hand to your head; and a bad head it must be, to forget that Madam Yarico prevented her countrymen from peeling off the upper part of it.

[Aside. [Exit.

Inkle. 'Sdeath, what am I about? How have I slumbered! Is it I?-I-who, in London, laughed at the younkers of the town-and, when I saw their chariots, with some fine, tempting girl, perked in the corner, come shopping to the city, would cry-Ah! -there sits ruin there flies the Green-horn's money then wondered with myself how men could trifle time on women; or, indeed, think of any women without fortunes. And now, forsooth, it rests with me to turn romantic puppy, and give up all for love-Give up!-Oh, monstrous folly!-thirty thousand pounds I

TRUDGE. [Peeping in at the door.]

Trudge. May I come in, sir?
Inkle. What does the booby want?

Trudge. Sir, your uncle wants to see you.
Inkle. Mr Medium! show him up directly.
[Exit TRUDGE.
He must not know of this. To-morrow! I wish this
marriage were more distant, that I might break it to
her by degrees: she'd take my purpose better, were
it less suddenly delivered.

Enter MEDIUM.

Med. Ah! here he is! Give me your hand, nephew! welcome, welcome to Barbadoes, with all my heart.

Inkle. I am glad to meet you here, uncle.

Med. That you are, that you are, I'm sure. Lord! Lord! when we parted last, how I wished we were

in a room together, if it were but the black-hole! I have not been able to sleep o'nights for thinking of you. I've laid awake, and fancied I saw you sleeping your last, with your head in the lion's mouth, for a night-cap! and I've never seen a bear brought over to dance about the streets, but I thought you might be bobbing up and down in its belly.

Inkle. I am very much obliged to you.

Med. Ay, ay, I am happy enough to find you safe and sound, I promise you. But you have a fine prospect before you now, young man. I am come to take you with me to Sir Christopher, who is impatient to see you.

Inkle. To-morrow, I hear, he expects me.

Med. To-morrow! directly-this moment-in half a second. I left him standing on tip-toe, as he calls it, to embrace you; and he's standing on tip-toe now in the great parlour, and there he'll stand till you come to him.

Inkle. Is he so hasty?

Med. Hasty! he's all pepper-and wonders you are not with him, before it's possible to get at him. Hasty, indeed! Why, he vows you shall have his daughter this very night.

Inkle. What a situation!

Med. Why, it's hardly fair just after a voyage, But come, bustle, bustle, he'll think you neglect him. He's rare and touchy, I can tell you; and if he once takes it into his head that you show the least slight to his daughter, it would knock up all your schemes

it a minute.

Inkle. Confusion! If he should hear of Yarico! [Aside.]

Med. But at present you are all in all with him; he has been telling me his intentions these six weeks; you'll be a fine warm husband, I promise you

[Aside.

Inkle. This cursed connexion!

Med. It is not for me, though, to tell you how to play your cards; you are a prudent young man, and can make calculations in a wood.

Inkle. Fool! fool! fool!

[Aside. Med. Why, what the devil is the matter with you?

Inkle. It must be done effectually, or all is lost; mere parting would not conceal it. [Aside. Med. Ah! now he's got to his damned square root again, I suppose, and Old Nick would not move him. Why, nephew!

Inkle. The planter that I spoke with cannot be arrived--but time is precious-the first I meet-common prudence now demands it. I'm fixed, I'll part with her. [Aside and exit. Med. Damn me, but he's mad! The woods have turned the poor boy's brains; he's scalped, and gone crazy! Hoho! Inkle! Nephew! Gad, I'll spoil your. arithmetic, I warrant me.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

The Quay.

Enter SIR CHRISTOPHER CURRY.

Sir Chr. Ods, my life! I can scarce contain my happiness. I have left them safe in church, in the middle of the ceremony. I ought to have given Narcissa away, they told me; but I capered about so much for joy, that Old Spintext advised me to go and cool my heels on the quay, till it was all over, Ods

I'm so happy; and they shall see, now, what an old fellow can do at a wedding.

Enter INKLE.

Inkle. Now for dispatch! Hark'ee, old gentleman!

[To the Governor.

Sir Chr. Well, young gentleman! Inkle. If I mistake not, I know your business here.

Sir Chr. 'Egad, I believe half the island knows it by this time.

Inkle. Then to the point I have a female, whom I wish to part with.

Sir Chr. Very likely; it's a common case, now a-days, with many a man.

Inkle. If you could satisfy me you would use her mildly, and treat her with more kindness than is usual-for, I can tell you, she's of no common stamp -perhaps we might agree.

Sir Chr. Oho! a slave! Faith, now I think on't, my daughter may want an attendant or two extraordinary; and as you say she's a delicate girl, above the common run, and none of your thick-lipped, flatnosed, squabby, dumpling dowdies, I don't much care if

Inkle. And for her treatment

Sir Chr. Look ye, young man; I love to be plain: I shall treat her a good deal better than you would, I fancy; for though I witness this custom every day, I can't help thinking the only excuse for buying our fellow creatures, is to rescue them from the hands of those who are unfeeling enough to bring them to market.

་

Inkle. Fair words, old gentleman; an Englishman won't put up an affront.

Sir Chr. An Englishman! more shame for you!

Let Englishmen blush at such practices. Men, who so fully feel the blessings of liberty, are doubly cruel in depriving the helpless of their freedom.

Inkle. Let me assure you, sir, it is not my occu pation; but for a private reason-an instant pressing necessity

too;

Sir Chr. Well, well, I have a pressing necessity I can't stand to talk now; expect company here presently; but if you'll ask for me to-morrow, at the Castle

Inkle. The Castle!

Sir Chr. Ay, sir, the Castle; the Governor's Castle; known all over Barbadoes.

Inkle. 'Sdeath, this man must be on the Governor's establishment: his steward, perhaps, and sent after me, while Sir Christopher is impatiently waiting for me. I've gone too far; my secret may be knownAs 'tis, I'll win this fellow to my interest. [To him.] -One word more, sir: my business must be done immediately; and as you seem acquainted at the Castle, if you should see me there-and there I mean to sleep to-night

Sir Chr. The devil you do!

Inkle. Your finger on your lips; and never breathe a syllable of this transaction.

Sir Chr. No! Why not?

Inkle. Because, for reasons, which, perhaps, you'll know to-morrow, I might be injured with the Governor, whose most particular friend I am.

Sir Chr. So here's a particular friend of mine coming to sleep at my house, that I never saw in my life. I'll sound this fellow. [Aside.] I fancy, young gentleman, as you are such a bosom friend of the Governor's, you can hardly do any thing to alter your situation with him.

Inkle. Oh! pardon me; but you'll find that