,--it blossoms through the year! And
depend on it, Mrs. Malaprop, that they who are so fond of handling the
leaves will long for the fruit at last.

_Mrs. Malaprop._--Fy, fy, Sir Anthony! you surely speak laconically.

_Sir Anthony._--Why, Mrs. Malaprop, in moderation now, what would you
have a woman know?

_Mrs. Malaprop._--Observe me, Sir Anthony. I would by no means wish a
daughter of mine to be a progeny of learning; I don't think so much
learning becomes a young woman: for instance, I would never let her
meddle with Greek, or Hebrew, or algebra, or simony, or fluxions, or
paradoxes, or such inflammatory branches of learning; neither would it
be necessary for her to handle any of your mathematical, astronomical,
diabolical instruments. But, Sir Anthony, I would send her at nine
years old to a boarding-school, in order to learn a little ingenuity
and artifice. Then, sir, she should have a supercilious knowledge in
accounts; and as she grew up I would have her instructed in geometry,
that she might know something of the contagious countries: but above
all, Sir Anthony, she should be mistress of orthodoxy, that she might
not misspell and mispronounce words so shamefully as girls usually do;
and likewise that she might reprehend the true meaning of what she is
saying. This, Sir Anthony, is what I would have a woman know; and I
don't think there is a superstitious article in it.

_Sir Anthony._--Well, well, Mrs. Malaprop, I will dispute the point no
further with you; though I must confess that you are a truly moderate
and polite arguer, for almost every third word you say is on my side
of the question. But, Mrs. Malaprop, to the more important point in
debate: you say you have no objection to my proposal?

_Mrs. Malaprop._--None, I assure you. I am under no positive
engagement with Mr. Acres; and as Lydia is so obstinate against him,
perhaps your son may have better success.

_Sir Anthony._--Well, madam, I will write for the boy directly. He
knows not a syllable of this yet, though I have for some time had the
proposal in my head. He is at present with his regiment.

_Mrs. Malaprop._--We have never seen your son, Sir Anthony; but I hope
no objection on his side.

_Sir Anthony._--Objection! let him object if he dare! No, no, Mrs.
Malaprop, Jack knows that the least demur puts me in a frenzy
directly. My process was always very simple: in their younger days,
'twas "Jack, do this"; if he demurred I knocked him down