a refolution to break the ice, and rattle away at any rate. But I don't know how, a fingle glance, from a pair of fine eyes has totally overfet my refolution. An impudent fellow may counterfeit modefty, but I'll be hanged it a modest man can ever counterfeit impudence. HASTINGS. If you could but fay half the fine things to them that I have heard you lavish upon the bar-maid of an inn, or even a college bed maker MARLOW.. Why, George, I can't fay fine things to them, They freeze, they petrify me. They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or fome fuch bagatelle. But to me, a modest woman, dreft out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole création. HASTINGS: Ha, ha, ha. At this rate, man, how can you ever expect to marry! MARLOW: Never, unless as among kings and princes, my bride were to be courted by proxy. If, indeed, like an Eastern bridegroom, one were to be introduced to a wife he never faw before, it might be endured. But to go through all the terrors of a formal courtship, together with the epifode of aunts, granda mothers and coufins, and at laft to blurt out the broad ftaring queftion, of, madam will you marry me? No, no, that's a strain much above me I affure you HASTINGS. I pity you. But how do you intend behaving to the lady you are come down to vifit at the request of your father? MARLOW. As I behave to all other ladies. Bow very low. Anfwer yes, or no, to all her demands-But for 3 the 3 L the reft, I don't think I fhall venture to look in her face, till I fee my father's again. HASTINGS. I'm furprized that one who is fo warm a friend can be fo cool a lover. MARLO W. To be explicit, my dear Haftings, my chief inducement down was to be inftrumental in forwarding your happiness, not my own. Mifs Neville loves you, the family don't know you, as my friend you are fure of a reception, and let honour do the rest. HASTINGS. My dear Marlow! But I'll fupprefs the emotion, Were I a wretch, meanly feeking to carry off a fortune, you should be the laft man in the world I would apply to for affiftance. But Mifs Neville's perfon is all I afk, and that is mine, both from her deceafed father's confent, and her own inclination, 2017 BN, FRY WOMARLO w." Happy man! You have talents and art to captivate any woman. I'm doom'd to adore the fex, and yet to converse with the only part of it I defpife. This ftammer in my addrefs, and this aukward pre! poffeffing visage of mine, can never permit me to foar above the reach of a milliner's 'prentice, of one of the dutcheffes of Drury-lane. Pfhaw this fellow here. to interrupt us. HARDCASTLE. Gentlemen, once more you are heartily welcome. Which is Mr. Marlow? Sir, you're heartily welcome. It's not my way, you fee, to receive my friends with my back to the fire. I like to give them a hearty reception in the old ftile at my gate. I like to fee their horfes and trunks taken care of. SHOOT MARLOW (afide) He has got our names from the fervants already. (To (To Him) We approve your caution and hofpitality, Sic. (To Haflings) I have been thinking, George, of changing our travelling dreffes in the morning. "I am grown confoundedly afhamed of mine. HARDCASTLE. I beg, Mr. Marlow, you'll ufe no ceremony in this house. HASTINGS. I fancy, George, you're right: the first blow is half the battle. I intend opening the campaign with the white and gold. Mr. HARDCASTLE. Mr. Marlow-Mr. Haftings-gentlemen pray be under no constraint in this houfe. This is Libertyhall, gentlemen. You may do just as you please here. MARLOW. Yet, George, if we open the campaign too fiercely at first, we may want ammunition before it is over. I think to reserve the embroidery to fecure a retreat. HARDCASTLE. Your talking of a retreat, Mr. Marlow, puts me in mind of the Duke of Marlborough, when we went to befiege Denain. He first fummoned the garrifon. MARLOW. Don't you think the ventre dor waistcoat will do With the plain brown? HARDCASTLE. He first fummoned the garrifon, which might confift of about five thousand men HASTINGS. I think not: Brown and yellow mix but very poorly. HARDCASTLE. I fay, gentlemen, as I was telling you, he fum-' moned the garrifon, which might confist of about five thousand men HARDCASTLE. Which might confift of about five thousand men, well appointed with ftones, ammunition, and other implements of war. Now, fays the Duke of Marlborough, to George Brooks, that stood next to him You must have heard of George Brooks; I'll pawn my Dukedom, fays he, but I take that garrifon without fpilling a drop of blood. So MARLO W.. What, my good friend, if you gave us a glass of punch in the mean time, it would help us to carry on the fiege with vigour. HARDCASTLE. Punch, Sir! (afide) This is the most unaccounta ble kind of modefty I ever met with. MARLO W. Yes, Sir, Punch. A glafs of warm punch, after our journey, will be comfortable. This is LibertyHall, you know. HARDCASTLE. Here's, cup, Sir. MARLOW. *(afide) So this fellow, in his Liberty-hall, will only let us have juft what he pleases. HARDCASTLE. (Taking the Cup) I hope you'll find it to your mind. I have prepared it with my own hands, and I believe you'll own the ingredients are tolerable. Will you, be fo good as to pledge me, Sir? Here, Mr. Marlow, here is to our better acquaintance. [drinks. MARLOW. (Afide) A very impudent fellow this! but he's a character, and I'll humour him a little. Sir, my fervice to you. (drinks) HASTINGS. (Afide) I fee this fellow wants to give us his company, and forgets that he's an innkeeper, before he has learned to be a gentleman. MARLOW MARLOW. From the excellence of your cup, my old friend, I suppose you have a good deal of bufinefs in this. part of the country. Warm work, now and then, at elections, I fuppofe. HARD CAST L E. No, Sir, I have long given that work over. Since our betters have hit upon the expedient of electing each other, there's no business for us that fell ale. HASTINGS. So, then you have no turn for politics I. find, Not in the leaft. There was a time, indeed, I fretted myself about the mistakes of government, like other: people; but finding myself every day grow more angry, and the government growing no better, I left it to mend itself. Since that, I no more trouble my head about Heyder Ally, or Ally Cawn, than about Ally Croaker. Sir, my fervice to you. HASTI'N G'S. So that with eating above stairs, and drinking below, with receiving your friends within, and amusing them without, you lead a good pleasant bustling life of it. HARDCASTLE. I do ftir about a great deal, that's certain. Half the differences of the parish are adjusted in this very parlour. MARLOW. (After drinking) And you have an argument in your cup, old gentleman, better than any in Weftminfter-hall.. HARD CASTE. Ay, young gentleman, that, and a little philofophy.' MARLOW.. (Afide) Well, this is the first time I ever heard of an innkeeper's philofophy. E HAST |