5th Lady. But has your ladyship the remotest idea of what his true name is ?

1st Lady. They say, his very servants do not know it. His French valet, that has lived with him these two years

2d Lady. There, Madam, I must beg leave to set you right: my coachman

1st Lady. I have it from the very best authority my footman

2d Lady. Then, Madam, you have set your

servants on

1st Lady. No, Madam, I would scorn any such little mean ways of coming at a secret. For my part, I don't think any secret of that consequence.

2d Lady. That's just like me; I make a rule of troubling my head with nobody's business but my own.

Melesinda. But then, she takes care to make every body's business her own, and so to justify herself that way— (aside.)

ful.

1st Lady. My dear Melesinda, you look thought

Melesinda. Nothing.

2d Lady. Give it a name.

Melesinda. Perhaps it is nameless.

1st Lady. As the object-Come, never blush, nor deny it, child. Bless me, what great ugly thing is that, that dangles at your bosom?

Melesinda. This? it is a cross: how do you like it?

2d Lady. A cross! Well, to me it looks for all the world like a great staring H.

(here a general laugh.)

Melesinda. Malicious creatures! Believe me it

is a cross, and nothing but a cross.

1st Lady. A cross, I believe, you would wil

lingly hang at.

Melesinda. Intolerable spite !

(MR. H. is announced.)

Enter MR. H.

1st Lady. O, Mr. H. we are so glad2d Lady. We have been so dull

-You owe it

3d Lady. So perfectly lifelessto us, to be more than commonly entertaining. Mr. H. Ladies, this is so obliging——

4th Lady. O, Mr. H. those ranunculas you said were dying, pretty things, they have got up

5th Lady. I have worked that sprig you commended—I want you to come

Mr. H. Ladies

6th Lady. I have sent for that piece of music from London.

Mr. H. The Mozart-(seeing Melesinda)—Melesinda!

Several Ladies at once. Nay positively, Melesinda, you shan't engross him all to yourself. (While the Ladies are pressing about Mr. H. the Gentlemen shew signs of displeasure.) 1st Gentleman. We shan't be able to edge in a word, now this coxcomb is come.

2d Gentleman. Damn him, I will affront him. 1st Gentleman. Sir, with your leave, I have a word to say to one of these ladies.

2d Gentleman. If we could be heard

(the Ladies pay no attention but to MR. H.) Mr. H. You see, gentlemen, how the matter stands. (hums an air). I am not my own master: positively I exist and breathe but to be agreeable to these Did you speak?

1st Gentleman. And affects absence of mind, Puppy!

Mr. H. Who spoke of absence of mind, did you, Madam ? How do you do, Lady Wearwell-how do? I did not see your ladyship before-what was I about to say-O-absence of

mind. I am the most unhappy dog in that way, sometimes spurt out the strangest things-the most mal-a-propos-without meaning to give the least offence, upon my honour-sheer absence of mind-things I would have given the world not to have said.

1st Gentleman. Do you hear the coxcomb? 1st Lady. Great wits, they say-

2d Lady. Your fine geniuses are most given3d Lady. Men of bright parts are commonly too vivacious

Mr. H. But you shall hear. I was to dine the other day at a great nabob's, that must be nameless, who, between ourselves, is strongly suspected of being very rich, that's all. John, my valet, who knows my foible, cautioned me, while he was dressing me, as he usually does where he thinks there's a danger of my committing a lapsus, to take care in my conversation how I made any allusion direct or indirect to presents you understand me? I set out double charged with my fellow's consideration and my own, and, to do myself justice, behaved with tolerable circumspection for the first half hour or so-till at last a gentleman in company, who

"

was indulging a free vein of raillery at the expense of the ladies, stumbled upon that expression of the poet, which calls them "fair defects." 1st Lady. It is Pope, I believe, who says it. Mr. H. No, Madam; Milton. Where was I ? O, "fair defects." This gave occasion to a critic in company, to deliver his opinion on the phrase -that led to an enumeration of all the various words which might have been used instead of "defect," as want, absence, poverty, deficiency, lack. This moment I, who had not been attending to the progress of the argument (as the denouement will shew) starting suddenly up out of one of my reveries, by some unfortunate connexion of ideas, which the last fatal word had excited, the devil put it into my head to turn round to the Nabob, who was sitting next me, and in a very marked manner (as it seemed to the company) to put the question to him, Pray, Sir, what may be the exact value of a lack of rupees? You may guess the confusion which followed.

1st Lady. What a distressing circumstance! 2d Lady. To a delicate mind

3d Lady. How embarrassing

4th Lady. I declare, I quite pity you.