HONEYWood. My own fentiments, madam: friendship is a difinterested commerce between equals; love, an abject intercourse between tyrants and slaves. Mifs RICHLAND. And, without a compliment, I know none more difinterested, or more capable of friendship than Mr. Honeywood. Mrs. CROAKER. And, indeed, I know nobody that has more friends, at leaft among the ladies. Mifs Fruzz, Mifs Odbody, and Mifs Winterbottom praife him in all companies. As for Mifs Biddy Bundle, fhe's his profeffed admirer. Mifs RICHLAND. Indeed! an admirer! I did not know, Sir, you were fuch a favourite there. But is fhe seriously so handfome? Is the the mighty thing talked of? HONEYWOOD. The town, madam, feldom begins to praise a lady's beauty, till fhe's beginning to lofe it. Mrs. CROAKER. (Smiling.) But she's refolv'd never to lofe it, it feems. For, as her natural face decays, her skill improves in making the artificial one. Well, nothing diverts me more than one of those fine, old, dreffy things, who thinks to conceal her age, by every where expofing her perfon; fticking herself up in the front of a fide box; trailing through a minuet at Almack's; and then, in the public gardens, looking for all the world like one of the painted ruins of the place. HONEYWOOD. Every age has its admirers, ladies. While you, perhaps, are trading among the warmer climates of youth; there ought to be some to carry on an useful commerce in the frozen latitudes beyond fifty. Mifs RICHLAND. But, then, the mortifications they must suffer, before they can be fitted out for traffic. I have seen one of them fret an whole morning at her hairdreffer, when all the fault was her face. HONEYWOOD. And yet, I'll engage, has carried that face at laft to a very good market. This good-natur'd town, madam, has husbands, like fpectacles, to fit every age, from fifteen to fourfcore. Mrs. CROAKER. But Well, you're a dear good-natur'd creature. you know you're engaged with us this morning upon a ftrolling party. I want to fhew Olivia the town, and the things; I believe I fhall have bufinefs for you for the whole day. HONEYWOOD. I am forry, madam, I have an appointment with Mr. Croaker, which it is impoffible to put off. Mrs. Mrs. CROAKER. What! with my husband!, then I'm refolved to take no refufal. Nay, I protest you must. You know I never laugh fo much as with you. HONEYWOOD. Why, if I muft, I muft. I'll fwear you have put me into fuch spirits. Well, do you find jeft, and I'll find laugh, I promise you. We'll wait for the [Exeunt. chariot in the next room. Enter LEONTINE and OLIVIA. LEONTINE. There they go, thoughtless and happy. My deareft Olivia, what would I give to fee you capable of fharing in their amufements, and as cheerful as they How, my Leontine, how can I be cheerful, when I have fo many terrors to opprefs me? the fear of being detected by this family, and the apprehenfions of a cenfuring world, when I must be detected LEONTINE. The world! my love, what can it say? At worst it can only fay that, being compelled by a mercenary guardian to embrace a life you disliked, you formed a refolution of flying with the man of your choice; that you confided in his honour, and took refuge in my father's houfe; the only one where your's could remain without cenfure. OLIVIA. But confider, Leontine, your disobedience and my indifcretion your being fent to France to bring home a fifter; and, inftead of a fifter, bringing home LEONTINE. One dearer than a thousand fifters. One that I am convinc'd will be equally dear, to the rest of the family, when she comes to be known. OLIVIA. And that, I fear, will fhortly be. Impoffible, 'till we ourselves think proper to make the discovery. My fifter, you know, has been with her aunt, at Lyons, fince fhe was a child, and you find every creature in the family takes you for her. OLIVIA. But mayn't the write, mayn't her aunt write? LEONTINE. Her aunt scarce ever writes, and all my fister's letters are directed to me. OLIVIA. But won't your refufing Mifs Richland, for whom you know the old gentleman intends you, create a fufpicion ? LEONTINE. There, there's my mafter-ftroke. I have refolved not to refuse her; nay, an hour hence I have confented to go with my father, to make her an offer heart and fortune. pf my OLIVIA. Your heart and fortune! LEONTINE. Don't be alarm'd, my deareft. Can Olivia think fo meanly of my honour, or my love, as to suppose I could ever hope for happiness from any but her ? No, my Olivia, neither the force, nor, permit me to add, the delicacy of my paffion, leave any room to fufpect me. I only offer Mifs Richland an heart, I am convinc'd fhe will refuse; as I am confident, that, without knowing it, her affections are fixed upon Mr. Honeywood OLIVIA. Mr. Honeywood! You'll excufe my apprehenfions; but when your merits come to be put in the balance LEONTINE. How You view them with too much partiality. ever, by making this offer, I fhew a feeming compliance with my father's command; and perhaps, upon her refufal, I may have his confent to chufe for myself. OLIVIA. Well, I fubmit. And yet, my Leontine, I own, 1 fhall envy her, even your pretended addreffes. I confider every look, every expreffion of your esteem, as due only to me. This is folly perhaps I allow it: but it is natural to fuppofe, that merit which C 4 has |