[131] Steele had already described this scene in the _Guardian_ for June 20, 1713:--"I happened the other day to pass by a gentleman's house, and saw the most flippant scene of low love that I have ever observed. The maid was rubbing the windows within side of the house, and her humble servant the footman, was so happy a man as to be employed in cleaning the same glass on the side towards the street. The wench began with the greatest severity of aspect imaginable, and breathing on the glass, followed it with a dry cloth; her opposite observed her, and fetching a deep sigh, as if it were his last, with a very disconsolate air did the same on his side of the window. He still worked on and languished, until at last his fair one smiled, but covered herself, and spreading the napkin in her hand, concealed herself from her admirer, while he took pains, as it were, to work through all that intercepted their meeting. This pretty contest held for four or five large panes of glass, until at last the waggery was turned into an humorous way of breathing in each other's faces, and catching the impression. The gay creatures were thus loving and pleasing their imaginations with their nearness and distance, until the windows were so transparent that the beauty of the female made the man-servant impatient of beholding it, and the whole house besides being abroad, he ran in, and they romped out of my sight." [132] Steele's monetary troubles made him personally familiar about the time he wrote this play with indentures tripartite, quadrupartite, and otherwise (See _Life of Steele_, 1889, II., 291, 299, &c.). [133] This scene is, of course, entirely original. [134] Patron of cock-fighting. [135] An adaptation, by Thomas Betterton, of Beaumont and Fletcher's _Prophetess_. [136] A comedy, by Shadwell, in which Fribble, a haberdasher, is one of the characters. [137] Pope tells the story of these lovers in a letter to Lady M. W. Montagu. He wrote two poetical epitaphs, one of which, with slight modifications, is given by Steele, and afterwards this prose inscription, which Lord Harcourt thought would be better understood by the common people. [138] A copy of the speech from Pope's edition of Shakespeare, was sent to Steele by William Plaxton, on July 22, 1725; and in the margin Steele wrote: "Mr. Gwillim speaks this speech in the Welsh tone, looking at the gentlemen suspiciously, not speaking improperly, but as he is a Welshman" (Add. MS. 5145c f. 170). [139] Statira, wife of Alexander, is murdered by Roxana, the Bactrian, in Lee's tragedy, _The Rival Queens_. [140] These well-known lines are by Lord Rochester. [141] The only dramatic piece called _The Patriot_ that was in print in Steele's time was Gildon's tragedy (1703); and no such lines as those given here are to be found in it. [142] The MS. has "off."