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Show 6 The Recruiting Officer. Plume. 'Tis ten thoufand pities: But who is fhe ? Do I know her ? Wor. V ery well. Plume. That's i mpolTible 1 know no W o m a n that will • hold out a ten Years Siege. Wor. W h a t think you of Melinda ? Plume. Melinda ! W h y , fhe began to capitulate this time Twelvemonth , and offer'd to furrender upon honourable Terms; and I advis'd you to propofe a Settlement of Five hundred Pound a Year to her, before I went laft abroad. Wor. I did, and fhe hearken'd to it,defiringonly one W e ek to confider When, beyond her Hopes, the T o w n was re-liev'd, and I forc'd to turn m y Siege into a Blockade. Plume. Explain, explain. Wor. M y Lady Richly, her Aunt m Flintfhire dies, and leaves her, at this critical time. Twenty thoufand Poundf. Plume. O h the Devil! What a delicate W o m a n was there fpoil'd ! But by the Rules of W a r now Worthy, Blockade was foolifh • After fuch a Convoy of Provifions was en-ter'd the Place, you cou'd have no thought of reducing it by Famine, you fhou'd have reflnubl'd your Attacks, taken the T o w n by Storm, or have dy'd upon the Breach. Wor. I did make one general AfTault, and pufh'd it with all m y Forces; but I was fo vigoroufly repuls'd, that defpairing of ever gaining her for a Miftrefs, I have alter'd m y Conduct, given m y AddrefTes the obfequious and diftant turn, and court her now for a Wife. Plume. So as you grew obfequious, fhe grew haughty; and becaufe you approach'd her as a Goddefs, fhe us'd you like a Dog. Wor. Exa&ly. Plume. 'Tis ihe way of'em all. Come, Worthy, your obfequious and diftant Airs will never bring you together; you muft not think to furmount her Pride by your Humility: Wou'd you bring her to better thoughts of you, fhe muft be reduc'd to a meaner Opinion of her felf. Let m e fee; the very firft thing that I wou'd do, fhou'd be to \k with her Chamber- maid, and hire three or four Wenches in the Neighbourhood, to report that 1 had got them with Child. Suppofe we lampoon'd all the pretty W o m e n in T o w n , and left her out; or, what if w e made a Ball, and forgot to invite her with one or two of the uglieft. Wor. Theie wou'd be Mortifications, I muft confefs; but we live in fuch no Lampoon sa, p rneoc i-l e, dull place, that w e can have noP lBuamlel.s, |