Page:The Clandestine Marriage (1766).djvu/109



Mrs. Qu. An't you aſham'd, Sir? [to Sir Pat.]

Sir Pat. Me!—I ſeldom bluſh.—

For little Shakeſpeare, faith! I'd take a Puſh!

''Ld. Min.'' News, News!—here comes Miſs Crotchet from the Play.

Mrs. Qu. Well, Crotchet, what's the News?

Miſs Cro. We've loſt the Day.

Col. T. Tell us, dear Miſs, all you have heard and ſeen.

Miſs Cro. I'm tir'd—a Chair—here, take my Capuchin!

''Ld. Min.'' And isn't it damn'd, Miſs?

Miſs Cro. No, my Lord, not quite:

But we ſhall damn it.

Col. T. When?

Miſs Cro. To-morrow Night.

There is a Party of us, all of Faſhion,

Reſolv'd to exterminate this vulgar Paſſion:

A Play-houſe, what a Place!—I muſt forſwear it.

A little Miſchief only makes one bear it.

Such Crowds of City Folks!—ſo rude and preſſing!

And their Horſe-Laughs, ſo hideouſly diſtreſſing!

When e'er we hiſs'd, they frown'd and fell a ſwearing,

Like their own Guildhall Giants—fierce and ſtaring!

Col. T. What ſaid the Folks of Faſhion? were they croſs?

''Ld. Min.'' The reſt have no more Judgement than my Horſe.

Miſs Cro. Lord Grimly ſwore 'twas execrable Stuff.

Says one, Why ſo, my Lord?—My Lord took Snuff.

In the firſt Aft Lord George began to doze,

And criticis'd the Author—through his Noſe;

So loud indeed, that as his Lordſhip ſnor'd,

The Pit turn'd round, and all the Brutes encor'd.

Some Lords, indeed, approv'd the Author's Jokes.

''Ld. Min. We have among us, Miſs, ſome'' fooliſh Folks.

Miſs Cro. Says poor Lord Simper—Well, now to my Mind

The Piece is good;—but he's both deaf and blind.

Sir Pat. Upon my Soul a very pretty Story!

And Quality appears in all its Glory!—

There was ſome Merit in the Piece, no Doubt;

Miſs Cro. O, to be ſure!—if one could find it out.

Col. T. But tell us, Miſs, the Subject of the Play.

Miſs Cro. Why, 'twas a Marriage—yes, a Marriage—Stay!

A Lord, an Aunt, two Siſters, and a Merchant—

A Baronet—ten Lawyers—a fat Serjeant—

Are all produc'd—to talk with one another;

And about ſomething make a mighty Pother;

They all go in, and out; and to, and fro;

And talk, and quarrel—as they come and go—

Then go to Bed, and then get up—and then—

Scream, faint, ſcold, kiſs,—and go to Bed again.

Such