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ufual, bidding like a fury againft herfelf. And then fo curious in antiques! herfelf the moft genuine piece of antiquity in the whole collection. HONEYWOOD.

Excufe me, ladies, if fome uneafinefs from friend. fhip makes me unfit to fhare in this good humour: I know you'll pardon me.

Mrs. CROAKER.

I vow he seems as melancholy as if he had taken a dofe of my husband this morning. Well, if Richland here can pardon you, I must.

Mifs RICHLAND.

You would feem to infinuate, madam, that I have particular reafons for being difpofed to refufe it. Mrs. CROAKER.

Whatever I infinuate, my dear, don't be fo ready to wish an explanation.

Mifs RICHLAND.

I own I should be forry, Mr. Honeywood's long friendship and mine fhould be misunderstood.

HONEYWOOD.

There's no answering for others, madam. But I hope you'll never find me prefuming to offer more than the most delicate friendship may readily allow. Mifs RICHLAND.

And I fhall be prouder of fuch a tribute from you than the most paffionate profeffions from others.

Ho

HONEYWOOD.

My own fentiments, madam: friendship is a difinterested commerce between equals; love, an abject intercourfe between tyrants and flaves. Mifs RICHLAND.

And, without a compliment, I know none more difinterested, or more capable of friendship than Mr. Honeywood.

Mrs. CROAKER.

And, indeed, I know nobody that has more friends, at least among the ladies. Mifs Fruzz, Mifs Odbody, and Mifs Winterbottom praife him in all companies. As for Mifs Biddy Bundle, she's his profeffed admirer.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Indeed! an admirer! I did not know, Sir, you were fuch a favourite there. But is the feriously fo handfome? Is the the mighty thing talked of?

HONEYWOOD.

The town, madam, feldom begins to praise a lady's beauty, till the's beginning to lofe it.

Mrs. CROAKER.

(Smiling.)

But fhe's refolv'd never to lose it, it feems. For, as her natural face decays, her kill improves in making the artificial one. Well, nothing diverts me more than one of those fine, old, dreffy things, who thinks to conceal her age, by every where expofing her perfon; sticking herself up in the front of a fidebox;

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box; trailing through a minuet at Almack's; and then, in the public gardens, looking for all the world like one of the painted ruins of the place.

HONEYWOOD.

Every age has its admirers, ladies. While you, perhaps, are trading among the warmer climates of youth; there ought to be fome to carry on an ufeful commerce in the frozen latitudes beyond fifty.

Mifs RICHLAND.

But, then, the mortifications they muft fuffer, before they can be fitted out for traffic. I have seen one of them fret an whole morning at her hairdreffer, when all the fault was her face.

HONEYWOOD.

And yet, I'll engage, has carried that face at laft to a very good market. This good-natur'd town, madam, has hufbands, like fpectacles, to fit every age, from fifteen to fourfcore.

Mrs. CROAKER.

But

Well, you're a dear good natur'd creature. you know you're engaged with us this morning upon a ftrolling party. I want to fhew Olivia the town, and the things; I believe I fhall have bufinefs for you for the whole day.

HONEYWOOD.

I am forry, madam, I have an appointment with Mr. Croaker, which it is impoffible to put off.

Mrs.

Mrs. CROAKER.

You

What! with my husband! then I'm refolv'd to take no refufal. Nay, I proteft you must. know I never laugh so much as with you.

HONEYWOOD.

Why, if I muft, I muft. I'll fwear you have put me into fuch fpirits. Well, do you find jeft, and I'll find laugh, I promise you. We'll wait for the chariot in the next room.

Enter LEONFINE and OLIVIA.

LEONTINE.

[Exeunt.

There they go, thoughtless and happy. My deareft Olivia, what would I give to fee you capable of fharing in their amusements, and as cheerful as they

are ?

OLIVIA.

How, my Leontine, how can I be cheerful, when I have fo many terrors to opprefs me? the fear of being detected by this family, and the apprehenfions of a cenfuring world, when I must be detected

LEONTINE.

The world! my love, what can it say? At worst it can only fay that, being compelled by a mercenary guardian to embrace a life you disliked, you formed a refolution of flying with the man of your choice; that you confided in his honour, and took refuge in my father's houfe; the only one where your's could remain without cenfure.

C 3

OLI

OLIVIA.

But confider, Leontine, your disobedience and my indifcretion; your being sent to France to bring home a fifter; and, instead of a fifter, bringing home

LEONTINE.

One dearest than a thousand fifters. One that I am convinc'd will be equally dear, to the rest of the family, when she comes to be known.

OLIVIA.

And that, I fear, will fhortly be.

LEONTINE.

Impoffible, 'till we ourselves think proper to make the discovery. My fifter, you know, has been with her aunt, at Lyons, fince she was a child, and you find every creature in the family takes you for her.

OLIVIA.

But mayn't the write, mayn't her aunt write?

LEONTINE.

Her aunt fcarce ever writes, and all my fifter's letters are directed to me.

OLIVIA.

But won't your refufing Mifs Richland, for whom you know the old gentleman intends you, create a fufpicion ?

LEONTINE.

There, there's my mafter-stroke. I have refolved not to refufe her; nay, an hour hence I have confented to go with my father, to make her an offer of my heart and fortune.

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