became habitual to me, to remember ’em without being displeased. They are now grown as familiar to me as my own frailties; and in all probability in a little time longer I shall like ’em as well.

Fain. Marry her, marry her; be half as well acquainted with her charms, as you are with her defects, and my life on’t, you are your own man again.

Mira. Say you so?

Fain. I, I, I have experience: I have a wife, and so forth.

SCENE IV

[To them] Messenger.

Mess. Is one Squire Witwoud here?

Bet. Yes; what’s your business?

Mess. I have a letter for him, from his brother, Sir Wilfull, which I am charged to deliver into his own hands.

Bet. He’s in the next room, friend—that way.

SCENE V

Mirabell, Fainall, Betty.

Mira. What, is the chief of that noble family in town, Sir Wilfull Witwoud?

Fain. He is expected to-day. Do you know him?

Mira. I have seen him, he promises to be an extraordinary person; I think you have the honour to be related to him.

Fain. Yes; he is half-brother to this Witwoud by a former wife, who was sister to my Lady Wishfort, my wife’s mother. If you marry Millamant, you must call cousins too.

Mira. I had rather be his relation than his acquaintance.

Fain. He comes to town in order to equip himself for travel.

Mira. For travel! Why the man that I mean is above forty.

Fain. No matter for that; ’tis for the honour of England, that all Europe should know we have blockheads of all ages.

Mira. I wonder there is not an act of parliament to save the credit of the nation, and prohibit the exportation of fools.

Fain. By no means, ’tis better as ’tis; ’tis better to trade with a little loss, than to be quite eaten up, with being overstocked.

Mira. Pray, are the follies of this knight-errant, and those of the squire his brother, anything related?

Fain. Not at all; Witwoud grows by the knight, like a medlar grafted on a crab. One will melt in your mouth, and t’other set your teeth on edge; one is all pulp, and the other all core.