too many, having only three daughters.

The catastrophe relieves the old gentleman from his embarrassments.
Melisse, faithful to her Macedonian hero, declares her resolution of
dying before she marries any meaner personage. Hesperie refuses to
marry, out of pity for mankind; for to make one man happy she thinks she
must plunge a hundred into despair. Sestiane, only passionate for
comedy, cannot consent to any marriage, and tells her father, in very
lively verses,

Je ne veux point, mon père, espouser un censeur;
Puisque vous me souffrez recevoir la douceur
Des plaisirs innocens que le théâtre apporte,
Prendrais-je le hasard de vivre d'autre sorte?
Puis on a des enfans, qui vous sont sur les bras,
Les mener an théâtre, O Dieux! quel embarras!
Tantôt couche ou grossesse, on quelque maladie;
Pour jamais vous font dire, adieu la comédie!

IMITATED.

No, no, my father, I will have no critic,
(Miscalled a husband) since you still permit
The innocent sweet pleasures of the stage;
And shall I venture to exchange my lot?
Then we have children folded in our arms
To bring them to the play-house; heavens! what troubles!
Then we lie in, are big, or sick, or vexed:
These make us bid farewell to comedy!