fee the letter again. I have it. This letter requires twenty guineas to be left at the bar of the Talbot inn. If it be indeed an incendiary letter, what if you and I, Sir, go there; and, when the writer comes to be paid his expected booty, feize him?

CROAKER.

My dear friend, it's the very thing; the very thing. While I walk by the door, you shall plant yourself in ambush near the bar; burst out upon the mifcreant like a masqued battery; extort a confeffion at once, and fo hang him up by surprise.

HONEYWOOD.

Yes, but I would not chufe to exercise too much feverity. It is my maxim, Sir, that crimes generally punish themselves.

CROAKER.

Well, but we may upbraid him a little, I fup[Ironically.

pofe?

HONEYWOOD.

Aye, but not punish him too rigidly.

CROAKER.

Well, well, leave that to my own benevolence.

HONEYWOOD.

Well, I do but remember that univerfal benevolence is the firft law of nature.

[Exeunt Honeywood and Mrs. Croaker, CROAKER.

Yes; and my univerfal benevolence will hang the dog, if he had as many necks as a hydra.

ACT

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE, an Inn.

Enter OLIVIA, JARVIS.

OLIVIA.

WELL, we have got fafe to the Inn, however.

Now, if the poft-chaife were ready

JARVIS.

The horses are just finishing their oats; and, as they are not going to be married, they choose to take their own time.

OLIVIA.

You are for ever giving wrong motives to my impatience.

JARVIS.

Be as impatient as you will, the horses must take their own time; befides, you don't confider, we have got no answer from our fellow-traveller yet. If we hear nothing from Mr. Leontine, we have only one way left us.

OLIVIA.

What way?

H 2

JARVIS.

&

JARVIS.

The way home again.

OLIVIA.

Not fo. I have made a refolution to go, and nothing fhall induce me to break it.

JARVIS.

Aye; refolutions are well kept, when they jump with inclination. However, I'll go haften things without. And I'll call, too, at the bar, to see if any thing fhould be left for us there. Don't be in fuch a plaguy hurry, madam, and we fhall go the fafter, I promife you. [Exit Jarvis.

Enter LANDLADY.

LANDLADY.

What! Solomon, why don't you move? Pipes and tobacco for the Lamb there.-Will nobody anfwer? To the Dolphin; quick. The Angel has been outrageous this half hour. Did your ladyfhip call, madam?

No, madam.

OLIVIA.

LANDLADY.

I find, as you're for Scotland, madam-But that's no business of mine; married, or not married, I ask no queftions. To be fure, we had a fweet little couple fet off from this two days ago for the fame place. The gentleman, for a taylor, was, to be fure, as fine a fpoken taylor, as ever blew froth from a full

pot.

pot. And the young lady fo bashful, it was near half an hour before we could get her to finish a pint of rafberry between us.

OLIVIA.

But this gentleman and I are not going to be married, I affure you.

LANDLADY.

May be not. That's no bufinefs of mine; for certain, Scotch marriages feldom turn out. There was, of my own knowledge, Mits Macfag, that married her father's footman.--Alack-a-day, she and her husband foon parted, and now keep separate cellars in Hedge-lane.

OLIVIA.

A very pretty picture of what lies before me!

[Afide.

Enter LEONTINE.

LEONTINE.

My dear Olivia, my anxiety, till you were out of danger, was too great to be refifted. I could not help coming to see you fet out, though it exposes us to a discovery.

OLIVIA.

May every thing you do prove as fortunate. Indeed, Leontine, we have been moft cruelly disappointed. Mr. Honeywood's bill upon the city has, it feems, been protested, and we have been utterly at a lofs how to proceed.

LEONTINE.

How! an offer of his own too. Sure, he could not mean to deceive us.

OLIVIA.

Depend upon his fincerity; he

only mistook the

defire for the power of ferving us. But let us think no more of it. I believe the post-chaife is ready by this.

LANDLADY.

Not quite yet: and, begging your ladyship's pardon, I don't think your ladyship quite ready for the poft-chaife. The north-road is a cold place, madam. I have a drop in the houfe of as pretty rafberry as ever was tipt over tongue. Just a thimble full to keep the wind off your ftomach. To be fure, the laft couple we had here, they faid it was a perfect nofegay. Ecod, I fent them both away as good natured-Up went the blinds, round went the wheels, and drive away poft-boy, was the word.

Enter CROAKER.

CROAKER.

Well, while my friend Honeywood is upon the post of danger at the bar, it must be my business to have an eye about me here. I think I know an incendiary's look; for wherever the devil makes a purchase, he never fails to fet his mark. Ha! who have we here? My fon and daughter! they be doing here!

What can

LAND