M

home for him. I am willing to fhew him fo much ferioufnefs in one fcarce older than himfelf-And what if I bring my last letter to the Gazetteer on the encreafe and progrefs of earthquakes? It will amufe us, I promise you. I there prove how the late earthquake is coming round to pay us another vifit from London to Lisbon, from Lisbon to the Canary Iflands, from the Canary Islands to Palmyra, from Palmyra to Conftantinople, and fo from Conftantinople back to London again.

HONEYWOOD.

[Exit.

Poor Croaker! his fituation deferves the utmost pity. I fhall scarce recover my fpirits these three days. Sure to live upon fuch terms is worfe than death itself. And yet, when I confider my own fi tuation, a broken fortune, an hopeless paffion, friends in diftrefs; the with but not the power to ferve them (paufing and fighing.)

Enter BUTLER.

BUTLER.

More company below, Sir: Mrs. Croaker and Mifs Richland; fhall I thew them up? but they're fhewing up themfelves.

[Exit.

Enter Mrs. CROAKER and Mifs RICHLAND.

Mifs RICHLAND.

You're always in fuch fpirits.

Mrs. CROAKER.

We have just come, my dear Honeywood, from the auction. There was the old deaf dowager, as

VOL. II.

C

usual,

ufual, bidding like a fury against herself. And then fo curious in antiques! herself the most genuine piece of antiquity in the whole collection. HONEY WOOD.

Excufe me, ladies, if fome uneafinefs from friendfhip makes me unfit to fhare in this good humour: I know you'll pardon me.

Mrs. CROAKER.

I vow he feems as melancholy as if he had taken. a dofe of my husband this morning. Well, if Richland here can pardon you, I must.

Mifs RICHLAND.

You would feem to infinuate, madam, that I have particular reafons for being difpofed to refufe it. Mrs. CROAKER.

Whatever I infinuate, my dear, don't be fo ready to with an explanation.

Mifs RICHLAND.

I own I should be forry, Mr. Honeywood's long friendship and mine fhould be misunderstood.

HONEYWOOD.

There's no answering for others, madam. But I hope you'll never find me prefuming to offer more than the most delicate friendship may readily allow.

Mifs RICHLAND.

And I shall be prouder of such a tribute from you than the moft paffionate profeffions from others.

Ho

HONEY WOOD.

My own fentiments, madam: friendship is a difinterested commerce between equals; love, an abject intercourse between tyrants and slaves. Mifs RICHLAND.

And, without a compliment, I know none more difinterested, or more capable of friendship than Mr. Honeywood.

Mrs. CROAKER.

And, indeed, I know nobody that has more friends, at least among the ladies. Mifs Fruzz, Mifs Odbody, and Mifs Winterbottom praife him in all companies. As for Mifs Biddy Bundle, fhe's his profeffed admirer.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Indeed! an admirer! I did not know, Sir, you were fuch a favourite there. But is fhe seriously so handfome? Is the the mighty thing talked of? HONEYWOOD.

The town, madam, feldom begins to praise a lady's beauty, till fhe's beginning. to lose it.

Mrs. CROAKER.

(Smiling.)

But she's refolv'd never to lose it, it feems. For, as her natural face decays, her fkill improves in: making the artificial one. Well, nothing diverts me more than one of those fine, old, dreffy things, who thinks to conceal her age, by every where exposing her perfon; fticking herfelf up in the front of a fide

box; trailing through a minuet at Almack's; and then, in the public gardens, looking for all the world like one of the painted ruins of the place.

HONEYWOOD.

Every age has its admirers, ladies. While you, perhaps, are trading among the warmer climates of youth; there ought to be fome to carry on an useful commerce in the frozen latitudes beyond fifty.

Mifs RICHLAND.

But, then, the mortifications they must fuffer, before they can be fitted out for traffic. I have feen one of them fret an whole morning at her hairdreffer, when all the fault was her face.

HONEYWOOD.

And yet, I'll engage, has carried that face at laft to a very good market. This good-natur'd town, madam, has hufbands, like fpectacles, to fit every age, from fifteen to fourscore.

Mrs. CROAKER.

But

Well, you're a dear good-natur'd creature. you know you're engaged with us this morning upon a ftrolling party. I want to fhew Olivia the town, and the things; I believe I fhall have bufinefs for you for the whole day.

HONEYWOOD.

I am forry, madam, I have an appointment withMr. Croaker, which it is impoffible to put off.

Mrs.

Mrs. CROAKER.

What! with my husband! then I'm refolved to take no refufal. Nay, I proteft you must. You know I never laugh so much as with you. HONEYWOOD.

Why, if I muft, I muft. I'll fwear you have put me into fuch spirits. Well, do you find jeft, and I'll find laugh, I promise you. We'll wait for the chariot in the next room. [Exeunt.

Enter LEONTINE and OLIVIA.

LEONTINE.

There they go, thoughtlefs and happy. My deareft Olivia, what would I give to fee you capable of fharing in their amufements, and as cheerful as they

are?

OLIVIA.

How, my Leontine, how can I be cheerful, when I have fo many terrors to opprefs me? the fear of being detected by this family, and the apprehenfions of a cenfuring world, when I must be detected-

LEONTINE.

The world! my love, what can it say? At worst it can only fay that, being compelled by a mercenary guardian to embrace a life you difliked, you formed a refolution of flying with the man of your choice; that you confided in his honour, and took refuge in my father's houfe; the only one where your's could remain without cenfure.