rendered himself unworthy to partake. But sententious lectures are ill calculated for your time of life.

Ld. J. I differ from you here, Mr. Crab. Principles that call for perpetual practice, cannot be too soon received. I sincerely thank you, sir, for this communication, and should be happy to have always near me so moral a monitor.

Crab. You are indebted to France for her flattery. But I leave you with a lady, where it will be better employed.

Enter Lucinda.

Crab. This young man waits here, till your puppy is powdered. You may ask him after your French acquaintance. I know nothing of him; but he does not seem to be altogether so great a fool as your fellow.

[Exit. Luc. I'm afraid, sir, you have had but a disagreeable téte-à-tête.

Ld. J. Just the contrary, madam. By good sense, tinged with singularity, we are entertained as well as improved. For a lady, indeed, Mr. Crab's manners are rather too rough.

Luc. Not a jot; I am familiarized to 'em, I know his integrity, and can never be disobliged by his sincerity.

Ld. J. This declaration is a little particular, from a lady who must have received her first impressions in a place remarkable for its delicacy to the fair-sex. But good sense can conquer even early habits.

Luc. This compliment I can lay no claim to. The former part of my life procured me but very little indulgence. The pittance of knowledge I possess, was taught me by a very severe mistress, adversity. But you, sir, are too well acquainted with sir Charles Buck, not to have known my si. tuation.

Ld. J. I have heard your story, madam, before I had the honour of seeing you. It was affecting; you'll pardon the declaration; it now becomes interesting. However, it is impossible I should not congratulate you on the near approach of the happy catastrophe.

Luc. Events that depend upon the will of another, a thousand unforeseen accidents may interrupt.

Ld. J. Could I hope, madam, your present critical condition would acquit me of temerity, I should take the liberty to presume, if the suit of sir Charles be rejected

Enter Crab.

Crab. So, Youngster! what I suppose you are already practising one of your foreign lessons. Perverting the affections of a friend's mistress, or debauching his wife, are mere peccadilloes, in modern morality. But at present you are my care, That way conducts you to your fellow-traveller. [Exit. Ld. John.]-I would speak with you in the library.

[Exit.

Luc. I shall attend you, sir. Never was so unhappy an interruption. What could my lord mean? But be it what it will, it ought not, it cannot concern me. Gratitude and duty demand my compliance with the dying wish of my benefactor, my friend, my father. But am I then to sacrifice all my future peace? But reason not, rash girl; obedience is thy province.

Tho' hard the task, be it my part to prove
That sometimes duty can give laws to love.

АСТ II.

Buck at his toilet, attended by three valets de chambre and Macruthen.

Mac.

NOTWITHSTANDING aw his plain dealing, I doubt whether maister Crab is so honest a man. Buck. Prithee, Mac, name not the monster. If I may be permitted a quotation from one of their paltry poets,

Who is knight of the shire represents 'em all.

Did ever mortal see such, mirroirs, such looking glass as they have here too! One might as well address oneself, for information, to a bucket of water. La: Jonquil, mettez vous le rouge, assez. Eh bien, Mac, miserable! Hey!

Mac. It's very becoming.

Buck. Ave, it will do for this place; I really could have forgiven my father's living a year or two longer, rather than be compelled to return to this-[Enter Id. John.]-My dear lord, je demande mille pardons, but the terrible fracas in my chaise has so gàtéed and disordered my hair, that it required an age to adjust it.

Ld. J. No apology, sir Charles, I have been entertained very agreeably.

Buck. Who have you had, my dear lord, to entertain you?

Ld. 7. The very individual lady that's soon to make you a happy husband.

Burk. A happy who? husband! What two very opposite ideas confounded ensemble! In my conscience, I believe there's contagion in the clime, and my lor is infected. But pray, my dear lor, by what accident have you discovered, that I was upon

the point of becoming that happy-Oh, un mari! Diable?

Ld. 7. The lady's beauty and merit, your inclinations, and your father's injunctions, made me conjecture that.

Buck. And can't you suppose that the lady's beauty may be possess'd, her merit rewarded, and my inclinations gratified, without an absolute obedience to that fatherly injunction?

Ld. J. It does not occur to me. Buck. No, I believe not, my lor. Those kind of talents are not given to every body. Donnez moi mon manchon. And now you shall see me manage the lady.

Enter Servant.

Ser. Young squire Racket, and sir Toby Tallyhoe, who call themselves your honour's old acquaintances.

Buck. Oh the brutes! By what accident could they discover my arrival! My dear, dear lor, aid me to escape this embarras.

Racket and Tallyhoe without.

Hoic a boy, hoic a boy.'

Buck. Let me die if I do not believe the Hottentots have brought a whole hundred of hounds with them. But they say, forms keep fools at a distance. I'll receive 'em en cérémonie.

Enter Racket and Tallyhoe.

Tally. Hey boy, hoix, my little Buck.

'Buck. Monsieur le chevalier, votre très humble serviteur.

Tally. Hey.

Buck. Monsieur Racket, je suis charmé de vous voir.

Rack. Anon, what!

Buck. Ne m'entendez vous? Don't you understand French?

Rack Know French! No, nor you neither, I think, sir Toby, foregad I believe the papistes ha bewitch'd him in foreign parts.

Tally. Bewitch'd and transformed him too. Let me perish, Racket, if I don't think he's like one of the folks we used to read of at school, in Ovid's metamorphis; and that they have turned. him into a beast.

Rack. A beast! No, a bird, you fool.

Lookee, sir Toby, by the lord Harry, here are his wings. Tally. Hey! ecod and so they are, ha, ha. I reckon, Racket, he came over with the woodcocks. Buck. Voilà des véritables Anglois. The rustic rude ruffians!

Rack. Let us see what the devil he has put upon his pole, sir Toby.

Tally. Aye.

Buck. Do, dear savage, keep your distance. Tally. Nay, 'fore George we will have a scrutiny.

Rack. Ave, ave, a scrutiny.

Buck. En grace. La Jonquil, my lor, protect me from these pirates.

Ld. J. A little compassion, I beg, gentlemen. Consider, sir Charles is on a visit to his bride.

Tally. Bride! Zounds he's fitter for a bandbox. Racket, hocks the heels.

Rack. 1 have 'em, knight. Foregad he is the very reverse of a bantam cock; his comb's on his feet, and his feathers on his head. Who have we got here! What are these fellows, pastry-cooks?

Enter Crab.

Crab. And is this one of your newly acquired accomplishments, letting your mistress languish for abut you have company, I see.

Buck. O, yes, I have been inexpressibly happy. These gentlemen are kind enough to treat me,