22 



old dame to offer the poor gentleman who 

 had got such a ducking a change of her 

 husband's clothes. Had you only accepted 

 the offer, you had made me your bondman 

 for ever. I think I see you in the honest 

 miller's corduroy small-clothes, rig-and- 

 furrow stockings, and grey coat, of the cut 

 of the last century, with white metal buttons 

 about the size of a crown piece. Dominie 

 Samson in all his glory ! 



Oliver. You are really excellent at a 

 sketch, Burrell. You are " whipping it up" 

 in your own style. Put the bottle about, 

 Mr. Bell, and favour us with a song, if you 

 please. 



Bell. Willingly I am too bad a singer 

 to require much inviting. Singers, whether 

 good or bad, should only annoy a company 

 once; either by their obstinacy in refusing 

 to sing, or by their miserable performance. 

 My subject must be about fishing, I sup- 

 pose ; and though my " Piscatory Eclogues" 

 are neither choice nor numerous, you shall 

 have one such as it is. 



