Mrs. CROAKER.

Poor dear man; no accident, I hope.

LOFTY.

Undone, madam, that's all. His creditors have taken him into cuftody. A prifoner in his own house.

Mrs. CROAKER.

A prifoner in his own houfe! How! At this very time! I'm quite unhappy for him.

LOFTY.

Why fo am I. The man, to be fure, was immenfely good-natur'd. But then I could never find that he had any thing in him.

Mrs. CROAKER.

His manner, to be fure, was exceffive harmless; fome, indeed, thought it a little dull. For my part, I always concealed my opinion.

LOFTY.

It can't be concealed, madam; the man was dull, dull as the last new comedy! A poor impracticable creature? I tried once or twice to know if he was fit for business; but he had scarce talents to be groom-porter to an orange barrow.

Mrs. CROAKER.

How differently does Mifs Richland think of him! For, I believe, with all his faults, fhe loves him.

LOFTY.

Loves him! Does fhe? You fhould cure her of that by all means. Let me fee; what if he were fent

sent to him this inftant, in his present doleful fituation? My life for it, that works her cure. Diftress is a perfect antidote to love. Suppose we join her in the next room? Mifs Richland is a fine girl, has a fine fortune, and must not be thrown away. Upon my honour, madam, I have a regard for Mifs Richland; and rather than fhe fhould be thrown away, I fhould think it no indignity to marry her myself. [Exeunt.

Enter OLIVIA and LEONTINE.

LEONTINE.

And yet, trust me, Olivia, I had every reason to expect Mifs Richland's refufal, as I did every thing in my power to deferve it. Her indelicacy furprises me!

OLIVIA.

Sure, Leontine, there's nothing fo indelicate in being fenfible of your merit. If fo, I fear, I fhall be the moft guilty thing alive.

LEONTINE.

But you mistake, my dear. The fame attention I used to advance my merit with you, I practifed to leffen it with her. What more could I do?

OLIVIA.

Let us now rather confider what's to be done. We have both diffembled too long-I have always been ashamed-I am now quite weary of it.

Sure

I could

I could never have undergone so much for any other but you.

LEONTINE.

And you fhall find my gratitude equal to your kindeft compliance. Though our friends fhould totally forfake us, Olivia, we can draw upon content for the deficiencies of fortune.

OLIVIA.

Then why should we defer our scheme of humble happiness, when it is now in our power? I may be the favourite of your father, it is true; but can it ever be thought, that his prefent kindness to a fuppofed child, will continue to a known deceiver?

LEONTINE.

I have many reafons to believe it will. As his attachments are but few, they are lafting. His own marriage was a private one, as ours may be. Befides, I have founded him already at a distance, and find all his anfwers exactly to our wish. Nay, by an expreffion or two that dropped from him, I am induced to think he knows of this affair.

OLIVIA.

Indeed! But that would be an happiness too great to be expected.

LEONTINE.

However it be, I'm certain you have power over him; and am perfuaded, if you informed him of our fituation, that he would be difpofed to pardon

it,

OLIVIA.

OLIVIA.

You had equal expectations, Leontine, from your laft scheme with Mifs Richland, which you find has fucceeded moft wretchedly.

LEONTINE.

And that's the best reason for trying another.

OLIVIA.

If it must be fo, I fubmit.

LEONTINE.

As we could wifh, he comes this way. Now, my deareft Olivia, be refolute. I'll juft retire within hearing, to come in at a proper time, either to fhare your danger, or confirm your victory.

Enter CROAKER.

CROAKER.

[Exit.

Yes, I must forgive her; and yet not too eafily, neither. It will be proper to keep up the decorums of refentment a little, if it be only to imprefs her with an idea of my authority.

OLIVIA.

How I tremble to approach him!-Might I prefume, Sir-If I interrupt you

CROAKER.

No, child, where I have an affection, it is not a

little thing that can interrupt me.

over little things.

Affection gets

OLIVIA.

OLIVIA.

Sir, you're too kind. I'm fenfible how ill I deferve this partiality. Yet, heaven knows, there is nothing I would not do to gain it.

CROAKER.

And you have but too well fucceeded, you little huffey, you. With thofe endearing ways of yours, on my conscience, I could be brought to forgive any thing, unless it vere a very great offence indeed.

OLIVIA.

But mine is fuch an offence-When you know my guilt-Yes, you fhall know it, though I fee! the greatest pain in the confeffion.

CROAKER.

Why then, if it be fo very great a pain, you may fpare yourself the trouble; for I know every fyllable of the matter before you begin.

OLIVIA.

Indeed! Then I'm undone.

CROAKER.

Ay, mifs, you wanted to steal a match, without letting me know it, did you? But, I'm not worth being confulted, I fuppofe, when there's to be a marriage in my own family. No, I'm to have no hand in the difpofal of my own children. No, I'm nobody. I'm to be a mere article of family lumbe; a piece of crack'd china to be stuck up in a

corner.

OLIVIA.