the duties of that condition, which I am fhortly to owe to your favour, will give you convincing proofs of my gratitude. Flint. Your gratitude, Mifs! but we talk of your love! and of that I must have plain and pofitive proofs. Mifs Lin. Proofs! of what kind? Flint. To fteal away directly with me to my lodgings Mifs Lin. Your lodgings! Flint. There pass the night; and in the morning, the very minute we rife, we will march away to the Abbey. Mifs Lin. Sir! Flint. In fhort, Mifs, 'I must have this token of your love, or not a fyllable more of the marriage. Mifs Lin. Give me patience! Flint. Come, Mifs! we have not a moment to lofe; the coaft is clear: Should fomebody come, you will put it out of my power to do what I defign. Mifs Lin. Power? Hands off, Mr. Flint! Power? I promise you, Sir, you shall never have me in your power! Flint. Hear, Mifs! Mifs Lin. Defpicable wretch! From what part of my character could your vanity derive a hope that I would fubmit to your infamous. purpose? Flint. Don't be in a Mifs Lin. To put principle out of the queftion, not a creature that had the least tincture of pride could fall a victim to such a contemptible Flint. Why, but, Mifs Mifs Lin. Mifs Lin. It is true, in compliance with the earnest request of my friends, I had confented to facrifice my peace to their pleasure and, though reluctant, would have given you my hand. Flint. Vaftly well! Mifs Lin. What motive, but obedience to them, could I have had in forming an union with you? Did you prefume I was ftruck with your perfonal merit, or think the fordidnels of mind and manners would tempt me? your Flint. Really, Mifs, this is carryingMifs Lin. You have wealth, I confefs; but where could have been the advantage to me? As a reward for becoming your drudge, I might perhaps have received a scanty fubfiftence; for I could hardly fuppofe you would grant the free ufe of that to your wife, which your meanness had denied to yourfelf Flint. So, fo, fo! By and bye fhe will alarm the whole house!. Mifs Lin. The whole houfe? the whole town fhall be told! Sure, the greatest misfortune that Poverty brings in its train, is the fubjecting us to the infults of wretches like this, who have no other merit than what their riches beftow on them. Flint. What a damnable vixen! Mifs Lin. Go, Sir! leave the houfe! I am afhamed you have had the power to move me; and never more let me be fhocked with' your fight! Enter Lady Catharine and Mrs. Linnet. L. Cath. How's aw wi you within?-Gad's mercy, what's the mater wi Mefs? I well hope, E Maister Maister Flint, it is nae you wha ha fet her a wailing. Mrs Lin. Kitty, my love! Mifs Lin. A modest propofal of that gentleman's making L. Cath. Of what kind? Mifs Lin. Only this moment to quit my father and you, and take up my lodging with him. L. Cath. To-night! aw that is quite out of the order of things; that is ne'er done, Maister Flint, till after the ceremony of the nuptials is faid. Flint. No? then, I can tell your ladyship, it will never be done. L. Cath, How! Enter Major Rackett, Sir Chriftopher Cripple, and Button. Sir Chr. We beg pardon for taking the liberty to come in, Mrs. Linnet; but we were afraid fome accident might have happened to Mifs, Mrs. Lin. There has, Sir. Rack. Of what kind? Mrs. Lin. That worthy gentleman, under pretence of friendship to us, and honourable views to my daughter, has hatched a treacherous defign inevitably to ruin my child. Sir Chr. What, he? Flint? Sir Chr. An impudent fon of a-Billy, lead me up, that I may take a peep at the puppy.Your fervant, young gentleman! what, is it true that we hear? A fweet fwain this, to tempt a virgin to fin! Why, Old Nick has made a miftake here he used to be more expert in his angling for -for what female on earth can be got to catch at this bait? L. Cath. Haud, haud you, Sir Chriftopher Cripple! let Maifter Flint and I have a fhort conference upon the occafion.-I find, Maister Flint, you ha made a little miftake; but marriage will fet aw maters right i' the inftant: I fuppofe you perfevere to gang wi Mefs to kirk in the morning. Flint. No, madam; nor the evening neither. L. Cath. Mercy a Gad! what, do you refuse to ratify the preliminaries? Flint. I don't say that neither. Sir Chr. Then name the time in which you will fulfil them: A week? L. Cath. A fortnight? Mrs Lin. A month? Flint. I won't be bound to no time. Rack. A rafcally evafion of his, to avoid an action at law. Sir Chr. But, perhaps, he may be disappointed in that. L Cath. Well, but, Maifter Flint, are you willing to make Mess a pecuniary acknowledgement for the damage? Flint. I have done her no damage, and I'll make no reparation. Rack. Twelve honeft men of your country may happen to differ in judgment. Flint. Let her try, if the will. Sir Chr. And I promise you she sha'n't be to feek for the means. L. Cath. If you be nae afraid o' the laws, ha you nae fenfe o' fhame? Rack. He fense of shame? L. Cath. Gad's wull, it fha' cum to the proof: E 2 You You mun ken, gued folk, at Edinbrugh, laift. winter, I got acquainted with Maifter Foote, the play-actor: I wull get him to bring the filthy loon on the stage Sir Chr. And expofe him to the contempt of the world; he richly deferves it. Flint. Ay, he may write, you may rail, and the people may hifs, and what care I? 1 have that at home that will keep up my fpirits. L. Cath. At hame?. Rack. The wretch means his money. Flint. And what better friend can any man have? tell me the place where its influence fails? afk that gentleman how he got his cockade. Money! I know its worth, and therefore can't too carefully keep it: At this very inftant I have a proof of its value; it enables me to laugh at that fqueamish impertinent girl, and defpife the weak efforts of your impotent malice: Call me forth to your courts when you pleafe; that will procure me able defenders, and good witneffes too, if they are wanted. [Exit. Sir Chr. Now there's a fellow that will never reform ! Rack. You had better let him alone; it is in vain to expect juftice or honour from him: What a moft contemptible cur is a mifer! Sir Chr. Ten thousand times worse than a highwayman: That poor devil only pilfers from Peter or Paul, and the money is fcattered as foon as received; but the wretch thata ccumulates for the fake of fecreting, annihilates what was intended for the use of the world, and is a robber of the whole human race. Rack. And of himself into the bargin. Button. |