Sir G. In troth, I am glad to see you in England again-Mr. Frankly, your humble servant. Frank. Sir, your most obedient.

Sir G. Well, how goes Mississipi, man? What, do they bring their money by waggon loads to market still? Hey? ha, ha, ha!

Gran. Oh, all gone! Good for nothing, sir! Your South Sea has brought it to waste paper.

Sir G. Why, ay, ha'n't we done glorious things here, ha?-You have not sold out, I hope.

Gran. Not I, faith, sir; the old five thousand lies snug as it was. I don't see where one can move it and mend it; so e'en let it lie, and breed by itself.

Sir G. You're right, you're right. Have you got any new subscriptions?

Gran. You know, sir, I have been absent; and it is really now grown so valuable a favour, I have not the confidence to ask it.

Sir G. Pshaw! pr'ythee, never talk of that, man.
Gran. If I thought you were not full, sir-

Sir G. Why, if I were as full as a bumper, sir, I'll put my friends in, let who will run over for it.

Frank. Sir Gilbert always doubles his favours by his manner of doing them.

Sir G. Frankly, you are down for five thousand pounds already, and you may depend upon every shilling of it-Let me see what have I done with my list?Granger has a good estate, and had an eye upon my eldest daughter before he went to France. I must have him in; it may chance to bring the matter to bear. [Aside. Gran. Where did you get all these letters, sir Gilbert?

Sir G. Why, ay, this is the trade every morning; all for subscriptions. Nay, they are special stuffHere, pr'ythee, read that.

Frank. Who is it from, sir?

Sir G. From one of my wife's hopeful relations; an extravagant puppy, that has rattled a gilt chariot to pieces before it was paid for. But he'll die in jail.

Frank. [Reads] Dear knight.-I see he is familiar.
Sir G. Nay, it's all of a piece.

Frank. [Reads] Not to mince the matter; yesterday, at Marybone, they had me all bob as a Robin. In short, being out of my money, I was forced to come the caster, and tumbled for five hundred, dead: besides which, 1 owe Crop, the lender, a brace; and if I have a single Simon to pay him, rot me. But the queer cull promises to advance me t'other three, and bring me home, provided you will let him sneak into your list for a cool thousand. You know it's a debt of honour in me, and will cost you nothing.-Yours in haste,

The style is extraordinary.

ROBERT RATTLE.

Gran. And his motives irresistible.

Sir G. Nay, I have them from all nations one now from an Irish relation of my own. Frank. Oh! pray, let's see.

Sir G. There.

[Frankly reads.

Loving cousin, and my dear life,-There is only my brother Patrick, and dat is two of us; and because we would have a great respect for our relations, we are come post from Tipperary, with a loving design to put both our families upon one anoder. And though we have no acquaintance with your brave daughters, we saw them yesterday at the cathedral church, and find they vil sharve us vel enough. And to show our sincere affections, we vil taak dem vidout never a penny of money; only, as a small token of shivility upon your side, we desire the favour of both of us each ten thousand in this same new subscription. And because, in our haste, some of our clothes and bills of exchange were forgot, prydee be so grateful as to send us two score pounds, to put us into some worship for the mean time. So dis was all from, my dear life,-Your humble sarvant, and loving relation, OWEN MAC OGLE.

Frank. A very modest epistle, truly!

Sir G. Oh, here's my list.-Now, Mr. Granger, we'll see what we can do for you. Hold, here are some people that have no business here, I am sure-ay, here

1

is Dr. Bullanbear, one thousand-why, ay, I was forced to put him down to get rid of him. The man has no conscience. Don't I know he's in every courtlist under a sham name? Indeed, domine doctor, you can't be here. [Scratches him out] Then here's another favourite of my wife's too; Signor Caponi da Capotwo thousand-What, because he can get as much for a song, does he think to have it for whistling too?Huh, hub, huh! not I, troth. [Blots him out.

Frank. Rightly considered, sir.

Sir G. Let's see who's next--I would fain have another for you-Oh, here! William Penkethman, one thousand. Ha! a very pretty fellow, truly! What, give a thousand pounds to a player! why, it's enough to turn his brain: we shall have him grow proud, and quit the stage upon it. No, no, keep him poor, and let him mind his business; if the puppy leaves off playing the fool, he's undone. No, no, I won't hurt the stage; my wife loves plays, and whenever she is there, I am sure of three hours quiet at home-[Blots, &c.]-Let's see; one, three, four, five, ay, just Frankly's sum-Here's five thousand for you, Mr. Granger, with a wet finger.

Gran. Sir, I shall ever be in your debt.

Sir G. Pooh! you owe me nothing.

Frank. You have the happiness of this life, sir Gilbert, the power of obliging all about you.

Sir G. Oh, Mr. Frankly, money won't do every thing! I am uneasy at home, for all this.

Frank. Is that possible, sir, while you have so fine a lady.

Sir G. Ay, ay, you are her favourite, and have learning enough to understand her; but she is too wise and too wilful for me.

Frank. Oh, sir! learning's a fine accomplishment in a fine lady.

Sir G. Ay, it's no matter for that, she's a great plague to me. Not but my lord bishop, her uncle, was a mighty good man; she lived all along with him; I took her upon his word; 'twas he made her a scholar; I

thought her a miracle; before I had her, I used to go and hear her talk Latin with him an hour together; and there I-II played the fool-I was wrong, I was wrong-I should not have married again-and yet, I was so fond of her, I begged him to give my eldest daughter the same fine education; and so he did-but, to tell you the truth, I believe both their heads are turned.

Gran. A good husband, sir, would set your daughter right, I warrant you.

Sir G. He must come out of the clouds, then; for she thinks no mortal man can deserve her. What think you, Mr. Frankly? you had soon enough of her?

Frank. I think still, she may deserve any mortal man, sir.

Gran. I can't boast of my merit, sir Gilbert; but I wish you would give me leave to take my chance with

her.

Sir G. Will you dine with me?

Gran. Sir, you shall not ask me twice.

Sir G. And you, Mr. Frankly?

Frank. Thank you, sir, I have had the honour of my lady's invitation before I came out.

Sir G. Oh, then, pray don't fail; for when you are there, she is always in humour.

Gran. I hope, sir, we shall have the happiness of the young lady's company too.

Sir G. Ay, ay, after dinner I'll talk with you.

you

Frank. Not forgetting your favourite, Charlotte, sir. Sir G. Look you, Mr. Frankly, I understand you; have a mind to my daughter Charlotte, and I have often told you, I have no exceptions to you; and therefore you may well wonder why I yet scruple my consent.

Frank. You have a right to refuse it, no doubt, sir; but I hope you can't blame me for asking it.

Sir G. In troth, I don't; and I wish you had it, with all my heart.-But so it is-there's no comfort, sure, in this life; for, though, by this glorious state of our stocks, Í have raised my poor single plum to a pome

granate, yet if they had not risen quite so high, you and Ï, Mr. Frankly, might possibly have been both happier

men than we are.

Frank. How so, sir?

Sir G. Why, at the price it now is, I am under contract to give one of the greatest coxcombs upon earth the refusal of marrying which of my daughters he pleases.

Gran. Hey-day! What, is marriage a bubble too? [Aside. Sir G. Nay, and am bound in honour even to speak a good word for him. You know young Witling. Frank. I could have guessed your coxcomb, sir; but I hope he has not yet named the lady.

Sir G. Not directly; but I guess his inclinations, and expect every hour to have him make his call upon my consent according to form.

Gran. Sir, if he should happen to name Sophronia, will you give me leave to drub him out of his contract?

Sir G. By no means; credit's a nice point, and people won't suppose that would be done without my connivance. If we can find a way to outwit him, so; if not-Odso! here he comes-I beg your pardon, gentlemen; but I won't be in his way, till I cannot help it. Hum, hum! [Exit.

Gran. A very odd circumstance.

Frank. I am afraid there's something in it; and begin to think, now, my friend, Witling (in his raillery yesterday with Charlotte) knew what he said himself, though he did not care whether any body else did.

Gran. Sure it cannot be real! I always took Witling for a beggar.

Frank. So he was, or very near it, some months ago; but since fortune has been playing her tricks here, she has rewarded his merit, it seems, with about an hundred thousand pounds out of Change-alley.

Gran. Nay, then he may be dangerous indeed.
Frank. I long to know the bottom of it.

Gran. That you can't fail of; for you know he is vain and familiar-and here he comes.