Sir H. (the bottle and glass still in his band.)— He ruled! pooh! he's his own master now-ar'n't you, Gabriel?

Gabr. (who has held of SIR HARRY's arm.)— Yes, I'm no longer a full-grown baby, or in leading-ftrings, or (Leaves SIR HARRY and advances, CRAFTLY comes up to him and frowns)—Yes, I am though. (Returns to SIR HARRY.) — Another bumper, or it's all over again.-(SIR HARRY fills, GABRIEL drinks.)

Craft. following GABRIEL.) What do you mean, Sir? dare you for a moment difpute my authority?

Sir H. (to GABRIEL, who finishes the glass.)— And now, inftead of feading Mr. Marchmont abroad, or to prifon, he bids me fay, That he not only releases him from the debt he owes him; but as to his guardian and his authority-Oh! damme, he don't care that for him (napping his fixgers).

Gabr. (Snapping bis.) No, I don't care that for you, old octavo.-(CRAFTLY advancing in a memacing attitude, GABRIEL runs bebind SIR HARRY, and speaks over bis frculder.)—I don't; I tell you I don't; and Mr. Marchmont is free; and now you're ramed in your turn.

Craft. Hear me, hear me, I command. Inftantly call up the bailiffs that are below ftairs, and order them to feize him, or by heaven

Sir H. Bailiffs below stairs !-Come along, friend Gabriel: you lay hold of Mr. Marchmont's arm, and conduct him through the myrmidons, and I'll take care of the lady: and, dye hear, bring the bottle along with you, and, once arrived at the Priory, we'll dria's feces to the tons of gealus, and confusion to those who oppress thea

Gabr. With all my heart. Here goes (fills a glass, and drinks); Success to myself, and confufion to those who opprefs me.

Craft. Death and fire! I'll go directly to Mrs. Lackbrain; I'll—

Enter JENKINS.

Jenk. I'm forry to be the bearer of unwelcome news; but feveral tradesmen are below, who have fent in large lots of furniture to the Cottage, and they infift on receiving their money directly.

Craft. Ay! I'm glad of that; now comes my triumph. Pay, husband, pay for your wife's fur

niture.

Jenk. No, Sir: they fay Mrs. Lackbrain is confiderably in debt; that the came down here on a matrimonial fpeculation; and therefore, as you ordered in the furniture in your own name, they look to you, and you alone, for payment.

Gabr. (Spitting out wine be had been drinking.) Icod! he'll peep through the iron bars before me, ha! ha!

Sir H. Yes, and he may call up the bailiffs to arreft himself now, ha! ha! ha! But lead on, and don't defpond, friend Gabriel,

Gabr. Not I: if I've got one troublesome companion by the bargain, I'm fure he has got a couple; and a man may by accident get rid of a wife, but the devil himself can't shake off John Doe and Richard Roe; icod! they'll stick to you. -And fo, thank ye kindly for the furniture, guardy. And now, brother genius, now for freedom and the Priory. [Exeunt.

THE END OF THE SECOND ACT.

D

ACT III.

SCENE-Outfide of Hotel and View of the Town.

Enter CRAFTLY and JONATHAN.

Craft. Arrived! my coufin Primitive, now in the hotel. Why, zounds! we didn't expect him home these fix weeks.

Jon. No, Sir; but the fleet failing fooner than was intended, and the wind being peculiarly favourable

Craft. Well, but how is he? and how are you, Jonathan? I'm heartily forry-that is, glad-that is-Death and fire! that he fhould arrive when one's fo perplexed and embarraffed!

Jon. My mafter is all joy and expectation, Sir for anxious to behold the new married couple, and the cottage, and the farm-he has talked of nothing elfe all the voyage-but you'll excuse me, Sir, I have a meffage to Mr. Clifford.'"

1

Craft. Clifford! why, what has your master to do with Clifford? ..

.

Jon. Why, Sir, his father, who refides in Jamaica, has appointed Mr. Primitive his guardian-the young gentleman is already apprized of the circumftance by letter, and I'm now going to request an interview-but fee-there is my mafter, after an absence of thirty years, you behold him come home to fhare bis fortune with the young couple. Craft. So I do. [Exit JONATHAN.

And

And as I mean to touch a third of his fortune, I must keep him in the dark about the young couple--yes; much as I deteft, I must not expose them-for, as the joke goes, if we don't hang together, by Heavens we shall hang separately.

Enter PRIMITIVE from the Hotel.

Welcome, my dear coufin-once more welcome to your native town. Why! you made hafte to get here. You did not stay long in London.

Prim. London! plague on the place, it's worfe than ever:-In point of heat, Jamaica's cool to it -in point of noife, a hurricane is filence to it

and for company and converfation, certainly the crew of the fhip I came in, runs it very hard indeed, coufin.

Craft. Ha! ha! ha! ftill devoted to a country life I fee.

Prim. Oh, yes-I think of nothing else-for there's the feat of purity and peace; and now for it, coz now for the darling theme-Gabriel's married I find.

: Craft. Yes, he's married.

(ighs afide).

- Prim. And to a woman of your chufing-to a fweet innocent foul, that's as much attached to rural life as her husband is.

Craft, Yes, as much as he is..!

Prim. And they're now at the cottage-and I am come in time for the honey-moon.-Oli, my dear coufin, this is all your doing!-you gave him a country education you taught him to manage the farm I purchased and now if I can but get rid of my old malady-If I can but forget my poor, poor daughter!

Craft-What! grieve for her when he has been dead these twelve years? and confider you scarcely

D 2

recollect

recollect her, for fhe was but a child-only eight years old when you fent her from Jamaica to a London boarding. school.

Prim. That's it-fending her to London was the caufe of all-There Marchmont faw her, eloped with her! Oh! if I had but brought her up in the country-But come-I'll do my best-only in the midst of my happiness, if now and then you fee a tear trickle down my cheek, you'll know it is for my loft, my wronged Louifa,

Enter JONATHAN and CLIFFORD.

Jon. Here's Mr. Clifford, Sir.

Prim. Well, Sir, have you read your good father's letter?

Clif. I have, Sir, and I find my income is not only to pass through your hands; but in cafe of my neglecting my ftudies, you have the power to withhold it altogether.

Prim. Even fo, Sir-your father has heard a bad account of you; he has been informed that in ftead of ftudying Law in your chambers, you are always idling and raking. And here-here's a proof of it-what brings you to this gay, diffipated place, Sir?

Clif. My phyficians prescribed it, Sir.

Prim. Your physicians, Sir?

Clif. Yes, Sir,-fatigue from ftudy, and the bad air of London, produced fuch a pain in my cheft. Prim. Pain in!-well come, that's not unlikely; for by the advertisements in the newspapers, the bad air of London affects every body's health. Faith, there is nothing going forward but lumbagos, nervofities, catarrhs, and imbecilities.

Craft. Piha, that's all an imposition—a trick of the quack doctors.