Recollect, Lady Teazle, when I saw you first sitting at your tambour, in a pretty figured linen gown, with a buuch of keys at your side; your hair combed smooth over a roll, and your apartment hung round with fruits in worsted,of your own working.

LADY T. O, yes! I remember it very well, and a cutious life I led.-My daily occupation to inspect the dairy, superintend the poultry, make extracts from the family receipt book, and comb my aunt Deborah's lap-dog.

SIR P. Yes, yes, ma'am, 'twas so indeed.

LADY T. And then, you know, my evening amusements! To draw patterns for ruffes, which I had not materials to make up; to play Pope Joan with the curate, to read a novel to my aunt; or to be stuck down to an old spinet to strum my father to sleep after a fox-chase.

[Crosses. L.

SIR P. (R.) I am glad you have so good a memory. Yes, madam, these were the recreations I took you from; but now you must have your coach-vis-à-vis-and three powdered footmen before your chair; and, in the summer, a pair of white cats to draw you to Kensington-gardens. No recollection, I suppose, when you were content to ride double, behind the butler, on a dock'd coach-horse.

LADY T. (L.) No-I swear I never did that: I deny the butler and the coach-horse.

SIR P. This, madam, was your situation; and what have I done for you? I have made you a woman of fashion, of fortune, of rank; in short, I have made you my wife.

LADY T. Well, then,-and there is but one thing more you can make me to add to the obligation, and that isSIR P. My widow, I suppose?

LADY T. Hem! hem!

SIR P. I thank you, madam—but don't flatter yourself; for though your ill conduct may disturb my peace of mind, it shall never break my heart, I promise you : however, am equally obliged to you for the hint. [Crosses, L.

I

LADY T. (R.) Then why will you endeavour to make yourself so disagreeable to me, and thwart me in every little elegant expense?

P. (L.) 'Slife, madam, I say, had you any o these e elegant expenses when you married me?

LADY T. Lud, Sir Peter! would you have me be out of Me fashion?

SI P. The fashion, indeed! What had you to do with the fashion before you married me?

LADY T. For my part, I should think you would like to hare your wife thought a woman of taste.

SIR P. Ay-there again-taste-Zounds? madam, you had no taste when you married me!

LADY. T. That's very true, indeed, Sir Peter; and after having married you, I should never pretend to taste again, I allow. But now, Sir Peter, since we have finished our daily jangle, I presume I may go to my engagement at Lady Sneerwell's.

SIR P. Ay, there's another precious circumstance--a charming set of acquaintance you have made there.

LADY T. Nay, Sir Peter, they are all people of rank and fortune, an remarkably tenacious of reputation.

SIR P. Yes, egad, they are tenacious of reputation with a vengeance: for they don't choose any body should have a character but themselves!-Such a crew! Ah! many a wretch has rid on a hurdle who has done less mischief than these utterers of forged tales, coiners of scandal, and clippers of reputation.

LADY T. What! would you restrain the freedom of speech!

SIR P. Al! they have made you just as bad as any one of the society.

LADY T. Why, I believe I do bear a part with a tolerable grace.

SIR P. Grace indeed!

LADY T. But I know I bear no malice against the people I abuse. When I say an ill-natured thing, 'tis out of pure good humour: and I take it for granted, they deal exactly in the same manner with me. But, Sir Peter, you know you promised to come to Lady Sneerwell's too.

SIR P. Well, well, I'll call in just to look after my own character.

LADY T. Then indeed you must make haste aer me, or you'll be too late. So, good bye to ye.

[Exit Lady Teale, R.

SIR P. So I have gain'd much by my intended expostulation yet, with what a charming air she contradicts every thing I say, and how pleasingly she shows her con tempt for my authority! Well, though I can't make her` love me, there is great satisfaction in quarrelling with her; and I think she never appears to such advantage as when she is doing every thing in her power to plague me. Exit, L.

SCENE II.-Lady Sneerwell's House.-Company sisting at the back of the stage at Card Tables.

LADY SNEERWELL, MRS. CANDOUR, CRABTREE, SIR BENJAMIN BACKBITE, and JOSEPH SURFACE, discovered; Servants attending with Tea, etc.

LADY S. (L.) Nay, positively, we will hear it. JOSEPH S. Yes, yes, the epigram, by all means. SIR B. O plague on't, uncle! 'tis more nonsense. CRAB. No, No; 'fore Gad, very clever for an extempore !

SIR B. (R. c.) But, ladies, you should be acquainted with the circumstance. You must know, that one day last week, as Lady Betty Curricle was taking the dust in Hyde Park, in a sort of duodecimo phaeton, she desired me to write some verses on her ponies; upon which I took out my pocket-book, and in one moment produced the following.

Sure never were seen two such beautiful ponies;
Other horses are clowns, but these macaronies:
To give them this title I'm sure is not wrong,
Their legs are so slim, and their tails are so long.

CRAB. There, ladies, done in the smack of a whip, and on horseback too.

JOSEPH S. (R.) A very Phoebus, mounted-indeed, Sir Benjamin.

SIR B. O dear, sir! trifles-trifles.

Enter MARIA and LADY TEAZLE. L.

Ms. C. I must have a copy.

LADY S. Lady Teazle, I hope we shall see Sir Peter? LADY T. I believe he'll wait on your ladyship presently. LADY S. Maria, my dear, you look grave. Come, you shall sit down to piquet with Mr. Surface.

MARIA. I take very little pleasure in cards, however, I'll do as your ladyship pleases.

oppor

[Retires up centre, with Lady Sneerwell and Surface. ] LADY T. I am surprised Mr. Surface should sit down with her; I thought he would have embraced this tunity of speaking to me, before Sir Peter came. [Aside. MRS. C. [They all advance.] Now, I'll die, but you are so scandalous, I'll forswear your society.

LADY T. What's the matter, Mrs. Candour?

MRS. C. They'll not allow our friend Miss Vermillion to be handsome.

LADY S. [Comes down, L. ] 0, surely, she is a pretty

woman.

CRAB. I am very glad you think so, ma'am.

MRS. C. She has a charming fresh colour.

LADY T. [Crosses, c.] Yes, when it is fresh put on. MRS. C. O fie! I'll swear her colour is natural: I have

seen it come and go.

LADY T. I dare swear you have, maʼam : it goes night, and comes again in the morning.

off at

MRS. C. Ha! ha! ha! how I hate to hear you talk so! But surely now, her sister is, or was, very handsome. CRAB. Who? Mrs. Evergreen? O Lord! she's six and fifty if she's an hour!

MRS. C. Now positively you wrong her; fifty-two or fiftythree is the utmost, and I don't think she looks more.

SIR B. (R. C.) Ah! there's no judging by her looks, unless one could see her face.

LADY S. (L.) Well, well, if Mrs. Evergreen does take some pains to repair the ravages of time, you must allow she effects it with great ingenuity; and surely that's better than the careless manner in which the widow Ochre caulks her wrinkles.

SIR B. Nay, now, Lady Sneerwell, you are severeupon the widow. Come, come, 'tis not that she paints so ¡¡¡— but when she has finished her face, she joins it on so badly to her neck, that she looks like a mended statue in which the connoisseur may see at once that the head is modern, though the trunk's antique.

CRAB. Ha! ha! ha! Well said, nephew!

[ Servants give the Characters coffee, etc. and wait behind. MRS. C. Ha! ha! ha! Well, you make me laugh; but I vow I hate you for it. What do you think of Miss Simper?

SIR B. Why she has very pretty teeth.

LADY T: Yes, and on that account, when she is neither speaking or laughing (which very seldom happens ), she never absolutely shuts her mouth, but leaves it always on a jar, as it were,-thus. [Shows her teeth.

MRS. C. How can you be so ill-natured?

LADY T. Nay, I allow even that's better than the pains Mrs. Prim takes to conceal her losses in front. She draws her mouth till it positively resembles the aperture of a poor's box, and all her words appear to slide out edgewise, as it were,—thus-How do you do, madam? Yes, madam. [Mimics.

LADY S. Very well, Lady Teazle; I see you can be a little severe.

LADY T. In defence of a friend it is but justice. But here comes Sir Peter to spoil our pleasantry.

ކ

[ Crosses to Sir Benjamn.

Enter SIR PETER TEAZLE, L.

SIR P. Ladies, your most obedient. Mercy on me! here's the whole set! a character dead at every word, I suppose. [Aside.

MRS. C. I am rejoiced you are come, Sir Peter. They have been so censorious-they'll allow good qualities to nobody.

SIR P. That must be very distressing to you, indeed, Mrs. Candour.

MRS. C, Not even good nature to our friend Mrs. Pursy.