English drama (Comedy); English drama -- 17th century
_Lady Fid._ No, no, no, foh! foh! foh! [_Exeunt_ Lady FIDGET _and_ Mrs.
DAINTY FIDGET.
_Quack._ Now, I think, I, or you yourself, rather, have done your
business with the women.
_Horn._ Thou art an ass. Don't you see already, upon the report, and my
carriage, this grave man of business leaves his wife in my lodgings,
invites me to his house and wife, who before would not be acquainted
with me out of jealousy?
_Quack._ Nay, by this means you may be the more acquainted with the
husbands, but the less with the wives.
_Horn._ Let me alone; if I can but abuse the husbands, I'll soon
disabuse the wives. Stay--I'll reckon you up the advantages I am
like to have by my stratagem. First, I shall be rid of all my old
acquaintances, the most insatiable sort of duns, that invade our
lodgings in a morning; and next to the pleasure of making a new
mistress is that of being rid of an old one, and of all old debts.
Love, when it comes to be so, is paid the most unwillingly.
_Quack._ Well, you may be so rid of your old acquaintances; but how
will you get any new ones?
_Horn._ Doctor, thou wilt never make a good chemist, thou art so
incredulous and impatient. Ask but all the young fellows of the town if
they do not lose more time, like huntsmen, in starting the game, than
in running it down. One knows not where to find 'em; who will or will
not. Women of quality are so civil, you can hardly distinguish love
from good breeding, and a man is often mistaken: but now I can be sure
she that shows an aversion to me loves the sport, as those women that
are gone, whom I warrant to be right. And then the next thing is, your
women of honour, as you call 'em, are only chary of their reputations,
not their persons; and 'tis scandal they would avoid, not men. Now
may I have, by the reputation of an eunuch, the privileges of one,
and be seen in a lady's chamber in a morning as early as her husband;
kiss virgins before their parents or lovers; and may be, in short, the
_passe-partout_ of the town. Now, doctor.
_Quack._ Nay, now you shall be the doctor; and your process is so new
that we do not know but it may succeed.
_Horn._ Not so new neither; _probatum est_, doctor.
_Quack._ Well, I wish you luck, and many patients, whilst I go to mine.
[_Exit._
_Enter_ HARCOURT _and_ DORILANT.
_Har._ Come, your appearance at the play yesterday, has, I hope,
hardened you for the future against the women's contempt, and the
men's raillery; and now you'll abroad as you were wont.
_Horn._ Did I not bear it bravely?
_Dor._ With a most theatrical impudence, nay, more than the
orange-wenches show there, or a drunken vizard-mask, or a great-bellied
actress; nay, or the most impudent of creatures, an ill poet; or what
is yet more impudent, a second-hand critic.
_Horn._ But what say the ladies? have they no pity?
_Har._ What ladies? The vizard-masks, you know, never pity a man when
all's gone, though in their service.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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