all this? Or suppose an indifferent person had heard every word we have said to one another, what would they have thought on't? Would it have been very absurd to conclude he is seriously inclined to pass the rest of his life with me? I hope not; for I am sure the case is terribly clear on my side. Enter MRS. TRUSTY. Well, Mrs. Trusty, is my sister dressed yet? Mrs. T. Yes, madam; but my lord has been courting her so, I think, till they are both out of Lady G. How so? [humour. thieves, and sharpers in embroidery; or, what to me is still more shocking, that herd of familiar, chattering, crop-eared coxcombs. Lady T. And a husband must give eminent proof of his sense, that thinks their follies dangerous. Lord T. Their being fools, madam, is not always the husband's security; or, if it were, fortune sometimes gives them advantages that might make a thinking woman tremble. Lady T. What do you mean? Lady T. My lord, you grow scurrilous; you'll make me hate you! I'll have you to know, I keep company with the politest people in town, and the assemblies I frequent are full of such. Lord T. That women sometimes lose more than Mrs. T. Why, it began, madam, with his lord- they are able to pay; and, if a creditor be a little ship's desiring her ladyship to dine at home to-pressing, the lady may be induced to try, if, instead day; upon which, my lady said she could not be of gold, the gentleman will accept of a trinket. ready; upon that, my lord ordered them to stay the dinner; and then my lady ordered the coach; then my lord took her short, and said he had ordered the coachman to set up; then my lady made him a great courtesy, and said she would wait till his fordship's horses had dined, and was mighty pleasant; bat for fear of the worst, madam, she whispered me to get her chair ready. [Exit. Lady G. Oh! here they come; and, by their looks, seem a little unfit for company. [Exit. Eater LADY TOWNLY, LORD TOWNLY following. Lady T. Well; look you, my lord, I can bear it no longer; nothing still but about my faults my faults! an agreeable subject, truly! Lord T. Why, madam, if you won't hear of them, how can I ever hope to see you mend them? Lady T. Why, I don't intend to mend them; I can't mend them; you know I have tried to do it a hundred times, and, it hurts me so, I can't bear it. Lord T. And I, madam, can't bear this daily licentious abuse of your time and character. Lady T. Abuse! astonishing! when the universe knows I am never better company than when I am doing what I have a mind to. But, to see this world! that men can never get over that silly spirit of contradiction! Why, but last Thursday now! there you wisely amended one of my faults, as you call them; you insisted upon my not going to the masquerade; and pray, what was the consequence? Was not I as cross as the devil all the night after? Was not I forced to get company at home? And was it not almost three o'clock this morning before I was able to come to myself again? And then the fault is not mended neither; for, next time, I shall only have twice the inclination to go: so that all this mending, and mending, you see, is but darning old lace, to make it worse than it was before. Lord T. Well; the manner of women's living, of late, is insupportable! and, one way or otherLady T. It's to be mended, I suppose; why, so it may; but then, my dear lord, you must give one time; and, when things are at the worst, you know, they may mend themselves. Ha, ha! [trifle. Lord T. Madam, I am not in a humour now to Lady T. Why, then, my lord, one word of fair argument; to talk with you in your own way, now. You complain of my late hours, and I of your early ones; so far we are even, you'll allow; but, pray, which gives us the best figure in the eye of the polite world?-my active, spirited three in the morning, or your dull, drowsy, eleven at night? Now, I think one has the air of a woman of quality, and t'other, of a plodding mechanic, that goes to bed betimes, that he may rise early to open his shop.Faugh! Lord T. Fie, fie, madam! is this your way of reasoning? 'tis time to wake you, then. "Tis not your ill hours alone that disturb me, but as often, the ill company that occasion those ill hours. Lady T. Sure, I don't understand you, now, my lord; what ill company do I keep? Lord T. Why, at best, women that lose their money, and men that win it; or, perhaps, men that are voluntary bubbles at one game, in hopes that a lady will give him fair play at another. Then, that unavoidable mixture with known rakes, concealed Lord T. So are the churches, now and then. Lady T. My friends frequent them, too, as well as the assemblies. Lord T. Yes; and would do it oftener, if a groom of the chambers were allowed to furnish cards to the company. Lady T. I see what you drive at all this while; you would lay an imputation on my fame, to cover your own avarice. I might take any pleasures, I find, that were not expensive. Lord T. Have a care, madam; don't let me think you value your chastity only, to make me reproachable for not indulging you in every thing else that's vicious; I, madam, have a reputation, too, to guard, that's dear to me as your's. The follies of an ungoverned wife may make the wisest man uneasy; but, 'tis his own fault, if ever they render him contemptible. Lady T. My lord, my lord, you would make a woman mad! [a fool! Lord T. Madam, madam, you would make a man Lady T. If heaven has made you otherwise, that won't be in my power. Lord T. Whatever may be in your inclination, madam, I'll prevent you making me a beggar, at least. Lady T. A beggar! Croesus! I am out of patience! I won't come home till four to-morrow morning. Lord T. That may be, madam; but I'll order the doors to be locked at twelve. [night. Lady T. Then I won't come home till to-morrow Lord T. Then, madam, you shall never come home again. [Exit. Lady T. What does he mean? I never heard such a word from him in my life before! The man always used to have manners, in his worst humours.There's something that I don't see, at the bottom of all this. But his head's always upon some impracticable scheme or other; so I won't trouble mine any longer about him. Enter MANLY. Mr. Manly, your servant! Man. I ask pardon for intrusion, madam; but I hope my business with my lord will excuse it. Lady T. I believe you'll find him in the next room, sir. Man. Will you give me leave, madam? Lady T. Sir, you have my leave, though you were a lady. Man. What a well-bred age do we live in! (Aside.) [Exit. Enter LADY GRACE. Lady T. Oh, my dear Lady Grace! how could you leave me so unmercifully alone all this while? Lady G. I thought my lord had been with you. Lady T. Why, yes: and, therefore, I wanted your relief; for he has been in such a fluster here! Lady G. Bless me! for what? Lady T. Only our usual breakfast; we have each of us had our dish of matrimonial comfort this morning! We have been charming company! THE PROVOKED HUSBAND. Lady G. I am mighty glad of it; sure, it must be a vast happiness, when a man and wife can give themselves the same turn of conversation! Lady T. Oh! the prettiest thing in the world! Lady G. Now, I should be afraid, that, where two people are every day together so, they must often be in want of something to talk upon. Lady T. Oh! my dear, you are the most mistaken in the world! married people have things to talk of, child, that never enter into the imagination of others. Why, here's my lord and I, now; we have not been married above two short years, you know, and we have already eight or ten things constantly in bank, that, whenever we want company, we can take up any one of them for two hours together, and the subject never the flatter; nay, if we have occasion for it, it will be as fresh next day, too, as it was the first hour it entertained us. Lady G. Certainly; that must be vastly pretty! Lady T. Oh! there's no life like it! Why, t'other day, for example, when you dined abroad, my lord and I, after a pretty, cheerful, tête-à-tête meal, sat us down by the fire-side, in an easy, indolent, picktooth way, for about a quarter of an hour, as if we had not thought of any other's being in the room. At last, stretching himself, and yawning, "My dear," says he, "aw! you came home very late last night." ""Twas but just turned of two," says I. "I was in bed-aw-by eleven," says he. "So you are every night," says I. "Well," says he, "I am amazed you can sit up so late." How can you be amazed," says I at a thing that happens so often?" Upon which we entered into a conversation: and, though this is a point has entertained us above fifty times already, we always find so many, pretty, new things, to say upon it, that I believe my soul it will last as long as we live. Lady G. But, pray, in such sort of family dialogues (though extremely well for passing the time), don't there now and then enter some little witty sort of bitterness? Lady T. Oh, yes! which does not do amiss at all. A smart repartee, with a zest of recrimination at the head of it, makes the prettiest sherbet; ay, ay, if we did not mix a little of the acid with it, a matrimonial society would be so luscius, that nothing but an old liquorish prude would be able to bear it. Lady G. Well, certainly you have the most ele[gant tasteLady T. Though, to tell you the truth, my dear, I rather think we squeezed a little too much lemon into it this bout; for it grew so sour at last, that, I think, I almost told him he was a fool; and he, again, talked something oddly of turning me out of Lady G. O, have a care of that! Lady T. Nay, if he should, I may thank my own [doors. wise father for it. But to be serious, my dear, what would you really have a woman do in my case? Lady G. Why, if I had a sober husband, as you have, I would make myself the happiest wife in the world, by being as sober as he. Lady T. Oh, you wicked thing! how can you tease one at this rate, when you know he is so very sober, that, except giving me money, there is not one thing in the world he can do to please me. And I, at the same time, partly by nature, and partly, perhaps, by keeping the best company, do with my soul love almost every thing he hates. I dote upon assemblies; my heart bounds at a ball; and, at an opera, I expire! Then I love play to distraction! cards enchant me! and dice-put me out of my little wits! Dear, dear hazard! "Oh, what a flow of spirits it gives one! Do you never play at hazard, child? Lady G. Oh, never! I don't think it sits well upon women; there's something so masculine, so much the air of a rake in it! You see how it makes the men swear and curse! and, when a woman is thrown into the same passion, why Lady T. That's very true; one is a little put to it, sometimes, not to make use of the same words [ACT III. to express it. Lady G. Well, and upon ill luck, pray what words are you really forced to make use of? Lady T. Why, upon a very hard case indeed, when a sad wrong word is rising just to one's tongue's end, I give a great gulp, and swallow it. you forswear play as long as you live? Lady G. Well; and is not that enough to make Lady T. Oh, yes! I have forsworn it. Lady G. Seriously? Lady T. Solemnly! a thousand times; but then one is constantly forsworn. Lady G. And how can you answer that? don't want that, child) can dream of living soberly, Lady G. Why not? [in the country? Lady T. Why, can't you as well go and be sober Lady G. So I would, t'other half year. life would you form, now, for your summer and Lady T. And pray, what comfortable scheme of winter sober entertainments? [content us. Lady G. A scheme that, I think, might very well Lady T. Oh! of all things, let's hear it. Lady G. Why, in summer I could pass my leisure hours in reading, walking by a canal, or sitting at the end of it, under a great tree; in dressing, hearing a little music, taking a dish of tea, or a dining, chatting with an agreeable friend; perhaps game at cards, soberly; managing my family, looking into its accounts, playing with my children, if I had any, or in a thousand other innocent amusemight induce my husband to be as sober as myself. ments-soberly; and possibly, by these means, I Lady T. Well, my dear, thou art an astonishing tions of life have not been in any head these thousand creature! for sure such primitive, antediluvian nobeg we may have the sober town scheme, too, for I years. Under a great tree! Oh, my soul! But I am charmed with the country one. Lady G. You shall; and I'll try to stick to my sobriety there, too. the vapours, I must hear it, however. madam, I will first so far come into the fashion, Lady T. Ay? now for it! Lady G. I would every day be as neat as a bride. but, as little for form as possible. I would go to Lady T. Well, if it had not been for this last piece of sobriety, I was just going to call for some surfeit-water. Man. Impossible! you flatter me! Lord T. I'm glad you think it flattery, but she herself shall prove it none; she dines with us alone: Lady G. Why, don't you think, with the further when the servants are withdrawn, I'll open a conaid of breakfasting, dining, and taking the air, sup-versation that shall excuse my leaving you togeping, sleeping, not to say a word of devotion, the ther. Oh! Charles, had I, like thee, been cautious toar-and-twenty hours might roll over in a tolera- in my choice, what melancholy hours had this heart ble manner? avoided : Lady T. Tolerable? deplorable! Why, child, all you propose is but to endure life; now I want to enjoy it. Enter MRS. TRUSTY. Mrs. T. Ma'am, your ladyship's chair is ready. Lady T. Have the footmen their white flambeaux yet? for last night I was poisoned. Mrs. T. Yes, ma'am, there were some came in this morning. [Exit. Lady T. My dear, you will excuse me; but, you know, my time is so precious Lady G. That I beg I may not hinder your least enjoyment of it. Lady T. You will call on me at Lady Revel's? Lady G. Certainly. Lady T. But I am so afraid it will break into your scheme, my dear! [from you. Lady G. When it does, I will-soberly break Lady T. Why, then, till we meet again, dear sisler, I wish you all tolerable happiness. [Exeunt Lady Townly and Lady Grace. Enter LORD TOWNLY and MANLY. Lord T. I did not think my Lady Wronghead bad such a notable brain; though I can't say she was so very wise in trusting this silly girl, you call Myrtilla, with the secret. Man. No, my lord, you mistake me; had the girl been in the secret, perhaps I had never come at myself. Lord T. Why, I thought you said the girl writ this letter to you, and that my Lady Wronghead sent it enclosed to my sister. Man. If you please to give me leave, my lord, the fact is thus: this enclosed letter to Lady Grace was a real, original one, written by this girl to the Count we have been talking of; the Count drops it, and my Lady Wronghead finds it; then, only changing the cover, she seals it up, as a letter of business, just written by herself to me; and pretending to be in a hurry, gets this innocent girl to write the direction for her. Lord T. Oh! then the girl did not know she was superscribing a billet-doux of her own, to you? Man. No, my lord; for when I first questioned her about the direction, she owned it immediately; but when I shewed her that her letter to the Count was within it, and told her how it came into my hands, the poor creature was amazed, and thought herself betrayed, both by the Count and my lady; in short, upon this discovery, the girl and I grew so gracious, that she has let me into some transactions in my Lady Wronghead's family, which, with my having a careful eye over them, may prevent the ruin of it. Lord T. You are very generous, to be so solicitous for a lady that has given you so much uneasiness. Man. But I will be most unmercifully revenged of her; for I will do her the greatest friendship in the world,-against her will. Lord T. What an uncommon philosophy art thou master of, to make even thy malice a virtue! Man. Yet, my lord, I assure you there is no one action of my life gives me more pleasure than your approbation of it. Lord T. Dear Charles! my heart's impatient till thou art nearer to me; and, as a proof that I have long wished thee so, while your daily conduct has chosen rather to deserve, than to ask my sister's favour, I have been as secretly industrious to make ber sensible of your merit; and since, on this occaSon, you have opened your whole heart to me, 'tis now with equal pleasure I assure you we have both succeeded; she is as firmly your's Man. As how, pray? Sir F. Why, thus; lookye-" Please your lordship," says I, "I am Sir Francis Wronghead, of Bumper-Hall, and member of parliament for the borough of Guzzledown." "Sir, your humble servant," says my lord; "tho'f I have not the honour to know your person, I have heard you are a very honest gentleman, and I am glad your borough has made choice of so worthy a representative; and so," says he, "Sir Francis, have you any service to command me?" Naw, cousin, those last words, you may be sure, gave me no small encouragement. And tho'f I know, sir, you have no extraordinary opinion of my parts, yet, I believe, you won't say I missed it naw. Man. Well, I hope I shall have no cause. Sir F. So when I found him so courteous-"My lord," says I, "I did not think to ha' troubled your lordship with business upon my first visit; but, since your lordship is pleased not to stand upon ceremony, why truly," says I, "I think naw is as good as another time." Man. Right! there you pushed him home. Sir F. Ay, ay, I had a mind to let him see that I was none of your mealy-mouthed ones. Man. Very good. Sir F. "So, in short, my lord," says I, "I have a good estate; but-a-It's a little awt at elbows: and, as I desire to serve my king as well as my country, I shall be very willing to accept of a place at court." Man. So, this was making short work on't. Sir F. Icod, I shot him flying, cousin! some of your hawf-witted ones, naw, would ha'hummed and hawed, and dangled a month or two after him, before they durst open their mouths about a place; and, mayhap, not ha' got it at last neither. Man. Oh, I'm glad you're so sure on't. Sir F. You shall hear, cousin. "Sir Francis," says my lord, "pray what sort of a place may you ha' turned your thoughts upon?" "My lord," says I, "beggars must not be choosers: but only a place," says I, "about a thousand a year, will be well enough to be doing with till something better falls in ;"--for I thought it would not look well to stond haggling with him at first. Man. No, no, your business was to get footing [know the world. Sir F. Right! there's it! Ay, cousin, I see you Man. Yes, yes, one sees more of it every day. Well, but what said my lord to all this? any way. Sir F. "Sir Francis," says he, "I shall be glad to serve you any way that lies in my power;" so he gave me a squeeze by the hand, as much as to say, give yourself no trouble; I'll do your business; with that he turned him abawt to somebody with a coloured ribbon across here, that looked, in my thoughts, as if he came for a place too. Man. Ha! so upon these hopes you are to make your fortune? [it, sir? Sir F. Why, do you think there's any doubt of Man. Oh, no! I have not the least doubt about it; for, just as you have done, I made my fortune ten years ago. Sir F. Why, I never knew you had a place, cousin. Man. Nor I neither, upon my faith, cousin. But you, perhaps, may have better fortune; for I suppose my lord has heard of what importance you were in the debate to-day. You have been since down at the house, I presume? Sir F. Oh, yes! I would not neglect the house for ever so much. Man. Well; and pray what have they done there? Sir F. Why, troth, I can't well tell you what they have done; but I can tell you what I did: and, I think pretty well in the main; only I happened to make a little mistake at last, indeed. Man. How was that? Sir F. Why, they were all got there into a sort of a puzzling debate, about the good of the nation; and I were always for that, you know; but, in short, the arguments were so long winded o'both sides, that, waunds! I did not well understand 'um: hawsomever, I was convinced, and so resolved to vote right, according to my conscience; so, when they came to put the question, as they call it-I don't know how it 'twas-but I doubt I cried, ay! when I should ha' cried, no! Man. How came that about! Sir F. Why, by a mistake, as I tell you; for there was a good-humoured sort of a gentleman, one Mr. Totherside, I think they call him, that sat next me, as soon as I had cried, ay! gives me a hearty shake by the hand; " Sir," says he, " you are a man of honour, and a true Englishman! and I should be proud to be better acquainted with you;" and so, with that, takes me by the sleeve, along with the crowd, into the lobby, so I knew nought; but, odds flesh! I was got o' the wrong side the post; for I were told, afterwards, I should have staid where I was. Man. And so, if you had not quite made your fortune before, you have clinched it now! Ah, thou head of the Wrongheads! (Aside.) Lady W. (Without.) Very well, very well. Sir F. Odso! here's my lady come home at last! Enter LADY WRONGHEAD, COUNT BASSET, and MISS JENNY. Lady W. Cousin, your servant: I hope you will pardon my rudeness; but we have really been in such a continual hurry here, that we have not had a leisure moment to return your last visit. Man. Oh! madam, I am a man of no ceremony; you see that has not hindered my coming again. Lady W. You are infinitely obliging; but I'll redeem my credit with you. Man. At your own time, madam. Count B. I must say that for Mr. Manly, madam; if making people easy is the rule of good breeding, he is certainly the best bred man in the world. Man. So! I am not to drop my acquaintance, I find. (Aside.) I am afraid, sir, I shall grow vain "pon your good opinion. Count B. I don't know that, sir; but I am sure what you are pleased to say makes me so. Man. The most impudent modesty that ever I met with! (Aside.) Lady W. Lard, how ready his wit is! (Aside.) Sir F. Don't you think, sir, the Count's a very fiue gentleman! (Apart to Manly.) Man. Oh! among the ladies, certainly. (To Sir F.) Sir F. And yet he's as stout as a lion. Waunds! he'll storm anything! (Apart to Manly.) Man. Will he so? Why then, sir, take care of your citadel. (Apart to Šir F.) Sir F. Ah, you are a wag, cousin! (Apart to Man.) Man. I hope, ladies, the town air continues to agree with you? Jenny. (Advancing.) Oh! perfectly well, sir! We have been abroad in our new coach, all day long; and we have bought an ocean of fine things. And to-morrow we go to the masquerade; and on Friday to the play; and on Saturday to the opera; and on Sunday, we are to be at the what d'ye call it-assembly, and see the ladies play at quadrille, and piquet, and ombre, and hazard, and basset; and on Monday, we are to see the king; and on Tuesday, Lady W. Hold, hold, miss! you must not let your tongue run so fast, child-you forget; you know I brought you hither to learn modesty. Man. Yes, yes, and she is improved with a vengeance! (Aside.) Jenny. Lawd, mamma! I am sure I did not say any harm: and, if one must not speak in one's turu, one may be kept under as long as one lives, for aught I see. [headstrong Lady W. O'my conscience, this girl grows so Sir F. Ay,ay, there's your fine growing spirit for you! Now tack it dawn, an' you can. Jenny. All I said, papa, was only to entertain my cousin Manly. Man. My pretty dear, I am mightily obliged to you. Jenny. Look you there now, madam. Lady W. Hold your tongue, I say. Jenny. (Turning away, and pouting.) I declare I won't bear it: she is always snubbing me before you, sir! I know why she does it well enough. (Aside to the Count.) Count B. Hush, hush, my dear! don't be uneasy at that; she'll suspect us. (Aside.) Jenny. Let her suspect! what do I care? I don't know but I have as much reason to suspect as she, though, perhaps, I am not so afraid of her. Count B. Egad, if I don't keep a tight hand on my tit, here, she'll run away with my project, before I can bring it to bear. (Aside.) Lady W. The young harlot is certainly in love with him; but I must not let them see I think so; and yet I can't bear it. (Aside.) Upon my life, Count, you'll spoil that forward girl; you should not encourage her so. Count B. Pardon me, madam, I was only advising her to observe what your ladyship said to her. In one word, madam, she has a jealousy of your ladyship, and I am forced to encourage her, to blind it: 'twill be better to take no notice of her behaviour to me. (Apart to Lady W.) Lady W. You are right; I will be more cantious. (Apart to Count B.) Count B. To-morrow, at the masquerade we may lose her. (Apart to Lady W.) Lady W. We shall be observed; I'll send you a note, and settle that affair; go on with the girl, and don't mind me. (Apart to Count B.) Count B. I have been taking your part, my little angel. (To Miss Jenny.) Lady W. Jenny! come hither, child; you must not be so hasty, my dear; I only advise yon for your good. Jenny. Yes, mamma; but when I am told of a thing before company, it always makes me worse, you know. Man. If I have any skill in the fair sex, miss and her mamma have only quarrelled because they are both of a mind. This facetious Count seems to have made a very genteel step into the family! (Aside.) Enter MYRTILLA; Manly talks apart with her. Lady W. Well, Sir Francis, and what news have you brought us from Westminster to-day? Sir F. News, madam! 'Ecod, I have some; and such as does not come every day I can tell you. A word in your ear; I have got a promise of a place at court of a thousand pound a year already. Lady W. Have you so, sir! And, pray, who may you thank for't? Now, who is in the right? Is not this better than throwing so much away after a stinking pack of fox-hounds in the country? Now, your family may be the better for it. Sir F. Nay, that's what persuaded me to come up, my dove. Lady W. Mighty well! Come; let me have another hundred pound, then. Sir F. Another, child! Waunds! you have had one hundred this morning; pray, what's become of that, my dear? Lady W. What's become of it! Why, I'll shew you, my love. Jenny, have you the bills about you? Jenny. Yes, mamma. Lady W. What's become of it! Why, laid out, my dear, with fifty more to it, that I was forced to borrow of the Count, here. Jenny. Yes, indeed, papa, and that would hardly do neither. There's the account. Sir F. (Turning over the bills.) Let's see! let's see! What the devil have we got here? Man. Then you have sounded your aunt, you say, and she readily comes in to all I proposed to you? (Apart to Myrtilla.) Myr. Sir, I'll answer with my life, she is most thank fully your's in every article. She mightily desires to see you, sir. (Ápart.) Man. I am going home directly; bring her to my house in half an hour; and, if she makes good what you tell me, you shall both find your account in it. (Apart to Myrtilla.) Mgr. Sir, she shall not fail you. [To Man.-Exit. Sir F. Ods life, madam! here's nothing but toys and trinkets, and fans and clock stockings, by wholesale. Enter SQUIRE RICHARD. Squire R. Feyther, an you doan't come quickly, the meat will be coaled: and I'd fain pick a bit with you. Lady W. Bless me, sir Francis! you are not going to sup by yourself? Sir F. No, but I'm going to dine by myself, and that's pretty near the matter, madam. Lady W. Had not you as good stay a little, my dear? We shall all eat in half an hour; and I was thinking to ask my cousin Manly to take a family morsel with us. Sir F. Nay, for my cousin's good company, I don't care if I ride a day's journey without bailing. Man. By no means, Sir Francis. I am going upon a little business. [pliments. Sir F. Well, sir, I know you don't love comMan. You'll excuse me, madam. (Bows.) Lady W. Since you have business, sir-(Curtsies.) [Exit Manly. Enter MRS. MOTHERLY. Oh, Mrs. Motherly! you were saying this morning, you had some very fine lace to shew me; can't I see it now? (Sir Francis stares.) Mrs. M. Why really, madam, I had made a sort of a promise to let the Countess of Nicely have the first sight of it, for the birth-day; but your ladyship Lady W. Oh! I die if I don't see it before her. Squire R. Woant you goa, feyther? Sir F. Waunds, lad, I shall ha' no stomach at this rate! Mrs. M. Well, madam, though I say it, 'tis the sweetest pattern that ever came over; and, for fineness, no cobweb comes up to it. Sir F. Ods guts and gizzard, madam! Lace as fiue as a cobweb! why, what the devil's that to cost, now? [madamMrs. M. Nay, if Sir Francis does not like it, Lady W. He like it! Dear Mrs. Motherly, he is not to wear it. [pay for it! Sir F. Flesh, madam! but I suppose I am to Lady W. No doubt on't! Think of your thousand a-year, and who got it you; go, eat your dinner, and be thankful, go! Come, Mrs. Motherly. [Exit Lady Wronghead and Mrs. Motherly. Sir F. Very fine! so here I mun fast, till I am Lady W. There's nothing but what's proper, and almost famished, for the good of my country, while for your credit, Sir Francis. Nay, you see I am madam is laying me out an hundred pound a-day, 10 good a housewife, that, in necessaries for my-in lace as fine as a cobweb, for the honour of my faself, I have scarce laid out a shilling. mily! Ods flesh! things had need go well at this rate! Sur F. No, by my troth, so it seems; for the devil o' one thing's here that I can see you have any occasion for. Lady W. My dear, do you think I came hither to live out of the fashion? why, the greatest distinction of a fine lady, in this town, is in the variety of pretty things that she has no occasion for. Jenny. Sure, papa, could you imagine, that women of quality wanted nothing but stays and petticoats? Lady W. Now, that is so like him! Man. So, the family comes on finely! (Aside.) Sir F. An hundred pound in the morning, and want another afore night! Waunds and fire! the Lord Mayor of London could not hold it at this rate. Man. Oh! do you feel it, sir? (Aside.) Lady W. My dear, you seem uneasy; let me have the hundred pound, and compose yourself. Sir F. Compose the devil, madam! why, do you consider what a hundred pound a day comes to in a year? Lady W. My life, if I account with you from one day to another, that's really all my head is able to bear at a time. But I'll tell you what I consider-I consider that my advice has got you a thousand pound a year this morning. That now, methinks, you might consider, sir. Sir F. Á thousand pound! Yes; but, mayhap, I mayn't receive the first quarter on't this half year. Squire R. Nay, nay; come, feyther. [Exeunt Sir Francis and Squire Richard. Re-enter MYRTILLA. Myr. Madam, (to Miss Jenny,) my lady desires. you and the Count will please to come, and assist her fancy in some of the new laces. Count B. We'll wait upon herJenny. So, I told you how it was; you see she can't bear to leave us together. Count B. No matter, my dear; you know she has asked me to stay supper: so, when your papa and she are a-bed, Mrs. Myrtilla will let me into the house again; then you may steal into her chamber, and we'll have a little talk together. [any thing. Myr. Ay, ay, madam, you may command me in Jenny. Well, that will be pure! Count B. But you had best go to her alone, my life; it will look better if I come after you. Jenny. Ay, so it will: and to-morrow, you know, at the masquerade: O dear, dear! I wish the time [Exit. were come. Myr. So, sir, am not I very commode to you? Count B. Well, child, and don't you find your account in it? Did I not tell you we might still be of use to one another? [miss, in the main? Myr. Well, but how stands your affair with Count B. Oh, she's mad for the masquerade ! It drives like a nail; we want nothing now but a |