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No more his fifter than I am; I had it all from his own fervant; I can get any thing from that quarter.

Mifs RICHLAND.

But how? Tell me again, Garnet.

GARNET.

Why, madam, as I told you before, instead of going to Lyons, to bring home his fifter, who has been there with her aunt thefe ten years; he never went further than Paris; there he faw and fell in love with this young lady, by the bye, of a prodigious family.

Mifs RICHLAND.

And brought her home to my guardian, as his daughter?

GAR

GARNET.

Yes, and his daughter fhe will be. If he don't confent to their marriage, they talk of trying what a Scotch parfon can do.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Well, I own they have deceived me-And fo demurely as Olivia carried it to! - Would you believe it, Garnet, I told her all my fecrets; and yet the fly cheat concealed all this from me?

GARNET.

And, upon my word, madam, I don't much blame her; she was loth to trust one with her fethat was fo very bad at keeping her own.

crets,

Mifs RICHLAND.

But, to add to their deceit, the young gentleman, it feems, pretends to make me ferious proposals. My guardian and he are to be here presently, to open the affair in form. You know I am to lofe half my fortune if I refufe him.

GARNET.

Yet, what can you do? For being, as you are, in love with Mr. Honeywood, madam

Mifs RICHLAND.

How! idiot; what do you mean? In love with Mr. Honeywood! Is this to provoke me?

GARNET.

That is, madam, in friendship with him; I meant nothing more than friendship, as I hope to be married; nothing more.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Well, no more of this! As to my guardian, and his fon, they fhall find me prepared to receive them; I'm refolved to accept their propofal with feeming pleasure, to mortify them by compliance, and fo throw the refufal at laft upon them.

GARNET.

Delicious! and that will fecure your whole fortune to yourself. Well, who could have thought fo innocent a face could cover so much cuteness!

Mifs RICHLAND.

Why, girl, I only oppofe my prudence to their cunning, and practife a leffon they have taught me against themfelves.

GARNET.

Then you're likely not long to want employment, for here they come, and in close conference.

Enter CROAKER, LEONTINE.

LEONTINE,

Excufe me, Sir, if I feem to hefitate upon the point of putting to the lady fo important a queftion.

CROAKER.

Lord! good Sir, moderate your fears; you're so plaguy fhy, that one would think you had changed. fexes. I tell you we must have the half or the whole. Come, let me fee with what spirit you begin? Well, why don't you? Eh! What? Well

then

then-I muft, it feems-Mifs Richland, my dear, I believe you guess at our business; an affair which my fon here comes to open, that nearly concerns your happiness.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Sir, I should be ungrateful not to be pleased with any thing that comes recommended by you.

CROAKER.

How, boy, could you defire a finer opening? Why don't you begin, I fay?

LEONTINE.

(To Leont.)

"Tis true, madam, my father, madam, has fome intentions-hem-of explaining an affair-whichhimself-can best explain, madam.

CROAKER.

Yes, my dear; it comes intirely from my fon;

it's all a request of his own, madam.

permit him to make the beft of it.

LEONTINE.

And I will

The whole affair is only this, madam; my father has a propofal to make, which he infifts none but himself fhall deliver.

CROAKER.

My mind mifgives me, the fellow will never be brought on. (Afide.) In fhort, madam, you fee before you one that loves you; one whose whole happiness is all in you.

Mifs RICHLAND.

I never had any doubts of your regard, Sir; and I hope you can have none of my duty.

CROAKER.

That's not the thing, my little fweeting; my love! No, no, another guess lover than I; there he ftands, madam, his very looks declare the force of his paffion-Call up a look you dog (Afide)—But then, had you feen him, as I have, weeping, speaking foliloquies and blank verfe, fometimes melancholy, and fometimes abfent

Mifs RICHLAND.

I fear, Sir, he's abfent now; or fuch a declaration would have come most properly from himfelf.

CROAKER.

Himself! madam, he would die before he could make fuch a confeffion; and if he had not a channel for his paffion through me, it would ere now have drowned his understanding.

Mifs RICHLAND.

I must grant, Sir, there are attractions in modeft diffidence above the force of words. A filent addrefs is the genuine eloquence of fincerity.

CROAKER.

Madam, he has forgot to fpeak any other language; filence is become his mother tongue.

Mifs RICHLAND.

And it must be confeffed, Sir, it fpeaks very powerfully in his favour. And yet I fhall be thought

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