shalt do me none; therefore get thee about thy business, friend, and leave thy wicked course of life, or thou may'st not come off so favourably every where.

Col. Go, friend, I would advise thee, and tempt thy fate no more.

S. Pu. Yea, I will go, but it shall be to thy confusion; for I shall clear myself: I will return with some proofs that shall convince thee, Obadiah, that thou art highly imposed upon. [Exit. Col. Then there will be no staying for me, that's certain-What the devil shall I do?

[Aside. Ob. Pr. What monstrous works of iniquity are there in this world, Simon!

Col. Yea, the age is full of vice.-'Sdeath! I am so confounded, I know not what to say.

Aside. Ob. Pr. Thou art disorder'd, friend-Art thou not well?

Col. My spirit is greatly troubled, and something telleth me, that though I have wrought a good work in converting this maiden, this tender maiden, yet my labour will be in vain; for the evil spirit fighteth against her; and I see, yea, I see with the eye of my inward man, that Satan will re-buffet her again, whenever I withdraw myself from her; and she will, yea, this very damsel will return again to that abomination from whence I have retriev'd her, as if it were, yea, as if it were out of the jaws of the fiend.

Ob. Pr. Good lack, thinkest thou so?

Mrs Lov. I must second him. [Aside.] What meaneth this struggling with me? I feel the spirit resisteth the vanities of this world, but the flesh is rebellious, yea, the flesh-I. greatly fear the flesh, and the weakness thereof-hum!

chosen vessel to raise up seed to the faithful, and that thou must consent that we two be one flesh, according to the word-hum!

Ob. Pr. What a revelation is here?. This is certainly part of thy vision, friend; this is the maiden's growing into thy side: Ah! with what willingness should I give thee my consent, could I give thee her fortune too-but thou wilt never get the consent of the wicked ones. [Aside.

Col. I wish I was sure of yours.

Ob. Pr. My soul rejoiceth, yea, rejoiceth, I say, to find the spirit within thee; for lo, it moveth thee with natural agitation-yea, with natural agitation towards this good man-yea, it stirreth, as one may say,-yea, verily, I say, it stirreth up thy inclination-yea, as one would stir a pudding.

Mrs Lov. I see, I see the spirit guiding of thy hand, good Obadiah Prim, and now behold thou art signing thy consent;-and now I see myself within thy arms, my friend and brother; yea, I am become bone of thy bone, and flesh of thy flesh[Embracing him]-hum!

Col. Admirably performed. [Aside.]—And I will take thee in all spiritual love for an help-mate, yea, for the wife of my bosom ;-and now methinks I feel a longing- -yea, a longing, I say, for the consummation of thy love,-yea, I do long exceedingly.

Mrs Lov. And verily, verily, my spirit feeleth the same longing.

Mrs Pr. The spirit hath greatly moved them both.-Friend Prim, thou must consent: there's no resisting of the spirit!

Ob. Pr. The maid is inspir'd.

[Aside. Mrs Lov. This good man hath spoken comfort unto me, yea, comfort, I say; because the words which he hath breathed into my outward ears are gone through, and fix'd in mine heart, yea, verily, in mine heart, I say ;—and I feel the spirit doth love him exceedingly-hum!

Co. She acts it to the life.

[Aside.

Ob. Pr. Prodigious! The damsel is filled with the spirit-Sarah.

Enter Mrs PRIM.

Mrs Pr. I am greatly rejoiced to see such a change in our beloved Ånne.—I came to tell thee that supper stayeth for thee.

Col. I am not disposed for thy food; my spirit longeth for more delicious meat!-Fain would I redeem this maiden from the tribe of sinners, an i break those cords asunder wherewith she is bound-hum!

Mrs Loo. Something whispers in my ears, methinks-that I must be subject to the will of this good man, and from him only must hope for consolation-hum!-It also telleth me that I am a

back-No, I will not, I say:-No, thou shalt leap-a, and frisk-a, and skip-a, and bound, and bound, I say,-yea, bound within the fold of the righteous-yea, even within thy fold, my brother. -Fetch me the pen and ink, Sarah-and my hand shall confess its obedience to the spirit. Col. I wish it were over.

Enter Mrs PRIM, with pen and ink. Mrs Lov. I tremble lest this quaking rogue should return and spoil all.

[Aside.

Ob. Pr. Here, friend, do thou write what the spirit prompteth, and I will sign it. [Col. sits down. Mrs Pr. Verily, Anne, it greatly rejoiceth me to see thee reformed from that original wickedness wherein I found thee.

Mrs Lov. I do believe thou art, and I thank thee.

Col. [Reads.] "This is to certify all whom it may concern, that I do freely give all my right and title in Anne Lovely to Simon Pure, and my full consent that she shall become his wife, according to the form of marriage. Witness my hand."

Enter BETTY, running to Mrs Lovely. Betty. Oh! madam, madam, here's the quaking man again: he has brought a coachman and two or three more.

Mrs Lov. Ruin'd past redemption !

[Aside to Colonel. Col. No, no; one minute sooner had spoil'd all; but now——Here's company coming, friend: give me the paper. [Going up to PRIM hastily. Ob. Pr. Here it is, Simon; and I wish thee happy with the maiden.

Mrs Lov. I wish thou wert so metamorphos'd. -Ah! Philip, throw off that gaudy attire, and wear the clothes becoming thy age.

Ob. Pr. I am asham'd to see these men.

[Aside. Sir Phil. My age! The woman is possess'd! Col. No, thou art possess'd rather, friend. Trade. Hark ye, Mrs Lovely, one word with you. [Takes hold of her hand. Col. This maiden is my wife, thanks to friend Prim, and thou hast no business with her. [Takes her from him. Trade. His wife! Hark ye, Mr Freeman. Per. Why, you have made a very fine piece of

worst.

Enter SIMON PURE and Coachman, &c.

S. Pu. Look thee, friend, I have brought these people to satisfy thee that I am not that impostor which thou didst take me for:-This is the man that did drive the leathern conveniency, and brought me from Bristol-and-this is—

Col. Look ye, friend, to save the court the trouble of examining witnesses-I plead guiltyha, ha!

Ob. Pr. How's this? Is not thy name Pure, then?

Col. No, really, sir: I only made bold with this gentleman's name- -but I here give it up, safe and sound: it has done the business which I had occasion for, and now I intend to wear my own, which shall be at his service upon the same occasion at any time-Ha, ha, ha!

S. Pu. Oh! the wickedness of the age!
Coach. Then you've no further need of us.

[Exit. Col. No, honest man, you may go about your business.

Ob. Pr. I am struck dumb with thy impudence. -Anne, thou hast deceiv'd me-and perchance undone thyself.

Mrs Pr. Thou art a dissembling baggage, and shame will overtake thee.. [Exit. S. Pu. I am griev'd to see thy wife so much troubled: I will follow and console her. [Exit.

Sir Phil. Married to a quaker! Thou art a fine fellow to be left guardian to an orphan, truly —There's a husband for a young lady!

Col. When I have put on my beau clothes, Sir Philip, you'll like me better.

Sir Phil. Thou wilt make a very scurvy beau friend.

Col. I believe I can prove it, under your hand, that you thought me a very fine gentleman in the Park t'other day, about thirty-six minutes after eleven.-Will you take a pinch, Sir Philip――― One of the finest snuff-boxes you ever saw.

[Offers him snuff.

Sir Phil. Ha, ha, ha! I'm overjoyed, faith, I am, if thou be'st the gentleman-I own I did give my consent to the gentleman I brought here to-day -but whether this is he, I cann't be positive.

Ob. Pr. Canst thou not?-Now, I think thou art a fine fellow to be left guardian to an orphan. -Thou shallow-brain'd shuttlecock, he may be a pick-pocket, for aught thou dost know.

Per. You would have been two rare fellows to have been trusted with the sole management of her fortune, would ye not, think ye? But Mr Tradelove and myself shall take care of her portion.

Trade. Ay, ay, so we will.-Didn't you tell me the Dutch merchant desir'd me to meet him here, Mr Freeman?

Free. I did so; and I'm sure he will be here, if you'll have a little patience.

Col. What, is Mr Tradelove impatient? Nay, then, ik ben gereet voor you, heb be, Jan Van Timtamtirelireletta Heer Van Fainwell, vergee

ten!

Trade. Oh! pox of the name!-What, have you trick'd me too, Mr Freeman?

Col. Trick'd, Mr Tradelove! Did not I give you two thousand pounds for your consent fairly? And now do you tell a gentleman he has trick'd you?

Per. So, so, you are a pretty guardian, faith, to sell your charge. What, did you look upon her as part of your stock?

Ob. Pr. ila! ha, ha, ha! I am glad thy knavery is found out, however I confess the maiden over-reached me, and I had no sinister cnd at all.

No my ambitious spirit's far above
Those little tricks of mercenary love.
That man be mine, who, like the colonel here,
Can top his character in ev'ry sphere:
Who can a thousand ways employ his wit;
Out-promise statesmen, and out-cheat a cit;
Beyond the colours of a trav❜ller paint,
And cant, and ogle too-beyond a saint.

The last disguise most pleas'd me, I confess :
There's something tempting in the preaching dress;
And pleas'd me more than once a dame of note,
Who lov'd her husband in his footman's coat;-
To see one eye in wanton motions play'd,
The other to the heav'nly regions stray'd,
As if for its fellow's frailties it pray'd.
But yet I hope, for all that I have said,
To find my spouse a man of war in bed.

In this grave age, when comedies are few,
We crave your patronage for one that's new;
Though 'twere poor stuff, yet bid the author fair,
And let the scarceness recommend the ware.
Long have your ears been fill'd with tragic parts;
Blood and blank-verse have harden'd all your
hearts;

If e'er you smile, 'tis at some party strokes,— Round-heads and wooden-shoes are standing jokes:

The same conceit gives claps and hisses birth,
You're grown such politicians in your mirth!
For once we try (though 'tis, I own, unsafe)
To please you all, and make both parties laugh.
Our author, anxious for his fame to-night,
And bashful in his first attempts to write,
Lies cautiously obscure and unreveal'd,
Like ancient actors, in a mask conceal'd.
Censure, when no man knows who writes the
play,

Were much good malice merely thrown away.

The mighty critics will not blast, for shame,
A raw young thing, who dares not tell his name:
Good-natur'd judges will th' unknown defend,
And fear to blame, lest they should hurt a friend:
Each wit may praise it for his own dear sake,
And hint he writ it, if the thing should take:-
But if you're rough, and use him like a dog,
Depend upon it- -he'll remain incog.

If you should hiss, he swears he'll hiss as high,
And, like a culprit, raise the hue and cry.
If cruel men are still averse to spare
These scenes, they fly for refuge to the fair.
Though with a ghost our comedy be heighten'd,
Ladies, upon my word, you sha'n't be frighten'd:
Oh, 'tis a ghost that scorns to be uncivil,
A well-spread, lusty, jointure-hunting devil:
An am'rous ghost, that's faithful, fond, and true,
Made up of flesh and blood-as much as you.
Then, ev'ry evening, come in flocks, undaunted;
We never think this house is too much haunted.