THIRD SERVANT.

Nor mine, for fartain.

DIGGORY.

Wauns, and I'm fure it canna be mine.

HARDCASTLE.

You numbskulls! and fo while, like your betters, you are quarrelling for places, the guests must be ftarved. O you dunces! I find I muft begin all over again- -But don't I hear a coach drive into the yard? To your pofts, you blockheads. I'll go in the mean time and give my old friend's fon a hearty reception at the gate. [Exit Hardcastle.

DIGGORY.

By the clevens, my place is gone quite out of my head.

ROGER.

I know that my place is to be every where.

FIRST SERVANT.

Where the devil is mine?

SECOND SERVANT

My place is to be no where at all; and fo ize go about my business, [Exeunt fervants, running about as if frighted, different ways.

Enter SERVANT with Candles, fhewing in MARLow and HASTINGS.

SERVANT.

Welcome, gentlemen, very welcome! This

way.

HAST

HASTINGS.

After the difappointments of the day, welcome once more, Charles, to the comforts of a clean room and a good fire. Upon my word, a very welllooking house; antique but creditable.

MARLOW.

The ufual fate of a large manfion.

Having first

ruined the mafter by good housekeeping, it at last comes to levy contributions as an inn.

HASTINGS.

As you fay, we paffengers are to be taxed to pay all these fineries. I have often feen a good fideboard, or a marble chimney-piece, though not actually put in the bill, inflame a reckoning confoundedly.

MARLOW.

Travellers, George, muft pay in all places. The only difference is, that in good inns, you pay dearly for luxuries; in bad inns, you are fleeced and ftarved.

HASTINGS.

You have lived pretty much among them. In truth, I have been often furprised, that you who have seen so much of the world, with your natural good fenfe, and your many opportunities, could never yet acquire a requifite share of afsurance. MARLOW.

The Englishman's malady. But tell me, George, where could I have learned that affurance you talk

VOL. II.

M

of?

of? My life has been chiefly fpent in a college, or an inn, in feclufion from that lovely part of the creation that chiefly teach men confidence. I don't know that I was ever familiarly acquainted with a fingle modeft woman-except my mother-But among females of another clafs you know

HASTINGS.

Aye, among them you are impudent enough of all confcience.

MARLOW.

They are of us, you know.

HASTINGS.

But in the company of women of reputation I never faw fuch an idiot, fuch a trembler; you look for all the world as if you wanted an opportunity of flealing out of the room.

MARLOW.

Why, man, that's becaufe I do want to fteal out of the room. Faith, I have often formed a refolution to break the ice, and rattle away at any rate. But I don't know how, a fingle glance from a pair of fine eyes has totally overfet my refolution. An impudent fellow may counterfeit modefty. But I'll be hanged if a modest man can ever counterfeit impudence.

HASTINGS.

If you could but fay half the fine things to them that I have heard you lavish upon the bar-maid of an inn, or even a college bed-maker

MAR

MARLOW.

Why, George, I can't fay fine things to them; they freeze, they petrify me. They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or fome fuch bagatelle. But to me, a modest woman, dreft out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation.

HASTINGS.

Ha ha ha! At this rate, man, how can you ever expect to marry?

MARLOW.

Never, unless, as among kings and princes, my bride were to be courted by proxy. If, indeed, like an eastern bridegroom, one were to be introduced to a wife he never faw before, it might be endured. But to go through all the terrors of a formal courtship, together with the epifode of aunts, grandmothers, and coufins, and at laft to blunt out the broad ftaring queftion of, madam, will you marry me? No, no, that's a strain much above me, I

affure you.

I pity you.

HASTINGS.

But how do you intend behaving to the lady you are come down to vifit at the request of your father?

MARLOW.

As I behave to all other ladies. Bow very low. Answer yes, or no, to all her demands-But for the relt, I don't think I fhall venture to look in her face, till 1 fee my father's again.

HASTINGS.

I'm surprised that one who is fo warm a friend can be fo cool a lover.

MARLOW.

To be explicit, my dear Haftings, my chief inducement down was to be inftrumental in forwarding your happiness, not my own. Mifs Neville loves you, the family don't know you, as my friend you are fure of a reception, and let honour do the reft.

HASTINGS.

My dear Marlow! But I'll fupprefs the emotion. Were I a wretch, meanly feeking to carry off a fortune, you should be the laft man in the world I would apply to for affiftance. But Mifs Neville's perfon is all I afk, and that is mine, both from her deceased father's confent, and her own inclination.

MARLOW.

Happy man! You have talents and art to captivate any woman. I'm doom'd to adore the fex, and yet to converse with the only part of it I defpife. This ftammer in my address, and this aukward prepoffeffing vifage of mine, can never permit me to foar above the reach of a milliner's 'prentice, or one of the ducheffes of Dury lane. Pfhaw! this fellow here to interrupt us.

Enter