Two Country Tradesmen, } Mr. _Pinkethman_ and } Mr. _Smeton_. _Roger_, a Country Bumpkin, Mr. _Haynes_. _Quaint_, a Herald, Mr. _Pinkethman_. _Fruitful_, an Inn-keeper, Mr. _Smeton_. A Country Gentleman, Mr. _Pinkethman_. A Priest, Musicians, &c. _Hortensia_, an affected learned Lady, Mrs. _Kent_. _Aminta_, a lewd Mother, Mrs. _Willis_. _Forge-Will_, a Scrivener's Widow, Mrs. _Finch_. _Fruitful_, Wife to the Inn-keeper, Mrs. _Powell_. [Illustration] _ESOP._ [Illustration] +ACT+ I. +SCENE+ I. +SCENE+, Learchus's _House_. _Enter ~Learchus~, ~Euphronia~, and ~Doris~._ _Lear._ At length I am blest with the sight of the World's Wonder, the Delight of Mankind, the incomparable _Esop_. You had time to observe him last Night, Daughter, as he sat at Supper with me. Tell me how you like him, Child; is he not a charming Person? _Euph._ Charming! _Lear._ What say'st thou to him, _Doris_? Thou art a good Judge, a Wench of a nice Palate. _Dor._ You wou'd not have me flatter, Sir? _Lear._ No, speak thy Thoughts boldly. _Dor._ Boldly, you say? _Lear._ Boldly, I say. _Dor._ Why, then, Sir, my Opinion of the Gentleman is, that he's uglier than an old Beau. _Lear._ How! Impudence. _Dor._ Nay, if you are angry, Sir, second Thoughts are best; he's as proper as a Pikeman, holds up his Head like a Dancing-Master, has the Shape of a Barb, the Face of an Angel, the Voice of a Cherubim, the Smell of a Civet-Cat---- _Lear._ In short, thou art Fool enough not to be pleas'd with him. _Dor._ Excuse me for that, Sir; I have Wit enough to make myself merry with him---- _Lear._ If his Body's deform'd, his Soul is beautiful: Would to kind Heaven, as he is, my Daughter cou'd but find the means to please him! _Euph._ To what End, dear Father? _Lear._ That he might be your Husband, dear Daughter. _Euph._ My Husband! Shield me, kind Heaven---- _Dor._ Psha! he has a mind to make us laugh, that's all. _Lear._ _Esop_, then, is not worth her Care, in thy Opinion? _Dor._ Why, truly, Sir, I'm always for making suitable Matches, and don't much approve of breeding Monsters. I wou'd have nothing marry a Baboon, but what has been got by a Monkey. _Lear._ How dar'st thou liken so incomparable a Man to so contemptible a Beast?