feem'd forward affurance, now ftrikes me as the refult of courageous innocence, and confcious virtue. Sir CHARLES.

What can it mean? He amazes me!

HARDCASTLE.

I told you how it would be. Hush!

MARLOW.

I am now determined to stay, madam, and I have too good an opinion of my father's difcernment, when he fees you, to doubt his approbation.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

No, Mr. Marlow, I will not, cannot detain you. Do you think I could fuffer a connexion, in which there is the smallest room for repentance? Do you think I would take the mean advantage of a tranfient paffion, to load you with confufion? Do you think I could ever relish that happiness, which was acquired by leffening yours?

MARLOW.

By all that's good, I can have no happiness but what's in your power to grant me. Nor fhall I ever

feel repentance, but in not having feen your merits before. I will stay, even contrary to your wishes ; and though you should perfift to fhun me, I will make my respectful affiduities atone for the levity of my paft conduct.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Sir, I muft entreat you'll defift. As our acquaintance began, fo let it end, in indifference. I

might have given an hour or two to levity; but feriously, Mr. Marlow, do you think I could ever fubmit to a connexion, where I must appear mercenary, and you imprudent? do you think I could ever catch at the confident addreffes of a fecure admirer ?

MARLOW.

(Kneeling) Does this look like fecurity? Does this look like confidence? No, madam, every moment that shews me your merit, only serves to encreafe my diffidence and confufion. Here let me continue→→→→→

Sir CHARLES.

I can hold it no longer. Charles, Charles, how haft thou deceived me! Is this your indifference, your uninteresting converfation!

HARDCASTLE.

Your cold contempt; your formal interview. What have you to say now?

MARLOW.

That I'm all amazement! What can it mean!

HARDCASTLE.

It means that you can fay and unfay things at pleasure. That you can addrefs a lady in private, and deny it in public; that you have one ftory for us, and another for my daughter!

MARLOW.

Daughter!-this lady your daughter!

HARDCASTLE.

Yes, Sir, my only daughter. My Kate, whofe elfe fhould the be?

Oh, the devil!

MARLOW.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

Yes, Sir, that very identical tall, fquinting lady you were pleased to take me for (courtesying) the that you addreffed as the mild, modeft, fentimental man of gravity, and the bold forward agreeable Rattle of the ladies club; ha! ha! ha!

MARLOW.

Zounds, there's no bearing this; it's worse than death.

Mifs HARDCASTLE.

In which of your characters, Sir, will you give us leave to address you. As the faultering gentleman, with looks on the ground, that fpeaks just to be heard, and hates hypocrify; or the loud confident creature, that keeps it up with Mrs. Mantrap, and old Mifs Biddy Buckskin, till three in the morning; ha ha! ha!

J

MARLOW.

O, curfe on my noify head:

I never attempted to be impudent yet, that I was not taken down.

I must be gone.

HARD

HARDCASTLE.

I

By the hand of my body, but you fhall not. fee it was all a mistake, and I am rejoiced to find it. You fhall not, Sir, I tell you. I know she'll forgive you. Won't you forgive him, Kate. We'll Take courage, man.

all forgive you.

[They retire, fhe tormenting him to the back Scene.

Enter Mrs. HARDCASTLE, TONY.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

So, fo, they're gone off. Let them go, I care

not.

Who gone?

HARDCASTLE.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

My dutiful niece and her gentleman, Mr. Haftings, from town. He who came down with our modeft vifitor here.

Sir CHARLES.

Who, my honeft George Haftings! As worthy a fellow as lives, and the girl could not have made a more prudent choice.

HARDCASTLE.

Then, by the hand of my body, I'm proud of the

connexion.

S 4

Mrs.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Well, if he has taken away the lady he has not taken her fortune, that remains in this family to confole us for her lofs.

HARDCASTLE.

Sure, Dorothy, you would not be fo merce, nary?

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Aye, that's my affair, not yours. But you know if your fon, when of age, refufes to marry his coufin, her whole fortune is then at her own disposal. HARDCASTLE.

Aye, but he's not of age, and she has not thought proper to wait for his refufal.

Enter HASTINGS and Mifs NEVILLE,

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

(Afide) What, returned fo foon! I begin not to like it.

HASTINGS.

(To Hardcafle) For my late attempt to fly off with your niece, let my prefent confufion be my punishment. We are now come back, to appeal from your juftice to your humanity. By her father's confent, I first paid her my addreffes, and our paffions were first founded in duty.