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Mort. Pooh! what had I to do to meddle with these matters?

Aug. Why does that gentleman regard me so attentively? His eyes oppress me:-Ask him if he knows me.

Tyr. Sir, if you know this lady—if you have any tidings to communicate that touch her happiness,— Oh, that I could inspire you with my feelings!

Aub. I knew your father, and am a witness to the hard necessity which tore him from an infant child, and held him eighteen tedious years in exile from his native land.

Aug. What do I hear!-You was my father's friend-The prayer and intercession of an orphan draw Heaven's righteous benediction down upon you! ub. Prepare yourself-be constant. I have news

to tell you of your father.

Mort. I can't stand this: I wish I was any where else.

Tyr. Courage, my dear Augusta; my life upon it, there is happiness in store for thee.

Aug. Go on, go on.

Aub. You are in an error; you are not an orphan; you have a father, whom, thro' toil and peril, thro' sickness and through sorrow, Heaven has graciously preserved, and blest at length his unremitting labours with abundance.

Tyr. Did not I tell you this?-Bear up.

Aub. Yes, virtuous Augusta, all your sufferings ter

minate this moment; you may now give way to love and happiness: you have a father living, who approves you passion, who will crown it with a liberal fortune, who now looks upon you, speaks to you, embraces you. [Embraces her. Mort. There, there; I'm glad 'tis over. Joy befall you both.

Tyr. See how her colour flies- -she'll faint. Aub. What have I done?-Dear innocent, look up. Aug. Oh, yes, to Heaven with gratitude for these divine vouchsafements.I have a father then at last.- -Pardon my tears; I'm little us'd to happiness, and have not learn'd to bear it.

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Tyr. May all your days to come be nothing else! -But look, she changes again.Help me to lead her into the air. [Tyr. and Aub. leads her out. Mort. I believe a little air will not be much amiss for any of us.- -Look at that girl; 'tis thus mortality encounters happiness; 'tis thus the inhabitant of earth meets that of Heaven, with tears, with faintings, with surprise :-let others call this the weakness of our nature; to me it proves the unworthiness: for had we merits to entitie us to happiness, the means would not be wanting to enjoy it. [Exit.

ACT V. SCENE I.

The Hall in Lord ABBERVILLE's House. Enter Lord ABBERVILLE followed by COLIN.

Lord Abberville.

'SDEATH, Sir! Am I or you the master of this house? Who made you judge what company is fit for me to keep? The gentlemen you excluded came by my special invitation and appointment.

Colin. Gentlemen!

Lord Abb. Ay, gentlemen. Were they not such?

Colin. Under favour, I took them to be sharpers: I know your lordship always loses, and I've notic'd that they always win.

Lord Abb. Impertinence —I had debts of honour to adjust with every one of them.

Colin. Hang 'em, base vermin: pay them debts !— pay your poor tradesmen; those are debts of honour. [Half aside.

Lord Abb. What is it you mutter?-It was you too, I suppose, that drove away my Jew, that came with money to discharge those debts.

Colin. That's true enow, gude faith; I promised him a beating, and I kept my word.

Lord Abb. Rascal, thou'rt born to be my plague. Colin. Rascal! Your father never used that word. Lord Abb. On your life, name not him: my heart is torn with vultures, and you feed them. Shall I

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keep a servant in my house to drive away my guests, 10 curb my pleasures, my pursuits, and be a spy upon my very thoughts; to set that cynic Mortimer upon me, and expose me in the moments of my weakness to that snarling humourist ?—I want no monitors to reproach me, my own thoughts can do that. [Exit.

Colin. Well, well; 'tis very well:-A rascal!-Let it pass-Zooks, I'm the first Macleod that ever heard that word and kept my dirk within my girdle.-Let it pass.-I've seen the world, serv'd a spendthrift, heard myself called rascal, and I'll now jog bock again across the Tweed, and lay my bones amongst my kindred in the isle of Skey; they're all that will be left of me by then I reach the place.

Enter LA JEUNESSE.

La Jeu. Ahl dere he stand, le pauvre Colin in disgrace! Ha, ha, ha! quelle spectacle! Ma foi, I must have one little vord wid him at parting.- -Monsieur le Financier, courage; I am inform my lord have sign your lettre de cachet: vat of dat? the air of Scotland will be for your healt; England is not a country for les beaux esprits; de pure air of de Highlands will give you de grand appetit for de bonny clabber.

Colin. Take your jest, Maister Frenchman, at my countrymen and welcome ;-the de'il a jest they made of you last war.

[Exit. La Jeu. Yes, you are all adroit enough at war, but none of you know how to be at peace.

H

[Exit.

SCENE II.

An Apartment in MORTIMER's House. Enter MORTIMER, AUBREY, and NAPTHALI.

Mort. And these are all the money dealings you have had with Lord Abberville?

Napth. That is the amount of his debt; the bonds and contracts are in Bridgemore's hands.

Mort. You see your money has not slept in Bridgemore's keeping; yonr consignment, Mr. Aubrey, is put to pretty good interest. [Mort. looks over his papers. Napth. Aubrey! Is your name Aubrey, may I ask ? Aub. It is.

Napth. Have you had any dealings with Mr. Bridge

more ?

Aub. To my cost.

Napth. Did you consign him merchandize from Scanderoon ?

Aub. I am the person who was guilty of that folly? Napth. Bridgemore, I believe, thought you was dead.

Aub. I take for granted he would gladly have me SO. But do you know any thing of that consign

ment?

Napth. Heh! do I know of it-I had better make a friend of him;-'tis up with Bridgemore, fait;— there is no senses in serving him any longer. [Aside.]

-Why, you shall know, sir, I was Bridgemore's

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