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Lady. Nay, the Boy had always a good Memory. And what haft learnt, Caleb, hey?

Caleb. I be got into Æsop's Fables, and can fay all As in præfenti by Heart.

Lady. Upon my Word-that's more than ever thy Father could.

Ald. Nay, nay, no Time has been loft; I queftioned the Lad as we came along; I afk'd him himself

Lady. Well, well, fpeak when you are spoken to, Mr Alderman. How often muft I- -Well, Caleb, and hadft a good deal of Company in the Waggon, Boy?

Caleb. O Law! Powers of Company. Mother. There was Lord Gorman's fat Cook, a Blackamore Drumming Man, two Actor People, a Recruiting Serjeant, a Monkey and I.

Lady. Upon my Word, a pretty Parcel. Caleb. Yes, indeed; but the- -the fat Cook got drunk at Coventry, and fo fell out at the tail of the Waggon; fo we left fhe behind. The next Day the Serjeant ran away with the Showman's Wife; the t'other two went after; so only the Monkey and I came to Town together.

Carm. Upon my Word, the young Gentleman gives a good Account of his Travels.

Lady. Ay,ay,Mr. Carmine, he's all over the blood of the Grifkins. Iwarrant the Child will make his Way. Go, Caleb, go and look at them pretty Paintings Now, Mr. Carmine, let us fee if my good Man can find me out.

Ald. Lack-a-day; well, I profefs they are all fo handfome, that I am puzzled to know which is thine, Chuck.

Puff.

Puff. I am furprized at your Want of Difcernment, Mr. Alderman; but the poffeffion of a Jewel deftroys its Value with the Wearer; now to me it seems impoffible to err; and tho' Mr. Carmine is generally fuccefsful, in this Inftance he is particularly happy. Where can you meet with that Mixture of Fire and Softnefs, but in the Eyes of Lady Pentweazle?

Lady. Oh, Sir!

Puff. That Clearnefs and Delicacy of Complexion, with that Flow of Ruddinefs and Health.

Lady. Sir! Sir! Sir!

Puff. That Fall of Shoulders, Turn of Neck, fet on Head, full Cheft, taper Waist, plump

Lady. Spare me, fweet Sir!--You fee Mr. Pentweazle, other People can find out my Charms, cho' you overlook them-Well, I profefs, Sir, you are a Gentleman of great Difcernment; and if Bufinefs fhould bring you into the City; for alas! what Pleasure can bring a Man of your refined Taite there ?-

Puff. Oh! Ma'am !

Lady I fay, Sir, if fuch an Accident fhould happen, and Blowbladder-ftreet has any CharmsPuff. Oh! Ma'am! Ma'am! Ma'am ! Ma'amLady. It is not impoffible but we may receive you, tho' not equal to your Merits-

Puff. Ma'am!

Lady. Yet in fuch a Manner as to fhew our Senfe of them. Sir, I'm your very obedient. Puff. Your Ladyship's most

Lady. Not a Step.

Puff. Ma'am.

Lady.

Lady. SirMr. Alderman, your Bow to the Gentlemen. The very fineft.

Puff. Ma'am !

Lady. Sir Your most obedient.

Puff. Your devoted. (Ex. Ald. and Wife. Carm. Ha! ha! Well faid, Puff. What a Calamity thou haft drawn upon the Knight! Thou haft fo tickled the Vanity of the Haradan, that the poor Helpmate will experience a double portion. of her Contempt.

Puff. Rot them.

Carm. Come, Puff, a matrimonial Affiftant to a rich Alderman is no contemptible Employment, Puff. Ay, if it were a Sine-cure.

Carm. No, that you must not expect; but unless I am greatly mistaken in the Language of the Eyes, her Ladyfhip's were addrefs'd to you with most perfuafive Tenderness.

Puff. Well, of that hereafter-But to our Bufinefs. The Auction is about beginning; and I have promised to meet Mr. David Dufledorpe, Sir Pofitive Bubble, and Lord Dupe, to examine the Pictures,and fix on those for which they are to bid→ But fince we have fettled the German Plan; fo Varnish or Brush must attend them.

Carm. Oh! by all means pursue that. You have no Conception how the dear Foreign Accent is to your true Virtuofo; it announces Tafte, Knowledge, Veracity, and in fhort, every Thing-But can you enough difguife the Turn of your Face, and Tone of your Voice? a Discovery of Mr. Puff in Mynbeer Groningen biafts us at once.

Puff. Never fear me. I wish you may have equal Success in the Part of Canto.. C

Carm

Carm. Pho! mine's a Trifle. A man must have very flender Abilities indeed, who can't for ten Minutes imitate a Language and Deportment that he has been Witnefs to for ten Years.

Puff. But you must get their Tones, their Tones; 'tis cafy enough. Come, hand up here that there Corregio; an inimitable Piece. Gentlemen and Ladies: the very best Work of the best Master, Subject agreeable, highly finished, and well preferved;-a Seat for the Ladies;-hand it to Sir Pofitive: a going for Fifty: fpeak, or it's gone for Fifty: Joy to your Ladythip. Come the next; but remember, let your Bob be bushy, and your Bow low.

Carm. Enough, enough; we are Strangers to each other, you know.

Puff Abfolute. Oh! but what Pictures of yours are in the Sale?

Carm. There's my Holy Family by Raphael; the Marriage in Cana by Reuben Rouge; Tom JackJon's Teniers; and for Bufts, Taylor's Head without a Nofe from Herculaneum.

Puff. Are the Antique Seals come Home?

Carm. No; but they will be finish'd by next Week.

Puff. You must take care of Novice's Collection of Medals he'll want them by the End of the Month.

Carm. The Coins of the firft Emperor are now fteeping in Copperas; and I have an Otho, a Galba, Nero, and two Domitians reeking from the Dunghill---The Reft we can have from Doctor Mummy; a never failing Chap, you know.

Puff. Adieu

Carm.

Carm. Yours, Sira troublesome Fellow, this confounded Memory-----ufeful, tho'---Rounds of Beef and roafted Pigs !---must get rid of him------Ay, but when ?----Why when ?---when I have gain'd my Point. But how, how then?---On, then it does not fignify Two Pence.

The End of the FIRST ACT.

АСТ II.

Enter Puff, as Monfieur Baron de Groningen, Carmine as Canto, and Brush.

CANTO.

OME, buftle, buftle. Brush you introduce Puff, Puff, how are you

Cont

in your German?

Puff. I canno fpeak for Englandt, but I can mak understand very mightily. Will that do?

Brush. To a Hair. Remember you are come hither to purchase Pictures for the Elector of Ba-varia. Carmine, you must clap Lord Dupe's Coat of Arms on that Half Length of Erafmus; I have fold it him, as his Great Grandfather's third Brother, for Fifty Guineas.

Canto. It fhall be done---Be it my Province to establish the Baron's Reputation as a Connoiffeur.-

Brush

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