occasioned, on the advantages of some, and the disadvantages of others. From this subject she made a short digression to the instability of human pleasures and the uncertainty of their duration, which led her to observe that all earthly Joys must be imperfect. She was proceeding to illustrate this doctrine by examples from the Lives of great Men when the Carriage came to the Door and the amiable Moralist with her Father and Sister was obliged to depart; but not without a promise of spending five or six months with us on their return. We of course mentioned you, and I assure you that ample Justice was done to your Merits by all. “Louisa Clarke (said I) is in general a very pleasant Girl, yet sometimes her good humour is clouded by Peevishness, Envy and Spite. She neither wants Understanding or is without some pretensions to Beauty, but these are so very trifling, that the value she sets on her personal charms, and the adoration she expects them to be offered are at once a striking example of her vanity, her pride, and her folly.” So said I, and to my opinion everyone added weight by the concurrence of their own. Your affectionate Arabella Smythe. THE FIRST ACT OF A COMEDY _Characters_ Popgun Maria Charles Pistolletta Postilion Hostess Chorus of ploughboys Cook and and Strephon Chloe SCENE—AN INN _Enter_ Hostess, Charles, Maria, and Cook. Hostess to Maria If the gentry in the Lion should want beds, shew them number 9. Maria Yes Mistress.—_exit_ Maria Hostess to Cook If their Honours in the Moon ask for the bill of fare, give it them. Cook I will, I will. _exit_ Cook. Hostess to Charles If their Ladyships in the Sun ring their Bell—answer it. Charles Yes Madam. _exeunt_ Severally. SCENE CHANGES TO THE MOON, and discovers Popgun and Pistoletta. Pistoletta Pray papa how far is it to London? Popgun My Girl, my Darling, my favourite of all my Children, who art the picture of thy poor Mother who died two months ago, with whom I am going to Town to marry to Strephon, and to whom I mean to bequeath my whole Estate, it wants seven Miles. SCENE CHANGES TO THE SUN— _Enter_ Chloe and a chorus of ploughboys. Chloe Where am I? At Hounslow.—Where go I? To London—. What to do? To be married—. Unto whom? Unto Strephon. Who is he? A Youth. Then I will sing a song. SONG I go to Town And when I come down, I shall be married to Streephon.* And that to me will be fun. [* Note the two e’s] Chorus Be fun, be fun, be fun, And that to me will be fun. _Enter_ Cook— Cook Here is the bill of fare. Chloe reads 2 Ducks, a leg of beef, a stinking partridge, and a tart.—I will have the leg of beef and the partridge. _Exit_ Cook. And now I will sing another song. SONG I am going to have my dinner, After which I shan’t be thinner, I wish I had here Strephon For he would carve the partridge if it should be a tough one. Chorus