-and the box prodigious fine; the work is French, I presume, sir.

Col. I bought it in Paris, sir- -I do think the workmanship pretty neat.

Sir Phil. Neat! 'tis exquisitely fine, sir. Pray, sir, if I may take the liberty of enquiring-What country is so happy to claim the birth of the finest gentleman in the universe? France, I presume.

Col. Then you don't think me an Englishman?
Sir Phil. No, upon my soul, don't I.

Col. I am sorry for't.

Sir Phil. Impossible you should wish to be an Englishman! Pardon me, sir, this island could not produce a person of such alertness.

Col. As this mirror shews you, sir.

[Puts up a Pocket Glass to Sir Philip's Face. Wom. Coxcombs! I'm sick to hear them praise one another. One seldom gets any thing by such animals; not even a dinner, unless one can dine upon soup and celery.

Sir Phil. O Gad, sir ?-Will you leave us, madam? Ha, ha! [Exit Wom.

Col. She fears 'twill be only losing time to stay here, ha, ha!-I know not how to distinguish you, sir, but your mien and address speak you right honourable.

Sir Phil. Thus great souls judge of others by themselves-I am only adorn'd with knighthood, that's all, I assure you, sir; my name is Sir Philip Modelove.

Col. Of French extraction?

Sir Phil. My father was French.

Col. One may plainly perceive it-There is a certain gaiety peculiar to my nation (for I will own myself a Frenchman) which distinguishes us every where-A person of your figure would be a vast ad. dition to a coronet.

Sir Phil. I must own I had the offer of a barony about five years ago, but I abhorr'd the fatigue which must have attended it. I could never yet bring myself to join with either party.

Col. You are perfectly in the right, Sir Philip,-a fine person should not embark himself in the slovenly concern of politics: dress and pleasure are objects proper for the soul of a fine gentleman.

Sir Phil. And love

Col. Oh that's included under the article of plea

sure.

Sir Phil. Parbleu il est un homme d'esprit. I must embrace you~[Rises and embraces.]—Your sentiments are so agreeable to mine, that we appear to have but one soul, for our ideas and conceptions are the same. Col. I should be sorry for that. [Aside.]—You do me too much honour, Sir Philip.

Sir Phil. Your vivacity and jantée mien assured me, at first sight, there was nothing of this foggy island in your composition. May I crave your name, sir?

Col. My name is La Fainwell, sir, at your service. Sir Phil. The La Fainwells are French, I know; tho' the name is become very numerous in Great

Britain of late years-I was sure you was French the moment I laid my eyes upon you; I could not come into the supposition of your being an Englishman this island produces few such ornaments.

Col. Pardon me, Sir Philip, this island has two things superior to all nations under the sun.

Sir Phil. Ah! what are they?

Col. The ladies, and the laws.

Sir Phil. The laws indeed, do claim a preference of other nations,-but, by my soul, there are fine women every where.-I must own I have felt their power in all countries.

Col. There are some finish'd beauties, I confess, in France, Italy, Germany, nay, even in Holland, mais elles sont bien rare: but les belles Angloises! Oh, Sir Philip, where find we such women! such symmetry of shape! such elegancy of dress! such regularity of features! such sweetness of temper! such commanding eyes and such bewitching smiles!

Sir Phil. Ah! parbleu vous etes attrapé.

Col. Non, je vous assure, Chevalier.-But I declare there is no amusement so agreeable to my goût as the conversation of a fine woman.- -I could never be prevailed upon to enter into what the vulgar calls the pleasure of the bottle.

Sir Phil. My own taste, positivement.-A ball, or a masquerade, is certainly preferable to all the productions of the vineyard.

Col. Infinitely! I hope the people of quality in England will support that branch of pleasure, which

was imported with their peace, and since naturaliz'd by the ingenious Mr. Heidegger.

Sir Phil. The ladies assure me it will become part of the constitution-upon which I subscrib'd a hundred guineas-It will be of great service to the public, at least to the company of surgeons; and the city in general.

Col. Ha, ha! it may help to ennoble the blood of the city. Are you married, Sir Philip?

Sir Phil. No; nor do I believe I ever shall enter into that honourable state: I have an absolute tendre for the whole sex.

Col. That's more than they have for you, I dare

swear.

[Aside. Sir Phil. And I have the honour to be very well with the ladies, I can assure you, sir; and I won't affront a million of fine women to make one happy.

Col. Nay, marriage is reducing a man's taste to a kind of half pleasure: but then it carries the blessings of peace along with it; one goes to sleep without fear, and wakes without pain.

Sir Phil. There's something of that in't; a wife is a very good dish' for an English stomach,-but gross feeding for nicer palates, ha, ha, ha!

Col. I find I was very much mistaken,-I imagined you had been married to that young lady, whom I saw in the chariot with you this morning in Grace. church Street.

Sir Phil. Who, Nancy Lovely? I am a piece of a guardian to that lady: you must know, her father,

I thank him, joined me with three of the most preposterous old fellows-that, upon my soul, I am in pain for the poor girl;—she must certainly lead apes, as the saying is; ha, ha!

Col. That's pity, Sir Philip. If the lady would give me leave, I would endeavour to avert that curse.

Sir Phil. As to the lady, she'd gladly be rid of us at any rate, I believe; but here's the mischief, he who marries Miss Lovely, must have the consent of us all four, or not a penny of her portion.-For my part, I shall never approve of any but a man of figure,- -and the rest are not only averse to cleanliness, but have each a peculiar taste to gratify.-For my part, I declare I would prefer you to all the men I ever saw.

Col. And I her to all women

Sir Phil. I assure you, Mr. Fainwell, I am for marrying her, for I hate the trouble of a guardian, especially among such wretches; but resolve never to agree to the choice of any one of them,-and I fancy they'll be even with me, for they never came into any proposal of mine yet.

Col. I wish I had your leave to try them, Sir Philip. Sir Phil. With all my soul, sir, I can refuse a person of your appearance nothing.

Col. Sir, I am infinitely obliged to you.

Sir Phil. But do you really like matrimony ?
Col. I believe I could with that lady.

Sir Phil. The only point in which we differ-But

you are master of so many qualifications, that I can