Gay. And is this all that is required, Sir?
Bred. No, you’re invited to the Shades below.
Gay. Hum, Shades below!—I am not prepared for such a Journey, Sir.
Bred. If you have Courage, Youth or Love, you’ll follow me:
When Night’s black Curtain’s drawn around the World,
And mortal Eyes are safely lockt in sleep, [In feign’d Heroick Tone.
And no bold Spy dares view when Gods caress,
Then I’ll conduct thee to the Banks of Bliss.
—Durst thou not trust me?
Gay. Yes, sure, on such substantial security. [Hugs the Bag.
Bred. Just when the Day is vanish’d into Night, And only twinkling Stars inform the World, Near to the Corner of the silent Wall, In Fields of Lincoln’s-Inn, thy Spirit shall meet thee. —Farewell. [Goes out.
Gay. Hum—I am awake sure, and this is Gold I grasp.
I could not see this Devil’s cloven Foot;
Nor am I such a Coxcomb to believe,
But he was as substantial as his Gold.
Spirits, Ghosts, Hobgoblins, Furies, Fiends and Devils,
I’ve often heard old Wives fright Fools and Children with,
Which, once arriv’d to common Sense, they laugh at.
—No, I am for things possible and Natural:
Some Female Devil, old and damn’d to Ugliness,
And past all Hopes of Courtship and Address,
Full of another Devil called Desire,
Has seen this Face—this Shape—this Youth,
And thinks it’s worth her Hire. It must be so:
I must moil on in the damn’d dirty Road,
And sure such Pay will make the Journey easy:
And for the Price of the dull drudging Night,
All Day I’ll purchase new and fresh Delight.
[Exit.