sir Richard Steele erwarb sich durch seinen Antheil an den drei so vortheilhaft bekannten Wochenblättern, dem Tatler, Spectator und Guardian, den ruhmvollen Rang eines klassischen Skribenten, und verdient auch seiner dramatischen Arbeiten wegen noch immer, die Aufmerksamkeit und den Beifall, welche denselben bei ihrer ersten Erscheir nung zu Theil wurden. Er wurde in Irland um das Jahr 1676 geboren, und starb zu London, 1729. Schon in seinem fiebzehnten Jahre machte er zu Oxford, wo er beim Postwesen angestellt war, den. Bersuch, eine Komédie zu schreiben, die er aber hernach unterdrückte. Sein Tender Husband, or, The Accomplished Fools, fand sehr viel Beifall; dagegen nahm man ein zweites Lustspiel von ihm, The Lying Lover, or, the Ladies' Friendship, so gleich, gültig auf, daß er aus Mißvergnügen darüber die dramatis sche Laufbahn verließ, und sich an die Ausarbeitung der ges dachten Wochenschriften machte. Der große Ruhm, den er sich dadurch erwarb, und der Antheil, den er in der Folge selbst an der Unternehmung des königlichen Theaters in Drus rolane erhielt, veranlassten ihn in der Folge zur Verfertigung eines neuen, in seiner Art wirklich meisterhaften, Schaus (piels, The Conscious Lovers, welches mit ungemeinem Beifall im Jahr 1721 zuerst gespielt wurde. Auffer diesen angeführten drei Komödien schrieb er noch: The Funeral,

or,

or, Grief à la Mode, und zwei unvollendete, auch, so viel ich weiß noch ungedruckte, Stice: The Gentleman und The School of Action.

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Zu den Conscious Lovers, welches wohl unstreitig Steele's bestes dramatisches Produkt ist, nahm er die Haupts idee aus der Andria des Terenz. Es hat wirklich meisters hafte Scenen, rührende Situationen, und durchaus nichts anstößiges, sondern vielmehr viel Lehrreiches in Ansehung der Sitten. In der Vorrede sagt er, daß er dieß ganze Schauspiel wegen der Scene im vierten Akt geschrieben habe, in welcher Bevil der Ausfoderung zu einem Zweikampfe mit vieler Klugheit ausweicht; und diese Scone diene hier zur Probe:

Myrtle. The Time, the Place, our long Acquaintance, and many other Circumstances, which affect me on this Occafion, oblige me, without any Ceremony or Conference, to defire, you would not only, as you already have, acknowledge the Receipt of my Letter, but also comply with the Request in it. I'muft have farther Notice taken of my Meffage than these half Lines I have yours I fhall be at home.

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Bevil. Sir, I own, I have received a Letter from you, in a very unusual Style; but as I defign, every thing in this Matter fhall be your own 'Action, your own Seeking, I fhall understand nothing, but what you are pleased to confirm, face to face; and I have already forgot the Contents of your Epiftle.

Myrtle. This cool Manner is very agreeable to the Abuse, you have already inade of my Simplicity land Frankness; and I fee, your Moderation tends to your own Advantage, and not mine; to your own Safety, not Confideration of your Friend.

› Bevil. My own Safety, Mr. Myrtle?

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Alyrtle. Your own Safety, Mr. Bevil.

Bevil. Look you, Mr. Myrtle, there's no difgui

fing that I understand what you would be at

But, Sir, you know I have often dared to disapprove of the

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Decifions, a tyrant Cuftom has introduced, to the Breach of all Laws, both divine and human.

Alyrtle. Mr. Bevil, Mr. Bevil, it would be a good first Principle, in thofe who have fo tender a Conscience in that Way, to have as much Abhorrence of doing Injuries, as--

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Bevil. As fear of answering for'em! But that Ap prehenfion is just or blameable, according to the Object of that Fear, - I have often told you in Confidence of Heart, I abhorr'd the Daring to offend the Author of Life, and rufhing into his Prefence. I fay, by the very fame Act, to commit the Crime against him, and nninediately to urge on his Tribunal.

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Myrtle Mr. Bevil, I must tell you, this Coolnefs, this Gravity, this Shew of Confcience, fhall never cheat me of my Mistress. You have, indeed, the best Excufe for Life, the hopes of poffeffing Lucinda: but confider, Sir, I have as much reason to be weary of it, if I am to lose her; and my first Attempt to recover her, fhall be to let her fee the dauntless Man, who is to be her Guardian and Protector, Col Bevil Sir, fhew me but the leaft glimpse of Argument, that I am authoriz'd, by my own Hand, to vindicate any lawlefs Infult of this nature, and I will fhew thee to chastize thee hardly deferves the Name of Courage — flight, inconfiderate Man! -

There is, Mr. Myrtle, no fuch Terror in quick

Anger;

Anger; and you fhall, you know not why, be cool, as you have, you know not why, been warm.

Myrtle. Is the Woman, one loves, fo little an Occafion of Anger? You perhaps, who know not what it is to love, who have your Ready, your Commo dious, your Foreign Trinket, for your loofe Hours; and from your Fortune, your fpecious outward Cart riage, and other lucky Circumstances, as eafy a Way to the Poffeffion of a Woman of Honour; you know nothing of what it is to be alarm'd, to be distracted with Anxiety and Terror of lofing anore than Life. Your Marriage, happy Man, goes on like common Business, and in the Interim, you have your Rainbling Captive, your Indian Princefs, for your soft Moments of Dalliance, your Convenient, your Ready Indiana.

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Bevil. You have touched me beyond the Patience of a Man; and I am excufable in the Guard of Innocence (or from the Infirmity of human Nature, which can bear no more) to accept your Invitation, and ob ferve your Letter. Sir, Sir, I'll attend you.

Enter To m.

Tom. Did you call, Sir? I thought you did; Į

heard you fpeak aloud.

Bevil. Yes, go call a Coach.

Tom. Sir Master Mr. Myrtle →→→

Friends,

Gentlemen - what d'ye mean? I am but a Servant,

Bevil. Call a Coach. (Exit Tom.)

(A long Paufe, walking fullenly by each other.)

Bevil. (afide) Shall I, tho' provok'd to the Uttermoft, recover myself at the Entrance of a third Perfen, and that my Servant too, and not have. Respect enough

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enough to all I have ever been receiving from Infancy, the Obligation to the beft of Fathers, to an unhappy Virgin too, whofe Life depends of mine. (Shutting the door; to Myrtle:) I have, thank Heaven, had time to recollect myself, and fhall not for fear of what fuch a rafh Man, as you, think of ine, keep longer unex plain'd the falle Appearances, under which your Infirmity of Temper makes you fuffer; when, perhaps too much Regard to a falfe Soint of Honour, makes me prolong that Suffering,

*

Myrtle. I am fure, Mr. Bevil cannot doubt, but I had rather have Satisfaction from his Innocence, than his Sword.

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Bevil. Why then would you ask it firit that Way? Myrtle. Confider, you kept your Temper yourfelf no longer, than till I fpoke to the Disadvantage of her you lov'd.

Bevil. True. But let me tell you, I have faved you from the most exquifite Diftrefs, even tho' you had fucceeded in the Difpule; I know you fo well, that I am fure to have found this Letter about a Man you had kill'd, would have been worse than Death to yourfelf. Read it When he is throughly mortify'd, and Shame has got the better of Jealousy, when he has feen himself thoroughly, he will deferve to be affifted towards obtaining Lucinda.

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Myrtle. With what a Superiority has he turn'd the Injury on me, as the Aggreffor! I begin to fear I have been too far transported -- A Treaty in our Family! Is not that saying too much? I shall relapse

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But I find, on the Postscript, fomething like Jealoufy With what face can I see my Benefactor? my Advocate! whom I have treated like a Betrayer! Bevil, with what words fhall I——

Oh,

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