I believe; you shall see it by and by: I took your advice, and sent him word he might come. That lure brought him hither immediately: he makes no doubt of his success with me.

Mrs. Bell. Well! two such friends as Sir Brilliant and Mr. Lovemore, I believe, never existed!

Mrs. Love. Their falsehood to each other is unparalleled. I left Sir Brilliant at the whist table: as soon as the rubber is out, he'll certainly quit his company in pursuit of me. Apropos-my Lady Constant is here. Mrs. Bell. Is she?

Mrs. Love. She is, and has been making the strangest discovery Mr. Lovemore has had a design there too. Mrs. Bell. Lud a mercy! what would have become of the poor man, if he had succeeded with us all.

Mrs. Love. [Arap at the door.] As I live and breathe, I believe this is Mr. Lovemore

Mrs. Bell. If it is, every thing goes on swimmingly within.

Mrs. Love. I hear his voice; it is he! How my heart beats!

Mrs. Bell. Courage, and the day's your own. Where must I run?

Mrs. Love. In there, ma'am. Make haste; I hear his step on the stair-head.

Mrs. Bell. Success attend you. I am gone.

[Exit. Mrs. Love. I am frightened out of my senses. What the event may be I fear to think; but I must go through with it.

Enter LOVEMore.

Mr. Lovemore, you are welcome home.
Love. Mrs. Lovemore, your servant.

[Without looking at her. Mrs. Love. It is somewhat rare to see you at home so early.

Love. I said I would come home, did not I? I always

like to be as good as my word.What could she mean by this usage? to make an appointment, and break it

thus abruptly!

Mrs. Love. He seems to muse upon it.

[Aside.

[Aside.

Love. She does not mean to do so infamous a thing as to jilt me? [Aside.] O lord! I am wonderfully tired. [Yawns and sinks into an arm chair.

Mrs. Love. You an't indisposed, I hope, my dear? Love. No, my dear; I thank you, I am very well ;— a little fatigued only, with jolting over the stones all the way from the city. I drank coffee with the old banker. I have been there ever since I saw you.Confoundedly tired.-Where's William?

Mrs. Love. Do you want any thing?

Love. Only my slippers. I am not in spirits, I think. [Yawns. Mrs. Love. You never are in spirits at home, Mr. Lovemore.

Love. I beg your pardon: I never am any where more cheerful. [Stretching his arms.] I wish I may die if I an't very happy at home,very, [yawns] very happy!

Mrs. Love. I can hear otherwise. I am informed, that Mr. Lovemore is the inspirer of mirth and good humour wherever he goes.

Love. O! you overrate me; upon my soul you do. Mrs. Love. I can hear, sir, that no person's company is so acceptable to the ladies; that 'tis your wit that inspirits every thing; that you have your compliment for one, your smile for another, a whisper for a third, and so on, sir: you divide your favours, and are every where, but at home, all whim, vivacity, and spirit.

Love. No! no! [laughing] how can you talk so? I swear I can't help laughing at the fancy. All whim, vivacity, and spirit! How can you banter so?—I divide my favours too!-O, heavens! I can't stand this raillery such a description of me!-I that am rather saturnine, of a serious cast, and inclined to be pensive!

I can't help laughing at the oddity of the conceit.
O lord! O lord!

[Laughs. Mrs. Love. Just as you please, sir. I see that I am ever to be treated with indifference.

[Walks across the stage.

Love. [Rises and walks the contrary way.] I can't put this Widow Bellmour out of my head.

[Aside. Mrs. Love. If I had done any thing to provoke this usage, this cold insolent contempt

[Walking. Love. I wish I had done with that business entirely; but my desires are kindled, and must be satisfied.

[Aside.

[They walk for some time silently by each other. Mrs. Love. What part of my conduct gives you offence, Mr. Lovemore?

Love. Still harping upon that ungrateful string?— but pr'ythee don't set me a laughing again.— -Offence!-nothing gives me offence, child!—you know I am very fond-[Yawns and walks.]-I like you of all things, and think you a most admirable wife ;-prudent, managing,-careless of your own person, and very attentive to mine;-not much addicted to pleasure,-grave, retired, and domestic; govern your house, pay the tradesmen's bills, [yawns] scold the servants, and love your husband :-upon my soul, a very good wife! -as good a sort of a wife [yawns] as a body might wish to have.- Where's William ?-I must go

to bed.

Mrs. Love. To bed so early! Had not you better join the company?

Love. I shan't go out to-night.

Mrs. Love. But I mean the company in the drawing

room.

Love. What company?

Mrs. Love. That I invited to a rout.

[Stares at her.

Love. A rout in my house!-and you dressed out too!-What is all this?

Mrs. Love. You have no objection, I hope.

Love. Objection!-No, I like company, you know, of all things; I'll go and join them: who are they all? Mrs. Love. You know them all; and there's your friend Sir Brilliant there.

Love. Is he there? I'm glad of it. But, pray now, how comes this about?

Mrs. Love. I intend to do it often.

Love. Do you?

Mrs. Love. Ay, and not look tamely on, while you revel luxuriously in a course of pleasure. I shall pursue my own plan of diversion.

Love. Do so, do so, ma'am: the change in your temper will be very pleasing.

Mrs. Love. I shall, indeed, sir. I'm in earnest. Love. By all means follow your own inclinations. Mrs. Love. And so I shall, sir, I assure you. [Sings. Love. What the devil is the matter with her? And what in the name of wonder does all this mean?

Mrs. Love. Mean, sir!-It means-it means-it means -it means-how can you ask me what it means ?— Well, to be sure, the sobriety of that question!-Do you think a woman of spirit can have leisure to tell her meaning, when she is all air, alertness, pleasure, and enjoyment?

Love. She is mad!-Stark mad!

Mrs. Love. You're mistaken, sir,-not mad, but in spirits, that's all. No offence, I hope-Am I too flighty for you?-Perhaps I am: you are of a saturnine disposition, inclined to think a little or so. Well, don't let me interrupt you; don't let me be of any inconvenience. That would be the unpolitest thing; for a married couple to interfere and encroach on each other's pleasures! O hideous! it would be gothic to the last degree. Ha! ha! ha!

Love. [Forcing a laugh.] Ha! ha!-Ma'am, you— ha! ha! you are perfectly right.

Mrs. Love. Nay, but I don't like that laugh now, I

positively don't like it.

Can't you laugh out as you were used to do? For my part, I'm determined to do nothing else all the rest of my life.

Love. This is the most astonishing thing! Ma'am, I don't rightly comprehend

Mrs. Love. Oh lud! oh lud!-with that important face! Well, but come, now; what don't you comprehend?

Love. There is something in this treatment that I don't so well

Mrs. Love. Oh, are you there, sir! How quickly they, who have no sensibility for the peace and happiness of others, can feel for themselves, Mr. Lovemore!-But that's a grave reflection, and I hate reflection.

Love. What has she got into her head? This sudden change, Mrs. Lovemore, let me tell you, is a little alarming, and

Mrs. Love. Nay, don't be frightened; there is no harm in innocent mirth, I hope? Never look so grave upon it. I assure you, sir, that though, on your part, you seem determined to offer constant indignities to your wife, and though the laws of retaliation would in some sort exculpate her, if, when provoked to the utmost, exasperated beyond all enduring, she should in her turn make him know what it is to receive an injury in the tenderest point

Love. Madam!

[Angrily.

Mrs. Love. Well, well, don't be frightened. I say, I sh'n't retaliate my own honour will secure you there, you may depend upon it.-You won't come and play a game at cards? Well, do as you like.-Well, you won't come? No, no, I see you won't-What say you to a bit of supper with us?—Nor that neither ?—Follow your inclinations: it is not material where a body eats: -the company expects me-Your servant, Mr. Lovemore, yours, yours. [Exit, singing.