The Covent Garden Theatre Part 2

Bash.

Upon Honour so he is.

Brill.

Sr: Conjecture your Servant, won't you come up to Us? we'll make Room for You.

#Sr. Conjecture in the Musick Room.#

Sr. Con: Miss your humble I am afraid so many of us upon the Stage will offend the Audience.

Brill.

O not at all, It is in the Bills that the Town are to Sit upon the Stage, & sure Sir Conjecture the World must Allow you to be a Princ.i.p.all Character amongst Us.

Sr. Con: The World is very kind Madam. I'll do my Self the Honour to attend you.

Bash.

Pray Miss Brilliant do you know who this Pasquin is?

Brill.

Yes Child; he is one of the Heathen G.o.ds; Iupiter's Grandfather. You may read a particular Account of him my dear, in Homer, or Milton, or any of the Greek Poets (#pulls out a Bill of the Farce#) well I vow its a Whimsicall Bill this; a charming Puff. Lud where's Sir Conjecture?

I suppose he can give us a particular Account of it. for he knows every thing.

Hyd: You mean Miss he pretends to know every thing..

Brill.

Why that is as Pleasant to him Mr. Hydra, as if he really had knowledge, he is a strange conceited c.o.xcomb to be sure, but entertaining. I wonder his Character was never introduced upon the Stage, he is a most ridiculous Fellow.

Enter Sr. Conjecture

Sr. Con: Ha-- ha-- ha-- who is that dear Miss is a ridiculous Fellow.

Omn: Ha-- ha-- ha--

Brill: O Lud, I hope he did not here me (#apart#)

Omn: Ha-- ha-- ha,

Brill: Why this-- a-- a-- Macklin, Macklin,-- or Pasquin-- or Drawcansir-- or who ever it was that writ this Play Bill.

Sr. Con: It is a Puff, a Puff-- a Puff, a very good Puff upon Honour, like Woodward's lick at the Town last year. I am afraid tho' All the Wit of the Author is in the Bill, ha, ha, ha.

Omn: Ha, ha, ha.

Brill: Now upon Honour I like it for it's Novelty.

Bob: And upon Honour I shall d.a.m.n it for it's Novelty, ev'ry Man in his Humour as the Play says.

Hyd: Ha, ha, well said Bob.

Brill: But the Pit, Boxes and Gallery's doing their parts for their Diversion, that's what puzzles me.

Hyd: Lord, that's all a Puff. he'll have some body upon the Stage to represent them.

Sr. Con: No, no, no, you are out, you are out, he is to have one of the Actors in the Pitt; who is to Speak from thence-- See there-- there he is the very Actor-- You may See him from hence-- he sits next to that very handsome Gentleman that looks like a Iew's b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Omn: Ha, ha, ha-- I see him, I see him.

Sr. Con: And there's one of the Actresses some where or other in the Front Boxes;-- She's a New Woman-- very handsome they say, one Miss Tweezeldon. I wish we cou'd find her out.

Hyd: I can't see her;-- unless that be She with the White teeth that laughs so heartily, and is playing with her Fan.

Sr. Conj.

I believe that is She; yes, yes, that is she I am Possitive, for she blushes at Our Speaking of her, but we shall put her out of Countenance.-- Ladies we should not let the Audience so far into the Secret; it will not be fair;-- come let us Step into the Green Room for a Moment-- I want to have a little Chat with this Pasquin.

Brill: Miss Bashfull come Child we'll go into the Green Room. were you ever there.

Bash: Never Madam.

Brill: Come then I'll shew it you.

Bash: O with all my heart-- I long to See the Green Room; I have often heard of it-- they say the Actresses paint Prodigiously-- I shou'd like of all things to see them near.

Sr. Con: Come Ladies if you please I'll Introduce you.

Exeunt.

Enter Pasquin.

Pas: So there they go,-- the choice Spirits, the Infalibles, who preside at all Public Diversions; and on whom the Fate of Pasquin this Night depends.

Hyd: Where is he, where is this Drawcansir } within

Romp.

This way Sir, on the Stage. }

Hyd: (#_Running up to him with great Ceremony_#) Seignior Pasquin-- Drawcansir-- Censor of great Britain, your Satyrical Mightiness is welcome to London. and now Sir, as you and I are to be very intimate to night, pray, Sir, give me leave to have the Honour of introducing my self to you.

Pas: Sir you do me great Honour.

Hyd: I am Sir, for my Taste in Public Diversions, honoured with the facetious Appellation of the Town.-- but my real Name is Iack Hydra. for these many Years, Sir, I have been the North Star of the Pit; by which All Criticks have Steered their Iudgement: And am Sir at the Head of the Genii who direct the Public,-- We decide between contending Toasts, pa.s.s Iudgement upon Actors, d.a.m.n, or encourage Authors; and are the Bucks, my dear, that I fancy will do for you to Night.

Pas: Sir of the Infallibility and Power of the Town I am very well apprized; therefore I have invited you this Night, that my Proceedings may have the Sanction of your Approbation. for whatever the Town disapproves I shall my self Condemn.

Hyd: But harkee Pasquin, prithy what is this Humbug. Bill of Yours about it; Why how the Devil will you gett off your Promise of the Pit, Boxes, and Galleries, performing their parts for their Diversion

Pas: As the Politicious say Sir, you are a little premature in your Question.

Puffing Sr: & the Drama have their Arcana's as well as Love or Politics.

I'll engage the Pit, Boxes, and Galleries perform their parts to a Numerous and Polite Audience, and with Universal Applause. As soon as they shall hear the Cue depend upon it you'll hear them Speak.

Hyd: Well Sir, Preliminaries being Settled I will now individually introduce, to your censorial Highness, the Genii who are to Sit upon you.