The Bores | Page 5

who appeared
in it, advanced to the front of the stage, and with an heroic air
pronounced the following verses which Mr. Pellison had made, and
which served as a Prologue.

PROLOGUE.
(_The Theatre represents a garden adorned with Termini and several
fountains. A Naiad coming out of the water in a shell.)
Mortals, from Grots profound I visit you, Gallia's great Monarch in
these Scenes to view; Shall Earth's wide Circuit, or the wider Seas,
Produce some Novel Sight your Prince to please; Speak He, or wish: to
him nought can be hard, Whom as a living Miracle you all regard.
Fertile in Miracles, his Reign demands Wonders at universal Nature's
Hands, Sage, young, victorious, valiant, and august, Mild as severe,
and powerful as he's just, His Passions, and his Foes alike to foil, And
noblest Pleasures join to noblest Toil; His righteous Projects ne'er to
misapply, Hear and see all, and act incessantly: He who can this, can all;
he needs but dare, And Heaven in nothing will refuse his Prayer. Let
Lewis but command, these Bounds shall move, And trees grow vocal
as Dodona's Grove. Ye Nymphs and Demi-Gods, whose Presence fills
Their sacred Trunks, come forth; so Lewis wills; To please him be our
task; I lead the way, Quit now your ancient Forms but for a Day, With
borrow'd Shape cheat the Spectator's Eye, And to Theatric Art
yourselves apply.
(_Several Dryads, accompanied by Fawns and Satyrs, come forth out of
the Trees and Termini_.)

Hence Royal Cares, hence anxious Application, (His fav'rite Work) to
bless a happy Nation: His lofty Mind permit him to unbend, And to a
short Diversion condescend; The Morn shall see him with redoubled
Force, Resume the Burthen and pursue his Course, Give Force to Laws,
his Royal Bounties share, Wisely prevent our Wishes with his Care.
Contending Lands to Union firm dispose, And lose his own to fix the
World's Repose. But now, let all conspire to ease the Pressure Of
Royalty, by elegance of Pleasure. Impertinents, avant; nor come in
sight, Unless to give him more supreme Delight.
[Footnote: The Naiad was represented by Madeleine Beéjart, even then
good-looking, though she was more than forty years old. The verses are
taken from the eighth volume of the "Select Comedies of M. de
Molière in French and English, London, 1732," and as fulsome as they
well can be. The English translation, which is not mine, fairly
represents the official nonsense of the original.]
(_The Naiad brings with her, for the Play, one part of the Persons she
has summoned to appear, whilst the rest begin a Dance to the sound of
Hautboys, accompanied by Violins_.)

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
ÉRASTE, in love with Orphise.
DAMIS, guardian to Orphise.
ALCIDOR, a bore.
LISANDRE, a bore.
ALCANDRE, a bore.
ALCIPPE, a bore.
DORANTE, a bore.
CARITIDÈS, a bore.
ORMIN, a bore.
FILINTE, a bore.
LA MONTAGNE, _servant to Éraste_.
L'ÉPINE, servant to Damis.
LA RIVIERE and TWO COMRADES.
ORPHISE, _in love with Éraste_.
ORANTE, a female bore.
CLIMÈNE, a female bore.
Scene.--PARIS.

* * * * *
[Footnote: Molière himself played probably the parts of Lisandre the
dancer, Alcandre the duellist, or Alcippe the gambler, and perhaps all
three, with some slight changes in the dress. He also acted Caritidès the
pedant, and Dorante the lover of the chase. In the inventory taken after
Molière's death we find: "A dress for the Marquis of the _Fâcheux_,
consisting in a pair of breeches very large, and fastened below with
ribbands, (_rhingrave_), made of common silk, blue and gold-coloured
stripes, with plenty of flesh-coloured and yellow trimmings, with
Colbertine, a doublet of Colbertine cloth trimmed with flame-coloured
ribbands, silk stockings and garters." The dress of Caritidès in the same
play, "cloak and breeches of cloth, with picked trimmings, and a
slashed doublet." Dorante's dress was probably "a hunting-coat, sword
and belt; the above-mentioned hunting-coat ornamented with fine silver
lace, also a pair of stag-hunting gloves, and a pair of long stockings
(_bas a botter_) of yellow cloth." The original inventory, given by M.
Soulié, has _toile Colbertine_, for "Colbertine cloth." I found this word
in Webster's Dictionary described from _The Fop's Dictionary of 1690_
as "A lace resembling net-work, the fabric of Mons. Colbert,
superintendent of the French king's manufactures." In Congreve's _The
Way of the World_, Lady Wishfort, quarrelling with her woman Foible
(Act v., Scene i), says to her, among other insults: "Go, hang out an old
Frisoneer gorget, with a yard of yellow colberteen again!"]

THE BORES (_LES FÁCHEUX._)

ACT I.
SCENE I.--ÉRASTE, LA MONTAGNE.
ER. Good Heavens! under what star am I born, to be perpetually
worried by bores? It seems that fate throws them in my way
everywhere; each day I discover some new specimen. But there is