The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PRINCEH’S DREAM 145 the course of a few short years, a more comprehensive liberalism shall have taught the nation to contemplate even its kings without prejudice, thou wilt be regarded as one of the blackest monsters of iniquity that ever disgraced the human species. And then a man will arise, bold enough to tear away the glossy veil which hides the deformities of the mighty by birth and the exalted in rank; and with an iron pen will he delineate all the evil traits of thy character, and mercilessly, though truthfully, depict all the misdeeds of thy life. For how manifold are thy enormities, and how poor the compensation offered by any opposite qualities! Selfish egotist that thou art, if thine eyes fall upon a charm- ing flower blooming in its virgin innocence, ’tis but to blight it with thy lustful looks; if thou beholdest the sunny smiles of maiden artlessness, the hot breath of thine unholy passion comes upon her like a pestilence, and thy kisses leave pollution upon her lips as the snail voids its slime upon the leaf of the rose. Oh, for the hearts which thou hast broken! Oh, for the fervid affections which thou hast crushed for ever! The joy of thy conquests remains im- pressed upon thy mind while the victim moulders in that deep, silent tomb from whence there is no return. Thou triumphest in pleasures which are purchased by tears, lamentations, and premature deaths. Has some poor widow a lovely daughter whom she cherishes as a pet lamb, the lone woman’s comfort must nevertheless be torn away from her to minister to the delights of the Prince of Wales. Has some father an only child, a blooming girl reminding him of the much-loved wife whom he has lost, this fair being, the old man’s prop and support, must be snatched from his arms to suit the lascivious fantasies of the Prince of Wales. Oh, that such things should be, and scarcely excite a senti- ment of remorse in the breast of him who causeth that wide- spread misery! But hear me, Prince of Wales, hear me, and tremble. Thou mayst pursue thine atrocious career in this life, thou mayst go through nature’s garden plucking the fairest flowers, revelling in their perfume for a moment, and then tossing them aside to wither prematurely, and thou _ mayst continue to feast thine ears with the lamentations of ruined girls as if ’twere the most delicious music, but, as truly as there is a God above, a God who avenges as well as re- wards, a God who is just as well as merciful, so surely shall con- CORNICE 6)(0)©)