To such faint stomach-qualms; no cordials comfort The business of thy thoughts, for aught I see: What ails thee, man? be merry, hang up jealousies. Liv. Who, I? I jealous? no, no, here's no cause Of music in all changes, neat attendance, Troy. And yet your reason cannot answer ter In safety from those charms, I must confess Troy. But you could not, I can assure you; for 'twere then scarce possible Troy. Briefly partake a secret; but be sure To lodge it in the inmost of thy bosom, Where memory may not find it for discovery; By our firm truth of friendship, I require thee. Liv. By our firm truth of friendship, I subscribe To just conditions. Troy. Our great uncle-marquis, Disabled from his cradle, by an impotence Of active manhood, more than what affections Should he transcend the bounds his weakness limits. Liv. On; I attend with eagerness. Troy. 'Tis strange Such natural defects at no time check A full and free sufficiency of spirit, Which flows, both in so clear and fix'd a strength, In fine proportion of the mind; a word He is a dangerous threat'ning; but to women, Liv. Good, good-Troylo. Oh, that I had a lusty faith to credit it, Though none of all this wonder should be possible! Liv. News admirable! 'tis, 'tis so-pish, I know Yet he has a kind heart of his own to girls, Troy. Hardly that too; t To look upon fresh beauties, to discourse To hear them play or sing, and see them dance; To pass the time in pretty amorous questions, Read a chaste verse of love, or prattle riddles, Is th' height of his temptations. Liv. Send him joy on't! Troy. His choices are not of the courtly train, Nor city's practice; but the country's innocence; Such as are gentle born, not meanly; such, To whom both gawdiness and ape-like fashions Are monstrous; such as cleanliness and decency` Prompt to a virtuous envy; such as study Aknowledge of no danger, but themselves. Liv. Well, I have liv'd in ignorance: the an cients, 1 Who chatted of the golden age, feign'd trifles. Had they dreamt this, they would have truth'd it heaven;9 I mean an earthly heaven; less it is not! Troy. Yet is this bachelor-miracle not free From the epidemical headach. Liv. The yellows? Troy. Huge jealous fits; admitting none to enter But me, his page and barber, with an eunuch, "Tis ominous in nature. Troy. Not in policy: Being his heir, I may take truce a little, With mine own fortunes. Liv. Knowing how things stand too. Troy. At certain seasons, as the humour takes him, A set of music are permitted peaceably To cheer their solitariness, provided They are strangers, not acquainted near the city; ? They would have truth'd it heaven.] Our poet uses truth, whether as a substantive (vol. i. p. 16), or, as in this place, a verb, in a way somewhat peculiar to himself. It here means, they would have affirmed, maintained, as a truth, that this society was heaven. His barber is the master to instruct The lasses both in song and dance, by him Liv. A caution Happily studied. Troy, Farther to prevent Suspicion, he has married his young barber Liv. Yes, and properly, Since all his recreations are in fancy. So to bestow them all, and turn them Fancies!— Troy. Something remains, which in conclusion shortly, Shall take thee fuller. [Music within. -Hark, the wedding jollity! With a bride-cake on my life, to grace the nuptials! Perhaps the ladies will turn songsters. Liv. Silence! A SONG within. After which, enter in procession, with the bride-cake, SECCO and MOROSA, with CASTAMELA, FLORIA, CLARELLA, SILVIA, SPADONE, and Musicians. Sec. Passing neat and exquisite, I protest, fair creatures. These honours to our solemnity are |