to contain
the most complete system of female foppery that could possibly be
crowded into the tortured form of a fine lady. Her language, dress,
motion, manners, soul, and body, are in a continual hurry to be
something more than is necessary or commendable. And, though I doubt
it will be a vain labour to offer you a just likeness of Mrs Monfort's
action, yet the fantastic expression is still so strong in my memory,
that I cannot help saying something, though fantastically, about it.
The first ridiculous airs, that break from her, are upon a gallant
never seen before, who delivers her a letter from her father,
recommending him to her good graces as an honourable lover. Here, now,
one would think she might naturally shew a little of the sex's decent
reserve, though never so slightly covered. No, sir, not a tittle of
it: Modesty is a poor-souled country gentlewoman; she is too much a
court lady to be under so vulgar a confusion. She reads the letter,
therefore, with a careless dropping lip, and an erected brow, humming
it hastily over, as if she were impatient to outgo her father's
commands, by making a complete conquest of him at once; and, that the
letter might not embarrass the attack, crack! she crumbles it at once
into her palm, and pours down upon him her whole artillery of airs,
eyes, and motion; down goes her dainty diving body to the ground, as
it she were sinking under the conscious load of her own attractions;
then launches into a flood of fine language and compliment, still
playing her chest forward in fifty falls and risings, like a swan upon
waving water; and, to complete her impertinence, she is so rapidly
fond of her own wit, that she will not give her lover leave to praise
it. Silent assenting bows, and vain endeavours to speak, are all the
share of the conversation he is admitted to, which, at last, he is
removed from by her engagement to half a score of visits, which she
swims from him to make, with a promise to return in a twinkling."
_Cibber's Apology_, p. 99.

By this lively sketch, some judgment may be formed of the effect
produced by the character of Melantha, when ably represented; but, to
say the truth, we could hardly have drawn the same deduction from a
simple perusal of the piece. Of the French phrases, which the affected
lady throws into her conversation, some have been since naturalized,
as _good graces_, _minuet_, _chagrin_, _grimace_, _ridicule_, and
others. Little can be said of the tragi