ment? What were you to give for it ?-I know the common way of dealing hath been, for fo much honour, or fo much confcience; but there have been those too, who have dealt for wives, daughters, and nieces.-In fhort, no place is to be had without a valuable confideration fome way or another. Sir Tho. I know there have been proposals from lord Courtlove; but what is that to me? Bart. The world (in things of this nature) will fuppofe a man and his wife agreed, though they know ten thousand inftances to the contrary. -'Tis impoffible for us to distinguish to whom the folly or indifcretion properly belongs, with that exactnefs you can do between yourselves, fo that your wife's conduct, in this particular, must reflect upon you. Sir Tho. That old beau is an arrant affemblyhaunter. Bart. But this is a ferious affair. Sir Tho. Not a young gil of any confequence can appear, but he is her profefs'd follower; and they all coquet it with him only to turn him into ridicule. Bart. That is not the cafe here. Indeed, nephew, your wife's behaviour is downright scandalous. L Enter lady Willit. La. Willit How can you be fo provoking, fir Themas? Was there no place in the houfe to bring your company into but my dreffing-room ?-Mr. Barter, your fervant. After all, this is intolerable, that one can never have a room to one's felf. Sir Tho. My uncle, madani, was defirous of paying his refpects to you. La. Willit. And why had not you brought him to my bed-fide? [Going. Bart. If your ladyfhip is out of humour. La. Willit. Pardon me, Mr. Barter; I was not fpeaking to you. But you must allow that (notwithftanding the privileges of a husband) a wife ought to be treated with common good manners.- -That's all.. Sir Tho. Your objections then, madam, are to me, it feems. La. Willit. La. Willit. Blefs me, how can any creature alive be fo captious? I vow, Mr. Barter, I look upon your vifit as very obliging.- But when one is juft out of bed!-You might have been fo civil, methinks, to have fent up to know if one faw company or not. Sir Tho. Nay, prithee, child, don't make yourfelf ridiculous. How can you put yourself out of humour for fuch trifles?—I have fent for my uncle to advise with him about fettling my affairs upon our leaving the town. La. Willit. How fhould he be judge of our affairs? Sir Tho. I am judge of 'em, madam.—I wish were so too. you La. Willit. I wish fome people would not be so overfond of their own opinions.- -"Tis aftonishing a man can have fo perverfe a conduct, as to make it impoflible for one to ferve him. Sir Tho. What do you mean, madam ? La. Willit. To speak plainer then, you are not a judge of your own affairs-Sure you will allow me to know what I am doing. Sir Tho. Then I muft fpeak plainer too, madam, and acquaint you, that my circumstances oblige me to put an end to your negotiations, and that my refolutions are taken to retrieve, to look after, and fupport the eftate I was born to. The wildgoofe chafe is over.Let the neceflitous and fycophants haunt levees, and feek to fpunge upon the public; 'tis a purfuit beneath a free-born country gentleman. So, madam, I will not be the occafion of one lie more, either from you or your friends, for I here cancel all court promifes; and frankly own, that I am afhamed of the part you have made me act. La. Willit. I beg you fir Thomas, don't fpeak fo difagreeably loud.-My head akes, and you worry one to death. Sir Tho. Have you call'd in all your tradefmen's bills? La. Willit. One would think you had found thofe creatures forward and impertinent enough without my encouragement. VOL. III. Sir Tho. But these are things, child, that must be fettled. La. Willit. Always upon this topic! A man with thefe vulgar fcruples about him is his own eternal dun. -Was there ever a man, who grew to be of any confequence, who did not run out?-Would you have credit, and not make use of it -Now, Mr. Barter, is not this narrow way of thinking provoking? Bart. You would not, madam, condescend to appeal to a merchant upon this fubject.-We live on in the humdrum way of honefty and regularity: We think, we act, differently from people at your end of the town; and as it never yet was known, can it now be expected, that courtiers fhould ever stoop to regulate their conduct by our's ?-As I am no judge, you must excufe me from giving my opinion. La. Willit. I wish you had never given your opinion to fomebody else ; for my hufband is never fo unreafonable as after he hath converfed with you.- -Would your wisdom advife him now, out of caprice, to abandon a very confiderable thing, that is ready for his acceptance? Sir Tho. You know my refolution, and I advise you to prepare for it. La. Willit. And do you really think this language is even becoming a husband-For heaven's fake have -You know I am out of order, and company kills me; fo that I must beg to be excused. A brute ! done. [Exit. Bart. I never enter into a difpute with a woman; for every reafon againft her, only ferves to make her the more obftinate in her own opinion. Enter Fibber. Fibber. Lord Courtlove, fir. Enter lord Courtlove. [Exit. Ld. Court. The business of the day will make the levee fooner than ufual this morning. If you will give me leave, fir Thomas, I will have the honour of waiting upon you. I hope I do not break in upon bufinefs.Pray, who is this gentleman? May one talk before im?-You will pardon my caution. Sir Sir Tho. My uncle, my lord. Ld. Court. Mr. Barter, your moft obedient fervant.-The honour of being known to you is what I have been long foliciting.-Are we to have the favour of your company?-Shall I have the honour of prefenting you? Bart. To whom, and where, my lord. Ld. Court. Sir Thomas and I are going together to the levee. Bart. My nephew may do what he pleases; I have neither business, nor any thing to afk; and I would not make myself feem a dependent, to fwell any great man's vanity in Christendom. Ld. Court I beg your pardon, fir. You merchants have your own ways of thinking. Bart. And of fpeaking and acting too. -But you know, my lord, we are a particular race of people. Ld. Court. Pray, fir Thomas, hath Mr. Barter been difobliged?-I think it would not be prudent to talk upon your affair before him. Sir Tho. My uncle is perfectly well acquainted with every step I am taking, and I beg you to give him no fufpicions of me. Ld. Court. Believe me, fir Thomas, you have not a common promife; I would not have your impatience fhew you look upon it as fuch-Your want of confidence of late, I know, hath given some unjust jealoufies, but all thofe may be got over. And will you juft now, by any little omiffions, make your affair impracticable? You are fenfible all my fmall intereft is engaged to ferve you: I have made a point of it, and the thing fhall be done. Sir Tho. And fo you have answer'd for my attendance this morning.I have bufinefs, my lord. Ld Court. At this particular time, fir, I know your abfenting yourself must be taken notice of; and it would not eafily be forgiven.My zeal, fir, for your intereft, was the occafion of this vifit. Sir Tho. Is attendance and homage then expected from me as a duty ?-Am I number'd among the proftitute hirelings of power?-I hope my behaviour hath not made me appear to the world in the contemptible N 2 light But at light I do to you and your friends. "Tis high time, my lord, that my conduct should rectify your mistake. Ld. Court. Without your further appearing in it, fir Thomas, I fay the thing fhall be done. prefent I wave the difcourfe.- -You inuft pardon me, fir, if I am fomewhat folicitous about my own fuccefs. Am I to be happy with Mifs Sprightly? Did she liften to the last propofals I made to lady Willit? Sir Tho. The girl never afk'd my advice; but if your lordship afks it, I own I think the inequality of your age makes the thing ridiculous. Ld. Court. The alliance, the fortune I hope is unexceptionable. Sir Tho. 'Tis not, my lord, that I think your applications defperate; for daughters, as well as fathers and mothers, fet their hearts on nothing but title and fortune. As to love, daily examples thew you, they feldom wholly rely upon a husband. Ld. Court. We are upon no fecret, Mr. Barter. You cannot be a stranger to my treaty of marriage with Mifs Sprightly. Bart. If the girl was not fo great a fortune, methinks your lordship's love would appear fomewhat more dif interested. Sir Tho. I have quitted all my pretenfions to an employment; and did your lordship weigh the affair rightly, you would give up your's to a wife. ? An em ployment frequently runs you into every fashionable Ld. Court. She feeins to wait only for your approbation. Sir Tho. Excufe me, my lord-If I know her; fhe is not to be influenced, but by her own inclinations: What thofe are I could never find out; perhaps they may be at prefent to a title; after you have her, they may t |