I found my friend begin to rave, and insensibly led him towards
the house, that we might be joined by some other company; and am
convinced that the widow is the secret cause of all that
inconsistency which appears in some parts of my friend's
discourse; tho' he has so much command of himself as not directly
to mention her, yet according to that of Martial, which one knows
not how to render into English, DUM TACET HANC LOQUITUR. I shall
end this paper with that whole epigram, which represents with
much humour my honest friend's condition.

QUICQUID AGIT RUFUS, NIHIL EST, NISI NAEVIA RUFO,
SI GAUDET, SI FLET, SI TACET, HANC LOQUITUR:
CAENAT, PROPINAT, POSCET, NEGAT, ANNUIT, UNA EST
NAEVIA; SI NON SIT NAEVIA, MUTUS ERIT.
SCRIBERET HESTERNA PATRI CUM LUCE SALUTEM,
NAEVIA LUX, INQUIT, NAEVIA NUMEN AVE.
Epig. 69, 1. I.

Let Rufus weep, rejoice, stand, sit or walk,
Still he can nothing but of NAEVIA talk;
Let him eat, drink, ask questions, or dispute,
Still he must speak of NAEVIA, or be mute.
He writ to his father, ending with this line,
"I am, my lovely NAEVIA, ever thine."



THE CHASE.