"Ground and wait us there. On this 66 rising Ground stood a Tree, beneath “which our impatient young Gentleman presentlie cast himself, and, having "walked fast, and the Weather being warm, soon falls asleep as sound as a 66 66 Top. Meantime, King and I quit our "Friend and saunter forward pretty easilie. "Anon comes up with us a Caroche, with something I know not what of out"landish in its Build; and within it, two Ladies, one of them having the fayrest "Face I ever set Eyes on, present Companie duly excepted. The Caroche having passed us, King and I mutuallie express our Admiration, and thereupon, preferring Turf to Dust, got on the "other Side the Hedge, which was not 66 soe thick but that we could make out "the Caroche, and see the Ladies descend "from it, to walk up the Hill. Having "reached the Tree, they paused in Sur cr prise at seeing Milton asleep beneath it; "and in prettie dumb Shew, which we "watcht sharplie, exprest their Admira ❝tion "tion of his Appearance and Posture, "which woulde have suited an Arcadian "well enough. The younger Lady, has"tilie taking out a Pencil and Paper, "wrote something which she laughinglie "shewed her Companion, and then put "into the Sleeper's Hand. Thereupon, 'they got into their Caroche, and drove "off. King and I, dying with Curiositie to know what she had writ, soon roused our Friend and possest ourselves of the "Secret. The Verses ran thus . . 66 66 Occhi, Stelle mortali, "Milton coloured, crumpled them up, "and yet put them in his Pocket; then askt us what the Lady was like. And "herein lay the Pleasantry of the Affair ; "for I truly told him she had a Pearshaped Face, lustrous black Eyes, and 66 66 a Skin that shewed il bruno il bel non toglie;' whereas, King, in his Mischief, "drew a fancy Portrait, much liker you, "Moll, 66 Moll, than the Incognita, which hit "Milton's Taste soe much better, that he 66 was believed for his Payns; and then "he declared that I had beene describing "the Duenna! . . . Some Time after, "when Milton beganne to talk of visiting Italy, we bantered him, and sayd he "was going to look for the Incognita. "He stoode it well, and sayd, 'Laugh "on! do you think I mind you? Not "a Bit.' I think he did." 66 Just at this Turn, Mr. Agnew stumbled at something in the long Grass. It proved to be an old, rustie Horse-pistol. His Countenance changed at once from gay to grave. "I thought we had noe such Things hereabouts yet," cried he, viewing it askance."I suppose I mighte as “well think I had found a Corner of "the Land where there was noe originall "Sin." And soe, flung it over the Hedge. -First class Geniuses are always modest, are they?—Then I should say that young Italian Lady's Genius was not of the first Class. Oct. |