such beauty, and be silent?
Desire first taught us words. Man, when created,
At first alone long wander'd up and down
Forlorn and silent as his vassal beasts:
But when a heav'n-born maid, like you, appear'd,
Strange pleasures fill'd his eyes and fir'd his heart,
Unloos'd his tongue, and his first talk was love.

_Mon._ The first created pair indeed were bless'd;
They were the only objects of each other,
Therefore he courted her, and her alone;
But in this peopled world of beauty, where
There's roving room, where you may court, and ruin
A thousand more, why need you talk to me?

_Pol._ Oh! I could talk to thee for ever. Thus
Eternally admiring, fix, and gaze,
On those dear eyes; for every glance they send
Darts through my soul.

_Mon._ How can you labour thus for my undoing?
I must confess, indeed, I owe you more
Than ever I can hope, or think, to pay.
There always was a friendship 'twixt our families;
And therefore when my tender parents dy'd,
Whose ruin'd fortunes too expir'd with them,
Your father's pity and his bounty took me,
A poor and helpless orphan, to his care.

_Pol._ 'Twas Heav'n ordain'd it so, to make me happy.
Hence with this peevish virtue, 'tis a cheat;
And those who taught it first were hypocrites.
Come, these soft tender limbs were made for yielding.

_Mon._ Here, on my knees, by heav'n's blest pow'r I swear, [_kneels._
If you persist, I ne'er henceforth will see you,
But rather wander through the world a beggar,
And live on sordid scraps at proud men's doors;
For, though to fortune lost, I'll still inherit
My mother's virtues, and my father's honour.

_Pol._ Intolerable vanity! your sex
Was never in the right! y'are always false,
Or silly; ev'n your dresses are not more
Fantastic than your appetites; you think
Of nothing twice; opinion you have none.
To-day y'are nice, to-morrow not so free;
Now smile, then frown; now sorrowful, then glad;
Now pleas'd, now not: and all, you know not why!

_Mon._ Indeed, my lord,
I own my sex's follies; I have 'em all;
And, to avoid its fault, must fly from you.
Therefore, believe me, could you raise me high
As most fantastic woman's wish could reach,
And lay all nature's riches at my feet;
I'd rather run a savage in the woods,
Amongst brute beasts, grow wrinkled and deform'd,
So I might still enjoy my honour safe,
From the destroying wiles of faithless men. [_exit._

_Pol._ Who'd be that sordid thing call'd man?
I'll yet possess my lov