Oak. What an unhappy woman! Now will she sit all day, feeding on her suspicions, till she has convinced herself of the truth of them.

JOHN crossing the stage.

Well, sir, what's

your business?

John. Going to order the chariot, sir!-my lady's going out immediately. [Exit.

Oak. Going out! what is all this?-But every way she makes me miserable. Wild and ungovernable as the sea or the wind! made up of storms and tempests! I can't bear it and one way or other I will put an end to it.

[Exit.

Scene II.-Lady Freelove's House.

Enter LADY FREELOVE, with a card-SERVANT following. Lady F. [Reading as she enters.]—And will take the liberty of waiting on her ladyship en cavalier, as he comes from the menége. Does any body wait, that brought this card?

Serv. Lord Trinket's servant is in the hall, madam. Lady F. My compliments, and I shall be glad to see his lordship. Where is Miss Russet?

Serv. In her own chamber, madam.
Lady F. What is she doing?

Serv. Writing, I believe, madam.

Lady F. Oh, ridiculous!-scribbling to that Oakly, I suppose. [Apart.]-Let her know, I should be glad of her company here. [Erit SERVANT.] It is a mighty troublesome thing to manage a simple girl, that knows nothing of the world. Harriet, like all other girls, is foolishly fond of this young fellow of her own choosing, her first love; that is to say, the first man that is particularly civil; and the first air of consequence which

a young lady gives herself. Poor silly soul!-But Oakly must not have her, positively. A match with Lord Trinket will add to the dignity of the family. I must bring her into it. I will throw her into his way as often as possible, and leave him to make his party good as fast as he can. But here she comes.

Enter HARRIET.

Well, Harriet, still in the pouts! nay, pr'ythee my dear little runaway girl, be more cheerful! your everlasting melancholy puts me into the vapours.

Har. Dear madam, excuse me. How can I be cheerful in my present situation? I know my father's temper so well, that I am sure this step of mine must almost distract him. I sometimes wish that I had remained in the country, let what would have been the consequence.

Lady F. Why, it is a naughty child, that's certain; but it need not be so uneasy about papa, as you know that I wrote by last night's post to acquaint him that his little lost sheep was safe, and that you were ready to obey his commands in every particular, except marrying that oaf, Sir Harry Beagle.-Lord! Lord!'what a difference there is between a country and town education! Why, a London lass would have jumped out of a window into a gallant's arms, and without thinking of her father, unless it were to have drawn a few bills on him, been a hundred miles off in nine or ten hours, or perhaps out of the kingdom in twenty-four.

Har. I fear I have already been too precipitate. I tremble for the consequences.

Lady F. I swear, child, you are a downright prude. Your way of talking gives me the spleen; so full of affection, and duty, and virtue, 'tis just like a funeral sermon. And yet, pretty soul! it can love.-Well, I wonder at your taste; a sneaking, simple gentleman,

without a title! and when to my knowledge you might have a man of quality to-morrow.

Har. Perhaps so. Your ladyship must excuse me, but many a man of quality would make me mi

serable.

Lady F. Indeed, my dear, these antediluvian notions will never do now-a-days; and at the same time too, those little wicked eyes of yours speak a very different language. Indeed you have fine eyes, child! and they have made fine work with Lord Trinket.

Har. Lord Trinket!

[Contemptuously. Lady. F. Yes, Lord Trinket; you know it as well as I do; and yet, you ill-natured thing, you will not vouchsafe him a single smile. But you must give the poor soul a little encouragement, pry'thee do.

Har. Indeed I can't, madam, for of all mankind Lord Trinket is my aversion.

Lady F. Why so, child? He is counted a well-bred, sensible young fellow, and the women all think him handsome.

Har. Yes, he is just polite enough to be able to be very unmannerly, with a great deal of good breeding; is just handsome enough to make him most excessively vain of his person; and has just reflection enough to finish him for a coxcomb; qualifications which are all very common among those whom your ladyship calls men of quality.

Lady F. A satirist too! Indeed, my dear, this af fectation sits very awkwardly upon you. There will be a superiority in the behaviour of persons of fashion.

Har. A superiority, indeed! for his lordship always behaves with so much insolent familiarity, that I should almost imagine he was soliciting me for other favours, rather than to pass my whole life with him.

Lady F. Innocent freedoms, child, which every fine woman expects to be taken with her, as an acknowledgment of her beauty.

Har. They are freedoms, which I think no innocent woman can allow.

Lady F. Romantic to the last degree!-Why, you are in the country still, Harriet!

all

Enter a SERVANT.

Serv. My Lord Trinket, madam.

[Exit SERVANT.

Lady F. I swear now I have a good mind to tell him you have said.

Enter LORD TRINKET in boots, &c. as from the riding-house. Your lordship's most obedient humble servant.

Lord T. Your ladyship does me too much honour. Here I am en bottine as you see-just come from the menége. Miss Russet, I am your slave. I declare it makes me quite happy to find you together. 'Pon honour, ma'am, [to HARRIET,] I begin to conceive great hopes of you; and as for you, Lady Freelove, I cannot sufficiently commend your assiduity with your fair pupil. She was before possessed of every grace that nature could bestow on her, and nobody is so well qualified as your ladyship to give her the bon ton.

Har. Compliment and contempt all in a breath!--My lord, I am obliged to you. But, waving my acknowledgments, give me leave to ask your lordship whether nature and the bon ton (as you call it) are so different, that we must give up one in order to obtain the other?

Lord T. Totally opposite, madam. The chief aim of the bon ton is to render persons of family different from the vulgar, for whom indeed nature serves very well. For this reason it has, at various times, been ungenteel to see, to hear, to walk, to be in good health, and to have twenty other horrible perfections of nature. Nature indeed may do very well sometimes. It made you, for instance, and it then made something very lovely; and if you would suffer us of quality to give you the ton, you would be absolutely divine: but now-me—

madam- -me-nature never made such a thing as

me.

Har. Why, indeed, I think your lordship has very few obligations to her.

Lord T. Then you really think it's all my own? I declare now that is a mighty genteel compliment: nay, if you begin to flatter already, you improve apace. 'Pon honour, Lady Freelove, I believe we shall make something of her at last.

Lady F. No doubt on't. It is in your lordship's power to make her a complete woman of fashion at

once.

Lord T. Hum! Why, ay——

Har. Your lordship must excuse me. I am of a very tasteless disposition. I shall never bear to be carried out of nature.

Lady F. You are out of nature now, Harriet! I am sure no woman but yourself ever objected to being carried among persons of quality. Would you believe it, my lord! here has she been a whole week in town, and would never suffer me to introduce her to a rout, an assembly, a concert, or even to court, or to the opera ; nay, would hardly so much as mix with a living soul that has visited me.

Lord T. No wonder, madam, you do not adopt the manners of persons of fashion, when you will not even honour them with your company. Were you to make one in our little coteries, we should soon make you sick of the boors and bumpkins of the horrid country. By the by, I met a monster at the riding-house this morning who gave me some intelligence, that will surprise you, concerning your family.

Har. What intelligence?

Lady F. Who was this monster, as your lordship calls him? a curiosity, I dare say.

Lord T. This monster, madam, was formerly my head groom, and had the care of all my running horses; but