Or who could bear a tea-table, {240}
Without talking of trifles for wit?

The court is from trifles secure,
Gold keys are no trifles, we see:
White rods are no trifles, I 'm sure,
Whatever their bearers may be.

But if you will go to the place,
Where trifles abundantly breed,
The levee will show you His Grace
Makes promises trifles indeed.

A coach with six footmen behind, {250}
I count neither trifle nor sin:
But, ye gods! how oft do we find
A scandalous trifle within.

A flask of champagne, people think it
A trifle, or something as bad:
But if you 'll contrive how to drink it;
You 'll find it no trifle, egad!

A parson's a trifle at sea,
A widow's a trifle in sorrow:
A peace is a trifle to-day, {260}
Who knows what may happen to-morrow!

A black coat a trifle may cloke,
Or to hide it, the red may endeavour:
But if once the army is broke,
We shall have more trifles than ever.

The stage is a trifle, they say,
The reason, pray carry along,
Because at every new play,
The house they with trifles so throng.

But with people's malice to trifle, {270}
And to set us all on a foot:
The author of this is a trifle,
And his song is a trifle to boot.

_Mrs. Sul_. Very well, sir, we 're obliged to you.--
Something for a pair of gloves. [_Offering him money_.

_Arch_. I humbly beg leave to be excused: my master,
madam, pays me; nor dare I take money from any
other hand, without injuring his honour, and
disobeying his commands. [_Exit Archer and Scrub_.

_Dor_. This is surprising! Did you ever see so pretty a
well-bred fellow? {281}

_Mrs. Sul_. The devil take him for wearing that livery!

_Dor_. I fancy, sister, he may be some gentleman, a friend
of my lord's, that his lordship has pitched upon for
his courage, fidelity, and discretion, to bear him
company in this dress, and who ten to one was his
second too.

_Mrs. Sul_. It is so, it must be so, and it shall be so!--
for I like him.

_Dor_. What! better than the Count? {290}

_Mrs. Sul_. The Count happened to be the most agreeable
man upon the place; and so I chose him to serve
me in my design upon my husband. But I should
like this fellow better in a design upon myself.