Rich. Flecknoe's ænigmatical characters being rather a new work, than new impression of the old.

Character 68. Of a petty French L••tenist in England. Made Anno 1653.

HE is a Fellow, who with ill cloathes, and worse meen comes over into England, and there sets up a Court of Judicatur••, arraigning our Mu••ick, Instruments, and Musicians here, for not being a la mode de France; and almost the Hands too, for not being mangie about the Wrists like his. Especially, he cannot away with the double Neck, and twelve ranks of strings upon the Lute, (though far more easie and commodious) because it is not of their Invention. If his fingers be so weak, they can scarce crawle over a Lute, then to play

gently and softly is the mode, & doucement is the word; and if they be so gouty and chilblain'd, as they rake the strings worse then if they were grated on with a ragged staff, then strong and lusty is the mode, and fort and gallyard is the word agen. If you like not his play, he tells you he ha's at least the new method of Paris, and that he teaches a ravir & ••on par∣eille; and for his Pieces, (though rak't out of Gualtiers Dunghil, or collected from the Privy∣house of Desaut) he keeps them as precious Reliques, and gives out such for new, as were made before the Avignon, or the Popes coming there. In fine, he is the Mountebank of him∣self, and though he ha's nothing to commend him besides himself, and the being French, (for which reason you may commend the Pox as we••l) yet your English are so foolish to admir•• him; nor will it ever be otherwise, till some such zealous Patriot rise up against them, as he, who hearing them talk of the F••e••ch Pox▪ bid them call it the English, with a Pox to them, for we had as good as the French ha•• any.