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of a gentleman's perfon, fure we ought to be equally careful of his dearer part, his fame.

FOLLOWER.

Ay, but if fo be a man's nabb'd, you know-
HONEYWOOD.

Mr. Flanigan, if you spoke for ever, you could not improve the laft obfervation. For my own part, I think it conclufive.

BAILIFF.

As for the matter of that, mayhap—

HONEYWOOD.

Nay, Sir, give me leave in this inftance to be pofitive. For, where is the neceffity of cenfuring works without genius, which muft fhortly fink of themselves? what is it, but aiming our unnecessary blow against a victim already under the hands of justice?

BAILIFF.

Juftice! O, by the elevens, if you talk about juftice, I think I am at home there: for, in a course of law

HONEYWOOD.

My dear Mr. Twitch, I difcern what you'd be at perfectly; and I believe the lady must be fenfible of the art with which it is introduced. I fuppofe you perceive the meaning, madam of his courfe of law. Mifs RICHLAND.

I proteft, Sir, I do not. I perceive only that you anfwer one gentleman before he has finished, and the other before he has well begun.

BAILIFF.

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BAILIFF.

Madam, you are a gentlewoman, and I will make the matter out. This here queftion is about severity and juftice, and pardon, and the like of they. Now to explain the thing

HONEYWOOD.

O! curfe your explanations.

Enter SERVANT.

SERVANT.

[Afide.

Mr. Leontine, Sir, below, defires to speak with you upon earnest business.

HONEYWOOD.

That's lucky. (Afide.) Dear madam, you'll excuse me and my good friends here, for a few minutes. There are books, madam, to amuse you. Come, gentlemen, you know I make no ceremony with fuch friends. After you, Sir. Excufe me. Well, if I muft. But I know your natural politeness. BAILIFF.

Before and behind, you know.

FOLLOWER.

Ay, ay, before and behind, before and behind. [Exeunt Honeywood, Bailiff, and Follower.

Mifs RICHLAND.

What can all this mean, Garnet?

GARNET.

Mean, madam! why, what should it mean, but what Mr. Lofty fent you here to fee! These peo

ple

ple he calls officers are officers fure enough: fheriff's officers; bailiffs, madam.

Mifs RICHLAND.

Ay, it is certainly fo. Well, though his perplexities are far from giving me pleasure, yet I own there's fomething very ridiculous in them, and a juft punishment for his diffimulation.

GARNET.

And fo they are. But I wonder, madam, that the lawyer you just employed to pay his debts, and fet him free, has not done it by this time. He ought at least to have been here before now. But lawyers are always more ready to get a man into troubles, than out of them.

Enter Sir WILLIAM.

Sir WILLIAM.

For Mifs Richland to undertake setting him free, I own, was quite unexpected. It has totally unhinged my schemes to reclaim him. Yet, it gives me pleasure to find, that, among a number of worthlefs friendships, he has made one acquifition of real value; for there must be some softer paffion on her fide that prompts this generofity. Ha! here before me: I'll endeavour to found her affections. Madam, as I am the perfon that have had fome demands upon the gentleman of this houfe, I hope you'll excuse me, if, before I enlarged him, I wanted to see yourself.

Mifs RICHLAND.

The precaution was very unneceffary, Sir. I fuppose your wants were only fuch as my agent had power to fatisfy.

Sir WILLIAM.

Partly, madam. But, I was also willing you fhould be fully apprized of the character of the gentleman you intended to ferve.

Mifs RICHLAND.

It must come, fir, with a very ill grace from you. To cenfure it, after what you have done, would look like malice; and, to speak favourably of a character you have oppreffed, would be impeaching your own. And fure, his tenderness, his humanity, his univerfal friendship, may atone for many faults. Sir WILLIAM.

That friendship, madam, which is exerted in too wide a fphere, becomes totally useless. Our bounty, like a drop of water, difappears when diffused too widely. They, who pretend moft to this univerfal benevolence, are either deceivers, or dupes. Men who defire to cover their private ill-nature, by a pretended regard for all; or, men who, reafoning themselves into false feelings, are more earnest in purfuit of fplendid, than of ufeful virtues.

Mifs RICHLAND.

1

I am surprised, Sir, to hear one, who has probably been a gainer by the folly of others, fo fevere in his cenfure of it.

Sir WILLIAM.

Whatever I may have gained by folly, madam, you fee I am willing to prevent your lofing by it.

Mifs RICHLAND.

You cares for me, Sir, are unneceffary. I always fufpe& thofe fervices which are denied where they are wanted, and offered, perhaps, in hopes of a refufal. No, Sir, my directions have been given, and I infift upon their being complied with.

Sir WILLIAM.

Thou amiable woman! I can no longer contain the expreffions of my gratitude: my pleasure. You fee before you one, who has been equally careful of his intereft; one, who has for fome time been a concealed fpectator of his follies, and only punished, in hopes to reclaim them-his uncle!

Mifs RICHLAND.

Sir William Honeywood! You amaze me. How fhall I conceal my confufion? I fear, Sir, you'll think I have been too forward in my fervices. I confefs I

Sir WILLIAM.

Don't make any apologies, madam. I only find myself unable to repay the obligation. And yet, I have been trying my intereft of late to ferve you. Having learnt, madam, that you had fome demands upon government, I have, though unafked, been your folicitor there.

VOL. II.

F

Mifs

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