pawn my dukedom, fays he, but I take that garrifon without fpilling a drop of blood.

MARLOW.

So

What, my good friend, if you gave us a glafs 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 unaccountable kind of modefty I ever met with.

MARLOW.

Yes, Sir, punch. A glafs of warm punch, after our journey, will be comfortable. This is Liberty-hall, you know.

Here's cup, Sir.

HARDCASTLE.

MARLOW.

(Afide) So this fellow, in his Liberty-hall, will only let us have just 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.

From the excellence of your cup, my old friend, I fuppofe you have a good deal of business in this part of the country. Warm work, now and then, at elections, I fuppofe.

HARDCASTLE.

No, Sir, I have long given that work over. Since our betters have hit upon the expedient of electing each other, there is no bufinefs for us that fell ale,'

HASTINGS.

So, then you have no turn for politics I find.

HARDCASTLE.

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 service to you.

HASTINGS.

So that with eating above stairs, and drinking below, with receiving your friends within, and amufing them without, you lead a good pleasant bustling life of it,

HARD

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 Weftminster-hall.

HARDCASTLE.

Aye, young gentleman, that, and a little philofophy.

MARLOW.

(Afide.) Well, this is the first time I ever heard of an innkeeper's philofophy.

HASTINGS.

So then, like an experienced general, you attack them on every quarter. If you find their reafon manageable, you attack it with your philofophy; if you find they have no reason, you attack them with this. Here's your health, my philofopher.

HARDCASTLE.

(Drinks.)

Good, very good, thank you; ha! ha! Your generalfhip puts me in mind of prince Eugene, when he fought the Turks at the battle of Belgrade. You fhall hear.

MARLOW.

Instead of the battle of Belgrade, I believe it's almost time to talk about fupper. What has your philofophy got in the house for fupper?

HARD

HARDCASTLE.

For fupper, Sir! (Afide) Was ever such a request to a man in his own house!

MARLOW.

Yes, Sir, fupper, Sir; I begin to feel an appetite. I fhall make dev'lish work to-night in the larder, I promise you.

HARDCASTLE.

(Afide) Such a brazen dog fure never my eyes beheld. (To him) Why really, Sir, as for fupper I can't well tell. My Dorothy, and the cook-maid, fettle these things between them. I leave these kind of things entirely to them.

You do, do you?

MARLOW.

HARDCASTLE.

Entirely. By-the-bye, I believe they are in actual confultation upon what's for fupper this moment in the kitchen.

MARLOW.

Then I beg they'll admit me as one of their privy council. It's a way I have got. When I travel, I always chufe to regulate my own fupper. Let the cook be called. No offence I hope, Sir.

:

HARDCASTLE.

Ono, Sir, none in the leaft; yet I don't know show our Bridget, the cook-maid, is not very communicative upon thefe occafions. Should we fend for her, he might fcold us all out of the house.

HAST,

HASTINGS.

Let's fee your lift of the larder then. I ask it as a favour. I always match my appetite to my bill of fare.

MARLOW.

(To Hardcafle, who looks at them with furprife) Sir, he's very right, and it's my way too.

HARDCASTLE.

Sir, you have a right to command here. Here, Roger, bring us the bill of fare for to-night's fupper. I believe it's drawn out. Your manner, Mr. Haftings, puts me in mind of my uncle, colonel Wallop. It was a faying of his, that no man was fure of his fupper till he had eaten it.

HASTINGS.

(Afide) All upon the high ropes! His uncle a colonel! we shall foon hear of his mother being a juftice of peace. But let's hear the bill of fare.

MARLOW.

(Perufing) What's here? For the first courfe; for the fecond courfe; for the defert. The devil, Sir, do you think we have brought down the whole joiners company, or the corporation of Bedford, tq eat up fuch a fupper? Two or three little things, clean and comfortable, will do.

HASTINGS.

But, let's hear it,

MAR