August Wilhelm Iffland

“ With sufficient grounds for real unhappiness, she increases it by imaginary misfortunes. It was my first care to shew her the world as it is; to dispose her mind to bear her part with fortitude. But she dreams of a world, that does not exist; of a husband, as he never will, never dare be——What comfort can she bring to a husband in his misfortunes? What a mother can she be to her children, who meets affliction with tears instead of courage, and who regards the common pleasures of life as scarcely worthy of a smile? ”

“ O Sophia, Sophia! what have you demanded!
Soph. (having gently disengaged her hand.) The Chief Judge of my country cannot wish to give me the hand which signed the deed that robs orphans of their right! And, if he thinks he has performed his duty as a judge, let him blush as a man, if he means to conduct me and the spoil at one and the same time to his house. If the man, whom I and the people honour, cannot feel so, the sentiment of my own worth will teach me how to forget him. ”

“ Brook, who never gave us a single hour's comfort, you have reduced us to misery in a single hour. It hurts not your feelings, to see your foster parents ruined, undone by the son of her who was my dearest friend and your mother; by the son of Maria!
Lewis. Oh, forbear!
Mrs. D. You have feigned love to my daughter, have vowed fidelity to her: she loves, and must ever love you.—You forsake her now—She will decline by degrees, and at length sink into her grave, which perhaps—we must beg for her. ”

“ Ay, if I were in your stead, I would say to myself, "True, I have won the cause, but I will not keep what is not mine;" your conscience then would applaud you, and your fellow-citizens would esteem you; you would find consolation under every affliction, and when the cold hand of death had arrested almost every faculty, and benumbed almost every sense, your soul would look up with trembling confidence to heaven. The poor orphans would gather round your dying bed, and weep for their second father. ”

“ Philip. Oh, if you knew my feelings! my good will for mankind, as God knows it—I—it is hard to need a defence in this particular—But, I can calmly and truly say, I love mankind. But, if my compassion for their unhappy fate has been ridiculed, and if this abuse of my dearest feelings has made me reserved, does it follow that I am a misanthrope?
Mrs. D. Mr. Brook!
Philip. If my ideas of good company are too refined, too just, too high, to be satisfied in the slandering circles of coquettes, dunces, and gamblers, am I to be called unsociable?
Augusta [quickly] . Oh, no, my good friend. ”

“ Is that your wisdom! your honour! your integrity! Have I, therefore,--well,--if matters are so with you, then do as you like; enquire no more after me, come no more to see me; you ought to be ashamed of yourself, in the presence of your honest father. Farewell, Jack; repent and amend. I will visit you no more, till you have altered your ways, and divided your cursed mammon among the poor. Live on your honest earnings; then come to me, tender me a clean hand, and I will bless you. (Exit.)
SCENE V. Privy Counsellor, (alone.) ”

“ Drave [leading Augusta to Rose] . Rose, I give you a daughter, who shall console you in your old-age! [To the old man] Good old father, here are your children again.
(PHILIP and LEWIS embrace their uncle.)
Old Man. God's blessings be upon you, my children! Children of my dear Maria in Heaven—support me in your arms, which broke my chains—In them I will expire, with prayers for your happiness, with blessings on thee, Philip, my supporter and guardian angel. ”

“ Mrs. D. I see no happiness, in our daughter's being shut up with such an eternal grumbler.
Mr. D. Oh! but his heart is noble!
Mrs. D. An inconsiderate mind is better than such sour virtue, if indeed it deserves the name.
Mr. D. I own I am disappointed in both of them.
Mrs. D. I fear, my dear Drave, your mode of education has contributed to make them hate each other.
Mr. D. Hate? Philip hate?—Never.——If Lewis does, I am sorry.
Mrs. D. He cannot love such sour behaviour—he does not hate—but he is cold—they have not spoken to each other these three months. ”

“ Yes, Clarenbach, I do not conceal it from you; I could not leave you without giving myself up to those tears.
P. Coun. Sophia, my angel! the promised companion of my life, my guardian angel, the most precious gift of providence! How dare I presume to merit your partiality? No! I shall never be able to merit you. Such purity and goodness of mind! how can I convince you of the sincerity of my esteem?
Soph. Clarenbach!
P. Coun. (takes her by the hand.) Sophia!
Soph. A wife has many duties to discharge. ”

“ D. Lively? wild? young? No, no.—Immoral, dissolute, hypocritical; that is the character of Lewis Brook.—And shall he the husband of my Augusta? When I quit the world, shall I leave to him the child of my heart? To him? Oh, you have brought me bad news!
Mrs. D. You see every thing in such gloomy colours! I agree he is inconsiderate—very inconsiderate; and certainly while he remains as he is, I shall not think of marriage: but love will bring him back. ”

“ Philip. Feign tranquillity—cover thy horror with hypocrisy: this scene thou canst not bear. Look—look here, at the marks of the chains upon these hands—here I place him before thee: so will he stand before thee in Heaven, with all those whom thou hast wronged and undone; then before the Almighty Judge will he say, "Thou hast given thy soul to eternal perdition, for the love of gain." ”

“ Jack, listen to the words of this good old man; let them sink deep into your heart; let them be your model! He possesses little worldly wealth; but, at the last day, what myriads that now roll in wealth would wish that they had possessed as little and done half as much good with it; but it is not for me to judge; I only say, make him your model.
P. Coun. Dear father, I will. Enter Aulic Counsellor Reissman.
Reiss. I am come to tell you what I know will please you. How sweet are the tears of repentance! how refreshing to the drooping soul! I have at last settled my accounts with my conscience ”

“ But what objection can you have? If a marriage cannot take place, must I for that reason avoid your house?
Mr. D. I fear my daughter might forget the duties of a wife, in listening to the flatteries of a lover.
Counsellor. Vain excuses, Mr. Drave; mere pretexts to palliate your hatred.
Mr. D. I have no hatred against you, Sir.
Counsellor. Oh, but I see very clearly you have: but I warrant you——
Mr. D. You are not to my mind—you see I do not attempt to conceal it.
Counsellor. Well, of my passion for Miss Drave I will speak no more—but I am now obliged in honour to frequent your house. ”

“ SCENE IV. Enter Reissman.
Reiss. Aye, good morrow, Miss! Good morrow, Mr. Clarenbach! Well, how are you?
Clar. At work, Sir!
Reiss. So you have, ex officio, been appointed guardian of the poor orphans of Brunnig?
Clar. Yes, Sir, these four days.
Reiss. Aye, aye; it will prove a troublesome piece of business. Poor children! I pity them.
Clar. So do I.--And, to tell you the truth, the valuable bequest of the old aunt ought to go to the children, and not to you; to whom, contrary to all right and equity, she has bequeathed her all. ”

“ D. Do I wait for favourable opportunities to love you? Oh, no! in things the most indifferent, I ask myself, will it give pleasure to my Augusta? I close my eyes with prayers for the happiness of my child; and my first thoughts, when I rise, are on the means of gratifying her wishes; while she, for whose sake only I live, waits for opportunities to be good and sincere! ”

“ Who can refuse his esteem to the man who has tasted the cup of luxury, and, in the flower of youth and in the height of his career, can dash it from his lips, and say, "I will not drink it; I prefer the charms of a tranquil life to all the noise and well-bred hate of a court? I am too irritable to rule my fellow-citizens, notwithstanding I wish to serve them."
P. Coun. Sophia! ”

“ Mr. D. You give me pleasure; with your talents you cannot fail of success.
Lewis. I flatter myself the more, as for a long while——
Mr. D. What!
Lewis. I will unfold my heart. Be not severe, or you will drive me to despair.
Mr. D. [kindly] . Well; speak.
Lewis [flatteringly] . I beg you to look upon my wishes, not as a guardian, but as a friend, as a father—I—I love—and your consent to a marriage will make me happy.
Mr. D. Brook! [with warmth] you really love the girl, and sincerely?
Lewis. Not to madness, but truly and honourably.
Mr. D. Are you perfectly sincere?
Lewis. Why should you doubt? ”

“ Clar. Ay! You ought to read it in my countenance; I would fain open the window, and call out, Jack is no more a Privy Counsellor,--vivat! And then there is a pretty, amiable, discreet young lady, that is not possessed with the demon of pride,--vivat! and she will be Master Clarenbach's daughter in law,--vivat! huzza, I say, Gernau! Girl, come, give me a kiss! (They kiss.)
SCENE XI. Enter Gernau and Frederica.
Clar. Jack is my son once more,--vivat! huzza! husband and wife! (steps between them,) son and daughter! (Embraces him.) ”

“ Thus I hope to make reparation for my want of thought, and for the uneasiness I have caused. [Going.
Mrs. D. One moment, Mr. Brook! [She takes the paper and reads it] . You restore all, you say?
Lewis. Yes.
Mrs. D. Our confidence in mankind, which you have destroyed; our honour, of which you have robbed us; our credit, which you have blasted; can you restore these? Can you erase the deep characters of misery from the heart of an afflicted husband? Can you restore a wretched daughter, once more in the bloom of health, to her parents arms? ”

“ Benninger, as I am well informed, has secretly offered your son two thousand dollars by way of present.
Clar. What?
Grob. They have agreed.
Clar. Infamous calumny!
Grob. I will give you two hundred dollars beside, if you--
Clar. Set off!--for, upon my word, I will do you some mischief.
Grob. Do you want more than two hundred?
Clar. Justice I want, Justice! My son shall send you to prison, unless he be as great a good for nothing as yourself.
Grob. (laughs.) For what?
Clar. Sell! sell a monopoly! take money,--a bribe! My son, Jack Clarenbach, the sovereign's deputy, take money! ”

“ Augusta. Do you reproach me that?
Philip. I do, and justly. All who are acquainted with you, love and esteem you. You are young and amiable; why then mourn?
Mrs. D. Pardon me, Sir, if I repeat my daughter's words; you should be the last to utter such a reproach.
Philip. Why so?
Mrs. D. Can you ask?
Philip. Yes, Madam; for I cannot believe that you have the same opinion of my character, that is generally entertained.
Mrs. D. Mr. Brook!
Philip. You make no answer. Your opinion is either too favourable, or the contrary.
Mrs. D. Be assured, we esteem you as a man.
Philip. ”

“ Ay, I see that your good intentions were in my favour. They were good I see,--I thank you for them. Give me your hand, sweet creature! (shaking her good naturedly by the hand.) Blessed is the man who is doomed to have you for his wife.
Soph. Happy is that son who has such a father! (She leads the son up to the father, and they embrace.)
P. Coun. Behold the father of us both, Sophia!
Soph. O heaven!
P. Coun. How!
Soph. That is the grand question that must give us pause! (Clarenbach makes a sign to Frederica and Gernau, and they retire with him.)
SCENE IX. Sophia, Privy Counsellor Clarenbach. ”

“ Well; suspect me, mistake me, offend me, my heart will be still the same. We are brothers; they should never want reconciliation.
Lewis. But why all this?
Philip [with warmth] . If the moment should ever arrive when your confidence in mankind shall be lost—if unexpected misfortunes, or discordant interests, should cause those who now call themselves your friends to desert you, at that moment remember me; entrust your cares with confidence to my bosom! this heart, which you now reject, will ever rejoice to receive you with the affection of a brother. ”

“ Oh! what now am I, what do I now feel! O the power of pure love!--without thee I cannot exist. (Starts up.) Sophia! better being! forget the past, build thy requests upon the future; they commit murder on thy father and me! (Going, meets Counsellor Wellenberg at the door.)
SCENE V. Privy Counsellor Clarenbach, Counsellor Wellenberg.
Well. Most honoured Sir.
P. Coun. What is your pleasure, Sir?
Well. I am forced, by necessity, to go in quest of you, Sir; the suit of the poor orphans--
P. Coun. Is determined; the will is confirmed. ”

“ Augusta [with a downcast look] . My dearest father, can you forgive me?
Mr. D. You love. Heaven crown your love with happiness! It is not for that I blame you: love is involuntary.
Augusta. But I did not open my heart to you.
Mr. D. Yes, there you hurt me severely.
Augusta. I love nobody as I do yourself and my mother. Speak, dear mother; how often did the confession of my attachment tremble upon my lips!
Mr. D. And why not avow it?
Augusta. I never had a favourable opportunity.
Mr. D. [hastily] . That is the effect of those unhappy books again——
Mrs. D. Be gentle, my dear Drave. ”

“ I will acknowledge it with filial affection, with the same care and attention as if I were your own daughter.
Clar. Jack has obtained you by noble means, dear daughter; that is a good and laudable commencement of the marriage-state.
SCENE VI. Enter Gernau.
Gern. Dear old man, I have forgotten all the wrongs the Privy Counsellor ever did me. They now vanish like a dream. He has more than compensated for all. ”