ny Mr. or Squire in the alphabet--

_1st Footman_. That lives in Chris-cross Row.

_Mr. H_. Go, for a couple of ungrateful, inquisitive, senseless
rascals! Go; hang, starve, or drown!--Rogues, to speak thus
irreverently of the alphabet--I shall live to see you glad to serve
old Q--to curl the wig of great S--adjust the dot of little i--stand
behind the chair of X, Y, Z--wear the livery of Etcaetera--and ride
behind the sulky of And-by-itself-and!
[_Exit in a rage_.

ACT II.

SCENE.--_A handsome Apartment well lighted, Tea, Cards, &c.--A large
party of Ladies and Gentlemen; among them MELESINDA._

_1st Lady_. I wonder when the charming man will be here.

_2d Lady_. He is a delightful creature. Such a polish--

_3d Lady_. Such an air in all that he does or says--

_4th Lady_. Yet gifted with a strong understanding--

_5th Lady_. But has your ladyship the remotest idea of what his true
name is?

_1st Lady_. They say, his very servants do not know it. His French
valet, that has lived with him these two years--

_2d Lady_. There, Madam, I must beg leave to set you right; my
coachman--

_1st Lady_. I have it from the very best authority; my footma--

_2d Lady_. Then, Madam, you have set your servants on--

_1st Lady_. No, Madam, I would scorn any such little mean ways of
coming at a secret. For my part, I don't think any secret of that
consequence.

_2d Lady_. That's just like me; I make a rule of troubling my head
with nobody's business but my own.

_Melesinda_. But then, she takes care to make everybody's business
her own, and so to justify herself that way--
(_Aside_.)

_1st Lady_. My dear Melesinda, you look thoughtful.

_Melesinda_. Nothing.

_2d Lady_. Give it a name.

_Melesinda_. Perhaps it is nameless.

_1st Lady_. As the object--Come, never blush, nor deny it, child.
Bless me, what great ugly thing is that, that dangles at your bosom?

_Melesinda_. This? It is a cross: how do you like it?

_2d Lady_. A cross! Well, to me it looks for all the world like a
great staring H. _(Here a general laugh.)_

_Melesinda_. Malicious creatures! Believe me it is a cross, and
nothing but a cross.

_1st Lady_. A cross, I believe, you would willingly hang at.

_Melesinda_. Intolerable spite!

_(MR. H. is announced.)_

_Enter MR. H._

_1st Lady_. O, Mr. H., we are so glad--

_2