Enter Scaramouch, with a stick.
Scara. Hollo, Mr. Punch! what have you been doing to my poor dog?
Punch, (retreating behind the side scene, on observing the stick, and peeping round the corner) Ha! my good friend, how you do? glad to see you look so well. (aside) I wish you were farther with your nasty great stick.
Scara. You have been beating and ill-using my poor dog, Mr. Punch.
Punch. He has been biting and ill-using my poor nose,—what have got there, sir?
Scara. Where?
Punch. In your hand?
Scara. A fiddle.
Punch. A fiddel! what a pretty thing is a fiddel!—can you play upon that fiddel?
Scara. Come here, and I'll try.
Punch. No, thank you— I can hear the music here, very well.
Scara. Then you shall try yourself. Can you play?
of which only is here applicable, but we shall be pardoned for quoting the whole.
"I'll tell thee what,
A witty woman may with ease distinguish
All men by their noses, as thus: your nose
Tuscan is lovely, large, and broad,
Much like a goose; your valiant generous nose,
A crooked, smooth, and a great puffing nose.
Your scholar's nose is very fresh and raw,
For want of fire in winter, and quickly smells
His chops of mutton in his dish of porage.
Your puritan nose is very sharp and long,
And much like your widow's, and with ease can smell
An edifying capon five streets off."
This dissertation is worthy of Slaukenbergius. The nose of our hero is "lovely, large and broad," like "your nose Tuscan," and it is at the same time a
" valiant generous nose,
A crooked, smooth, and a great puffing nose."
