M. Gr. The mirror upon your toilette.
M. God. Perhaps you may differ in judg

ment.

M. Gr. Why, can glaffes flatter?

M. God. I can't fay I think that neceffary. M. Gr. Saucy enough!-But come, child, don't let us quarrel upon fo whimsical an occafion time will explain the whole. You will favour me with your opinion of Young Wilding at my window.

M. God. I attend you.

M. Gr. You will forgive me, my dear, the little hint I dropt; it was meant merely to ferve you; for indeed, child, there is no quality fo infufferable in a young woman as felfconceit and vanity.

M. God. You are moft prodigiously obliging. 'M. Gr. I'll follow you, Mifs. [Exit Mifs Godfrey.] Pert-thing!-She grows immoderately ugly. I always thought her aukward, but she is now an abfolute fright.

M. God. (within.) Mifs, Mifs Grantham, your hero's at hand.

M. Gr. I come.

M. God. As I live, the very individual ftranger!

M. Gr. No fure!-Oh Lord, let me have

a peep!

M. God. It is he 1-it is he !-it is he!

SCENE-The Street.

[Exeunt.

Enter Old Wilding, Young Wilding, and Pa

pillion.

O. Wild. There, Marquis, you must pardon me; for though Paris be more compact, yet C 4 furely

furely London covers a much great quantityOh, Jack, look at that corner house: how d'ye like it?

Y. Wild. Very well; but I don't fee any thing extraordinary.

O. Wild. I with, though, you were the mafter of what it contains.

Y. Wild. What may that be, Sir?

O. Wild. The miftrefs, you rogue you: a fine girl, and an immenfe fortune; ay, and a prudent fenfible wench into the bargain. Y. Wild. Time enough yet, Sir.

O. Wild. I don't fee that: you are, lad, the last of our race, and I fhould be glad to fee fome probability of its continuance,

Y. Wild. Suppose, Sir, you were to repeat your endeavours; you have cordially my confent.

O. Wild. No; rather too late in life for that experiment.

Y. Wild. Why, Sir, would you recommend a condition to me, that you disapprove of yourself?

O. Wild. Why, firrah, I have done my duty to the public and my family, by producing you. Now, Sir, it is incumbent on you to difcharge your debt.

Y. Wild. In the college cant, I fhall beg leave to tick a little longer.

O. Wild. Why, then, to be serious, fon, this is the very business I wanted to talk with you about. In a word, I wish you married; and, by providing the lady of that manfion for the purpose, I have proved myfelf both a fa ther and a friend.

Y. Wild. Far be it from me to question

your

your care; yet fome preparation for fo important a change

· O. Wild. Oh, I will allow you a week. Y. Wild. A little more knowledge of the world.

O. Wild. That you may study at leisure. Y. Wild. Now all Europe is in arms, my defign was to ferve my country abroad.

O. Wild. You will be full as ufeful to it by recruiting her fubjects at home.

Y. Wild. You are then refolved?
O. Wild. Fix'd.

Y. Wild. Pofitively?
O. Wild. Peremptorily.
Y. Wild. No prayers-

O. Wild. Can move me.

Y. Wild. How the deuce fhall I get out of this toil? [Afide. J-But fuppofe, Sir, there should be an unfurmountable objection?

O. Wild. Oh, leave the reconciling that to me: I am an excellent cafuift.

Y. Wild. But I fay, Sir, if it fhould be impoffible to obey your commands?

O. Wild. Impoffible!-I don't understand

you.

Y. Wild. Oh, Sir!-But on my knees first let me crave your pardon.

O. Wild. Pardon! for what?

Y. Wild. I fear I have loft all title to your future favour.

O. Wild. Which way?

·Y. Wild. I have done a deed

O. Wild. Let's hear it.

Y. Wild. At Abingdon, in the county of Berks.

O. Wild. Well?

Y. Wild.

Y. Wild. I am

O. Wild. What?

Y. Wild. Already married.
O, Wild. Married!
Pap. Married!
Y.Wild. Married.

O. Wild. And without my confent?

Y. Wild. Compell'd; fatally forced. Oh, Sir, did you but know all the circumstances of my fad, fad ftory, your rage would foon convert itself to pity.

O. Wild. What an unlucky event!-But rife, and let me hear it all.

Y. Wild. The fhame and confufion I now feel renders that task at prefent impoffible; I must therefore rely for the relation on the good "offices of this faithful friend.

Pap. Me, Sir! I never heard one word of the matter.

O. Wild. Come, Marquis, favour me with the particulars.

Pap. Upon my vard, Sire, dis affair has fo fhock me, dat I am almost as incapable to tell de tale as your fon.-[To Young Wilding.]— Dry-a your tears. What can I fay, Sir? Y. Wild. Any thing.-Oh!-[Seems to

wecp.]

Pap. You fee, Sire.

O. Wild. Your kind concern at the misfortunes of my family calls for the most grateful acknowledgment.

Pap. Dis is great misfortune, fans doute. O. Wild. But if you, a ftranger, are thus affected, what muft a father feel?

Pap. Oh, beaucoup; a great deal more.
O. Wild. But fince the evil is without a re-

medy,

medy, let us know the worst at once. Well, Sir, at Abingdon?

Pap. Yes, at Abingdon.

O. Wild. In the county of Berks?

Pap. Dat is right, in the county of Berks. Y. Wild. Oh, oh!

O. Wild. Ah, Jack, Jack! are all my hopes then-Though I dread to ask, yet it must be known; who is the girl, pray, Sir?

Pap. De girl, Sir-[Afide to Young Wilding.] Who fhall I fay?

Y. Wild. Any body.

Pap. For de girl, I can't fay, upon my vard.

O. Wild. Her condition?

Pap. Pas grande condition; dat is to be fure. But dere is no help-[Afide to Young Wilding.]-Sir, I am quite a-ground.

O. Wild. Yes, I read my shame in his referve: fome artful huffey.

Pap. Dat may be. Vat you call huffey?
O. Wild. Or perhaps fome common creat
But I'm prepared to hear the worst.

ure.

Pap. Have you no mercy?

Y. Wild. I'll ftep to your relief, Sir.
Pap. O Lord, a happy deliverance.

Y. Wild. Though it is almoft death for me to fpeak, yet it would be infamous to let the reputation of the lady fuffer by my filence. She is, Sir, of an ancient house and unblemifh'd character.

O. Wild. That is fomething.

Y. Wild. And though her fortune may not be equal to the warm wishes of a fond father, yet

O. Wild. Her name?

Y. Wild. Mifs Lydia Sybthorp.

O. Wild.