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OLIVLA.

But confider, Leontine, your disobedience and my indiscretion: your being fent to France to bring home a fifter; and, instead of a fifter, bringing home

LEONTINE.

One dearer than a thousand fifters. One that I am convinc'd will be equally dear, to the rest of the family, when she comes to be known.

OLIVIA.

And that, I fear, will fhortly be.
LEONTINE.

Impoffible, 'till we ourselves think proper to make the difcovery. My fifter, you know, has been with her aunt, at Lyons, fince she was a child, and you find every creature in the family takes you for her. OLIVIA.

But mayn't she write, mayn't her aunt write?

LEONTINE.

Her aunt fcarce ever writes, and all my fifter's letters are directed to me.

OLIVIA.

But won't your refufing Mifs Richland, for whom you know the old gentleman intends you, create a fufpicion ?

LEONTINE.

There, there's my master-ftroke. I have refolved not to refuse her; nay, an hour hence I have confented to go with my father, to make her an offer

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OLIVIA.

Your heart and fortune!

LEONTINE.

Don't be alarm'd, my deareft. Can Olivia think fo meanly of my honour, or my love, as to fuppofe I could ever hope for happiness from any but her? No, my Olivia, neither the force, nor, permit me to add, the delicacy of my paffion, leave any room to fufpect me. I only offer Mifs Richland an heart, I am convinc'd fhe will refufe; as I am confident, that, without knowing it, her affections are fixed upon Mr. Honeywood

OLIVIA.

Mr. Honeywood! You'll excufe my apprehenfions; but when your merits come to be put in the balance

LEONTINE.

How

You view them with too much partiality. ever, by making this offer, I fhew a feeming compliance with my father's command; and perhaps, upon her refufal, I may have his confent to chufe for myself.

OLIVIA.

Well, I fubmit. And yet, my Leontine, I own, I fhall envy her, even your pretended addreffes. I confider every look, every expreffion of your esteem, as due only to me. This is folly perhaps I allow it but it is natural to fuppofe, that merit which

C 4

:

has

has made an impreffion on one's own heart, may be powerful over that of another.

LEONTINE.

Don't, my life's treasure, don't let us make imaginary evils, when you know we have fo many real ones to encounter. At worst, you know, if Mifs Richland fhould confent, or my father refuse his pardon, it can but end in a trip to Scotland; and

Enter CROAKER.

CROAKER.

Where have you been, boy? I have been seeking you. My friend Honeywood here, has been saying fuch comfortable things. Ah! he's an example indeed, Where is he? I left him here.

LEONTINE.

Sir, I believe you may fee him, and hear him too in the next room: he's preparing to go out with the ladies.

CROAKER.

ears

!

Good gracious, can I believe my eyes or my I'm ftruck dumb with his vivacity, and stunn'd with the loudnefs of his laugh. Was there ever fuch a transformation! (A laugh behind the fcenes, Croaker mimics it.) Ha! ha ha! there it goes: a plague take their balderdash; yet I could expect nothing lefs, when my precious wife was of the party. On

my

confcience, l'believe, fhe could fpread an horfelaugh through the pews of a tabernacle.

LEON

LEONTINE.

Since you find so many objections to a wife, fir, how can you be fo earnest in recommending one to me?

CROAKER.

I have told you, and tell you again, boy, that Mifs Richland's fortune mut not go out of the family; one may find comfort in the money, whatever one does in the wife.

LEONTINE.

But, Sir, though, in obedience to your defire, I am ready to marry her; it may be poffible, the has no inclination to me.

CROAKER.

I'll tell you once for all how it ftands. A good part of Mifs Richland's large fortune confifts in a claim upon government, which my good friend, Mr. Lofty, affures me the treafury will allow. One half of this fhe is to forfeit, by her father's will, in cafe she refuses to marry you. So, if she rejects you, we feize half her fortune; if the accepts you, we feize the whole, and a fine girl into the bargain.

LEONTINE.

But, Sir, if you will but liften to reafon

CROAKER.

Come, then, produce your reafons. I tell you I'm fix'd, determined, fo now produce your reafons. When I'm determined, I always liften to reason, because it can then do no harm.

LEON

LEONTINE.

You have alledged that a mutual choice was the first requifite in matrimonial happiness.

CROAKER.

Well, and you have both of you a mutual choice. She has her choice-to marry you, or lofe half her fortune; and you have your choice-to marry her, or pack out of doors without any fortune at all.

LEONTINE.

An only fon, Sir, might expect more indulgence. CROAKER.

An only father, Sir, might expect more obedience; befides, has not your fifter here, that never difobliged me in her life, as good a right as you? He's a fad dog, Livy, my dear, and would take all from you. But he fhan't, I tell you he fhan't, for you fhall have fhare. your

OLIVIA.

Dear Sir, I wish you'd be convinced that I can never be happy in any addition to my fortune, which is taken from his.

CROAKER.

Well, well, it's a good child, fo fay no more; but come with me, and we shall see something that will give us a great deal of pleasure, I promise you; old Ruggins, the curry-comb-maker, lying in state; I'm told he makes a very handsome corpfe, and becomes his coffin prodigiously. He was an intimate friend of mine, and these are friendly things we ought to do for each other.

[Exeunt. А С Т

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