MAD. My dear, what a charming facetiousness he has!
[Footnote: Amilcar is one of the heroes of the novel _Clélie_, who wishes to be thought sprightly.]
MAD. Fear nothing, our eyes have no wicked designs, and your heart may rest in peace, fully assured of their innocence.
CAT. But, pray, Sir, be not inexorable to the easy chair, which, for this last quarter of an hour, has held out its arms towards you; yield to its desire of embracing you.
MASC. (_After having combed himself, and, adjusted the rolls of his stockings_). Well, ladies, and what do you think of Paris?
[Footnote: It was at that time the custom for men of rank to comb their hair or periwigs in public.]
[Footnote: The rolls (_canons_) were large round pieces of linen, often adorned with lace or ribbons, and which were fastened below the breeches, just under the knee.]
MAD. Alas! what can we think of it? It would be the very antipodes of reason not to confess that Paris is the grand cabinet of marvels, the centre of good taste, wit, and gallantry.
MASC. As for me, I maintain that, out of Paris, there is no salvation for the polite world.
MASC. Paris is somewhat muddy; but then we have sedan chairs.
MAD. To be sure; a sedan chair is a wonderful protection against the insults of mud and bad weather.
MASC. I am sure you receive many visits. What great wit belongs to your company?
MAD. Alas! we are not yet known, but we are in the way of being so; for a lady of our acquaintance has promised us to bring all the gentlemen who have written for the Miscellanies of Select Poetry.
[Footnote: Molière probably alludes to a Miscellany of Select Poetry, published in 1653, by de Sercy, under the title of _Poésies choisies de M. M. Corneille Benserade, de Scudéry, Boisrobert, Sarrazin, Desmarets, Baraud, Saint-Laurent, Colletet. Lamesnardiere, Montreuil, Viguier, Chevreau, Malleville, Tristan, Testu, Maucroy, de Prade, Girard et de L'Age_. A great number of such miscellanies appeared in France, and in England also, about that time.]
CAT. And certain others, whom, we have been told, are likewise the sovereign arbiters of all that is handsome.
MASC. I can manage this for you better than any one; they all visit me; and I may say that I never rise without having half-a-dozen wits at my levee.