TIIEATAE AT PARIS. 20 j 



ime honnete femme, faid a frenchman behind mej when 

 the clapping had ceafed. 



In a box facing that of the dachefs fat two beautiful 

 young, women of quality, and with them a hue beau, 

 likewife either of high birth or of great fortune. The 

 two ladies fat over againft one another; and would 

 willingly, as it appeared, have taken the fpark between 

 them, if he had pleafed. 



That a beau fhould not have chofe to be there may 

 feem unnatural ; but I can explain the reafon very well 

 to myfelf. He was in fa£t one of the handfomeft 

 young men I had ever beheld ; tall, with fine eyes, and 

 are fled limply, but with good tafle. His-frifure alone 

 appeared to be ftudiecl, and this circumftance it was 

 that made me think I underflood him. It was high, 

 and curled over and over, and withal fo like a lady's, 

 that there wanted no more than a fichu under the chin 

 and over the fhoulders to make a man fovear, who faw 

 him only from the pit, that it was a female. The fen- 

 timent and confcioufnefs of his prerogatives fpoke from 

 all his looks and gefhires ; with perfect indifference he 

 munched fweetmcats, and delivered fmall-talk, without 

 once regarding his company. It was clear that he 

 could not look at thefe two fine women, fince he had 

 to look at all the fine women in the other parts of the 

 houfe ; that he mull be indifferent towards thefe two, 

 fince his aim was to make conquefis of the whole the- 

 atre. However, notwithstanding this, the two ladies 

 looked round about them in a triumphant manner, and 

 ■ attracted many envious eyes. Such obfervations em- 

 ployed my attention as much as the opera. 



Supped 



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