S i r George E t h e r e g e i n Regensburg By
K a r l H e i n z Göller
Recent s c h o l a r s h i p has s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e o n l y v a l i d c r i t i - c a l a p p r o a c h t o R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy as l i t e r a t u r e i s one based e x c l u s i v e l y on i n t r i n s i c and f o r m a l a e s t h e t i c c r i t e r i a . ^ I n
2
f a c t , t h i s view o r i g i n a t e s w i t h C h a r l e s Lamb, who c l a i m s t h a t the w o r l d o f t h i s genre i s an i l l u s o r y one above and beyond r e a l i t y , and t h u s c a n n o t be j u d g e d i n terms o f t h e a c c e p t e d m o r a l s t a n d a r d s . The D o r i m a n t s l e a v e M e r r y E n g l a n d b e h i n d f o r a U t o p i a n N e v e r - N e v e r Land o f mannered g a l l a n t r y t h a t t r a n - scends t h e c a t e g o r i e s o f good and e v i l . In c o n t r a s t t o modern drama (by w h i c h Lamb means t h e drama o f common l i f e o r S e n t i - mental Comedy), t h e w o r l d o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy i s one o f f i c - t i o n d i v o r c e d from r e a l l i f e ; i n d e e d , any r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e l a t t e r would d e t r a c t from t h e o v e r a l l a e s t h e t i c e f f e c t . Lamb c o n c l u d e s t h a t s u c h works o f c r e a t i v e i m a g i n a t i o n c o u l d never be drawn upon as a model f o r a c t u a l i m i t a t i o n : "They a r e a w o r l d o f t h e m s e l v e s , a l m o s t as much as f a i r y - l a n d . " " ^
He views t h e a c t i o n upon t h e s t a g e as a c o m p l e t e f a n t a s y , to be r e g a r d e d w i t h t h e same c r i t i c a l detachment as A r i s t o p h - a n e s ' The Frogs, Thus t h e term 'immoral' means l i t t l e when a p p l i e d t o R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy. The f i g u r e s move i n a w o r l d t o t a l l y d e v o i d o f m o r a l i t y and a r e t h u s exempt from any judg- ment on t h e b a s i s o f r u l i n g norms. F o r Lamb, t h e Comedy o f Manners i s an i l l u s i o n , a t y p i c a l p r o d u c t o f homo ludens, and thus u n r e l a t a b l e t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g code o f s o c i a l behav-
* The t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h i s a r t i c l e owes much t o the a s s i s t a n c e g i v e n by Dr. Jean R i t z k e - R u t h e r f o r d and Mrs. A l i s o n T h i e l e c k e - G i f f o r d , B.A.
- 186 -
i o u r . "Here i s no q u e s t i o n o f r e a l i s m , " i s t h e c o n c l u s i o n drawn by a l a t e r c r i t i c o f the same s c h o o l :
Etherege s e i z e d upon and embodied i n h i s p l a y not the r e a l , day by day l i f e of W h i t e h a l l , but the L i f e which W h i t e h a l l was p l e a s e d to imagine i t l e d . I n d i v i d u a l items may be f a c t u a l , but the t o t a l p i c - t u r e i s a comic i l l u s i o n .4
D i a m e t r i c a l l y opposed to Lamb's o p i n i o n and t h a t o f h i s s u c c e s s o r s i s t h a t o f S i r R i c h a r d S t e e l e . T h i s c r i t i c a l s o had h i s group o f f o l l o w e r s , and h i s views a r e s t i l l s h a r e d by many even t o d a y . In an a r t i c l e which a p p e a r e d i n the Spec- tator on May 15, 1711, S t e e l e q u e s t i o n e d the j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f the u n i v e r s a l view t h a t E t h e r e g e ' s p l a y S i r Fopling Flut- ter was, i n d e e d , a model of G e n t e e l Comedy. H i s c o n c l u s i o n was d e v a s t a t i n g : i n h i s o p i n i o n , the famous p l a y was a t o t a l d e s e c r a t i o n o f good t a s t e and good m o r a l s , and a d o w n r i g h t mockery o f decency and p r o p r i e t y . S t e e l e was c o n v i n c e d t h a t e v e r y t h i n g v a l u e d and r e s p e c t e d by the b e t t e r p a r t o f s o c i e - t y was drawn t h r o u g h the mud, and human n a t u r e was shown a t i t s u g l i e s t and most s o r d i d :
To speak p l a i n l y o f t h i s whole Work, I t h i n k n o t h i n g but b e i n g l o s t to a Sense o f Innocence and V i r t u e can make any one see t h i s Comedy w i t h o u t o b s e r v i n g more f r e q u e n t Occasions to move Sorrow and I n d i g - n a t i o n , than M i r t h and Laughter. A t the same time I a l l o w i t t o be Nature, but i t i s Nature i n i t s utmost C o r r u p t i o n and Degeneracy.^
C o r r u p t p o r t r a y a l o f a c o r r u p t r e a l i t y , on t h e one hand, and t h e r e c r e a t i o n o f an a r t i f i c i a l Never-Never Land f a r r e - moved from r e a l i t y , on the o t h e r - such a r e t h e two m u t u a l l y e x c l u s i v e p o i n t s o f view w h i c h were c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f the main body o f r e s e a r c h and i t s a t t i t u d e towards R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy u n t i l o n l y r e c e n t l y . Only i n the p a s t few y e a r s have s c h o l a r s d i s c o v e r e d t h a t such sweeping g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s d i s - t o r t the e s s e n c e o f what t h i s m u l t i f a c e t e d g e n r e i s a b o u t , and t h a t a d e t a i l e d i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l phenomena i n e v i t a b l y y i e l d s a more complex and v a r i c o l o u r e d p i c t u r e . ^ Thus R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy can h a r d l y be r e d u c e d t o a s i m p l e common d e n o m i n a t o r , nor a l l c o n f l i c t i n g f a c t o r s t o t h e harmo-
n i o u s c o n g r u i t y o f t r u e s y n t h e s i s . What i s e s s e n t i a l i s t h a t the c r i t i c n o t o v e r l o o k o r f a i l t o g i v e due c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o any one o f t h e f a c t o r s which make up t h e w o r l d o f t h i s come- dy, a s , f o r i n s t a n c e , t h e e v i d e n t i m m o r a l i t y o f t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e p l a y s .
Some modern i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s h e v e attempted t o view t h e works o f E t h e r e g e , Wycherley and Congreve as p u r e comedy, w h i l e i n t e n t i o n a l l y e x c l u d i n g t h e m o r a l q u e s t i o n . A t h o r o u g h u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy, however, i s o n l y p o s s i - b l e t h r o u g h a r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e m o r a l i - ty b e h i n d i t , f o r i t r e p r e s e n t s t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f an a t t i t u d e towards l i f e and s o c i e t y a l l i t s own. What w o u l d r e m a i n o f t h i s comedy w i t h o u t any r e g a r d f o r the p r i n c i p l e s o f human i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s ? A s t u d y o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy f r o m a p u r e l y i n t r i n s i c and f o r m a l i s t i c p o i n t o f view r e m a i n s j u s t as f u t i l e as a p u r e l y s t r u c t u r a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f l a n g u a g e t o t h e e x c l u s i o n o f s e m a n t i c meaning. The i m m o r a l i t y o f Res- t o r a t i o n Comedy i s u n d e n i a b l e , however p a l a t a b l e i t may be r e n d e r e d by t h e d e v i c e s o f w i t and r h e t o r i c . C o n s e q u e n t l y , we a r e f o r c e d t o ask o u r s e l v e s what i t a l l means.
The answer t o t h e s e and s i m i l a r q u e s t i o n s y i e l d s a k i n d o f p a t t e r n o f i d e a s which can be seen as c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy. The scope o f t h e p r e s e n t a r t i c l e does not a l l o w f o r more than a b r i e f s k e t c h , and t h e f o l l o w i n g remarks w i l l t h e r e f o r e be l a r g e l y c o n f i n e d t o f a c t o r s c o n - n e c t e d w i t h E t h e r e g e ' s a c t i v i t i e s i n Regensburg. N e v e r t h e - l e s s , t h e r e a r e f o u r major c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e s i n v o l v e d which can t e l l us much about R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy i n g e n e r a l .
1. C y n i c i s m and i m m o r a l i t y i n R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy a r e un- d e r s t o o d as a r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t p u r i t a n i c a l r e p r e s s i o n d u r i n g the Commonwealth p e r i o d (1649 t o 1660) - a f a c t w h i c h would s c a r c e l y be c o n t e s t e d t o d a y . But t h i s s u p e r f i c i a l e x p l a n a - t i o n a l o n e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t as a key t o t h e complex w o r l d o f t h o u g h t b e h i n d t h e ' w i t . ' F i r s t l y , i t must be n o t e d t h a t t h e C h r i s t i a n s i d e o f human r e l a t i o n s h i p s was r e p r e s s e d ; n e i t h e r
- 188 -
t h e a u t h o r s n o r t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy c o u l d be c a l l e d C h r i s t i a n , and r e l i g i o n p l a y s a v e r y s u b o r d i n a t e r o l e , i f any a t a l l . To a c e r t a i n e x t e n t t h e r e i s open r e - v o l t a g a i n s t t h e laws o f f a i t h and t h e C h u r c h , which a r e b r a n d e d as a r e s t r i c t i o n o f man's n a t u r a l c r e a t i v e p o t e n t i a l , and t h u s , o f n a t u r e i t s e l f . Nor was m a r r i a g e h e l d i n h i g h e s - teem. A t b e s t , i t was viewed as a s o c i a l c o n t r a c t and a f i n a n - c i a l arrangement; a t w o r s t - and t h i s was g e n e r a l l y t h e c a s e - as an i n c o n v e n i e n c e and a v i o l a t i o n o f t h e laws o f n a t u r e . ^ Love p l a y e d no r o l e w h a t s o e v e r , and i f i t e x i s t e d , i t was some- t h i n g one d i d n o t t a l k a b o u t . Man was r e g a r d e d as an u n i n h i b - i t e d , a n i m a l i c c r e a t u r e , f o r whom t h e o n l y p r o p e r a t t i t u d e was t o y i e l d t o h i s i n s t i n c t s w i t h o u t s u p e r f l u o u s m o r a l r e s -
e r v a t i o n s . Thus t h e f i r s t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e o f R e s t o r a - t i o n Comedy c a n be summed up as r e v o l t - s i m p l e p r o - t e s t a g a i n s t a l l t h e r u l i n g norms o f c o n v e n t i o n , o f e t i q u e t t e , m o r a l i t y , f a m i l y , c h u r c h , s t a t e , and s o c i e t y i n g e n e r a l .
2. The c o u n t e r p a r t t o t h i s d e s t r u c t i v e a t t i t u d e i s t o be f o u n d i n a complementary d e s i r e f o r freedom. I t was t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d t h a t s e x u a l d e s i r e had l i t t l e o r n o t h i n g t o do w i t h l o v e and m a r r i a g e , and t h a t t h e o n l y a g r e e a b l e mode o f e x i s t - ence was t o g i v e f r e e r e i n t o t h e b a s i c human d r i v e s . The r e s u l t a n t l i b e r t i n i s m was t h o u g h t t o s e t men f r e e , and t o b r i n g r e l e a s e from t h e o p p r e s s i v e r e s t r i c t i o n s imposed by the laws o f s o c i e t y , and i t s mores and manners. L i b e r - t i n i s m i s thus t h e second c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy.
3. I f e g o t i s m , p l e a s u r e , p a s s i o n , and t h e g r a t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e senses r e p r e s e n t t h e e s s e n c e o f one's a t t i t u d e towards l i f e , t h e n i t f o l l o w s t h a t i n d i v i d u a l b e h a v i o u r i s no l o n g e r g u i d e d by n o r m a t i v e o r p r e s c r i p t i v e e t h i c s , and t h a t any code o r s e t o f s t a n d a r d s must o r i g i n a t e w i t h t h e i n d i v i d u a l a l o n e and h i s own i n n e r r e s o u r c e s . How s t r a n g e , t h e n , t h a t N a t u r e r a t h e r t h a n Reason s h o u l d be t h e c h o s e n g u i d i n g s t a r o f t h i s s m a l l , i n t e l l e c t u a l c i r c l e . I n f a c t , doubt was c a s t on the
c a p a b i l i t y o f t h e human mind t o g r a s p r e a l i t y a t a l l . B a s i - c a l l y , each i n d i v i d u a l had t o s h o u l d e r the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r any p o s s i b l e e r r o r i n judgment made. A s i n g l e u n i v e r - s a l l y r e c o g n i z a b l e o r d e r o f the w o r l d d i d n o t e x i s t , a t l e a s t none p e r c e p t i b l e to human r e a s o n . Thus i t can be s a i d t h a t a n t i - r a t i o n a l i s m o r s c e p t i c i s m i s the t h i r d m a j o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy.
4. I n s t i n c t and t h e senses r u l e d t h e day. S e n s u a l p l e a s u r e and t h e r e s u l t a n t e p i c u r e a n i s m c o n j o i n e d w i t h h e t e r o d o x l i b - e r t i n i s m t o f o r m a new k i n d o f p r i m i t i v i s m . T h i s major t r e n d of e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y t h o u g h t had n o t h i n g a t a l l t o do w i t h t h e G o l d e n Age, w i t h i t s nymphs and s h e p h e r d s , f o r i t was c o l o u r e d by elements d e r i v e d from t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f Hobbes and M a c h i a v e l l i - c o n c u p i s c e n c e and g r a t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s e n s e s were now augmented by e g o t i s m and a g g r e s s i o n . The r e - s u l t was an e g o c e n t r i c p e r s o n who found p l e a s u r e i n a g g r e s - s i o n and who r e g a r d e d the i n d i v i d u a l r e a l i z a t i o n o f h i s own d e s i r e s as t h e prime o b j e c t i v e i n l i f e . C o n s e q u e n t l y t h e f o u r t h m a j o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h i s genre i s i t s a n t i -
s o c i a l q u a l i t y . * The main o b s t a c l e t o a v a l i d and c o m p r e h e n s i v e e v a l u a t i o n
of R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy, however, l i e s i n the dichotomy o f i t s J a n u s - l i k e d u a l c o u n t e n a n c e . For each o f the f o u r major c h a r - a c t e r i s t i c s named above ( t h i s number, o f c o u r s e , c o u l d e a s i - l y be i n c r e a s e d ) a c o r r e s p o n d i n g c o u n t e r p a r t can be f o u n d . T h u s , f o r i n s t a n c e , t h e i n c l i n a t i o n towards r e v o l t i s c o u n t e r - b a l a n c e d by a tendency towards c o n f o r m i t y and u n i f o r m i t y . The c o n c e p t o f t h e ' w i t , ' a l t h o u g h ambiguous and bound up w i t h an e n t i r e s p e c t r u m o f c o n n o t a t i o n s , was, even a t t h a t t i m e , n e v e r - t h e l e s s r e g a r d e d as i n c o n t e s t a b l e . The a c c e p t e d e t i q u e t t e , a l - though r e j e c t e d and branded as o b s o l e t e , i s r e p l a c e d by a n - o t h e r one no l e s s r i g o r o u s i n i t s demands. L i b e r t i n i s m i s coun- t e r b a l a n c e d by a s u b c o n s c i o u s a c c e p t a n c e o f C h r i s t i a n m o r a l s t a n d a r d s - t h e j o k e about the c u c k o l d e d husband o n l y works i n a c o n t e x t where monogamy i s t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d . Even blasphemy,
- 190 -
as T.S. E l i o t p o i n t s o u t , i s an i n d i c a t i o n o f f a i t h . A n t i - r a t i o n a l i s m f i n d s i t s c o u n t e r p a r t i n a s t r o n g emphasis on s p i r i t , u n d e r s t a n d i n g , w i t , and i n t e l l e c t . Thus a good p o r - t i o n o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy c o n s i s t s o f i n g e n i o u s d i a l o g u e , w i t t i c i s m s , and r h e t o r i c a l p r e c i o s i t y . The b a t t l e o f t h e sexes i s c o n d u c t e d i n a t o n e o f h i g h l y s o p h i s t i c a t e d i n f o r - m a l i t y , w h i c h had t o seem n a t u r a l i n s p i t e o f a l l i t s a r t i - f i c i a l i t y and which was a f a r c r y from t h e s i m p l i c i t y o f t h e G o l d e n Age, t o say n o t h i n g o f t h a t g e n u i n e r u s t i c l i f e . A f - f e c t e d n e s s i s o n l y a v o i d a b l e t h r o u g h a mastery o f t h e r u l e s o f t h e game t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t t h e y become a k i n d o f s e c o n d n a t u r e . Such i s t h e c a s e w i t h t h e p r o t a g o n i s t o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy, f o r whom a r t and n a t u r e a r e two o p p o s i t e ends o f the s c a l e . The r e s u l t i s t h a t t h e a n t i - s o c i a l f a c t o r i s c o u n t e r - b a l a n c e d by an o r i e n t a t i o n towards s o c i e t y . A Comedy o f Man- n e r s i s , by i t s v e r y n a t u r e , n o t c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e i n d i v i d - u a l , b u t r a t h e r w i t h t h e group, and, i n t h e c a s e o f R e s t o r a - t i o n Comedy, w i t h a v e r y s m a l l and g e n t e e l , o r a r i s t o c r a t i c , c i r c l e a t t h a t .
• The a v a i l a b l e s o u r c e s on E t h e r e g e c o n s i s t m a i n l y o f t h e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e o f S i r George h i m s e l f , as w e l l as t h a t o f h i s
o
s e c r e t a r y H. H. ( = Hugh Hughes). The l a t t e r must have been, i t seems, a m a l i c i o u s and b a c k b i t i n g s p y , b u t t h e p r e s e n t day p r o f i t s by h i s c o m p i l a t i o n o f t h e s o - c a l l e d Letterbook, a s e r i e s o f c o p i e s o f E t h e r e g e ' s l e t t e r s t o v a r i o u s a d d r e s s e e s i n E n g l a n d . U n t i l now t h i s c o l l e c t i o n was t h e o n l y s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e t o c r i t i c s and b i o g r a p h e r s on E t h e r e g e i n Regensburg. I have, however, come a c r o s s a f u r t h e r c o l l e c - t i o n i n t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y , one w h i c h i s e x t r e m e l y i n t e r e s t - i n g and i n f o r m a t i v e : t h e o r i g i n a l c o r r e s p o n d e n c e of S i r George E t h e r e g e t o M i d d l e t o n , r e c o u n t i n g h i s a c t i v i t i e s i n Regens- b u r g (BL Add. Ms. 41836-7). These l e t t e r s , a l l o f w h i c h b e a r E t h e r e g e ' s s i g n a t u r e , save t h e few d i c t a t e d from a s i c k b e d , form two t h i c k f o l i o volumes o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1000 pages a l t o - g e t h e r ; t h e y were p u b l i s h e d f o u r y e a r s ago, b u t t h e i r c r i t i -
c a l i m p l i c a t i o n s have not y e t been weighed. A number o f t h e
9
l e t t e r s a r e a l s o c o n t a i n e d i n the Letterbook.
A c o m p a r i s o n o f the two c o l l e c t i o n s g i v e s one the i m p r e s - s i o n t h a t the l e t t e r s i n the Letterbook were s e l e c t e d a c c o r d - i n g t o a c e r t a i n p r i n c i p l e and t h a t they a r e by no means t y p - i c a l o r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f E t h e r e g e ' s a c t i v i t y i n Regensburg, o r of h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e i n g e n e r a l . The a c c o u n t s s e n t t o M i d d l e t o n show us an E n g l i s h d i p l o m a t and c i v i l s e r v a n t who, though s t r a n d e d f a r from h i s n a t i v e s h o r e , d i d h i s b e s t t o f u l f i l h i s d u t y t o h i s k i n g and t o p r o v i d e an a c c u r a t e a c - c o u n t o f a l l the major a c t i v i t i e s o f the I m p e r i a l D i e t , the i n t r i g u e s and m a c h i n a t i o n s o f I m p e r i a l p o l i t i c s , the war i n Hungary, t h e r e l a t i o n s o f the members o f the D i e t t o E n g l a n d , and the p e r s o n a l i a o f the d i p l o m a t s and a r i s t o c r a t s . Thus t h e volumes a r e p r i m a r i l y o f i n t e r e s t t o h i s t o r i a n s , b u t a t t h e same time d e s e r v e c l o s e r s c r u t i n y from the v i e w p o i n t o f l i t - e r a r y s c h o l a r s h i p .
The Letterbookt on the o t h e r hand, c o n t a i n s l e t t e r s o f a more p e r s o n a l c h a r a c t e r . H. H. e v i d e n t l y c o p i e d o n l y p a r t o f t h e e n t i r e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e . Thus the q u e s t i o n a r i s e s as t o what g u i d e d h i s s e l e c t i o n and who was b e h i n d i t . My own com- p a r i s o n o f the f i r s t hundred f o l i o pages o f the m a n u s c r i p t Add. Ms. 41836 w i t h the Letterbook r e v e a l s t h a t the l a t t e r c o n t a i n s o n l y a p o r t i o n o f the c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h M i d d l e t o n , and even t h a t a p p e a r s t o d i f f e r c o n s i d e r a b l y from the o r i g i - n a l form o f the l e t t e r s s e n t - and not m e r e l y i n m a t t e r s o f s t y l e .1 0
In some c a s e s the Letterbook c o n t a i n s o n l y a s h o r t a b s t r a c t o f the r e s p e c t i v e l e t t e r , i n o t h e r s , the f u l l v e r s i o n has been
11
p r e s e r v e d . V e r y seldom a r e the l e t t e r s q u i t e i d e n t i c a l , f o r t h e most p a r t o n l y t h o s e i n f o l i o s i z e ; t h o s e which E t h e r e g e wrote on s m a l l e r - s i z e d paper a r e g e n e r a l l y o m i t t e d . A t any r a t e , the Letterbook shows us E t h e r e g e t h e man, h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Regensburg, h i s c a r e s and w o r r i e s , p l e a s u r e s and amusements, i n s h o r t - an E n g l i s h f o p i n a German p r o v i n c i a l town.
- 1 9 2 -
A t h i r d s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n i s t o be seen i n c l o s e c o n - n e c t i o n w i t h t h e Letterbook - namely t h e l e t t e r s a d d r e s s e d by E t h e r e g e ' s s e c r e t a r y , H. H, , t o an u n i d e n t i f i e d p e r s o n o f h i g h s t a t i o n i n London, p r o b a b l y i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h a prom- i s e (or commission) t o keep E t h e r e g e under s u r v e i l l a n c e and to s u p p l y r e p o r t s a t r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s . E v i d e n t l y the r e c i p - i e n t was n o t i n t h e l e a s t i n t e r e s t e d i n E t h e r e g e ' s o f f i c i a l d u t i e s and a c t i v i t i e s , b u t r a t h e r i n h i s p r i v a t e l i f e and manners. In an u n d a t e d l e t t e r t h e s e c r e t a r y m e n t i o n s h i s p r o m i s e t o g i v e a more p e r s o n a l a c c o u n t o f S i r George:
... which you may c a l l duty, f o r though I be but one o f the meanest of h i s Sacred M a j e s t y ' s s u b j e c t s , y e t I can frame t o myself such an i d e a o f h i s honour as w i l l not s u f f e r me without g r i e f and shame to see i t abused. *2
One i s tempted t o view t h e i n s i d i o u s t a l e s c o n t a i n e d i n t h e Letterbook as p u r e l i b e l and f a l s e h o o d , b u t t h e y convey an i m p r e s s i o n o f f a c t u a l t r u t h . H. H., h i m s e l f , remarks on one o c c a s i o n t h a t h i s d e s c r i p t i o n s must sound l i k e " k n i g h t e r r a n t - r i e s , " b u t t h a t anyone i n Regensburg c o u l d t e s t i f y t o t h e i r t r u t h . C l e a r l y H. H. c o u l d c o u n t on the f a c t t h a t t h e r e c i p - i e n t of h i s l e t t e r s was i n t e r e s t e d , above a l l , i n the nega- t i v e s i d e o f E t h e r e g e ' s c h a r a c t e r , f o r he w r i t e s w i t h o u t com- p u n c t i o n . He i s u t t e r l y c o n v i n c e d t h a t h i s a d d r e s s e e s h a r e s h i s m o r a l i n d i g n a t i o n , and l i k e s E t h e r e g e no b e t t e r than he h i m s e l f does.
In t h e "Comedy" o f Regensburg, E t h e r e g e ' s s e c r e t a r y p l a y s the r o l e o f a Jeremy C o l l i e r o r S i r R i c h a r d S t e e l e . In tem- perament and c h a r a c t e r he i s t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f our hero but i s n o n e t h e l e s s an a c u t e o b s e r v e r , as w e l l as a malevo- l e n t c r i t i c . H i s manner o f t h o u g h t s t i l l r e f l e c t s t h a t o f the Commonwealth p e r i o d , w h i c h i s t o s a y , he i s a P u r i t a n t o the c o r e and no doubt f e l t f a r more a t home i n Regensburg than E t h e r e g e , who f o u n d t h e S p i r i t u s l o c i l e s s c o n g e n i a l .
In t h e c a s e o f S i r George E t h e r e g e , we a r e t r u l y i n a po- s i t i o n t o s t u d y the r e l a t i o n s h i p o f a r t t o l i f e , o f drama to
r e a l i t y . A l t h o u g h he d i d n o t remove h i m s e l f , t o use the words of C h a r l e s Lamb, from M e r r y E n g l a n d t o a N e v e r - N e v e r Land, n e v e r t h e l e s s he went t o R e g e n s b u r g , a f a r more a l i e n and mys- t e r i o u s w o r l d t h a n t h a t o f f a i r y - l a n d f o r an E n g l i s h m a n o f the s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y . E t h e r e g e a r r i v e d i n Regensburg i n November, 1685, a f t e r l e a v i n g London on the 30th o f A u g u s t .1^ Thus he a p p a r e n t l y took h i s t i m e a l o n g t h e way; t h e r e a s o n s f o r h i s d o i n g so a r e g i v e n by h i s s e c r e t a r y :
I suppose you have been a l r e a d y informed ... o f what passed a t the Hague e i t h e r as t o h i s l o s i n g £ 250 by p l a y , h i s h a u n t i n g p i t i f u l and mean houses c o n t r a r y t o Mr. S k e l t o n ' s a d v i c e , or as to h i s mak- ing l o v e , f o r which he was s u f f i c i e n t l y laughed a t . And not t o men- t i o n h i s c a r e s s i n g every d i r t y drab t h a t came i n h i s way from H o l - l a n d t o t h i s p l a c e , I s h a l l o n l y b e g i n w i t h the manner of h i s l i f e and c o n v e r s a t i o n a f t e r h i s a r r i v a l . 4
Once i n Regensburg, E t h e r e g e moved i n t o t h e house v a c a t e d by h i s p r e d e c e s s o r i n S t . J a c o b ' s S q u a r e {Jakobsplatz). From the v e r y f i r s t day he w r o t e c o m p l a i n i n g l e t t e r s t o f r i e n d s and a c q u a i n t a n c e s on the s t i f f c o n v e n t i o n s and s t u f f y manners o f t h e I m p e r i a l c i t y . H i s s o c i a l c o n t a c t s a p p e a r t o have been l a r g e l y r e s t r i c t e d t o t h e d e l e g a t e s o f t h e D i e t , a r e s e r v e d l o t a t b e s t :
les messieurs de la Düte sont toujours vetus de leur caractere, et a peine s'en depouillent-ils> d ce que je crois, quand ils s'ap- prochent de leurs femmes3 ou de leur mattresses*
(... the gentlemen of the D i e t always c l o t h e themselves i n a c e r t a i n c h a r a c t e r and don't even remove i t , I b e l i e v e , when they approach t h e i r wives o r t h e i r m i s t r e s s e s . )
E t h e r e g e m i s s e d l i f e i n London s o r e l y , f o r i t was f r e e r , more i n f o r m a l , and more f r i v o l o u s .
Is i t not enough t o b r e e d an i l l h a b i t of body i n a man who was used to s i t up t i l l morning, t o be f o r c e d , f o r want o f knowing what t o do w i t h h i m s e l f , t o go t o bed i n the e v e n i n g ; one who has been used t o see h i s f r i e n d s with a l l freedom never to approach anybody but w i t h ceremony; i n s t e a d of r a t t l i n g about the s t r e e t s t o seek v a r i e t y o f company, t o s i t a t home and e n t e r t a i n h i m s e l f w i t h s o l i t u d e and s i - lence? The p l e a s u r e s of p l a y and women are n o t so much as t a l k ( e d ) of, and one would t h i n k the D i e t had made a Reichsgutachten to ban- i s h them the c i t y . Here was the Countess o f N o s t i t z , but m a l i c e , that always p e r s e c u t e s the good, has made her l a t e l y remove t o Prague.
- 194 -
... you must a l l o w me to be a p h i l o s o p h e r , and I dare a f f i r m Cato l e f t not the world w i t h more f i r m n e s s o f s o u l than I d i d E n g l a n d . ^ E t h e r e g e e x a g g e r a t e s h e r e , o r , p o s s i b l y , i n t e n d s t o c o n - vey the t y p e o f i m p r e s s i o n o f h i m s e l f which might be e x p e c t - ed by a s u p e r i o r . F o r i n t r u t h , E t h e r e g e e n j o y e d l i f e t o the f u l l , w i t h o u t the l e a s t r e g a r d f o r p u b l i c o p i n i o n as f a r as the manners and customs o f Regensburg s o c i e t y were c o n c e r n e d . On the c o n t r a r y , he l i v e d p r e c i s e l y as he had i n London - o r at l e a s t attempted t o . Regensburg was i n t r o d u c e d t o a g e n u i n e Dorimant, and even t o a S i r F o p l i n g F l u t t e r , and he c o u l d not have c a r e d l e s s what the town thought o f him. V a r i o u s remarks i n d i c a t e t h a t he even p r i d e d h i m s e l f on h i s bad r e p u t a t i o n . E v e r y s i n g l e p e r s o n a l l e t t e r he wrote r e v e a l s the f e a t u r e s o f a London dandy, o f a " f o p . " T h a t was the way he saw h i m s e l f , and the way he d e s c r i b e d h i m s e l f , as w e l l . ^
Regensburg may n o t have had c o n g e n i a l s o c i a l c o n t a c t s t o o f f e r , but t h a t was no r e a s o n f o r E t h e r e g e t o r e t i r e t o bed e a r l y i n the e v e n i n g , as he l e d h i s s u p e r i o r t o b e l i e v e . Hard- l y a gamester, a c t o r , a c r o b a t , o r p e t t y a r i s t o c r a t came t o Regensburg w i t h o u t making E t h e r e g e ' s a c q u a i n t a n c e . F r e n c h card s h a r p s e n j o y e d h i s h o s p i t a l i t y and c o n s t a n t companionship f o r months on end, and even s e n t f o r r e i n f o r c e m e n t s from V i e n n a b e f o r e r e l i e v i n g him o f 1,500 G u i l d e r s . A t n i g h t he roamed the town w i t h a horde o f f r i e n d s and h a n g e r s - o n , t o u r i n g the more d i s r e p u t a b l e o f the l o c a l b e e r t a v e r n s , whose number was c o n s i d e r a b l e even a t t h a t t i m e . Once he s p e n t the n i g h t i n a d i r t y g u t t e r , on o t h e r o c c a s i o n s he smashed windows, a t t a c k e d men o r women he e n c o u n t e r e d f o r no a p p a r e n t r e a s o n , o f t e n a r - r i v i n g home b l a c k and b l u e a l l o v e r . On o t h e r n i g h t s he took the s e r v i n g wenches home, but r a t h e r than r e s t r i c t i n g i t to a d i s c r e e t s o i r e b e h i n d drawn c u r t a i n s , he i n v i t e d the n e i g h - bours t o j o i n i n the f u n . In 1686 he c e l e b r a t e d the F e a s t of St. L o u i s w i t h two young l a d i e s (both o f them barmaids) i n the p r i v a c y o f h i s room, "where t h e y a l l danced s t a r k naked,"
and a f t e r w a r d s he accompanied them i n t o t h e s t r e e t d r e s s e d o n l y i n h i s s h i r t .
H i s a f f a i r w i t h an a c t r e s s from Nuremburg was one o f the major s c a n d a l s o f t h e y e a r 1686 i n Regensburg. The s t o r y sounds l i k e a v e r i t a b l e Comedy o f Manners:
... he was so f a r from being concerned a t what any one s a i d t h a t sometimes a f t e r the p l a y was ended he has put her i n t o h i s coach b e f o r e a l l the company, n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g a l l the g i g g l i n g and h i s h - i n g [ s i c ] o f the A u s t r i a n l a d i e s and o f the m i n i s t e r s ' wives and daughters ...
She had not been here many days b e f o r e h i s E x c e l l e n c e , S i r G. E., i n t e n d i n g t o f o r e s t a l l the r e s t o f the m i n i s t e r s i n p a y i n g the hon- our due t o her c h a r a c t e r (of an e r r a n t whore), was c i v i l l y p l e a s e d t o send h i s Stewart t o make her a compliment and t o d e s i r e audience
(which i s t h e o n l y k i n d he has h i t h e r t o h a d ) .1^
On November 15, 1686, w h i l e t h e a c t r e s s , whose name was J u l i a , was d i n i n g a t h i s home, a l a r g e group o f young men from Regensburg l e d by Baron de Sensheim g a t h e r e d i n f r o n t of t h e e n t r a n c e , l a i d s i e g e t o t h e house, and demanded t h e immediate s u r r e n d e r o f t h e u n p o p u l a r h e r o i n e . On t h i s o c c a - s i o n , however, E t h e r e g e won t h e v i c t o r y w i t h h i s ' g a l l a n t * band o f f r i e n d s , managing t o d e l i v e r J u l i a s a f e l y t o t h e Inn o f t h e Whale, where she was l o d g i n g .
S m a l l wonder, t h e n , t h a t E t h e r e g e was n o t e x a c t l y p o p u l a r i n Regensburg. I n t h e y e a r 1686 he r e c e i v e d n o t a s i n g l e v i s - i t o r - a s i d e from d r i n k i n g companions. V a r i o u s d e l e g a t e s and a r i s t o c r a t s d e c l a r e d t h e i r r e f u s a l t o have a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h him. He s p o i l e d h i s chances w i t h the m u n i c i p a l a d m i n i s -
t r a t i o n by h i s open o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e e x p u l s i o n o f p r o s t i t u t e s from t h e c i t y . Indeed, he s t a t e d t h a t , were he E l e c t o r o f Ba- v a r i a , he would have t h e c i t y w a l l s t o r n down and b u i l d a home f o r t h e " l a d i e s " i n d i s t r e s s .
Thus we see open r e b e l l i o n , r e v o l t a g a i n s t t h e r u l i n g o r - d e r i n a i l i t s m a n i f e s t a t i o n s , even a g a i n s t m a r r i a g e . One would h a r d l y suppose from h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e t h a t E t h e r e g e was m a r r i e d . H i s w i f e remained i n E n g l a n d , and t h e y appear
- 196 -
to have had l i t t l e t o do w i t h each o t h e r . In 1687 Lady E t h e r e g e h e a r d of h e r husband1 s m i s b e h a v i o u r i n Regensburg
( p r o b a b l y i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e J u l i a a f f a i r ) , whereupon she w r o t e him a l e t t e r d e n o u n c i n g him as an o u t r i g h t s c o u n - d r e l . E t h e r e g e , f o r h i s p a r t , r e p l i e d :
I wish t h e r e were c o p i e s o f i t i n London, i t might s e r v e f o r a p a t - t e r n f o r modest wives t o w r i t e t o t h e i r husbands. You s h a l l f i n d me so c a r e f u l h e r e a f t e r how I o f f e n d you t h a t I w i l l no more s u b s c r i b e myself your l o v i n g , s i n c e you take i t i l l , b u t Madame, Your most du- t y f u l husband G.E. 19
I f the m a r r i a g e had e v e r meant a n y t h i n g a t a l l , t h i s was the end o f i t . A f t e r w a r d s E t h e r e g e ' s o n l y c o n t a c t w i t h h i s w i f e was t h r o u g h t h i r d p a r t i e s , a s , f o r i n s t a n c e , when he w i s h e d her a speedy r e c o v e r y a f t e r an i l l n e s s ; he n e v e r saw h e r a- g a i n .
Examples o f E t h e r e g e ' s l i b e r t i n i s m a r e p l e n t i f u l enough.
He t r i e d t o d e a l w i t h t h e f a i r sex i n t h e same way he would have done i n London and seems t o have made a number o f c o n - q u e s t s . But the " l a d i e s " o f h i s a c q u a i n t a n c e seldom moved i n h i s s o c i a l c i r c l e . The German Fräuleins were c o m p l e t e l y i n - a c c e s s i b l e :
Tout ce que je sais de nos Fräuleins ne vaut pas la peine de vous le mander. Elles sont insensibles a tout hormis le tonnerre qui depuis peu se fait oraindre,20
( A l l I know o f the Fräuleins i s n ' t worth the t r o u b l e o f r e c o u n t i n g . They a r e u t t e r l y i n s e n s i b l e t o e v e r y t h i n g except the thunderstorm which has been t h r e a t e n i n g us o f l a t e . )
As a m a t t e r o f f a c t , E t h e r e g e found t h e women o f Regens- burg g e n e r a l l y u n a t t r a c t i v e - l a c k i n g i n g r a c e , " o f brawny l i m b and m a r t i a l f a c e . " Of c o u r s e one m i g h t , w i t h good r e a - son, s u r m i s e t h a t i t was "a c a s e o f s o u r g r a p e s , " p a r t i c u l a r - l y i n view o f h i s words i n a l e t t e r t o C o r b e t , " I have o n l y a p l a i n B a v a r i a n , ... y e t I f i n d m y s e l f o f t e n v e r y h e a r t y . "2 1
In j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f h i s way o f l i f e and h i s e p i c u r e a n carpe diem, E t h e r e g e o c c a s i o n a l l y t o u c h e s on t h e b r e v i t y o f l i f e . His l e t t e r t o the Duke o f Buckingham on November 12, 1686, i s
a h o m e l i e r p r o s e v e r s i o n o f Andrew M a r v e l l ' s poem To His Coy Mistressi "Had we b u t W o r l d enough and t i m e , ... t h i s
22
c o y n e s s Lady were no c r i m e , " Towards t h e end o f t h e l e t - t e r he w r i t e s ;
And, my L o r d , s i n c e our Gayety and V i g o u r l e a v e s us so soon i n the l u r c h , s i n c e F e e b l e n e s s a t t a c k s us w i t h o u t g i v i n g us f a i r Warning, and we no sooner pass the M e r i d i a n o f L i f e b u t b e g i n t o d e c l i n e , i t s [sic] h a r d l y worth a L o v e r ' s w h i l e to st*.y ^ for.compass- i n g a M i s t r e s s , as Jacob d i d f o r o b t a m i n y a. Wxxe; dnu wiunout t h i s t e d i o u s Drudgery and A p p l i c a t i o n , I can a s s u r e your Grace t h a t an Amour i s not to be managed here.23
S u r p r i s i n g l y , some b i o g r a p h e r s have a l l e g e d t h a t E t h e r e g e ' s numerous l i a i s o n s were p u r e l y p l a t o n i c - an a l l the more r e m a r k a b l e a s s e r t i o n i n t h e f a c e o f t h e f a c t t h a t E t h e r e g e more than once sought m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t f o r a c e r t a i n unmen-
24
t i o n a b l e d i s e a s e , one w h i c h he g e n e r o u s l y s h a r e d w i t h a l l the female members o f h i s h o u s e h o l d ; i n d e e d , even t h e term
" p o r n o g r a p h y " i s p r a c t i c a l l y a euphemism as f a r as a number 2 5
o f h i s poems and v e r s e e p i s t l e s a r e c o n c e r n e d . Furthermore E t h e r e g e d i d n o t r e g a r d h i s l i b e r t i n i s m as a n y t h i n g out o f the o r d i n a r y . I t was h a r d l y p o s s i b l e t o be excommunicated f o r f o r n i c a t i o n , he once p o i n t e d o u t , " i t b e i n g a p o i n t t h a t
"? ft
a l l t h e d i f f e r i n g c h u r c h e s a g r e e i n . "
M o r e o v e r , he was p r o u d o f t h e f a c t t h a t i n s p i t e o f ap- p r o a c h i n g o l d age h i s b a s i c c h a r a c t e r had n o t changed. On December 19, 1687 he w r i t e s :
N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g the ebbing and f l o w i n g i n the f l e s h , ray mind i s a k i n d o f l a k e and has the same s t a n d i n g p l e a s u r e s i t had i n London:
wine and women; but our good f e l l o w s a r e f a r from b e i n g w i t s and our whores are y e t f a r t h e r from b e i n g b e a u t i e s . 2 7
Upon r e c e i p t o f a copy o f John Dryden's The Hind and the Pan- ther he w r o t e t o M i d d l e t o n :
I f i n d John Dryden has a n o b l e a m b i t i o n to r e s t o r e p o e t r y t o an- c i e n t d i g n i t y i n wrapping up the m y s t e r i e s o f r e l i g i o n i n v e r s e . What a shame i t i s to me t o see him a s a i n t and remain s t i l l the same d e v i l . I must blame the goodness o f my c o n s t i t u t i o n which can- not be much a l t e r e d s i n c e my minde i s not much changed from what i t was a t the g r a v e l l p i t s . 2 8
- 198 -
As f a r as r e l i g i o n i s c o n c e r n e d , E t h e r e g e has been termed an a t h e i s t , a f a c t which cannot be p r o v e d from any e v i d e n c e i n t h e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , however. He was t o t a l l y i n d i f f e r e n t towards t h e v a r i o u s r e l i g i o u s d e n o m i n a t i o n s , b u t i n c l u d e d r e l i g i o u s f a c t o r s i n h i s p o l i t i c a l c a l c u l a t i o n s , f o r he was w e l l aware o f t h e c o n s t a n t l y s h i f t i n g p o l i t i c a l c o n f i g u r a - t i o n s i n the Empire and i n Regensburg. H i s remarks on t h e c l e r g y o f a l l d e n o m i n a t i o n s were i n v a r i a b l y c a u s t i c and o f f - handed. H i s words on l i f e a f t e r d e a t h r e v e a l a s u r p r i s i n g degree o f f r i v o l i t y and l a c k o f s e r i o u s n e s s :
Par la grace de Dieu je sais ou mon esprit est borne et je ne me mets guere en peine de savoir de quelle maniere ce monde ici a ete fait ou comment on se divert dans Ifautre »..29
(Through the grace o f God I know the boundaries o f my reason, and I do not go t o much t r o u b l e t o f i n d out how t h i s w o r l d was made o r what I can do t o amuse myself i n the next ...)
E l s e w h e r e E t h e r e g e s t r e s s e s t h a t i n m a t t e r s o f r e l i g i o n he had always i n s i s t e d on complete freedom o f o p i n i o n . S i n c e he found i t o f no i m p o r t a n c e whether o t h e r s s h a r e d h i s view- p o i n t o r n o t , he v e r y r a r e l y f e l t l i k e d i s c u s s i n g the matter:
.., q u i e t l y f o l l o w i n g the l i g h t w i t h i n me I l e a v e t h a t to them who were born w i t h the ambition o f becoming prophets or legislators.3°
The c o n c e p t o f t h e i n n e r l i g h t i s t y p i c a l o f t h e p h i l o s o p h y h e l d by t h e w r i t e r s o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy, who - i n s p i t e o f a l l t h e i r i n t e l l e c t u a l i t y and t h e i r e x t r o v e r t e d way o f l i f e - drew t h e i r g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e s from t h e i r own i n n e r r e s o u r c e s .
The comedy o f S i r George E t h e r e g e ' s l i f e i n Regensburg a- r i s e s , above a l l , from t h e f a c t t h a t h i s s u p e r i o r s i n London f a i l e d t o r e a l i z e how h o p e l e s s l y o u t o f p l a c e he was as an envoy t o t h e D i e t . E t h e r e g e was b a s i c a l l y v e r y l i t t l e i n t e r - e s t e d i n p o l i t i c s . Only i n London c o u l d he have found a r e - w a r d i n g o c c u p a t i o n . I n Regensburg he even l a c k e d the b a s i c
s t i m u l u s f o r h i s own p o e t i c muse. S i r Fopling F l u t t e r was h i s l a s t p l a y ; a f t e r w a r d s E t h e r e g e n e v e r a g a i n e s s a y e d h i s pen i n t h i s l i t e r a r y g e n r e . He c o n t i n u e d t o l i v e l i f e a c c o r d - i n g t o h i s own p r e m i s e s , and remained as t r u e t o them as t o
h i s K i n g . H i s o n l y i n t e r e s t s were the enjoyment and p l e a s - u r e found t o abundance i n gaming, s p o r t s , and the hunt; i n
31 music and t h e t h e a t r e ; and, above a l l , i n wine and women.
The a d v e n t u r o u s comedy o f S i r George E t h e r e g e i n Regens- b u r g makes e n t e r t a i n i n g r e a d i n g , i n s p i t e o f h i s a p p a r e n t s e l f - i n d u l g e n c e and e g o c e n t r i c i t y . I f we f e e l no r e v u l s i o n , i t i s n o t b e c a u s e h i s escapades seem f a n c i f u l o r f i c t i t i o u s ; we c a n n o t say, as Lamb once d i d , t h a t R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy i s n o t c o m p a t i b l e w i t h r e a l i t y . Perhaps our s y m p a t h e t i c and b e n e v o l e n t a t t i t u d e towards E t h e r e g e i s due t o the i n t u i t i v e u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t the muse o f comedy s m i l e s down upon h i s i n s o u c i a n c e and g i l d s h i s misdeeds and " c r i m e s " w i t h the a u r a o f p u r e comedy. Thus we see him as the p r o t a g o n i s t o f a comedy, v e r y much l i k e a young, immature, and f o o l i s h Tom J o n e s . We may shake our heads a t him, b u t i t would be d i f - f i c u l t t o condemn him a l t o g e t h e r .
A f u r t h e r r e a s o n f o r t h i s i s t h a t n e a r l y e v e r y l e t t e r r e v e a l s some e n d e a r i n g f a c e t o f E t h e r e g e1s c h a r a c t e r . H i s weaknesses may n o t be d i s g u i s e d , but we a r e b r o u g h t n e a r e r t o a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f E t h e r e g e t h e man. H i s r e v o l t a g a i n s t s o c i e t y and i t s m o r a l s i s c o u n t e r b a l a n c e d by a r a t h - er t o u c h i n g l o y a l t y t o h i s K i n g , as w e l l as an e q u a l l y l a s t -
3 2
i n g a t t a c h m e n t t o f r i e n d s and a c q u a i n t a n c e s . He had a warm h e a r t f o r the poor and a f f l i c t e d ( o n l y f o r t h o s e w i t h i n h i s own c i r c l e o f a c q u a i n t a n c e s , however) and d i s p l a y e d an ad- m i r a b l e f r a n k n e s s and l a c k o f g u i l e towards a l l .
P a r t i c u l a r l y r e m a r k a b l e i n t h i s c o n t e x t i s E t h e r e g e ' s c l o s e and a l m o s t i n t i m a t e a c q u a i n t a n c e s h i p w i t h Abbot Flem- ming o f t h e I r o - S c o t t i s h B e n e d i c t i n e Monastery o f S t . James.
E t h e r e g e o f t e n w r o t e of t h e abbot i n terms o f warm a d m i r a - t i o n , f o r he v a l u e d t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p h i g h l y , i n s p i t e o f t h e d i p l o m a t ' s b a s i c a l l y a n t i c l e r i c a l a t t i t u d e . I n a l e t t e r d a t e d March 31 / A p r i l 10, 1687, E t h e r e g e wrote t o M i d d l e - t o n :
- 200 -
Your L o r d s h i p knows by e x p e r i e n c e how i m p o s s i b l e i t i s f o r any o f our c o u n t r y to be i n t h i s p l a c e w i t h o u t b e i n g very much o b l i g e d to him [Abbot Flemming] , h i s g r e a t e s t c a r e , next t o t h a t which he has f o r h i s c l o i s t e r and m a t t e r s o f r e l i g i o n , b e i n g t o do good o f - f i c e s t o s t r a n g e r s . I am c o n f i d e n t I t e l l your L o r d s h i p no news when I a c q u a i n t you t h a t h i s p i e t y , h i s c o u r t e s y , h i s i n d u s t r y , and h i s good husbandry a r e the wonder of a l l who know h i m . . . ^ H i s l i b e r t i n i s m c a n n o t be d e n i e d , b u t i t a p p e a r s t h a t i t was by no means c o m p l e t e l y l a w l e s s and a n a r c h i c . I t was s i m - p l y t h a t the laws he o b s e r v e d were n o t t h o s e o f s o c i e t y or the c h u r c h . E t h e r e g e , h i m s e l f , was c o n v i n c e d t h a t he a l w a y s knew when t o draw the l i n e and when he had o v e r e x t e n d e d t h e r e a c h e s o f h i s i n n e r g u i d i n g l i g h t . On September 12, 1687 he w r o t e :
Le transport d'une debauche ne paye pas le mal au coeur qu'on sent le lendemain au mating
(The e c s t a s y o f a debauch by no means compensates f o r the h e a r t s i c k - ness of the next morning.)
Each page o f h i s v o l u m i n o u s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e t e s t i f i e s t o h i s need f o r human c o n t a c t and i n t e l l e c t u a l exchange. A g a i n and a g a i n he i m p l o r e d h i s f r i e n d s f o r news o f London's s o - c i e t y , of w h i c h he s t i l l f e l t h i m s e l f a member i n s p i t e o f h i s banishment t o Regensburg and h i s f e a r s o f b e i n g c u t o f f by t h e s h e e r d i s t a n c e . H i s t h o u g h t s were c o n s t a n t l y w i t h h i s f r i e n d s , t o whom he c o n t i n u e d t o f e e l c l o s e u n t i l the end of h i s l i f e . He was the l i v i n g paradox o f R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy:
t h e c o m p l e t e l y e g o c e n t r i c " f o p , " whose h e a r t b e l o n g e d t o h i s K i n g and f r i e n d s .
E t h e r e g e ' s a m b i v a l e n t a t t i t u d e towards Regensburg can be r e c o n s t r u c t e d from h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h h i s f r i e n d s . ^6
Two o f the l e t t e r s i n p a r t i c u l a r r e v e a l the J a n u s - l i k e d u a l - i t y o f h i s o u t l o o k ; t o a f r i e n d named Cooke he w r o t e :
... you can do no l e s s than p i t y me, who have been f o r c e d from the shore of d e l i g h t f u l Thames t o be c o n f i n e d t o l i v e on the banks of the unwholesome Danube, where we have been t h i s month choked with fogs and cannot now s e t a f o o t out o f doors w i t h o u t b e i n g up t o the knee i n snow. The Muses when they were b a n i s h e d Greece t r a v e l l e d westward and have e s t a b l i s h e d themselves i n o t h e r c o u n t r i e s , but c o u l d never f i n d i n t h e i r h a r t s t o d w e l l here. The mountains are
the abode o f wolves and b e a r s , and the i n h a b i t a n t s o f ^ h e towns have something as f i e r c e and rugged i n t h e i r n a t u r e s .
And, i n c o n t r a s t , he w r o t e t o t h e Duke o f Buckingham:
... t i s t r u e we have not P l e a s u r e , i n t h a t P e r f e c t i o n as we see i t i n London and P a r i s , y e t t o make us amends, we e n j o y a noble serene A i r , t h a t makes us hungry as Hawks; and though B u s i n e s s , and even the worst S o r t o f B u s i n e s s , wicked P o l i t i c s , i s the d i s - t i n g u i s h i n g Commodity o f the P l a c e , y e t I w i l l say t h a t f o r t h e Germans, t h a t they manage i t t h e b e s t o f any p e o p l e i n the World;
they c u t o f f and r e t r e n c h a l l those i d l e P r e l i m i n a r i e s and use- l e s s Ceremonies t h a t c l o g t h e Wheels o f i t everywhere e l s e . When a l l was s a i d and done, however, S i r G e o r g e E t h e r e g e was s t i l l a b l e t o c o n c l u d e on R e g e n s b u r g :
I l i v e i n one o f the f i n e s t , and b e s t manner'd C i t i e s i n Germany...
N o t e s
Cp. Joseph A d d i s o n , R i c h a r d S t e e l e , and o t h e r s , The Spectator, e d . Gregory Smith (London: Dent [Everyman's L i b r a r y , V o l s . 1 6 4 - 6 7 ] , 1 9 5 0 ) ,
No. 65, V o l . 1 , pp. 2 0 0 - 0 3 . On R e s t o r a t i o n Comedy, cp. The London Stage:
1660-1800, eqj. W i l l i a m Van Lennep (Carbondale: Southern I l l i n o i s U n i v e r - s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 5 ) , I n t r o d u c t i o n : "The London Stage 1 6 6 0 - 1 7 0 0 ," pp. x x i - c l x x v ; A l l a r d y c e N i c o l l , A History of English Drama: 1660-1900 (Cam- b r i d g e : Cambridge U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 5 2 ) , V o l . 1 , pp. 1 8 1 - 2 8 3 , esp.
pp. 2 8 0 - 8 3 . Cp. a l s o Walter E . Houghton, J r . , "Lamb's C r i t i c i s m o f Res- t o r a t i o n Comedy," ELH, 1 0 ( 1 9 4 3 ) , 6 1 - 7 2 . T e x t s : Middleton Papers, XXXIV, B r i t i s h L i b r a r y [B L] Add. Mss. 4 1 8 3 6 and 4 1 8 3 7j T h e Letterbook of Sir George Etherege, Minister at Ratisbon 1685-88, BL Add. Ms. 1 1 5 1 3 , E d i - t i o n : The Letterbook of Sir George Etherege, e d . S y b i l R o s e n f e l d , Ox- f o r d : Oxford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 2 8 ; The Poems of Sir George Etherege, ed. James Thorpe, P r i n c e t o n , N.J.: P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 3 ; The Poetical Remains of the Duke of Buckingham, Sir George Etheridge, Mr. Milton, A. Marvel, Madam Behn etc., London, 1 6 9 8 , BL 2 3 9 h. 1 9 ; Res Scenicae Ratisbonae, 3 v o l s . , BL 8 4 0 e. 4 . Secondary l i t e r a t u r e : S y b i l R o s e n f e l d , " S i r George Etherege i n R a t i s b o n , " RES, 1 0 ( 1 9 3 4 ) , 1 7 7 - 8 9 ;
V i n c e n z M e i n d l , Sir George Etherege: Sein Leben, seine Zeit und seine Dramen (Wiener Beiträge z u r e n g l i s c h e n P h i l o l o g i e , V o l . 1 4 ), V i e n n a and L e i p z i g : Braumüller, 1 9 0 1 ; John D e n n i s , A Defence of Sir Fopling Flut- ter, a Comedy Written by Sir George Etherege.,,, London, 1 7 2 2 ; John Har- o l d Wilson, The Court Wits of the Restoration, New York: Octagon Books,
1 9 6 7 ( r p t . ; o r i g . , 1 9 4 8 ) ; E l e a n o r B o s w e l l , " S i r George E t h e r e g e , " RES, 1 ( 1 9 3 1 ) , 2 0 7 - 0 9 ; V i v i a n de S o l a P i n t o , The Restoration Court Poets
( W r i t e r s and t h e i r Work, No. 1 8 6 ) , London: Longmans, Green and C o ., 1 9 6 5 ;
- 202 -
Frances Smith McCamic, Sir George Etherege: A Study in Restoration Com- edy (1600-1680), Cedar R a p i d s , Iowa: T o r c h P r e s s , 1 9 3 1 ; S y b i l R o s e n f e l d ,
"The Second L e t t e r b o o k o f S i r George E t h e r e g e , " RES, NS 3 ( 1 9 5 2 ) , 1 9 - 2 7 ; Dorothy F o s t e r , " S i r George E t h e r e g e , " RES, 8 ( 1 9 3 2 ) , 4 5 8 - 5 9 ; Dale Un- derwood, Etherege and the Seventeenth Century Comedy of Manners (Yale S t u d i e s i n E n g l i s h , V o l . 1 3 5 ) , New Haven: Y a l e U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1957;
H a r o l d C l i f f o r d Brown, J r . , "Etherege and Comic Shallowness," TSLL, 16 ( 1 9 7 5 ) , 6 7 5 - 9 0 ; Robert D. Hume, "Reading and M i s r e a d i n g The Man of Mode"
Criticism, 14 ( 1 9 7 2 ) , 1 - 1 1 ; V i r g i n i a O^den B i r d s a l l , Wild C i v i l i t y : The English Comic Spirit on the Restoration Stage (Bloomington, Ind.: I n d i - ana U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 7 0 ), Chap. IV, "The Man o f Mode, or S i r F o p l i n g F l u t t e r , " pp. 7 7 - 1 0 4 ; Ronald Berman, "The Comic P a s s i o n s of The Man of Mode," SEL, 10 ( 1 9 7 1 ) , 4 5 9 - 6 8 .
2
The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb, ed. Edward V e r r a l l Lucas (New York: Putnam, 1 9 0 3 - 1 9 0 5 ) , V o l . 2 , pp. 1 4 1 - 4 7 . Cp. Houghton, "Lamb's C r i t i c i s m . "
C i t . i n Houghton, "Lamb's C r i t i c i s m , " 6 8 . 4
Wilson, The Court Wits, p. 1 6 4 . Cp. N i c o l l , H%story, p. 2 8 2 .
5 Spectator, No. 6 5 , V o l . 1, p. 2 o 3 . Cp. a l s o Spectator, No. 7 5 , V o l . 1, pp. 2 3 3 - 3 5 .
On the f o l l o w i n g , see Underwood, Etherege and the Seventeenth Cen- tury Comedy of Manners. The p r e s e n t essay i s i n d e b t e d t o the d e t a i l e d work of Underwood i n a number o f p o i n t s .
^ L o r d R o c h e s t e r , "A S a t i r e a g a i n s t M a r r i a g e , " i n : The Poetical Re- mains of the Duke of Buckingham, Sir George Etheridge, Mr. Milton, A.
Marvel, Madam etc.
Q
The Letter Book of Sir George Etherege, Minister at Ratisbon 1685- 1688, BL Add. Ms. 11513; The Letterbook of Sir George Etherege, ed. Ro- s e n f e l d , I n t r o d u c t i o n , p. 4 9 , note 1.
g
Letters of Sir George Etherege, ed. F r e d e r i c k B r a c h e r , B e r k e l e y , Los Angeles, London: U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a P r e s s , 1974.
10 Ms. Add. 41836 M. Rb. F e b r u a r y 2 2 , 1685 / March 4 , 1 6 8 6 , f o l .5 9 - 6 0 :
"We are s t i l l becalmed h e r e , not the l e a s t breeze of b u s i n e s s s t i r r i n g ; ease and q u i e t , the b r e e d e r s o f d i s c o r d , and mutiny has renew'd the quar- r e l which was made up between the Count de W i n d i s g r a t z and the E l e c t o r a t e C o l l e d g e ; and a C i v i l l war o f Ceremony i s a f r e s h broke o u t . . . " Letter- book, pp. 6 3 - 6 4 , F e b r u a r y 2 2 , 1685 / March 4 , 1 6 8 6 : "The D i e t s l e e p s
s t i l l , and when they w i l l awake I know n o t . In my l a s t I t o l d you what I had reason t o t h i n k k e p t them from d e l i b e r a t i n g on those a f f a i r s they have had so l o n g b e f o r e them. Ease and q u i e t , the common b r e e d e r s o f d i s c o r d and mutiny have r e v i v e d the q u a r r e l which was made up between the Count de W. and the E l e c t o r a l C o l l e g e . The Emperors Concommissary i s r e c a l l e d f o r not behaving h i m s e l f t o the l i k i n g o f h i s s u p e r i o r o f - f i c e r s . . . e t c . "
1 1 In the l e t t e r of February 22, 1685 / March 4, 1686, f o l . 59-60, a passage p r e s e n t i n the Letterbook i s s t r u c k o u t .
12
Letterbook, p. 394.
13 Treasury Books, 1685-9, V o l . 2, p. 876, c i t e d by R o s e n f e l d , Let- terbook, I n t r o d u c t i o n , p. 17, note 1.
14 Letterbook, pp. 378-79. 15
Letterbook, P- 54.
16 Letterbook, P- 58. 17
Letterbook, P- 317.
18 Letterbook, PP 388-89. 19
Letterbook, PP 161-62
20 Letterbook, P- 264. 21
Letterbook, P- 190.
22
The Poems and Letters of Andrew I^arvell, ed. H e r s c h e l Maurice M a r g o l i o u t h (Oxford: Clarendon P r e s s , 1952), V o l . 1, p. 26.
23
Letterbook, p. 415.
24
P r o b a b l y from Dr. med. and p h i l . Georg C h r i s t o p h Göller, town p h y s i c i a n i n Regensburg u n t i l 1703 and f a m i l y d o c t o r t o numerous d i p - lomats o f the D i e t .
25
Cp. The Poems of Sir George Etherege, ed. Thorpe, pp. 7-8, 35-45.
26 Letterbook, p. 305. 27 Letterbook, p . 304.
2 8
Letterbook, p. 227. E t h e r e g e ' s o r i g i n a l i n BL Add. Ms. 49837, f o l . 38.
29 Letterbook, p. 264. 30 Letterbook, p . 305.
31
Cp. M e i n d l , Sir George Etherege, pp. 73-101.
32
Letterbook, p. 189: "... i f my ghost be as r e s t l e s s when I am i n the o t h e r world as my mind i s now I am i n another c o u n t r y , my f r i e n d s must expect t o be much haunted, i t w i l l c o s t them some f r i g h t s , and, i t may be, some money t o l a y me. There i s not a day b u t my thoughts dog you from the coffee-house t o the p l a y , from thence t o Marylebone, a l - ways concerned f o r your good l u c k , and i n p a i n I cannot make one w i t h you i n the s p o r t s you f o l l o w . Some o f the a n c i e n t s have imagined t h a t the g r e a t e s t torment o f the dead was an i m p a t i e n t l o n g i n g a f t e r what they d e l i g h t e d most i n while they were l i v i n g , and I can swear by my damnation i n Germany, t h i s h e l l i s no j e s t i n g matter..."
33 34 Letterbook, p. 337. Letterbook, p. 179.
35 Letterbook, p. 264.
In the l e t t e r s t o M i d d l e t o n t h e r e are numerous remarks about Re-
- 204 -
gensburg, however seldom p o s i t i v e ones, such a s : "men a r e p o l i t i c k as w e l l as C i v i l l i n t h i s p l a c e " (Letters, ed. B r a c h e r , p. 10). More f r e - quent are complaints o f the f o l l o w i n g k i n d : " I have had s i n c e my l a s t a l i t t l e f e v e r , which made me keep my bed t i l l y e s t e r d a y . I am now f a l - len on my l e g s a g a i n and i n a s t a t e o f c o n v a l e s c e n c e . I s h a l l be g l a d i f I pay no dearer f o r my entrance i n t o t h i s rough C l i m a t e " (Letters, p. 14). " T h i s drooping p l a c e " (Letters, pp. 16-17) ; " t h e l e a s t marke of your fauvour i s able t o make Ratisbonne a g r e a b l e " (Letters, p . 24); the members of the D i e t "Complement one an o t h e r t i l l i t be time to eate t h e i r Sauer C r a u t " (Letters, p. 25), Etherege o b v i o u s l y c o n s i d e r i n g Sauerkraut t o be the t y p i c a l German d i s h .
Letterbook, p. 293. Letterbook, p. 413. 39 TU • 7
