English Comedy. (A Collection of the Most Celebrated Dramas, Since the Commencement of the Reformation of the Stage by Sir Richard Steele and Colley Cibber.).1810 |
Common terms and phrases
Acres aunt believe Bell Bellmour Beverley Capt Captain Absolute Coachm dare David dear madam dear Sir devil door Enter SIR Exeunt Exit father Faulk Faulkland favour fellow forgive gentleman girl give me leave glad happy hear heard heart heaven honour hope husband Jack Julia kind Lady Con Lady Constant Languish Larron laugh letter look Lord D Lord Dartford Lord Etheridge Love Lovemore Lucy Lydia ma'am Malaprop marry matter maʼam mean Mignionet mind Miss Herbert Miss Wingrove mistress MUSLIN never Odds pardon passion pleasure pray pretty quarrel Rach Rachel ridiculous Scene Sdeath servant SIDEBOARD Sir Anth Sir Anthony Sir Bash Sir Bril Sir Brilliant Fashion Sir L Sir William sir-I soul spirits suppose sure tell there's thing thought Welford What's wife wish woman word YOUNG MANLY Z-ds
Popular passages
Page 41 - There, sir, an attack upon my language! what do you think of that? — an aspersion upon my parts of speech! was ever such a brute! Sure, if I reprehend any thing in this world it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!
Page 12 - What business have you, Miss, with preference and aversion? They don't become a young woman; and you ought to know, that as both always wear off, 'tis safest in matrimony to begin with a little aversion. I am sure I hated your poor dear uncle before marriage as if he'd been a black-a-moor and yet, Miss, you are sensible what a wife I made! - and when it pleas'd Heav'n to release me from him, 'tis unknown what tears I shed!
Page 73 - How mortifying, to remember the dear delicious shifts I used to be put to, to gain half a minute's conversation with this fellow ! How often have I stole forth, in the coldest night in January, and found him in the garden, stuck like a dripping statue ! There would he kneel to me in the snow, and sneeze and cough so pathetically...
Page 75 - Why, you may think there's no being shot at without a little risk, and if an unlucky bullet should carry a quietus with it— I say it will be no time then to be bothering you about family matters.
Page 48 - What the devil signifies right, when your honour is concerned ? Do you think Achilles, or my little Alexander the Great, ever inquired where the right lay ? No, by my soul, they drew their broad-swords, and left the lazy sons of peace to settle the justice of it. Acres. Your words are a grenadier's march to my heart ! I believe courage must be catching ! I certainly do feel a kind of valour rising as it were — a kind of courage, as I may say. — Odds flints, pans, and triggers ! I'll challenge...
Page 12 - In my way hither, Mrs. Malaprop, I observed your niece's maid coming forth from a circulating library! — She had a book in each hand — they were half-bound volumes, with marble covers! — from that moment I guessed how full of duty I should see her mistress ! Mrs.
Page 51 - Our ancestors are very good kind of folks ; but they are the last people I should choose to have a visiting acquaintance with.
Page 13 - ... I would by no means wish a daughter of mine to be a progeny of learning; I don't think so much learning becomes a young woman — for instance — I would never let her meddle with Greek, or Hebrew, or Algebra, or Simony, or Fluxions, or Paradoxes, or such inflammatory branches of learning : nor would it be necessary for her to handle any of your mathematical, astronomical, diabolical instruments...
Page 48 - That's no argument at all — he has the less right, then, to take such a liberty. Acres. 'Gad, that's true — I grow full of anger, Sir Lucius — I fire apace! Odds hilts and blades! I find a man may have a deal of valour in him and not know it. But couldn't I contrive to have a little right on my side ( Sir L.
Page 32 - No. — I'll die sooner than forgive him. Die, did I say? I'll live these fifty years to plague him. At our last meeting, his impudence had almost put me out of temper. An obstinate, passionate, self-willed boy! Who can he take after? This is my return for getting him before all his brothers and sisters! — for putting him, at twelve years old, into a marching regiment, and allowing him fifty pounds a year, besides his pay, ever since!