thought too forward in making fuch a confeffion; fhan't I, Mr. Leontine LEONTINE. Confufion! my referve will undo me. But, if modefty attracts her, impudence may difguft her. I'll try. (Afide.) Don't imagine from my filence, madam, that I want a due fenfe of the honour and happiness intended me. My father, madam, tells me, your humble fervant is not totally indifferent to you. He admires you; I adore you; and when we come together, upon my foul I believe we shall be the happiest couple in all St. James's. Mifs RICHLAND. If I could flatter myself, you thought as you fpeak, Sir LEONTINE. Doubt my fincerity, madam? By your dear felf I fwear. Ask the brave, if they defire glory? alk cowards, if they covet fafety CROAKER. Well, well, no more questions about it. LEONTINE. Afk the fick, if they long for health ask mifers, if they love money? ask CROAKER. Afk a fool, if he can talk nonfenfe! What's come over the boy? What fignifies afking, when there's not a foul to give you an anfwer? If you would would ask to the purpose, ask this lady's consent to make you happy. Mifs RICHLAND. Why indeed, Sir, his uncommon ardour almost compels me forces me to comply. And yet I'm afraid he'll defpife a conqueft gained with too much ease: won't you, Mr. Leontine? LEONTINE. Confufion! (Afide.) Oh, by no means, madam, by no means. And yet, madam, you talked of force. There is nothing I would avoid fo much as compulfion in a thing of this kind. No, madam, I will still be generous, and leave you at liberty to refufe. CROAKER. But I tell you, Sir, the lady is not at liberty. It's a match. You see she says nothing. Silence gives confent. LEONTINE. But, Sir, fhe talked of force. Confider, Sir, the cruelty of constraining her inclinations. CROAKER. But I fay there's no cruelty. Don't you know, blockhead, that girls have always a roundabout way of faying yes before company? So get you both gone together into the next room, and hang him that interrupts the tender explanation. gone, I fay; I'll not hear a word. Get you *LE LEONTINE. But, Sir, I must beg leave to infist CROAKER. Get off, you puppy, or I'll beg leave to infift upon knocking you down. Stupid whelp! But I don't wonder, the boy takes entirely after his mother [Exeunt Mifs Rich. and Leont.. Enter Mrs. CROAKER. Mrs. CROAKER. Mr. Croaker, I bring you fomething, my dear, that I believe will make you fmile. CROAKER. I'll hold you a guinea of that, my dear. Mrs. CROAKER. A letter; and, as I knew the hand, I ventur'd And how can you expect your breaking open my letters fhould give me pleasure ? Mrs. CROAKER. Poo, it's from your fifter at Lyons, and contains good news: read it. CROAKER. What a Frenchified cover is here! That fifter of mine has fome good qualities, but I could never teach her to fold a letter. Mrs. CROAKER. Fold a fiddlestick. Read what it contain›. CROAKER. CROAKER, reading. "DEAR NICK, "AN English gentleman, of large fortune, has "for fome time made private, though honourable "proposals to your daughter Olivia. They love "each other tenderly, and I find the has confented, "without letting any of the family know, to crown "his addreffes. As fuch good offers don't come "every day, your own good fenfe, his large fortune, "and family confiderations, will induce you to for"give her. "Yours ever, "RACHAEL CROAKER." My daughter, Olivia, privately contracted to a man of large fortune! This is good news, indeed. My heart never foretold me of this. And yet, how flily the little baggage has carried it fince she came Not a word on't to the old ones for the home. world. Yet, I thought, I faw fomething fhe wanted to conceal. Mrs. CROAKER. Well, if they have concealed their amour, they fhan't conceal their wedding; that shall be public, I'm refolved. CROAKER. I tell thee, woman, the wedding is the most foolish part of the ceremony. I can never get this woman to think of the more ferious part of the nuptial engagement. D 2 Mrs. Mrs. CROAKER. What, would you have me think of their funeral? But come, tell me, my dear, don't you owe more to me than you care to confefs? Would you have ever been known to Mr. Lofty, who has undertaken Mifs Richland's claim at the treafury, but for me? Who was it firft made him an acquaintance at lady Shabbaroon's rout? Who got him to promife us his intereft? Is not he a back-stairs favourite, one that can do what he pleases with thofe that do what they please? Is not he an acquaintance that all your groaning and lamentations could never have got us? CROAKER. He is a man of importance, I grant you. And yet, what amazes me is, that while he is giving away places to all the world, he can't get one for himself. Mrs. CROAKER. That perhaps may be owing to his nicety. Great men are not easily satisfied. giving four five inftruction, read two three memo rial, call upon von ambassadeur. He vil be vid you in one tree minutes. Mrs. |