Mess. Your Lordship knows the orders issued by his highness the Duke could not be dispensed with.

San. Well, a truce with this talking-let 'em come, and with as short a ceremony as possible. [Exit-Mess. bowing off] I'd almost exchange my government for a good dinner. Oh! here they come at last. [Enter Magistrates and others in great form, Recorder with a paper.] Upon my word the corporation of Barataria has a most citizen-like appearance. What a fine fat figure of an alderman that is yonder; he has turtle and venison and calf's-head in his countenance. Why what's all this! The corporation's as mute as a drove of oxen;-I suppose they wait for me to break the ice; here goes then; neck or nothing; like a true courtier I'll tip them flummery, though I wish them up to their necks in a horse-pond. Well, my worthy, honest, good friends, how do you all do? Have you any thing to say to me?

Recorder (reads the speech.) Most high and mighty Don Sancho, descended from that most ancient and revered stock, the Pança's of La Mancha, a family not more distinguished for the antiquity of its origin, than for the illustrious characters with which it has adorned the world; for more than three hundred years your an❤ cestors have been leaders of armies, and counsellors to princes.

San. Hold, hold, friend;-Many words fill not a bushel; Tell truth and shame thedevil;—A liar should have a good memory; and, to my certain knowledge, either you or I am terribly mistaken. What my family was three hundred years ago, is neither here nor there; but I can assure you not one of them, who came within my knowledge, ever led any armies, except it was an army of turkies and geese, which I my-self, indeed, have valiantly drove to market; then, as to counselling princes, I never saw one in my life except the Duke, your Lord and mine, who has made me a Governor; so now go on; but, if you possibly can, avoid fibbing.

Rec. In you, my Lord, shine all the noble qualities of your illustrious name-sake and near relation, Don Sancho, of Arragon, who gallantly slew, with his

own hand, seven and forty Moors in one battle, and routed an army of half a million.

San. You have told me seven and forty lies already; and, if I was to suffer you to proceed, I foresee you'd tell me half a million. The noble qualities of my near relation shine in me! Whatever shines in me, I know here is a great deal of something shines in you to tell me such stories.

Rec. You yourself are, my Lord,

San. As hungry as a hunter; therefore, Mr. Recorder, put up your long speech ;-and after dinner I'll put on my night-cap, and hear you go over the whole of it again with composure.

Rec. There are yet further ceremonies to be observed before you enter into office.

San. How many stumbling blocks are in the road to preferment! 'tis besieging a town to get into place.

Rec. First, we present you with the keys of the town. San. Well, then, I remember my master bid me return them; so there they are again. Don't think you have got a Governor who means to keep you under lock and key, like so many pigs in a pound. Giving me the keys of your town is as much as to say, you commit your rights and liberties to my charge; and I return them, to tell you that I do not mean to abuse the trust. And, now, my honest friend, let us go to dinner.

Rec. We first solicit your excellency's gracious answer.
San. My answer! to what question?

Rec. We mean your Lordship's answer to our dutiful and loyal Address. It is usual for the Governor, on these occasions, to express his approbation of our attachment and loyalty to him in a speech, and promise, at the same time, to take every step within the compass of his abilities conducive to our interest and welfare.

San. I understand you; that is, You scratch my back, and I'll claw your elbow. What signifies making fine promises before hand; 'tis very easy to make them to get into place, and easier still to break them when secure in the saddle: no, no; on both sides, the proof of the pudding shall be in the eating of it. I'll approve of your loyalty if I like the entertainment you have pro

vided for me.-Good governors always like good eating, and good citizens always take care to provide such.

Rec. A sumptuous banquet is prepared for your Excellency's table, which will be ready after your public entry into town.

San. Come, then, let's be gone.

Officer. But how would your Excellency have us dispose of the ass?

San. How soon a great man begins to forget his friends!

-What, Dapple! the companion of all my fastings and drubbings; forget thee! no, never. I'll have a plate laid for him every day at my own table; and, could he but read and write, I'd make him my secretary.

Rec. Such an instance of preferment is not unprece dented; a Roman Emperor made his horse fill one of the highest departments in the state.*

San. He did! Then I tell you what, Mr. Recorder, Dapple shall have the place; and, for the good wishes you seem to entertain for him, you shall do the business as his deputy. [Exeunt omnes.

PROCESSION, composed of various Groups of
BARATARIANS with SANCHO.

Comic music suited to each Group as the Banners appear.

ACT II.

SCENE I. An elegant Apartment in the Governor's Palace.

Enter SANCHO with a large bundle of petitions under his arm, followed by MANUEL. A Table and Chairs.

SANCHO (Throws himself into a chair.)

Oh! the fatigues of being a great man! though not two hours a Governor I have my hands full of grievances

* CALIGULA. He made his favourite horse high-priest and consul. He was kept in marble apartments, and adorned with the most valuable trappings and pearls the Roman empire could furnish. LEMPRIERE's Dict. art. Caligula.

already [laying down a bundle of papers.] But come, friend, read them over as fast as you can.

Mun. As there are so many, if I acquaint your Lordship with the substance of the principal petitions,* reserving the rest for to-morrow, I fancy it will be sufficient.

Sun. You are right-so proceed.

Man. This, my Lord, is a petition from [takes a paper and looks at it] the Cutlers' company; praying you would revoke the edict issued by your predecessor against duelling, by which the wearing of swords is become so much out of fashion, that there are above ten thousand journeymen cutlers in your island at this moment starving.

Sun. I'll not revoke the law against duelling; there can't be too many against the practice; I'm a mortal for to cutting of throats; and a great enemy to starving also.

Man. The next is a petition from the boot-makers of Cordova, earnestly soliciting your Lordship's patronage, and requesting you would wear nothing but boots.And here is another from the cordwainers of Barataria, enforcing the superiority of shoes, hoping you will wear them, only.

San. Why, what's to be done in this business? I would fain please all parties, but that's impossible, as the case stands before me.-Suppose I promise to wear boots all the winter, and shoes all the summer.

Man. But then there's the spring and autumn; what do you intend to wear during those seasons?

San. In the spring and autumn I'll have a will of my own; they shan't, all the year round, have the length of my foot.

Man. This comes, my Lord, from the manufacturers in wool, intreating your encouragement; and as they have brought that commodity in quality to the finest linen cloth, beg that in future you would wear it in shirts, and thus render the consumption of that article universal. San. I must confess I have no great opinion of the in

* These petitions are not in The History of Don Quixote.

vention; but as a good governor should even make a shift to do without a shirt, to please his people,-say their petition is granted.-Well, what is next?

Man. Here is a petition from the opticians, requesting your Lordship would wear spectacles.

San. What, whether I want them or not?

Man. If you want them, there is no merit in the wearing of them you cannot be too disinterested in your en couragement of trade-besides there is nothing gives the face such an air of wisdom as spectacles; they look like magnifying sky lights; or rather intellectual microscopes, through which sublimer understandings contemplate the little objects of this little world, to nearer advantage.

San. Well, as every governor must have his blind side, ours shall be to please our people-so that petition is granted. But, hark you, I grow impatient: you'll famish me with too much business.

Man. You'll hear the petition, my Lord, from the dealers in mum.

San. Well, let's hear-the dealers in mum can't have much to say.

Man. They humbly request your Lordship would substitute mum for wine at your table.

San. Then tell them I won't—whilst I have a tongue to wag, or palate to taste, no mum for Sancho-Why, what in the world would they be at?

Man. I'll read the next petition to your Lordship.

San. I'll hear no more petitions till I have gratified the cravings of a petition from my stomach.-L have given up half my senses already; but I'm determined to retain some at my own disposal-So ho! is the eating put off till to-morrow? [Going off.

Enter MESSENGER.

Mess. Your Lordship's presence is required in the courts of justice, to try criminals, and determine civil

causes.

Sancho. What, before dinner? impossible-impos

sible!

[Going.

Ale made with Wheat-Malt.