Enter Sir PAUL PERPETUAL, (haftily.)

Sir Paul. So far, I'm fafe, my dear girl; you don't know what your poor guardian has fuffer'd in this high-no-this low-lif'd houfe !theyforc'd me into a room full of buffoons, boxers, and blacklegs-made me drink a bowl of punch, and I'd as foon drink fo much poifon--then winking and nodding they began whispering pretty loudly" fmoke the old prig!-damme, quiz him!"

Clara. Quiz him!-what's that, Guardy?

Sir Paul. Why, with our young men of quality, quizzing is a fubftitute for wit, my dear; fo one man challeng'd me to play on the violin, and when I rofe to move my elbows, another whip'd the chair from under me; a fecond put hot coals into my pocket, fo when I felt for my hankerchief, I burnt my fingers; a third tried to cut off my tail, but that affaffin 1 pursued, when unluckily in ruhning after him, they had tied a ftring across the stairs, and I pitch'd head foremost into a barrel of water, they had placed for the purpose.

Clara. Indeed, its quite terrible, Gaurdy.

Sir Paul. Then they fhew'd me a license; brought me a fat parfon, and faid, if I'd inftantly be married, they'd let me go to find my fon-if not, I fhould be lock'd in, and have plenty of it-now here's hofpitality!-but they've overfhot the mark; and if I get out of their doors, I'll not only break off the match, but promife to befriend Darnley.

Clara. What! difappoint LadySarah, and relieve my poor diftreffed friend-then I'll get you out

of

of the house-I will, if I'm quizz'd to death for it-You fee that door-if he meets Darnley, he'll at least interrupt the affignation.

Sir Paul. Secure my escape-only get me out of this den of favages, and, if I don't befriend Darnley, may I never live to fee old age. Where does that door lead to?

Clara. I fancy to Lady Sarah's dreffing room; for it is full of half boots, horfe great coats, military fashes, helmet caps, and amazonian jackets and this is your only way to escape-enter

that room.

Sir Paul. Yes

Clara. Put on one of Lady Sarah Savage's great coats, tie one of her fafhes round your waift-throw a fur tippet about your neck, and with a whip in your hand, and her driving hat on your head

Sir Paul. I underftand-the fervants will take me for their mistress, and open the gates; Oh! you dear girl! (kisses her.)-I'll about it inftantly-(opens the door in flat.) I fay, Clara, the hounds below are unkennel'd; they have ftarted me for game, and after keeping them at bay, by fouling in a flood of water, I take to cover; that is, I put on Lady Sarah Savage's cloathes to avoid paffing for a wild beast; mum! (enters the room.)

Clara. If he does but get out of the house, the marriage is broken off and Darnley made happy.

Lady Sarah Savage (without.) I'm at home to nobody but Mr. Darnley.

Clara. (Going to the door.) We're undone, un'd; ftay where you are; here's Lady Sarah. Sir Paul. (putting his head out)-The devil!

Clara.

Clara. Huh! lock yourself in, and don't ftir till I tap at the door, or ftop-stop-left the or fomebody elfe fhould tap, don't open it till I give you a fignal-let me fee; what shall be the watchword? Oh, " quizzing," you won't forget" quizzing," Guardy.

Sir Paul. No-I fhall remember it these fifty years; fo when I hear the word " quizzing," out I come, and-foftly-here fhe is (utting bimfelf in.)

Enter Lady SARAH, with pocket-book and tickets in her band.

Lady Sarah. (Speaking as she enters.) Tell my dear Signor, I fhall get rid of all these benefit tickets; heh! (taking out her Spying glass.)—what young creature's this?

Clara. How d'ye do again ma'am?

Lady Sarah. Again! you're vaftly forward child; I never faw you before.

Clara. No ma'am ! that's very ftrange; you faw me this morning at Mr. Darnley's, and invited me to your house.

Lady Sarah. Oh, ay: now I recollect; you must excufe me; we people of rank are fo very abfent; we're extremely intimate with a perfon in the morning, and don't know them at night; well! I'm vaftly glad to fee you; but you mustn't stay here, I'm engaged child.

Clara. I shan't intrude, ma'am-good day. Lady Sarah. Adieu! ftop-stop-I forgot; give me two guineas.

Clara. Two guineas, ma'am !

Lady Sarah. Yes: for these tickets; they're for the Signor's wife's benefit at Bath next Mon

day,

day, the whole town will be there-nay, I shall attend-I'd make you take more, but as you'll have to pay card money bye and bye, it would be asking you to one's house absolutely to make a bargain of you! (Clara gives the two guineas.) there you may go.

Clara. A bargain indeed! and a bad one too: for if I was mean enough to make money by my guefts, would I lay it out on foreigners who loll in carriages? no-not while fo many of our gallant foldiers and failors have only wooden limbs to stand on! (half afide.) I am gone, ma'am, (curtfeying.) and now may Darnley get out of the fcrape-Sir Paul get out of the house-and fhe and her brother knock their ftupid heads together.

[Exit.

Lady Sarah. I fuppofe this filly creature has interrupted the charming Mr. Darnley, and he has ftept into my dreffing room-(goes to the door and finds it faften'd.)-lock'd infide-it muft be fo-(liftens)-I declare I hear him moving; The liftens again)-he fighs!-poor man! (he Speaks loudly.)-don't be dejected, my dear fir; when I'm married to that old tottering beau, Sir Paul, I'll think of nothing but you. So come, Mr. Darnley, (Enter Mrs. Darnley,) come my fweet Mr. Darnley.

Mrs. Darnley. Can it be poffible?—then all's confirm'd madam, when I am convinced that my husband-that Mr. Darnley has been decoyed into that room.

Lady Sarah. (Spying at her.) Blefs me!-its Mrs. Darnley!-this is a little aukward-however I'll foon talk her out of it, (afide.) Don't be uneafy, my dear-thefe fashionable intrigues are

very harmless, I'll affure you, and if you had had my free and liberal education-but poor thing! I fuppofe you were fent to fchool for inftruction. Mr. Darnley. To fchool! as certainly ma'amLady Sarah. There it is then: for what could you learn! only to fing well enough to fpoil converfation-to play on the harpsichord, fo as to give papa, mama, and the whole family an afternoon's nap-to dance fo aukwardly as to be always out of tune and place; and to speak juft French enough, to make you forget English; this is a boarding school education-But I my dear

Mrs. Darnley. Hear me, madam! when I first faw you, I was the happieft of women-I had a hufband who lov'd and honour'd me-who doated on his children, and knew no pleasure but in his family and now how fevere is the reverfe! you have robb'd me of that treafure, feduc'd it from my heart, and I return to a melancholy home, without a friend for my own diftreffes, or a father for my children!

Lady Sarah. And how can I help it ?-didn'tI mean to do you both a fervice by introducing you to the great world?

Mrs. Darnley. Great world!-there again, madam!-when I enter'd this houfe, I expected from the exalted rank of its owner to have been furrounded with kindness, elegance, and hofpitality!-but I find that high birth doesn't create high breeding, nor am I, because humbly born, lefs likely to fet a polifh'd example than yourself-Oh Darnley! why will you not come forth and fave your once lov'd wife from agonies too great to bear.

Enter