_Jup._ I ask it now, because my tenderness Surpasses that of husbands for their wives. O that you loved like me! then you would find A thousand, thousand niceties in love. The common love of sex to sex is brutal; But love refined will fancy to itself Millions of gentle cares, and sweet disquiets; The being happy is not half the joy; The manner of their happiness is all. In me, my charming mistress, you behold A lover that disdains a lawful title, Such as of monarchs to successive thrones; The generous lover holds by force of arms, And claims his crown by conquest. _Alcm._ Methinks you should be pleased; I give you all A virtuous and modest wife can give. _Jup._ No, no; that very name of wife and marriage Is poison to the dearest sweets of love; To please my niceness, you must separate The lover from his mortal foe--the husband. Give to the yawning husband your cold virtue; But all your vigorous warmth, your melting sighs, Your amorous murmurs, be your lover's part. _Alcm._ I comprehend not what you mean, my lord; But only love me still, and love me thus, And think me such as best may please your thought. _Jup._ There's mystery of love in all I say.-- Farewell; and when you see your husband next, Think of your lover then. [_Exeunt_ JUP. _and_ ALCM. _severally_; PHÆD. _follows her_. _Merc._ [_Alone._] Now I should follow him; but love has laid a lime-twig for me, and made a lame god of me. Yet why should I love this Phædra? She's interested, and a jilt into the bargain. Three thousand years hence, there will be a whole nation of such women, in a certain country, that will be called France; and there's a neighbour island, too, where the men of that country will be all interest. O what a precious generation will that be, which the men of the island shall propagate out of the women of the continent!-- PHÆDRA _re-enters_. And so much for prophecy; for she's here again, and I must love her, in spite of me. And since I must, I have this comfort, that the greatest wits are commonly the greatest cullies; because neither of the sexes can be wiser than some certain parts about them will give them leave. _Phæd._ Well, Sosia, and how go matters? _Merc._ Our army is victorious. _Phæd._ And my servant, judge Gripus? _Merc._ A voluptuous gormand. _Phæd._ But has he gotten wherewithal to be voluptuous; is he wealthy? _Merc._ He sells justice as he uses; fleeces the rich rebels, and hangs up the poor. _Phæd._ Then, while he has money, he may make love to me. Has he sent me no token? _Merc._ Yes, a kiss; and by the same token I am to give it you, as a remembrance from him. _Phæd._ How now, impudence! A beggarly serving-man presume to kiss me? _Merc._ Suppose I were a god, and should make love to you? _Phæd._ I would first be satisfied, whether you were a poor god, or a rich god.