Scene XI.

Love for Love

by William Congreve

SCANDAL, FORESIGHT.

SCANDAL
Alas, Mr Foresight, I'm afraid all is not right.
You are a wise man, and a conscientious man, a searcher into
obscurity and futurity, and if you commit an error, it is with a
great deal of consideration, and discretion, and caution -

FORESIGHT
Ah, good Mr Scandal -

SCANDAL
Nay, nay, 'tis manifest; I do not flatter you. But
Sir Sampson is hasty, very hasty. I'm afraid he is not scrupulous
enough, Mr Foresight. He has been wicked, and heav'n grant he may
mean well in his affair with you. But my mind gives me, these things
cannot be wholly insignificant. You are wise, and should not be
over-reached, methinks you should not -

FORESIGHT
Alas, Mr Scandal,--humanum est errare.

SCANDAL
You say true, man will err; mere man will err--but
you are something more. There have been wise men; but they were such
as you, men who consulted the stars, and were observers of omens.
Solomon was wise, but how?--by his judgment in astrology. So says
Pineda in his third book and eighth chapter -

FORESIGHT
You are learned, Mr Scandal.

SCANDAL
A trifler--but a lover of art. And the Wise Men of
the East owed their instruction to a star, which is rightly observed
by Gregory the Great in favour of astrology. And Albertus Magnus
makes it the most valuable science, because, says he, it teaches us
to consider the causation of causes, in the causes of things.

FORESIGHT
I protest I honour you, Mr Scandal. I did not
think you had been read in these matters. Few young men are inclined
-

SCANDAL
I thank my stars that have inclined me. But I fear
this marriage and making over this estate, this transferring of a
rightful inheritance, will bring judgments upon us. I prophesy it,
and I would not have the fate of Cassandra not to be believed.
Valentine is disturbed; what can be the cause of that? And Sir
Sampson is hurried on by an unusual violence. I fear he does not act
wholly from himself; methinks he does not look as he used to do.

FORESIGHT
He was always of an impetuous nature. But as to
this marriage, I have consulted the stars, and all appearances are
prosperous -

SCANDAL
Come, come, Mr Foresight, let not the prospect of
worldly lucre carry you beyond your judgment, nor against your
conscience. You are not satisfied that you act justly.

FORESIGHT
How?

SCANDAL
You are not satisfied, I say. I am loth to
discourage you, but it is palpable that you are not satisfied.

FORESIGHT
How does it appear, Mr Scandal? I think I am very
well satisfied.

SCANDAL
Either you suffer yourself to deceive yourself, or
you do not know yourself.

FORESIGHT
Pray explain yourself.

SCANDAL
Do you sleep well o' nights?

FORESIGHT
Very well.

SCANDAL
Are you certain? You do not look so.

FORESIGHT
I am in health, I think.

SCANDAL
So was Valentine this morning; and looked just
so.

FORESIGHT
How? Am I altered any way? I don't perceive
it.

SCANDAL
That may be, but your beard is longer than it was
two hours ago.

FORESIGHT
Indeed! Bless me!