and this tack'd to a tolerable tune, will run you for a couple of months. You obferve?

Mrs. Mech. Clearly. As our gentleman is defirous to learn all kinds of things, I can't help thinking but he will take a fancy to this.

Dr. Cat. In that cafe, he may command me, my dear; and I promise you, in a couple of months, he fhall know as much of the matter as I do.

Mrs. Mech. At present he is a little engaged, but as foon as the honey-moon is over

Dr. Cat. Honey-moon! Why is he going to be marry'd?

Mrs. Mech. This Evening, I fancy.

Dr. Cat. The fineft opportunity for an introduction in nature; I have by me, Ma'am Mechlin. of my own compofition, fuch an epithalamium.

Mrs. Mech. Thalmium, what's that?

Dr. Cat. A kind of an elegy, that we poets compofe at the folemnization of weddings.

Mrs. Mech. Oh, ho!

Dr. Cat. It is fet to musick already, for I ftill compofe for myself.

Mrs. Mech. You do?

Dr. Cat. Yes. What think you now of providing a band, and ferenading the 'Squire to night? It will be a pretty extempore compliment.

Mrs. Mech. The prettiest thought in the world. But I hear Mr. Fungus's bell. You'll excufe me, dear

Doctor, you may suppose we are busy.

Dr. Cat. No apology then, I'll about it this inftant. Mrs. Mech. As foon as you pleafe; any thing to get you out of the way. [Afide and exit.]

Dr. Cat. Your obfequious, good madam Mechlin. But notwithstanding all your fine fpeeches, I threwdly fufpect my bleffed bargain at home was a prefent from you; and what fhall I do with it ?. Thefe little embarraffes we men of intrigue are eternally fubject to. There will be no fending it back. She will never let it enter the houfe.-Hey! gad, a lucky thought is come into my head- -this ferenade is finely contrived. -Madam Mechlin shall have her cousin again,

for

for I will return her bye-blow in the body of a double bafe-viol; fo the Bawd fhall have a concert as well as the 'Squire.. [Exit Dr. Catgut.

END OF THE SECOND ACT.

T

ACT III.

SCENE CONTINUES.

Enter Harpy, Young Loveit, and Jenny..

Harpy.

fhe

ELL your miftrefs my name is Harpy; knows me, and how precious my time is. Jen. Mr. Harpy, the attorney of Furnival's Inn ? [Exit Jenny.

Har. The fame. Ay, ay, young gentleman, this is your woman; I warrant your bufinefs is done. You knew Kitty Williams, that marry'd Mr. Abednigo Potiphar, the Jew broker?

T. Lov. I did.

Har. And Robin Rainbow, the happy husband of the widow Champanfy, from the isle of St. Kitt's? Y. Lov. I have feen him.

Har. All owing to her. Her fuccefs in that branch of business is wonderful! Why, I dare believe, fince laft fummer, she has not fent off lefs than forty couple to Edinburgh.

r. Lov. Indeed! She must be very adroit.

Har. Adroit! You fhall judge. I will tell you a cafe: you know the large brick house at Peckham, with a turret at top ?

r. Lou. Well..

Har.

Har. There liv'd Mifs Cicely Mite, the only daughter of old Mite the cheefemonger, at the corner of Newgate-ftreet, juft turn'd of fourteen, and under the wing of an old maiden aunt as watchful as a dragonbut hush-I hear Mrs. Mechlin, I'll take another feafon to finish my tale.

Y. Lov. But, Mr. Harpy, as these kind of women are a good deal given to goffiping, I wou'd rather my real name was a fecret till there is a fort of neceffity. Har. Goffiping! She, lord help you, she is as clofe as a Catholic confeffor.

Y. Lov. That may be, but you must give me leave to infift.

Har. Well, well, as you please.

Enter Mrs. Mechlin.

M

Your very humble fervant, good madam Mechlin ; I have taken the liberty to introduce a young gentlenian, a friend of mine, to crave your affiftance.

Mrs. Mech. Any friend of yours, Mr. Harpy; won't you be feated, Sir.

r. Lov. Ma'am.

[They fit dorun.] Mrs. Mech. And pray, Sir, how can I ferve you? Har. Why, ma'am, the gentleman's fituation isbut, Sir, you had better ftate your cafe to Mrs. Mechlin yourself.

r. Lov. Why, you are to know, ma'am, that I am juft efcap'd from the Univerfity, where (I need not tell you) you are greatly esteem'd.

Mrs. Mech. Very obliging. I must own, Sir, I have had a very great refpect for that learned body, ever fince they made a near and dear friend of mine a doctor of mufic.

r. Lov. Yes, ma'am, I remember the gentleman. Mrs. Mech. Do you know him, Sir? 1 expect him every minute to inftruct a lodger of mine.

Y. Lov. Not intimately. Juft arriv'd, but last night; upon my coming to town I found my father deceas'd, and all his fortune devis'd to his relict, my mother. Mrs. Mech. What, the whole!

r. Lov.

Y. Lov. Every fhilling. That is, for her life.
Mrs. Mech. And to what fum may it amount?

Y. Lov. Why, my mother is eternally telling me, that after her, I fhall inherit fifty or fixty thoufand at least. Mrs. Mech. Upon my word, a capital fum.

Y. Lov. But of what ufe, my dear Mrs. Mechlin, fince the refufes to advance me a guinea upon the credit of it, and while the grafs grows-You know the proverb.

Mrs. Mech. What, I fuppofe you want fomething for prefent fubfiftence.

r Evo Juft my fituation.

Mrs. Mech. Have you thought of nothing for yourfelf?

r. Lov. I am refolv'd to be guided by you.

Mrs. Mech. What do you think of a wife?
Y. Lov. A wife!

Mrs. Mech. Come, come, don't defpife my advice; when a young man's finances are low, a wife is a múch better refource than a ufurer; and there are in this town a number of kind-hearted widows, that take a pleasure in repairing the injuries done by fortune to handfome young fellows,

Har. Mrs. Mechlin has reason.

T. Lov. But, dear ma'am, what can I do with a wife ?

Mrs. Mech. Do! Why, like other young fellows who marry ladies a little ftricken in years; make her your banker and fteward. If you fay but the word, before night I'll give you a widow with two thousand a year in her pocket.

r. Lov. Two thousand a year! a pretty employment, if the refidence cou'd be difpens'd with.

you

Mrs. Mech. What do you mean by refidence ?—— Do you think a gentleman, like a pitiful treader, is to be eternally tack'd to his wife's petticoat: when the is in town, be you in the country; as the fhifts do thift. Why, you need not be with her above thirty days in the year; and let me tell you, you won't find a more eafy condition; twelve months fubfiftence for one month's labour!

r. Lov.

Y. Lov. Two thousand a year, you are fure?
Mrs. Mech. The leaft penny.

Y. Lov. Well, madam, you fhall difpofe of me juft as you please.

Mrs. Mech. Very well, if you will call in half an hour at fartheft, I believe we fhall finifh the business. Y. Lov. In half an hour?

Mrs. Mech. Precifely. Oh, difpatch is the very life and foul of my trade. Mr. Harpy will tell you my terms, you will find them reasonable enough.

Har. Oh, I am fure we fhall have no difpute about thofe.

Y. Lov. No, no.

[Going.]

Mrs. Mech. Oh, but Mr. Harpy, it may be proper to mention that the gentlewoman, the party, is upwards of fixty.

r. Lov. With all my heart; it is the purfe, not the perfon I want! Sixty ? fhe is quite a girl; I wish with all my foul fhe was ninety.

Mrs. Mech. Get you gone, you are a devil, I fee that. r. Lov. Well, for half an hour, fweet Mrs. Mechlin, adieu. [Exeunt Young Loveit and Harpy. Mrs. Mech. Soh! I have provided for my dowager from Devonshire-fquare, and now to cater for my commiffary. Here he comes.

Enter Fungus and Bridoun.

Fun. So, in fix weeks-Oh, Mrs. Mechlin, any news from the lady?

Mrs. Mech. I expect her here every moment. She is confcious that in this ftep, fhe defcends from her dignity; but being defirous to screen you from the fury of her noble relations, fhe is determined to let them fee that the act and deed is intirely her own.

Fun. Very kind, very obliging indeed. But, Mrs. Mechlin, as the family is fo furious, I reckon we fhail never be reconcil'd,

Mrs. Mech. I don't know that. When you have bought commiffions for her three younger brothers, difcharg'd the mortgage on the paternal eftate, and porti

oned