ACTTHEFIFTH

actthefifth

johnwoodvil(dressing).

john

howbeautiful,(handlinghismourning)

andcomelydothesemourninggarmentsshew!

suregriefhathsethissacredimpresshere,

toclaimtheworld'srespect!theynotesofeelingly

byoutwardtypestheseriousmanwithin.—

alas!whatpartorportioncaniclaim

inallthedecenciesofvirtuoussorrow,

whichothermournersuse?asnamely,

thisblackattire,abstractionfromsociety,

goodthoughts,andfrequentsighs,andseldomsmiles,

acleavingsadnessnativetothebrow,

allsweetcondolementsoflike-grievedfriends,

(thatstealawaythesenseoflossalmost)

men'spity,andgoodoffices

whichenemiesthemselvesdoforusthen,

puttingtheirhostiledispositionoff,

asweputoffourhighthoughtsandproudlooks.

(pauses,andobservesthepictures.)

thesepicturesmustbetakendown:

theportraituresofourmostantientfamily

fornighthreehundredyears!howhaveilisten'd,

tohearsirwalter,withanoldman'spride,

holdingmeinhisarms,apratingboy,

andpointingtothepictureswheretheyhung,

repeatbycoursetheirworthyhistories,

(ashughdewidville,walter,firstofthename,

andannthehandsome,stephen,andfamousjohn:

tellingme,imustbehisfamousjohn.)

butthatwasinoldtimes.

now,nomore

mustigrowprouduponourhouse'spride.

irather,i,bymostunheardofcrimes,

havebackwardtaintedalltheirnobleblood,

rasedoutthememoryofanancientfamily,

andquiterevers'dthehonorsofourhouse.

whonowshallsitandtellusanecdotes?

thesecrethistoryofhisowntimes,

andfashionsoftheworldwhenhewasyoung:

howenglandsleptoutthreeandtwentyyears,

whilecarrandvilliersrul'dthebabyking:

thecostlyfanciesofthepedant'sreign,

balls,feastings,huntings,showsinallegory,

andbeautiesofthecourtofjamesthefirst.

margaretenters.

john

comesmargaretheretowitnessmydisgrace?

o,lady,ihavesuffer'dloss,