Was it the prince they said? How my heart trembles!
[Enter Demetrius, with a javelin in his hand.
'Tis he indeed: what a sweet noble fierceness
Dwells in his eyes! Young Meleager-like,
When he returned from slaughter of the boar,
Crown'd with the loves and honours of the people,
With all the gallant youth of Greece, he looks now—
Who could deny him love?
On one occasion of its performance Pepys was present, and though he calls it a silly play, his reader smiles at his bad taste, while he is grateful for the information that when the play was over he had gone with his wife behind the scenes, through the introduction of Mrs. Knep, who "brought to us Nelly, a most pretty woman, who acted the great part of Celia to-day very fine, and did it pretty well. I kissed her, and so did my wife, and a mighty pretty soul she is." Nor was his chronicle of the day concluded without a fresh expression of pleasure at what he had seen, summing up all as he does with the satisfactory words "specially kissing of Nell."[1] The remark of Walter Scott will occur to many, "it is just as well that Mrs. Pepys was present on this occasion."
Her skill increasing with her years, other poets sought to obtain the recommendations of her wit and beauty to the success of their writings. I have
- ↑ Pepys, Jan. 23, 1666–7. Mr. Augustus Egg, A.R.A., has painted a clever picture from this passage.
