The Englishman from Paris

Name: The Englishman from Paris
Author: Arthur Murphy

by Arthur Murphy

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Language: en346 downloads on Project Gutenberg

Subjects

Drama

In: Humour·Plays/Films/Dramas·British Literature

Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #34871.

The opening · free to read

Quicksett. Why as to that matter, Sir Robert, I esteem you as my old Acquaintance, and I had as soon marry my Daughter into Sir Robert Broughton's Family, as any Family in England.

Sir Robert. I flatter myself Mr. Quicksett you can have no reason to blush at the alliance; and then as the young Couple have known one another from their Infancy, and as both our Estates lie contiguous--

Quicksett. Why, as you say, the match in some respects may be a prudent match--your Estate is a fine one, and when Neighbor Hodge's Lease, and Barnaby Guzzledown's, and two or three more of them fall in--but I forgot to tell you, your old Horse Regulus is dead--I saw him last week--he was a fine Animal in his Time. He was a great while drooping, and he died without a groan.

Sir Robert. So my Steward writes me. But Mr. Quicksett, this is wandering from the Point--my Son--

Quicksett. Is a mere Coxcomb, I hear, since I came to Town--I have no Opinion of your French Education.

Sir Robert. Dear Sir, it is the best thing in the World to reform youth.

Quicksett. I don't know that Sir Robert; I have seen a great many hopefull, promising young Men, come home such mere Ragouts. I'll tell you what, Sir Robert--I was hugely pleas'd with one Inscription I once read in a country church-yard. "Here lies John Trott, an honest Man who was never out of his own Country."

Sir Robert. Nay, nay, but I tell you, all accounts from Paris speak very well of the young Man.

Quicksett. Well, well, seeing is believing--I come up to Town on purpose to be present at the Wedding, and now I am here, I don't know what to say to it. I thank you, however, for your care of my daughter, she has been but a Troublesome Baggage, I fear, here in your House so long.

Sir Robert. So agreeable, that I'm not fond of parting with her.

Quicksett. Why does not the young Man appear then? I want to see him.

Sir Robert. I have sent upstairs for him--he'll be here presently.

Quicksett. I don't know how to say it--he's but just arriv'd as I may say, and he's the Town-talk already.

Sir Robert. Nay, there's nothing in that--he has not recover'd from his Fatigue--but there's his governor yonder. He can give an account of him--call him in Sideboard. The Truth of the matter is, I have not seen much of him myself, but by all accounts--O, here comes Mr. Florid--Mr. Florid, they say is a particular sort of Philosopher that talks much of characteristicks, I don't well understand what characteristicks are, but he is a well spoken Man. O, here he comes.

Florid. The warmth of my Affections, Sir Robert, gives an instantaneous glow to my Spirits, and I behold your Friend with Congenial Feelings, and all the Impulse of Sympathetic Raptures. Sir, your most Obedient.

Quicksett. Sir, your Servant--I am a plain spoken Man, lookye, downright, and honest--my intended Son-in-Law, I find has been under your Care. I should be glad to hear from you that he has taken up a little, and sowed his wild Oats, as I may say.

Florid. Dear Sir, such an alteration was never known. The Senses in general, Sir, have been wrongly confin'd to the five Classes of External Senses--there are, Sir, in Human Nature many other Inlets of Perception--there is the Public Sense--the Private Sense--the Sense of Honor--the Moral Sense--the Internal Sense--

Quicksett. Ay, but has he common Sense?

Florid. The Sensus Communis, or the Public Sense is the same thing. Now Sir, there is an amazing Connexion between the Organs of Bodily Sensation, and the Faculties of Moral Perception, and there are certain Powers in Human Nature--which seem to be Intermediate--

Quicksett. Sir Robert, I don't rightly comprehend this.

Florid. Those Intermediate Powers have been stiled in general the Powers of Imagination, which do not seem to have given him an ardent propensity to the Mimetic Arts--but his faculties of moral perception have given him the To Prepon, the Kalogathia of the Greeks, Honestum of the Latins, the Sympathetic Regularity, the Responsive Harmony--

Quicksett. Odds, my life, I had as soon be at a Foxchase without ever seeing the Dogs, as hear all this without understanding a Word.

Sir Robert. Mr. Florid, my Friend Quicksett is like myself a plain spoken Man--cou'd not you tell him now in plain English that the Boy is reform'd?

Florid. Dear Sir, that's the very thing I'm about--the young Gentleman has really very delicate Sensations, and when I have fixed in him certain determinations to be pleas'd with the complex forms of Beauty, Regularity, Order, Harmony and Proportion--

Quicksett. I am very much obliged to you, Sir--but I am as far to seek as ever. And so now I'll go to the coffeehouse and see if the Papers mention the taking of any more French ships.

Sir Robert. Nay, but Mr. Quicksett--don't be in such a hurry, my Son shall be call'd upon.

Quicksett. No, I won't disturb him--I'll call again in the Evening.

Sir Robert. Well, well, I'll step to the coffe house with you--will you dine with us?

Quicksett. No, I am to dine with Sergeant Interrogatory in Chancery Lane--but I'll call in the Evening.

Florid. You may make yourself perfectly easy about the young Gentleman--you'll find every Word I have said to be true.

Florid. (Alone) I have already fixed a ridiculous Aposiation of Ideas in my young Pupil's Mind concerning Marriage. If I can bring him to decline it, I shall see whether I can't awaken Miss Harriet's Affections in my own behalf--I have almost finish'd a short Treatise upon Beauty, which I shall dedicate to her. I must make all I can of this family; and then the pleasures of Imagination will strike the Internal Sense with a finer Impulse, when some Ideas of Property concur.

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