DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0049
INTRODUCTION.
35
is thus enabled to attack her with her own weapons, and wins her
by out-doing* her in affectation, and overpowering* her with her
own nonsense.* The character of Melantha in this play, or rather
the admirable performance of the part by the celebrated actress,
Mrs. Montfort, is considered by Cibber as a most lively and just
representation of a fantastic fine lady of Charles’s time. His
sketch is so very amusing*, and so a propos to our subject, that it is
given in his own words. “ Melantha,” he savs, “ is as finished an
impertinent as ever fluttered in a drawing* room; and seems to
contain the most complete system of female foppery that could
possibly be crowded into the tortured form of a fine lady. Her
language, dress, motion, manners, soul, and body are in a continual
hurry to be something* more than is necessary or commendable.
The first ridiculous airs that break from her, are upon a gallant
never seen before, who delivers her a letter from her father,
recommending* him to her good graces as an honourable lover.
Here now, one would think, she might naturally show a little of
the sex’s decent reserve, though never so slightly covered. No, sir,
not a tittle of it: modesty is a poor-souled country gentlewoman;
she is too much a court lady to be under so vulgar a confusion. She
reads the letter, therefore, with a careless dropping lip and erected
brow, humming it hastily over, as if she were impatient to outgo
her father’s commands by making* a complete conquest of him at
once ; and that the letter might not embarrass the attack,—crack !
she crumbles it at once into her palm, and pours down on him her
whole artillery of airs, eyes, and motion : down to the ground
goes her dainty diving body, as if she were sinking under the
weight of her own attractions ; then she launches into a flood of
fine language and compliment, still playing her chest forward in
fifty falls and risings, like a swan upon waving* water; and, to
complete her impertinence, she is so rapidly fond of her own wit,
that she will not give her lover leave to praise it. Silent, assenting
* In the list of Melantha’s modish and new-fangled French words, the reader
is surprised to find several which are now so completely naturalized, that the date
ot their introduction is only thus ascertained ; as figure, conversation, grimace,
embarrassed, ridicule, good graces, fi.
D 2
35
is thus enabled to attack her with her own weapons, and wins her
by out-doing* her in affectation, and overpowering* her with her
own nonsense.* The character of Melantha in this play, or rather
the admirable performance of the part by the celebrated actress,
Mrs. Montfort, is considered by Cibber as a most lively and just
representation of a fantastic fine lady of Charles’s time. His
sketch is so very amusing*, and so a propos to our subject, that it is
given in his own words. “ Melantha,” he savs, “ is as finished an
impertinent as ever fluttered in a drawing* room; and seems to
contain the most complete system of female foppery that could
possibly be crowded into the tortured form of a fine lady. Her
language, dress, motion, manners, soul, and body are in a continual
hurry to be something* more than is necessary or commendable.
The first ridiculous airs that break from her, are upon a gallant
never seen before, who delivers her a letter from her father,
recommending* him to her good graces as an honourable lover.
Here now, one would think, she might naturally show a little of
the sex’s decent reserve, though never so slightly covered. No, sir,
not a tittle of it: modesty is a poor-souled country gentlewoman;
she is too much a court lady to be under so vulgar a confusion. She
reads the letter, therefore, with a careless dropping lip and erected
brow, humming it hastily over, as if she were impatient to outgo
her father’s commands by making* a complete conquest of him at
once ; and that the letter might not embarrass the attack,—crack !
she crumbles it at once into her palm, and pours down on him her
whole artillery of airs, eyes, and motion : down to the ground
goes her dainty diving body, as if she were sinking under the
weight of her own attractions ; then she launches into a flood of
fine language and compliment, still playing her chest forward in
fifty falls and risings, like a swan upon waving* water; and, to
complete her impertinence, she is so rapidly fond of her own wit,
that she will not give her lover leave to praise it. Silent, assenting
* In the list of Melantha’s modish and new-fangled French words, the reader
is surprised to find several which are now so completely naturalized, that the date
ot their introduction is only thus ascertained ; as figure, conversation, grimace,
embarrassed, ridicule, good graces, fi.
D 2