_Pos._ You had best put up this matter, doctor. A man of your years, when he has been wanton, cannot be too cautious. _Fos._ This is all from the purpose. I was married this morning at seven; let any man in the least acquainted with the powers of nature, judge whether that human creature could be conceiv'd and brought to maturity in one forenoon. _Pos._ This is but talk, doctor Fossile. It is well for you, though I say it, that you have fallen into the hands of a person, who has study'd the civil and canon law in the point of bastardy. The child is either yours or not yours. _Foss._ My child, Mr. Justice! _Pos._ Look ye, doctor Fossile, you confound filiation with legitimation. Lawyers are of opinion, that filiation is necessary to legitimation, but not _è contra_. [_The child cries_ _Foss._ I would not starve any of my own species, get the infant some water-pap. But Mr. Justice---- _Pos._ The proofs, I say, doctor, of filiation are five. Nomination enunciatively pronounc'd, strong presumptions, and circumstantial proofs-- _Foss._ What is all this to me? I tell you I know nothing of the child. _Pos._ Signs of paternal piety, similitude of features, and commerce with the mother. And first of the first, nomination. Has the doctor ever been heard to call the infant, son? _Town._ He has call'd him child, since he came into this room. You have indeed, Mr. Fossile. _Pos._ Bring hither the doctor's great bible.----Let us examine in the blank leaf whether he be enroll'd among the rest of his children. _Foss._ I tell you, I never had any children. I shall grow distracted, I shall---- _Pos._ But did you give any orders against registring the child by the name of Fossile? _Foss._ How was it possible? _Pos._ Set down that, clerk. He did not prohibit the registring the child in his own name. We our selves have observed one sign of fatherly tenderness; clerk, set down the water-pap he order'd just now. Come we may---- _Foss._ What a jargon is this! _Pos._ Come we now, I say, to that which the lawyers call _magnum naturæ argumentum_, similitude of features. Bring hither the child, friend; Dr. Fossile, look upon me. The unequal circle of the infant's face, somewhat resembles the inequality of the circumference of your countenance; he has also the vituline or calf-like concavity of the profile of your visage. _Foss._ Pish. _Pos._ And he is somewhat beetle-brow'd, and his nose will rise with time to an equal prominence with the doctor's. _Town._ Indeed he has somewhat of your nose Mr. Fossile. _Foss._ Ridiculous! _Town._ The child is comely. _Pos._ Consider the large aperture of his mouth. _Sail._ Nay, the tokens are plain enough. I have the fellow of him at home; but my wife told me two days ago, that this with the wall-eye and splay-foot belong'd to you, Sir. [_Prue runs a-cross the stage with a letter, which Fossile snatches from her._