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134 WILLIAM CONGREVE [ACT II
Lord Froth, Ah, that's all.
Brisk. [To Lady FROTH.] Your ladyship's in the right;
but, egad, I'm wholly turned into satire. I confess I write
but seldom, but when I do—keen iambics, egad! But my
lord was telling me, your ladyship has made an essay
toward an heroic poem.
Lady Froth. Did my lord tell you? yes, I vow, and the
subject is my lord's love to me. And what do you think
I call it? I dare swear you won't guess—"The Syllabub";
ha! ha! ha!
Brisk. Because my lord's title's Froth, egad; ha! ha! ha!
deuce take me, very a propos and surprising, ha! hal ha!
Lady Froth. He! ay, is not it?—And then I call my
lord Spurnoso, and myself—what d'ye think I call myself?
Bris\. Lactilla, maybe:—'gad I cannot tell.
Lady Froth. Biddy, that's all; just my own name.
Brisk. Biddy! egad, very pretty!—Deuce take me if your
ladyship has not the art of surprising the most naturally
in the world!—I hope you'll make me happy in communicating
the poem.
Lady Froth. O you must be my confidant, I must ask
your advice.
Brisk. I'm your humble servant, let me perish!—I presume
your ladyship has read Bossu?
Ladv Froth. O yes, and Rapin, and Dacier upon Aristotle
and Horace.—My lord, you must not be jealous, I'm communicating
all to Mr. Brisk.
Lord Froth. No, no, I'll allow Mr. Brisk; have you
nothing about you to show him, my dear?
Lady Froth. Yes, I believe I have.—Mr. Brisk, come, will
you go into the next room, and there I'll show you what I
have.
Lord Froth. I'll walk a turn in the garden, and come to
you. \Exeunt Lord and Lady FROTH and BRISK.
Mel. You're thoughtful, Cynthia?
Cyn. I'm thinking, though marriage makes man and
wife one flesh, it leaves them still two fools; and they
become more conspicuous by setting off one another.
Mel. That's only when two fools meet, and their follies
arc opposed.
Cyn. Nay, I have known two wits meet, and by the
opposition of their wit render themselves as ridiculous as