t from all his customers. Now you know him, hear what he has to fay, while I go and pick up in the wood here. -Upon my foul, you are a fine old Grecian! [Exit D. Man. Ef. [to Taylor] Come, friend, don't be dejected: What is your business? Tayl. I am troubled in mind. Ef. Is your cafe particular, friend? Tayl. No indeed, I believe it is pretty general in our parish. E. What is it? fpeak out, friend Tayl. It runs continually in my head that I am- Tayl. A cuckold. Ef. Have a care, friend; jealoufy is a rank weed,. and chiefly takes root in a barren foil. Tayl. I am fure my head is full of nothing else→→→ Ef. But how came you to a knowledge of your miffortune? Has not your wife as much wit as you? Tayl. A great deal more, Sir; and that is one reas fon for my believing myself difhonour'd Æf. Though your reafon has fome weight in it, yet it does not amount to a conviction. Tayl. I have more to fay for myfelf, if your worship. will but hear me. Ef. I fhall attend to you. Tayl. My wife has fuch very high blood in her, that The is lately turn'd Papift, and is always. railing at me and the government- -The prieft and the are continually laying their heads together; and I am afraid he has perfuaded her, that it will fave her precious foul if the cuckolds a heretic taylor Ef. Oh, don't think fo hardly of 'em.. Tayl. Lord, Sir, you don't know what tricks are going forward above! Religion indeed is the outfide ftuff, but wickedness is the lining. Af. Why, you are in a paffion, friend: if you would. but exert yourself thus at a proper time, you might keep. the fox from your poultry. Tayl. Lord, Sir, my wife has as much paffion again as I have; and whenever fhe's up, I curb my temper, fit down, and fay nothing. 1 Ef. What remedy have you to propofe for this misfortune? Tayl. I would propofe to dip my head in the river, to wash away my fancies and if you'll let me take a few bottles to my wife, if the water is of a cooling nature, I may perhaps be eafy that way: but I fhall do as your worship pleases. Ef. I am afraid this method won't answer, friend. Suppofe, therefore, you drink to forget your fufpicions, for they are nothing more, and let your wife drink to forget your uneafinefs a mutual confidence will fucceed, and confequently mutual happiness. Tayl. I have fuch a fpirit, I can never bear to be dif honour'd in my bed. f. The water will cool your fpirit; and if it can but lower your wife's, the business is done Go for a moment to your companion, and you fhall drink prefently; but do nothing rafhly. Tayl. I can't help it; rafhnefs is my fault, Sir; but age and more experience, I hope, will cure me-Your fervant, Sir Indeed he is a fine old Grecian ! [Ex. Tayl: E. Poor fellow, I pity him. Enter Mercury. Mer. What can be the meaning, sop, that there are no more mortals coming over? I perceive there is a great bustle on the other fide the Styx, and Charon has brought his boat over without paffengers. Ef. Here he is to answer for himself. Enter Charon laughing. Char. Oh, oh, oh! Mer. What diverts you fo, Charon ? Char. Why, there's the devil to do among tals yonder; they are all together by the ears. Es. What's the matter? the mor Char. There are fome ladies, who have been difputing fo long, and fo loud, about taking place and precedency, that they have fet their relations a-tilting at one another, to fupport their vanity. The ftanders-bye are fome of them fo frighted, and fome of them fo diverted, at the quarrel, that they have not time to think of their misfortunes; fo I e'en left them to fettle their prerogatives by themselves, and be friends at their leifure. Mer. Mer. What's to be done, Efop? Ef. Difcharge these we have, and finish the bufinefs of the day. • Enter Drunken Man and Mrs Riot. 'D. Man. I never went to pick up a whore in my life, but the first woman I laid hold of was my dear • virtuous wife; and here fhe is Ef. Is that lady your wife? D. Man. Yes, Sir; and your's, if you please to accept of her Ef. Though fhe has formerly given too much into • fashionable follies, fhe now repents, and will be more • prudent for the future. D. Man. Lookee, Mr Efop, all your preaching and morality fignifies nothing at all-but fince your ⚫ wisdom feems bent upon our reformation, I'll tell you the only way, old boy, to bring it about. Let me • have enough of your water to fettle my head, and throw madam into the river.' Ef. 'Tis in vain to reason with such beings: therefore, Mercury, fummon the mortals from the grove; and we'll difmifs them to the earth, as happy as Lethe can make 'em SONG by Mercury. Come mortals, come, come follow me, To mirth, and joy, and jollity; Hark, hark the call! Come, come and drink, CHORUS. Away then, come, come, come away, 11. To Lethe's brink then follow all, Сно CHORUS. Away then, come, come, come away, Nor jealous fears, nor ftrife, nor pain, [During the Song, the Characters enter from the Grove. 7 Ef. Now, mortals, attend: I have perceived from 6 your examinations, that you have mistaken the effects of your diftempers for the caufe-you would willingly be relieved from many things which interfere with your paffions and affections; while your vices, from which all your cares and misfortunes arife, are totally forgotten and neglected.Then follow me, and drink to the forgetfulness of vice. 'Tis Vice alone disturbs the human breast; Care dies with guilt; be virtuous, and be bleft. THE H Written and spoken by Mr FOOTE. APPY my mufe, had she first turn'd her art, From humour's dangerous path, to touch the heart. They, who in all the blufter of blank verfe The mournful tales of love and war rehearse, -gape: Nor (ftrangers quite to heroes, kings, and queens) Youth's |