Nature has given us passions, and youth and
opportunity stimulate to gratify them. It is no shame,
my dear Blueskin, for a man to amuse himself with a
little gallantry.
JONATHAN
Girl huntry! I don't altogether understand. I
never played at that game. I know how to play
hunt the squirrel, but I can't play anything with the
girls; I am as good as married.
JESSAMY
Vulgar, horrid brute! Married, and above a hun-
dred miles from his wife, and thinks that an objection
to his making love to every woman he meets! He
never can have read, no, he never can have been in a
room with a volume of the divine Chesterfield.--So
you are married?
JONATHAN
No, I don't say so; I said I was as good as mar-
ried, a kind of promise.
JESSAMY
As good as married!--
JONATHAN
Why, yes; there's Tabitha Wymen, the deacon's
daughter, at home; she and I have been courting a
great while, and folks say as how we are to be married;
and so I broke a piece of money with her when we
parted, and she promised not to spark it with Solomon
Dyer while I am gone. You wouldn't have me false
to my true-love, would you?
JESSAMY
May be you have another reason for constancy;
possibly the young lady has a fortune? Ha! Mr.
Jonathan, the solid charms: the chains of love are
never so binding as when the links are made of gold.
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