The Covent Garden Theatre Part 7

Hyd.

Mr. Pasquin your Friend Marforio was mistaken in this Lady; she is a Woman of Fashion, the Celebrated Lady Lucy Loveit, who has made great part of the Tour of Europe in Cavalier.

Pas.

Sir I have had the Honour of seeing the Lady Abroad, the last time I perform'd upon the Italian Theatre in Paris.

Ly. Lucy.

Well Mr. Pasquin, tho' I am brought before you, As an Offender, I am vastly glad to see you in England. perhaps they may not relish you at first but I am sure you will take when once the Canaille come to understand you. I'll send you a thousand Anecdotes of my own Acquaintance. I will let you into the Secrets of every Intrigue, Family, and Character, from Pall. Mall to Grosvenor Square.

Pas.

That will hit my plans exactly, Madam.

Ly. Lucy.

I know it will [#whispers to him#] let me tell you there are some Characters present wou'd make Admirable Sport upon the Stage. there is Miss Single-Life, that pretended Old Maid is an immense fine one. I can give you all the Out-lines & some of the most glaring Colours of her Character.

Pas.

Madam, I shall take it as a Singular Favour.

Ly. Lucy.

I'll give it aloud before her Face, as of another Person, Mr. Pasquin.

Pas.

O dear Madam, that will be vastly kind, and quite polite.

Ly. Lucy.

Miss Dy-- My dear, I am going to describe a Character to Seignior Pasquin for his next piece.

Dia.

Madam, the Company will be ineffably Oblig'd to you.

Ly. Lucy.

You must know, my dear, the History of the Lady is this-- Her Intellects are as odd and as aukward as her Person; her mind a Composition of Hypocrisy and Vanity; her Head, like the Study of Don Quixot, Stuffed with the exploded-- Romances-- of the two last Centuries-- her Style the quaint Quintessence of Romantic Fustian, and her Manners those of a Princess in an Inchanted Castle.

Omn.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Dia.

Your Ladyship has a most masterly Hand in Colouring.

Ly Lucy.

The vain Creature endeavours to pa.s.s upon the World for five and twenty-- A Maid & Strictly Virtuous-- but is fifty at least-- grey as a Badger-- has had three Children-- one by her Coachman-- One by a Horse Granadier-- and one by her present Friend-- the tall Straping Irishman, whom they call the Captain. ha, ha, ha.

Omn.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Hyd.

My dear Lady Lucy, you are the very Hogarth of Ridicule, there is no mistaking the-- Original [#apart#] see, see poor Miss Dy. how She Miffs.

the strapping Irishman was too plain.

Omn.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, O too plain, too plain.

Ly. Lucy Not in the least, it will give the Old Lady a Complexion, She wants it, besides I was Indebted to her, for a full length She gave of me the other Day, to a Country Gentlewoman at Lady Tattle-Tongues

Miss Dia.

There is no being blind to this. I must return the Civility [#aside#]

And pray Mr. Pasquin let me recommend a Character to Your Worship.

Hyd.

Ay, now, now for it Lady Lucy, She'll [#apart#] draw your Likeness.

Ly. Lucy.

Sir, She has my leave, tho' She had the Talents of a Brugier with the Ill nature of a Swift.

Miss Dia.

The Character I mean Sir, is not immaginary, invented by Slander and Malice, but a true Copy of a universally known Original, which is a trifling, wanton femal Rake: composed of Folly, rudeness, and Indecency.

whose Vanity is in pursuit of ev'ry Fellow of Fashion She Sees, and whose Life is a continual Round of vain Inconstancy.

Omn.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Ly Lucy.

Very good out-lines upon Honour-- I fancy her Malice will Stir up some tollerable Ideas-- pray proceed Madam, ha, ha, ha, [#_laughing ridiculously & mimick'd by the other_#]

M. Dia.

Ha, ha, ha, O Lud Madam, I intended it-- I shall finish up the Picture to a perfect Resemblance, you may depend upon it. ha, ha, ha, ha.

Ly Lucy.

Well, you are an agreeable, young, blooming, giddy Creature; and really Miss your little-- youthfull prettiness becomes you. But Miss Dy-- the Charactor, the Charactor-- come I'll Sit for you; to quicken your Ideas-- you left off at vain Inconstancy.

Miss Dia.

I did so Madam-- and I will take it up at her affected Taste and Politeness if you please which Consist in praising ev'ry thing that's Foreign and in constantly ridiculing the Customs and Manners of her own Country tho' She herself is the most ridiculous Objection in the Nation.

ha, ha.

Omn.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

Ly. Lucy.

Admiral! I vow Miss Dy. You have a very Lively Immagination-- at your Years, ha, ha, ha-- and very Charecteristic. I am amazed You never writ a Comedy. ha-- ha-- ha-- ha.

Miss Dia.

When I do Madam, You may be sure I shall enliven it with Lady Lucy Loveit's Character.

Ly. Lucy.

She will be vastly Oblig'd to you-- for you will certainly do it great Iustice.

Sr. Rog.

Zounds Ladies have done with Your abuse and let the Farce go on; It was funny enough at First, but you continue it too long.

Com.