Part 1 — “The Little French Lawyer.”
Reading edition
Act i. sc. 1. Dinant's speech:—
“Are you become a patron too? 'Tis a new one,
No more on't,” &c.
Seward reads:—
“Are you become a patron too? How long
Have you been conning this speech? 'Tis a new one,” &c.
If conjectural emendation like this be allowed, we might venture to read:—
“Are you become a patron to a new tune?”
or,—
“Are you become a patron? 'Tis a new tune.”
Ib.—
“Din. Thou wouldst not willingly
Live a protested coward, or be call'd one?
Cler. Words are but words.
Din. Nor wouldst thou take a blow?”
Seward's note.
O miserable! Dinant sees through Cleremont's gravity, and the actor is to explain it. “Words are but words,” is the last struggle of affected morality.
[pg 306]