| Citation |
NEWJ.737.011
2 Aug 1737:11,12 (539)
Madrid, May 6. The 2st instant, being the Festival of St.
Philip, the two infanta's, gave their Majesties, and all the
court the diversion of a fine opera, which was executed with
a great deal of success by their Royal Highnesses; upon
which the King made the Infant Don Philip a present of a
gold headed cane, set with diamonds of great value, his
Majesty made the like present to the Cardinal infant, and
gave likewise several fine jewels to the two infanta's. The
Queen made also a present of a gold snuff-box set with
diamonds to each of the infants, for having perform'd their
parts with so much address.
It must certainly have been a most edifying sight to the
Spaniards, to see a Prince that may possibly be their King,
and a cardinal archbishop, their primate, strutting in
buskins on the stage of an opera-house, and acting parts, in
which, with all their address, they must never expect to
equal the stollers of Italy. In our opinion they made a
more unnatural and shocking figure than Hercules with his
distaff between his legs, instead of his club, since any one
spinner or weaver, is of more real value to a nation than
all the singers and fidlers in Italy: An article which we
wish the L--ds of the Hay-Market would take into their
consideration as Englishmen. The money that is given to
encourage the vagabonds of Italy, for corrupting our virtue
and thereby contributing to the ruin of our country, and
consequently the enslaving our posterity, would set some
thousands of our now unemploy'd woollen manufacturers to
work: This will draw millions of our present blessings upon
those, whose memory, if they don't change their conduct may
perhaps meet with as many curses from our progeny, for that
inundation of corruption of our morals, they, as so high a
price, are daily bringing in upon us from Italy. It was not
with a parcel of effeminate So La Mi L--ds, and capering
tuppeed officers, that our gallant black Prince won the
famous battles of Cressy & Poltiers, and took the French
King prisoner; it was not with a powder'd essencek, perfumed
army that our great Henry the 5th cut his way to the beggary
of France through numberless hosts of bold Frenchmen,
commanded by two Kings in person, an emperor elect, a
multitude of Princes and an intrepid nobility; it was not
with the disciples of the Hay-Market that our immortal
Marlborough, a name which, like Atlas bearing the heavens on
his shoulders, will still continue the honour and fame of
Britain, in spite of our present depravity, since his glory
can never die, nor his actions cease to be read without
wonder and astonishment; it was not with such disciples, I
say, such pretty male misses as I have seen making apes of
themselves in beating time to Farinelli with their heads,
that the invincible Marlborough snatch'd the empire out of
the claws of France, beat the French marshals all round
fourteen years together, & brought their proud monarch, with
all the House of Bourbon, on their knees to Queen Anne; nor
is it by such fidling, fa-la-ing veterans that our ruined
merchants must ever hope to see satisfaction forced for them
from the insulting depredating Spaniards. O Tempore ! O
Mores !
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