Bell. I wish I may succeed as the same.

Vain. Never doubt it; "for if the spirit of cuck"oldom be once raised up in a woman, the devil "can't lay it, 'till she has done it."

Bell. Pr'ythee, what sort of fellow is Fondlewife? Vain. A kind of mongrel zealot, sometimes very precise and peevish: but I have seen him pleasant enough in his way; much addicted to jealousy, but more to fondness: so that as he's often jealous without a cause, he 's as often satisfied without reason.

Bell. A very even temper, and fit for my purpose. I must get your man Setter to provide my disguise. Vain. Ay, you may take him for good and all, if you will, for you have made him fit for nobody else Well

Bell. You're going to visit in return of Silvia's letter -Poor rogue! Any hour of the day or night will serve her—But do you know nothing of a new rival there?

Vain. Yes, Heartwell, that surly, old, pretended woman-hater, thinks her virtuous; that's one reason why I fail her I would have her fret herself out of conceit with me, that she may entertain some thoughts of him. I know he visits her every day.

Bell. Yet rails on still, and thinks his love unknown to us; a little time will swell him so, he must be forc'd to give it birth; and the discovery must needs be very pleasant from himself; to see what pains he will take, and how he will strain to be delivered of a secret, when he has miscarried of it already.

Vain. Well, good-morrow; let's dine together; I'll meet at the old place.

Bell. With all my heart; it lies convenient for us to pay our afternoon services to our mistresses; I find I am damnably in love, I'm so uneasy for not having seen Belinda yesterday.

Vain. But I saw my Araminta, yet am as impatient.

[Exit.

Bell. Why, what a cormorant in love am I! who not contented with the slavery of honourable love in one place," and the pleasure of enjoying some half a

score mistresses of my own acquiring," must yet take Vainlove's business upon my hands, because it lay too heavy upon his; "so am not only forced to "lie with other men's wives for 'em, but must also "undertake the harder task of obliging their misStresses". -I must take up, or I shall never hold out; flesh and blood cannot bear it always."

Enter SHARPER.'

Sharp. I'm sorry to see this, Ned; if once a man comes to his soliloquies, I give him for gone.

Bell. Sharper, I'm glad to see thee.

Sharp. What, is Belinda cruel, that you are so thoughtful?

Bell. No, faith, not for that- But there's a business of consequence fallen out to-day that requires some consideration.

Sharp. Pr'ythee, what mighty business of conse quence canst thou have?

Bell. Why, you must know 'tis a piece of work towards the finishing of an alderman; it seems I must put the last hand to it, and dub him cuckold, that he may be of equal dignity with the rest of his brethren: so I must beg Belinda's pardon.

Sharp. Faith, e'en give her over for good and all: you can have no hopes of getting her for a mistress ; and she is too proud, too inconstant, too affected, too witty, and too handsome, for a wife.

Bel. But she can't have too much money-There's twelve thousand pounds, Tom.- -'Tis true she is excessively foppish and affected: but, in my conscience, I believe the baggage loves me; for she never speaks well of me herself, nor suffers any body else to rail at Then, as I told you, there's twelve thousand pounds-Hum-Why, faith, upon second thoughts, she does not appear to be so very affected neitherGive her her due, I think the woman 's a woman, and that's all. As such, I am sure I shall like her; for the devil take me if I don't love all the sex.

me.

Sharp. And here comes one who swears as heartily he hates all the sex.

Enter HEARTWELL.

Bell. Who? Heartwell! Ay, but he knows better things- -How now, George, where hast thou been snarling odious truths, and entertaining company, "like a physician, with discourses of their diseases "and infirmities? What fine lady hast thou been "putting out of conceit with herself, and persuading,

"that the face she had been making all the morning, " was none of her own;" for know thou art as unmannerly and as unwelcome to a woman, as a lookingglass after the small-pox.

Heart. I confess I have not been sneering fulsome lies, and nauseous flattery, fawning upon a little tawdry whore that will fawn upon me again, and entertain any puppy that comes, like a tumbler, with the same tricks over and over: for such, I guess, may have been your late employment.

Bell. Would thou hadst come a little sooner, Vainlove would have wrought thy conversion, and been a champion for the cause.

Heart. What, has he been here? That's one of love's April-fools, is always upon some errand that's to no purpose, ever embarking in adventures, yet never comes to harbour.

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Sharp. That's because he always sets out in foul "weather, loves to buffet with the winds, meet the "tide, and sail in the teeth of opposition.

"Heart. What, has he not dropt anchor at Araminta? "Bell. Truth on 't is, she fits his temper best, is a "kind of floating island; sometimes seems in reach, "then vanishes, and keeps him busied in the search.

Sharp. She had need have a good share of sense "to manage so capricious a lover."

Bell. Faith, I don't know. He's of a temper the most easy to himself in the world; "he takes as much "always of an amour as he cares for, and quits it "when it grows stale or unpleasant,

"Sharp. An argument of very little passion, very "good understanding, and very ill nature.

"Heart. And proves that Vainlove plays the fool "with discretion."

Sharp. You, Bellmour, are bound in gratitude to stickle for him; you with pleasure reap that fruit, which he takes pains to sow. He does the drudgery in the mine, and you stamp your image on the gold.

Bell. He's of another opinion, and says I do the drudgery in the mine. Well, we have each our share of sport, and each that which he likes best; 't is his diversion to set, 't is mine to cover the partridge.

Heart. And it should be mine to let 'em go again. Sharp. Not till you had mouth'd a little, George, I think that's all thou art fit for now.

Heart. Good, Mr. young fellow, you're mistaken: as able as yourself, and as nimble too, though I may'nt have so much mercury in my limbs. 'Tis true irdeed I don't force appetite, but "wait the natural

call of my lust, and” think it time enough to be wicked, after I have had the temptation.

Bell. Time enough! ay, too soon, I should rather have expected from a person of your gravity.

Heart. Yet it is oftentimes too late with some of you young, termagant, flashy sinners-you have all the guilt of the intention, and none of the pleasure of the practice-T is true you are so eager in pursuit of the temptation, that you save the devil the trouble of leading you into it: Nor is it out of discretion, that you don't swallow that very hook yourselves have