One day the mother Abbess cry'd,

By fifter JANE be edyfy'd ;

Shew me another fuch.

To which they quick reply'd,

We all fhall be

As good as fhe,
When we have done as much.

The Author of the Way to keep him, a piece originally performed in three Acts, has affured the reader that he took the hint of writing a comedy upon that fubject, from a little poem of Swift's; the following tranflation of the New School for Women, will perhaps give the world a hint whence this reading writer borrowed his plot, characters, and fentiment.

The New SCHOOL for WOMEN,

A COMEDY, of three ACTS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

An Apartment of MELISSA's.

JEREMY. PHYLLIS.

Lord, I have no Lifetta! none but my dear Phyllis, whom I love moft fincerely.

Yes

isn't it?

PHYLL I S.

-as your mafter loves my miftrefs. Juft so,

JEREM Y.

What a comparison? You do me great injustice My mafter is a fashionable hufband, who neglects his wife for his miftrefs; that is the fimple truth of the matter and I am a tender and refpectful lover, who neglect every thing for my dear Phyllis.

PHYLLI S.

Yes, to be fure. If I was to liften to you, no doubt but you would always be in the right. Yet would I lay a wager you fay just as much to Lifetta, every time you go to her miftrefs along with your perfidious mafter. However, fir, be affured I am not your dupe.

JEREMY.

There you wrong me again. Sir George pays his vifits to the beautiful Laura; 1, as his confidant, am obliged to attend him. He goes firft, I follow. He is admitted to the lady; I defire to know what hour he proposes to return at. He tells me. I walk haughtily acrofs the room, fcarce cafting a fingle look upon Lifetta. I run back hither full speed, to dedicate all the time my mafter employs with Laura, to my Phyllis. I return to fetch him, always later than he has ordered me, yet always before he has finifhed his vifit; for he has never done. Then do I wish him at the devil, for having made me dance attendance for nothing.-Now tell me, in your own confcience, do you think I can behave myfelf better?

PHYL LI S.

To be fure you can. You are fir George's privycounfellor. You know the uneafinefs his conduct gives

my poor lady. Ought not you to employ all the influence which you have over the humour of your mafter, to reclaim him, and bring him back to a wife, the most tender and amiable of her fex? - Monster !. You act the direct contrary part. You applaud the inconftancy of your mafter, you affift him in the execution of his defigns, and you would have me be in love with you. You would make me believe

JEREMY.

Softly, foftly, my dear! you really lose yourself in difplaying my qualifications. I am but his fervant. I have fome influence over his mind, it is true; but can that extend fo far as to difpofe of his heart? Do you think, in love affairs, that a fervant can change his master's inclinations as he pleases, and bring them back again just where he likes? And to whom pray? to his wife! stuff! mere nonfenfe! my dear, mere nonsense !

PHYLLIS.

But, at all events, why not make the experiment?

JEREM Y.

Because it is a ridiculous enterprize. If the matter in queftion were to provide another new miftrefs for him, that I might undertake. He is of an eafy difpofition, and readily believes me; but to endeavour to make him quit a lady, whom he paffionately loves, that

he

may return to a wife, whom he loves no longer,fye, fye, this is a ftrange way of ordering matters indeed, not fit to be mentioned. And I fhould deferve to be turned out of doors for a fool, if I had the impertinence to give such advice.

PHYLLIS.

Mighty well, fir! If these are things not fit to be mentioned, I defire you will trouble me no more with your impertinent love.

JEREM Y.

But why fo, my dear?

PHYLLIS..

PHYLL I S.

Because I have ordered it fo, that Phyllis fhall never be Jeremy's, if fir George does not return to Meliffa.

JEREMY.

A pretty alternative truly! In the mean time I am in a fweet fituation on one fide-But yonder's Meliffa. By her melancholy air, I fuppofe fhe is coming hither to bewail the lofs of her husband's heart. This is his hour of going out. And fo, you little plague, you, whom the devil himself inspires to make me the most distracted of all lovers, good b'ye t'ye!

PHYLLIS.

As you like it; but remember 'tis my laft word.

To his mafter, madam, who is just going out.

MELISSA.

He is going out! then certainly 'tis to Laura. Ah!

Phyllis !

PHYLLIS,

PHYLL I S.

Ah! madam, why will you give yourfelf this uneafinefs for a perfidious husband, who is not worthy a fingle figh? for I understand

MELISSA.

If you do, grieve for me, but fpare your counfel, for I am in no condition to profit by it.

PHYLL I S.

What a frange notion! really, madam, your grief is unreasonable. Liften to me, and if I don't work an abfolute cure, I will at least bring you fome comfort.

MELISSA.

Well, e'en fay what you will.

PHYLLIS.

Is it poffible, then, madam, at your age, with all the additional graces which your beauty is poffeffed of, with the knowledge of the world you already have, is it poffible that you can fuffer yourself to languish and pine to death with grief? for whom? a husband! Indeed, madam, in the age we live in, your condition is hardly credible; if one fhould examine it nearer, to believe it, one fhould have no fufpicion of your heart, but rather of your understanding: and this weakness would pafs for a piece of fimplicity fearce tolerable in fuch a fine young lady as you are.

MELISSA.

They might take my weaknefs for what they pleased, Phyllis, but I can't help it ; that's my excufe.

PHYLLIS.

Can't help it! rather fay you will not help itYou do not try to help it.

MELISSA.

What would you have me do? I am tir'd of all the world, and all the world is tir'd of me. My griefs are

the