The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume 3

Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. III,
by Aphra Behn

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Title: The Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. III
Author: Aphra Behn
Release Date: November 10, 2003 [EBook #10039]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE WORKS OF APHRA BEHN, VOL. III
EDITED BY MONTAGUE SUMMERS

MCMXV

CONTENTS:
THE TOWN-FOP; OR, SIR TIMOTHY TAWDREY THE FALSE
COUNT THE LUCKY CHANCE; OR, AN ALDERMAN'S
BARGAIN THE FORC'D MARRIAGE; OR, THE JEALOUS
BRIDEGROOM THE EMPEROR OF THE MOON NOTES

THE TOWN-FOP; OR, SIR TIMOTHY TAWDREY.

ARGUMENT.
Sir Timothy Tawdrey is by the wishes of his mother and the lady's
father designed for Celinda, who loves Bellmour, nephew to Lord
Plotwell. A coxcomb of the first water, Sir Timothy receives a sharp
rebuff when he opens his suit, and accordingly he challenges Bellmour,
but fails to appear at the place of meeting. Celinda's old nurse, at night,
admits Bellmour to her mistress' chamber, where they are surprized by
Friendlove, her brother, who is, however, favourable to the union, the
more so as he is a friend of Bellmour, and they have but newly returned
from travelling together in Italy. Lord Plotwell warmly welcomes his
nephew home, and proceeds to unfold his design of giving him his
niece Diana in marriage. When he demurs, the old lord threatens to
deprive him of his estate, and he is compelled eventually to acquiesce
in the matrimonial schemes of his guardian. Bellmour sends word to
Celinda, who replies in a heart-broken letter; and at the wedding feast
Friendlove, who himself is deeply enamoured of Diana, appears in
disguise to observe the traitor. He is followed by his sister disguised as
a boy, and upon Friendlove's drawing on Bellmour a scuffle ensues
which, however, ends without harm. In the nuptial chamber Bellmour
informs Diana that he cannot love her and she quits him maddened with
rage and disappointment. Sir Timothy serenades the newly-mated pair
and is threatened by Bellmour, whilst Celinda, who has been watching

the house, attacks the fop and his fiddlers. During the brawl Diana
issuing forth meets Celinda, and taking her for a boy leads her into the
house and shortly makes advances of love. They are interrupted by
Friendlove, disguised, and he receives Diana's commands to seek out
and challenge Bellmour. At the same time he reveals his love as though
he told the tale of another, but he is met with scorn and only bidden to
fight the husband who has repulsed her. Bellmour, meantime, in
despair and rage at his misery plunges into reckless debauchery, and in
company with Sir Timothy visits a bagnio, where they meet Betty
Flauntit, the knight's kept mistress, and other cyprians. Hither they are
tracked by Charles, Bellmour's younger brother, and Trusty, Lord
Plotwell's old steward. Sharp words pass, the brothers fight and Charles
is slighted wounded. Their Uncle hears of this with much indignation,
and at the same time receiving a letter from Diana begging for a
divorce, he announces his intention to further her purpose, and to
abandon wholly Charles and Phillis, his sister, in consequence of their
elder brother's conduct. Sir Timothy, induced by old Trusty, begins a
warm courtship of Phillis, and arranges with a parasite named Sham to
deceive her by a mock marriage. Sham, however, procures a real
parson, and Sir Timothy is for the moment afraid he has got a wife
without a dowry or portion. Lord Plotwell eventually promises to
provide for her, and at Diana's request, now she recognizes her mistake
in trying to hold a man who does not love her, Bellmour is forgiven and
allowed to wed Celinda as soon as the divorce has been pronounced,
whilst Diana herself rewards Friendlove with her hand.

SOURCE.
The Town-Fop; or, Sir Timothy Tawdrey is materially founded upon
George Wilkins' popular play, The Miseries of Enforced Marriage (4to,
1607, 1611, 1629, 1637), reprinted in Dodsley. Sir Timothy himself is
moulded to some extent upon Sir Francis Ilford, but, as Geneste aptly
remarks, he may be considered a new character. In the older drama,
Clare, the original of Celinda, dies tragically of a broken heart. It
cannot be denied that Mrs. Behn has greatly improved Wilkins' scenes.
The well-drawn character of Betty Flauntit is her own, and the

realistically vivacious bagnio episodes of Act iv replace a