Sir Bash. But that is not all I have to tell you.

Love. No!

Sir Bash. No-no-[Smiles.] I have a deeper secret than that.

Love. Have ye ?

Sir Bash. I have ;-may I trust you?

Love. O! upon my honour

Sir Bash. Well, well! I know you are my friend— I know you are, and I have great confidence in you. Lookye, Mr. Lovemore, you must know

Enter MUSLIN.

Mus. Sir, my lady desires to know, if you will drink a dish of tea with her this morning?

tell

Love. I desire I may not be teased in this manner—

about

your

business

[Turns her out.

Sir Bash. [Aside] Ay! I see he don't care a cherrystone for his wife.

Love. I hate this interruption-Well, Sir Bashful Sir Eash. No; he does not care a pinch of snuff for her.

Love. Well-Proceed, Sir Bashful

[Aside.

Sir Bash. It does not signify, Mr. Lovemore; it's a foolish affair; I won't trouble you about it

Love. Nay, that's unkind

Sir Bash. Well, well! come, I will-Do you think Muslin did not overhear us?

Love. Not a syllable-Come, come, we are safeSir Bash. Let me ask you a question first-Pray now, have you any regard for your lady?

Love. The highest value for her.

Sir Bash. I repose it with you.-You must know, Mr. Lovemore-ás I told you—I am at the bottom very good-natured; and though appearances may in some sort [SIR BRILLIANT rings without.] We are interrupted again.

Enter SIR BRIlliant.

Sir Bril. Well, I have paid my visit, Lovemore. Love. This is the most cross accident-So, Sir Brilliant! Sir Bash. Ah! I see there is no going on nowMr. Lovemore, I wish you a good day.

Love. Po! Pr'ythee-you shan't go.

Sir Bash. Yes, yes; another time-Suppose you call at my house at one o'clock-nobody shall interrupt us there. [Aside to LOVEmore.

Love. With all my heart.

Sir Bash. Do so, then; do so we'll be snug by ourselves. Well, Mr. Lovemore, your servant, a good morning-Sir Brilliant, I kiss your hand.-You won't forget, Mr. Lovemore.

Love. Depend upon me.

Sir Bash. Very well-He is the only friend I have.

[Exit. Love. Ha ha!-you broke in upon us in the most critical moment-He was just going to communicateSir Eril. I beg your pardon; I did not knowLove. Nay, it's no matter; I shall get it out of him another time,

Enter MUSLIN.

Mus. My lady, sir, is quite impatient.

Love. Pshaw! for ever teasing!—I'll wait upon her presently. [Exit. MUSLIN. Sir Bril. I'll step and entertain her while you dress -May I take that liberty, Lovemore?

Love. You know you may-no ceremony-how could you ask such a question ?-apropos-But, Sir Brilliant, first step one moment into my study—I want just one word with you.

Sir Bril. I attend you.

Love. This absurd Sir Bashful! ha! ha! a ridiculous, unaccountable- -ha! ha!

[Exeunt,

Scene 11.-Another Apartment.

MRS. LOVEMORE, and a MAID attending her.

Mrs. Love. This trash of tea!-I don't know why I drink so much of it.-Heigho!-I wonder what keeps Muslin-Do you step, child, aud see if she is come back. Maid. Yes, Ma'am.

Mrs. Love. Surely, never was any poor woman treated with such cruel indifference; nay, with such an open, undisguised insolence of gallantry.

Enter MUSLIN.

Mrs. Love. Well, Muslin, have you seen his prime minister?

Mus. Yes, ma'am, I have seen Mr. William ; and he says, as how my master came home according to custom, at five this morning, and in a huge pickle.-He is now in his study, and has Sir Brilliant Fashion with him. Mrs. Love. Is he there again?

Mus. He is, maʼam; and as I came by the door, I heard them both laughing as loud as any thing.

Mrs. Love. About some precious mischief, I'll be sworn; and all at my cost too!-Heigho!

Mus. Dear ma'am, why will you chagrine yourself about a vile man, that is not worth-no, as I live and breathe,-not worth a single sigh!

Mrs. Love. What can I do, Muslin?

Mus. Do, ma'am ! Lard!—If I was as you, I'd do for him;—as I am a living christian, I would.-If I could not cure my grief, I'd find some comforts, that's what I would.

Mrs. Love. Heigho!—I have no comfort.

Mus. No comfort, ma'am?-Whose fault then?Would any body but you, ma'am—It provokes me to think of it.-Would any body, ma'am, young and handsome as you are, with so many accomplishments, maʼam, sit at home here, as melancholy as a poor servant out of

place? And all this, for what?-Why for a husband! and such a husband!-What do you think the world will say of you, ma'am, if you go on this way?

Mrs. Love. I care not what they say I am tired of the world, and the world may be tired of me, if it will: -My troubles are my own only, and I must endeavour to bear them. Who knows what patience may do ?— If Mr. Lovemore has any feeling left, my resignation may some day or other have its effect, and incline him to do me justice.

Mus. But, dear ma'am, that's waiting for dead men's shoes, incline him to do you justice!-What signifies expecting and expecting? Give me a bird in the hand. —Lard, maʼam, to be for ever pining and grieving!Dear heart! If all the women in London, in your case, were to sit down and die of the spleen, what would become of all the public places?-They might turn Vauxhall to a hopgarden, make a brewhouse of Ranelagh, and let both the playhouses to a methodist preacher. We should not have the racketting with them we have now-" John, let the horses be put to-John, go to my Lady Trumpabout's, and invite her to a small party of twenty or thirty card-tables.-John, run to my Lady Catgut, and let her ladyship know I'll wait on her to the new opera.-John, run as fast as ever you can, with my compliments to Mr. Brandon, and tell him, I shall take it as the greatest favour on earth, if he will let me have a side-box for the new play. No excuse tell him.” They wisk about the town, and rantipole it with as unconcerned looks, and as florid outsides, as if they were treated at home like so many goddesses, though every body knows possession has ungoddessed them all long ago; and their husbands care no more for them,-no, by jingo, no more than they do for their husbands.

Mrs. Love. You run on at a strange rate.

Mus. [In a passion.] Dear ma'am, 'tis enough to make a body run on-If every body thought like you

Mrs. Love. If every body lov'd like me.

Mus. A brass thimble for love, if it is not answered by love. What the duce is here to do?-Shall I go and fix my heart upon a man, that shall despise me for that very reason?—and," Aye," says he, “ poor fool, I see she loves me,-the woman's well enough, only she has one inconvenient circumstance about her: I'm married to her, and marriage is the devil."- -And then when he's going a roguing, smiles impudently in your face, and, "My dear, divert yourself, I'm just going to kill half an hour at the chocolate-house, or to peep in at the play :—your servant, my dear, your servant."-Fye upon 'em!-I know 'em all.-Give me a husband that will enlarge the circle of my innocent pleasures but a husband now-a-days, ma'am, is no such a thing.-A husband now-as I hope for mercy, is nothing at all but a scare-crow; to show you the fruit, but touch it if you dare.-A husband!—the devil take 'em all! Lord forgive me for swearing is nothing but a bug-bear, a snap-dragon; a husband, ma'am, is

Mrs. Love. Pr'ythee, peace with your tongue, and see what keeps that girl.

Mus. Yes, ma'am-Why, Jenny! why don't you come up to my lady? What do you stand a gossiping there for?- A husband, maʼam, is a mere monster;— that is to say if one makes him so; then for certain, he is a monster indeed ;-and if one does not make him so; then he behaves like a monster; and of the two evils, by my troth- -Ma'am, was you ever at the play of Catharine and Mercutio?-The vile man calls his wife his goods, and his chattels, and his household stuff.There you may see, ma'am, what a husband is,—a husband is- -But here comes one will tell you-Here comes Sir Brilliant Fashion.-Ask his advice, ma'am.

Mrs. Love. His advice! Ask advice of the man who has estranged Mr. Lovemore's affections from me!

Mus. Well, I protest and vow, ma'am, I think Sir