The Toy was on the point of continuing its extravagant harangue, when the Sultan, observing that this strange scene shock’d the modest Manimonbanda, interrupted the orator by turning off the ring. The Emir had vanish’d at the first words of his wife’s Toy. Alcina, without being disconcerted, pretended to take a nap: meanwhile the ladies whispered that she had the vapours. “Yes,” says a Petit-maître, “Vapours: Ch⁠⸺⁠y calls them hysterics, as much as to say, things which come from the lower region. For this case he has a divine elixir; it is a principle, principiating, principiated, which revives⁠—which⁠—I will propose it to the lady.” The company laugh’d at this gibberish, and our Cynic resumed. “Nothing more true, ladies: I, who speak, have used it for a deperdition of substance.”

“A deperdition of substance, good marquiss,” said a young person, “pray what is that?”

“Madam,” replied the marquiss, “it is one of those casual accidents which happen⁠—but everybody knows it.”