and that's as bad, sir. You are a worthy person, and I'll make you my judge.

Dare. Come along then.

Father. The main was seven, and the chance four; I had just thirty pounds upon it, and my last stake the caster threw, nothing came of it; I changed his dice; he threw again, to as little purpose as before.

1

Dare. Very strange, truly.

Father. I changed his dice again, he threw again: so he threw, and I changed; and I changed, and he threw, for at least half an hour; till at last-do you mark me?-the dice powdering out of the boxDare. That's plain.

Father. One on 'em trips against the foot of a candlestick, and up comes two duces, two duces, sir, do you hear? And so I lost my money. No, sir, I was not robbed, sir; but I lost upon two duces and that was so hard fortune, that I'll hold you, or any man living, fifty pounds to ten, that he does not throw two duces before seven again.

Dare. Two duces before seven! Two duces are not to be thrown, sir, not to be thrown.

Beau. I am glad to hear you are so rich, sir. Father. Rich, quoth-a! Pr'ythee be quiet, I am not worth a shilling, man. But, sir, here you are a lord at large, enjoy your drink and your drabs, sit up all night in the fulness of iniquity, with worthy esquire Daredevil of the North here, with a pox to you; whilst I must be kept without a shilling in my pocket- -But, sir,

Beau. Sir, I sent you an hundred pounds yesterday morning.

Father. Well, sirrah, and I have had ill luck, and lost it all: What then?

Beau. Sir, to avoid dispute, shall I make one proposition to you?

Father. Heh! With all my heart. Look you, Jacky-boy, I am not against thy taking thy moderate diversions, so long as I see thou keepest good company, neither. But-sneak what ready-money thou hast into my hand, and send me the rest of t'other hundred to my lodging.

Beau. Do you think it reasonable, that as often as two duces are thrown before seven, I must advance an hundred pounds to make the Devil's bones rattle, sir?

in

Father. Sirrah, you are a rebel; and I could find my heart to cut your throat. Sir, have you e'er a father?

Dare. No, sir.

Father. No, sir?

Dare. No, sir; I broke his heart long ago, before I came to be at years of discretion: I hate all fathers, and always did.

Father. Oh Lord! hark you, sir; what's that fellow's profession?

Cour. Oh, an Atheist, sir; he believes neither God nor the Devil.

Father. 'Sbud, I'll brustle up to him. Are you an Atheist, fellow? hoh?

Dare. Yes, sir, I am an Atheist.

Father. And what think you will become of you when you die? hoh?

Dare. I shall be buried six feet under ground to prevent stinking, and there grow rotten.

Father. Oh Lord!

Dare. If I chance to be hanged, being a lusty sinewy fellow, the corporation of barber-surgeons, may be, beg me for an anatomy, to set up in their hall. I don't take much care of myself while I am living; and when I am dead, whatever happens to me will never trouble me..

Father. No more to be said; my son's in a very

hopeful way to be damned, that's one comfort. Impudent rogue, you keep company with the Devil's resident! You converse with foreign ministers, and deny your father a little dirty money! Fogh, poltroon!

Beau. This is very hard, sir: but if ten guineas will do you any service

Father. Ten guineas? Let me see; ten guineas are a pretty little piddling sum, that's the truth on't; but what will it do, Jacky-boy? Serve, may be, to play at ticktack in an afternoon, three hits up for a piece, or so; but when will that recover my hundred again? Ten guineas! Pox o'thy ten guineas.

-Well, let me see the ten guineas though,— let me see them a little-Jacky-boy, Jacky, Jack-— You have drunk damnable hard to night, you rogue! you are a drunken dog, I believeHan't you had a whore too, Jacky?―――e e e-You'll get the pox, sirrah, and then-But if thou dost, I know a very able fellow, an old acquaintance of mine-Ten Guineas, Jacky!

Beau. There they are, sir, and long may they last you.

Father. Make them twenty, Jacky-rogue you plump-cheeked, merry-eyed rogue, make them twenty-make them fifteen then-Jacky boy, Jacky, Jack, do faith.

Beau. Upon my duty, you have stripped me, sir. Father. Then do you hear, friend, you Atheist, that are so free of your soul; let us see if you dare venture a little of your money now-Come [Draws out a box and dice.] Seven's the main: I'll hold you ten pounds to two, two duces does not come before seven.

Beau. At him, Daredevil; beggar him once more, and then we shall be rid of him.

Dare. Done, sir, done; down with your money.

Father. Here, you blasphemous dog.-Dost thou love hazard?

Dare. Dearly, from the bottom of my heart, sir. Father. I love thee the better for it: come along

seven

Dare. Right.

Father. Seven.

[Throws two duces.

Dare. Two duces!--You have lost, sir. Father. Damn me, sir, lay your hand upon my money!

Dare. Damn me, sir, 'tis my money; I won it fairly.

Beau. Now, Courtine, now

Cour. Now, look to't, Atheist !

Father. Son of a whore, you lie. Thus to my hat I sweep the yellow scoundrels, and draw my sword in witness they are my own.

Dare. Nay then I'll

Cour. Hold, sirs, no drawing swords, no quarrelling.

Dare. I am glad on't, with all my heart; for though I am not much afraid of the Devil, I hate a drawn sword mortally.

ney

Beau. Good sir

Father. Stand off,-Dogs, Atheists win my mo-Rascal- -good-morrow.

[Exit. Beau. Till next time two duces come before seven; and then I am sure to see or hear from you again infallibly.

Cour. How dost thou intend to dispose of this wild, extravagant old father of thine, Beaugard?

Beau. I hope to find him run so far in debt within this fortnight, that to avoid the calamity, he shall be forced to compound with me for his freedom, and be contented with a comfortable annuity in the country; that's all my hopes of him.

Cour. Which he'll sell in one quarter of a year,

and return to old London again, for t'other game at hazard.

Beau. No, like a wise guardian, I'll take care of the contrary, lay it too far out of his reach, and tie it too fast for him. Why, how now, Daredevil? What, in the dumps? "Tis an unruly old gentleman, but yet he has some religion in him, Daredevil.

Dare. Yes, pox on him, to cheat me of my money. 'Tis well he was your father, sir.

Cour. Why?

Dare. Had he been my own, by these hilts I would have sawed his old windpipe asunder upon the spot. Rob me of my right!

Cour. Does he love fighting so well then? I thought most of your Atheists had not much cared for that impertinent exercise.

Dare. "Tis a little impertinent, that I'll grant you, for honest fellows to fall out, squabble, and cut one another's throats, to spoil good company: but when my honour's injured

Beau. Then, I know, thou art implacable. But for a foolish trifling sum of money

Dare. Trash, trash, dunghill, and filthiness! I give it away to my wenches and my servants; we part with it to every body, upon all occasions. He that values money deserves never to have the benefit of it.

Beau. A very noble fragment of philosophy. But, Courtine, the morning is new risen again, and I have received intelligence this night by a certain minister, I keep for such offices, where my poor distressed widow is held in durance: if thou thinkest there may be any hopes for thee upon the coast I am bound for, let us embark together, and good luck attend us.

Cour. No, I have other projects on foot: marriage has cracked my credit so, that no body that knows