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Show 4 $ The Recruiting Officer. - So before I lift, I muft be certify'd that this Girl is a Virgin. Plume. Mr. Wilful, I can't tell you how you can be certify'd in that Point till you try ; but upon m y Honour, fhe may be a Veftal for ought that 1 know to the contrary. I gain'd her Heart indeed by fome trifling Prefents and Promifes, and knowing that the beft Security for a Woman's Soul is her Body, I wou'd have made m y ielf Mafter of that too, had not the Jealoufie of m y impertinent Landlady interpos'd. Sil. So you only want an opportunity for accomplifhing your Defigns upon her. Plume. Not at all, I have already gain'd m y Ends, which were only the drawing in one or two of her Followers. The W o m e n , you know, are the Loadftones every where; gain the Wives, and you are carefs'd by the Husbands; pleafe the Miftrefs, and you are valu'd by the Gallants; fecure an Intereft with the fineft W o m e n at Court, and you procure the Favour of the greateft M e n So kifs the prettiefl Country Wenches, and you are fure of lifting the luftieft Fellows. Some People m a y call this Artifice, but I term it Stratagem, lince it is fo main a part of the Service. Befides, the Fatigue of Recruiting is fo intolerable, that unlefs we cou'd make our felves fome Pleafure amidft the Pain, no mortal M a n wou'd be able to bear it. Sil. Well, Sir, I a m fatisfy'd as to the Point in Debate; but n o w let m e beg you to lay afide your Recruiting Airs, put on the M a n of Honour, and tell m e plainly what Ufage I muft expect when I a m under your Command? Plume. You muft know, in the firft place, then, that I hate to have Gentlemen in m y Company; for they are always troublefome and expenfive, fometimes dangerous; and 'tis a conftant Maxim amongft us, that thole who know the leaft, obey the beft. Notwithstanding all this, I find fomething fo agreeable about you, that engages m e to court your Company ; and I can't tell how it is, but I fhou'd be uneafie to fee you under the C o m m a n d of any body elfe Your Ufage will chiefly depend upon your Behaviour; only this you muft expedt, that if you commit a fmall Fault, I will excufe it, if a great one, 111 difcharge you; for fomething tells me, I lhall not be able to punifh you. Sil. And fomething tells me, that if you do difcharge me,' 'twill be the greateft Punifhment you can inflict; for were w e this moment to go upon the greateft Dangers in your Pro-feffion, they wou'd be lefs terrible to me, than to ftay behyionud |
