ridiculous by appearing eternally in her odious embroidery?—I can't fee her now. -But, perhaps, I may want her for fome trivial thing or other.-Let ⚫ her call again to-morrow.' Serv. The anti-chamber, Madam, is crowded with tradespeople. Phil. Did not I tell you that I would not be troubled with those impertinent creatures? -But hold-I had forgot I fent for 'em.-Let 'em wait. Lefb. But if those foreign merchants who lately came into port are among 'em • Phil. There, fifter, is all my hope. I fhall be hor• ridly disappointed if they don't fhew us fomething charming. Lefb. Should any woman alive get fight of their things before us Phil. I could not bear it.To appear in what another woman had refufed would make the creature fo intolerably vain! Lefb. Are thofe merchants, I afk you, among 'em?" Serv. They have been waiting, Madam, above this half hour. Lesb. And did not you know our impatience? How could you be so stupid ?'- -Let us fee them this inftant. Enter Ulyffes, Diomedes, Agyrtes, difguifed as merchants. Art. Unless you have any thing that is abfolutely new and very uncommon, you will give us and yourfelves, gentlemen, but unneceffary trouble. Uly. Our experience, Madam, must have profited very little by the honour of dealing with ladies, if we could imagine they could poffibly be pleased twice with the fame thing. Diom. You might as well offer 'em the fame lover. Ubf. We have learned the good manners, Madam, to diftinguifh our customers.To produce any thing that had ever been seen before, would be a downright infult upon the genius of a lady of quality. Diom. Novelty is the very spirit of dress. Leb. Let me die, if the fellows don't talk charmingly! Leb. 'Tis evident they must have had dealings with ladies of condition. Diom. We only wait your commands.' Ulf. We have things of all kinds, ladies. Phil. Of all kinds! -Now that is just what I wanted to fee. Lefb. Are not thefe, fifter, moft delightful creatures?' Uly. We know a lady can never fix, unless we first cloy her curiofity. Diom. And if variety can please, we have every thing that fancy can wish. 'AIR XLIX. The Bob-tail Lafs. In drefs and love by like defires Is woman's heart perplex'd; The man and the gown the one day admires, • The more you are fickle, we're more employ'd, For men are as fickle, and foon are cloy'd, Lefb. But, dear man, confider our impatience. < Ulyf. Would you command the things, ladies, to be brought here, or would you fee 'em in your own apartment? Phil. How intolerably these fellows love talking! Ulyf. Nay, 'tis not, Madam, that our goods can be put out of countenance by the moft glaring lightas for that matter Lefb. Nay, pr'ythee, fellow have done. [Diomedes goes out and returns with Agyrtes.' Ulf. I would not offer you these pearls, ladies, if the world could produce fuch another pair. Phil. A pair, fellow- -Doft thou think that jewels pair like men and women, because they were never made to agree? 4 Diem. Diom. Now, ladies, here is all that art can fhew you. Open the packer. Lef. This very individual pattern, in a blue pink, had been infinitely charming. Phil. Don't you think it pretty, Deidamia? fo delightful a mixture! Diom. So foft! fo mellow! Ulf. So advantageous for the complexion! Never was Lefb. I can't bear it, man; the colour is frightful. Phil. I hate our own tame home-bred fancy. Į Own I like the defign-but take it away, man. Art. There must be fomething pretty in every thing that is foreign. [Ulyffes hers another piece. Deid. I am fure, Madam, this must convince you to the contrary.. Never was any thing fo deteftable! Le. For heaven's fake, Sir, open that other packet; and take away this hideous trumpery. Uby. How could'st thou make this mistake? was fuch an eternal blunderer. Never [Opens the armour. Phil. How ridiculous is this accident! at least equip us for the camp. You fee, Philoe, they can Phil. Nay, Lefbia, for that matter it might ferve many a stiff aukward creature that we fee every day in the drawing-room; for their drefs is every way as abfurd and prepofterous.' [Another packet opened. Ulf. If your expectations, ladies, are not now an fwered, let fancy own herself at a ftand. 'Tis inimitable! 'Tis irrefiftible! Lyf. For heaven's fake, lady Pyrrha-Nay, dear child, how can any creature have fo little curiofity? [As the ladies are employed in examining the ftuffs, Achilles is handling and poifing the armour. Ulyffes objervving him. Acbil. The workmanship is curious; and juftly mounted! This very fword feems fitted to my hand.--The fhield too is fo little cumberfome; fo very eafy !-Was Hector here, the fate of Troy fhould this inftant be decided.- -How my heart burns to meet him! Uhyf. [Afide to Diom.] That intrepid air! That god E 2 like like look! It must be he! His nature, his difpofition fhews him through the difguife. (To Achilles.] Son of Thetis, I know thee, Greece demands thee, and now, Achilles, the house of Priam shakes, Ach. But what are you, friend, who thus prefume to know me? Uh. You cannot be a stranger, Sir, to the name of Ulyffes. Ach. As I have long honoured, I shall now endea6 vour, Sir, to emulate your fame.' Ulyf. Know, Sir, Diomedes; he too is ambitious to attend you, and partake your glory. Diom. Come, Agyrtes; with him we carry conquest to the confederates. [Agyrtes takes a trumpet which lays among ft the armour, and founds.' AIR L. My Dame hath a lame tame Crane. Ulf. Thy fate then, Oh, Troy, is decreed. Achil. How I burn for the fight. Diom. Hark, glory calls. Achil. Now great Hector fhall bleed. Agyr. Fame hall our deeds requite. [As Achilles is going off, he turns and looks on Deidamia, 'AIR LI. Geminiani's Minuet. Ach. Beauty weeps.-Ay, why that languish ? How can I leave her? my heart feels her anguifli! Trumpet founds, and be takes 'em up again.. AIR LI. My Dame hath a lame, &c. as before, fung in Four Parts as a Catch. Uy. Thy fate then, Oh, Troy, is decreed. • Diom. Hark, glory calls. Now great Hector fhall bleed. Agar. 6 Agyr. Fame fhall our deeds requite. [As they are going, Achilles flops with his eyes fixed on Deidamia.' Art. For heaven's fake, ladies, fupport Deidamia. Phil. Never was any thing fo aftonishing!' Lefb. Run then, Artemona, and acquaint the king and queen with what hath happened. [Exit Art. Phil. Ah, fifter, fifter, the mystery then of that particular intimacy between you and Pyrrha is at last unravelled. Leb. Now if it had not been a man of this prodigious confequence, it had been the fame thing. Sure never was unguarded woman fo unaccountably • lucky!' -Can you? Deid. Can you leave me, Achilles? Uly. Think of the honour of Greece. Save my ho • Deid. Think of your folemn oaths and promises. Uly. Nations depend upon you.'-Victory, Sir, calls you hence. Deid. Can you, Achilles, be perfidious? Ulyf. Can you lofe your glory in the arms of a woman? Deid. Can you facrifice the fame of your faithful Deidamia? |