Mifs. RICHLAND. I have heard of Sir William Honeywood; he's abroad in employment: he confided in your judgment, I fuppofe. LOFTY. Why, yes, madam, I believe Sir William had fome reafon to confide in my judgment; one little reason, perhaps. Mifs RICHLAND. Pray, Sir, What was it? LOFTY. Why, madam-but let it go no farther-it was I procured him his place. Sir WILLIAM. Did you, Sir. LOFTY. Either you or I, Sir. 'Mifs RICHLAND. This, Mr. Lofty, was very kind indeed. LOFTY. I did love him, to be fure; he had fome amufing qualities; no man was fitter to be toaft-mafter to a club, or had a better head. Mifs RICHLAND. A better head ? LOFTY. Ay, at a bottle. To be fure, he was as dull as a choice fpirit: but hang it, he was grateful, very grateful; and gratitude hides a multitude of faults. Sir WILLIAM. He might have reafon, perhaps, His place is pretty confiderable, I'm told. LOFTY. A trifle, a mere trifle, among us men of business. The truth is, he wanted dignity to fill up a greater. Sir WILLIAM. Dignity of perfon, do you mean, Sir? I'm told he's much about my fize and figure, Sir. LOFTY. Ay, tall enough for a marching regiment; but then he wanted a fomething-a confequence of form-a kind of a-I believe the lady perceives my meaning. Mifs RICHLAND. O, perfectly you courtiers can do any thing, I fee. LOFTY. My dear madam, all this is but a meer exchange: we do greater things for one another every day. Why, as thus, now: let me fuppofe you the first lord of the treasury; you have an employment in you that I want; I have a place in me that you want! do me here, do you there: intereft of both fides, few words, flat, done and done, and its over. Sir WILLIAM. A thought firikes me. (Afide.) Now you mention Sir William Honeywood, madam; and as he feems, Sir, an acquaintance of yours; you'll be glad to hear he's arriv'd from Italy; I had it from a friend who knows him as well as he does me, and you may depend on my information. LOFTY. The devil he is! If I had known that, we fhould not have been quite fo well acquainted. (Afide.) Sir WILLIAM. He is certainly return'd; and, as this gentleman is a friend of yours, he can be of fignal fervice to us, by introducing me to him; there are fome papers relative to your affairs, that require difpatch and his infpection. Mifs RICHLAND. This gentleman, Mr. Lofty, is a perfon employed in my affairs: I know you'll ferve us. LOFTY. My dear madam, I live but to ferve you. Sir William fhall even wait upon him, if you think proper to command it. Sir WILLIAM. That would be quite unneceffary. LOFTY. Well, we muft introduce you then. Call upon me-let me fee-ay, in two days. Sir WILLIAM. Now, or the opportunity will be loft for ever. LOFTY. Well, if it must be now, now let it be. But damn it, that's unfortunate; my lord Grig's cursed Pen facola facola bufinefs comes on this very hour, and I'm engaged to attend-another time Sir WILLIAM. A fhort letter to Sir William will do. LOFTY. You fhall have it; yet, in my opinion, a letter is a very bad way of going to work; face to face, that's my way. Sir WILLIAM. The letter, Sir, will do quite as well. LOFTY. Zounds! Sir, do you pretend to direct me; direct me in the bufinefs of office? Do you know me, Sir who am I? Mifs RICHLAND, Dear, Mr. Lofty, this requeft is not fo much his as mine; if my commands-but you defpife my power. LOFTY. Delicate creature! your commands could even controul a debate at midnight: to a power fo conftitutional, I am all obedience and tranquillity. He fhall have a letter; where is my fecretary! Dubardieu! And yet, I proteft I don't like this way of doing business. I think if I spoke first to Sir William-But you will have it fo. [Exit with Mifs Richland. Sir WILLIAM, alone. Ha, ha, ha! This too is one of my nephew's hopeful affociates. O vanity, thou conftant deceiver, how do all thy efforts to exalt, ferve but to fink us! Thy falfe colourings, like thofe employed, to heighten beauty, only feem to mend that bloom which they contribute to deftroy. I'm not difpleafed at this interview: expofing this fellow's impudence to the contempt it deferves, may be of use to my defign; at leaft, if he can reflect, it will be of ufe to himself. Enter JARVIS. Sir WILLIAM. How now, Jarvis, where's your mafter, my nephew? JARVIS. At his wit's ends, I believe: he's scarce gotten out of one fcrape, but he's running his head into another. How fo? Sir WILLIAM. JARVIS. The house has but just been cleared of the bailiffs, and now he's again engaging tooth and nail in affifting old Croaker's fon to patch up a clandeftine match with the young lady that passes in the house for his fifter. Sir WILLIAM. Ever busy to serve others. JARVIS. |