Could women learn but that imperiousness, And still are begging: which too well they know How ruthless men are to adversity! My acquaintance scarce will know me; when we meet Prodigality. That which gilded over his imperfections, This is so like Shakspeare, that one seems almost to remember it as a speech of Desdemona's, upon perceiving an alteration in the behaviour of the Moor., THE COMEDY OF OLD FORTUNATUS. BY The Goddess Fortune appears to Fortunatus, and offers him the choice of six things. He chuses Riches. Fortune. Before thy soul at this deep lottery Fortunat. Daughters of Jove and the unblemish'd Most righteous Parcæ, guide my genius right: And thou (like Phoebus) shall speak oracle; And see what's past and learn what is to come. Make Health thine object, thou shalt be strong proof 'Gainst the deep searching darts of surfeiting, Be ever merry, ever revelling. Wish but for Beauty, and within thine eyes And on thy cheeks I'll mix such white and red, That Jove shall turn away young Ganimede, Whose great great grandsires now in cradles lie. Fortunat. O whither am I wrapt beyond myself? More violent conflicts fight in every thought Than his whose fatal choice Troy's downfall wrought. Is like a sacred book that's never read; To himself he lives and to all else seems dead. Than of a threadbare saint in Wisdom's school. And though mine arm should conquer twenty worlds, Of months and years much misery might enroll: Beauty is but a painting; and Long Life Therefore dread sacred Empress, make me rich: Gold is heaven's physic, life's restorative; Fortune gives to Fortunatus a purse that is inexhaustible. With this he puts on costly attire, and visits all the Asian Courts, where he is caressed and made much of for his infinite wealth. At Babylon he is shewn by the Soldan a wondrous hat, which in a wish transports the wearer whithersoever he pleases, over land and sea. Fortunatus puts it on, wishes himself at home in Cyprus; where he arrives in a minute, as his sons Ampedo and Andelocia are talking of him and tells his Travels. FORTUNATUS. AMPEDO. ANDELOCIA. Fort. Touch me not, boys, I am nothing but air, let none speak to me till you have marked me well.—Am I as you are, or am I transformed? And. Methinks, father, you look as you did, only your face is more withered. Fort. Boys, be proud; your father hath the whole world in this compass. I am all felicity, up to the brims. In a minute am I come from Babylon; I have been this half hour in Famagosta. And. How in a minute, father? I see travellers must lie. Fort. I have cut through the air like a falcon. I' would have it seem strange to you. But 'tis true. I would not have you believe it neither. But 'tis miraculous and true. Desire to see you brought me to Cyprus. I'll leave you more gold, and go to visit more countries. Amp. The frosty hand of age now nips your blood, And strews her snowy flowers upon your head, And gives you warning that within few years Death needs must marry you: those short lines, minutes, In peace, not travel; rest in Cyprus then. And. Faith, father, what pleasure have you met by walking your stations? Fort. What pleasure, boy? I have revelled with Kings, danced with Queens, dallied with Ladies; worn strange attires; seen Fantasticoes; conversed with Humourists; been ravished with divine raptures of Doric, Lydian and Phrygian harmonies; I have spent the day in triumphs and the night in banquetting. And. O rare: this was heavenly. He that would not be an Arabian Phoenix to burn in these sweet fires, let him live like an owl for the world to wonder at. Amp. Why, brother, are not all these Vanities? Fort. Vanities! Ampedo, thy soul is made of lead, too dull, too ponderous, to mount up to the incomprehensible glory that Travel lifts men to. And. Sweeten mine ears, good father, with some more. arms We yawn'd like sluggards, when this small horizon Worshipp'd these clouds as brightest: but, my boys, |