am _Sphinx_, and you
shall be _Oedipus_.

_Ch. Austin_, tell me truly, have you had no Conversation with _French_
Men, have you had no Affinity with them? Had you nothing to do with
them?

_Au._ None at all, indeed.

_Ch._ Then you are so much the worse.

_Au._ But perhaps I have had to do with _French_ Women.

_Ch._ Will you have any of this Goose's Liver? This was look'd upon as a
great Delicacy by the Ancients.

_Au._ I will refuse nothing that comes from your Hand.

_Ch._ You must not expect _Roman_ Dainties.

_Au._ What are they?

_Ch._ Thistles, Cockles, Tortoises, Conger-Eels, Mushrooms, Truffles,
etc.

_Au._ I had rather have a Turnip than any of them. You are liberal and
bountiful, _Christian_.

_Ch._ No Body touches these Partridges nor the Pigeons, to-Morrow is a
Fast-Day appointed by the Church; prepare against that Hunger; Ballast
your Ship against the impending Storm. War is a coming, furnish your
Belly with Provision.

_Au._ I wish you had kept that Word in, we should have risen from Supper
more merrily. You torment us before the Time.

_Ch._ Why so?

_Au._ Because I hate Fish worse than I do a Snake.

_Ch._ You are not alone.

_Au._ Who brought in this troublesome Custom?

_Ch._ Who order'd you to take Aloes, Wormwood and Scammony in Physick?

_Au._ But these Things are given to Folks that are sick.

_Ch._ So these Things are given to them that are too well. It is better
sometimes to be sick, than to be too well.

_Au._ In my Opinion the _Jews_ themselves did not labour under such a
Burden. Indeed I could easily refrain from Eels and Swines Flesh, if I
might fill my Belly with Capons and Partridges.

_Ch._ In a great many Circumstances it is not the Thing, but the Mind
that distinguishes us from _Jews_; they held their Hands from certain
Meats, as from unclean Things, that would pollute the Mind; but we,
understanding that _to the Pure, all Things are pure_, yet take away
Food from the wanton Flesh, as we do Hay from a pamper'd Horse, that it
may be more ready to hearken to the Spirit. We sometimes chastise the
immoderate Use of pleasant Things, by the Pain of Abstinence.

_Au._ I hear you; but by the same Argument, Circumcision of the Flesh
may be defended; for that moderates the Itch of Coition, and brings
Pain. If all hated Fish as bad as I do, I would scarce put a Parricide
to so much Torture.

_Ch._ Some Palates are better pleas'd with Fish than Flesh.

_Au._ Then th