MEN. SIR SAMPSON LEGEND, father to Valentine and _Mr. Underhill_. Ben, VALENTINE, fallen under his father’s _Mr. Betterton_. displeasure by his expensive way of living, in love with Angelica, SCANDAL, his friend, a free speaker, _Mr. Smith_. TATTLE, a half-witted beau, vain of his _Mr. Bowman_. amours, yet valuing himself for secrecy, BEN, Sir Sampson’s younger son, half home-bred _Mr. Dogget_. and half sea-bred, designed to marry Miss Prue, FORESIGHT, an illiterate old fellow, peevish _Mr. Sanford_. and positive, superstitious, and pretending to understand astrology, palmistry, physiognomy, omens, dreams, etc.; uncle to Angelica, JEREMY, servant to Valentine, _Mr. Bowen_. TRAPLAND, a scrivener, _Mr. Triffusis_. BUCKRAM, a lawyer, _Mr. Freeman_. WOMEN. ANGELICA, niece to Foresight, of a _Mrs. Bracegirdle_. considerable fortune in her own hands, MRS. FORESIGHT, second wife to Foresight, _Mrs. Bowman_. MRS. FRAIL, sister to Mrs. Foresight, a woman _Mrs. Barry_. of the town, MISS PRUE, daughter to Foresight by a former _Mrs. Ayliff_. wife, a silly, awkward country girl, NURSE to MISS, _Mrs. Leigh_. JENNY, _Mrs. Lawson_. A STEWARD, OFFICERS, SAILORS, AND SEVERAL SERVANTS. The Scene in London. ACT I.—SCENE I. VALENTINE _in his chamber reading_. JEREMY _waiting_. _Several books upon the table_. VAL. Jeremy. JERE. Sir? VAL. Here, take away. I’ll walk a turn and digest what I have read. JERE. You’ll grow devilish fat upon this paper diet. [_Aside_, _and taking away the books_.] VAL. And d’ye hear, go you to breakfast. There’s a page doubled down in Epictetus, that is a feast for an emperor. JERE. Was Epictetus a real cook, or did he only write receipts? VAL. Read, read, sirrah, and refine your appetite; learn to live upon instruction; feast your mind and mortify your flesh; read, and take your nourishment in at your eyes; shut up your mouth, and chew the cud of understanding. So Epictetus advises. JERE. O Lord! I have heard much of him, when I waited upon a gentleman at Cambridge. Pray what was that Epictetus? VAL. A very rich man.—Not worth a groat. JERE. Humph, and so he has made a very fine feast, where there is nothing to be eaten? VAL. Yes.