And see what a sugar plumb here is to keep you company. War. Her picture! oh heavens! did she really send it to me, Lucy?

Lu. To be sure: who else should?

War. Then I can no longer doubt her love, nor fear the failure of my present project. Hasten, Lucy, hasten to give her my letter,-hasten to bring me her answer. 1 am on the rack till I receive it. And thou sweet emblem, rest thou here, near to the heart whose pride it is to adore thy sweet original. Or, Lucy, to save trouble, if in two hours I do not see you, I will conclude that Emily consents to crown my wishes, and proceed accordingly.

[Exit. Lu. Thank heaven! we are happily rid of him at last. John. I swear I sweated at every pore. Lu. And now to read the letter. Oh heaven's! 'tis to propose an elopement, and that, this very night.

John. Then we are in a fine scrape indeed, Mrs. Lucy. Lu. And who but yourself is to be thanked for it? But 'tis not now a time to reproach each other, or to stand gaping and hesitating about the matter, our business is to prevent the consequences of this new fancy. Haste then, run after the animal, say that 'tis absolutely impossible and impracticable, for my mistress to comply with his proposal-say that she's suddenly taken ill-or that her father begins to smoke the secret, and has locked her up-say, in short, any thing you can think of, to prevent his thinking of this plan any more.

John. A fine kettle of fish 'twould make, were he to arrive with his post chaise and four, and all the apparatus of an elopement-an explanation must take place, and in that case, my sweet Mrs. Lucy, where are some folks? Lu. Get along, get you gone, and hasten to prevent him. [She pushes John out, and follows herself.]

SCENE III. MR. HARLEY'S dressing room. MR. HARLEY, MR. FRANCIS, and FABRICIO, Fab. Yes, indeed, Sir, it is scandalous that this young man, who owes you such numberless obligations, should turn Mrs. Harley into ridicule in all companies, and you cannot do less than unite with her in banishing him your house for ever.

Mr. H. He deserves to be banished: a hundred pounds at one stroke.

Fab. Ridicule the wife of his patron.

Mr. H. Squander it on abut I'll endeavour to think no more about it.

Fab. And ridicule her before her own relations.

Mr. H. When I hardly supposed he knew that such kind of women existed.

Fab. Insolence! an empty skull indeed.

Mr. H. Extravagance! a whole hundred pounds!

Mr. F. Gentlemen, when you have rung changes sufficiently on your respective subjects of offence, 1 will crave permission to put in a word, and observe, that, after all, Mr. Clermont is condemned, you know not why, since you will not hear his justification. [Aside to Fab.] For you, Sir, there is no occasion to feel your cranium in order to be assured of what is passing within it.

Fab. [aside] Your's, Sir, may perhaps be made to answer this.

Mr. H. Aye, it becomes you well, cousin Francis, with your fifty-six years over your head, to be always taking the part of the young people. But, as the proverb says, a grey head is often placed on green shoulders.

Mr. F. My dear Sir, they are not always the wisest who make the greatest parade with their wisdom.

Fab. I did not indeed expect Mr. Francis to become the champion of ingratitude; nor can I conceive how even the most refined logic can find a good excuse for Mr. Clermont's conduct; or a good motive for his prodigality.

Mr. F. Till I am assured, Sir, that Mr. Clermont has acted from bad motives, I am justified in supposing that he may have acted from good ones; and you, yourself, must have had sufficient experience in the world to know that the more pure we are in our own heart, the less are we inclined to suspect the integrity of others.

Fab. If I were less conscious, Sir, of the integrity of my heart, my feelings might be wounded by your insinuations; but, fenced with virtue, the bosom can repel the sharpest arrows. [To Mr. Harley.] I have acquitted myself of my commission, Sir, and I go to render an account of it to Mrs. Harley.

[Exit.

Mr. F. Your most humble servant. I am much mistaken, or Integrity here plays a very, dishonest part.

Mr. H. [Calling after Fabricio.] Mr. Fabricio, you may tell all my people never to admit Mr. Clermont again into the house.

Mr. F. Excuse me, cousin, but you here pronounce your own condemnation. To disgrace a man unheard, is, in all cases, an act of high injustice; but it becomes doubly unjust when the object is one placed under our especial care and protection; and such, if I am not misinformed, is the case with regard to this young man.

Mr. H. No, hold, not quite so fast, if you please. He never was placed under my especial care and protection.

Mr. F. Am I wrong then?-I understood Mr. Clermont to be a friendless and unprotected young man, bequeathed to your care by your deceased friend, Mr. Everard.

Mr. H. Everard, my friend, received him as clerk in his house, at the recommendation of his brother, the banker at Madras, whom you probably know.

Mr. F. Extremely well, and value him very highly. Mr. H. Mr. Everard of Madras, mentioned him as being unfortunate, friendless, and deserted. This was enough to awaken my friend's benevolence: he was like a father to him while he lived, and dying, recommended him to me, leaving him a legacy of five hundred pounds. I was then in want of a clerk, so took him into my comptinghouse, and for Everard's sake I have always treated him with a particular distinction.

Mr. F. Extraordinary! and how long has he been with you?

Mr. H. Two years.

Mr. F. And he was with Mr. Everard?

Mr. H. Five years.

Mr. F. What do you suppose his age may be ? Mr. H. About five and twenty. Methinks, Coz., you are very inquisitive about this Mr. Clermont.

Mr. F. (talking to himself) 'Tis indeed surprisingall agrees so well-Oh if it should be he! My dear Cousin, you interest me deeply in this young man's behalf, and I hasten to seek him: fain would I hear from his own mouthH

No. I.

N. Br. Th.

VOL. I.

Mr. H. Well, well, you are right, Coz.-and if he can clear himself, you may revoke-but then Mrs. Harley, what will she say?-yet I've as good a right to my way as she to her's: so I give you leave, Cousin, to make any inquiries you please into Mr. Clermont's conduct.

Mr. F. A commission which I shall execute with the utmost pleasure. (Aside) But first I must see Emily,

[Exit.

[Exit.

Mr. H. And somehow I can't help wishing that he may be able to clear up every thing.

SCENE IV. The Saloon.

Enter MR. FRANCIS and EMILY.

Mr. F. My sweet Emily, I rejoice to find you here alone, as I much wish for a few moments' private conversation with you. It is not to press a suit which I fear is disagreeable to my lovely girl; though my pretensions may be honored with Mr. Harley's approbation, yet, if my Emily's heart cannot confirm her father's choice, far be from me the ungenerous idea of urging them farther.

Em. Excellent mau !-Oh! moment of severe trial!Mr. F. You are moved, my Emily;-recollect that before I professed myself your lover, I was honored with being called your friend-and if, as I much fear, your heart be already engaged to another, the more aspiring hopes I dared to entertain are solemnly renounced. Yet I must still entreat to be considered as your friend; and, under that title, must claim permission to employ all the means within my power for promoting your union with the object of your choice.

Em. What magnanimity!

Mr. F. Then I am answered ;-no more a lover, all [ entreat is the confidence, the frankness, the sincerity, that a friend may be allowed to claim.

Em. Which shall be truly your's.-Yes, my most esteemed, my most revered, iny most respected of friends, to you my inmost soul shall be revealed.

Mr. F. Honored, flattered, beyond expression, with the title of your friend, I will endeavour to prove myself worthy of it. Mr. Clermont-am I not right?

[MR. HARLEY appears peeping in at the door.

Mr. H. Aha, my cousin and Emily together, and the girl blushing;-this looks well.

Mr. F. That blush, that downcast look, are my sufficient answers, and I shall proceed accordingly. But, hold, any farther conversation on the subject must be deferred, for see, at present we are interrupted.

Mr. H. (at the door.) This is devilish unluckythey seemed going on full drive, and here comes Mrs. Harley, and her two precious satellites to interrupt them. I may as well therefore show myself. (He comes forward.) Beg pardon for breaking in at such an interesting moment. Are all things settled-when are we to have the wedding?

Enter MRS. HARLEY, SIR JAMES, and FABRICIO. Fab. [Aside to Sir James as they enter.] The critical moment is at hand, 'tis near five o'clock, and Rimaldo will soon be here.

Mrs. H. [To Mr. Harley.] Since there is nothing in the world, my dear husband, in general less volatile, less irregular in its motions than yourself, how happens it that, though I have been seeking you a whole half-hour, you have constantly escaped me.

Mr H. Seeking me!-Upon my word that's an event that deserves to be noted-'tis the first time since I had the happiness of calling you wife, that I have been so honored.

Mrs. H. It is not now a question, my love, to enter into a war of wits; and, if it were, I should expect it to be carried on with somewhat more politeness. At present I come to talk with you on a very serious and important affair.

Mr. H. And I must talk with you upon an affair so very serious, so very important, that a man would do well to consider all his life before he engages in it.

Fab. Aside to Sir James.] Rimaldo comes notwhere can he be?— [He goes to the window.

Mrs. H. And pray what is this very important affair? Mr. H. That bashful look of Emily's, that air of inward restraint explain it. They announce that she has just accepted the homage of our cousin, Francis, whom I have chosen as her husband.