The Toy Shop (1735) The King and the Miller of Mansfield (1737). Dodsley Robert

did that Watch stand me in? – Where is it? O here – Lent [Turning to another book backwards and forwards.] to Lady Basset Eighteen Guineas upon her Gold Watch. Ay, she died and never redeem'd it. – A Set of old China, Five Pounds. – Bought of an old Cloaths Man for Five Shillings. Right. – A curious Shell for a Snuff-box, Two Guineas. – Bought of a poor Fisher-boy for a Half-penny. Now, if I had offer'd that Shell for Sixpence, no body would have bought it. Well, Thanks to the whimsical Extravagance and Folly of Mankind, I believe, from these childish Toys and gilded Baubles, I shall pick up a comfortable Maintenance. For, really, as it is a trifling Age, so Nothing but Trifles are valued in it. Men read none but trifling Authors, pursue none but trifling Amusements, and contend for none but trifling Opinions. A trifling Fellow is prefer'd, a trifling Woman admir'd. Nay, as if there were not real Trifles enow, they now make Trifles of the most serious and valuable Things. Their Time, their Health, their Money, their Reputation, are trifled away. Honestly is become a Trifle, Conscience a Trifle, Honour a mere Trifle, and Religion the greatest Trifle of all.

Enter the Gentleman and the two Ladies

      Mast. Sir, your humble Servant, I'm very glad to see you.

      Gent. Sir, I am yours. I have brought you some Customers here.

      Mast. You are very good, Sir. What do you please to want, Ladies?

      1 La. Please to want! People seldom please to want any thing, Sir.

      Mast. O dear Madam, yes; I always imagine when People come into a Toy-shop, it must be for something they please to want.

      2 La. Here's a mighty pretty Looking Glass; Pray, Sir, what's the Price of it?

      Mast. This Looking Glass, Madam, is the finest in all England. In this Glass a Coquet may see her Vanity, and a Prude her Hypocrisy. Some fine Ladies may see more Beauty than Modesty, more Airs than Graces, and more Wit than Good-nature.

      1 La. [Aside.] He begins already.

      Mast. If a Beau was to buy this Glass, and look earnestly in it, he might see his Folly almost as soon as his Finery. 'Tis true, some People may not see their Generosity in it, nor others their Charity, yet it is a very clear Glass. Some fine Gentlemen may not see their Good-manners in it perhaps, nor some Parsons their Religion, yet it is a very clear Glass. In short, tho' every one that passes for a Maid should not happen to see a Maidenhead in it, yet it may be a very clear Glass, you know, for all that.

      2 La. Yes, Sir, but I did not ask you the Virtues of it, I ask'd you the Price.

      Mast. It was necessary to tell you the Virtues, Madam, in order to prevent your scrupling the Price, which is five Guineas, and for so extraordinary a Glass, in my Opinion, it is but a Trifle.

      2 La. Lord, I'm afraid to look in it, methinks, lest it should show me more of my Faults than I care to see.

      1 La. Pray, Sir, what can be the Use of this very diminutive piece of Goods here?

      Mast. This Box, Madam? In the first Place, it is a very great Curiosity, being the least Box that ever was seen in England.

      1 La. Then a very little Curiosity had been more proper.

      Mast. Right, Madam. Yet, would you think it, in this same little Box, a Courtier may deposite his Sincerity, a Lawyer may screw up his Honesty, and a Poet may – hoard his Money.

      Gent. Ha, ha, ha, I will make a Present of it to Mr. Stanza for the very same Purpose.

      2 La. Here's a fine Perspective. Now, I think, Madam, in the Country these are a very pretty Amusement.

      Mast. O, Madam, the most useful and diverting things imaginable either in Town or Country. The Nature of this Glass, Madam, (pardon my impertinence in pretending to tell you what to be sure you are as well acquainted with as myself) is this. If you look thro' it at this end every Object is magnified, brought near, and discern'd with the greatest Plainness; but turn it the other way, do ye see, and they are all lessen'd, cast at a great Distance, and rendered almost imperceptible. Thro' this End it is that we look at our own Faults, but when other People's are to be examined, we are ready enough to turn the other. Thro' this End are view'd all the Benefits and Advantages we at any time receive from others; but if ever we happen to confer any, they are sure to be shown in their greatest Magnitude thro' the other. Thro' this we enviously darken and contract the Virtue, the Merit, the Beauty of all the World around us; but fondly Compliment our own with the most agreeable and advantageous Light thro' the other.