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Sir WILLIAM.

What fignifies his affection to me; or how can I be proud of a place in a heart where every sharper and coxcomb find an easy entrance?

JARVIS.

I grant you that he is rather too good-natur'd; that he's too much every man's man; that he laughs this minute with one, and cries the next with another but whofe inftructions may he thank for all this?

Sir WILLIAM.

Not mine, fure? My letters to him during my employment in Italy, taught him only that philofophy which might prevent, not defend his errors.

JARVIS.

Faith, begging your honour's pardon, I'm sorry they taught him any philosophy at all; it has only ferv'd to spoil him. This fame philofophy is a good horfe in the stable, but an arrant jade on a journey. For my own part, whenever I hear him mention the name on't, I'm always fure he's going to play the fool.

Sir WILLIAM.

Don't let us afcribe his faults to his philofophy, I entreat you. No, Jarvis, his good nature arises rather from his fears of offending the importunate, than his defire of making the deferving happy.

JARVIS.

What it rifes from, I don't know. But, to be

fure, every body has it, that afks it.

Sir WILLIAM.

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Ay, or that does not afk it. I have been now for fome time a concealed fpectator of his follies, and find them as boundlefs as his diffipation

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JARVIS.

And yet, faith, he has fome fine name or other for them all. He calls his extravagance, generofity; and his trusting every body, univerfal benevolence. It was but last week he went fecurity for a fellow whofe face he scarce knew, and that he called an act of exalted mu-mu-munificence; ay, that was the name he gave it.

Sir WILLIAM.

And upon that I proceed, as my laft effort, though with very little hopes to reclaim him. That very fellow has just abfconded, and I have taken up the fecurity. Now, my intention is to involve him in fictitious distress, before he has plunged himself into real calamity. To arreft him for that very debt, to clap an officer upon him, and then let him fee which of his friends will come to his relief.

JARVIS.

Well, if I could but any way fee him thoroughly vexed, every groan of his would be mufic to me; yet faith, I believe it impoffible. I have tried to fret him myself every morning these three years; but, inftead of being angry, he fits as calmly to hear me fcold, as he does to his hair-dreffer.

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Sir WILLIAM.

We must try him once more, however, and I'll go this inftant to put my scheme into execution; and I don't defpair of fucceeding, as, by your means, I can have frequent opportunities of being about him, without being known. What a pity it is, Jarvis, that any man's good-will to others should produce fo much neglect of himself, as to require correction? Yet, we muft touch his weakneffes with a delicaté hand. There are some faults so nearly allied to excellence, that we can scarce weed out the vice without eradicating the virtue. [Exit.

JARVIS.

Well, go thy ways, Sir William Honeywood. It is not without reafon that the world allows thee to

be the best of men. But here comes his hopeful nephew; the strange, good-natur'd, foolish, openhearted-And yet, all his faults are fuch that one loves him ftill the better for them.

Enter HONEYWOOD.

HONEYWOOD.

Well, Jarvis, what meffages from my friends this morning?

You have no friends.

JARVIS.

HONEYWOOD.

Well from my acquaintance then?

JARVIS,

JARVIS.

(Pulling out bills) A compliment, that's all.

few of our ufual cards of This bill from your taylor; this from your mercer; and this from the little broker in Crooked-lane. He fays he has been at a great deal of trouble to get back the money you borrowed.

HONEYWOOD.

That I don't know; but I'm fure we were at a great deal of trouble in getting him to lend it.. JARVIS.

He has loft all patience.

HONEYWOOD.

Then he has lost a very good thing.

JARVIS.

There's that ten guineas you were fending to the poor gentleman and his children in the Fleet. I believe that would ftop his mouth, for a while at leaft.

HONEYWOOD.

Ay, Jarvis, but what will fill their mouths in the mean time? Muft I be cruel because he happens to be importunate; and, to relieve his avarice, leave them to infupportable distress?

JARVIS.

'Sdeath! Sir, the queftion now is how to relieve yourself. Yourself-Hav'nt I reafon to be out of my fenfes, when I fee things going at fixes and fevens ?

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HONEYWOOD.

Whatever reason you may have for being out of fenfes, I hope you'll allow that I'm not quite unreasonable for continuing in mine.

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JARVIS.

You're the only man alive in your present fituation that could do fo-Every thing upon the waste. There's Mifs Richland and her fine fortune gone already, and upon the point of being given to your rival.

HONEYWOOD.

I'm no man's rival.

JARVIS.

Your uncle in Italy preparing to difinherit you; your own fortune almoft fpent; and nothing but preffing creditors, falfe friends, and a pack of drunken fervants that your kindness has made unfit for any other family.

HONEYWOOD.

Then they have the more occafion for being in mine.

JARVIS.

Soh! What will you have done with him that I caught ftealing your plate in the pantry? In the fact; I caught him in the fact.

HONEYWOOD.

In the fact? If fo, I really think that we should pay him his wages, and turn him off.

JARVIS.

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