bounty-besides, affairs, as I conceive, are yet scarce ripe.

Luc. Indeed, papa, you're very much mistaken.

Mrs. Bridge. Why really, Mr. Mortimer, the parties should at least be suffer'd to consult each other's inclinations.

Mort. By all means; let 'em speak for themselves: 'tis their own cause, and they will plead it best: hark'e, come in: sir, these are the parties.

Enter TYRREL and MISS AUBREY.

Luc. Ah!

Mort. What ails

you; have trod you Mrs. Bridge. Astonishing assurance

here?

upon a thorn? Augusta

Mort. Yes: Francis Tyrrel and Augusta Aubrey. Do the names offend you? Look at the parties, are they not well-match'd Examine them, they'll tell you they're agreed. Who shall forbid their union?

Luc. Who cares about it 'If Mr. Tyrrel and the lady are agreed, that's enough: I suppose it is not necessary for us to be present at the ceremony.

Bridge. Ay, sir, I pray you, where's the occasion for us to be call'd in, because your nephew chooses to take up with an unworthy girl, that I once har bour'd upon charity

Tyr. Hold your audacious tongue : let conscience keep you silent.

Aug. Hush, hush you frighten me; pray be compos'd; and let me own that no injustice, no severity

can wholly cancel what I owe to Mr. Bridgemore for his past protection, and that share of education he allowed me; but when he puts this to the account of charity, he takes a virtue foreign to his heart, and only aggravates the shame that's falling on him.

Mr. Bridge. Is the man thunder-struck; why don't you answer?

Mort. Charity keeps him silent.

Luc. Come, let's begone: her words have daggers in 'em, and her looks have poison.

Aug. Before you go, Miss Bridgemore, suffer me to ask, when you related Lord Abberville's adventure to Mr. Tyrrel, why you supress'd the evidence of your own maid, who conducted him into my chamber!

Luc. Miss Aubrey, if it ever is your fate to have a rival, you will find an answer to that question.

[Exit with Mrs. Bridge.

Mort. Hold; you and I, sir, must not part.

[To Bridge. as he is going.

Bridge. Well, sir, your pleasure ?

Aug. I suffer for him; this is a scene I wish not

to be present at.

[Exit.

Tyr. Well, Mr. Bridgemore, you that harbour'd my Augusta upon charity, I shall leave my uncle to discharge my obligations to you on that score, to gether with his own.

[Exit.

Mort. Well, sir, we're now alone; and if it needs must be that one of us shall come to shame, 'tis well we are so...It is thought I am a hard unfeeling man:

let it be so: you shall have justice notwithstanding: innocence requires no more. You are accus'd; defend yourself.

Bridge. Accus'd of what; and who is my accuser? Mort. A man; and you shall face him like a man. Who waits [Enter a Servant.] Desire the stranger to come hither. [Exit Servant.] Fear nothing; we're enough to try this question; where the human heart is present, and the appeal is made to Heaven, no jury need be summoned. Here is a stranger has the confidence to say that your pretensions to charity are false: nay, he arraigns your honesty; a charge injurious to any man, but mortal to a trader, and levell'd at the vital root of his profession.

Bridge. Ay, 'tis the Turkey merchant I'suppose; let him come in; I know upon what ground I stand, and am afraid of no man living.

Mort. We shall try that. [Aside.] Do you know this gentleman ?

Enter AUBREY.

Bridge. Aubrey! [Starting.]
Aub. Thou wretch !

Bridge. He lives!

Aub. To thy confusion-Rais'd by the bounty of my family, is this your gratitude? When in the bitterness of my distress I put an infant daughter in your hands, the last weak sycon of a noble stock, was it to rob me you received her; to plunder and defraud an helpless orphan, as you thought her,

i and rise upon the ruins of your benefactor's for

1

tune?

Bridge. Oh I am trepan'd! How shall I look my wife and daughter in the face!

[Aside. Aub. Where have you lodged the money I deposited with you at parting? I find my daughter desti? tute: what have you done with the remittances I sent from time to time? But above all, where is the produce of the Neptune's cargo? Villain, look here, I have the proofs; this is the abstract of the sale; if you dispute it, I am here provided with a witness, your Jew broker, ready at hand to attest it to your i face.

Bridge. Expose me not; I will refund to the last farthing: I dispute nothing; call him not in.

Mort. There's no occasion for witnesses when a man pleads guilty.

Enter Miss AUGUSTA AUBREY and throws herself on her knees to her Father.

Aug. Dear sir, upon my knees, I do beseech you mitigate your severity; it is my first petition; he's detected, let his conscience add the rest.

Aub. Rise my beloved child, it shall be so. There, sir, your pardon be your punishment; it was my money only you attempted; my choicest treasure you have left untouch'd: now go and profit by this meeting: I will not expose you: learn of you fraternity a more honourable practice; and let integrity for

ever remain the inseparable characteristic of an English merchant.

· Mort. Stay; I've another point to settle with you; you're a creditor of Lord Abberville's: I find you've put Miss Aubrey's money to extraordinary interest: Jarvis, shew this gentleman into my li-brary; you'll find a lawyer there will settle your ac

counts.

Bridge. I think you've pretty well done that already -A fine visit truly I have made on't; and a fine reception I shall meet at home. [Exit. Aub. So! This uneasy business past, let us now turn to happiness: where is your nephew? Mort. Conferring with Lord Abberville." Aug. Lord Abberville! You frighten me.

Mort. Fear nothing; you will find him a new man; a deep incision has let out the disorder; and I hope a healthy regimen in time will heal the wound; in short I can't be idle; and now Frank is off my hands, I've once more undertaken to set this ricketty babe of quality upon his legs-Oh, here he comes; why this is as it should be; now you look like friends.

Lord ABBERVILLE and Mr. TYRREL.

Lord Abb. May we be ever so! O, Mortimer, I blush to look upon that lady; your reproofs I bore with some composure; but methinks was she to chide me, I should sink with shame.