lim. By permitting you, Madam, to follow your inclinations, L. Flim. Now your lordship really behaves like a nobleman; and to convince you that I am not unworthy of my rank and quality too, here I solemnly promise never to disturb your lordship in the pursuit of yours. Frip. Perfectly polite on both sides. Flim. From this moment you have my full and free consent to spend what money you please, see what company you please, lie in bed, and get up when you please, be abroad or at home when you please, be in and out of humour when you please; and, in short, to take every liberty of a woman of quality, as you please; and, for the future, fall in love when you please with either man or monster. L. Flim. To shew your lordship that I will not be behind hand with you in nobleness of sentiment, I most sincerely grant you a free access to the languishing Moreta whenever you please, and intreat you, for the future, that you will have as little regard for me, as you have for the business of the nation. Flim. Let us seal and ratify the treaty in each other's arms-my dearest lady. L. Flim. My beloved lord. [They embrace. Bol. I am astonished!- -From this moment I disown you all!-I'll out to sea as fast as I can; should these politenesses reach us, woe be to poor Lilliput! when they do, I'll let the sea into my great cabbin, and sink to the bottom with the honour, virtue, and liberty of my country. [Exit Bol. Frip. A queer dog my brother is, that's positive-But come let me once again join your hands upon this your second happier union Let love be banish'd-We of rank and fashion, To care and broils we now may bid defiance; Lord FLIMNap. Let low-bred minds be curb'd by laws and rules. Our higher spirits leaps the bounds of fools; No law or custom shall to us say nay; We scorn restriction Viva la liberte! [Curtesies. ACT I. Enter ARABELla, and Sophia in Men's Clothes, ARABELLA. NDEED, my dear, you'll repent this frolic. Soph. Indeed, my dear, then it will be the first frolic I ever repented in all my life. Lookee, Bell, 'tis in vain to oppose me, for I am resolv'd -the only way to find out his character, is to see him thus, and converse freely with him. It he is the wretch he is reported to be, I shall away with him at once; if he is not he will thank me for the trial, and our union will be the stronger. Arab. I never knew a woman yet, who had prudence enough to turn off a pretty fellow, because he had a little more wickedness than the rest of his neighbours. Soph. Then I will be the first to set a better example. -If I did not think a man's character was of some consequence, I should not now run such risques, and encounter such difficulties, to be better acquainted with it. Arab. Ha, Sopby! if you had love enough to be jealous, and jealousy eonugh to try these experiments-don't ima gine, tho' you should make terrible discoveries, that you can immediately quit your inclinations, with your breeches; and return so very philosophically to your petticoats again, ha, ha! Sopb. You may be as merry with my weaknesses, as you please, madam; but I know my own heart, and can rely upon it. Arab. We are great bullies by nature; swaggering, are two things, cousin. but courage and Sopb. Since you are as little to be convinc'd, as I am to be persuaded-your servant [Going. Arab. Nay, Sopby-this is unfriendly-if you are resolv'd upon your scheme, open to me without reserve, and I'll assist you. Sopb. Imprimis, then; I confess to you, that I have a kind of whimsical attachment to Daffodil; not but I can see his vanities, and laugh at 'em. Arab And like him he better for 'em Sopb. I'shaw! don't plague me, Bell-my other lover, the jealous Mr. Tukely- Arab. Who loves you too well to be successful Soph. And whom I really esteem Arab. As a good sort of man, ha, ha, ha. Soph. Nay, shou'd have lov'd him. Arab. Had not a prettier fellow stept in between, who perhaps does not care a farthing for you Sopb. That's the question, my dear-Tukely, I say, either stung by jealousy, or unwilling to lose me, without a struggle, has intreated me to know more of his rival, before I engage too far with him-Many strange things he has told me, which have piqu'd me I must confess, and I am now prepar'd for the proof. Arab. You'll certainly be discover'd, and put to shame. Sopb. I have secur'd my success already. Arab. What do you mean? Soph. I have seen him, convers'd with him, and am to meet him again to-day, by his own appointment. Arab. Madness!-It can't be. Sopb. But it has been, I tell you Arab. How? how?-Quickly, quickly, dear Sopby? Soph. When you went to lady Fanny's last night, and left me, as you thought, little dispos'd for a frolic, I dress'd me as you see, call'd a chair, and went to the King's-Arms's B 6 -ask'd -ask'd for my gentleman, and was shewn into a roomhe immediately left his company, and came to me. Arab. I tremble for you. Soph. I introduc'd myself as an Italian nobleman, just arriv'd: Il Marchese di Macaroni Arab. Ridiculous!-ha, ha. Soph. An intimate of Sir Charles Vainlove's, who is now at Rome I told him my letters were with my baggage, at the Custom-bouse-He receiv'd me with all the openness imaginable, and wou'd have introduc'd me to his friends; I beg'd to be excus'd, but promis'd to attend him to-day, and am now ready, as you see, to keep my word. Arab. Astonishing!-And what did you talk about? Soph. Of various things- -women among the rest; and tho' I have not absolutely any open acts of rebellion against him, yet, I fear he is a traitor at heart-and then such vanity! -but had not time to make great discoveriest was merely the prologue-The play is to come. Arab. Act your part well, or we shall hiss you Soph. Never fear me; you don't know what a mad, raking, wild, young devil I can be, if I set my mind to it, Bell [Laying bold of ber. Arab. You fright me !-you shall possibly be no bed-fellow of mine any longer. Sopb. I am resolv'd to ruin my woman, and kill my man, before I get into petticoats again. Arab. Take care of a quarrel tho'-a rival may be too rough with you. Soph. No, no, fighting is not the vice of these times; and as for a little swaggering-damn it, I can do it as well as the best of 'em. Arab. Hush, hush! Mr. Tukely is here. Soph. Now fora trial of skill; if I deceive him, you'll allow that half my business is done. [She walks aside, takes out ber glass, and looks at the pictures] Enter TUKELY. Tuke. Your servant, miss Bell-I need not ask if miss Sopby be at home, for I believe I have seen her since you did. Arab. Arab. Have you, Sir? You seem disconcerted, Mr. Tukely; has any thing happen'd? Tuke. A trifle, madam-but I was born to be trifled with, and to be made uneasy at trifles. Arab. Pray, what trifling affair has disturb'd you thus? Sopb. What's the matter now? [Aside. Tuke. I met miss Sopby this moment in a hackney chair, at the end of the street; I knew her by the Pitik Negligee; but upon my crossing the way to speak to her, she turn'd her head away, laugh'd violently, and drew the curtain in my face. Sopb. So, so; well said, jealousy. [Aside. Arab. She was in haste, I suppose, to get to her engage ment. Tuke. Yes, yes, madam; I imagine she had some engagement upon her hands-But sure, madam, her great desire to see her more agreeable friends, need not be at ended with contempt and disregard to the rest of her acquain tance. Arab. Indeed, Mr. Tukely, I have so many caprices, and follies of my own, that I can't possibly answer for my cousin's too. Sopb. Well said, Bell. [Aside. Tuke. Answer, miss!-No, heav'n forbid you shouldfor my part, I have given up all my hopes as a lover, and only, now, feel for her as a friend and indeed as a friend, a sincere friend-I can't but. say, that going out in a hackney chair, without a servant, and endeavouring to conceal herself, is somewhat incomparable with miss Sopby's rank and reputation-this I speak as a friend-not as a fover, miss Bell-pray mind that. Arab. I see it very plainly, Mr. Tukely-And it gives me great pleasure, that you can be so indifferent in your love, and yet so jealous in your friendship. Tuke. You do me honour, miss, by your good opinion. [Walks about, and sees Sophy. Who's that, pray? Arab. A gentleman who is waiting for Sopby. Tuke. I think she has gentlemen waiting for her every where. Sopb. I am afraid, Si:, [coming up to him with her glass] you'll excuse me, that notwithstanding your declaration, and |