M. Gr. Mighty well, Ma'am !

M. God. But if, dreading a mortification, you think proper to alter your plan, your chair, I believe is in waiting.

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M. Gr. It is, Madam ! then let it wait-Oh, what, that was your scheme! but it won't take, Mifs: the contrivance it a little too fhallow.

M. God. I don't understand you.

M. Gr. Cunning creature! So all this infolence was concerted, it seems; a plot to drive my out of the house, that you might have the fellow all to yourself: But I have a regard for your character, though you neglect it, Fie, Mifs! a paffion for a married man! I really blush for you, et d

M. God. And I moft fincerely pity you. But curb your choler a little; the enquiry you are about to make requires rather a cooler difpofition of mind; and by this time the hero is at hand.

M. Gr. Mighty well; I am prepar'd. But, Mifs Godfrey, if you really wish to be acquitted of all artificial underhand dealings, in this affair, fuffer me in your name to manage the interview.

M. God. Moft willingly. But he will recollect your

M. Gr. Oh, that is eafily alter'd. [Enter a Maid, who whispers Mifs Grantam, and retires.] It is he, but hide yourself, Mifs, if you please.

M. God. Your hood a little forwarder, Mifs; you may be known, and then we shall have the language of politenefs inflam'd to proofs of a violent paffion. M. Gr. You are prodigiously cautious.

Enter Young Wilding.

r. Wild. This rendezvous is fomething in the Spanish tafte, imported, I fuppofe, with the guitar. At prefent, I prefume, the cuftom is confin'd to the great; but it will defcend, and in a couple of months I fhall not be furpriz'd to hear an attorney's hackney clerk roufing at midnight, a millener's 'prentice, with an, "Ally, Ally Croker." But that, if I mistake not, is the temple; H 2

and

and fee my Goodess herself. Mifs Godfrey. M. Gr. Hufh!

r.Wild. Am I right, Mifs?

M. Gr. Softly. You receiv'd my letter, I fee, Sir. Y. Wild. And flew to the appointment with more M. Gr. No raptures, I beg. But you must not fuppofe this meeting meant to encourage your hopes. r. Wild. How, Madam!

M. Gr. Oh, by no means, Sir; for tho' I own your figure is pleasing, and your converfation

M. God Hold, Mifs; when did I ever converse with him?

1

M. Gr. Why, did not you fee him in the park? M. God. True, Madam; but the converfation was with you. be a

T

M. Gr. Blefs me! you are very difficult, I fay, Sir, though your perfon may be unexceptionable, yet your character

Y. Wild. My character !

M. Gr. Come, come, you are better known than you imagine. r. Wild. I hope not.

M. Gr. Your name is Wilding.

r. Wild. How the duce came the by that! True, Madam.

M. Gr. Pray have you never heard of a Mifs Grantam?

r. Wild. Frequently.

M. Gr. You have. And had you never any ble thoughts of that lady? Now mind Mifs,

favoura

r. Wild. If you mean as a lover, never. The lady did me the honour to have a fmall defign upon me. M. God. I hear every word, Mifs.

M. Gr. But you need not lean fo heavy upon me; he fpeaks loud enough to be heard-I have been told, Sir, that

1.

r. Wild. Yes, Ma'am, and very likely by the lady herself.

M. Gr. Sir !

r. Wild. Oh, Madam, I have another obligation in my pocket to Miss Grantam, which must be discharg'd in the morning.

M. Gr.

Y.Wild. Why the lady, finding an old humble fervant of hers a little lethargic, has thought fit to adminifter me in a jealous draught, in order to quicken his paffion, M. Gr. Sir, let me tell you

M. God. Have a care; you will betray yourself.

r. Wild. Oh, the whole ftory will afford you infinite diverfion fuch a farago of fights and feafts. But, upon my honour, the girl has a fertile invention.

:

M. God. So what that ftory was yours was it?

Y.Wild. Pray, Madam, do'nt I hear another voice? M. Gr. A diftant relation of mine.. Every fyll able falfe. But, Sir, we have another charge against you. Do you know any thing of a lady at Abington ? Y.Wild. Mifs Grantam again. Yes, Madain, I have fome knowledge of that lady.

M. Gr. You have! Well, Sir, and that being the cafe, how could you have the affurance

r. Wild. A moment's patience, Ma'am. That lady, that Birkshire lady, will, I can affure you, prove no bar to my hopes.

M. Gr. How, Sir, no bar?

r.Wild. Not in the leaft, Ma'am; for that lady exifts in idea only.

M. Gr. No fuch perfon.

r. Wild. A meer creature of the imagination. M. Gr. Indeed ?

r. Wild. The attacks of Mifs Grantam were fo powerfully enforc'd too by paternal authority, that I had no method of avoiding the blow, but by the fheltering myfelf under the conjuga! fhield.

M. Gr. You are not married then? -But what credit can I give to the profeffions of a man, who, in an article of fuch importance, and to a person of fuch refpect

r. Wild. Nay, Madam, furely Mifs Godfrey should not accufe me of a crime her own charms have occafion'd. Could any other motive but the fear of losing her, prevail on me to trifle with a father, or compel me to infringe those laws which I have hitherto fo unavoidably obferv'd?

H 3

M. Gr.

M. Gr. What laws, Sir? {

Y. Wild. The facred laws of truth, Ma'am.

M. Gr. There, indeed, you did yourself an infinite violence. But when the whole of the affair is difcover'd, will it be fo eafy to get rid of Mifs Grantam ? the violence of her paffion, and the old gentleman's obftinacy

Y. Wild. Are nothing to a mind resolv'd,

M. Gr. Poor Mifs Grantam!

r. Wild. Do you know her, Madam ?

M. Gr. I have heard of her but you, Sir, I fuppofe have been long on an intimate footing?

Y. Wild. Bred up together from children.

M. Gr. Brave!-Is fhe hand fome?

Y. Wild Her paint comes from Paris, and her femme de chambre is an excellent artist.

M. Gr. Very well!-Her fhape?

Y. Wild. Pray, Madam, is not Curzon efteemed the heft ftay-maker for people inclin'd to be crooked?

M. Gr. But as to the qualities of her mind: for initance, her understanding?

Y. Wild. Uncultivated,

M. Gr. Her wit?

Y. Wild Borrow'd.

M. Gr. Her tafte?

Y. Wild. Trifling... i

M. Gr. And her temper.

Y. Wild. Intolerable.

M. Gr. A finish'd picture. But come thefe are not your real thoughts; this is a facrifice you think due to the vanity of our fex.

T. Wild My honeft fentiments: and to convince you how thoroughly indifferent I am to that lady, I would, upon my veracity, as foon take a wife from the Grand Signior's feraglio.-Now, Ma'am, I hope you are fatisfy'd.

M. Gr. And you would not fcruple to acknowledge this before the lady's face?

r. Wild. The first opportunity.

M. Gr.. That I will take care to provide you. Dare you meet me at her house ?

Υ.
r. Wild.

Y. Wild. When?

M. Gr. In half an hour.

Y. Wild. But won't a declaration of this fort appear

odd at

a

M. Gr. Come, no evafion; your conduct and character feem to me a little equivocal, and I must insist on this proof, at least of

r. Wild. You shall have it.

M. Gr. In half an hour.
Y. Wild. This inftant.

M. Gr. Be punctual.

Y. Wild. Or may I forfeit your favour.
M. Gr. Very well:

till then, Sir, adieu.Now I think I have my fpark in the toil; and if the fellow has any feeling, if I don't make him fmart for every article-Come, my dear, I thall stand in need of your aid.

[Exeunt.

r. Wild. So! I am now, I think, arriv'd at a critical period. If I can but weather this point-But why fhould I doubt it? it is in the day of diftrefs only that a great man difplays his abilities. But I fhall want Papillion where can the puppy be?

Enter Papillion.

Y. Wild. So, Sir; where have you been rambling? Pap. I did not fuppofe you would want

r. Wild. Want!-you are always out of the way: Here have I been forc'd to tell forty lies upon my own credit, and not a fingle foul to vouch for the truth of them.

Pap. Lord, Sir, you know

r. Wild Don't plague me with your apologies; but it is lucky for you that I want your affiftance. Come with me to Mifs Grantam's,

Pap. On what occasion ?

r. Wild. An important one; but I'll prepare you as we walk.

Pap, Sir, I am really-I could with you would be Lo good as to-

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r. Wild.