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Canto. Bring forward the Head from HerculaNow Gentlemen, here is a Jewel.

neum.

All. Ay, ay, let's fee.

Canto. 'Tis not entire, tho'.

Nov. So much the better.

Canto. Right, Sir-the very Mutilations of this Piece are worth all the moft perfect Performances of modern Artifts-Now, Gentlemen, here's a Touchstone for your Taste !

All. Great! great, indeed!

Nev. Great! Amazing! Divine! Oh, let me embrace the dear difmember'd Buft! a little farther off. I'm ravifhed! I am tranfported! What an Attitude! But then the Locks! How I adore the Simplicity of the Antients! How unlike, the prefent priggifh, prick-ear'd Puppets! How gracefully they fall all adown the Cheek! fo decent, and fo grave, and-Who the Devil do you think it is, Brub? Is it a Man or a Woman?

Canto. The Connoiffeurs differ. Some will have it to be the Jupiter Tonans of Phidias, and others the Venus of Paphos from Praxiteles; but I don't think it fierce enough for the first, nor handsome enough for the laft.

Nov. Yes, handsome enough.

All. Very handfome; handfome enough.

Canto. Not quite-therefore I am inclined to join with Signor Julio de Pampedillo, who, in a Treatife dedicated to the King of the Two Sicilies, calls it the Serapis of the Egyptians, and fuppofes it to have been fabricated about Eleven Hundred and Three Years before the Mofaic Account of the Creation.

Nov. Prodigious! and I dare fwear true.

All

All. Oh, true, very true.

Puff. Upon my Honour, 'tis a very fine Buft; But where is de Nofe?

Nov. The Nofe, what care I for the Nofe; Where is de Nofe? Why, Sir, if it had a Nose I would not give Sixpence for it-How the Devil fhould we diftinguish the Works of the Antients, it they were perfect?The Nofe, indeed! Why I don't fuppofe now, but, barring the Nofe, Roubiliac could cut as good a Head every WhitBrufh, who is this man with his Nofe? The Fellow thou'd know fomething of fomething too, for he speaks broken English.

Brush. It is Mynheer Groningen, a great Connoiffeur in Painting.

Nov. That may be, but as to Sculpture, I am his very humble Servant A Man must know damn'd little of Statuary, that diflikes a Buft for want of a Nofe.

Canta. Right, Sir-The Nofe itfelf without the Head, nay, in another's Poffeffion, would be an Eftate-But here are behind Gentlemen and Ladies, an Equeftrian Statue of Marcus Aurelus without the Horse; and a complete Statue of the Emperor Tra jan, with only the Head and Legs miffing; both from Herculaneum.This Way, Gentlemen

and Ladies.

Enter Lady Pentweazel, Alderman, and Caleb. Lady. Now, Mr. Pentweazel, let us have none of your Blowbladder Breeding. Remember you are. at the Court end of the Town. This is a Quality Auction.

Ald. Where of Courfe nothing is fold that is ufeful I am tutor'd, fweet Honey.

Lady.

Lady. Caleb, keep behind, and don't be medling. Sir(To Brufb.

Brush. Your Pleasure, Ma'am.

Lady. I fhould he glad you would inform me if there are any Lots of very fine old China. I find the Quality are grown infinitely fond of it; and I am willing to fhow the World, that we in the City have Tafte.

Brush. 'Tis a laudable Refolution, Ma'am, and, I dare fay, Mr. Canto can fupport-Blefs me what's that? (Caleb throws down a china Dish Lady. That Boy, I fuppofe! Well, if the mifchievous Brat has not broke a-and look how he ftands-Sirrah, Sirrah, did I not bid you not medLeave fucking your Thumbs. What, I fuppofe you learnt that Trick of your Friend the Monkey in the Waggon?

dle?

Caleb. Indeed I did not go to do it, Mother.

Ald. Pr'ythee, fweet Honey, don't be fo paffionate. What's done can't be undone. The Lofs not great; come, come.

is

Brush. Mr. Alderman is in the Right. The Affair is a Trifle, but a Twenty Guinea Job.

Lady. Twenty Guineas! You fhould have twenty of my Teeth as

Canto. You mean if you had them-Your Ladyfhip does not know the Value of that Piece of China.. It is the right old Japan of the Peagreen Kind. Lady Mandarin offer'd me, if I could match it, Fourfcore Guineas for the Pair. "

Lady. A fine Piece, indeed!

Puff. 'Tis ver fine.

Caleb. Indeed, Father, I did not break it. 'Twas crack'd in the Middle, and fo fell a two in my Hand.

Lady

Lady. What, was it crack'd?
Caleb. Yes indeed, Mother.
Lady. There, Gentlemen!

Lord. Ma'am, I would willingly fet you right in this Affair; you don't feem acquainted with these Kind of Things; therefore I have the Honour to tell you, that the Crack in the Middle is a Mark of its Antiquity, and enhances its Value; and these Gentlemen are, I dare fay, of the fame Opinion. All. Oh, entirely.

Lady. You are all of a Gang, I think. A broken Piece of China better than a whole one.

Lord. Ma'am, I never difpute with a Lady; but this Gentleman has Tafte; he is a Foreigner, and fo can't be be thought prejudiced; refer it to Him: the Day grows late, and I want the Auction to begin

Ald. Sweet Honey, leave it to the Gentleman. Lady. Well, Sir?

Puff Ma'am, I love to ferve de Lady. 'Tis a ver fine Piece of China. I was fee fuch another Piece fell at Amfterdam for a hundred Ducats. 'Tis ver well worth twenty Guinea.

Caleb. Mother!-Father! Never ftir if that Gentleman ben't the fame that we faw at the Painting Man's, that was fo zivil to Mother only he has got a black Wig on, and fpeaks outlandish. I'll be fur enough if it e'nt a May-game.

Lady. Let me die but the Boy's in the Right. My Dear, as I'm alive, Mr. Puff, that we faw at the Limner's. I told you he was a more cleverer Man than I ever faw. Caleb is right; fome Matter of Merriment, I warrant.

Puff. I wish it was. Afide.) I no understand.

Canto.

Canto. So, Mafter Puff, you are caught. (Afide. Lord. This is a moft unfortunate old Lady.Ma'am, you are here under another miftake. This is Mynheer Baron de

Lady. Mynheer Figs-ends. Can't I believe my own Eyes? What, do you think, because we live in the City, we can't fee?

Nov. Fire me, my Lord, there may be more in this than we can guefs. It's worth examining into. Come, Sir, if you are Mynheer, who the Devil knows you?

Puff. I was now maifter Canto mightily.

Nov. Mr. Canto. do you know this Baron ?

Canto. I fee the Dog will be detected, and now is my time to be even with him for his Rounds of Beef and roafting Pigs. (Afide.) I can't fay I ever faw the Gentleman before.

Nov. Oh! oh!

Lord The Fellow is an Impoftor; a palpable Cheat. Sir, I think you came from the Rhine; pray, how fhould you like walking into the Thames?

Nov. Or what think you, my Lord? The Rafcal complain'd but now that the Bust wanted a Nofe; fuppofe we were to fupply the Deficiency with his ?

Lord. But Juftice, Mr. Novice.

Canto. Great Rafcal, indeed, Gentlemen. If Rogues of this Stamp get once a Footing in thefe Affemblies, adieu to all moral Honefty. I think an Example should be made of him. But, were I to advife, he is a properer Subject for the Rabble to handle than the prefent Company.

All Away with him

Puff.

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