Miss. Pray why, my lord?

Ld, Sparkish. Because I was then in some company where you were extoll'd to the skies, I as

sure you.

Miss.

My lord, that was more their goodness than my desert.

Ld. Sparkish. They said, that you were a complete beauty.

Miss. My lord, I am as God made me.

Lady Smart. The girl's well enough, if she had but another nose.

Miss. O! madam, I know I shall always have your good word; you love to help a lame dog over the stile.

One knocks.

Lady Smart. Who's there? you're on the wrong side of the door; come in, if you be fat.

Colonel comes in again.

Ld Sparkish. Why, colonel, you are a man of great business.

Col. Ay, ay, my lord, I'm like my lord mayor's fool, full of business, and nothing to do.

Lady Smart. My lord, don't you think the colonel's mightily fall'n away of late?

Ld. Sparkish. Ay, fall'n from a horseload to a cartload.

Col. Why, my lord, egad I am like a rabbit, fat and lean in four and twenty hours.

Lady Smart. I assure you, the colonel walks as straight as a pin.

Miss. Yes; he's a handsome-bodied man in the face.

Neverout. A handsome foot and leg god-amercy shoe and stocking!

Col. What! three upon one! that's foul play : this would make a parson swear.

Neverout. Why, miss, what's the matter? you look as if you had neither won nor lost.

Col. Why, you must know, miss lives upon

love.

Miss. Yes, upon love and lumps of the cupboard.

Lady Answ. Ay; they say love and pease porridge are two dangerous things; one breaks the heart; and the other the belly.

Miss. [Imitating Lady Answerall's tone.] Very pretty! one breaks the heart, and the other the belly.

Lady Answ. Have a care; they say, mocking is catching.

Miss. I never heard that.

Neverout. Why, then, miss, you have a wrinkle--more than ever you had before. Miss. Well; live and learn.

Neverout. Ay; and be hang'd and forget all. Miss. Well, Mr Neverout, take it as you please; but, I swear, you are a saucy Jack, to use such expressions.

Neverout. Why then, miss, if you go to that, I must tell you there's ne'er a Jack but there's a

Gill.

Miss. O! Mr Neverout, every body knows that you are the pink of courtesy.

Neverout. And, miss, all the world allows, that you are the flower of civility.

Lady Smart. Miss, I hear there was a great deal of company where you visited last night: pray, who were they?

Miss. Why, there was old Lady Forward, Miss

To-and-again, Sir John Ogle, my Lady Clapper, and I, quoth the dog.

Col. Was your visit long, miss?

Miss. Why, truly, they went all to the opera; and so poor pilgarlick came home alone.

Neverout. Alackaday, poor miss! methinks it grieves me to pity you.

Miss. What you think, you said a fine thing now; well, if I had a dog with no more wit, I would hang him.

Ld. Smart. Miss, if it is manners, may I ask which is oldest, you or Lady Scuttle?

Miss. Why, my lord, when I die for age she may quake for fear.

Lady Smart. She's a very great gadder abroad. Lady Answ. Lord! she made me follow her last week through all the shops like a Tantiny pig. *

Lady Smart. I remember, you told me, you had been with her from Dan to Beersheba.

Colonel spits.

Col. Lord! I shall die; I cannot spit from me. Miss. O! Mr Neverout, my little Countess has just litter'd ; speak me fair, and I'll set you down for a puppy.

Necerout. Why, miss, if I speak you fair, perhaps I may'nt tell truth.

Ld. Sparkish. Ay, but, Tom, smoke that, she calls you puppy by craft.

St Anthony, having been originally a swineherd, was always painted with a pig following him. Hence, as St Anthony was never seen without his pig, "To follow like a Tantiny pig," became a common saying, to express a person constantly attending at the heels of another. H.

Neverout. Well, miss, you ride the fore horse to-day.

Miss. Ay, many a one says well, that thinks ill. Neverout. Fie, miss; you said that once before; and, you know too much of one thing is good for nothing.

Miss. Why, sure we can't say a good thing too often.

Ld. Sparkish. Well, so much for that, and butter for fish; let us call another cause. Pray, madam, does your ladyship know Mrs Nice?

Lady Smart. Perfectly well, my lord; she's nice by name, and nice by nature.

Ld. Sparkish. Is it possible she could take that booby Tom Blunder for love?

Miss. She had good skill in horse-flesh, that would choose a goose to ride on.

Lady Answ. Why, my lord, 'twas her fate; they say, marriage and hanging go by destiny.

Col. I believe she'll ne'er be burnt for a witch. Ld. Sparkish. They say, marriages are made in Heaven; but I doubt, when she was married, she had no friend there.

Neverout. Well, she's got out of God's blessing into the warm sun.

Col. The fellow's well enough, if he had any guts in his brains.

Lady Smart. They say, thereby hangs a tale. Ld. Sparkish. Why, he's a mere hobbledehoy, neither a man nor a boy.

Miss. Well, if I were to choose a husband, I would never be married to a little man.

Neverout. Pray, why so, miss? for they say of all evils we ought to choose the least.

Miss. Because folks would say, when they saw us together, There goes the woman and her husband.

3

Col. [To Lady Smart.] Will your ladyship be on the Mall to-morrow night?

Lady Smart. No, that won't be proper; you know to-morrow's Sunday.

Lord Sparkish. What then, madam! they say, the better day, the better deed.

Lady Answ. Pray, Mr Neverout, how do you like Lady Fruzz?

Neverout. Pox on her! she's as old as Poles. * Miss. So will you be, if you ben't hanged when you're young.

Neverout. Come, miss, let us be friends: will you go to the park this evening?

Miss. With all my heart, and a piece of my liver; but not with you.

Lady Smart. I'll tell you one thing, and that's not two; I'm afraid I shall get a fit of the headach to-day.

Col. O madam, don't be afraid; it comes with a fright.

Miss. [To Lady Answerall.] Madam, one of your ladyship's lappers is longer than t'other.

Lady Answ. Well, no matter; they that ride on a trotting horse will ne'er perceive it.

Neverout. Indeed, miss, your lappets hang

worse.

Miss. Well, I love a liar in my heart, and you fit me to a hair.

Miss rises up.

Neverout. Deuce take you, miss; you trod on my foot: I hope you don't intend to come to my bed-side.

*For St Paul's church. H..