has made an impreffion on one's own heart, may be powerful over that of another. LEONTINE. Don't, my life's treasure, don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have so many real ones to encounter. At worst, you know, if Mifs Richland fhould confent, or my father refufe his pardon, it can but end in a trip to Scotland; and Enter CROAKER, Where have you been, boy? I have been seeking you. My friend Honeywood here, has been saying fuch comfortable things. Ah! he's an example indeed, Where is he? I left him here, LEONTINE. Sir, I believe you may see him, and hear him too in the next room: he's preparing to go out with the ladies, CROAKER. Good gracious, can I believe my eyes or my ears! I'm ftruck dumb with his vivacity, and stunn'd with the loudness of his laugh. Was there ever such a transformation! (A laugh behind the Scenes, Croaker mimics it.) Ha! ha! ha! there it goes: a plague take their balderdafh; yet I could expect nothing lefs, when my precious wife was of the party. On my conscience, I believe, fhe could spread an horselaugh through the pews of a tabernacle, LEON LEONTINE. Since you find fo many objections to a wife, fir, how can you be fo earnest in recommending one to me? CROAKER. I have told you, and tell you again, boy, that Mifs Richland's fortune muft not go out of the family; one may find comfort in the money, whatever one does in the wife. LEONTINE. But, Sir, though, in obedience to your defire, I am ready to marry her; it may be poffible, fhe has no inclination to me. CROAKER. I'll tell you once for all how it stands. A good part of Mifs Richland's large fortune confifts in a claim upon government, which my good friend, Mr. Lofty, affures me the treafury will allow. One half of this fhe is to forfeit, by her father's will, in cafe fhe refuses to marry you. So, if the rejects you, we feize half her fortune; if the accepts you, we feize the whole, and a fine girl into the bargain. ་ LEONTINE, But, Sir, if you will but listen to reason CROAKER. Come, then, produce your reafons. I tell you I'm fix'd, determined, fo now produce your reasons. When I'm determined, I always liften to reafon, becaufe it can then do no harm. LEON LEONTINE. You have alledged that a mutual choice was the first requifite in matrimonial happiness. CROAKER. Well, and you have both of you a mutual choice. She has her choice-to marry you, or lofe half her fortune; and you have your choice-to marry her, or pack out of doors without any fortune at all. LEONTINE. An only fon, Sir, might expect more indulgence. CROAKER. An only father, Sir, might expect more obedience; befides, has not your fifter here, that never difobliged me in her life, as good a right as you ? He's a fad dog, Livy, my dear, and would take all from you. But he fhan't, I tell you he shan't, for you fshall have your share. OLIVIA. Dear Sir, I wish you'd be convinced that I can never be happy in any addition to my fortune, which is taken from his. CROAKER. Well, well, it's a good child, fo fay no more; but come with me, and we shall fee fomething that will give us a great deal of pleasure, I promise you; old Ruggins, the curry-comb-maker, lying in ftate; I'm told he makes a very handsome corpfe, and becomes his coffin prodigiouly. He was an intimate friend of mine, and thefe are friendly things we ought to do for each other. [Exeunt, ACT 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, inftead of going to Lyons, to bring home his fifter, who has been there with her aunt these 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; fhe was loth to trust one with her fecrets, that was fo very bad at keeping her own. 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 the affair in form. You know I am to lose half my fortune if I refuse him. open 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. |