Enter LAMP, TRAP, and two female SERVANTS.

Lamp. "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women"

Sir Geo. The men are rogues, and the women hussies-I'll make a clear stage.

[Beats them off-amongst the rest, strikes ROVER. Rover." A blow! Essex a blow !"- An old rascally impostor stigmatizing me with a blow-no, I must not put up with it. Zounds! I shall be tweaked by the nose all round the country-I'll follow him.— "Strike me! so may this arm dash him to the earth, like a dead dog despised-blindness and leprosy, lameness and lunacy, pride, shame, and the name of villain light on me, if I don't" bang-Mr. Abrawang. [Exit.

SCENE II.

Another Apartment.

Enter LADY AMARANTH and BANKS.

Banks. Madam, I could have paid the rent of my little cottage; but I dare say 'twas without your ladyship's knowledge, that your steward has turned me out, and put my neighbour in possession.

Lady Am. My steward oppress the poor! I did not know it indeed.

Banks. The pangs of adversity I could bear; but the innocent partner of my misfortunes, my unhappy

sister

Lady Am. I did desire Ephraim to send for thy sister-Did she dwell with thee, and both now without a home? Let her come to mine.

Banks. The hand of misery hath struck us beneath your notice.

Lady Am. Thou dost mistake-To need my assistance is the highest claim to my attention; let me see her. [Exit BANKS.] I could chide myself that these pastimes have turned my eye from the house of woe. Ah! think, ye proud and happy affluent, how many, in your dancing moments, pine in want, drink the salt tear; their morsel the bread of misery, and shrinking from the cold blast into their cheerless hovels!

Enter BANKS, leading in AMELIA.

Banks. Madam, my sister. [Bows and retires. Lady Am. Thou art welcome-I feel myself interested in thy concerns.

Amelia. Madam!

Lady Am. I judge, thou wert not always unhappy. -Tell me thy condition, then I shall better know how to serve thee. Is thy brother thy sole kindred? Amelia. I had a husband, and a son.

Lady Am. A widow! If it recall not images thou wouldst forget, impart to me thy story-Tis rumoured in the village, thy brother is a clergyman-tell

me.

Amelia. Madam, he was; but he has lost his early patron, and is now poor and unbeneficed.

Lady Am. But thy husband

Amelia. By this brother's advice, now twenty years since, I was prevailed on to listen to the addresses of a young sea officer, (for my brother has been a chaplain in the navy) but to our surprise and mortification, we discovered by the honesty of a sailor, in whom he put confidence, that the captain's design was only to decoy me into a seeming marriage; he ordered him to procure a counterfeit clergyman; our humble friend, instead of us, put the deceit upon his master, by concealing from him that my brother was in orders; he, flattered with the hopes of procuring me an establishment, gave into the supposed imposture, and performed the ceremony.

Lady Am. Duplicity, even with a good intent, is ill.

com

Amelia. Madam, the event has justified your censure; for my husband, not knowing himself really bound by any legal tie, abandoned me-I followed him to the Indies, distracted, still seeking him-I left my infant at one of our settlements; but, after a fruitless pursuit, on my return, I found the friend, to whose care I had committed my child, was pelled to retire from the ravages of war, but where I could not learn. Rent with agonizing pangs, now without child or husband, I again saw England, and my brother; who, wounded with remorse, for being the cause of my misfortunes, secluded himself from the joys of social life, and invited me to partake the comforts of solitude in that humble asylum, from whence we've both just now been driven.

Lady Am. My pity can do thee no good, yet I pity thee; but as resignation to what must be, may restore peace, if my means can procure thee comfort, they are at thy pleasure. Come, let thy griefs subside, instead of thy cottage, accept, thou and thy brother, every convenience that my mansion can afford. Amelia. Madam, I can only thank you with

[Weeps.

Lady Am. My thanks are here-Come, thou shalt be cheerful. I will introduce thee to my sprightly cousin Harry, and his father, my humorous uncle; we have delights going forward that may amuse thee.

Amelia. Kind lady!

Lady Am. Come, smile-though a quaker, thou seest I am merry-the sweetest joy of wealth and power is to cheer another's drooping heart, and wipe from the pallid cheek the tear of sorrow. [Exeunt.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

A Road.

Enter THREE RUFFIANS, dressed as SAILORS.
1st Ruff. Well, now, what's to be done?

2d Ruff. Why, we've been long upon our shifts, and after all our tricks, twists, and turns, as London was then too hot for us, our tramp to Portsmouth was a hit.

3d Ruff. Ay; but since the cash we touched, upon pretending to be able bodied seamen, is now come to the last shilling, as we have deserted, means of a fresh supply to take us back to London, must be thought

on.

2d Ruff. Ay, how to recruit the pocket without hazarding the neck.

1st Ruff. By an advertisement posted on the stocks yonder, there are collectors upon this road; thirty guineas are offered by the quaker lady, owner of the estate round here; I wish we could snap any straggler to bring before her. A quaker will only require for an oath-we might sack these thirty gui

a yea

neas.

2d Ruff. Yes; but we must take care: if we fall into the hands of this gentleman that's in pursuit of us-'Sdeath, isn't that his man, the old boatswain?

1st Ruff. Don't run, I think we three are a match for him.

2d Ruff. Instantly put on your characters of sailors; we may get something out of him a pitiful story makes such an impression on the soft heart of a true tar, that he'll open his hard hand, and drop his last guinea-If we can but make him believe we were pressed, we have him; only mind me.

you

Enter JouN DORY.

John. To rattle my lantern, Sir George's temper now always blows a hurricane.

2d Ruff. What cheer?

John. Ha hoy!

[To JOHN.

3d Ruff. Bob, up with your speaking trumpet. 2d Ruff. Do you see, brother, this is the thing-

Enter SIR GEORGE, at the back, unperceived.

Sir Geo. If these should be my deserters. [Aside. 1st Ruff. We three hands, just come home after a long voyage, were pressed in the river, and without letting us see our friends, brought round to Portsmouth, and there we entered freely, 'cause why ?-we had no choice; then we run. We hear some gentleman is in chase of us, so, as the shot are all out, we'll surrender.

John. Surrender! Oh then you've no shot left indeed-let's see. [Feels his pocket.] I hav'n't the loading of a gun about me now, and this same monsieur poverty is a bitter bad enemy.

Sir Geo. They are the deserters that I've been after!

[Aside. John, Meet me in an hour's time in the little wood yonder; I'll raise a wind to blow you into safe latitude-keep out to sea, my master's the rock you'll certainly split upon.

2d Ruff. This is the first time we ever saw you;