RUMFUSKIN, KING OF THE NORTH POLE; OR, TREASON REWARDED. A TRAGEDY FOR THE FIRST OF APRIL. April 1, 1841. A Tragedy written for private performance in the Christmas holidays may not inappropriately be published on the day sacred to Foolery. RUMFUSKIN was composed-yes, composed is the word—so long ago as the year 1813, when, according to Cocker, the author was about seven-and-twenty years younger than now. To this circumstance, perhaps, it is indebted for many of its most exquisite beauties ; for works of this kind are best perpetrated when the imagination is luxuriantly wild, and the judgment contemptuously immature. It has been acted (and, may we add in the modesty of a parenthesis, with great success) on a public stage, but may not be again without the author's permission: this to whomsoever it may concern. But we strongly recommend it to the notice of families who sometimes convert the back drawing-room into a theatre; for they may rely upon it that things of this kind afford even better fun for such occasions than Othello, or Isabella, or lon, or, in short, any tragedy intended to draw tears more copiously than Rumfuskin. man. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. RUMFUSKIN, King of the North Pole. | JEM FLOGGEM, a loyal Hackney CoachSENTENTIOSUS, Lord High Chancellor. CONSCIENZO, a Conscientious Rascal. GRISKINDA, Wife of Conscienzo. RASCALLO, a Rascally Rascal. SCRUBINDA, her confidential Maid of all Work. SCENE I.-A chamber in RASCALLO's house. Enter RASCALLO, musing. Rasc. Up!-rise, Ambition ! 'Tis a glorious thing! I've got mine own consent, and will be king. But how to be so ? By rebellion, plot, Treason, sedition, and I know not what ;By dragging proud Rumfuskin from the throne ?Methinks 'twere best to let the job alone. Temptation, hence !-But, then,—to wear a crown, And ride in coach-and-six about the town; To do whate'er I please, and be as greatNay, greater than a minister of state ; To see e'en generals tremble when I nod :-I Will be a king, upon my soul and bod-y! But how goes time? (Looks at his watch.) So, so; near ten o'clock. [A loud knock at the door. Down, busy devil !--for I hear a knock. Enter CONSCIENZO. CONS. Ay ;-thou 'rt pale-confused-teeth chatter- (With affected carelessness.) What's the price of stocks ? Since stocks thou 'st none ? Rasc. (recovering himself, and affecting a laugh.) He! he! But say, what brings thee here? VOL. VII. 24 CONS. No motive sinister. Rasc. My Conscienzo (mysteriously), wouldst thou-be-prime minister ? That if I were king, That 's quite another thing. Pooh, pooh! nonsense ! That's neither here nor there. Rasc. I'll trust thee. (Aside.) But I 'll play upon his feelings, To make him sure. Coxs (nside.) I doubt some evil di alings. Thou shalt have redress. Thou hast a wife (insidiously) Cons. She's starving (with emotion.) Rasc. (with emphatic earnest ress.) And thy child Is starving too. Cons. (in agony.) Oh! do not drive me wild. Rasc. Will Conscienzo be so base a sinner I'm thine. What must I do? Any fool knows that. Not so certain that, not. Cons. That thought has roused me from my waking slumber. Rasc. Look down, ye gods ! in me behold a greater ! (draws a dagger) The way to kill, 'twill spare nor friends nor foes. Rasc. Think, when we strike, ’tis for our bread-and-butter. No word I 'll utter. Rasc. Rasc. For our rights! For love! For bread-and-butter! [Exeunt, brandishing their daggers. SCENE II.- A chamber in CONSCIENZO's house. Enter GRISKINDA, followed by SCRUBINDA. SCRUB. Oh, pardon, gentle lady, I but try Grisk. Peace, peace ! unless thy moralizing will SCRUB. Madam, when money's gone, and all is spent, GRISK. No more! 'Tis flim-flam ftummery. Thou’rt wrong Grisk. Am I? Then I'll sing a song. SONG--GRISKINDA. Air—" While gazing on the moon's light.” If passing by a cook's shop, A dainty cutlet meet your eye, If cash ring, They'll soon bring If empty Your purse be, This simple masim none can doubt : But the wisest cannot live without. Our friends could all be found soon, When we were rich and lived at ease ;- But, now, we Are poor, see Nor would they A groat pay Then me no more, &c. . |