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Show 255 E S 0 P. Or. walking to and fro.'] She's the Devil,- and I'm one of the Damn'd, 1 think. But I'll makefome-body howl for't, I will fo. Dor. You'll e'en do as all the young Fellows in the T o w n do, fpoil your own Sport: Ah • had young Mens Shoulders but old Courtiers Heads upon 'em, what a delicious Time wou'd they have on't! For fhame be wife ; for your Miftrefs's fake at leaft ufe fome Caution. Or. For her fake I'll refpect, even like a Deity, her Father. He fhall ftrike m e, he fhall tread upon me, and find m e humbler even than a crawling W o r m , for I'll not turn again; but for Efop, that unfinifh'd Lump, that Chaos of Humanity, I'll ufe him,---nay, expect it, for I'll do't, the firft moment that I fee him, I'll Dor. Not challenge him, I hope. 'Twou'd be a pretty fight truly, to fee Efop drawn up in Battalia: Fie for fhame, be wife once in your Life; think of gaining time, by putting off the Marriage for a day or two, and not of waging W a r with a Pigmy. Yonder's the old Gentleman walking by himfelf in the Gallery ; go and wheedle him, you know Ins weak fide; he's good-natur'd in the bottom. Stir up his old fatherly Bowels a little, I'll warrant vou'll move him at laft: °o, get you gone, and play your Part difcreetly. Or. Well, I'll try ; but if Words won't do with one, Blows fhall with t'other; by Heavens they fhall. [Exit Or. Dor. fola.] Nay, I reckon w e fhall have rare work on't by and by. Shield us, kind Heaven ; what things are Men in love? N o w they are Stocks and Stones; then they are Fire and Quick-filver ; firft whining and crying, then fwearing and damning; this moment they are in love, and next moment they are out of love : A h - cou'd we but live without ' c m - but it's in vain to think on't. Enter Efop at one fide of the Stage, Mrs. Forge-will at t'other. Forg. Sir, I a m your moft devoted Servant; What I fay is no Compliment, I do allure you. Efif. ESOP. 257 Efop. ^adam, as far as you are really mine, I believe I may venture to aflure you, I am yours. Forg. 1 fuppofe, Sir, you know that I'm a.Widow. Efop. Madam, I don't fo much as know you are a W o m a n. Torg. O furprifing! W h y I thought the whole T o wn had known it. Sir, I have been a Widow this Twelvemonth. ^ Efop. If a body may guefs at your Heart by your Petticoat, Lady, you don't defign' to be fo a Twelvemonth more. Forg. O blefs m e ! Not a Twelve-month ! Why, my Husband has left m e four fquawling Brats. Befides, Sir, I'm undone. Efop, You feem as chearful an undone Lady as I have met with. Forg. Ala?, Sir, I have too great a Spirit ever to let Afflictions fpoil my Face. Sir, I'll tell you my Condition, and that will lead me to my Bufinefs with you. Sir, m y Husband was a Scrivener. Efop. The deux he was ; I thought he had been a Count at leaft. Forg. Sir, 'tis not the firft time I have been taken for a Countefs ; m y Mother us'd to fay as I lay in m y Cradle, I had the Air of a W o m a n of Quality ; and truly I have always liv'd like fuch. My Husband, indeed, had fomething fneaking in him (as moft Husbands have, you know, Sir) but from the moment I fet foot in his Houfe, blefs me, what a Change was there! His Pewter was turn'd into Silver, his Golofhoes into a Glafs Coach, and his little travelling Mare into a pair of Flanders Horfes. Inftead of a greafy Cook-maid to wait at Table, 1 had four tall Footmen in clean Linen ; aft things became new and fafhionable, and nothing look'd aukward in m y Family. My Furniture was the Wonder of my Neighbourhood, and my Clothes the Admiration of the whole T o w n ; I had a Necklace that was envy'd by the Queen, and a pair of Pendants that fet a Dutchefs a crying. In a word, I faw nothing I lik'd but I bought it ; and my Husband, good Man, durft ne'er refufe paying ; ' * tor t. |