wished thee so, while your daily conduct has chosen rather to deserve, than to ask, my sister's favour, I have been as secretly industrious to make her sensible of your merit; and since, on this occasion, you have opened your whole heart to me, 'tis now with equal pleasure I assure you, we have both succeeded she is as firmly yours

Manly. Impossible! you flatter me!

Lord T. I'm glad you think it flattery, but she herself shall prove it none; she dines with us alone-when the servants are withdrawn, I'll open a conversation, that shall excuse my leaving you together-Oh, Charles! had I, like thee, been cautious in my choice, what melancholy hours had this heart avoided!

Manly. No more of that, I beg, my lord.

Lord T. But 'twill, at least, be some relief to my anxiety, however barren of content the state has been to me, to see so near a friend and sister happy in it. Your harmony of life will be an instance, how much the choice of temper is preferable to beauty.

While your soft hours in mutual kindness move,
You'll reach, by virtue, what I lost, by love.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

Scene I.-Mrs. Motherly's House.

Enter MRS. MOTHERLY, meeting MYRTILLA:

Mrs. M. So, niece! where is it possible you can have been these six hours?

Myr. Oh, madam, I have such a terrible story to tell you!

Mrs. M. A story! ods my life! What have you done with the Count's note of five hundred pounds, I sent you about? Is it safe?—Is it good?-Is it security?

Myr. Yes, yes, it is safe; but for its goodness Mercy on us! I have been in a fair way to be hanged about it!

Mrs. M. The dickens! has the rogue of a Count played us another trick then?

Myr. You shall hear, madam; when I came to Mr. Cash, the banker's, and showed him his note for five hundred pounds, payable to the Count, or order, in two months-he looked earnestly upon it, and desired me to step into the inner room-after I had stayed about ten minutes, he came in to me, claps to the door, and charges me with a constable, for forgery.

Mrs. M. Ah, poor soul! and how didst thou get off? Myr. While I was ready to sink in this condition, I begged him to have a little patience, till I could send for Mr. Manly, whom he knew to be a gentleman of worth and honour, and who, I was sure, would convince him, whatever fraud might be in the note, that I was myself an innocent abused woman-and, as good luck would have it, in less than half an hour Mr. Manly came-so, without mincing the matter, I fairly told him upon what design the Count had lodged that note in your hands, and, in short, laid open the whole scheme against the Wronghead family, he had drawn us into, to make our fortune.

Mrs. M. The devil you did!

Myr. Why, how do you think it was possible I could any otherwise make Mr. Manly my friend, to help me out of the scrape I was in? To conclude, he soon made Mr. Cash easy, and sent away the constable: nay, further, he promised me, if I would trust the note in his hands, he would give me an ample revenge upon the Count; so that all you have to consider now, madam, is,

whether you think yourself safer in the Count's hands, or Mr. Manly's.

Mrs. M. Nay, nay, child, there is no choice in the matter! Mr. Manly may be a friend indeed, if any thing in our power can make him so.

Myr. Well, madam, and now, pray, how stand matters at home here? What has the Count done with the ladies?

Mrs. M. Why, every thing he has a mind to do, by this time, I suppose. He is in as high favour with miss, as he is with my lady. [Exit MYRTILla.

Enter SIR FRANCIS WRONGHead.

Sir Fran. What! my wife and daughter abroad, say you?

Mrs. M. Oh, dear sir, they have been mighty busy all the day long; they just came home to snap up a short dinner, and so went out again.

Sir Fran. Well, well, I shan't stay supper for them, I can tell them that: for, od's heart! I have nothing in me, but a toast and tankard, since morning.

Mrs. M. I am afraid, sir, these late parliament hours won't agree with you.

Sir Fran. Why, truly, Mrs. Motherly, they don't do right with us country gentlemen; to lose one meal out of three, is a hard tax upon a good stomach.

Mrs. M. It is so, indeed, sir.

Sir Fran. But housomever, Mrs. Motherly, when we consider, that what we suffer is for the good of our country

Mrs. M. Why, truly, sir, that is something.

Sir Fran. Oh, there's a great deal to be said for't—I have heard of some honest gentlemen so very zealous, that, for the good of their country-they would sometimes go to dinner at midnight.

Mrs. M. Oh, the goodness of them! sure their country must have a vast esteem for them?

Sir Fran. So they have, Mrs. Motherly; they are so respected, when they come home to their boroughs, after a session, and so beloved-that their country will come and dine with them every day in the week.

Mrs. M. Dear me! What a fine thing 'tis to be so populous!-Here's company, sir. [Exit.

Enter MANLY.

Manly. Sir Francis, your servant.
Sir Fran. Cousin Manly!

Manly. I am come to see how the family goes on here.

Sir Fran. Troth, all as busy as bees! I have been upon the wing ever since eight o'clock this morning. Manly. By your early hour, then, I suppose you have been making your court to some of the great men.

Sir Fran. Why, 'faith, you have hit it, sir!—I was advised to lose no time; so I 'e'en went straight forward to one great man I had never seen in my life before.

Manly. Right! that was doing business: but who had you got to introduce you?

Sir Fran. Why, nobody-I remember I had heard a wise man say-My son, be bold-so, troth, I introduced myself.

Manly. As how, pray?

Sir Fran. Why, thus-Lookye-Please your lordship, says I, I am Sir Francis Wronghead, of Bumper Hall, and member of parliament for the borough of Guzzledown-Sir, your humble servant, says my lord; tho'f I have not the honour to know your person, I have heard you are a very honest gentleman, and I am glad your borough has made choice of so worthy a representative; and so, says he, Sir Francis, have you any service to command me? Naw, cousin, those last words, you may be sure, gave me no small

encouragement. And tho'f I know, sir, you have no extraordinary opinion of my parts, yet, I believe, you won't say I mist it naw.

Manly. Well, I hope I shall have no cause.

Sir Fran. So, when I found him so courteous-My lord, says I, I did not think to ha' troubled your lordship with business upon my first visit; but, since your lordship is pleased not to stand upon ceremony,-why, truly, says I, I think naw is as good as another time.

Manly. Right! there you pushed him home.

Sir Fran. Ay, ay, I had a mind to let him see that I was none of your mealy-mouthed ones.

Manly. Very good.

Sir Fran. So, in short, my lord, says I, I have a good estate-but-a-it's a little awt at elbows: and, as I desire to serve my king as well as my country, I shall be very willing to accept of a place at court.

Manly. So, this was making short on't.

Sir Fran. 'Icod, I shot him flying, cousin! some of you hawf-witted ones, naw, would ha' hummed and hawed, and dangled a month or two after him, before they durst open their mouths about a place, and, mayhap, not ha' got it at last neither.

Manly. Oh, I'm glad you're so sure on't

Sir Fran. You shall hear, cousin--Sir Francis, says my lord, pray what sort of a place may you ha' turned your thoughts upon? My lord, says I, beggars must not be choosers; but ony place, says I, about a thousand a year, will be well enough to be doing with, till something better falls in-for I thowght it would not look well to stond haggling with him at first.

Manly. No, no, your business was to get footing any way.

Sir Fran. Right! there's it! ay, cousin, I see you know the world.

Manly. Yes, yes, one sees more of it every dayWell, but what said my lord to all this?