Polite Conversation in Three DialoguesSwift, Jonathan
General
Polite Conversation in Three Dialogues
Swift, Jonathan
Conversation -- Humor -- Early works to 1800; Satire, English -- Early works to 1800
_Miss._ What! you don’t know your own Mind; you are neither well, full
nor fasting; I think that is enough.
_Neverout._ Ay, one of the Enough’s; I am sure it is little enough.
_Miss._ Yes; but you know, sweet Things are bad for the Teeth.
_Neverout_ [_to Lady Answ._] Madam, I don’t like that Part of the Veal
you sent me.
_Lady Answ._ Well, Mr. _Neverout_, I find you are a true _Englishman_;
you never know when you are well.
_Col._ Well, I have made my whole Dinner of Beef.
_Lady Answ._ Why, Colonel, a Belly-full’s a Belly-full, if it be but of
Wheat-straw.
_Col._ Well, after all, Kitchen-Physic is the best Physic.
_Ld. Smart._ And the best Doctors in the World are Doctor _Dyet_, Doctor
_Quiet_, and Doctor _Merryman_.
_Ld. Sparkish._ What do you think of a little House well fill’d?
_Sir John._ And a little Land well till’d?
_Col._ Ay; and a little Wife well will’d?
_Neverout._ My Lady _Smart_, pray help me to some of the Breast of that
Goose.
_Ld. Smart._ _Tom_, I have heard, that Goose upon Goose is false Heraldry.
_Miss._ What! will you never have done stuffing?
_Ld. Smart._ This Goose is quite raw: Well, God sends Meat, but the Devil
sends Cooks.
_Neverout._ Miss, can you tell which is the white Goose, or the gray
Goose the Gander?
_Miss._ They say, a Fool will ask more Questions than the wisest body can
answer.
_Col._ Indeed, Miss, _Tom Neverout_ has posed you.
_Miss._ Why, Colonel, every Dog has his Day; but, I believe, I shall
never see a Goose again without thinking on Mr. _Neverout_.
_Ld. Smart._ Well said, Miss; faith. Girl, thou hast brought thyself off
cleverly. _Tom_, what say you to that?
_Col._ Faith, _Tom_ is nonplust; he looks plaguily down in the Mouth.
_Miss._ Why, my Lord, you see he is the provokingest Creature in Life; I
believe there is not such another in the varsal World.
_Lady Answ._ Oh, Miss! the World’s a wide Place.
_Neverout._ Well, Miss, I’ll give you Leave to call me any thing, if you
don’t call me Spade.
_Ld. Smart._ Well, but, after all, _Tom_, can you tell me what’s _Latin_
for a Goose.
_Neverout._ O my Lord, I know that; why _Brandy_ is _Latin_ for a Goose,
and _Tace_ is _Latin_ for a Candle.
_Miss._ Is that Manners, to shew your Learning before Ladies? Methinks
you are grown very brisk of a sudden; I think the Man’s glad he’s alive.
_Sir John._ The Devil take your Wit, if this be Wit; for it spoils
Company: Pray, Mr. _Butler_, bring me a Dram after my Goose; ’tis very
good for the Wholsoms.
_Ld. Smart._ Come, bring me the Loaf; I sometimes love to cut my own
Bread.
_Miss._ I suppose, my Lord, you lay longest a Bed To-day.
_Ld. Smart._ Miss, if I had said so, I should have told a Fib; I warrant
you lay a Bed till the Cows came Home: But, Miss, shall I cut you a
little Crust now my Hand is in?
_Miss._ If you please, my Lord, a Bit of Under-crust.
_Neverout._ [_whispering Miss._] I find, you love to lie under.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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