Whatever this society may be, either the lad with whom I communed is
an unworthy member, or it would become the government to put it down
by authority; for he uttered many things during our discourse for
which I would have well scourged any of the youth under my care.
He had not long entered the chamber before he acquainted the damsels
that he and his companions had carried the opera, in opposition to the
puts; by which I afterwards learnt he meant all sober and discreet
persons. "And fags!" says he (I am afraid, though, he made use of a
worse word), "we expected the bishops would have interfered; but if
they had we should have silenced them." I then thought to myself,
Strippling, if I had you well horsed on the back of another lad, I
would teach you more reverence to their lordships.
This opera, I am informed, is a diversion in which a prodigious sum of
money, more than is to be collected out of twenty parishes, is
lavished away on foreign eunuchs and papists, very scandalous to be
suffered at any time, especially at a season when both war and famine
hang over our heads.
[Illustration: "He acquainted the damsels that he and his companions
had carried the opera."]
During the whole time of our repast at dinner the young gentleman
entertained us with an account of several drums and routs at which he
had been present.
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