[Footnote 3: "This distress," says Mr D--, "I must allow to be extremely beautiful, and tends to heighten the virtuous character of Dollallolla, who is so exceeding delicate, that she is in the highest apprehension from the inanimate embrace of a bolster. An example worthy of imitation for all our writers of tragedy."] _King_. Come to my arms, most virtuous of thy sex! Oh, Dollallolla! were all wives like thee, So many husbands never had worn horns. Should Huncamunca of thy worth partake, Tom Thumb indeed were blest.--Oh, fatal name, For didst thou know one quarter what I know, Then would'st thou know--Alas! what thou would'st know! _Queen_. What can I gather hence? Why dost thou speak Like men who carry rareeshows about? "Now you shall see, gentlemen, what you shall see." O, tell me more, or thou hast told too much. SCENE V.--KING, QUEEN, NOODLE. _Nood_. Long life attend your majesties serene, Great Arthur, king, and Dollallolla, queen! Lord Grizzle, with a bold rebellious crowd, Advances to the palace, threat'ning loud, Unless the princess be deliver'd straight, And the victorious Thumb, without his pate, They are resolv'd to batter down the gate. SCENE VI.--KING, QUEEN, HUNCAMUNCA, NOODLE. _King_. See where the princess comes! Where is Tom Thumb? _Hunc_. Oh! sir, about an hour and half ago He sallied out t' encounter with the foe, And swore, unless his fate had him misled, From Grizzle's shoulders to cut off his head, And serve't up with your chocolate in bed. _King_. 'Tis well, I found one devil told us both. Come, Dollallolla, Huncamunca, come; Within we'll wait for the victorious Thumb; In peace and safety we secure may stay, While to his arm we trust the bloody fray; Though men and giants should conspire with gods, [1] He is alone equal to all these odds. [Footnote 1: "Credat Judaeus Appella, Non ego," says Mr D--. "For, passing over the absurdity of being equal to odds, can we possibly suppose a little insignificant fellow--I say again, a little insignificant fellow--able to vie with a strength which all the Samsons and Herculeses of antiquity would be unable to encounter?" I shall refer this incredulous critick to Mr Dryden's defence of his Almanzor; and, lest that should not satisfy him, I shall quote a few lines from the speech of a much braver fellow than Almanzor, Mr Johnson's Achilles: Though human race rise in embattled hosts, To force her from my arms--Oh! son of Atreus! By that immortal pow'r, whose deathless spirit Informs this earth, I will oppose them all.--_Victim_. ]