Part 68 (1/2)

_King Richard._ Give me the _Olivia._ Why, what would you?

crown.--Here cousin, seize the crown; _Viola._ Make me a willow Here, cousin, cabin at your gate, On this side my hand, and on And call upon my soul within the that side thine. house; Now is this golden crown like a Write loyal cantons of contemned deep well love That owes two buckets, filling And sing them loud even in the one another, dead of night; The emptier ever dancing in the Halloo your name to the air, reverberate hills The other down, unseen, and And make the babbling gossip of full of water. the air That bucket down and full of Cry out ”Olivia!” O, you should tears am I, not rest Drinking my griefs, whilst you Between the elements of air and mount up on high, earth, But should pity me!

_Bolingbroke._ I thought you had been willing to resign. _Olivia._ You might do much[68]

_King Richard._ My crown I am; but still my griefs are mine.

You may my glories and my state depose, But not my griefs; still I am king of those.[67]

The second extract is the more effective because the onward sweep of the emotion of the scene reveals beauty as it moves, but the first shows King Richard checking the course of his natural emotion in order suavely and perfectly to develop his comparison. Of course there is beauty in the first extract, but it is not genuine dramatic beauty. Why does one find the following pa.s.sage from _The Importance of Being Earnest_ (Act I), delightful as it is, less fine than the pa.s.sage from _The Way of the World_ (Act II, Scene 5)?

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

_Lady Bracknell._ (_Sitting down._) You can take a seat, Mr. Worthing.

(_Looks in her pocket for notebook and pencil._)

_Jack._ Thank you, Lady Bracknell, I prefer standing.

_Lady Bracknell._ (_Pencil and notebook in hand._) I feel bound to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men, although I have the same list as the dear d.u.c.h.ess of Bolton has. We work together, in fact. However, I am quite ready to enter your name, should your answers be what a really affectionate mother requires. Do you smoke?

_Jack._ Well, yes, I must admit I smoke.

_Lady Bracknell._ I am glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. There are far too many idle men in London as it is. How old are you?

_Jack._ Twenty-nine.

_Lady Bracknell._ A very good age to be married at. I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing. Which do you know?

_Jack._ (_After some hesitation._) I know nothing, Lady Bracknell.

_Lady Bracknell._ I am pleased to hear it. I do not approve of anything that tempers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper cla.s.ses, and probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square. What is your income?

_Jack._ Between seven and eight thousand a year.

_Lady Bracknell._ (_Makes a note in her book._) In land or investments?

_Jack._ In investments, chiefly.

_Lady Bracknell._ That is satisfactory. What between the duties expected of one during one's lifetime, and the duties exacted from one after one's death, land has ceased to be either a profit or a pleasure. It gives one position and prevents one from keeping it up.

That's all that can be said about land.

_Jack._ I have a country house with some land, of course, attached to it, about fifteen hundred acres, I believe; but I don't depend on that for my income. In fact, as far as I can make out, the poachers are the only people who are making anything out of it.

_Lady Bracknell._ A country house! How many bedrooms? Well, that point can be cleared up afterwards. You have a town house, I hope? A girl with a simple unspoiled nature, like Gwendolen, could hardly be expected to reside in the country.

_Jack._ Well, I own a house in Belgrave Square, but it is let by the year to Lady Bloxham. Of course, I can get it back whenever I like, at six months' notice.

_Lady Bracknell._ Lady Bloxham? I don't know her.

_Jack._ Oh, she goes about very little. She is a lady considerably advanced in years.