Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

Scene 6.

Enter the Lady Conversation, and Sir Experience Traveller.

COnversation.

Sir Experience Traveller, you that have been so great a tra∣veller, pray tell me what Nations have the rarest Beauties, and which the greatest Wits?

Sir Experience Traveller.

In all my travels, the rarest Beauty that I have seen, and the greatest Wit that I have heard of, is your self, sweet Lady Con∣versation.

Conver.

Then you have lost your labour; for you might have seen my Beauty, and have heard my Wit, at lesse Charges, and more ease.

Experience Tra.

Tis true Madam, had I only travelled to see a fair Lady, and hear a witty discourse.

Conver.

Why, many travel to lesse purpose.

Experience Tra.

Tis true Madam, for some travel meerly to learn to make a leg or congy with a good grace, and to wear their cloaths, or acouster themselves fashionably. But I have observed in my travels, that very cold Countries, and very hot Countries, have neither so many Beauties, nor so much Wit, at lest not so much as more temperate Countries have.

Conver.

What is the reason of that?

Exper. Trav.

I cannot conceive the reason, unlesse the extream coldnesse of the Climate should congele their Spirits, and stupifie their Brains, making the Spirits unactive to get, and the Brain too barren to breed and bear Wit.

Conversation.

So then you make the Spirits and the Brain the Parents to Wit.

Exper. Trav.

Yes Madam.

Conver.

And what reason give you for the scarcity of Beauties in very cold Climates?

Exper. Trav.

Beauty, Madam, is as tender and fading in the growth, as a Flower, although it be fresh and sweet; and the more delicate it is, the more subject to be nipt with the hard Frost, and to be withered with raw colds.

Conver.

Then hot Countries should produce good store.

Exper. Trav.

No Madam, for extream heat dryes up Wit, as water in a Spring, and Sun-burns beauty.

Conver.

But hot Brains are thought to produce the greatest VVits.

Expe. Trav.

Yes, if they be equally tempered with moisture; for as heat in moisture are Generators of all Creatures, so of Wit; but if the moisture exceed the heat, the Brain, or Mind becomes stupid, if the heat exceeds the moisture, the Brain or Mind becomes mad.

Conver.

VVhat Nation hath the best Language?

Expe. Trav.

There are but three commendable things in Language, those

are to be significant, copious, and smooth, and the English tongue hath the perfection of all, there being an oyle, or butter made of the cream of all o∣ther Languages. Thus, what with the Temperature of the Climate, and the soft, smooth, spreading Language, England produces rarer Beauties, and eloquenter Orators, and finer Poets, than any other Nation in the world; and the Nobility and Gentry live not only in greater grandeur, than in other Na∣tions, but naturally appear or look with a more splendid Great∣nesse.

Conver.

Tis true, they did so in former times, when the Crown kept up Ceremony, and Ceremony the Crown; but since that Ceremony is down, their grandeur is lost, and their splendor put out; and no light thereof re∣mains: But they are covered with a dark rudenesse, wherein the Clown ju∣stles the Lord, and the Lord gives the way to the Clown; the Man takes the wall of his Master, and the Master scrapes legs with Cap in hand to the Ser∣vant, and waits upon him, not out of a generous and noble Nature, but out of a base servile fear, and through fear hath given the Power away.

Exper. Trav.

I am sorry to hear the Nobility is so degenerated.

Ex.