Ge. And I wish you double what you wish me.

Sy. What are you doing?

Ge. I am talking.

Sy. What!  By yourself?

Ge. As you see.

Sy. It may be you are talking to yourself, and then you ought to see to it that you talk to an honest Man.

Ge. Nay, I am conversing with a very facetious Companion.

Sy. With whom?

Ge. With Apuleius.

Sy. That I think you are always doing, but the Muses love Intermission; you study continually.

Ge. I am never tired with Study.

Sy. It may be so, but yet you ought to set Bounds; though Study ought not to be omitted, yet it ought sometimes to be intermitted; Studies are not to be quite thrown aside, yet they ought for a While to be laid aside; there is nothing pleasant that wants Variety; the seldomer Pleasures are made use of the pleasanter they are.  You do nothing else but study.  You are always studying.  You are continually at your Books.  You read incessantly.  You study Night and Day.  You never are but a studying.  You are continually at your Study.  You are always intent upon your Books.  You know no End of, nor set no Bound to Study.  You give yourself no Rest from your Studies.  You allow yourself no Intermission in, nor ever give over studying.

Ge. Very well!  This is like you.  You banter me as you use to do.  You make a Game of me.  You joke upon me.  You satyrize me.  You treat me with a Sneer.  I see how you jeer me well enough.  You only jest with me.  I am your Laughing-stock.  I am laugh’d at by you.  You make yourself merry with me.  You make a meer Game and Sport of me.  Why don’t you put me on Asses Ears too?  My Books, that are all over dusty and mouldy, shew how hard a Studier I am.

Sy. Let me die if I don’t speak my Mind.  Let me perish if I don’t speak as I think.  Let me not live if I dissemble.  I speak what I think.  I speak the Truth.  I speak seriously.  I speak from my Heart.  I speak nothing but what I think.

* * * * *

Why don’t you come to see me?

Ge. What’s the Matter you ha’n’t come to see me all this While?  What’s the Matter you visit me so seldom?  What has happen’d to you that you never have come at me for so long Time?  Why are you so seldom a Visitor?  What is the Meaning that you never come near one for so long Time?  What has hinder’d you that you have come to see me no oftner?  What has prevented you that you have never let me have the Opportunity of seeing you for this long Time?

* * * * *

I could not by Reason of Business.