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SCENE II] LOVE FOR LOVE 225
arc earnest.—I'll avoid 'em.—Come this way, and go and
inquire when Angelica will return. [Exeunt.
SCENE II
A Room in FORESIGHT'S House
Mrs. FORESIGHT and Mrs. FRAIL.
Mrs. Frail. What have you to do to watch me! 'slife, I'll
do what I please.
Mrs. Fore. You will?
Mrs. Frail. Yes, marry will I.—A great piece of business
to go to Covent-Garden square in a hackney-coach, and
take a turn with one's friend!
Mrs. Fore. Nay, two or three turns, I'll take my oath,
Mrs. Frail. Well, what if I took twenty?—I warrant if
you had been there, it had been only innocent recreation.—
Lord, where's the comfort of this life, if we can't have the
happiness of conversing where we like?
Mrs. Fore. But can't you converse at home?—I own it,
I think there is no happiness like conversing with an agreeable
man; I don't quarrel at that, nor I don't think but
your conversation was very innocent; but the place is
public, and to be seen with a man in a hackney-coach is
scandalous: what if anybody else should have seen you
alight, as I did?—How can anybody be happy, while they're
in perpetual fear of being seen and censured?—Besides, it
would not only reflect upon you, sister, but me.
Mrs. Frail. Pooh, here's a clutter!—Why should it reflect
upon you?—I don't doubt but you have thought yourself
happy in a hackney-coach before now.—If I had gone to
Knightsbridge, or to Chelsea, or to Spring Gardens, or
Barn Elms, with a man alone—something might have been
said. 9
9 Spring Garden, a favourite haunt of pleasure between St. James's Park and
Charing Cross, with butts and bowling-green. After the Restoration the entertainments
were removed to the Spring Garden at Lambeth, subsequently called
Vauxhall. We know that Mr. Spectator visited Spring Garden, and how he regretted
he found there more strumpets than nightingales. Knightsbridge was then a
retired and notorious district, where were two somewhat disreputable taverns,
the Swan and the World's End, with gardens attached. Chelsea was also at
that date a place of resort much patronised by cockneys; it was noted for its
bun-house. Swift writes to Stella about the "r-r-r-r-rare Chelsea buns." Barn
Elms had once a fashidnable promenade in which Evelyn loved to swagger,
but at this time it was more famous for the dueli that were fought there.