Thus a gentle river flows,
Meand'ring as it goes,

Through flow'ry meads which grace its way
• With all that's fair, and fweet, and gay.

• United with the fwain I love,

My life a round of joy will prove ;

⚫ Of grief we ne'er can feel the fting,

While thus we laugh, and dance, and fing.'
AIR.

Let us now dance with mirth and glee;
Laffes and lads, beat, beat the ground;
Let us now dance all under this tree,
To the sweet pipe's enlivening found.
CHORUS

[Repeats with her; the villagers dancing at the fame time.] Let us now dance, &c.

Let us firft fing, then dance to each air;
And in the joy that all may have part,
Let each fwain dance with his fav'rite fair,
And let each lafs have the lad of her heart.
Then let us now dance, &c.

Tho' noife and fplendour they boaft of in town,
More heart-felt enjoyments our festivals crown:
While dance and fong

Our blifs prolong,

And beauty warms

With artlefs charms

What mufic e'er with our pipes can compare?

Then let us all dance with mirth and glee;
Laffes and lads, beat, beat the ground;

Let us then dance all under this tree

To the sweet pipe's enliv'ning found.

Enter Mrs HARLOW and Mifs HARLOW.
Mrs HARLOW.

My dear fifter, let me tell you—

Mifs Har. But, my dear fifter, let me tell you it is in vain; you can say nothing that will have any effect. Mrs Har. Not if you won't hear me-only hear me— Mifs Har. Oh, ma'am, I know you love to hear yourself talk, and so please yourself;—but I am refolved

Mrs Har. Your refolution may alter.

Mifs Har. Never.

Mrs Har, Upon a little confideration.

Mifs Har. Upon no confideration.

Mrs Har. You don't know how that may be.-Recollect, fister, that you are no chicken-you are not now of the age that becomes giddinefs and folly.

Mifs Har. Age, Ma'am―

Mrs Har. Do but hear me, fifter-do but hear me A perfon of your years

Mifs Har. My years, fifter!-Upon my word!
Mrs Har. Nay, no offence, fifter-

Mifs Har. But there is offence, Ma'am :-I don't understand what you meant by it-always thwarting me with my years-my years, indeed!-when perhaps, Ma'am, if I was to die of old age, fome folks might have reason to look about them.

-But

Mrs Har. She feels it, I fee-Oh, I delight in mortifying her. [Afide.]—Sifter, if I did not love you, I am fure I fhould not talk to you in this mannerhow can you make so unkind a return now, as to alarm me about myself?-In fome fixteen or eighteen years after you, to be fure, I own I fhall begin to think of making my will How could you be fo fevere?

Mifs Har. Some fixteen or eighteen years, Ma'am! If you would own the truth, Ma'am-I believe, Ma'am -you would find, Ma'am, that the disparity, Ma'am, is not so very great, Ma'am

Mrs Har. Well, vow paffion becomes you inordinately.. -It blends a few rofes with the lilies of your cheek, and

Mifs Har. And though you are married to my brother, Ma'am, I would have you to know, Ma'am, that you are not thereby any way authorised, Ma'am, to take unbecoming liberties with his fifter.- -I am independent of my brother, Ma'am-my fortune is in my own hands, Ma'am; and, Ma'am

Mrs Har. Well, do you know now, when your blood circulates a little, that I think you look mighty well? But you was in the wrong not to marry at my agefweet three and twenty!-You can't conceive what a deal of good it would have done your temper and your fpirits, if you had married early

Mifs Har. Infolent !-provoking-female maliceMrs Har. But to be waiting till it is almost too late

in the day, and force one's felf to fay ftrange thingswith the tongue and heart at variance all the time: "I don't mind the hideous men-I am very happy as I am"-and all that time, my dear, dear fister-to be upon the tenter-hooks of expectation

Mifs Har. I upon tenter-hooks?

Mrs Har. And to be at this work of four grapes, till one is turned of three and forty

Mifs Har. Three and forty, Ma'am!--I defire, fifter-I defire, Ma'am-three and forty, Ma'am

Mrs Har. Nay, nay, nay; don't be angry-don't blame me- -blame my husband; he is your own brother, you know, and he knows your age- -He told me fo.

Mifs Har. Oh, Ma'am, I fee your drift-but you need not give yourself those airs, Ma'am-the men don't fee with your eyes, Ma'am-Years, indeed!—three and forty, truly!-I'll affure you upon my wordhah! very fine! But I fee plainly, Ma'am, what you are at Mr Clerimont, Madam !-Mr Clerimont, fifter! that's what frets you-A young husband, Ma'am -younger than your hufband, Ma'am-Mr Clerimont, let me tell you, Ma'am

Enter Trifle.

Trif. O rare news, Ma'am ! charming news!-We have got another letter

Mifs Har. From whom?—from Mr Clerimont? where is it?

Trif. Yes, Ma'am-from Mr Clerimont, Ma'am. Mifs Har. Let me fee it-let me fee it-quickquick

"Madam,

[Reads.

"The honour of a letter from you has fo filled my "mind with joy with gratitude, that I want words of force to reach but half my meaning. I can only fay, that you have revived a heart that was expiring for 46 you, and now beats for you alone." There, fister, mind that!—Years indeed! [Reads to herself. Mrs Harlow. I wish you joy, fifter.-I wish I had not gone to Ranelagh with her last week-Who could have thought that her faded beauties would have made fuch an impreffion on him?

[Afide.

Mifs Har. Mind here again, fister-(reads. )—“ Ever "fince I had the good fortune of seeing you at Rane❝lagh, your idea has been ever prefent to me; and "fince you now give me leave, I fhall, without delay, "wait upon your brother; and whatever terms he pre"fcribes, I fhall readily fubfcribe to; for to be your "flave is dearer to me than liberty. I have the ho66 nour to remain

"The humbleft of your admirers,
"CLERIMONT.

There, fifter!

Mrs Har. Well, I wish you joy again-but remember I tell you, take care what you do.-He is young, and of courfe giddy and inconftant.

Mifs Har. He is warm, paffionate, and tender

Mrs Har. But you don't know how long that may laft-and here are you going to break off a very suitable match-which all your friends liked and approved, a match with Captain Cape; who to be fure

Mifs Har. Don't name Captain Cape, I befeech don't name him

Mrs Har. Captain Cape, let me tell you, is not to be despised-He has acquired by his voyages to India a very pretty fortune-has a charming box of a house on Hackney-Marfh-and is of an age every way fuitable to you.

up

Mifs Har. There again now!-age! age! age! for ever;-years-years-my years!-But I tell you once for all, Mr Clerimont does not fee with your eyes---[ am determined to hear no more of Captain Cape-Odious Hackney-Marth! Ah, fifter, you would be glad to fee me married in a middling way-

Mrs Har. I, fifter?-I am fure nobody will rejoice more at your preferment.-I am refolved never to vifit her if Mr Clerimont marries her

[Afide. Mifs Har. Well, well, I tell you, Mr Clerimont has won my heart-young-handfome-rich-town-house, country-houfe-equipage-To him, and only him, will I furrender myfelf -Three and forty indeed! ha, ha!-You fee, my dear, dear fifter, that these features are ftill regular and blooming; -that the lovedarting eye has not quite forfook me; and that I have

made