Sir Chr. The worshipful William Button, efquire it founds well. I can tell you, Billy, there have been magistrates made of full as bad materials as you. [Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE I

Enter Mrs. Linnet and Mifs. Linnet.

Mrs. Linnet.

YES, Kitty, it is in vain to deny it! I am convinced there is fome little, low, paltry paffion, that lurks in your heart.

Mifs Lin. Indeed, my dear mother, you wrong

me.

Mrs. Lin. Indeed, my dear Mifs, but I don't! what else could induce you to reject the addreffes of a lover like this? Ten thoufand pounds a year! Gads my life, there is not a lady in town would refufe him, let her rank be ever fo

Mifs Lin. Not his fortune, I firmly believe.

Mrs. Lin. Well! and who now-a-days marries any thing else? Would you refufe an estate, because it happened to be a little encumbered? you must confider the man in this cafe as a kind of a mortgage.

Mifs Lin. But, the difproportion of years. Mrs. Lin. In your favour, child; the incumbrance will be the fooner removed.

Mifs Lin. Then, my dear mother, our minds; how very widely they differ! my nature is liberal and frank, though I am but a little removed from mediocrity; his heart, in the very bofom, of wealth, is fhut to every focial fenfation.

Mrs. Lin.

Mrs. Lin. And yet, Mifs, this heart you have had the good luck to unlock. I hope you don't urge his offers to you as a proof of his paffion for money? why, you forget yourfelf, Kate; who, in the name of wonder, do you think that you are? What, because that you have a baby face, and can bawl a few ballads

Mifs Lin. Nay, madam, you know I was never vain of my talents; if they can procure me a decent fupport, and in fome measure repay my father and you for their kind cultivation

Mrs. Lin. And how long are you sure your talents, as you call 'em, will ferve you? Are a fet of features fecure against time? wont a fingle fore throat deftroy the boafted power of your pipe? But fuppofe that should not fail, who can infure you against the whim of the publick? will they always continue their favour?

Mifs Lin. Perhaps not.

Mrs. Lin. What muft become of you then? Now by this means you are fafe, above the reach of ill-fortune. Befides, child, to put your own interest out of the queftion, have you no tender feelings for us? Confider, my love (you don't want for good nature), your confent to this match will, in the worst of times, fecure a firm and able friend to the family.

Mifs Lin. You deceive yourfelf, indeed, my dear mother: He a friend! I dare believe the first proof you will find of his friendship, will be his pofitive commands to break off all correfpondence with every relation I have.

Mrs. Lin. That's a likely ftory indeed! Well, child, I must fet your father to work; I find what little weight my arguments have.

L. Cath. [without.] Is Meftrefs Linnet within?

C3

Mrs. Lin.

Mrs. Lin. Oh, here comes a protectress of yours, Lady Catharine Coldftream; fubmit the matter to her: She can have no views, is well read in the ways of the world, and has your intereft fincerely at heart.

Enter Lady Catharine Coldstream.

L. Cath. How is aw wi you, Meftress Linnet and Mefs? what a dykens is the matter wi Mess? The feems got quite i'the dumps: I thought you were aw ready to jump oot o' your fkens at the bonny profpec afore you.

Mrs. Lin. Indeed, I with your ladyship would take Kitty to tafk; for what I fay fignifies no- . thing.

L. Cath. Ah! that's aw wrang! What has been the mater, Mefs Kitty? you ken weel enow that children owe an implecit conceffion to their parents; it is na for bairns to litigate the wull of their friends.

Mrs. Lin. Efpecially, my lady, in a cafe where their own happiness is fo nearly concerned: There is no perfuading her to accept Mr. Flint's offers.

L. Cath. Gad's mercy, Mefs, how comes aw this about? do na you think you ha drawn a braw ticket in the lottery o'life? do na you ken that the mon is laird of aw the lond in the country ?

Mifs Lin. Your ladyship knows, madam, that real happiness does not depend upon wealth.

L. Cath. Ah, Mefs, but it is a bonny engredient. Don't you think, Meftrefs Linnet, the lafs has got fome other lad in her heed?

Mrs. Lin. Your ladyship joins in judgment

with me: I have charged her; but the ftoutly denies it.

L. Cath. Mefs, you múnna be bashful: An you folecit a cure, your phyfician muft ken the caufe o' your malady.

Mifs Lin. Your ladyfhip may believe me, madam, I have no complaint of that kind.

L. Cath. The lafs is obftinate. Meftrefs Linnet, cannot yourfel gia guefs?

Mrs. Lin. I can't fay that I have obfervedIndeed, fome time ago, I was inclined to believe Mr. Button

L. Cath. What yon taylor in Stall-Street? Ah, Mrs. Linnet, you are aw oot in your guefst The lafs is twa weel bred, and twa faunzy to gi her heart to fik a burgis as he: Wully Button? nae, he is nae the lad avaw.

.

Mrs. Lin. Major Racket, I once thoughtbut your ladyship knows his affairs took a dif ferent turn.

L. Cath. Ah! Racket! that's another man's mater: Laffes are apt enow to fet their hearts upon fcarlet; a cockade has muckle charms wi our fex; yes. Well, Mefs, comes the wind fra that corner?

Mifs Lin. Does your ladyship think, to dislike Mr. Flint, it is abfolutely neceflary to have a prepoffeffion for fomebody elfe?

L. Cath. Mrs. Linnet, an you wull withdraw for a while, perhaps Mefs may throw aff her reserve, when there's nobody by but ourselves; a mother, you ken weel, may prove ane too many fome times."

Mrs. Lin. Your ladyfhip is moft exceedingly kind.-D'ye hear, Kitty? mind what her lady

C4

fhip

hip fays; do, my dear; and be ruled by your friends; they are older and wifer than you. [Exit.

L. Cath. Well, Mefs, what's the caufe of aw this? what makes you fo averfe to the wull of your friends?

Mifs Lin. Your ladyship knows Mr. Flint.
L. Cath. Ay, unco weel.

Mifs Lin. Can your ladyfhip then be at a lofs for a caufe?

L. Cath. I canna fay Mr. Flint is quite an Adonis; but wha is it that in matrimony gets aw they wish? When I entermarried with Sir Launcelot Coldstream, I was e'en fik a fprak lafs as yourfel, and the baronet bordering upon his grand climacteric. You mun ken, Mefs, my fa ther was fo unfaunzy as to gang out wi' Charley in the forty-five; after which, his fidelity was rewarded in France by a commiffion that did na bring him in a bawbee, and a pension that he never was paid.

Mijs Lin. Infamous ingratitude!

L. Cath. Ay; but I dinna think they will find ony mair fik fools i' the North.

Mifs Lin. I hope not.

L. Cath. After this, you canna think, Mefs, there was mickle filler for we poor bairns that were left; fo that, in troth, I was glad to get an establishment; and ne'er heeded the disparity between my guid mon and myfel,

Mifs Lin. Your ladyship gave great proofs of your prudence; but my affairs are not altogether fo defperate.

L. Cath. Gad's mercy, Mefs! I hope you dinna make any comparison between Lady Catharine Coldftream, wha has the best blood in Scotland that runs in her veins