e letter.] _Daughter, receive the bearer of this
letter, as a gentleman whom I have chosen to make you happy._ [O
Venus, a new servant sent me! and let me die but he has the air of a
_gallant homme_!] _His father is the rich lord Cleodemus, our
neighbour: I suppose you'll find nothing disagreeable in his person or
his converse; both which he has improved by travel. The treaty is
already concluded, and I shall be in town within these three days; so
that you have nothing to do but to obey your careful father._

[_To_ PALA.] Sir, my father, for whom I have a blind obedience, has
commanded me to receive your passionate addresses; but you must also
give me leave to avow, that I cannot merit them from so accomplished a
cavalier.

_Pala._ I want many things, madam, to render me accomplished; and the
first and greatest of them is your favour.

_Mel._ Let me die, Philotis, but this is extremely French; but yet
Count Rhodophil--a gentleman, sir, that understands the _grand monde_
so well, who has haunted the best conversations, and who, in short,
has voyaged, may pretend to the good graces of a lady.

_Pala._ [_Aside._] Hey-day! _Grand monde! Conversation! voyaged!_ and
_good graces!_ I find my mistress is one of those that run mad in new
French words.

_Mel._ I suppose, sir, you have made the tour of France; and, having
seen all that's fine there, will make a considerable reformation in
the rudeness of our court: For let me die, but an unfashioned,
untravelled, mere Sicilian, is a _bete_; and has nothing in the world
of an _honnete homme_.

_Pala._ I must confess, madam, that--

_Mel._ And what new minuets have you brought over with you? their
minuets are to a miracle! and our Sicilian jiggs are so dull and sad
to them!

_Pala._ For minuets, madam--

_Mel._ And what new plays are there in vogue? And who danced best in
the last grand ballet? Come, sweet servant, you shall tell me all.

_Pala._ [_aside._] Tell her all? Why, she asks all, and will hear
nothing.--To answer in order, madam, to your demands--

_Mel._ I am thinking what a happy couple we shall be! For you shall
keep up your correspondence abroad, and every thing that's new writ,
in France, and fine, I mean all that's delicate, and _bien tourne_, we
will have first.

_Pala._ But, madam, our fortune--

_Mel._ I understand you, sir; you'll leave that to me: For the
_menage_ of a family, I know it better than any lady in Sicily.

_Pala._ Alas, madam, we-