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Sir Chr. I wifh, like other plays, it don't end in a marriage.

Rack. Then fhall I be most confoundedly bit. But come, Knight!

Sir Chr. Rot you! I do as fast as I can.-I can't think, Rackett, what the deuce makes thee fo warm in this bufinefs; there is certainly fomething at the bottom that I don't comprehend. But do, Major, have pity on the poor girl: Upon my foul, the is a fweet little fyren! fo innocent and

Rack. Pho, pho! don't be abfurd! I thought that matter had been fully explained. This, Knight, is no time to look back; but fuppofe now I should have a little mischief in handSir Chr. How! of what kind?

Rack. "Be innocent of the knowledge, deareft Knight, till done, and then applaud the deed!"

Sir Chr. It is very extraordinary, Major Rackett, if you are determined to make the devil a vifit, that you can't pay it alone; or, if you muft have company, what a pox makes you think of fixing on me?

Rack. Hey-day! ha, ha, ha! What, in the vapours again? we must have fome more

punch.

Sir Chr. You are mistaken; that won't have power to change the state of my mind: My refolves are too firm

Rack. And who wishes to break them? I only afk your affiftance to-night; and your reformation, you recollect, don't begin till to

inorrow.

Sir Chr. That's true, indeed: But no human power fhall prevail on me to put it off any longer than to-morrow.

Rack

Rack. Or the next day at furtheft.
Sir Chr. May I be damn'd if I do!

[Exeunt Rack, and Sir Chr. Poul. Come, lads, light your pipes! Which of us shall be first to attack? Billy

Button. Won't it be rather too bold for me to begin?

Poul, Then let us leave it to chance.-Hufh! I hear him lumbering in! compose your looks; let his reception be folemn and grave. Button. Leave that chair for him..

Enter Flint.

Flint. How fares it, my lads?-Well, boys, matters are settled at laft; the little Kate has complied, and to-morrow is fixed for the day. Poul. You have fettled it then?

Flint. As firm as a rock.

Poul. So you can't retreat, if you would?
Flint, Retreat! I have no fuch; defign.

Poul. You ha'n't?

Flint. No, to be fure, you great fool! What the deuce would Poultice be at?

Paul. Nay then, neighbours, what we have been faying will just fignify nothing...

Flint Saying! why, you have not heard that is, nobody--.

Poul. No, nothing very material-only-but as the matter is carried fo far

Flint. So far! why, I hope you have not found out any flaw! Kitty, has not

Poul. No, no; nothing of that; no, upon my word! I believe, a very modeft, prudent,

: good girl, neighbours.

All. No manner of doubt.

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Flint. Well then? but what a plague is the

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meaning

meaning of this? you all fit as filent and glumwhy, can't you speak out, with a pox?

Poul. Why, 'Squire, as we are all your fixed friends, we have been canvaffing this matter amongst us.

Flint. You have?

Poul. Marriage, you know very well, is no trifling affair; too much caution and care can't be used.

Flint. That I firmly believe, which has made me defer it fo long.

Poul. Pray lend me your hand; how is the ftate of your health? do you find yourself hearty and strong ?

Fint. I think fo; that is, I-you ha'n't obferved any bad fymptoms of late?

Poul. No; but you used to have pains flying about you.

Flint. Formerly; but fince I have fixed my gout to a fit, they are gone': 'that, indeed, lays me up for four or five months in a year.

Poul. A pretty long fpell: And, in fuch a cafe, now, do you think that marriage

Flint. The moft beft receipt in the world: Why, that, man, was one of my motives: Wives, you know, are allowed to make very good nurses.

Poul. That, indeed

Flint. Ay; and then they are always at hand; and, befides, they don't coft one a farthing. Paul. True, true. Why, you look very jolly, and fresh; does not he?

All. Exceedingly.

Poul. Yet he can't be lefs than let me fee! Wasn't you under old Syntax at Wells?

Flint, He died the year I left school.

Paul

Poul. That must be a good forty years fince.
Flint. Come sheep-fhearing next.

Poul. Then, 'Squire, you are hard upon fixty. Flint. Not far away, Mafter Poultice.

Poul. And Mifs Linnet-fixteen: You are a bold man! Not but there are inftances, where men have furvived many years fuch difproportionate marriages as thefe.

Flint. Survived! and why fhould they not? Poul. But then their ftamina must be prodigiously strong.

Flint. Stamina!

Poul. Let us fee, Button! there was Dr. Dotage, that married the Devonshire girl; he had a matter of

Button. No, no; he dropped off in fix months.

Poul. True, true; I had forgot.

Flint. Lord have mercy!

Button. Indeed, an old master of mine, Sir Harry O'Tuff, is alive, and walks about to this day.

Flint. Hey!

Poul. But you forget where Sir Harry was born, and how foon his lady eloped.

Button. In the honey-moon; with Captain Pike, of the guards: I mind it full well. Poul. That, indeed, alters the cafe.

Flint. Well, but, Billy, you are not ferious in this? you don't think there is any danger of death?

Button. As to the matter of death, the Doctor knows better than I, because why, that lies in his way: But I fhall never forget Colonel Crazy, one of the beft cuftomers that ever I

had;

had; I never think of him without dropping a

tear.

Flint. Why? what was the matter with him? Button. Married Lady Barbary Bonnie, as it might be about midnight on Monday

Flint. Well!

Button. But never more faw the fweet face of the fun.

Flint. What! did he die?

Button. Within an hour after throwing the ftocking.

Flint. Good Lord! that was dreadful indeed! Of what age might he be?

Button. About your time of life.

Flint. That is vaftly alarming. Lord bless me, Bill, I am all of a tremble!

Button. Ay, truly, it behoves your honour to confider what you are about.

Flint. True.

Button. Then, what a world of money muft go! running forwards and backwards to town, and jaunting to see all the fine fights in the place-

Flint. I fha'n't take her to many of them: perhaps I may fhew her the Parliament-house, the plays, and Boodles, and Bedlam, and my Lord-Mayor, and the lions.

Button. And then the vast heap of fine cloaths you must make

Flint. What occafion for that?

་་་

Button. As you ar'n't known, there is no doing without; because why, every body paffes there for what they appears.

Flint. Right, Billy; but I believe I have found out a way to do that pretty cheap.

Button. Which way may be that?

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