MARLOW
One may call in this house, I find, to very little purpose. Suppose I should
call for a taste, just by the way of a trial, of the nectar of your lips;
perhaps I might be disappointed in that too.
MISS HARDCASTLE
Nectar! nectar! That's a liquor there's no call for in these parts. French, I
suppose. We sell no French wines here, sir.
MARLOW
Of true English growth, I assure you.
MISS HARDCASTLE
Then it's odd I should not know it. We brew all sorts of wines in this house,
and I have lived here these eighteen years.
MARLOW
Eighteen years! Why, one would think, child, you kept the bar before you were
born. How old are you?
MISS HARDCASTLE
O! sir, I must not tell my age. They say women and music should never be
dated.

This quote from Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer" reflects the witty banter and comedic misunderstandings that drive the play's plot. Marlow's request for a "taste" of Miss Hardcastle's lips is couched in metaphor, playfully suggesting a refined flirtation. However, Miss Hardcastle, posing as a barmaid, skillfully deflects his advance with a humorous misunderstanding about "nectar" being a type of wine. Her clever retorts highlight her quick wit and charm, traits that endear her to both the audience and, ultimately, to Marlow himself.

The statement about women and music "never be dated" is a timeless jest, suggesting that a woman’s age and the age of music are best left to the imagination, preserving an air of mystery and allure. This reflects societal attitudes of the time, wherein a woman's age was often considered a delicate subject. The humor and lightheartedness of their exchange add layers to the mistaken identities and assumptions at play, deepening the comedic effect of the scene.