Then too fhe wou'd fain have the reputation of making her husband a cuckold, in imitation of - a hundred of the fine ladies of her acquaintance. Enter Fetch. Fetch. Mifs Friendless, my lady wants you this mo ment. Spright. Nay, you fhall not go, child; for, in the humour the is in; I know the wou'd ufe you like a dog. Fetch I dare not, madam, return without her.'Tis well for us that her humours are divided among her hufband and the whole family; for if they were to light upon one,where's the patience that could bear 'em? Spright. You know, Fetch, mifs Friendlefs hath always had her full fhare of her. Friendl. But, after all, mifs Sprightly, I must go. Enter Lady Willit and Lady Frankair. La. Willit. I knew they were together. You im pertinent flut, why did not you bring me an answer ? [To Fetch-Well, nifs, and does your aukward privy counsellor there, applaud you for being fo obstinately bent against your own intereft?-[To Sprightly.] Why is lord Courtlove thy averfion, girl?-Only because he is my friend. -Who haft thou in thy eye for her? [To Friendlefs.] -Depend upon it, that malicious creature intends to fell thee, child. [To Sprightly.] Spright. Let me have the honour and shame of my own actions ; for, like your ladyship, I am influenced by my own paffions only.I am as much averfe to advice as you can be: do all you can, you fee I take my own. La. Willit. Ah Jenny, Jenny, thou art a devil. Friendl. You wrong me, madam. -But gratitude keeps me filent; I dare not truft myself with a reply. La, Willit. That is to fay, you cou'd be faucy if you wou'd. Nay, I cannot be furpriz'd at the infolence of every one in the family, when my husband fets 'em an example. Spright. Does your ladyship never accuse yourself as well as other people? La. Willit. La. Willit. I don't want accufers, mifs Sprightly: I think that matter is but too evident.- -That fullen creature, [pointing to Friendlefs] lady Frankair, is a proof, that mischief is the only cunning of fools.What does the fellow want? Enter Humphrey. Humph. My mafter, madam ;-no offence I hope to your ladythip La. Willit. And didft thou think this a likely place to find him in ?-Thefe aukward country clowns think a man and his wife infeparable. Humph. Nay, madam, I am not so fond of ill words, for that matter, as to feek to talk to you great ladies. -Then too, I have liv'd fo long in a great family, that (as 'tis my duty) I leave my lady in the wrong whenever the pleases to be fo; no offence I hope, madam. [Going. La. Willit. This infufferable fool will eternally be talking-Who wants your mafter?-That that creature's mafter fhould be mine!-Why does not the fellow anfwer me ?-Who wants him? Humph. His uncle, madam, Mr. Barter, La. Willit. My husband too out of the way! never was any thing fo lucky-Lay hold of this opportunity, my dear lady Frankair.—Tell Mr. Barter, that I defire the favour of his company. [Exit Humphry.]Lady Frankair and I have bufinefs; fo you two may go together and rail at me.: -In a minute or two do you, Fetch, come and whifper me. [Exeunt Mifs Sprightly, Mifs Friendlefs and Fetch. Enter Mr. Barter. La. Willit. After I have given your ladyship a fufficient time to tempt him as a woman (don't think, lady. Frankair, that I fufpect your parts)I'll fend lord Courtlove to fecure your conqueit by what governs the world, Intereft.-Love alone will never do! men think as cooly, and as reasonably, child, upon these affairs as we.--Mr. Barter, your fervant. La. Frank. Business takes a man off from his friends fo immoderately, that one hath very feldom the plea fure fure of feeing you.- -Now, dear Mr. Barter, tell me fincerely; don't you at fome hours of the day, think of what is more entertaining?I can have no notion that a reasonable creature (as you are) can entirely lose himself in the city; for you should never perfuade me that fuch converfation can poffibly be agreeable. Bart. Why not agreeable? We have our affectations, our vanities, our follies, and our vices.- -We rail, we are civil, and laugh at one another with the fame familiarity and friendship as you do. Then too, as you laugh at us, we laugh at you; fo that we are never at a lofs for fomething diverting and ridiculous. [Fetch enters and whispers. La. Willit. You'll excufe me, madam-I beg your pardon, Mr. Barter: 'Tis an affair that cannot detain me long. You see I ufe you both without ceremony. [Exit. La. Frank. How cou'd you be fo provoking, as not to be at my laft affembly I hope you don't put me upon the foot of fending to you. Bart. You know, madam, I had been at one before; and my curiofity was fully anfwer'd-Every body was talking round me, and not a creature bad any thing to fay;-not a man or woman but what was in the hurry of bufinefs, and not one of 'em had any thing to do; till at laft I found all of thein worn down, and difpirited with one another's impertinence, except a few friends who were fecking to ruin each other at the gaming-table. La. Frank. But, dear Mr. Barter, how can you be fo fevere? 'Tis impoffible to enter into the diverfions of the place at once.-'Tis what one may call the exchange of love and gallantry; the tranfactions and bargains are fettled in the crowd, but the bufinefs is concluded in a tête a tête at their own houses.- -You may depend upon it, by its being fo much frequented, that it anfwers the men's and women's ends fome way or other. Bart. But I have no fchemes of that kind. Bart. Bart. At my time of life, madam, I shall not begin to make myself ridiculous. La. Frank. At my time of life!-When did you ever hear a woman make use of that expreflion ?-Are not you a man? beyond difpute you make yourself ten times as ridiculous by forgetting you are one. -Were you once fettled among us; I fee you have it about you to relish life.. -A woman is a better judge in this cafe than you are of yourself. Bart. I have not vanity enough to be work'd into a fool by flattery. La. Frank. How can you take a thing fo malicioufly? Bart Really, madam, one wou'd not choose to be an aukward fool!-the genteel follies and vices never fit eafy upon a man of bufinefs; the pretty fellows owe 'em entirely to education. La. Frank. Let me die, Mr. Barter, if I am not serious in this affair! fuppofe now, by my brother's marriage to mifs Sprightly (which I know your advice cou'd eafily bring about) our families were link'd in the fanie intereft; and that your nephew, by a confiderable employment, was oblig'd to refide in town, there might be things too worth your acceptance; and, pray, what objections cou'd you have to living among us? Bart. I am not afham'd of my profeffion, madam. La. Frank. But you must allow, that at our end of the town we live with greater elegance.Why is the pursuit of riches, but to attain ease and pleasure? Bart. I hate luxury and oftentation. La. Frank, To what purpofe have you wealth? wou'd you not enjoy it? Bart. I do Extravagance and profufion never enjoy'd it.-Befides, 'tis a life that I am unqualified for. I have the narrow ftinted genius of honesty and independance, and fhou'd but expofe my education by living within my fortune. La. Frank. But, dear Mr. Barter, after all (putting you out of the cafe) is it not monftroufly abfurd in your Nephew to fet himself against his own intereft ? To abandon a preferment that is thrown in his way How are families rais'd? ? Bart. Bart. They ought to be rais'd, madam, by indufry and honour. Enter lord Courtlove. La Frank. Dear brother, I am glad you are come to my affiftance.—I know you will think Mr. Barter prodigiously in the wrong. Ld. Court. Though I have as yet the misfortune to be very little known to him, I am fo well acquainted with his character, that I own myself partial to his opinions. La. Frank. I have been making down right court to him; and wou'd fain perfuade him to divide himself between business and pleasure, and live at our end of the town. Ld. Court. The life must unquestionably be more agreeable, and it might too be attended with its advantages. Bart. Luxury, neceffity, and dependance, are advantages inconfiftent with our way of life.Industry and commerce (however unfashionable) oblige us to œconomy and juftice; and (notwithstanding the politer examples of the world) our credit does ftill, in a great measure, depend upon our moral character. La. Frank We all know you city people get a prodigious deal of money; but still a merchant-there's fomething in that word that gives one an idea of—of— of I don't know what :- -In fhort we ladies have an unaccountable prejudice against you. Bart. Is the name then a term of reproach ?. Where is the profeffion that is fo honourable ?-What is it that fupports every individual of our country? "Tis commerce.On what depends the glory, the credit, the power of the nation ?- -On commerce.-To what does the crown itself owe its fplendor and digni-To commerce. To what owe you the revenue of your own half-ruin'd eftates? To commerce: and are you fo ungrateful then to treat the profeflion with contempt by which you are maintain'd? ty? Ld. Court. A city life, fifter, may be difagreeable to you fine ladies; but your's is not the opinion of all the people of fathion and quality. Bart. |