Warwick too; but my clerk has retainers for every cause in the paper, so it will be time enough if I am there next morning. Besides, I have half a dozen cases that have lain by me ever since the spring assizes, and I must tack opinions to them before I see my country clients again; so I'll take the evening before me, and then currente calumo, as I say, eh, Traverse? Tra. True; and pray, Mr. Sergeant, are you concerned in Jones and Thomas, at Lincoln ? Flow. I am-for the plaintiff. Tra. And what do you think on't? Flote. A nonsuit. Ogleby estate, for the better effecting the purposes of the present intended marriage; on which above-mentioned Ogleby estate, a jointure of two thousand pounds per annum is secured to your eldest daughter, now Elizabeth Sterling, spinster, and the whole estate after the death of the aforesaid earl, descends to the heirs male of Sir John Melvil, on the body of the aforesaid Elizabeth Sterling, lawfully to be begotter. Tra. Very true; and Sir John is to be put in immediate possession of as much of his lordship's Somersetshire estate, as lies in the manors of Hogmore and Cranford, amounting to between two and three thousand pounds per annum; and at the death of Mr. Sterling, a further sum of seventy thousand Enter SIR JOHN MELVIL, Ster. Ah, Sir John! Here we are, hard at Flow. Why, my lord chief does not go the circuit this time, and my brother Puzzle being in the commission, the cause will come on be-it, paving the road to matrimony. First the fore him. Flow. True. Mr. Trueman, I think you are concerned for Lord Ogleby in this affair? True. I am, Sir. I have the honour to be related to his lordship, and hold some courts for him in Somersetshire; go to the Western circuit, and attend the sessions at Exeter, merely because his lordship's interests and property lie in that part of the kingdom. Flove. Ha !and pray, Mr. Trueman, how long have you been called to the bar? True. About nine years and three quarters. Flow. Ha! I don't know that I ever had the pleasure of seeing you before. I wish you success, young gentleman. Enter STERLING. Ster. Oh, Mr. Sergeant Flower, I am glad to see you your servant, Mr. Sergeant! gentlemen, your servant! Well, are all matters concluded ? Has that snail-paced conveyancer, old Ferret of Gray's-inn, settled the articles at last ? Do you approve of what he has done? Will his tackle hold, tight, and strong? Eh, master Sergeant ? Flow. My friend Ferret's slow and sure, Sir. But then, serius aut citius, as we say, sooner or later, Mr Sterling, he is sure to put his business out of hand as he should do. My clerk has brought the writings, and all other instruments, along with him; and the settlement is I believe as good a settlement as any settlement on the face of the earth! Ster. But that damned mortgage of sixty thousand pounds. There don't appear to be any other incumbrances, I hope? Tra. I can answer for that, Sir-and that will be cleared off immediately on the payment of the first part of Miss Sterling's portion. You agree, on your part, to come down with eighty thousand pounds. Ster. Down on the nail. Ay, ay, my money is ready to-morrow if he pleases; he shall have it in India bonds, or notes, or how he chooses. Your lords, and your dukes, and your people at the court end of the town, stick at payments sometimes-debts unpaid, no credit lost with them; but no fear of us substantial fellows--Eh, Mr. Sergeant? lawyers, then comes the doctor. Let us but despatch the long-robe, we shall soon get pudding-sleeves to work, I warrant you. Sir J. I am sorry to interrupt you, Sirbut I hope that both you and these gentlemen will excuse me. Having something very particular for your private ear, I took the liberty of following you, and beg you will oblige me with an audience immediately. [To STERLING. Ster. Ay, with all my heart! Gentlemen, Mr. Sergeant, you'll excuse it; business must be done, you know. The writings will keep cold till to-morrow morning. Flow. I must be at Warwick, Mr. Sterling, the day after. Ster. Nay, nay, I sha'n't part with you tois very full, but I have beds for you all, beds night, gentlemen, I promise you. My house for your servants, and stabling for all your horses. Will you take a turn in the garden, and view some of my improvements before dinner? Or will you amuse yourselves on the green, with a game at bowls and a cool tankard ? My servants shall attend you. Do you choose any other refreshment? Call for what you please; do as you please; make yourselves quite at home, I beg of you. Here, Thomas! Harry! William ! wait on these gentlemen! [Follows the Lawyers out, bawling und talking, and then returns to Sir John.] And now, Sir, I am entirely at your service. What are your commands with me, Sir John? Sir J. After having carried the negotiation between our families to so great a length; after having assented so readily to all your proposals, as well as received so many instances of your cheerful compliance with the demands made on our part; I am extremely concerned, Mr Sterling, to be the involuntary cause of any uneasiness. Ster. Uneasiness! what uneasiness?-Where business is transacted as it ought to be, and the parties understand one another, there can be no uneasiness. You agree, on such and such conditions, to receive my daughter for a wife; on the same conditions I agree to receive you as a son-in-law; and as to all the rest, it follows of course, you know, as regularly as the payment of a bill after acceptance. Sir J. Pardon me, Sir, more uneasiness has arisen than you are aware of. I am myself, at this instant, in a state of inexpressible emFlow. Sir John having, last term, according barrassment; Miss Sterling, I know, is exto agreement, levied a fine and suffered a re-tremely disconcerted too; and unless you will covery, has hitherto cut off the entail of the oblige me with the assistance of your friend ship, I foresee the speedy progress of discontent Sir J. Instead of fourscore. and animosity through the whole family. Ster. Why-why-there may be something Ster. What the deuce is all this? I don't un-in that.-Let me see-Fanny with fifty thou derstand a single syllable. sand, instead of Betsy with fourscore. But Sir J. In one word, then-it will be abso-how can this be, Sir John? for you know I lutely impossible for me to fulfil my engagements in regard to Miss Sterling. Ster. How, Sir John? Do you mean to put an affront upon my family? What! refuse toSir J. Be assured, Sir, that I neither mean to affront nor forsake your family. My only fear is, that you should desert me; for the whole happiness of my life depends on my being connected with your family, by the nearest and tenderest ties in the world. Ster. Why, did not you tell me, but a moment ago, that it was absolutely impossible for you to marry my daughter? Sir J. True-but you have another daughter, Sir Ster. Well! Sir J. Who has obtained the most absolute dominion over my heart. I have already declared my passion to her; nay, Miss Sterling herself is also apprised of it; and if you will but give a sanction to my present addresses, the uncommon merit of Miss Sterling will no doubt recommend her to a person of equal, if not superior rank, to myself, and our families may still be allied by my union with Miss Fanny. Ster. Mighty fine, truly! Why, what the plague do you make of us, Sir John? Do you come to market for my daughters, like servants at a statute-fair? Do you think that I will suffer you, or any man in the world, to come into my house, like the grand seignior, and throw the handkerchief first to one, and then to t'other, just as he pleases? Do you think I drive a kind of African slave-trade with them, and am to pay this money into the hands of my Lord Ogleby; who, I believe, between you and me, Sir John, is not overstocked with ready money at present; and threescore thousand of it, you know, is to go to pay off the present encumbrances on the estate, Sir John. Sir J. That objection is easily obviated.Ten of the twenty thousand, which would remain as a surplus of the fourscore, after pay ing off the mortgage, was intended by his lordship for my use, that we might set of with some little eclat on our marriage; and the other ten for his own. Ten thousand pounds therefore I shall be able to pay you immediately; and for the remaining twenty thousand, you shall have a mortgage on that part of the estate which is to be made over to me, with whatever security you shall require for the regular payment of the interest, till the principal is duly discharged. Ster. Why to do you justice, Sir John, there is something fair and open in your preposal; and since I find you do not mean to put an affront upon the family Sir J. Nothing was ever further from my thoughts, Mr. Sterling. And, after all, the whole affair is nothing extraordinary—such things happen every day; and as the world has only heard generally of a treaty between the families, when this marriage takes place, nobody will be the wiser, if we have but discretion enough to keep our own counsel. Ster. True, true; and since you only transfer from one girl to the other, it is no more than transferring so much stock, you know. Sir J. The very thing! Ster. Odso! I had quite forgot. We are reckoning without our host here-there is another difficulty Sir J. You alarm me. What can that be? Ster. I can't stir a step in this business with Sir J. A moment's patience, Sir! Nothing but the excess of my passion for Miss Fanny should have induced me to take any step that had the least appearance of disrespect to any part of your family; and even now I am desirous to atone for my transgression by mak-out consulting my sister Heidelberg.-The ing the most adequate compensation that lies in my power. Ster. Compensation! what compensation can you possibly make in such a case as this, Sir John? Sir J. Come, come, Mr. Sterling, I know you to be a man of sense, a man of business, a man of the world. I'll deal frankly with you; and you shall see that I don't desire a change of measures for my own gratification, without endeavouring to make it advantageous to you. Ster. What advantage can your inconstancy be to me, Sir John? Sir J. I'll tell you, Sir. You know that by the articles at present subsisting between us, on the day of my marriage with Miss Sterling, you agree to pay down the gross sum of eighty thousand pounds. Ster. Well! Sir J. Now if you will but consent to my waving that marriage Ster. I agree to your waving that marriage? Impossible, Sir John! Sir J. I hope not, Sir; as, on my part, I will agree to wave my right to thirty thousand pounds of the fortune I was to receive with her. Ster. Thirty thousand, d'ye say? Sir J. Yes, Sir; and accept of Miss Fanny with fifty thousand, instead of fourscore. Ster. Fifty thousand[Pausing. family has very great expectations from her, and we must not give her any offence. Sir J. But if you come into this measure, surely she will be so kind as to consent Ster. I don't know that, Betsy is her darling, and I can't tell how far she may resent any slight that seems to be offered to her favourite niece. However, I'll do the best I can for you. You shall go and break the matter to her first, and by that time I may suppose that your rhetoric has prevailed on her to histen to reason, I will step in to reinforce your arguments. Sir J. I'll fly to her immediately-you premise me your assistance? Ster. I do. Sir J. Ten thousand thanks for it! And now, success attend me! [Going Ster. Harkye, Sir John! [SIR JOHN returns.] Not a word of the thirty thousand to my sis ter, Sir John. Sir J. O, I am dumb, I am dumb, Sir. [Going Ster. You'll remember it is thirty thousand Sir J. To be sure I do. Ster. But, Sir John! one thing more. [Sis JOHN returns.] My lord must know nothing á this stroke of friendship between us. Sir J. Not for the world. Let me alone! let me alone! [Offering to ga Ster. [Holding him.] and when every thing | and tallow-chandlers. However, niece, I can't is agreed, we must give each other a bond to be held fast to the bargain. help diffuring a little in opinion from you in this matter. My experunce and sagacity Sir J. To be sure. A bond, by all means! makes me still suspect that there is something a bond, or whatever you please. [Exit, hastily. more between her and that Lovewell, notwithSter. I should have thought of more condi-standing this affair of Sir John. I had my eye tions--he's in a humour to give me every thing upon them the whole time of breakfast. Sir -Why, what mere children are your fellows John, I observed, looked a little confounded of quality, that cry for a plaything one minute indeed, though I knew nothing of what had and throw it by the next!-as changeable as passed in the garden. You seemed to sit upon the weather, and as uncertain as the stocks.-thorns too; but Fanny and Mr. Lovewell made Special fellows to drive a bargain! and yet quite another-guess sort of a figur! and were they are to take care of the interest of the na- as perfect a pictur of two distrest lovers as if tion, truly! Here does this whirligig man of it had been drawn by Raphael Angelo. As to fashion offer to give up thirty thousand pounds Sir John and Fanny, I want a matter of fact. in hard money, with as much indifference as if it was a china orange. By this mortgage I shall have a hold on his terra firma; and if he wants more money, as he certainly will, let him have children by my daughter or no, I shall have his whole estate in a net for the benefit of my family.-Well, thus it is; that the children of citizens who have acquired fortunes, prove persons of fashion; and thus it is, that persons of fashion who have ruined their fortunes, reduce the next generation to [Exit. cits. city. Mrs. H. Just as I was drawn at Amsterdam, when I went over to visit my husband's relations. Miss S. And then she's so mighty good to servants-"Pray, John, do this-pray, Thomas, do that-thank you, Jenny"-and then so humble to her relations-"To be sure, papa-as my aunt pleases-my sister knows best." But with all her demureness and humility, she has no objection to be Lady Melvil, it seems, nor to any wickedness that can make her so. Mrs. H. She lady Melvil! compose yourself, niece! I'll ladyship her, indeed;-a little creppin, cantin-She sha'n't be the better for a farden of my money. But tell me, child, how does this intriguing with Sir John correspond with her partiality to Lovewell? I don't see a concatunation here. Miss S. There I was deceived, Madam. I took all their whisperings and stealings into corners, to be the mere attraction of vulgar minds; but, behold! their private meetings were not to contrive their own insipid happiness, but to conspire against mine. But 1 know whence proceeds Mr. Lovewell's resentment to me. I could not stoop to be familiar with my father's clerk, and so I have lost his interest. Mrs. H. My spurit to a T.-My dear child! [Kisses her.]-Mr. Heidelberg lost his election for member of parliament, because I would not demean myself to be slobbered about by drunken shoemakers, beastly cheese-mongers, Miss S. Matter of fact, Madam! Did not I come unexpectedly upon them? Was not Sir John kneeling at her feet, and kissing her hand? Did not he look all love, and she all confusion? Is not that matter of fact? and did not Sir John, the moment that papa was called out of the room to the lawyer-men, get up from breakfast, and follow him immediately? And I warrant you that by this time he has made proposals to him to marry my sisterOh, that some other person, an earl or a duke, would make his addresses to me, that I might be revenged on this monster! Mrs. H. Be cool, child! you shall be Lady Melvil, in spite of all their caballins, if it costs me ten thousand pounds to turn the scale. Sir John may apply to my brother, indeed; but I'll make them all know who governs in this fammaly. Miss S. As I live, Madam, yonder comes Sir John. A base man! I can't endure the sight of him. I'll leave the room this instant. [Disordered. Mrs. H. Poor thing! Well, retire to your own chamber, child! I'll give it him, I warrant you; and by and by I'll come and let you know all that has past between us. Miss S. Pray do, Madam.-[Looking back.] A vile wretch! [Exit, in a rage.. Enter SIR JOHN MELVIL. Sir J. Your most obedient, humble servant, [Dropping a half courtesy, and pouting. Sir J. Miss Sterling's manner of quitting the room on my approach, and the visible coolness of your behaviour to me, Madam, convince me that she has acquainted you with what passed this morning. Mrs. H. I am very sorry, Sir John, to be made acquainted with any thing that should induce me to change the opinion which I would always wish to entertain of a person of qualaty. [Pouting. Sir J. It has always been my ambition to merit the best opinion from Mrs. Heidelberg; and when she comes to weigh circumstances, I flatter myself Mrs. H. You do flatter yourself, if you imagine that I can approve of your behaviour to my niece, Sir John.-And give me leave to tell you, Sir John, that you have been drawn into an action much beneath you, Sir John; and that I look upon every injury offered to Miss Betty Sterling, as an affront to myself, Sir John. [Warmly. Sir J. I would not offend you for the world, Madam; but when I am influenced by a partiality for another, however ill-founded, I hope your discernment and good sense will think it rather a point of honour to renounce engagements which I could not fulfil so strictly as I ought; and that you will excuse the change in my inclinations, since the new object, as well as the first, has the honour of being your niece, Madam. Mrs. H. I disclaim her as a niece, Sir John; Miss Sterling disclaims her as a sister; and the whole fammaly must disclaim her, for her monstrous baseness and treachery. Sir J. Indeed she has been guilty of none, Madam. Her hand and her heart are, I am sure, entirely at the disposal of yourself and Mr. Sterling. And if you should not oppose my inclinations, I am sure of Mr. Sterling's consent, Madam. Mrs. H. Indeed? Sir J. Quite certain Madam. Enter STERLING. Ster. [Behind.] So! they seem to be coming to terms already. I may venture to make my appearance. [STERLING advances. Mrs. H. To marry Fanny? Sir J. Yes, Madam. Mrs. H. My brother has given his consent, you say? Sir J. In the most ample manner, with no other restriction than the failure of your concurrence, Madam. [Sees STERLING.]-Oh, here's Mr. Sterling, who will confirm what I have told you. Mrs. H. What! have you consented to give up your eldest daughter in this manner, brother? Ster. Give her up, Heaven forbid! no, not give her up, sister; only in the case that you -Zounds, I am afraid you have said too much, Sir John. [Apart to SIR JOHN. Mrs. H. Yes, yes; I see now that it is true enough what my niece told me. You are all plottin and caballin against her. Pray, does Lord Ogleby know of this affair? Sir J. I have not yet made him acquainted with it, Madam. Mrs. H. No, I warrant you. I thought so. And so his lordship and myself, truly, are not to be consulted till the last. Ster. What! did not you consult my lord? oh, fy for shame, Sir John! Sir J. Nay, but Mr. SterlingMrs. H. We, who are the persons of most consequence and experunce in the two fammalies, are to know nothing of the matter, till the whole is as good as concluded upon. But his lordship I am sure, will have more generosaty than to countenance such a perceding. And I could not have expected such behaviour from a person of your qualaty, Sir John. And as for you, brother Ster. Nay, nay, but hear me, sister. Mrs. H. I am perfectly ashamed of youHave you no spurrit? No more concern for the honour of our fammaly than to consent.Ster. Consent! I consent! As I hope for mercy, I never gave my consent-Did I consent, Sir John? ling!-What! approve of having your eldest daughter returned upon your hands, and exchanged for the younger? I am surprised how you could listen to such a scandalous proposal. Ster. I tell you, I never did listen to itDid not I say, that I would be ent rely governed by my sister, Sir John?-And unless she agreed to your marrying Fanny Mrs. H. I agree to his marrying Fanny!abominable!-The man is absolutely out of his senses.-Can't that wise head of yours foresee the consequence of all this, brother Sterling? Will Sir John take Fanny without a fortune?-No!-After you have settled the largest part of your property on your youngest daughter, can there be an equal portion left for the eldest?--No!-Does not this overturn the whole system of the fammaly ?—Yes, yes, yes! Ster. Do you see now what you've done?— Don't betray me, Sir John. [Apart to SIR JOHN. Mrs. H. You know, I was always for my niece Betsy's marrying a person of the very first qualaty. That was my maxum-acd, therefore, much the largest settlement was of course to be made upon her. As for Fanay, if she could, with a fortune of twenty or thirty thousand pounds, get a knight, or a member of parliament, or a rich common council-man, for a husband, I thought it might do very well. Sir J. But if a better match should offer itself, why should it not be accepted, Madamı? Mrs. H. What! at the expense of her elder sister?-O fy, Sir John!-How could you bear to hear such an indignaty, brother Sterling! Ster. I! Nay, I sha'n't hear of it, I promise you.-I can't hear of it indeed, Sir John. Mrs. H. But you have heard of it, brother Sterling-You know you have, and sent Sir John to propose it to me. But if you can give up your daughter, I sha'n't forsake my niece, I assure you.-Ah, if my poor dear Mr. Heidel berg and our sweet babes had been alive, he would not have behaved so. Ster. Did 1, Sir John?-Nay, speak!Bring me off, or we are ruined. [Apart to SIR JOHN. Sir J. Why to be sure, to speak the truthMrs. H. To speak the truth!-To speak the truth, I'm ashamed of you both.-But have a care what you are about, brother! have a care, I say. The counsellors are in the house, Í hear; and if every thing is not settled to my hiking, I'll have nothing more to say to you, if I live these hundred years-I'll go over to Holland, and settle with Mr. Vanderspracken, my poor husband's first cousin, and my own fammaly shall never be the better for a farden of my money, I promise you. [Exit. Ster. I thought so. I knew she would never agree to it. Sir J. 'Sdeath, how unfortunate! What can we do, Mr. Sterling? Ster. Nothing. Sir J. What, must our agreement break off the moment it is made, then? Ster. It can't be helped, Sir John.-The family, as I told you before, have great exSir J. Not absolutely, without Mrs. Heidel-pectations from my sister; and if this matter berg's concurrence. But in case of her appro bation Ster. Ay, in case I grant you, that is, if my sister approved-But that's quite another thing, you know- [To MRS. HEIDELBERG. Mrs. H. Your sister approve, indeed!—I thought you knew her better, brother Ster proceeds, you hear yourself that she threatens to leave us. My brother Heidelberg was a warm man-a very warm man, and died worth a plum at least :-a plum! ay, 1 warrant you, he died worth a plum and a half. Sir J. Well; but if 1 Ster. And then, my sister has three or four very good mortgages, a deal of money in the three per cents. and old South Sea annuities, besides large concerns in the Dutch and French funds. The greatest part of all this she means to leave to our family. Sir J. I can only say, SirSter. Why, your offer of the difference of thirty thousand was very fair and handsome, to be sure, Sir John. Sir J. Nay, but I am willing to Ster. Ay, but if I was to accept it against her will, I might lose above a hundred thousand; so you see the balance is against you, Sir John. Sir J. Suppose I was to prevail on Lord Ogleby to apply to her, do you think that would have any influence over her? Ster. I think he would be more likely to persuade her to it than any other person in the family. She has a great respect for Lord Ogleby. She loves a lord. Sir J. I'll apply to him this very day -And if he should prevail on Mrs. Heidelberg, I may depend on your friendship, Mr. Sterling? Ster. Ay, ay, I shall be glad to oblige you, when it is in my power, but as the account stands now, you see it is not upon the figures. And so your servant, Sir John? [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE 1-A Room. Enter MR. STERLING, MRS. HEIDELBERG, and MISS STERLING, Ster. What! will you send Fanny to town, sister? Mrs. H. To-morrow morning. orders about it already. Ster. Indeed! Mrs. H. Posatively. I've given Ster. But consider, sister, at such a time as this, what an odd appearance it will have. Mrs. H. Not half so odd as her behaviour, brother. This time was intended for happiness, and I'll keep no incendiaries here to destroy it. I insist on her going off to-morrow morning. Ster. I'm afraid this is all your doing, Betsy? Miss S. No indeed, papa. My aunt knows that it is not.-For all Fanny's baseness to me, I am sure I would not do or say any thing to hurt her with you or my aunt, for the world. Mrs. H. Hold your tongue, Betsy; I will have my way. When she is packed off, every thing will go on as it should do. Since they are at their intrigues, I'll let them see that we can act with vigour on our part; and the sending her out of the way, shall be the purluminary step to all the rest of my percedings. Ster. Well, but, sister Mrs. H. It does not signify talking, brother Sterling, for I'm resolved to be rid of her, and I will. Come along, child. [To MISS STERLING.] The post-shay shall be at the door by six o'clock in the morning; and if Miss Fanny does not get into it, why I will-and so there's an end of the matter. [Bounces out with Miss STERLING, then returns.] One word more, brother Sterling-I expect that you will take your eldest daughter in your hand, and make a formal complaint to Lord Ogleby of Sir John Melvil's behaviour.-Do this, brother; show a proper regard for the honour of your fammaly yourself, and I shall throw in my mite to the raising of it. If not-but now you know my mind. So act as you please, and take the consequences. [Exit. Ster. The devil's in the women for tyranny! -Mothers, wives, mistresses, or sisters, they always will govern us. As to my sister Heidelberg, she knows the strength of her purse, and domineers upon the credit of it."I will do this," and "you shall do that," and " you shall do t'other-or else the fammaly sha'n't have a farden of" [Mimicking.] So absolute with her money !-But, to say the truth, nothing but money can make us absolute, and so we must e'en make the best of her. SCENE II.-The Garden. [Exit. Enter LORD OGLEBY and CANTON. Lord O. What! Mademoiselle Fanny to be sent away? Why?-Wherefore ?-What's the meaning of all this? Can. Je ne sçais pas-I know nothing of it. Lord O. It can't be-it sha'n't be: I protest against the measure. She's a fine girl," and I had much rather that the rest of the family were annihilated, than that she should leave us. Her vulgar father, that's the very abstract of 'Change-alley-the aunt, that's always endeavouring to be a fine lady-and the pert sister, for ever showing that she is one, are horrid company indeed, and without her would be intolerable. Ah la petite Fanchon! she's the thing: isn't she, Canton? Can. Dere is very good sympatie entre vous and dat young lady, my lor. Lord O. I'll not be left among these Goths and Vandals; your Sterlings, your Heidelbergs, and Devilbergs-if she goes, I'll positively go too. Can. In de same post-chay, my lor? You have no objection to dat, I believe, nor Mademoiselle neither too-ha, ha, ha! Lord O. Pr'ythee hold thy foolish tongue, Cant. Does thy Swiss stupidity imagine, that I can see and talk with a fine girl without desires?-My eyes are involuntarily attracted by beautiful objects-I fly as naturally to a fine girl. Cen. As de fine girl to you, my lor, ha, ha, ha! you always fly togeder like un pair de pigeons Lord O. Like un pair de pigeons-[Mocks him.]-Vous êtes un sot, Monsieur Canton.Thou art always dreaming of my intrigues, and never see'st me badiner, but you suspect mischief, you old fool you. Can. I am fool, I confess, but not always fool in dat, my lor, he, he, he! Lord O. He, he, he!-Thou art incorrigible, but thy absurdities amuse one. Thou art like my rappee here, [Takes out his box.] a most ridiculous superfluity; but a pinch of thee now and then is a more delicious treat. Can. You do me great honneur, mi lor. Lord O. 'Tis fact, upon my soul. Thou art properly my cephalic snuff, and art no bad medicine against megrims, vertigces, and profound thinking-ha, ha, ha! Can. Your flatterie, my lor, vil make me too prode. Lord O. The girl has some little partiality for me, to be sure: but pr'ythee, Cant. is not that Miss Fanny yonder? Can. [Looks with a glass.] Ah-la voilà! En vérité, 'us she, mi lor-'tis one of de pigeonsde pigeons d'amour. |