And now the modish 'prentice he implores,
Who, with his master's cash, stol'n out of doors,
Employs it on a brace of honourable whores:

While their good bulky mother pleas'd, sits by,
Bawd regent of the bubble gallery.

Next to our mounted friends, we humbly move,
Who all your side-box tricks are much above,
And never fail to pay us with your love.
Ah, friends! poor Dorset garden-house is gone;
Our merry meetings there are all undone:
Quite lost to us, sure for some strange misdeeds,
That strong dog Sampson's pull'd it o'er our heads,
Snaps rope like thread; but when his fortune's told him,
He'll hear, perhaps, of rope will one day hold him:
At least, I hope, that our good-natur'd town,
Will find a way to pull his prices down.

Well, that's all! Now, gentlemen, for the play,
On second thoughts, I've but two words to say,
Such as it is, for your delight design'd,

Hear it, read, try, judge, and speak as you find.

THE

CONSTANT COUPLE;

OR,

A TRIP TO THE JUBILEE.

ACT 1. SCENE 1.

The Park. Enter VIZARD with a Letter, his Servant

following.

Vizard.

ANGELICA send it back unopened ! say you?

Serv. As you see, sir.

Viz. The pride of these virtuous women is more insufferable than the immodesty of prostitutes-After all my encouragement, to slight me thus!

Serv. She said, sir, that imagining your morals sincere, she gave you access to her conversation; but that your late behaviour in her company has convinced her that your love and religion are both hypocrisy, and that she believes your letter like your

self, fair on the outside, and foul within; so sent it back unopened.

Viz. "May obstinacy guard her beauty till wrin"kles bury it; then may desire prevail to make her "curse that untimely pride her disappointed age repents.”—I'll be revenged the very first opportu-Saw you the old Lady Darling, her mother? Serv. Yes, sir, and she was pleased to say much in your commendation.

nity.

Viz. That's my cue-An esteem grafted in old age is hardly rooted out; years stiffen their opinions with their bodies, and old zeal is only to be cozened by young hypocrisy. [Aside.] Run to the Lady Lurewell's, and know of her maid whether her ladyship will be at home this evening. Her beauty is sufficient cure for Angelica's scorn.

[Exit Servant. Vizard pulls out a book, reads, and walks about.

Enter SMUGGLER.

Smug. Ay, there's a pattern for the young men o' th' times; at his meditation so early; some book of pious ejaculations, I'm sure.

Viz. This Hobbes is an excellent fellow [Aside.] Oh, uncle Smuggler! To find you at this end o' th’ town is a miracle.

Smug. I have seen a miracle this morning indeed, cousin Vizard.

Viz. What is it, pray, sir?

Smug. A man at his devotion so near the court

I'm very glad, boy, that you keep your sanctity untainted in this infectious place; the very air of this park is heathenish, and every man's breath I meet scents of atheism.

Viz. Surely, sir, some great concern must bring you to this unsanctified end of the town.

Smug. A very unsanctified concern truly, cousin.
Viz. What is it?

Smug. A law-suit, boy-Shall I tell you?-My. ship, the Swan, is newly arrived from St. Sebastian, laden with Portugal wines: now the impudent rogue of a tide-waiter has the face to affirm it is French wines in Spanish casks, and has indicted me upon the statute- —Oh, conscience! conscience! these tidewaiters and surveyors plague us more with their French wines than the war did with French privateers- -Ay, there's another plague of the nation

Enter Colonel STANDARD.

Ared coat and feather.

Viz. Colonel Standard, I'm your humble servant. Stand. May be not, sir.

Viz. Why so?

Stand. Because I'm disbanded.

Viz. How! Broke?

Stand. This very morning, in Hyde-Park, my brave regiment, a thousand men, that looked like lions yesterday, were scattered, and looked as poor and simple as the herd of deer that grazed beside them.