Sir Sol. Not I. I've been as great a fool as any of you. I thought Mrs. Rigid a divinity: but I've found out she's a woman! Veritas has converted me. I'm a fair penitent now, Howard! Mandeville, you have deserved better treatment; give me your hand-George, give me yours.— And now, my little fellow-traveller, give me the kiss we talked of-No: hang it! 'twill be only distressing you.

Howard. Nay, Sir Solomon; if it will give you any pleasure, I'm sure it will give me no pain.

Sir Sol. Arch rogue! Now, I'll take it by proxy, on purpose to be revenged. There, George, try how you can bear it. (Howard kisses Albina.) So, does it give you much pain? Well, what say you, Mr. Mandeville?- How shall we punish these two culprits? Shall we inflict matrimony, or separation?

Howard. Oh! matrimony, by all means! Don't you think so, Sir? (To Mandeville.)

Mand. I do, indeed. The day that gives Albina such a husband, and makes me father of such a son as Howard, must be the proudest and happiest of my life.

Sir Sol. Say you so? Then take her, George; and if the marriage state can afford happinessHowever, we won't talk of impossibilities.

Howard. Now, Albina, will you ever talk of Cicely again?

Albina. Will you ever call me Becky again? Howard. Becky!

Albina. If you do, I'll make you a companion to the wild goose in the cottage.

"I hope your

lungs are better, Sir?" (Reminding him by her voice and attitude.)

Howard. What! were you Bobadil! Were you the little smart, well-made lieutenant?

Albina. I was young Herbert, Sir; and I bless the disguise, not only for convincing me of the sincerity of my lover, but also for introducing me to my father—I hope you don't blame me, Sir. (To Mandeville.)

Sir Sol. He blame you! No: Howard has most reason. What will your husband say to your strutting about in boy's clothes?

Howard. Say! that I wish all women would wear the breeches before marriage, instead of afterwards.

Copsley. Oh, Madam! how shall I thank you? You have saved me and my family from ruin. Cicely. You have, Madam! and we are all gratitude.

Albina. This is your benefactor: you are to thank my father, not me. If you wish to do me a favor why, there is one

Cicely. Oh, name it, Madam! name it!

Albina. Why, it rather concerns Sir Solomon than myself. Pray be kind enough to have the old curtain repaired, lest he should again wish to take cover behind it. And likewise, do send me some of the straw -I mean to be married in a straw hat and I'll have one manufactured out of Sir Solomon's stubble!

Howard. One! We'll have a dozen! And our children shall wear them, in honor of their great-uncle's gallantry!

Sir Sol. Gallantry! Psha! I've something better to think of than women.

Howard. Indeed you have not. Come, come, Uncle-rail at the sex as much as you like, you must confess, that life is a blank without them;

Sir Sol. Not I. I've been as great a fool as any of you. I thought Mrs. Rigid a divinity: but I've found out she's a woman! Veritas has converted me. I'm a fair penitent now, Howard! Mandeville, you have deserved better treatment; give me your hand-George, give me yours. And now, my little fellow-traveller, give me the kiss we talked of-No: hang it! 'twill be only distressing you.

Howard. Nay, Sir Solomon; if it will give you any pleasure, I'm sure it will give me no pain.

Sir Sol. Arch rogue! Now, I'll take it by proxy, on purpose to be revenged. There, George, try how you can bear it. (Howard kisses Albina.) So, does it give you much pain? Well, what say you, Mr. Mandeville? How shall we punish these two culprits? Shall we inflict matrimony, or separation?

Howard. Oh! matrimony, by all means! Don't you think so, Sir? (To Mandeville.)

Mand. I do, indeed. The day that gives Albina such a husband, and makes me father of such a son as Howard, must be the proudest and happiest of my life.

Sir Sol. Say you so? Then take her, George; and if the marriage state can afford happinessHowever, we won't talk of impossibilities.

Howard. Now, Albina, will you ever talk of Cicely again?

Albina. Will you ever call me Becky again?
Howard. Becky!

Albina. If you do, I'll make you a companion to the wild goose in the cottage.

"I hope your

lungs are better, Sir?" (Reminding him by her voice and attitude.)

(

>

Howard. What! were you Bobadil! Were you the little smart, well-made lieutenant?

Albina. I was young Herbert, Sir; and I bless the disguise, not only for convincing me of the sincerity of my lover, but also for introducing me to my father-I hope you don't blame me, Sir. (To Mandeville.)

Sir Sol. He blame you! No: Howard has most reason. What will your husband say to your strutting about in boy's clothes?

Howard. Say! that I wish all women would wear the breeches before marriage, instead of afterwards.

Copsley. Oh, Madam! how shall I thank you? You have saved me and my family from ruin. Cicely. You have, Madam! and we are all gratitude.

Albina. This is your benefactor: you are to thank my father, not me. If you wish to do me a favor why, there is one

Cicely. Oh, name it, Madam! name it!

Albina. Why, it rather concerns Sir Solomon than myself. Pray be kind enough to have the old curtain repaired, lest he should again wish to take cover behind it. And likewise, do send me some of the straw - I mean to be married in a straw hat-and I'll have one manufactured out of Sir Solomon's stubble!

Howard. One! We'll have a dozen! And our children shall wear them, in honor of their great-uncle's gallantry!

Sir Sol. Gallantry! Psha! I've something better to think of than women.

Howard. Indeed you have not. Come, come, Uncle-rail at the sex as much as you like, you must confess, that life is a blank without them;

Sir Sol. Not I. I've been as great a fool as any of you. I thought Mrs. Rigid a divinity: but I've found out she's a woman! Veritas has converted me. I'm a fair penitent now, Howard! Mandeville, you have deserved better treatment; give me your hand-George, give me yours.And now, my little fellow-traveller, give me the kiss we talked of-No: hang it! 'twill be only distressing you.

Howard. Nay, Sir Solomon; if it will give you any pleasure, I'm sure it will give me no pain.

Sir Sol. Arch rogue! Now, I'll take it by proxy, on purpose to be revenged. There, George, try how you can bear it. (Howard kisses Albina.) So, does it give you much pain? Well, what say you, Mr. Mandeville? How shall we

punish these two culprits? Shall we inflict matrimony, or separation?

Howard. Oh! matrimony, by all means! Don't you think so, Sir? (To Mandeville.)

Mand. I do, indeed. The day that gives Albina such a husband, and makes me father of such a son as Howard, must be the proudest and happiest of my life.

Sir Sol. Say you so? Then take her, George; and if the marriage state can afford happinessHowever, we won't talk of impossibilities.

Howard. Now, Albina, will you ever talk of Cicely again?

Albina. Will you ever call me Becky again? Howard. Becky!

Albina. If you do, I'll make you a companion to the wild goose in the cottage. "I hope your lungs are better, Sir?" (Reminding him by her voice and attitude.)