SCENE, A Hall in General WORRY's house, adorned with military trophies; through the folding doors of which, is feen a part of the garden. I NARCISSA and JENNY. JENNY. NDEED, Ma'am, I don't like to go near him :— befides, what the deuce should he want with me? Nar. Oh, fome fresh complaints, I'll warrant you:but I defire you'd go. Jen. Lud, Ma'am ! he's fuch an old fufpicious mortal, that that I can do no good with him :-and 'tis a fhame to throw away good reasoning and fine fentiment upon fo unfeeling a Nar. Prithee, don't be trifling now, girl, but go to him, and let us know the worst. Jen. Well, to oblige you, Ma'am, I'll venture any thing. [Exit Jenny. Narciffa alone. Why was I doom'd to envy the free-born villager?— or what do I derive from fortune or education, but reflections which render my confinement infupportable.The family-quarrel which separates me from the man I love, and my father's unreafonable fufpicions, lie heavy on my spirits :-deny'd even to breathe that pure air, which nature defigned as a common bleffing to all her creatures!-Surely the time will come when I fhall regain my liberty, and my Byron have an opportunity of refuming the tender fubject of his paffion, fo cruelly cut off in its infancy. AIR I. Soft Fancy, thou truant to me, When he has forgotten to fmile! Enter Jenny haftily. Jen. Oh dear, Ma'am !-charming news, Ma'am ! Nar. Thou art a mad girl :—but what is the cause of this transport? Jen. Lud, Ma'am ! as I hope to live and breathe, your papa is going down to the borough to vote for his friend Mr Indigo the Nabob, and his nephew Sir Harry Muff, the sweet spark that lines his cloaths with fur in the dog-days—and your lover that is to be— Nar. My lover that is to be!-But prithee, go oǹ— Jen. And fo, Ma'am, he has given us leave to divert ourselves in the plantations till he returns :-he fent fent Spy in fearch of you, to tell you of it before he faw me. Nar. Indeed! Jen. Yes, indeed and indeed, Ma'am I wish I could let somebody know of it, that he might pay ús a vifit. Nar. That's impoffible, Jenny.-But foft! here comes my father's cabinet-counsellor. Nar. Enter Spy. -Well, Sir, what's your bufinefs? Spy. Bufinefs, Ma'am !-no great matter of bufinefs, truly; only his worship ordered me to tell you, that he was going to the election at Tipplewell; and fo, if you thought fit, you and Mrs Jenny might recreate yourselves in the pleafure-grounds (as 'tis a fine day) till he returns. Jen. There's kindness for you, Madam! Spy. But he charg'd me to tell you, he'd have no lolling out of the fummer-houfe window that looks to the high-road; nor no finging, for fear you fhould fcar the wild ducks that are hatching in the island;-nor no Jen.opening our eyes, I fuppofe, for fear we fhould fee any thing in the fhape of a man!-now your bolt's fhot! Your master's very kind, truly: after depriving us of every enjoyment for three months past, he now fets a dish before us, and generously tells us we must not taste of it. Spy. Why you know, Mrs Jenny, I would refuse you nothing; not even if you were to take a liking to me myfelf. Jen. That would be a fine difh indeed! Nar. Come, come, no more of this; you may tell your mafter, I think myself obliged to him, even for this limited indulgence: what does the fellow ftand fo like a ftatue for? Spy. I only waits to let you in, that's all. Nar. You may fave yourself that trouble, by giving the keys to my maid. Jen. Come give them to me, Sir Spy. But axing your pardon, Mifs Narciffa, that's not the cafe neither; I was ordered to lock the gardendoors after you, and carry the keys back to your papa. Nar. Nar. Lock us in! for what? Jen. Ay, for what,. Sir? Spy. For-for-oh!. --only for fear the turkeys fhould get in and eat up all the ftrawberries, that's all. Nor. I understand my father's cruel fufpicions: but thou haft more delicacy than thy mafter; go open the gates. [Exit Spy. Jen. Now, Ma'am!-if Mr Byron be the gentleman I take him for, he'll find it out fome how or other that the old gentleman has left his watch, and be here in the twinkling of an eye. Nar. Ah Jenny! 'tis three long weeks Jen. So it is, Ma'am, fince he blew you the last kifs from the orchard-wall, by moon-light :-I'm fure it almoft melted my heart, it was fent up with fuch a deep figh.-Poor young gentleman!-I with I was not of fo tender a conftitution myself in these cafes. Nar. Heyday!-why, I thall look upon thee as my ri.. val prefently :-Well, I muft confefs, girl, that Byron finds in thee a powerful advocate, and I a faithful confidante: I hope we fhall be enabled to reward thy fidelity. Jen. I fhould be fufficiently repaid, Ma'am, in seeing you happy-Dear me! if he would but come now and offer himself a candidate here, we might have a fnug little election of our own: he fhould have my vote; and if I know any thing of eyes, I don't think but you'd immediately return him. Nar. Faith, I cannot fwear that I wou'd not, Jenny. Jen. Lord, Ma'am, I can eafily clamber over the pales if they do lock us in let me go then, and fee if I can find him any where. Nar. Heavens, girl, not for the world!-After fuch an imprudent advance on my part, I need not wonder if a cool indifference fhould fucceed on his for I have been told, Jenny, that men always fet a value upon a conqueft, in proportion to the cafe or difficulty with which it is obtain’d.—And yet I long to fee him!-But come, I am impatient to enjoy once more the beauties of nature: I am going into the drawing-room for my book; you'll find me at one of my favourite feats, where I really long to reft myself. [Exit Nar VOL. IV. M Jen Jenny, alone. Poor young lady!-I wonder fhe holds it out fo long: no fleep o' nights, and her little heart hurry fcurry, hurry fcurry, all day. The deuce take the men, fay I, for a pack of unfeeling numfkulls; they are all alike-wonderfully loving, when locks and bars are between; but if you give 'em a favourable opportunity, not one in ten of them has the brains to make use of it. AIR II. Fie! fie! filly man, For that's not the way a fond damfel to woo. Your fobbing, and pining: Carefs her! The business is done, and fhe'll foon buckle too. [Exit Jenny, Enter General Worry, difcovering Jenny as he goes off Gen. There's a baggage for you now! Zounds! if I had stole a march upon her a minute fooner, I fhould havè catch'd 'em out!Damme, if the life I now lead is not more perilous than when I was upon the coast of France, and expected mine to be fprung upon me every step I advanced.-A fine bouncing girl, fcribbling dying fongs and love-letters from morning till night, and fnivelling day after day for liberty, in order to run away with fome fcape-grace, who'll cut my throat to get in for my fortune;-and an Abigail, crafty enough to debauch the morals of a Lapland virgin!-'Tis too much for an invalid of fixty-five!-But, upon fecond thoughts, there can come no great harm on letting them out for a little while befides, it will give Narciffa a bloem against I bring Sir Harry home with me. [Enter Spy, whistling, and leading a large maftiff. Spy. Here, Dragon! Dragon! Gen. Well, Spy !-what, have you let 'em out? Spy. Yes, your honour's worship, I let 'em loofe.-It would have done your heart good to fee 'em: they jump'd and |