For while life's purple stream 's flowing, And merrily push round, &c. And partly leads only to strife, Contentment, whatever my station, Be thou my companion thro' life : Then cheerful l'll pass round the glasses, That quench ev'ry spark of keen woe; And drink to true Friends and good Lasses, To them ev'ry pleasure we owe. In liberal arts thy youthful hands did grow, O! fate severe! earth's lesson early taught, wrought- burn'd, L. B. VERSES, in the drawing-book of his Daughter, who sud- optic nerres. PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS FOR APRIL. FRENCH THEATRE. URSULE ROUVIGNY, a neighbour, twenty. three years old. MAIDS TO BE MARRIED. LOUISE JAQUEMIN, eighteen ditto. As every thing which relates to the theatri THERESE, her sister, sixteen ditto. cal art cannot fail to entertain a British reader, ACT I. we have thought proper lo present to the public a translation of a new play, which was re Therese. Great news my friends, I have an ceived with great applause on one of the Paris | important secret to reveal. stages. It is composed by L. B. Picard who has All. What is it? tell us quick. already distinguished himself by the pieces which Therese. A bachelor is to day expected here. his muse has produced, as well as by his talents in All. A bachelor ! acting, which, in the comic line, without ever Therese. A young handsome man from Paris, descending to low buffooncry, have left him few with five hundred a year and an only son ! rivals. The title of the play is, Maids to be Agathe. Indeed! Therese. You know my curio.ity, my father is not very prudent, as he owns is, anger or joy make him betray himself. Just now he received JAQUEMIN, an opulent country gentleman, a letter, which filed bin with pleasure, a few father to Louise and Therese, words escaped from his lips, which made me wish and the guardian of Agathe to know more; by degrees niy cunning inade and Pauline. him speak more than he meant, and I guessed SAINVILLEg his guest. the rest. He has ordered the apartnient in the CORSIGNAC, Sainville's friend. little pavillion to be got ready, and to-day the LEDOUX, an elderly gentleman to whom young man comes, Agathe is promised. Ursule. He is going to be your father's guest, AGATHE DE PERMONT, twenty-six years old. I perceive, PAULINE, her sister, twenty one ditto. Therese. To be sure he is. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. over. Ursule. Tis plain he comes on your account. me, I am so good natured, so, litile addicted to Louise. Why not on that of his wards ? Since | slander, and such a foe to noise and perfidiousness Agathe and Pauline had the nisfortune of loring that certain young ladies took advantage of it, their parents, my father, who was appointed their to lay their own scandalous observations upon my guardian, has acted by them with the same affec account. No, no, my friends, when a person is cion as by his children. Is it not true Agathe ? fortunate enough to have studied literature and He has accustomed us to love you as a sister; | philosophy—mbe happy, my dear companions, has he not Pauliue? get good husbands, and I will share your felicity, Pauline. Yes ; our guardian is the best man in I live for friendship alone. existence. It is not his fault if my sister has been Agathe. Excellent girl! a inaid these five-and-twenty years. How many Pauline. She is a model of sensibility. excellent matches has he not proposed to her, Therese (aside). Treacherous flatterer ! which she has all refused to finish, by listening Ursule. And thus my little Thereseto Mr. Ledoux, quite an old man ! Therese. Little! do not treat me as a child, I Agathe. Five-and-iwenty did you say, Pauline, beg, at the age of seventeen! I am scarcely twenty-four; but take care you do Louise, Seventeen, my sister, you are not yet not follow my example: I was 100 proud, you sixteen. are too romantic; I wanted a faultless being, and Agathe. It is strange how young people wish you are waiting for a stroke of sympathy. But to make themselves appear older. as to my marriage with Ledoux, it is not yet Louise. But we have lost sight of the main object. You say then, Therese, that my father Therese. I understand you; this new comer expects to day a young visitor. changes your projects, and as for our handsome Agathe. From Paris ? neighbour, she is sorry that we should have such Pauline. Handsome? a guest, as there is no doubt that he is intended Ursule. Rich, and an only son ? for one of us. Therese. It is a pleasure to give you any inforUrsule. I sorry! no iny friends be just; our re. mation, you do not forget it; but hark! my lations esteem each other, and live together as father comes, try to make hiin speak in your turn. good neighbours ought to do; we are all born in the same place, I have been educated in a board Enter JAQUEMIN. ing school in town, Agathe and Pauline by their Juquemin. Good morning to you all; has Themother, till her death; when they became your rese imparted the news to you? The son of an companions, and lived beneath your roof; dur old friend of mine, Mr. Sainville, is on the way ing three years I have never ceased to visit you, to my house. and it is hard you should now doubt of the siu. Ursule. Sainville! his father was also acquaintcerity of my friendship. ed with my parents. Therese. Yes, yes, it can never hurt a maid to Jaquenin. He was; I saw a good deal of the frequent a house which contains four young young man when I was at Paris last. ludies, for it is always filled with suitors. Therese. He comes to get a wife? Louise. You are too severe, Therese. Jaquemin. What is it you say? your fancy has Therese. And you 100 good, Louise, you do already taken its flight. not dive into the secret intentions of other people. Therese. Be not angry, dear father, you are so. I do not mean, however, to call it a crime in her | fiery, but then you are so easily appeased. to think of matrimony; it is very natural, for all Jaquemin. To get a wife! he comes to buy an our conversations dwell upon it; the word matri. estate in this province. mony itself is so charming, that it is impossible to Therese. Ah! you wish to keep your secret; hear it pronounced without emotion. but I am sure you told him you had four young Ursule. True; but I never would think of it girls in your house. at the expence of my friends. It is I who have Jaquemin. Well, what then ? engaged Agathe not to reject the addresses of Therese. He wants to make a choice. Mr. Ledoux, though he be far from deserving Jaqucmin. He has not thought about it-there her. Like Pauline, I am fond of reading, and it is no such thing in contemplation--I approve of I prefer serious works to her novels, still I have | matrimony ; Sainville is a very good fellow, and as great a wish of inspiring also a strong passion far from throwing any obstacle in the way—I in the bosom of a man. My mother who looks || should be delighted with but as to making a upon me as a little girl, will not permit me to choice-At last, my dear Agathe, your marmeddle with the affairs of the house, like you iny riage is nearly settled with Mr. Ledoux, a respecdear Louise, and yet I should like very much to table notary; he is a man of fifty, but blessed command and rule in my turn; but lord bless. I with a robust state of health ; his fortune is not |
