Enter GOODvile.

Good. Death and the devil! how that puny rogue Valentine has soused me! if I should have overstaid the time now, and missed of my appointment with CamillaTruman is reeled home, that's certain; and Valentine, I believe, has followed him by this time. Camilla, dear, lovely, kind, tender, melting Camilla, where art thou?

Enter Lady SQUEAMISH.

Lady Squ. That must be Valentine; nay, I am sure it is he! how sneakingly will he look when he shall find his mistake! But I'll take care, if possible, that no such thing shall happen; so mine be the pleasure, and Camilla's the scandal; I'll rush by him through the walk into the wilderness. [Runs across the Walk.

Good. That must be she: how softly she flew along, as if she feared to be too late, loosely attired, and fit for joys! Now all the powers of love and good fortune direct me. [Exit.

Val. So, thanks to our stars, he's safe; though a pox on't methinks this dry pimping is but a scurvy employment. Had I but a sister or kinswoman of his to keep doing withal, there were some comfort in it-But here comes Truman and the lady; I must not be seen. [ Exit.

Enter TRUMAN and Mrs. GOODVILe.

Tru. You shall not go: come but back a little, I have something more to tell you that nearly concerns us both besides, Mr. Goodvile is in the garden; and if he should chance to meet us, what excuse could we make to him?

Mrs. Good. But will you promise me Victoria shall never rob me of your heart? she does not deserve it, I half so well as I.

am sure,

Tru. Kind, tender-hearted creature, I know it; nor shall she ever come so near it, as to know that I have

one.-Alas! we talk too long. [Noise.] I hear company coming, we shall be surprised and disappointed, and then I am undone.

Mrs. Good. I'll swear you make me tremble every joint of me: what would you have me do? Tru. See, see, who are yonder?

[Exeunt Truman and Mrs. Goodvile.

Enter GOODVILE and Lady SQUEAMISH.

Good. What a feast of delight have I had! surely she was born only to make me happy! her natural and unexperienced tenderness exceeded practised charms:Dear, blest, lovely Camilla, oh! my joys.

Lady Squ. Ha, ha, ha!

Good. How's this? my lady Squeamish! - Death and the devil.

Lady Squ. Truly, sweet Mr. Valentine, the same. Now, sir, I hope-Uh gad! Mr. Goodvile!

[They stare at each other.. Good. Have I been mumbling an old kite all this while, instead of my young partridge? a pox of my depraved palate, that could distinguish no better.

Lady Squ. Lord, Mr. Goodvile, what ails you?This was an unexpected adventure; but let me die, it is very pleasant, ha, ha, ha!

Good. A pox on the pleasures, and you too, I say.

Lady Squ. This malicious devil Camilla has overreached me:-Well, Mr. Goodvile, you are the wor thiest person;-had I an only daughter, I durst trust her with you, you are so very civil.-Well, innocence is the greatest happiness in the world.

Good. Right, madamı, it is so, and you know we have been very innocent; doue no harm in the world, not we. Lady Squ. The censorious world, if they knew of this accident, I know would be apt enough to speak reproachfully; but so long as I myself am satisfied in the integrity of my honour, the world is a thing I defy and

Good. Very philosophically spoken:-but, madam, so long as the world is to be a stranger to our happiness, why should we deny ourselves the second pleasure of congratulation?

Lady Squ. Alas, alas, Mr. Goodvile, you cannot say that you have had the least advantage over my frailty: well, what might have happened, if the strict severity of both our virtues had not secured us?

Good. This affected impudence of her's is beyond all the impertinence I ever knew her guilty of.-Virtue with a pox! I think I have reason to know her pretty well, and the devil of any virtue found I about her. [Aside.

Lady Squ. But, dear sir, let us talk no more of it: though I am extremely mistaken if I saw not Mr. Valentine enter the garden before me; and am as much mistaken if a lady was not with him too.

Good. Hell and confusion! that must be Victoria: I thought indeed I saw her, but being hot-headed, and apprehending she came with a malicious design of discovering me, avoided her-False to me with Valentine?

Lady Squ. I'll swear, Mr. Goodvile, I have long suspected an intrigue between you and madam Victoria, and this jealousy has confirmed me; and I would not for all the world but have known it. Ha, ha, ha!

Good. Death, madam! this is beyond all sufferancedisappointed, and jilted by Camilla! abused by Victoria! and with Valentine too, Truman's friend, who I thought should have married her!-Shame and infamy light upon the whole sex; may the best of 'em be ever suspected, and the most cautious always betrayed.

Lady Squ. Dear Mr. Goodvile, be patient: let me die, you are enough to frighten our whole sex from ever loving or trusting men again-Lord, I would not be poor madam Victoria to gain an empire. I'll swear if you are not more moderate, you'll discompose me strangely:-How my heart beats!

Good. Patience! preach it to a galled lion:-no, I am sure she is not far off, and I will find her; surprize

her in the midst of her infamy and prostitution.'Sdeath, madam, let me go.

Lady Squ. I will not part with you, you ill-natured creature; you shall not go I vow, I'll cry a rape if you offer to stir-Oh my heart, here's Malagene.

Enter MALAGENE singing, Frank, Frank, Frank, &c.

Mal. Why how now, Frank; what a pox, out of humour? Why madam, what have you done to him? what have you done to him, madam? Lord how he looks!-Why Frank, I say, pr'ythee bear up.

Good. Hark you, dog, fool, coxcomb, hold that impertinent impudent tongue of your's, or I'll cut it out: 'sdeath, you buffoon, I will.

Mal. No, but hark you, dear heart, good words, good words do you hear, or I shall publish; by my soul, joy, I shall.

Good. How am I continually plagued with rogues and owls! I'll set my house o'fire, rather than have it haunted and pestered by such vermin.

Mal. Faith, Frank, do: I have not seen a house o❜fire this great while; it would be a pretty frolic, pr'ythee let us about it presently.

Lady Squ. Dear Mr. Goodvile, you shall be persuaded; don't run yourself into danger thus rashly.

Good. Do you hear then, monsieur Pimponio; as you expect to live a quiet hour, run in and call for some lights, and return with 'ém instantly.

Mal. Say no more, dear heart, I'll do't; if mischief comes not of this, the devil's in't-but, dear Frank, stay till I come again, I'll be back in a trice; take t'other turn with her ladyship into the wilderness; or any thing. [Ex. Malagene. Lady Squ. Let me not live, this Mr. Malagene is a very obliging person, and methinks, Mr. Goodvile, you use him too severely.

Good. I wish, madam, he may deserve that characfer of you; he is one of those worldlings you were

speaking of, that are apt to talk reproachfully; and I believe knows all that has passed between us to-night, for he has a shrewd discerning judgment in these mat

ters.

Lady Squ. Lord, Mr. Goodvile, what can he say of me? I defy even envy itself to do me or my honour any prejudice: though I wish I had let this frolic alone tonight.

Good. Frolic with a pox!-If these be her frolics, what the devil is she when she is in earnest? O he returns with the lights!-Look, who are these? by heaven the same.

Enter TRUMAN and Mrs. GOODVILE.

Tru. Gently, gently, madam, for fear of an ambuscade; I wonder I hear nothing from Ned Valentine since.

Mrs. Good. See, see, sir, here's Mr. Goodvile: haste, haste down the other waik, or we are ruined.

Tru. Fear not, trust all to my conduct.

[Exit. [As Mrs. Goodvile is going away, Goodvile catches hold of her gown-she claps on

her mask.

Good. Stay, madam Victoria; nay you may stay, 'tis in vain to fly; I have discovered all your falshood, I have was mine a passion to be thus abused? I who have given you all my heart! perfidious false woman! -is your lover too ashamed or afraid to shew himself? where is he? why comes he not forth?

Enter TRUMAN.

Tru. Here I am, sir.

Good. Ha, Truman!

[Mrs. Goodvile gets loose and Exit. Tru. Yes, sir, the same; ready both to acknowledge and justify my being here with Victoria, which I thought, sir, might have been allowed without any