Why, Mr. Honeywood brought me here, to de nothing, now I am here; and my fon is going to be married to I don't know who, that is here: fo now you are as wife as I am.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Married! to whom, Sir?

CROAKER.

To Olivia; my daughter as I took her to be; but who the devil fhe is, or whofe daughter fhe is, I know no more than the man in the moon.

Sir WILLIAM.

fa

Then, Sir, I can inform you; and, though a ftranger, yet you fhall find me a friend to your mily: it will be enough, at prefent, to affure you, that, both in point of birth and fortune, the young lady is at least your fon's equal. Being left by her father, Sir James Woodville

CROAKER.

Sir James Woodville! What, of the weft?

Sir WILLIAM.

Being left by him, I fay, to the care of a mercenary wretch, whofe only aim was to fecure her fortune to himself, fhe was fent to France, under pretence of education; and there every art was tried to fix her for life in a convent, contrary to her inclinations. Of this I was informed, upon my arrival at Paris; and, as I had been once her father's friend, I did all in my power to fruftrate her guardian's bafe intentions. I had even meditated to rescue her from his authority, when your fon ftept in with more pleafing violence, gave her liberty, and you a daughter.

CROAKER.

But I intend to have a daughter of my own chufing, Sir. A young lady, Sir, whofe fortune, by my intereft with thofe who have intereft, will be double what my fon has a right to expect. Do you know Mr. Lofty, Sir.

Sir WILLIAM.

Yes, Sir; and know that you are deceived in him. But flep this way, and I'll convince you.

[Croaker and Sir William feem to confer.

Enter HONEY WOOD.

HONEYWOOD.

Obftinate man, ftill to perfift in his outrage infulted by him, defpifed by all, I now begin to grow contemptible, even to myself. How have I funk by I

VOL. II.

too

too great an affiduity to please! How have I overtaxed all my abilities, left the approbation of a fingle fool fhould efcape me! But all is now over; I have furvived my reputation, my fortune, my friendfhips, and nothing remains henceforward for me but folitude and repentance.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Is it true, Mr. Honeywood, that you are setting off, without taking leave of your friends? The report is, that you are quitting England. Can it

be?

HONEYWOOD.

Yes, madam; and though I am fo unhappy as to have fallen under your difpleasure, yet, thank Heaven, I leave you to happiness; to one who loves you, and deferves your love; to one who has power to procure you affluence, and generofity to improve your enjoyment of it.

Mifs RICHLAND.

And are you fure, Sir, that the gentleman you mean is what you describe him?

HONEYWOOD.

I have the best affurances of it, his ferving me. He does indeed deferve the highest happiness, and that is in your power to confer. As for me, weak and wavering as I have been, obliged by all, and incapable of ferving any, what happiness can I find but in folitude? What hope but in being forgotten?

Mifs RICHLAND.

A thousand! to live among friends that esteem you, whofe happinefs it will be to be permitted to oblige you.

HONEYWOOD.

No, madam; my refolution is fixed. Inferiority among strangers is eafy; but among those that once were equals, infupportable. Nay, to fhew you how far my resolution can go, I can now speak with calmness of my former follies, my vanity, my diffipation, my weaknefs. I will even confefs, that, among the number of my other presumptions, I had the infolence to think of loving you. Yes, madam, while I was pleading the paffion of another, my heart was tortur'd with its own. But it is over, it was unworthy our friendship, and let it be forgotten.

Mifs RICHLAND.

You amaze me!

HONEYWOOD.

But you'll forgive it, I know you will; fince the confeffion should not have come from me even now, but to convince you of the fincerity of my intention of-never mentioning it more.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Stay, Sir, one moment--Ha! he here-

[Going.

Enter LOFTY.

LOFTY.

Is the coaft clear? None but friends. I have followed you here with a trifling piece of intelligence: but it goes no farther, things are not yet ripe for a discovery. I have fpirits working at a certain board; your affair at the treasury will be done in less thana thousand years. Mum!

Mifs RICHLAND.

Sooner, Sir, I should hope.

LOFTY.

Why, yes, I believe it may, if it falls into proper hands, that know where to push and where to parry; that know how the land lies-eh, Honeywood.

Mifs RICHLAND.

It has fallen into yours.

LOFTY.

Well, to keep you no longer in fufpenfe, your thing is done. It is done, I fay-that's all. I have just had affurances from Lord Neverout, that the claim has been examined, and found admiffible. Quietus is the word, madam.

HONEYWOOD.

But how! his lordship has been at Newmarket these ten days.

LOFTY.

Indeed! Then Sir Gilbert Goose must have been most damnably mistaken. I had it of him.