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Show 2-88 The W I V E S EXCUSE : Or, Wit. That's a Secret 1 can keep from her, for m y o fake, Betty : But h o w comes this about ? T m quite of Gilt Paper ; Harry, you fetch m e two or three QJJ from Mr. Bentley's, and call at Mrs. Da Kobe's, my M toa W o m a n s , as you come back, for Letters - .4 d'you hear ? Give this Note to Joe the Porter, he ne «o Inftru&ion ; let him leave it for Mr. Wilding [Footman and Maid go out.'] I find I muft meddle in Bufinefs j for her Vifits at this rate, will not only betro blefom to him (as 1 would have 'em) but in a li time, be publick to the whole T o w n : N o w , tho11 a very well pleafed with any matter of Scandal; I am nearly related to the Intereft of this Girl, I would have her thc occafion of it. They fay the Underftand1 ought to be fuited to the Condition, to make any happy : Would fhe were in a Condition fuitableto Underftanding ; ihe has Wit enough for a Wife, and thing e\k that 1 k n o w of. Teaz.alU«#n to her. Teaz. O , M a d a m 1 you're Wellcome home. Wit. Rather Good-morrow, Coufin. Teaz. Rather Good-morrow indeed, that's the p perer Salutation: For you're never to be feen in J Lodging at any other time of the Day i and then too, foon as you're out a Bed in a Morning, you fummon Congregation of your Fellows together, to hear j prate by the Hour, flatter every Body in the Compa fpeak ill of every one that's abfent, and fcatter about i Scandal of that Day. Wit. W h y , Madam, you won't quarrel at that, hope, 'tis one of the moft fafhionable innocent Diverfi of the T o w n , it makes a great deal of Mirth, fpeaki ill of People, and never does any Body any harm. Teaz Not with any that k n o w you, 1 believe. Ho came you h o m e laft Night ? The Night before ycu ri"dllfke a carted B a w d r y punimMfort eSinso People. You confefs'd you were forcd tobi.k] Coach to get rid of the Coxcombs that dog'd you ft. the ?hy Houfe, and being purfu'd by the Coach. Footmen, (for I don't doubt but you gave ant the Gent • l Cuckolds make Themfelves. 2,89 encouragement enough to come h o m e with you) look'd as if you belong'd to a Cellar, in fome of the ifes you were hunted through,and had been Caterwaw-jn all the Kennels in T o w n. Wt That was an unfortunate Night indeed. Z. ' W c H , de'iver every good Woman's Child, I fay,1 • IXch dagele-taii'd Courfes as thefe arej what will ^ n d of 'em, I befeech you ? Y o u will make your rf as odious in a little time, as you endeavour to make L Body elfe: This is not the w a y to get a Husband; , Men know too much of you already, to defire any lore of you U'it I don't fet up for a Husband. Ihr Marry come up here! you m a y have an occafion L an"Husband, when you can't get one. Husbands are ©t always to be had at a Months warning, to finifh ano-ber Man's Work: What, 'tis beneath the Character of a Wit I fuppofe, to be conftant: O r is a Husband out • Fami'n with you forfooth? Another Woman's Huf-indran go down with you to m y knowledge, and as £ly a Rogue too, with as hanging a Countenance, as I pu'd wifh any Villain I had a mind to be rid of bur Dlverfion, as you call him. Wit. 0 fpare m y Shame, I o w n he is m y Curfe,doom'd l my Plague and Pleafure. \[e4i. Spare your Shame! Til fay that for you, you venot been fparing of any Endeavour that cou'd bring Shame any way into the Family where-ever you liv'd ' t j if there was ever a Fool foft enough to throw it on. All your Relations k n o w you, and are afraid to ye you in a Houfe with 'em: A nd I fuppofe you are ty well p'eas'd to be from under their Roof; to have ur Fellows come after you to m y Houfe as they do $ j as I am Fool enough to allow of. \ttit. For no harm, Coufin, 1 hope. Teaz Perhaps you think it no harm; and, indeed, it j'teafily do you any harm: But, I'm fure, I have one my Nieces already undone, by your bringing her ac-pinred with fome of 'em. I w as fore'd to marry he'rt i know, below her Rank (for the ufual Reafon of this toi. I. I o End • |