not. It cuts deep ;-but now for the rest of the letter; and next-but I want room. So I believe I shall battle the rest out at Barton some day next week. I don't value you all! SONG.1 O. G. [Intended to have been sung in the comedy of 'She Stoops to Conquer' [1773]; but omitted, because Mrs. Bulkley, who acted the part of Miss Hardcastle, could not sing.-BOSWELL: vide note below.] Ан me! when shall I marry me? Lovers are plenty; but fail to relieve me. He, fond youth, that could carry me, Offers to love, but means to deceive me. But I will rally, and combat the ruiner: 2 Not a look, not a smile shall my passion discover. She that gives all to the false one pursuing her, Makes but a penitent-loses a lover.3 EPILOGUE SPOKEN BY MRS. BULKLEY AND MISS CATLEY. [This Epilogue, headed as above, first appeared in Percy's edition of the Works,' 1801. It seems pretty certain, however, from the following letter by Goldsmith, that the heading should have been different, and that the epilogue was intended for She Stoops to Conquer,' but never delivered. Writing without date, but evidently just after the production of his comedy, Goldsmith says to his friend Cradock, "The play has met with a success much beyond your expectations or mine. I thank 1 This song was communicated, after Goldsmith's death, to the editor of the London Magazine' (June, 1774), by Boswell, the biographer of Dr. Johnson. Goldsmith himself, says Boswell, used to sing it to a pretty Irish air called the Humours of Ballamagairy,' to which he confessed that he found it very difficult to adapt words.-ED. 2 So in London Magazine.' The usual version is—“nor a smile.” -ED. 3 So in London Magazine.' The usual reading is-" and loses a lover."-ED. you sincerely for your epilogue, which, however, could not be used, but with your permission shall be printed. The story in short is this; Murphy sent me rather the outline of an epilogue than an epilogue, which was to be sung by Mrs. Catley, and which she approved. Mrs. Bulkley hearing this, insisted on throwing up her part, unless, according to the custom of the theatre, she were permitted to speak the epilogue. In this embarrassment I thought of making a quarrelling epilogue between Catley and her, debating who should speak the epilogue, but then Mrs. Catley refused after I had taken the trouble of drawing it out. I was then at a loss indeed; an epilogue was to be made, and for none but Mrs. Bulkley. I made one, and Colman thought it too bad to be spoken; I was obliged therefore to try a fourth time, and I made a very mawkish thing as you'll shortly see.' Such is the history of my stage adventures, and which I have at last done with. I cannot help saying that I am very sick of the stage; and though I believe I shall get three tolerable benefits, yet I shall on the whole be a loser, even in a pecuniary light; my ease and comfort I certainly lost while it was in agitation" (Letters, v. i.). It seems clear, therefore, that this is the "quarrelling epilogue" rejected by Miss Catley, and that its heading should be "Epilogue intended to have been spoken by," &c.-ED.] Enter Mrs. Bulkley, who curtsies very low, as beginning to speak; then enter Miss Catley, who stands full before her and curtsies to the audience. Mrs. Bulkley. HOLD, Ma'am, your pardon. What's your business here? Miss Catley. The Epilogue. Mrs. B. The Epilogue? Miss C. Yes, the Epilogue, my dear. Mrs. B. Sure you mistake, Ma'am. The Epilogue? I bring it. Miss C. Excuse me, Ma'am. The author bid me sing it. Recitative. Ye beaux and belles, that form this splendid ring, Suspend your conversation while I sing. Mrs. B. Why, sure the girl's beside herself! an Epilogue of singing? A hopeful end, indeed, to such a blest beginning. Besides, a singer in a comic set! Excuse me, Ma'am, I know the etiquette. The epilogue actually spoken, which will be found at the end of 'She Stoops to Conquer.'-ED. Miss C. What if we leave it to the house? Mrs. B. The house!-Agreed. Miss C. Agreed. Mrs. B. And she whose party's largest shall proceed. And first, I hope you'll readily agree I've all the critics and the wits for me. Miss C. I'm for a different set:-Old men, whose trade is Still to gallant and dangle with the ladies. Recitative. Who mump their passion, and who, grimly smiling, AIR.-Cotillon. Turn, my fairest, turn, if ever Yes, I shall die, hu, hu, hu, hu! [Da Capo. Mrs. B. Let all the old pay homage to your merit; Give me the young, the gay, the men of spirit. Ye travell❜d tribe, ye macaroni train, Of French friseurs and nosegays justly vain, To dress, and look like awkward Frenchmen here,— Their hands are only lent to the Heinel.1 Miss C. Ay, take your travellers-travellers indeed! Give me my bonny Scot, that travels from the Tweed. Where are the chiels? Ah, ah! I well discern The smiling looks of each bewitching bairn. 1 Mlle. Heinel, a French dancer at the Opera House, in great vogue in 1773.-ED. AIR.-A bonny young lad is my Jockey. I'll sing to amuse you by night and by day, With Sandy, and Sawney, and Jockey, With Sawney, and Jarvie, and Jockey. Mrs. B. Ye gamesters, who, so eager in pursuit, Make but of all your fortune one va toute: Ye jockey tribe, whose stock of words are few, "I hold the odds.-Done, done, with you, with you!" Ye barristers, so fluent with grimace, 66 My Lord, your Lordship misconceives the case; Doctors, who cough, and answer every misfortuner— "I wish I'd been call'd in a little sooner; Assist my cause with hands and voices hearty, AIR.-Ballinamony. Miss C. Ye brave Irish lads, hark away to the crack, Assist me, I pray, in this woful attack; For sure I don't wrong you-you seldom are slack, Still to amuse us inventive, And death is your only preventive : Your hands and your voices for me. Mrs. B. Well, Madam, what if, after all this sparring, We both agree, like friends, to end our jarring? Miss C. And that our friendship may remain unbroken, What if we leave the Epilogue unspoken? Mrs. B. Agreed. Miss C. Agreed. Mrs. B. And now with late repentance, To thrive by flattery, though he starves by wit. [Exeunt. AN EPILOGUE, INTENDED FOR MRS. BULKLEY. [This epilogue was first printed in Percy's edition, 1801. The editor added, in a note, that the MS. was given to him by Goldsmith, but that he, Percy, had forgotten to which comedy it belonged. Later editors, however, have viewed it as being one of the several unused epilogues written for She Stoops to Conquer,' of which Goldsmith has himself given the history in the letter quoted in the introduction to the preceding epilogue. Mr. Bolton Corney thought it was the one which Goldsmith says Colman judged as too bad to be spoken."-ED.] THERE is a place-so Ariosto sings A treasury for lost and missing things; Lost human wits have places there assign'd them, And they who lose their senses, there may find them. 5 Both shine at night, for, but at Foote's1 alone, 1 Foote's" was 10 15 20 "the little theatre in the Haymarket," where morning performances were sometimes given.-ED. 2 A popular air of the time; also the name of a famous hornpipe dancer.-ED. |