Capt. 'Tis as I guess'd.

[Aside.

Gen. She is a most amiable creature, Horace.

Capt. So she is, sir, and will make any man happy

hat marries her.

Gen. I am glad you think so.

Capt. He's glad I think so!-'tis plain, but I

must leave every thing to himself, and seem wholly

passive in the affair.

[Aside.

Gen. A married life after all, Horace, I am now

convinced is the most happy, as well as the most reputable.

Capt. It is indeed, sir.

Gen. Then, perhaps, you would have no objection to be married, if I offered you as agreeable a young woman as Miss Walsingham.

1

Capt. Twould be my first pride on every occasion, sir, to pay an implicit obedience to your commands. Gen. That's sensibly said, Horace, and obligingly said; prepare yourself therefore for an introduction to the lady in the morning.

Capt. Is the lady prepared to receive me, sir? Gen. O yes; and you cann't think how highly delighted Miss Walsingham appeared, when I acquainted her with my resolution on the subject.

Capt. She's all goodness!

Gen. The more I know her, the more I am charm'd with her. I must not be explicit with him yet, for fear my secret should get wind, and reach the ears of the enemy. [Aside.] I propose, Horace, that you should be married immediately.

Capt. The sooner the better, sir, I have no will but yours.

Gen. [Shaking hands with him.] By the memory of Marlbro', you are a most excellent boyl-But what do you think? Miss Walsingham insists upon naming the day.

Capt. And welcome, sir, I am sure she won't make it a distant one.

Gen. O, she said, that nothing in her power should be wanting to make you happy.

Capt. I am sure of that, sir.

Gen. [A loud knocking.] Zounds, Horace! here's the disgrace and punishment of my life: let's avoid her as we would a fever in the camp.

Capt. Come to the library, and I'll tell you how whimsically she was treated this morning at Belville's. Gen. Death and the devil! make haste. O, I must laugh at marriage and be curst to me! But I am providing, Horace, against your falling into my

errror.

Capt. I am eternally indebted to you, sir. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Enter Mrs. BELVILLE, and Lady RACHEL. Lady Rach. Nay, Mrs. Belville, I have no patience, you act quite unnaturally.

Mrs. Bel. What! because I am unwilling to be miserable?

Lady Rach. This new instance of Mr. Belville's infidelity-This attempt to seduce Miss Walsingham, which your woman overheard is unpardonable.

Mrs. Bel. I don't say but that I am strongly wounded by his irregularities. Yet if Mr. Belville is unhappily a rover, I would much rather that he should have twenty mistresses than one. Lady Rach. You astonish me I

Mrs. Bel. Why, don't you know, my dear madam, that while he is divided amidst a variety of objects, 'tis impossible for him to have a serious attachment.

Lady Rach. Lord, Mrs. Belvillet how can you speak with so much composurel a virtuous woman should be always outrageous upon such an occasion as this.

Mrs. Bel. What, and weary the innocent sun and moon from the firmament, like a despairing princess in a tragedy-No-no-Lady Rachel, 'tis bad enough to be indifferent to the man I love, without studying to excite his aversion.

Lady Rach. How glad I am that Miss Walsingham made him so heartily asham'd of himself: Lord, these young men are so full of levity: Give me a husband of Mr. Torrington's age, say I.

Mrs. Bel. And give me a husband of Mr. Belville's, say I, with all his follies: However, Lady Rachel, I am pretty well satisfied that my conduct at Miss Leeson's will have a proper effect upon Mr. Belville's generosity, and put an entire end to his gallantries for the future,

I ady Bach. Don't deceive yourself, my dear.

F

The gods in the shilling gallery would sooner give up Roast Beef, or go without an epilogue on the first night of a new piece.

Mrs. Bel. Why should you think so of such a man as Mr. Belville?

Lady Rach. Because Mr. Belville is a man: However, if you dare run the risque-we will try the sincerity of his reformation.

Mrs. Bel. If I dare run the risque ! I would stake my soul upon his honour.

Lady Rach. Then your poor soul would be in a very terrible situation.

Mrs. Bel. By what test can we prove his sincerity? Lady Rach. By a very simple one. You know I write so like Miss Walsingham, that our hands are scarcely known asunder.

Mrs. Bel. Well

Lady Rach. Why then let me write to him as from her.

Mrs. Bel. If I did not think it would look like a doubt of his honour

Lady Rach. Poh! dare you proceed upon my plan? Mrs. Bel. Most confidently: Come to my dressingroom, were you'll find every thing ready for writing, and then you may explain your scheme more particularly.

Lady Rach. I'll attend you, but I am really sorry, my dear, for the love of propriety, to see you so calm under the perfidy of your husband; you should be quite wretched-indeed you should. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

The Temple. Enter LEESON.

Lees. The hell-hounds are after me, and if I am

arrested at this time, my honour will not only be blown upon by Brudenell, but I shall perhaps lose Emily into the bargain.

[Exit.

Enter LEECH, Crow, and WOLF, dressed in fur habits. Leech. Yonder, my lads, he darts through the Cloisters; who the devil could think that he would smoke us in this disguise? Crow, do you take the Fleet-Street side of the Temple, as fast as you can, to prevent his doubling us that way-and, Wolf, do you run round the Garden Court, that he mayn't escape us by the Thames-I'll follow the strait line myself, and the devil's in the dice if he is not snapp'd by one of us. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Changes to another part of the Temple. Enter LEESON ON one side, and CONNOLLY on the other.

Lees. Fly, open the chambers this moment-the bailiffs are after me.

Con. Faith and that I will-but it will be of no use to fly a step neither, if I hav'n't the key.

Lees. Zounds I didn't you lock the door?