Caparisons don't become a young woman.-No! Captain Absolute is indeed a fine gentleman.

Lydia. Ay, the Captain Absolute you have seen. [Aside.

Mrs. M. Then he's so well bred;-so full of alacrity, and adulation !-I protest, when I saw him, I thought of what Hamlet says in the play :-" Hesperian curls-the front of Job himself!—an eye, like March, to threaten at command!—a station, like Harry Mercury, new"-Something about kissing-on a hill-however, the similitude struck me directly. Lydia. How enraged she'll be presently, when she discovers her mistake! [Aside.

Enter SERVANT.

Sero. Sir Anthony and Captain Absolute are below, ma'am.

Mrs. M. Show them up here. [Exit SERVANT.] Now, Lydia, I insist on your behaving as becomes a young woman.-Show your good breeding, at least, though you have forgot your duty.

Lydia. Madam, I have told you my resolution !—I shall not only give him no encouragement, but I won't even speak to, or look at him.

[Flings herself into a Chair, with her Face from the Door.

Enter SIR ANTHONY and CAPTAIN ABSOLUTE.

Sir Anth. Here we are, Mrs. Malaprop; come to mitigate the frowns of unrelenting beauty, and difficulty enough I had to bring this fellow-I don't know what's the matter; but if I had not held him by force, he'd have given me the slip.

Mrs. M. You have infinite trouble, Sir Anthony, in the affair. I am ashamed for the cause! Lydia, Lydia, rise, I beseech you!-pay your respects! [Aside to her. Sir Anth. I hope, madam, that Miss Languish has

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reflected on the worth of this gentleman, and the regard due to her aunt's choice, and my alliance.-Now, Jack, speak to her. [Aside to him. Capt. Abs. What the devil shall I do! [Aside.]— You see, sir, she won't even look at me, whilst you are here. I knew she wouldn't!—I told you so-Let me entreat you, sir, to leave us together!

CAPTAIN ABSOLUTE seems lo expostulate with his Father.

Lydia. [Aside.] I wonder I ha'nt heard my aunt exclaim yet! sure she can't have looked at him! perhaps their regimentals are alike, and she is something blind.

Sir Anth. I say, sir, I won't stir a foot yet.

Mrs. M. I am sorry to say, Sir Anthony, that my affluence over my niece is very small. Turn round, Lydia, I blush for you! [Aside to her.

Sir Anth. May I not flatter myself, that Miss Languish will assign what cause of dislike she can have to my son!-why don't you begin, Jack?-Speak, you puppy-speak! [Aside to him. Mrs. M. It is impossible, Sir Anthony, she can have any,-She will not say she has.-Answer, hussy! why don't you answer? [Aside to her. Sir Anth. Then, madam, I trust that a childish and hasty predilection will be no bar to Jack's happiness.-Z-ds! sirrah! why don't you speak? [Aside to him. Lydia. [Aside.] I think my lover seems as little inclined to conversation as myself.-How strangely blind my aunt must be!

Capt. Abs. Hem! hem! Madam-hem! [ABSOLUTE attempts to speak, then returns to SIR ANTHONY]— 'Faith! sir, I am so confounded !—and so-so-confused!-I told you I should be so, sir,-I knew it.— The-the-tremor of my passion entirely takes away my presence of mind.

Sir Anth. But it don't take away your voice, fool, does it?-Go up, and speak to her directly!

[ABSOLUTE makes signs to MRS. MALAPROP, to leave them together.

Mrs. M. Sir Anthony, shall we leave them together?-Ah! you stubborn little vixen! [Aside to her. Sir Anth. Not yet, ma'am, not yet!—what the devil are you at? unlock your jaws, sirrah, or[Aside to him.

Capt. Abs. [Draws near LYDIA.] Now Heav'n send she may be too sullen to look round!-I must disguise my voice. [Aside.-Speaks in a low hoarse tone. -Will not Miss Languish lend an ear to the mild accents of true love? Will not

Sir Anth. What the devil ails the fellow?-Why don't you speak out?-not stand croaking like a frog in a quinsey!

Capt. Abs. The-the-excess of my awe, and mymy-my modesty, quite choak me!

Sir Anth. Ah! your modesty again!—I'll tell you what, Jack; if you don't speak out directly, and glibly too, I shall be in such a rage!-Mrs. Malaprop, I wish the lady would favour us with something more than a side-front.

[MRS. MALAPROP seems to chide LYDIA.

Capt. Abs. So!-all will out, I see!

[Goes up to LYDIA, speaks softly. Be not surprised, my Lydia, suppress all surprise at present.

-Lydia. [Aside.] Heav'ns! 'tis Beverley's voice!Sure he can't have imposed on Sir Anthony too!

[Looks round by degrees, then starts up, Is this possible!-my Beverley!-how can this be? -my Beverley?

Capt. Abs. Ah! 'tis all over!

[Aside. Sir Anth. Beverley !—the devil-Beverley !-What ean the girl mean ?-This is my son, Jack Absolute. Mrs. M. For shame, hussy! for shame!-your

head runs so on that fellow, that you have him always in your eyes!-beg Captain Absolute's pardon, directly.

Lydia. I see no Captain Absolute, but my loved Beverley!

Sir Anth. Z- -ds! the girl's mad!-her brain's turned, by reading!

Mrs. M. O' my conscience, I believe so !—what do you mean by Beverley, hussy?-You saw Captain Absolute before to-day; there he is-your husband, that shall be.

Lydia, With all my soul, ma'am-when I refuse my Beverley

Sir Anth. Oh! she's as mad as Bedlam!—or has this fellow been playing us a rogue's trick!-Come here, sirrah, who the devil are you?

Capt. Abs. 'Faith, sir, I am not quite clear myself; but I'll endeavour to recollect.

Sir Anth. Are you my son or not?-answer for your mother, you dog, if you won't for me.

Mrs. M. Ay, sir, who are you? O mercy! I begin to suspect !

Capt. Abs. Ye powers of impudence, befriend me! [Aside.] Sir Anthony, most assuredly I am your wife's son; and that I sincerely believe myself to be yours also, I hope my duty has always shown.-Mrs. Malaprop, I am your most respectful admirer-and shall be proud to add affectionate nephew.-I need not tell my Lydia, that she sees her faithful Beverley, who, knowing the singular generosity of her temper, assumed that name, and a station, which has proved a test of the most disinterested love, which he now hopes to enjoy in a more elevated character.

Lydia. So!-there will be no elopement after all! [Sullenly. Sir Anth. Upon my soul, Jack, thou art a very impudent fellow! To do you justice, I think I never saw a piece of more consummate assurance!

Capt. Abs. Oh, you flatter me, sir,-you compliment 'tis my modesty you know, sir-my modesty, that has stood in my way.

Sir Anth. Well, I am glad you are not the dull, insensible varlet you pretended to be, however!-I'm glad you have made a fool of your father, you dogI am- -So this was your penitence, your duty, and obedience! I thought it was d-n'd sudden-You never heard their names before, not you!-What, the Languishes of Worcestershire, hey?-if you could please me in the affair, 'twas all you desired!-Ah ! you dissembling villain!-What! [Pointing to LYDIA.] she squints, don't she?-a little red haired girl!— hey? Why, you hypocritical young rascal-I wonder you a'n't ashamed to hold up your head!

Capt. Abs. 'Tis with difficulty, sir—I am confused -very much confused, as you must perceive.

Mrs. M. O lud! Sir Anthony-a new light breaks in upon me!-hey!-how! what! Captain, did you write the letters, then ?-What!-am I to thank you for the elegant compilation of "an old weather-beaten she-dragon"-hey?-O mercy!-was it you that reflected on my parts of speech?

Capt. Abs. Dear sir! my modesty will be overpowered at last, if you don't assist me.-I shall certainly not be able to stand it!

Sir Anth. Come, come, Mrs. Malaprop, we must forget and forgive;-odds life! matters have taken so clever a turn all of a sudden, that I could find in my heart, to be so good-humoured! and so gallant!— hey! Mrs. Malaprop!

Mrs. M. Well, Sir Anthony, since you desire it, we will not anticipate the past;--so mind, young people-our retrospection will now be all to the future.

Sir Anth. Come, we must leave them together; Mrs. Malaprop, they long to fly into each other's arms, I warrant!-Jack--isn't the cheek as I said, hey?— and the eye, you rogue!-and the lip-hey? Come,