The Works of Henry Fielding, vol 2

Miscellanies Volume 2, by Henry Fielding

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Title: Miscellanies, Volume 2 (from Works, Volume 12)
Author: Henry Fielding
Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6828] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on January 28, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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THE WORKS OF HENRY FIELDING
EDITED BY
GEORGE SAINTSBURY
IN TWELVE VOLUMES
VOL. XII.
* * * * *
MISCELLANIES
VOL. II.
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF TOM THUMB THE GREAT AND SOME MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS BY HENRY FIELDING ESQ.
EDITED BY GEORGE SAINTSBURY WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY HERBERT RAILTON & E. J. WHEELER.
* * * * *
CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
THE AUTHOR'S FARCE, ACTS I. AND II.
THE TRAGEDY OF TRAGEDIES; OR, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF TOM THUMB THE GREAT
PASQUIN; A DRAMATIC SATIRE ON THE TIMES
AN ESSAY ON CONVERSATION
THE TRUE PATRIOT, NO. XIII.
THE COVENT-GARDEN JOURNAL, NOS. X., XXXIII.
FAMILIAR LETTER
* * * * *
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PORTRAIT OF FIELDING BY HOGARTH
THE DEATH OF LORD GRIZZLE
HE ACQUAINTED THE DAMSELS THAT HE AND HIS COMPANIONS HAD CARRIED THE OPERA.
* * * * *
THE AUTHOR'S FARCE;
[WITH A PUPPET-SHOW CALLED THE PLEASURES OF THE TOWN.]
FIRST ACTED AT THE HAY-MARKET IN 1729, AND REVIVED SOME YEARS AFTER AT DRURY-LANE, WHEN IT WAS REVISED AND GREATLY ALTERED BY THE AUTHOR, AS NOW PRINTED.
----------------Quis iniquae Tam patiens urbis, tam ferreus, ut teneat se? --JUV. Sat. I.
PROLOGUE, SPOKEN BY MR JONES
Too long the Tragick Muse hath aw'd the stage, And frighten'd wives and children with her rage, Too long Drawcansir roars, Parthenope weeps, While ev'ry lady cries, and critick sleeps With ghosts, rapes, murders, tender hearts they wound, Or else, like thunder, terrify with sound When the skill'd actress to her weeping eyes, With artful sigh, the handkerchief applies, How griev'd each sympathizing nymph appears! And box and gallery both melt in tears Or when, in armour of Corinthian brass, Heroick actor stares you in the face, And cries aloud, with emphasis that's fit, on Liberty, freedom, liberty and Briton! While frowning, gaping for applause he stands, What generous Briton can refuse his hands? Like the tame animals design'd for show, You have your cues to clap, as they to bow, Taught to commend, your judgments have no share, By chance you guess aright, by chance you err.
But, handkerchiefs and Britain laid aside, To-night we mean to laugh, and not to chide.
In days of yore, when fools were held in fashion, Tho' now, alas! all banish'd from the nation, A merry jester had reform'd his lord, Who would have scorn'd the sterner Stoick's word
Bred in Democritus his laughing schools, Our author flies sad Heraclitus rules, No tears, no terror plead in his behalf, The aim of Farce is but to make you laugh Beneath the tragick or the comick name, Farces and puppet shows ne'er miss of fame Since then, in borrow'd dress, they've pleas'd the town, Condemn them not, appearing in their own
Smiles we expect from the good-natur'd few, As ye are done by, ye malicious, do, And kindly laugh at him who laughs at you.
PERSONS IN THE FARCE.
MEN.
Luckless, the Author and Master of the Show, ... Mr MULLART. Witmore, his friend ... Mr LACY.
Marplay, sen., Comedian ... Mr REYNOLDS, Marplay, jun., Comedian ... Mr STOPLER. Bookweight, a Bookseller ... Mr JONES. Scarecrow, Scribbler ... Mr MARSHAL, Dash, " " ... Mr HALLAM, Quibble, " " ... Mr DOVE, Blotpage, " " ... Mr WELLS, jun. Index ... --------.
Jack, servant to Luckless ... Mr ACHURCH. Jack-Pudding ... Mr REYNOLDS. Bantomite ... Mr MARSHAL.
WOMEN.
Mrs Moneywood, the Author's Landlady ... Mrs MULLART. Harriot, her daughter. ... Miss PALMS.

ACT I.
SCENE I.--LUCKLESS's Room in Mrs MONEYWOOD'S House.--Mrs MONEYWOOD, HARRIOT, LUCKLESS.
Moneywood. Never tell me, Mr Luckless, of your play, and your play. I tell you I must be paid. I would no more depend on a benefit-night of an unacted play than I would on a benefit-ticket