The British drama

He will be of the clothing of his company,

And next spring called to the scarlet, spend
what he can.

Face. What, and so little beard?
Sub. You must think,

He may have a receipt to make hair come :

But he'll be wise, preserve his youth, and fine for it;

His fortune looks for him another way.

Face. That's a secret, Nab.

Sub. And, on your stall, a puppet, with a vice,.
And a court-fucus to call city-dames.
You shall deal much with minerals.
Drug. Sir, I have
At home already.

Sub. Ay, I know, you have arsnike,
Vitriol, salt-tartre, argale, alkaly,
Cinoper: I know all. This fellow, captain,
Will come, in time, to be a distiller,
And give a say (I will not say directly,
But very fair) at the Philosopher's Stone.
Face. Why, how now, Abel! is this true?
Drug. Good captain,

What must I give?

Face. Nay, I'll not counsel thee.

Face. 'Slid, dostor, how canst thou know this Thou hear'st what wealth (he says spend what

so soon?

I am amazed at that!

Sub. By a rule, captain,

In metaposcopy, which I do work by;

A certain star in the forehead, which you see not.
Your chesnut, or your olive-coloured face,

Does never fail and your long ear doth pro-
mise.

I knew it, by certain spots too, in his teeth,
And on the nail of his mercurial finger.
Face. What finger's that?

Sub. His little finger. Look,
You were born upon a Wednesday?
Drug. Yes, indeed sir, and so

was.

Sub. The thumb, in chiromancy, we give Ve

nus;

The fore-finger, to Jove; the midst to Saturn;
The ring, to Sol; the least, to Mercury;
Who was the lord, sir, of his horoscope,
His house of life being Libra; which foreshewed
He should be a merchant, and should trade with
balance.

thou canst)

Thou art like to come to.

Drug. I would give him a crown.

Face. A crown! and towards such a fortune?

such an offer!

'Shalt keep it no longer, I'll gi' it him for thee. Drug. Will ye?

Face. Doctor, Nab prays your worship to
drink this, and swears

He will appear more grateful, as your skill
Does raise him in the world.

Drug. I would intreat

Another favour of your worship.
Face. What is it, Nab?

Drug. But to look over, sir, my almanack,
And cross out my ill days, that I may neither

Face. Why this is strange? Is it not, honest Bargain nor trust upon them.
Nab?

Drug. Yes, very strange.

Sub. There is a ship now, coming from Ormus,
That shall yield him such a commodity
Of drugs- -Come hither, Abel;
This is the west, and this is the south.

Drug. Yes, sir.

Face. That he shall, Nab.

Leave it; it shall be done, 'gainst afternoon.
Sub. And a direction for his shelves.
Face. Now, Nab,

Art thou well pleased, Nab?
Drug. Thank, sir, both your worships.

[Looking at the plan. I am a made man.

Sub. And those are your two sides?
Drug. Aye, sir.

Face. Away.

[Erit.

Why, now you smoaky prosecutor of nature!
Now do you see, that something's to be done,

Sub. Make me your door, then, south; your Beside your beech-coal, and your cor'sive wa

To one, that's with him.

Sub. Face, go you, and shift.
Dol, you must presently make ready too-
Dol. Why, what's the matter?

Sub. Oh, I did look for himn

With the sun's rising: marvel, he could sleep!
This is the day I am to perfect for him
The Magisterium, our great-work, the stone;
And yield it, made, into his hands; of which
He has this month talked, as he were possessed.
He's in belief of chemistry so bold,

If his dream last, he'll turn the age to gold.
[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Enter MAMMON and SURLY.

Mam. COME on, sir. Now you set your foot on shore

In novo orbe; here's the rich Peru:

And there within, sir, are the golden mines, Great Solomon's Opair! He was sailing to't Three years, but we have reached it in ten

months.

This is the day, wherein, to all my friends,
I will pronounce the happy word, Be rich.
This day you shall be spectatissimi,

And have your punques, and punquetees, my
Surly,

And unto thee, I speak it first, Be rich. Face,
Where is my Subtle, there! Within, ho!
Face. [Within.] Sir, he'll come to you, by
and by.

Mam. That's his fire-drake,

His lungs, his Zephirus; he, that puffs his coals,
Till he firk Nature up in her own centre.

You are doubtful, sir. This night, I'll change
All that is metal, in my house, to gold.
And, early in the morning, will I send
To all the plumbers, and the pewterers,

Mam. Surly,

Will you believe antiquity? Records?

I'll shew you a book, where Moses, and his sister,
And Solomon, have written of the art;

And buy their tin, and lead up; and to Loth- Aye, and a treatise penned by Adam.

bury,

Sur. How!

This day, thou shalt have ingots; and, to-mor- | My foot-boy shall eat pheasants, calvered sal

row,

Give lords the affront. Is it, my Zephirus, right? Blushes the bolt's-head?

Face. Like a wench with child, sir, That were, but now, discovered to her master. Mam. Excellent witty, Lungs! My only care is,

Where to get stuff enough now, to project on. This town will not half serve me.

Face. No, sir? Buy

The covering off o' churches.
Mam. That's true.
Face. Yes,

Let them stand bare, as do their auditory;
Or cap them new with shingles.

Mam. No, good thatch :

Thatch will lie light upon the rafters, Lungs. Lungs, I will manumit thee from the furnace; I will restore thee thy complexion, Puffe, Lost in the embers; and repair this brain, Hurt wi' the fume o' the metals.

Face. I have blown, sir,

Hard for your worship; these bleared eyes Have waked, to read your several colours, sir; Of the pale citron, the green lion, the crow, The peacock's tail, the plumed swan.

Mam. And lastly,

Thou hast descryed the flower?
Face. Yes, sir,

Mam. Where's master?

Face. At his prayers, sir: he,

Good man, he's doing his devotions,
For the success.

Mam. Lungs, I will set a period

To all thy labours: thou shalt be the master

Of my seraglio.

For I do mean

To have a list of wives and concubines,

Equal with Solomon, who had the stone Alike with me :

Thou art sure thou saw'st it, blood?

Face. Both blood and spirit, sir.

You are covetous, that thus you meet your time

Mam. I will have all my beds blown up; not I' the just point: prevent your day, at morning!

stuffed;

Down is too hard.

(Is it arrived at ruby?)

-Where I spy

A wealthy citizen, or a rich lawyer,
Have a sublimed pure wife, unto that fellow
I'll send a thousand pounds, to be my cuckold.
Face. And shall I carry it?

Mam. No, I'll have no bawds,

But fathers and mothers. They will do it best,
Best of all others. And my flatterers
Shall be the pure, and gravest of divines,
That I can get for money. My meet fools,
Eloquent burgesses.

We will be brave, Puffe, now we have the medi

cine.

My meat shall all come in, in Indian shells.
Dishes of agate set in gold, and studded
With emeralds, saphirs, hyacinths, and rubies.

This argues something, worthy of a fear

Of importune, and carnal appetite;

Take heed, you do not cause the blessing leave

Mam. I know, sir.

You shall not need to fear me. I but come,
To have you to confute this gentleman.
Sur. Who is,

Indeed, sir, somewhat costive of belief
Toward your stone; would not be gulled.
Sub. Well, son.

All, that I can convince him in, is this:
The work is done; bright Sol is in his robe.
We have a medicine of the triple soul;
Thanks be to Heaven,

And make us worthy of it! Ulen Spigel!
Face. [Within.] Anon, sir.

Sub. Look well to the register,

And let your heat still lessen by degrees,
To the Aludels.

And bring me the complexion of glass B.
Face. I will, sir.

Sur. What a brave language here is! next to canting!

Sub. I have another work, you never saw, son, That three days since passed the philosopher's wheel,

In the lent heat of Athanor; and is become
Sulphur of Nature.

Mam. But 'tis for me?

Sub. What need you?

You have enough, in that is perfect.
Mam. Oh, but-

Sub. Why, this is covetous !

Mam. No, I assure you.

I shall employ it all in pious uses,

Founding of colleges and grammar schools,
Marrying young virgins, building hospitals,
And now and then a church.

How now? What colour says

Enter FACE.

Face. The ground black, sir.

it?

many times I add unto his virtue.

Get you your stuff here against afternoon,
Your brass, your pewter, and your andirons.

Mam. Not those of iron?

Sub. Yes, you may bring them too.

We'll change all metals.

Sur. I believe you in that.

Mam. Then I may send my spits?

Sub. Yes, and your racks.

Sur. And dripping-pans, and pot-hangers, and hooks,

Shall he not?

Sub. If he please.

Sur. To be an ass,

Sub. How, sir!

Mam. This gentleman you must bear withal. I told you, he had no faith.

Sur. And little hope, sir;

But much less charity, should I gull myself.
Sub. Why, what have you observed, sir, in our art,
Seems so impossible?

Sur. But your whole work, no more.
That you should hatch gold in a furnace, sir,
As they do eggs in Egypt!

But ours the most ignorant. What now?

[FACE returns. Face. 'Twas not my fault, sir; she would speak with you.

Sub. Would she, sir? Follow me.

Mam. Stay, Lungs.

Face. I dare not, sir.

Mam. How! Pray thee stay.

Mam. No, he will not be gulled! let him alone.
Face. You are very right, sir; she is a most
rare scholar,

And is gone mad with studying Broughton's works.
If you but name a word touching the Hebrew,
She falls into her fit, and will discourse
So learnedly of genealogies,

As you would run mad too, to hear her, sir.
Mam. How might one do to have conference
with her, Lungs?

Face. Oh, divers have run mad upon the con

Mam. Drink that. [Gives him money.] What

is she, when she's out of her fit. Face. Oh, the most affablest creature, sir, so merry!

[Exit SUBTLE. So pleasant! she'll mount you up, like quick

Face. She's mad, sir, and sent hither

Mam. Stay, man, what is she?

Face. A lord's sister, sir.

He'll be mad too.

silver,

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The British drama, Volume 3