ACT THE SECOND

SCENE, Croaker's House.

Miss Richland, Garnet.

Miss Richland. Olivia not his sister? Olivia not Leontine's sister? You amaze me!

Garnet. No more his sister than I am; I had it all from his own servant; I can get any thing from that quarter.

net.

Miss Rich. But how? Tell me again, Gar

Gar. Why, madam, as I told you before, instead of going to Lyons to bring home his sister, who has been there with her aunt these ten years, he never went further than Paris; there he saw and fell in love with this young lady, — by the bye, of a prodigious family.

Miss Rich. And brought her home to my guardian, as his daughter?

Gar. Yes, and daughter she will be; if he don't consent to their marriage, they talk of trying what a Scotch parson can do.

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ΙΟ

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Miss Rich. Well, I own they have deceived me-And so demurely as Olivia carried it, too! 20 -Would you believe it, Garnet, I told her all

my secrets; and yet the sly cheat concealed all this from me?

Gar. And, upon my word, madam, I don't much blame her; she was loath to trust one with 25 her secrets that was so very bad at keeping her

own.

Miss Rich. But, to add to their deceit, the young gentleman, it seems, pretends to make me serious proposals. My guardian and he are to be 30 here presently, to open the affair in form. You know I am to lose half my fortune if I refuse him.

Gar. Yet, what can you do? For being, as you are, in love with Mr. Honeywood, madam

Miss Rich. How, ideot! what do you mean? In love with Mr. Honeywood! Is this to provoke me?

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Gar. That is, madam, in friendship with him; I meant nothing more than friendship, as I hope 40 to be married; nothing more.

Miss Rich. Well, no more of this! As to my guardian and his son, they shall find me prepared to receive them; I'm resolved to accept their proposal with seeming pleasure, to mortify 45 them by compliance, and so throw the refusal at last upon them.

Gar. Delicious! and that will secure your whole fortune to yourself. Well, who could

have thought so innocent a face could cover so 50 much cuteness!

Miss Rich. Why, girl, I only oppose my prudence to their cunning, and practise a lesson they have taught me against themselves.

Gar. Then you're likely not long to want 55 employment, for here they come, and in close conference!

Enter Croaker, Leontine.

Leontine. Excuse me, sir, if I seem to hesitate upon the point of putting the lady so important a question.

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Croaker. Lord! good sir, moderate your fears; you're so plaguy shy that one would think you had changed sexes. I tell you we must have the half or the whole. Come, let me see with what spirit you begin? Well, why don't you? Eh! 65 What? Well then-I must, it seems-Miss Richland, my dear, I believe you guess at our business, an affair which my son here comes to open, that nearly concerns your happiness. Miss Rich. Sir, I should be ungrateful not to 70 be pleased with any thing that comes recommended by you.

Croak. How, boy, could you desire a finer opening? Why don't you begin, I say?

To Leontine.

Leont. 'Tis true, madam, my father, madam, 75 has some intentions-hem-of explaining an affair-which-himself-can best explain, ma

dam.

Croak. Yes, my dear; it comes intirely from my son; it's all a request of his own, madam. 80 And I will permit him to make the best of it.

Leont. The whole affair is only this, madam; my father has a proposal to make which he insists none but himself shall deliver.

Croak. My mind misgives me, the fellow 85 will never be brought on. (Aside.)—In short, madam, you see before you one that loves one whose whole happiness is all in you.

you;

Miss Rich. I never had any doubts of your regard, sir; and I hope you can have none of my 90 duty.

Croak. That's not the thing, my little sweeting; my love! No, no, another guess lover than I; there he stands, madam; his very looks declare the force of his passion!-Call up a look, 95 you dog-But then, had you seen him, as I have, weeping, speaking soliloquies and blank verse, sometimes melancholy, and sometimes absent

Miss Rich. I fear, sir, he's absent now; or such a declaration would have come most pro-100 perly from himself.

Croak. Himself, madam! he would die be

fore he could make such a confession; and if he had not a channel for his passion thro' me, it would ere now have drowned his understand- 10 ing.

Miss Rich. I must grant, sir, there are attractions in modest diffidence above the force of words. A silent address is the genuine eloquence of sincerity.

Croak. Madam, he has forgot to speak any other language; silence is become his mother tongue.

Miss Rich. And it must be confessed, sir, it speaks very powerfully in his favour. And yet, 115 I shall be thought too forward in making such a confession; shan't I, Mr. Leontine ?

Leont. Confusion! my reserve will undo me. But, if modesty attracts her, impudence may disgust her. I'll try. (Aside.)-Don't imagine from 120 my silence, madam, that I want a due sense of the honour and happiness intended me. My father, madam, tells me your humble servant is not totally indifferent to you. He admires you; I adore and when we come together, upon 125 you; my soul I believe we shall be the happiest couple in all St. James's!

Miss Rich. If I could flatter myself you thought as you speak, sir

Leont. Doubt my sincerity, madam? By your 139