FIRST LADY
Extremely obliged to you for your attentions; but don’t want a partner.

SECOND LADY
Greatly flattered by your preference; but believe I shall remain single.

THIRD LADY
Shall always acknowledge your politeness; but have no thoughts of
altering my condition.

FOURTH LADY
Always be happy to respect you as a friend; but you must not look for
any thing further.

FIFTH LADY
No doubt of your ability to make any woman happy; but have no thoughts
of changing my name.

SIXTH LADY Must tell you, Sir, that if by your insinuations, you think to prevail with me, you have got the wrong sow by the ear.  Does he think any lady would go to pig with him?

OLD LADY
Must beg you to be less particular in your addresses to me.  Does he take
me for a Jew, to long after forbidden meats?

MR. H. I shall go mad!—­to be refused by old Mother Damnable—­she that’s so old, nobody knows whether she was ever married or no, but passes for a maid by courtesy; her juvenile exploits being beyond the farthest stretch of tradition!—­old Mother Damnable!

[Exeunt all, either pitying or seeming to avoid him.]

SCENE.—­The Street.  BELVIL and another Gentleman.

BELVIL Poor Jack, I am really sorry for him.  The account which you give me of his mortifying change of reception at the assembly, would be highly diverting, if it gave me less pain to hear it.  With all his amusing absurdities, and amongst them not the least, a predominant desire to be thought well of by the fair sex, he has an abundant share of good nature, and is a man of honour.  Notwithstanding all that has happened, Melesinda may do worse than take him yet.  But did the women resent it so deeply as you say?

GENTLEMAN O intolerably—­they fled him as fearfully when ’twas once blown, as a man would be avoided, who was suddenly discovered to have marks of the plague, and as fast; when before they had been ready to devour the foolishest thing he could say.

BELVIL Ha! ha! so frail is the tenure by which these women’s favourites commonly hold their envied pre-eminence.  Well, I must go find him out and comfort him.  I suppose, I shall find him at the inn.

GENTLEMAN
Either there or at Melesinda’s.—­Adieu.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE.—­MR. H——­’S Apartment.

MR. H. (solus) Was ever any thing so mortifying? to be refused by old Mother Damnable!—­with such parts and address,—­and the little squeamish devils, to dislike me for a name, a sound.—­O my cursed name! that it was something I could be revenged on! if it were alive, that I might tread upon it, or crush it, or pummel it, or kick it, or spit it out—­for it sticks in my throat and will choak me.