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train of feparate inclinations are left entirely at the mercy of a husband's odd humours.

Lady G. Why, that, indeed, is enough to make a woman of fpirit look about her.

Lady T. Nay, but to be ferious, my dear, what would you really have a woman do in my cafe?

Lady G. Why, if I had a fober husband, as you have, I would make myself the happieft wife in the world, by being as fober as he.

Lady T. Oh, you wicked thing! how can you teaze one at this rate, when you know he is fo very fober, that (except giving me money) there is not one thing in the world he can do to please me. And 1, at the fame time, partly by nature, and partly, perhaps, by keeping the beft company, do with my foul love almoft every thing he hates. I dote upon affemblies; my heart bounds at a ball; and at an opera-I expire. Then, I love play to diftraction; cards enchant me-and dice-put me out of my little wits.-Dear, dear hazard!-Oh, what a flow of fpirits it gives one !-Do you never play at hazard, child?

Lady G. Oh, never! I don't think it fits well upon women; there's fomething fo mafculine, fo much the air of a rake in it. You fee how it makes the men fwear and curfe; and, when a woman is thrown into the fame paffion-why

Lady T. That's very true; one is a little put to it, fometimes, not to make use of the fame words to exprefs it.

Lady G. Well, and, upon il luck, pray what words are you really forced to make use of?

Lady T. Why, upon a very hard cafe, indeed, when a fad wrong word is rifing juft to one's tongue's end, I give a great gulp and-wallow is.

Lady G. Well-and is it not enough to make you forfwear play as long as you live?

Lady T. Oh, yes; I have foriworn it.

Lady G. Seriously?

Lady T. Solemnly, a thoufand times; but then one is conftantly forfworn.

Lady G. And how can you anfwer that?

Lady T. My dear, what we fay, when we are lofers, we lock upon to be no more binding than a lover's uath or a great man's promife. But I beg pardon, stild; I

hould

fhould not lead you fo far into the world: you are a prude, and defign to live foberly.

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Lady G. Why, I confefs, my nature and my education do in a good degree incline me that way.

Lady T. Well, how a woman of spirit (for you don't want that, child) can dream of living foberly, is to me inconceivable; for you will marry, I fuppofe? Lady G. I can't tell but I may.

Lady T. And won't you live in town?

Lady G. Half the year, I fhould like it very well. Lady T. My ftars! and you would really live in London half the year to be fober in it?

Lady G. Why not?

Lady T. Why, can't you as well go and be fober in the country?

Lady G. So I would-t'other half year.

Lady T. And pray, what comfortable scheme of life would you form now for your fummer and winter sober entertainments?

Lady G. A fcheme that I think might very well con

tent us.

Lady T. Oh, of all things, let's hear it.

Lady G. Why, in fummer, I could pass my leifure hours in riding, in reading, walking by a canal, or fitting at the end of it under a great tree; in dreffing, dining, chatting with an agreeable friend; perhaps, hearing a little mufic, taking a difh of tea, or a game at cardsfoberly; managing my family, looking into its accounts, playing with my children, if I had any; or in a thousand other innocent amufements-foberly: and, poffibly, by these means, I might induce my husband to be as fober as myself.

Lady T. Well, my dear, thou art an astonishing creature! for fure fuch primitive antediluvian notions of life have not been in any head thefe thousand years.Under a great tree !-ha! ha! ha!But I beg we may have the fober town-fcheme too-for I am charmed with the country one.

Lady G. You fhall, and I'll try to stick to my fobriety there too.

Lady T. Well, though I am fure it will give me the vapours, I must hear it. Dd

Lady G.

Lady G. Why, then, for fear of your fainting, Madam, 1 will firft fo far come into the fashion, that I would never be dreffed out of it but still it should be foberly; for I can't think it any difgrace to a woman of my private fortune not to wear her face as fine as the wedding-fuit of a first duchefs; though there is one extravagance I would venture to come up to.

Lady T. Ay, now for it

Lady G. I would every day be as clean as a bride. Lady T. Why, the men say that's a great step to be made one.- Well, now you are dreft, pray, let's see

to what purpofe?

Lady G. I would vifit-that is, my real friends; but as little for form as poffible.-- -I would go to court; fometimes to an affembly; nay, play at quadrille—foberly. I would fee all the good plays; and, because 'tis the fashion, now and then go to an opera; but I would not expire there-for fear I fhould never go again. And, laftly, I can't fay, but for curiofity, if I liked my company, I might be drawn in once to a mafquerade; and this, I think, is as far as any woman can gose. berly.

Lady T Well, if it had not been for that last piece of fobriety, I was just going to call for fome furfeit

water.

Lady G. Why, don't you think, with the farther aid of breakfasting, dining, taking the air, fupping, fleeping, (not to lay a word of devotion,) the four-andtwenty hours might roll over in a tolerable manner?

Lady T. Tolerable! deplorable. Why, child, alt you propose is but to endure life: now, I want--to enjoy it.

II. Priuli and Jaffier.

Pri. No more! I'll hear no more! Be gone, and

leave me..

Jaff. Not hear me ! By my fufferings, but you fhall! My lord, my lord! i'm not that abject wretch

You think me. Patience! where's the diftance throws
Me back fo far, but I may boldly speak

In right, though proud oppreffion will not hear me !
Pri. Have you not wrong'd me?

Jaff

Faff. Could my nature e'er

Have brook'd injuftice or the doing wrong,
I need not now thus low have bent myself
To gain a hearing from a cruel father.
Wrong'd you!
Pri. Yes, wrong'd me.
In the nicest point,
The honour of my house, you've done me wrong.
When you firft came home from travel,
With fuch hopes as made you look'd on
By all mens eyes a youth of expectation,
Pleas'd with your feeming virtue, I received you
Courted, and fought to raise you to your merits;
My houfe, my table, nay, my fortune too,
My very felf was yours: you might have us❜d me
To your beft fervice; like an open friend
I treated, trufted you, and thought you mine:
When, in requital of my boit endeavours,
You treacherously practis'd to undo me;
Seduc'd the weakness of my age's darling,
My only child, and stole her from my bosom.
Jaff 'Tis to me you owe her:

Childlefs you had been elfe, and in the grave
Your name extinct; no more Priuli heard of.
You may remember, fcarce five years are past,
Since in your brigantine you fail'd to fee
The Adriatic wedded by our Duke ;
And I was with you. Your unfkilful pilot
Dafh'd us upon a rock; when to your boat
You made for fafety; enter'd first yourfelf:
Th' affrighted Belvidera, following next,
As fhe flood trembling on the veffel's fide,
Was
as by a wave wafh'd off into the deep;
When inftantly I plunged into the fea,
And, buffeting the billows to her rescue,
Redeem'd her life with half the lofs of mine.
Like a rich conqueft, in one hand I bore her,
And, with the other, dafh'd the faucy waves,
That throng'd and prefs'd to rob me of my prize.
I brought her; gave her to your defpairing arms :
Indeed you thank'd me: but a nobler gratitude
Rofe in her foul; for from that hour fhe lov'd me,
Till, for her life, the paid me with herself.

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Pri. You ftole her from me; life a thief, you stole

her

At dead of night: that curfed hour you chose
To rifle me of all my heart held dear.

May all your joys in her prove falfe like mine;
A fteril fortune and continual difcord make
Your days and nights bitter and grievous ftill:
May the hard hand of a vexatious need
Opprefs and grind you; till, at last, you find
The curfe of disobedience all your portion.

Jaff. Half of your curfe you have beftow'd in vain :
Heav'n has already crown'd our faithful loves
With a young boy, sweet as his mother's beauty.
May he live to prove more gentle than his grandfire,
And happier than his father.

Pri. No more.

Jaff. Yes, all; and, then--adieu for ever. There's not a wretch, that lives on common charity, But's happier than I: for I have known The lufcious fweets of plenty; every night Have flept with soft content about my head, And never wak'd but to a joyful morning : Yet now muft fall; like a full ear of corn, Whose bloffom 'fcap'd, yet's wither'd in the ripening. Pri. Home, and be humble; ftudy to retrench; Discharge the lazy vermin of thy hail,

Thofe pageants of thy folly;

Reduce the glitt'ring trappings of thy wife
To humble weeds, fit for thy little state:
Then to fome fuburb cottage both retire:

Drudge to feed loathfome life; get brats and farve.
Home, home, I fay.

Jaff. Yes, if my heart would let me→

[Exit,

This proud, this fwelling heart: home I would go,
But that my doors are hateful to my eyes,
Fill'd and damm'd up with gaping creditors.
I've now not fifty ducats in the world;
Yet ftill I am in love, and pleas'd with ruin.
Oh, Belvidera!-Oh! fhe is my wife-
And we will bear our wayward fate together-
But ne'er know comfort more.

IV. Bonifact

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