_Man._ To speak honestly--Yes--being often in the toyshop, there was no forbearing the bawbles. Lady _Grace._ And of course, I suppose sometimes you were tempted to pay for them, twice as much as they were worth. _Man._ Why really, where fancy only makes the choice, Madam, no wonder if we are generally bubbled, in those sort of bargains, which I confess has been often my case: For I had constantly some Coquette, or other, upon my hands, whom I could love perhaps just enough to put it in her power to plague me. Lady _Grace._ And that's a pow'r, I doubt, commonly made use of. _Man._ The amours of a Coquette, Madam, seldom have any other view. I look upon Them, and Prudes, to be nusances, just alike; tho' they seem very different: The first are always plaguing the Men; and the other are always abusing the Women. Lady _Grace._ And yet both of them do it for the same vain ends; to establish a false character of being virtuous. _Man._ Of being chaste, they mean; for they know no other virtue: and, upon the credit of that, they traffick in every thing else that's vicious: They (even against Nature) keep their chastity, only because they find they have more power to do mischief with it, than they could possibly put in practice without it. Lady _Grace._ Hold! Mr. _Manly_: I am afraid this severe opinion of the sex, is owing to the ill choice you have made of your Mistresses. _Man._ In a great measure, it may be so: But, Madam, if both these characters are so odious; how vastly valuable is that woman, who has attain'd all they aim at without the aid of the Folly, or Vice of either? Lady _Grace._ I believe those sort of women to be as scarce, Sir, as the men, that believe there are any such; or that allowing such have virtue enough to deserve them. _Man._ That _could_ deserve them then----had been a more favourable reflexion! Lady _Grace._ Nay, I speak only from my little experience: For (I'll be free with you, Mr. _Manly_) I don't know a man in the world, that, in appearance, might better pretend to a woman of the first merit, than yourself: And yet I have a reason in my hand, here, to think you have your failings. _Man._ I have infinite, Madam; but I am sure, the want of an implicit respect for you, is not among the number----pray what is in your hand, Madam? Lady _Grace._ Nay, Sir, I have no title to it; for the direction is to you. [_Gives him a Letter._ _Man._ To me! I don't remember the hand-- [_Reads to himself._ Lady _Grace._ I can't perceive any change of guilt in him! and his surprise seems natural! [_Aside._]----Give me leave to tell you one thing by the way, Mr. _Manly_; That I should never have shewn you this, but that my Brother enjoin'd me to it. _Man._ I take that to proceed from my Lord's good opinion of me, Madam. Lady _Grace._ I hope, at least, it will stand as an excuse for my taking this liberty.