<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431344" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Richard Minutolo</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">IN ev'ry age, at Naples, we are told,<br>Intrigue and gallantry reign uncontrolled;<br>With beauteous objects in abundance blessed.<br>No country round so many has possessed;<br>Such fascinating charms the FAIR disclose,<br>That irresistibly soft passion flows.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'MONG these a belle, enchanting to behold,<br>Was loved by one, of birth and store of gold;<br>Minutolo (and Richard) was his name,<br>In Cupid's train a youth of brilliant fame:<br>'Tween Rome and Paris none was more gallant,<br>And num'rous hearts were for him known to pant.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">CATELLA (thus was called our lady fair,)<br>So long, howe'er, resisted Richard's snare,<br>That prayers, and vows, and promises were vain;<br>A favour Minutolo could not gain.<br>At length, our hero weary, coldness showed,<br>And dropt attendance, since no kindness flowed;<br>Pretended to be cured:--another sought,<br>And feigned her charms his tender heart had caught:<br>Catella laughed, but jealousy was nigh;<br>'Twas for her friend that now He heaved the sigh.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THESE dames together met, and Richard too,<br>The gay gallant a glowing picture drew,<br>Of certain husbands, lovers, prudes, and wives;<br>Who led in secret most lascivious lives.<br>Though none he named, Catella was amazed;<br>His hints suspicions of her husband raised;<br>And such her agitation and affright,<br>That, anxious to procure more certain light,<br>In haste she took Minutolo aside,<br>And begged the names he would not from her hide,<br>With all particulars, from first to last:--<br>Her ardent wish to know whate'er had passed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">SO long your reign, said Richard, o'er my mind,<br>Deny I could not, howsoe'er inclined;<br>With Mrs. Simon often is your spouse;<br>Her character no doubt your spleen will rouse;<br>I've no design, observe to give offence,<br>But, when I see your int'rest in suspense,<br>I cannot silent keep; though, were I still<br>A slave, devoted wholly to your will,<br>As late I moved, I would not drop a word<br>Mistrust of lovers may not be absurd;<br>Besides, you'd fancy other motives led<br>To tell you of your husband what was said;<br>But heav'n be praised, of you I nothing want;<br>My object's plain--no more the fond gallant.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">I'VE lately certain information had,<br>Your spouse (I scarcely thought the man so bad,)<br>Has with the lady an appointment made;<br>At Jack's nice bagnio he will meet the jade.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">NOW clearly Jack's not rich, and there's no doubt;<br>A hundred ducats give, and--ALL will out;<br>Let him but have a handsome sum in view,<br>And any thing you wish, be sure he'll do;<br>You then can manage ev'ry way so well,<br>That, at the place assigned to meet his belle,<br>You'll take this truant husband by surprise;--<br>Permit me in this nice affair to advise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE lady has agreed, you will remark,<br>That in a room where ev'ry part is dark,<br>(Perhaps to 'scape the keeper's prying sight,<br>Or shame directs exclusion of the light,)<br>She will receive your gay inconstant spouse;<br>Now, take her place; the case deceit allows;<br>Make Jack your friend; nor haggle at the price;<br>A hundred ducats give, is my advice;<br>He'll place you in the room where darkness reigns;<br>Think not too fast, nor suffer heavy chains;<br>Do what you wish, and utter not a word;<br>To speak, assuredly would be absurd;<br>'Twould spoil the whole; destroy the project quite;<br>Attend, and see if all things be not right.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE project pleased Catella to the soul;<br>Her wrath, no longer able to controul,<br>She Richard stopt; enough, enough, she cried;<br>I fully understand:--leave me to guide;<br>I'll play the fellow and his wanton lass<br>A pretty trick-shall all their art surpass,<br>Unless the string gives way and spoils my scheme;<br>What, take me for a nincompoop?--they dream.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THIS said, she sought excuse to get away,<br>And went in quest of Jack without delay.<br>The keeper, howsoe'er, a hint had got;<br>Minutolo had schooled him for the plot;<br>Oft cash does wonders, and, if such the case<br>In France or Britain, when conferred a grace,<br>The bribe is taken, and the truth abused,<br>In Italy it will not be refused;<br>There this sole quiver Cupid useful finds,--</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A purse well stored--all binds, gunlocks, or blinds:<br>Jack took the pelf from Richard and the dame;<br>Had Satan offered--'twould have been the same.<br>In short, Minutolo had full success,<br>All came about, and marked the spark's address.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE lady had at first some warm dispute<br>To many questions Jack was even mute;<br>But when he saw the golden charms unmasked,<br>Far more he promised than Catella asked.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE time of rendezvous arrived, our spark<br>To Jack's repaired, and found the room quite dark;<br>So well arranged, no crevice could he find,<br>Through which the light might hurt what he designed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">NOT long he waited, ere our jealous dame,<br>Who longed to find her faithless husband, came,<br>Most thoroughly prepared his ears to greet.<br>Jack brought the couple presently to meet.<br>The lady found, howe'er, not what she sought:<br>No guilty spouse, nor Mrs. Simon caught;<br>But wily Richard, who, without alarms,<br>In silence took Catella in his arms.<br>What further passed between the easy pair,<br>Think what you will, I mean not to declare;<br>The lover certainly received delight<br>The lady showed no terror nor affright;<br>On neither side a syllable was dropt<br>With care Minutolo his laughter stopt;<br>Though difficult, our spark succeeded well;<br>No words of mine can Richard's pleasure tell.<br>His fav'rite beauteous belle he now possessed,<br>And triumphed where so oft he'd been repressed,<br>Yet fondly hoped her pardon he should get,<br>Since they together had so gaily met.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">AT length, the fair could no longer contain:<br>Vile wretch, she cried, I've borne too much 'tis plain;<br>I'm not the fav'rite whom thou had'st in view:<br>To tear thy eyes out justly were thy due,<br>'Tis this, indeed, that makes thee silent keep,<br>Each morn feign sickness, and pretend to sleep,<br>Thyself reserving doubtless for amours:--<br>Speak, villain! say, of charms have I less stores?<br>Or what has Mrs. Simon more than I?<br>A wanton wench, in tricks so wondrous sly!<br>Where my love less? though truly now I hate;<br>Would that I'd seen thee hung, thou wretch ingrate!</div><div style="margin:10px 0">MINUTOLO, while thus Catella spoke,<br>Caressed her much, but silence never broke;<br>A kiss e'en tried to gain, without success;<br>She struggled, and refused to acquiesce;<br>Begone! said she, nor treat me like a child;<br>Stand off!--away!--thy taction is defiled;<br>My tears express an injured woman's grief;<br>No more thy wife I'll be, but seek relief;<br>Return my fortune--go:--thy mistress seek;<br>To be so constant:--How was I so weak?<br>It surely would be nothing more than right,<br>Were Richard I to see this very night,<br>Who adoration constantly has paid:--<br>You much deserve to be a cuckold made;<br>I'm half inclined, I vow, to do the worst.<br>At this our arch gallant with laughter burst.<br>What impudence!--You mock me too? she cried<br>Let's see, with blushes if his face be dyed?<br>When from his arms she sprang, a window sought;<br>The shutters ope'd, and then a view she caught;<br>Minutolo, her lover! what surprise!<br>Pale, faint, she instant grew, and closed her eyes:<br>Who would have thought, said she, thou wert so base?<br>I'm lost! for ever sunk in dire disgrace!</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHO'LL, know it? Richard earnestly replied;<br>In Jack's concealment we may both confide;<br>Excuse the trick I've played and ne'er repine;<br>Address, force, treachery, in love combine;<br>All are permitted when intrigue 's the word;<br>To hold the contrary were quite absurd.<br>Till stratagem was used I naught could gain,<br>But looks and darts from eyes, for all my pain.<br>I've paid myself;--Would you have done it?--No;<br>'Tis all as might be wished;--come, smiles bestow;<br>I'm satisfied, the fault was not with you.<br>In this, to make you wretched, naught I view;<br>Why sigh and groan?--What numbers could I name,<br>Who would be happy to be served the same.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">HIS reas'ning yet could not the belle appease;<br>She wept, and sought by tears her mind to ease;<br>Affliction highly added to her charms;<br>Minutolo still gave her new alarms;<br>He took her hand, which she at once withdrew:<br>Away, she cried; no longer me pursue;<br>Be satisfied; you surely don't desire<br>That I assistance from the house require,<br>Or rouse the neighbours with my plaintive cries<br>I'll ev'ry thing declare without disguise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">SUCH folly don't commit, replied the spark;<br>Your wisest plan is nothing to remark:<br>The world at present is become so vile,<br>If you the truth divulge, they'll only smile;<br>Not one a word of treachery would believe,<br>But think you came--and money to receive:<br>Suppose, besides, it reached your husband's ears;<br>Th' effect has reason to excite your fears;<br>'Twould give displeasure and occasion strife:<br>Would you in duels wish to risk his life?<br>Whatever makes you with him disagree,<br>At all events, I'm full as bad as he.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THESE reasons with Catella greatly weighed<br>Since things, continued he, are thus displayed;<br>And cannot be repaired, console your mind;<br>A perfect being never was designed.<br>If, howsoe'er you will * but say no more;<br>Such thoughts for ever banish, I implore.<br>'Mid all my perseverance, zeal, and art,<br>I nothing got but frowns that pierced the heart:<br>'Twill now on you depend if pleasure prove<br>This day imperfect, ere from hence we move.<br>What more remains to do? the worst is past;<br>'Tis step the first that costs, however classed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">So well Minutolo preferred his suit,<br>The lady with him more would not dispute,<br>With downcast eyes she listened to his prayer,<br>And looked disposed to tranquilize his care;<br>From easy freedom soon he 'gan to soar;<br>A smile received:--a kiss bestowed and more:<br>At length, the lady passed resistance by,<br>And all conceded, e'en without a sigh.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">OUR hero felt a thousand times more blessed<br>Than when he first the beauteous fair caressed;<br>For when a flame reciprocal is raised,<br>The bliss redoubles, and by all is praised.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THUS Richard pleasantly employed his time,<br>Contented lived, concentring joys sublime.<br>A sample, now, we have given of his pow'rs,<br>And who would wish for more delightful hours?<br>O grant, kind heav'n! that I the like may meet,<br>And ever prove so wary and discreet.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=La+Fontaine">La Fontaine</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431344" data-title="Richard Minutolo de La Fontaine" data-description="IN ev'ry age, at Naples, we are told, Intrigue and gallantry reign uncontrolled; With beauteous objects in abundance blessed. No country round so many has possessed; Such fascinating charms the FAIR disclose, That irresistibly soft passion flows. ..."></div> </div> </div>

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