at
with the great Belly--Sir _Marmaduke Mortgage_'s Wife, that's come to Town
to buy Clouts, her Husband lost his Estate at Roly-poly.--She's mighty Big
indeed, I'm afraid she'll ha' two. Unless one cou'd find out some Plant of
a Husband, with Life and no Soul; a governable, drudging Creature, that
wou'd love, honour and obey his Wife; and know so little of his own
Prerogative, as to change his Name for her.

Mrs. _Lov._ Really, Madam, I'm o' your Opinion, I'd have Petticoat-
Government pass thro' the Nation; the Ladies shou'd possess the Estates,
and make their Husbands a Jointure.

L. _Rod._ While a Woman o' Fortune remains unmarry'd, she's a Petty-Queen;
Lovers innumerable trace her Steps; each Coxcomb thinks to be the happy
Man, and ev'ry were her Presence makes a Court--but when her Reason's once
subdu'd by Love, and the fond, foolish Nymph resigns her Pow'r, she's but
a meer _Appendix_ to a Fellow.

_No more her darling Liberty can boast,
Lovers no more her_ quondam _Beauties toast,
But all her Pleasure, Pride and Charms are lost._

End of the First ACT.

ACT II.

SCENE, _The Park._

_Sir_ Harry_, and the_ Collonel.

_Col._ Never a loose Lady tripping through the _Park_ to whet one's
Appetite this Morning?

Sir _Har._ Fie, _Collonel_, refine your Tast;----A common Woman! I'd as
soon dine at a common Ordinary: Give me a Woman of Condition, there's
Pride as well as Pleasure in such an Amour.

_Col._ Your Women of Condition, Pox on em, are like Noblemen's Dinners,
all Garniture and no Meat, then, the Ceremony of Approach and Retire,
palls a Man's Inclination, 'till he grows indifferent i' the Matter;--
Wou'd you Charm me, give me a ruddy Country Wench to riffe on the Grass,
with no other resistance than,--What a Dickens, is the Man berwattl'd, you
are an impudent, bold Rogue, and I'll call my Mother: Besides, the fear of
Scandal makes your great Ladies preserve a foolish kind of Virtue, their
Principles wou'd fain get rid of.

Sir _Har._ You are deceiv'd, _Collonel_, Women of Quality are above
Reputation.--Is it my Lady _Tipple-dram_'s Modesty, or the effect of
Ratifia, that gives her a high Colour in the Drawing-room?--Is my Lady
_Sluggard_'s Religion question'd, that has never been at Church since her
Baptism, or my Lady _Gamesom_'s Virtue suspected for admiring Collonel
_Sturdy_'s Regiment; both Sexes of Rank, now, use what Liberty they please
without censuring one another,