ndents to import Niceties for
their Mistresses.

_Col_. [_aside_] Ridiculous;----And d'you think a Lady of her Birth and
Estate wou'd Marry a City Merchant.

_Nick_. A City Merchant, _Collonel_,----We have Creatures, indeed, that
deal in Herrings from _Holland_, and Cod from _Newfoundland_; but there
are degrees in Merchandizing as well as other Professions. An Officer
o'the Guards is above a Captain o'the Train Bands; and, I hope, there's
difference between a Gentleman that Trades to the _Indies_, and Merchant
_Rag_ that sends old Cloaths to _Jamaica_; but why, _Collonel_, shou'd the
City be so much despis'd, that has so near an affinity to the Court; we
have sense to distinguish Men and Manners, Breeding to pay a Valiant
Prince homage, that ev'ry Year triumphs for his Country, and generosity to
entertain him, where many a hungry Courtier has been glad to sneak in for
a Dinner.

_Col._ [_aside_] The Fellow talks Reason, i'faith;--but prithee, Mr.
_Nicknack_, what Business can a Merchant have at this end o'the Town; for
a Man that's bred up in a Counting-House to pretend to Airs and Graces, is
as monstrously ridiculous, as a Play-House Orange-Wench with a Gold Watch
by her side.

_Nick._ Pardon me there _Collonel_; are Pleasure and Business
inconsistent, must ev'ry Citizen be a Drone, that crawls among Furr Gowns,
or a Cuckold that's preferr'd by the Common-Hall; pray tell me, what
difference is there between a Merchant of a good Education, and a
Gentleman of Two Thousand Pounds a Year, only one has Threescore Thousand
Pounds clear in his Pocket, and t'other an Estate that's mortgag'd to
Threescore People; I have a House in _Billiter-Lane_, the Air's as good as
_Pickadilly_. _Cornish_ makes my Cloaths, _Chevalier_ my Periwigs, I'm
courted ev'ry Day to subscribe for singing Opera's, and have had Fifteen
Actresses at my Levee, with their Benefit-Tickets.

Sir _Har._ But, methinks, Mr. _Nicknack_; you that have so plentiful a
Fortune, shou'd leave off Business, and reside wholly amongst Men of
Figure and Estates.

_Nick._ My Commerce, Sir _Harry_, is but in Impertinences without the
least prospect of Gain; for the old Gentleman, when with great Industry,
he had imported an Estate of Fifty Thousand Pounds, with greater Civility
exported himself into the next World and left me all. Besides, Merchandize
is but a sort of Gaming, and if I like it better than Hazard or Basset,
why should any Man quarrel with my Genius; bu