The ladies may be always sure of commanding that, answers I, but pray explain yourselves more particularly. _For my part, says_ Thalestris, _having formerly been happy in the embraces of_ Alexander _the great, I could never fancy anything but a soldier ever since. Why our military men_, says I, _have been always famous for attacking and carrying all places before them, but pray tell me the happy person’s name, whom you have singled from the rest of his sex to honour with your affection? With the malicious world_, continues she, _he passes for a bully, but I call him my lovely charming Capt._ Dawson; _’tis true, I am not altogether disagreeable to this cruel insensible; he likes the majesty of my person, my humour and wit well enough; but t’other morning he told me, over a porringer of burnt brandy, when people are apt to unbosom themselves, that he had an unconquerable aversion to red hair, and so I am come to see whether you have any relief for this misfortune, as you promise in your bills. This is no business of mine_, says I to her, _but my wife’s who’ll soon redress your grievances, and furnish you with a leaden comb and my_ Anti-Erythræan _unguent, which after two or three applications will make you as fair or as brown as you desire_. And having said so, address’d myself to her companion, and enquir’d of her what she came for? _I am up to the ears in love, says_ Christiana, _with a jolly smock-fac’d duchess’s chaplain lately arriv’d in these parts; I have already signify’d my passion to him, both after the antient and modern way, persecuted him with_ Latin _and_ French billet-deux, _for which I was always famous: but this stubborn_ Theologue _tells me my face is too masculine for him, and particularly quarrels with the irregularity of my forehead and eyebrows. Those will easily be recftify’d by my wife_, says I: _and now, Madam, will you give me leave to ask you a civil question or two?_ a hundred, my dear _seignior_, answers she very obligingly. _To be short then_, says I, _a certain_ French _author, who has writ the memoirs of your life, has been pleas’d positively to assert, that your majesty went thro’ at least one half of the college of cardinals, and that two or three popes were suspected of being familiar with you. I wanted_, answers she, _no sort of consolation from those noble personages, while I liv’d at_ Rome; _and to convince you how well I am satisfied in their abilities, by my good will, I would have to do with none but ecclesiasticks; for besides that they eat and drink plentifully, and by consequence want no vigour, they possess another no less commendable quality, and that is taciturnity. I applaud your judgment_, replies I, _for your churchmen are true feeders and thundering performers. No body knows that better than myself_, says Christiana, _and take my word for it, one robust well-chined priest is worth a hundred of your lean half starv’d captains. I’ll never hear the