"LEO. One of my own blood, an Aunt. "VIO. I know her. She of thy blood? She has not a drop of it these twenty years; the Devil of envy sucked it all out, and let verjuice in the roome." These lines are decidedly unfeminine and coarse, as viewed from a nineteenth century standard, and there is nothing in them to recommend the two girls to the particular favour of the audience. Yet, in the case of Leonora, they are given with such rare spirit, and the speaker, with her almost sensuous charm and the melody of that marvellous voice, is so fascinating, that the house is suddenly caught in some entrancing spell. Oldfield has burst upon it in all the sudden glory of a newly unfolded flower, and murmurs of admiration and surprise are heard on every side. More than this, Queen Anne, whose thoughts may have been far away with the dead Duke of Gloucester, betrays a sudden interest in the performance, and thus sets the fashion for all those around her, excepting his most sleepy Royal Highness, the Prince of Denmark. He dozes on; twenty angels from heaven would not disturb him. As the play proceeds, the curiosity centres around the new Leonora, so that even the scene where Sir Courtly is found making the most elaborate of toilets, with the assistance of a bevy of vocalists, does not exert the attraction to be found in the presence of Oldfield. The episode is all very funny, of course, and there is an appreciative titter when the fop defines the characteristics of a gentleman : In the character of "Sir Novelty Fashion, newly created Lord Foppington," in Vanbrugh's play of "The Relapse, or, Virtue in Danger' From the Painting by J. GRISONI, the property of the Garrick Club "Complaisance, fine hands, a mouth well fur nished "SERVANT. With fine language? "SIR COURTLY. Fine teeth, you sot; fine language belongs to pedants and poor fellows that live by their wits. Men of quality are above wit. 'Tis true, for our diversion, sometimes we write, but we ne'er regard wit. I write, but I never write any wit. "SERVANT. How then, sir? "SIR COURTLY. I write like a gentleman, soft and easy." It is only a titter, however, that Cibber can pro 126/48. evening, nor does the elish in that touch-and-go a supposed Indian and his 43-4,51,84-5 former declares: 1 Yellow, fair or Black, int Buitenacke. 1 have from me , whee, whee, whee, naiden answers: that rules our Land, tomminy, Gomminy, Gomminy, whee." When the play is over Nance can take a new Theatrical performances in this reign generally began at 5 p.m. |