Aim. She consented after to the match; and | still I dare believe she will be just.

Arch. To herself, I warrant her, as you should

have been.

Aim. By all my hopes, she comes, and smiling

comes.

Enter DORINDA, mighty gay.

Dor. Come, my dear lord-I fly with impatience to your arms- -The minutes of my absence were a tedious year. - Where's this priest ?

Enter FOIGARD.

Arch. Oons! a brave girl!

Dor. I suppose, my lord, this gentleman iş privy to our affairs.

Arch. Yes, yes, madam; I'm to be your father. Dor. Come, priest, do your office.

Arch. Make haste, make haste, couple 'em any way. [Takes AIMWELL'S hand.] Come, madam, I'm to give you

Dor. My mind's alter'd: I won't.
Areh. Eh !.

Aim. I'm confounded.

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Aim. Of what?

Sir Cha. Of your honour and estate.-Your brother died the day before I left London, and all your friends have writ after you to Brussels: among the rest, I did myself the honour.

Arch. Hark'e, sir knight, don't you banter now?

Sir Cha. 'Tis truth, upon my honour. Aim. Thanks to the pregnant stars, that form'd this accident.

Arch. Thanks to the womb of time, that brought it forth : away with it.

Aim. Thanks to my guardian angel, that led me to the prize- [Taking DORINDA's hand. Arch. And double thanks to the noble Sir Charles Freeman.My lord, I wish you joy. My lady, I wish you joy-'Egad, Sir Freeman, you're the honestest fellow living-'Sdeath! I'm grown strangely airy upon this matter-My lord, how dy'e?-A word, my lord. Don't you remember something of a previous agreement, that entitles me to the moiety of this lady's fortune,

|

which, I think, will amount to ten thousand pounds?

Aim. Not a penny, Archer. You would ha' cut my throat just now, because I would not deceive this lady.

Arch. Ay, and I'll cut your throat still, if you should deceive her now.

Aim. That's what I expect; and, to end the dispute, the lady's fortune is twenty thousand pounds; we'll divide stakes:-take the twenty thousand pounds, or the lady.

Dor. How! Is your lordship so indifferent? Arch. No, no, no, madam; his lordship knows very well that I'll take the money: I leave : you to his lordship; and so we're both provided for. Enter FOIGARD.

Foig. Arra fait, de people do say you be all robb'd, joy.

Aim. The ladies have been in some danger, sir, as you saw.

Foig. Upon my shoul our inn be robb'd too.
Aim. Our inn? By whom?

Fog. Upon my shalvation, our landlord has robb'd himself, and run away wid de money.

Arch. Robbed himself!

Foig. Ay, fait ! and me too, of a hundred pounds.

Arch. Robb'd you of a hundred pounds!
Foig. Yes, fait, honey, that I did owe to him.
Aim. Our money's gone, Frank.

Arch. Rot the money; my wench is gone-
Sçavez vous quelque chose de Mademoiselle Cherry?
Enter a Fellow with a strong Box and Letter.
Fell. Is there one Martin here?
Arch. Ay, ay-who wants him?

Fell. I have a box here, and a letter for him. Arch. [Taking the box.] Ha, ha, ha! what's here? Leger-de-main ! By this light, my lord, our money again. But this unfolds the riddle. [Opening the letter, reads.] Hum, hum, hum O', 'tis for the public good, and must be communicated to the company.

، Mr MARTIN,

'My father, being afraid of an impeachment by the rogues that are taken to-night, is gone off; but if you can procure him a pardon, he'll make great discoveries, that may be useful to the country. Could I have met you instead of your master to-night, I would have delivered myself into your hands, with a sum that much exceeds that in your strong box, which I have sent you, with an assurance to my dear Martin, that I shall ever be his most faithful friend, till death,

CHERRY BONIFACE.'

There's a billet-doux for you-As for the father, I think he ought to be encouraged; and for the daughter-pray, my lord, persuade your bride to take her into her service, instead of Gipsey.

Aim. I can assure you, madam, your deliverance was owing to her discovery.

Dor. Your command, my lord, will do, without the obligation. I'll take care of her.

Sir Cha. This good company meets opportunely, in favour of a design I have in behalf of my unfortunate sister. I intend to part her from her husband-Gentlemen, will you assist me?

Arch. Assist you! 'Sdeath! who would not? Foig. Ay, upon my shoul, we'll all asshist.

Enter SULLEN.

Sul. What's all this? They tell me, spouse, that you had like to have been robb'd.

Mrs Sul. Truly, spouse, I was pretty near ithad not these two gentlemen interpos'd.

Sul. How came these gentlemen here? Mrs Sul. That's his way of returning thanks, you must know.

Foig. Ay, but, upon my conscience, de question be a-propos, for all dat.

Sir Cha. You promis'd, last night, sir, that you would deliver your lady to me this morning. Sul. Humph.

Arch. Humph! What do you mean by humph? -Sir, you shall deliver her-In short, sir, we have sav'd you and your family, and if you are not civil, we'll unbind the rogues, join with 'em, and set fire to your house-What does the man mean? Not part with his wife!

Foig. Arra, not part wid your wife! Upon my shoul, de man dosh not understand common shivility.

Mrs Sul. Hold, gentlemen: all things here must move by consent: compulsion would spoil us. Let my dear and I talk the matter over, and you shall judge it between us.

Sul. Let me know, first, who are to be our judges.- -Pray, sir, who are you?

Sir Cha. I am Sir Charles Freeman, come to take away your wife.

Sul. And you, good sir?

Aim. Thomas, Viscount Aimwell, come to take away your sister.

Sul. And you, pray, sir?

Arch. Francis Archer, Esq., come-

Sul. To take away my mother, I hope—Gentlemen, you're heartily welcome-I never met with three more obliging people since I was born-And now, my dear, if you please, you shall have the first word.

Arch. And the last, for five pounds.
Mrs Sul. Spouse.

Sul. Rib.

[Aside.

Mrs Sul. How long have you been married? Sul. By the almanack, fourteen months-but by my account, fourteen years.

Mrs Sul. 'Tis thereabout, by my reckoning. Foig. Upon my conscience, dere accounts vil agree.

Mrs Sul. Pray, spouse, what did you marry

for?

Sul. To get an heir to my estate. Sir Cha. And have you succeeded?

Foig. Arra, honeys, a clear caase, a clear caase! Sir Cha. What are the bars to your mutual contentment?

Mrs Sul. In the first place, I cann't drink ale with him.

Sul. Nor can I drink tea with her.
Mrs Sul. I cann't hunt with you.
Sul. Nor can I dance with you.
Mrs Sul. I hate cocking and racing.
Sul. I abhor ombre and piquet.
Mrs Sul. Your silence is intolerable.
Sul. Your prating is worse.

Mrs Sul. Have we not been a perpetual offence to each other-a gnawing vulture at the heart? Sul. A frightful goblin to the sight.

Mrs Sul. A porcupine to the feeling.

Sul. Perpetual wormwood to the taste.

Mrs Sul. Is there on earth a thing we can agree in?

Sul. Yes-to part.

Mrs Sul. With all my heart.

Sul. Your hand.

Mrs Sul. Here.

Sul. These hands joined us, these shall part -Away-

us

Mrs Sul. East.

Sul. West.

Mrs Sul. North.

Sul. South; far as the poles asunder.

Foig. Upon my shoul, a very pretty sheremony. Sir Cha. Now, Mr Sullen, there wants only my sister's fortune to make us easy.

Sul. Sir Charles, you love your sister, and I love her fortune: every one to his fancy. Arch. Then you won't refund? Sul. Not a stiver.

Arch. What is her portion?

Sir Cha. Twenty thousand pounds, sir. Arch. I'll pay it :--my lord, I thank him, has enabled me; and if the lady pleases, she shall go home with me. This night's adventure has proved strangely lucky to us all-For Captain Gibbet, in his walk, has made bold, Mr Sullen, with your study and escritoir, and has taken out all the writings of your estate, all the articles of marriage with your lady, bills, bonds, leases, receipts, to an infinite value: I took 'em from him, and will deliver them to Sir Charles.

[Gives him a parcel of papers and parchments. Sul. How! my writings!-My head aches consumedly. Well, gentlemen, you shall have her fortune, but I cann't talk. If you have a mind, Sir Charles, to be merry, and celebrate my sister's wedding, and my divorce, you may command my house!-but my head aches consumedly-Scrub, bring me a dram.

BY

NATURE'S deserted and dramatic art,
To dazzle now the eye, has left the heart:
Gay lights and dresses, long-extended scenes,
Demons and angels moving in machines;
All that can now, or please, or fright the fair,
May be perform'd without a writer's care,
And is the skill of carpenter, not player.
Old Shakespeare's days could not thus far advance:
But what's his buskin to our ladder dance?
In the mid region a silk youth to stand,
With that unwieldy engine at command!

But we, still kind to your inverted sense,
Do most unnatural things once more dispense;
For, since you're still prepost'rous in delight,
Our author made, a full house to invite,
A funeral for a comedy to-night.
Nor does he fear that you will take the hint,
And let the funeral his own be meant ;
No, in Old England, nothing can be won
Without a faction, good or ill be done :
To own this our frank author does not fear,
But hopes for a prevailing party here;

Fie, let confusion on such dulness seize !

Blush you're so pleas'd, as we, that so we please.

they'll shew it,

And for the fellow-soldier save the poet.