more than a 'subject? When old age comes to lie heavy (1) upon him, will his engineers relieve him of the load? (2) Can his guards and centinels, by doubling and trebling their numbers, and their watchfulness, prevent the approach of death? Nay, if jealousy, or even ill-humour, Contemp disturb his happiness, will the cringes of his fawning attendants restore his tranquillity? What comfort has he, in reflecting (if he can make the reflection) while the cholic, like Prometheus's Anguith, vulture, tears his bowels, that he is under a canopy of crimson velvet fringed with gold? When the pangs of the gout or stone, extort from him screams of agony, do the titles of highness or ma- Boasting. jesty come sweetly into his ear? If he is agitated (3) with rage, does the sound of Serene, or Most Christian, prevent his staring, reddening, and gnashing with his teeth, like a madman ? Would not a twinge of the tooth-ach, or an affront from an inferior, make the mighty Cesar Contempt. forget, that he was emperor of the world? Now Χ. [Montaigne.] HORRORS OF WAR. OW had the Grecians snatch'd a short repast, Trepidation And buckled on their shining arms in haste. ground. The tumult thickens, and the skies resound. (1) The word heavy, to be dragged out as expreffing distress. See Complaining, page 30. (2) This fentence (Can his guards, &c.) to be fpoken with fear. See Fear, page 21. (3) If he is agitated, &c. to be spoken full-mouthed, as boasting, See Boasting, page 22. G2 Horror. Awe. Horror. Fear. ) Dejection. (1) And now with shouts the shocking armies clos'd, [Pope's HOM. IL. B. viii. v. 67.] XI. PETITIONING WITH DEJECTION. (Passages taken from fundry Petitions (7) presented to the French King by a disgraced Minifter. Pens. Ing. Anc. Mod. p. 167.) BEING weary of the useless life I live at pre sent, I take the liberty of imploring with pro (1) To be spoken quick and loud. (2) To be spoken boldly, (3) To be spoken faintly, and with pity. See Pity page 20. (4) To be spoken flowly and with veneration. See Veneration, p. 25. (5) To be fpoken hollow and full-mouthed. (6) To be spoken with a quivering voice. (7) Though petitions are commonly presented in writing, yet they may be imagined to be addressed to the Prince viva voce, and fometimes are. found submission, your Majesty, that I may have leave to seek an honourable death in your Majesty's service. After the disappointments, and reverses of fortune, which I have had to struggle with, my expectations of rising again to prosperity, are brought low enough. But it would be a Humble resatisfaction to me, that my real character were monftrance. known to your Majesty; which if it were, I flatter myself, I should have your Majesty's indulgence, nay your esteem. Refuse not, most gra- Beseeching ، cious Sovereign, the means, for gaining this end, to a man, who is ready to shed his blood, in proof of his loyalty and affection to your Majesty. Were my own private interest alone concerned, I should be peculiarly cautious how I intruded upon your Majesty with these solicitations. But, as the only happiness I desire in this Earnest Soworld, is, to have an opportunity of serving my licitation. king and country; I humbly hope, I may be forgiven, though I urge my suit with some warmth and importunity. I do not presume, Sire, to claim a total exemption from hardship. I pretend to no right to live a life of indulgence. All I ask, Beseeching. is, to change one punishment for another. And I beseech your Majesty to have some consideration for my past services; and that a year's imprisonment, five years exile, the ruin of my fortune, the submission with which I have borne these Remorse. punishments, and the zeal I still am ready to shew for your Majesty's service, may plead in my favour, and disarm your Majesty of your indignation against me. It is true, that in making Humble reyour Majesty the offer of my life, I offer what monftrance. is of little value even to myself. But it is all I have to offer. The misfortune I have lain un- Dejection. der, these six years, of your Majesty's displeasure, has rendered life so insipid to me, that besides the honor of losing it in your Majesty's service, the prospect of an end, being, by death, put to my vexations, makes the thought of my dissolution pleasing to me. If it should seem good to your Profound Majesty to finish my distresses the other way, Submiffion. I mean, by your most gracious pardon, the obligation will be still greater; and to the zeal I have for your Majesty's, interest, I shall think myself obliged to add gratitude suitable to so important a favour. And with such sentiments Resolution. there is nothing I shall not be willing to enterprize for your Majesty's service. May heaven touch Devotion. the heart of your Majesty, that you may at last forgive your sincerely penitent subject. No one knows better than your Majesty, that it is as Humble re- great to forgive as to punish. If I alone am monftrance. doomed to have no benefit from that goodness, which extends to so many, my lot must be peculiarly calamitous. XII, PRAISE, UNDER THE APPEARANCE VOITURE'S whimsical Commendation of the MARQUIS DE I AM extremely glad to hear that you are grown so hardy, that neither labour, watching, sickness, lead, nor steel, can hurt you. I could Wonder. not have thought, that a man, who lived on watergruel, should have so thick a skin; nor did I imagine you had a spell, by which you was poruderproof. To account, how you come to be still alive, after the desperate hazards you have run, Congratula- is more than I can pretend to. But I had rather, it were by the help of the Devil himself, than that you were as poor Attichy, or Grenville; if Disapproba you were embalmed with the richest drugs of the East. To tell you my opinion plainly, Sir, let Congratulation. tion. tion. (1) This is to be spoken in the fame manner as if one was finding fault in earneft; for it is the character of Humour to mean the contrary of what it feems to mean. And though the matter was originally part of a Letter, it may be imagined as Spoken. a man die for his country, or for honor, or what you please, I cannot help thinking he makes but a silly figure, (1) when he is dead. It seems to me a great pity, that some people should be so Concern: For des careless about their lives, as they are. XIII. A LOVE-SICK SHEPHERD'S COMPLAINT. Ан Remon strance. Lamenta tion. Anguish. H well-a-day! how long must I endure This pining pain? (2) or who shall speed my cure? Fond Love no cure will have; seeks no repose; Delights in grief, nor any measure knows. (3) Lo! now the moon begins in clouds to rise, Complaint: The bright'ning stars bespangle all the skies. The winds are hush'd. The dews distil; and sleep Hath clos'd the eye-lids of my weary sheep. (1) The speaker will naturally utter there words, filly figure, with a fhrug. (2) The words pining pain, cannot be spoken too flowly. See Complaining, page 30. (3) These four lines are to be spoken slowly ; and with a torpid uniformity of tone. (4) The speaker is to seem roused here, as by a fudden pang. (5) These four words to express extreme anguish. (6) A stop before and after the words, a cruel love, which are to be expressed with acclamations of anguish. Anguish. Lamenta tion. |