hand: oh, dear Mr. Saunter, how shall I divide myself?.. I'll swear, I am strangely at a loss-Mr. Malagene, you must be Mr. Saunter's mistress I think at present.

Mal. With all my heart, madam- Sweet Mr. Saunter, your hand: I swear you are a charming creature, and your courtship is as extraordinary as your voice. Let me die, and I vow I must have t'other song after dinner, for I am very humoursome, and very whimsical, I think : ha, ha, ha.

[Exeunt,

ACT II.

SCENE I.-The Ordinary.

Enter Mrs. GOODVILE and LETTICE.

Mrs. Good. Did you deliver the billet?
Let. Yes, madam, faithfully.

Mrs. Good. But are you sure you did?

Let. Can your ladyship think I would be guilty of the least neglect in a concern of such moment?

Mrs. Good. And are you sure he dines here to-day? Let. Madam, they are now at dinner below: Mr. Valentine's there too. Oh, I'll swear he's a fine man; the most courteous person.

Mrs. Good. What, because he hunts and kisses you when he's drunk? No, Lettice; Truman, Truman, O that Truman!

Let. I wonder your ladyship should be so taken with him were I to choose, I should think my master the more agreeable man.

Mrs. Good. And you may take him if you will; he is as much a husband as one would wish: I have not seen him this fortnight; he never comes home till four in the morning, and then he sneaks to his separate bed, where he lies till afternoon, then rises, and out again upon his parole; flesh and blood can't endure it,

Let. But he always visits your ladyship first.

Mrs. Good. That's his policy, as great debtors are always very respectful and acknowledging where they never mean to pay. "Tis true, he gives me what freedom I can desire, but God knows that's all.

Let. And where's the pleasure of going abroad and getting a stomach, to return and starve at home?

Mrs. Good. I laugh, though, to think what an easy fool he believes me: he thinks me the most contented, innocent, harmless turtle breathing; the very pattern of patience.

Let. A jewel of a wife.

Mrs. Good. And as blind with love as his own good opinion of himself has made him.

Let. And can you find in your heart to wrong so good a natured, complete, well-meaning, harmless husband, that has so good an opinion of you?

Mrs. Good. Ha, wrong him! what say you, Lettice? I wrong my husband! such another word forfeits my good opinion of thee for ever.

Let. What meant the billet to Mr. Truman then this morning?

Mrs. Good. To make him my friend perhaps, and discover if I can, who it is that wrongs me in my husband's affection; for I am sure I have a rival. And I am apt to believe Victoria deserves no better than ordinary of me, if the truth were known.

Let. Why, she is his near kinswoman, and lives here in the house with you; besides, he would never dishonour his own family, surely.

Mrs. Good. You are a fool, Lettice; the nearness of blood is the least thing considered. Besides, as I have heard, 'tis almost the only way relations care to be kind to one another, now-a-days.

Let. Yes, madam, you never meet, but you are as kind and fond of him as if you had all the joys of love about you. Lord! how can you dissemble with him so? besides, Mr. Truman, madam, you know is his friend.

Mrs. Good. Oh, if I would ever consent to wrong my husband (which heaven forbid, Lettice!) it should be, to choose, with his friend. For such a one has a double obligation to secrecy, as well for his own honour, as mine. But I'll swear, Lettice, you are an idle girl for talking so much of this, that you are: 'tis enough to put ill thoughts into one's head, which I am the most averse to of all things in the world.

Let. But, madam, thoughts are free; and 'tis as hard not to think a little idly sometimes, as it is to be always in good humour. But it would make any one laugh, to think Mr. Truman should be in love with madam Victoria, if all be real which your ladyship suspects.

Mrs. Good. Ay, and with a design of marriage too: but a ranging gallant thinks he fathoms all, and counts it as much beneath his experience to doubt his security in a wife, as success in a mistress.

Let. Besides, after a little time, he is so very industrious in cuckolding others, that he never dreams how swimmingly his own affairs are managed at home.

Enter VICTORIA.

Mrs. Good. But hush-she's here.
Vict. A happy day to you, madam.

Mrs. Good. Dear cousin, your humble servant: have you heard who are below?

Vict. Yes, young Truman, and his inseparable companion, Valentine.

Mrs. Good. Well, what will you do, cousin? Truman comes resolved on conquest: for with the advantages he has in your heart already, 'tis impossible you should be able to hold out against him.

Vict. Yes, powerful champaign, as they call it, may do much; a spark can no more refrain running into love after a bottle, than a drunken country vicar can avoid disputing of religion when his patron's ale grows stronger than his reason.

Mrs. Good. Come, come, dissemble your inclinations

as artfully as you please, I am sure they are not so indifferent but they may be easily discerned.

Vict. Truly, madam, you may be mistaken in your guess.

Mrs. Good. How! I doubt it is some other man then has caused this alteration in you.-Lord, Lettice, is she not extremely altered?

Vict. Altered, madam! what do you mean?

Mrs. Good. Nay, Lettice, fetch a glass, and let her see herself: Lord, you are paler than you used to be. Let. Ay, and then that blueness under the eyes,

Mrs. Good. Besides, you are not so lively as I have known you: pardon me, cousin.

Let. Well, if there be a fault, marriage will cure all. Vict. I'll assure you, I have none that I know of stands in need of so desperate a remedy. Marriage! fault! what can all this tend to?

Enter Page.

Mrs. Good. Well, what now?

Page. Madam Camilla is coming to wait upon your ladyship.

Mrs. Good. Ha, Camilla! tell her I'll attend her: won't you go with me, Victoria? [Exit Page.

Vict. I'll but step into my chamber, and follow you instantly. [Exeunt Mrs. Good. and Lettice.] Whither can all this drive? Surely she has discovered something of Goodvile's love and mine: if she has I am ruined.

Enter GOODVILE.

Good. Victoria! your cousin is not here, is she? What, in clouds? I stole this minute from my friends on purpose to see thee, and must not I have a look? Not a word?

Vict. Oh, I am ruined and lost for ever! I fear your wife has had some knowledge of our loves: and if it be so, what will then become of me?

Good. Pr'ythee no more: my wife! she has too good

an opinion of herself, to have an ill one of me; and would as soon believe her glass could flatter her, as I be false to her my wife-ha, ha.

Vict. Yes, I am sure it must be so; it can be no otherwise: but you are satisfied, and now have nothing more to do, but to leave me to be miserable.

Good. Leave thee! by heaven I'd sooner renounce my family, and own myself the bastard of a rascal: come, quiet thy doubts; Truman is here; and take my love for thy security, he shall be thine to-night.

Vict. I have great reason to expect it, indeed. That you would hazard your interest in so good a friend for the reparation of my honour, that so little concerns you, and which you have already made your best of.

Good. No more of that: love's my province; and thine is too dear to me to be neglected. "Tis true, I have made him my friend, and I hope he will deserve it, by doing thee that justice which I am incapable of. Vict. You can promise easily.

Good. Ay, and as resolutely perform: when I have heated him with wine, prepare to receive him.

Ha, she here!

Enter Mrs. GOODVILE.

Mrs. Good. So, so, Mr. Goodvile, are you there indeed? I thought I should catch you.

Good. Faith, my dear, I have been speaking a good word for Jack Truman; my cousin Victoria's too cruel. Mrs. Good. Oh, fy, Victoria! can you be so hardhearted to deny any thing, when Mr. Goodvile is an advocate?

Vict. I must confess it is with some difficulty; but should I too easily comply upon Mr. Goodvile's iutercession, who knows but your ladyship might be jealous? for he that can prevail for another, may presume there's hopes for himself.

Mrs. Good. Ay, but cousin, I know you are my friend, and would not, though but in regard of that, do me such an injury: besides, Mr. Goodvile knows I dare trust him; don't you, love?