These Spaniards will entertain us with more of this fine Raillery. Colonel Sancho in Love Triumphant has a great stroak at it. He says his Bride Dalinda is no more Dalinda, but Dalilah the Philistine.p. 70.[331] This Colonel as great a Soldier as he is, is quite puzzled at a Herald. He thinks they call him Herod, or some such Jewish Name. Here you have a good Officer spoil'd for a miserable jest.p. 61.[332] And yet after all, this Sancho tho' he can't pronounce Herald, knows what 'tis to be Laconick, which is somewhat more out of his way. Thraso in TerenceEnuch.
King Arth. p. 2.[333] was a man of the same size in Sense, but for all that he does not quibble. Albanact Captain of the Guards,[334] is much about as witty as Sancho. It seems Emmeline Heiress to the Duke of Cornwal was Blind. Albanact takes the rise of his Thought from hence; And observes that as Blind as she is, Coswald would have no blind Bargain of her. Carlos tells Sancho he is sure of his Mistress,Love Trium. p. 26.[335] and has no more to do but to take out a License.
Sancho replies, Indeed I have her License for it. Carlos is somewhat angry at this Gingle, and cries, what quibling too in your Prosperity? Adversity it seems is the only time for punning. Truly I think so too. For 'tis a sign a Man is much Distress'd when he flies to such an Expedient. However, Carlos needed not to have been so touchy: For He can stoop as low himself upon occasion. We must know then that Sancho had made Himself a Hunch'd Back, to counterfeit the Conde Alonzo. The two Colonels being in the same Disguise, were just upon the edg of a Quarrel. After some Preliminaries in Railing, Sancho cries, Don't provoke me; I am mischeivously bent.
Carlos replies, Nay, you are Bent enough in Conscience, but I have a Bent Fist for Boxing. Here you have a brace of Quibbles started in a Line and a half. And which is worst of all, they come from Carlos, from a Character of Sense; And therefore the poet, not the Soldier, must answer for them.
I shall now give the Reader a few Instances of the Courtship of the Stage, and how decently they treat the Women, and Quality of both Sexes. The Women who are secured from Affronts by Custom, and have a Privilege for Respect, are sometimes but roughly saluted by these Men of Address. And to bar the Defence, this Coarseness does not alwaies come from Clowns, and Women-haters; but from Persons of Figure, neither singular, nor ill Bred. And which is still worse, The Satir falls on blindly without Distinction, and strikes at the whole Sex.
Enter Raymond a Noble-man in the Spanish Fryar.p. 47.[336]
O Vertue! Vertue! What art thou become?
That men should leave thee for that Toy a woman,
Made from the dross and refuse of a Man;
Heaven took him sleeping when he made her too,
Had Man been waking he had nee'r consented.