young gentleman I have chofen to be your hufband from town this very day. I have his father's letter, in which he informs me his fon is fet out, and that he intends to follow himfelf fhortly after.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Indeed! I wish I had known fomething of this before.. Blefs me, how fhall I behave? It's a thousand to one I shan't like him; our meeting will be fo formal, and so like a thing of business, that I fhall find no room for friendship or esteem.

HARDCASTLE.

Depend upon it, child, I'll never control your choice; but Mr. Marlow, whom I have pitched upon, is the son of my old friend, Sir Charles Marlow, of whom you have heard me talk fo often. The young gentleman has been bred a fcholar, and is defigned for an employment in the fervice of his country. I am told he's a man of an excellent understanding.

Is he?

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

HARDCASTLE.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Very generous.

I believe I fhall like him..

HARDCASTLE,

Young and brave,

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

I'm fure I fhall like him.

And very

HARDCASTLE.

handfome,

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

My dear Papa, fay no more (kiffing his band) he's mine, I'll have him.

HARDCASTLE.

And to crown all, Kate, he's one of the most bashful and reserved young fellows in all the world. Mifs HARD

1

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Eh! you have frozen me to death again. That word referved, has undone all the rest of his accomplishments. A referved lover, it is faid, always makes a fufpicious husband.

HARDCASTLE.

On the contrary, modefty feldom refides in a breaft that is not enriched with nobler virtues. It was the very feature in his character that firft ftruck me. Mifs HARDCASTLE.

He must have more ftriking features to catch me, I promise you. However, if he be fo young, fo handfome, and fo every thing, as you mention, I believe he'll do ftill. I think I'll have him.

HARD CASTLE.

Ay, Kate, but there is ftill an obstacle. Its more than an even wager, he may not have you.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

My dear Papa, why will you mortify one fo?-Well, if he refufes, inftead of breaking my heart at his indifference, I'll only break my glass for its flattery. Set my cap to fome newer fashion, and look out for fome lefs difficult admirer.

HARD CASTLE.

Bravely refolved! In the mean time I'll go prepare the fervants for his reception; as we feldom fee company they want as much training as a company of recruits, the first day's muster. [Exit.

Mifs HARDCASTLE, Sola.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Lud, this news of Papa's, puts me all in a flutter. Young, handfome; these he put laft; but I put them foremost. Senfible, good-natured; I like all that. But then reserved, and fheepish, that's much against him. Yet can't he be cured of his timidity, by being taught to be proud of his wife? Yes, and can't I— But I vow I'm difpofing of the husband, before I have fecured the lover.

Enter

Enter Mifs NEVILLE.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

I'm glad you're come, Neville, my dear. Tell me, Conftance, how do I look this evening? Is there any thing whimsical about me? Is it one of my well looking days, child? Am I in face to day?

Mifs NEVILLE.

Perfectly, my dear. Yet now I look again-blefs me!-fure no accident has happened among the canary birds or the gold fishes. Has your brother or the cat been meddling? Or has the last novel been too moving?

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

No; nothing of all this. I have been threatened -I can scarce get it out I have been threatened with a lover.

Mifs HARDCASTLE:

The fon of Sir Charles Marlow.

As I live, the moft intimate friend of Mr. Haftings, my admirer. They are never afunder.

I believe you must have feen him when we lived in town. Mifs HARDCASTL E.

Never.

Mifs NEVILLE.

He's a very fingular character, I affure you. Among women of reputation and virtue, he is the modefteft man alive; but his acquaintance give him a very different character among creatures of another ftamp: you understand me.

Mifs HARDCASTLE. An odd character, indeed. I fhall never be able

to

to manage him. What fhall I do? Pfhaw, think no more of him, but truft to occurrences for fuccefs. But how goes on your own affair my dear, has my mother been courting you for my brother Tony, as ufual?

Mifs NEVILLE.

I have just come from one of our agreeable tête a-têtes. She has been faying a hundred tender things, and fetting off her pretty monfter as the very pink of perfection.

Mifs HARDCHSTLE.

And her partiality is fuch, that fhe actually thinks him fo. A fortune like your's is no fmall temptation. Befides, as fhe has the fole management of it, I'm not furprized to fee her unwilling to let it go out of the family.

Mifs NEVILLE.

A fortune like mine, which chiefly confifts in jewels, is no fuch mighty temptation. But at any rate if my dear Haftings be but conftant, I make no doubt to be too hard for her at laft.. However, I let her suppose that I am in love with her fon, and fhe never once dreams that my affections are fixed upon another, Mifs HARDCASTLE.

My good brother holds out ftoutly. I could almost love him for hating you fỏ.

Mifs NE VILLE.

It is a good natured creature at bottom, and I'm fure would wish to fee me married to any body but himself. But my aunt's bell rings for our afternoon's walk round the improvements. Alons. Courage is neceffary as our affairs are critical.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Would it were bed time and all were well.:

SCENE, An Alehoufe Room. lows, with Punch and Tobacco.

Several shabby felTONY at the head

of the Table, a little higher than the reft: A mallet in his band.

OMNES.

Hurrea, hurrea, hurrea, bravo.

Firt FELLOW.

Now, gentlemen, filence for a fong. The 'Squire is going to knock himself down for a fong.

OMNE S.

Then I'll fing you, gentlemen, a fong I made upon this ale-houfe, the Three Pigeons.

SONG.

Let fchool-mafters puzzle their brain,
With grammar, and nonsense, and learning;
Good liquor, I ftoutly maintain,

Gives genus a better difcerning.

Let them brag of their Heathenish Gods,

Their Lethes, their Styxes, and Stygians ;
Their Quis, and their Quas, and their Quods,
They're all but a parcel of Pigeons.

Toroddle, toroddle, toroll.

When Methodist preachers come down,
A preaching that drinking is finful,

I'll wager the rafcals a crown,

They always preach beft with a skinful.

But when you come down with your pence,
For a fice of their fcurvy religion,

I'll leave it to all men of fenfe,
But you my good friend are the pigeon.

Foroddle, toroddle, toroll.

Then come, put the jorum about,

And let us be merry and clever,

Our hearts and our liquors are flout,

Here's the Three Jolly Pigeons for ever.

Let