1 Sir Will. Enough. You must know then, the hopes of our family, are, Mr. Shift, centered in one boy. Shift. And I warrant he is a hopeful one. Sir Will. No interruption, I beg. George has been abroad thefe four years, and from his late behaviour, I have reafon to believe, that had a certain event happened, which I am afraid he wished, my death Shift. Yes that's natural enough. Sir Will. Nay, pray, there would foon be an end to an ancient and honourable family. Shift. Very melancholy, indeed. But families, like befoms, will wear to the ftumps, and finally fret out, as you fay. Sir Will. Pr'ythee peace for five minutes. Sir Will. Now I have projected a scheme to prevent this calamity. Shift. Ay, I fhould be glad to hear that. Sir Will. George, as I have contrived it, fhall experience all the mifery of real ruin, without running the leaft rifque. Shift. Ay, that will be a coup de maitre. Sir Will. I have prevailed upon his uncle, a wealthy citizen. Shift. I don't like a city plot. Sir. Will. I tell thee it is my own. Sir Will. My brother, I fay, fome time fince wrote him a circumftantial account of my death; upon which he is returned, in full expectation of fucceeding to my estate. 4. Shift. I Shift. Immediately?pass blow Sir Will. No; when at age. months.shores of W reclaim him, I will caft him out, as an Shift. Bravely refolved. But what part am Se Wit. Why George, you are to know is already fript of what money he could command, by two fharpers: but as I never fruft them out of my fight they can't deceive me. Shift. Out of your fight! Sir Will. Why, I tell thee, I am one of the knot: an adept in their fcience, can flip, thuffle, cog, or cuth the belt of 'em. 5 to $.95 Shift. How do you efcape your fon's notice? Sir Will. His firm perfuafion of my death, with the extravagance of my difguife 25991 C 2 tion Why, I would engage to elude your penetra tion, when I am beau'd for the baron. But of that by and by. He has recourfe, after his ill fuccefs, to the cent., per cent. gentry, ufurers, for a further fupply. inimitably well. Have not you fomething of more confequence for me? Sir Will. I have, Could not, you, mafter, Shift, affume another fhape? You have attended auctions. Shift, Auctions! a conftant puff. Deep in the mystery; a profeffed connoiffeur, from a Niger to a nautilus, from the Apollo Belvidere to a butterfly. Sir Will. One of thefe infinuating, oily orators I will get you to perfonate: for we muft: have the plate and jewels in our poffeffion, or they will foon fall into other hands. Shift, I will do it. Sir Will. Within I'll give you farther inftruc tions. Shift. I'll follow you. Sir Will. [Going, returns.] You will want materials. Shift. Oh, my drefs I can be furnished with in five minutes. Exit Sir Will.] A whimfical old blade this. I fhall laugh if this fcheme mifcarries, I have a ftrange mind to lend it a. lift-never had a greater-Pho, a damn'd un- › natural connection this of mine! What have I to do with fathers and guardians! a parcel of preaching, prudent, careful, curmudgeonlydead to pleasures themselves, and the blasters of it in othersMere dogs in a manger-No, no, I'll veer, tack about, open my budget to the boy, and join in a counter-plot. But hold, hold, friend Stephen, fee first how the land lies. Who knows whether this Germaniz'd genius has parts to comprehend, or fpirit to reward. thy merit. There's danger in that, aye, marry is there. 'Egad before I fhift the helm, I'll firft examine the coaft; and then if there be but a bold fhore, and a good bottom, have a care old Square Toes, you will meet with your match.! Enter Sir George, Loader, and Servant, Sir Geo. Let the Martin pannels for the vis a-vis be carried to Long-Acre, and the pyeballs fent to Hall's to be bitted-You will give me leave to be in your debt till the evening, Mr. Loader. I have juft enough left to discharge the baron; and we muft, you know, be punctual with him, for the credit of the country. Load, Fire him, a fnub-nofed fon of a bitch, Levant me, but he got enough last night to purchafe a principality amongst his country men, the High-dutchians and Huffarians, Sir Geo. You had your fhare, Mr. Loader. Load. Who, I! Lurch me at four, but I was marked to the top of your trick, by the baron, my dear. What, I am no cinque and quartre man. Come, fhall we have a dip in the hiftory of the Four Kings this morning? a Sir Geo. Rather too early. Befides, it is the rule abroad, never to engage a-fresh, till our old fcores are difcharged, Load. Capot me, but thofe lads abroad are pretty fellows, let'em fay what they will. Here, fir, they will vowel you, from father to fon, to the twentieth generation. They would as foon now-a-days pay a tradefman's bill, as a play debt. All fenfe of honour is. gone |