what can I do? where go? I'll fly-and-alas! my limbs will not fupport me.

Rofa. Nay, ftay. Why-why be afraid to fee him?

Mrs. B. True; why fhould innocence defcend to fear-and yet 'tis moft awful to encounter(trembling and looking towards the door). Ha! he comes-hide, hide me from his fight (pulls down her veil, and gets behind ROSA).

Enter MARCHMONT and CLIFFORD.

March. Look! look were fhe ftands, infufing poifon into the breaft of innocence !

Clif. Ay, that's fhe; and if you value your own or your daughter's honor, part them this inftant.

March. Rofa, fhame on you, girl, to countenance, and be corrupted by a stranger.

Mrs. B. Corrupted! I corrupt her! (afide.)

March. (to Mrs. BELFORD, who is still behind ROSA, with her veil down.) Mark me, Madam--You fee before you one who, though oppreffed by fortune, fcorns to infringe the laws of hofpitality, and willingly would fhare his laft fad pittance with the poor :--but when he's told by him whom he refpects-that you have ftolen to his houfe to fpoil and rob him of his only treasure, he muft, and will be anfwered. I am above condemning you unheard, therefore explain(Mrs. BELFORD fhews great agitation.) What! not a word? (pauses). Again I do entreat you-ftill filent! Nay, then we part-this is no fit afylum for you.

Mrs. B. Oh, mercy! mercy! [Exit. Clif. I'll follow her, and take this opportunity to bear her quietly to her home.

March. Be it fo,-but obferve me, Clifford as I have done my duty, you do yours:-though guilty, fhe is ftill an object of compaffion; and therefore, rather pity than reproach her. [Exit CLIFFORD. My daughter! (refting his head on her shoulder.) Rofa. My father! what have you done?

March. What I ought to do-saved my Rofa from difgrace;-and yet I know not why-poor woman! I feel as if I'd acted harshly towards her. Rofa. And well you may,, Sir; for, if I dare impart it, fhe was my mother's friend.

March. How!

Rofa. She knew her, loved her, and expreffed fuch admiration

March. Peace, I command you:-vile impoftrefs! this was an artifice fo bafe, that I no longer pity, but defpife her. Nay: not a word-Attend me to my ftudy.-She your mother's friend! Oh, fhe was all innocence and truth! And at this moment I fee her in thofe eyes-that form-thatbut what am I converfing on? where wandering? to my study-lead to my study. [Exeunt.

SCENE-A Room in the Hotel.

Enter PRIMITIVE, JONATHAN, aud WAITER.

Prim. There, there-this room will do, waiter, this room will do.

Wait. But I tell you, Sir, it is bespoken-and the hotel is fo cramm'd with company, I can't offer you another.

for

Prim. Call the landlord then; he'll find room an old acquaintance, I warrant.

1

Wait. Sir, my master's not at home-juft gone to the failing match, in his own yacht, with Mifs Laura Maria and Mifs Anna Matilda.

Prim. Mifs Laura Maria and Mifs Anna Matilda! and pray who the deuce are they?

Wait. My master's own daughters, Sir; as accomplished young ladies as any in the county,just come down from Rantipole-houfe Academy, near London, Sir.-But, Sir, this room belongs to Mr. Clifford.

Prim. Mr. Clifford -Oh, then you may gohe is my most intimate friend, and I'll anfwer for the confequences. [Exit WAITER. Why, Jonathan, this town is Londonized, quite turned upfide down;-when I left England, this hotel was an alehouse, and the landlord here a postboy-and now he goes to failing matches in his own yacht; fends his daughters to Rantipolehouse, and calls them Mifs Laura Maria and Mifs Anna Matilda! mercy on me! mercy on me!

Jon. Strange alterations, indeed, Sir:-but about your coufins. After fo long an abfence, I warrant they were all glad to see you.

Prim. Why, there again we are all metamorphofed, Jonathan. I found the alderman, who is now in his fixtieth year, learning to dance; and on my expreffing my aftonishment, he told me the dancing mafter owed him thirty pounds for foap and candles; and the debt being a bad one, his wife infifted he fhould take it out in leffons; and there he was-fa, sa, (mimicking) ha ha!

Jon. Ha! ha!

Prim. Then young Shiftly, whom I left a plodding lawyer, is now a fnug apothecary:-he fays phyfic is by far the finest trade going; for the women, bleffings on them! wear fuch thin dreffes,

that,

that, what with friendly fhowers and propitious eaft winds, the whole medical tribe get cloath'd by their nakednels! And I'm fure he speaks truth; for, when we landed, don't you remember, I was ashamed to look about me? Says I, "Fie, Jonathan, don't you fee the ladies are all in their "bathing dreffes; and if you peep at them, you'll"

-But, however, 'tis a curfed delicate fubject; and, upon my foul, fhocks my modefty only to talk on it.-Oh! would I were fafely perched at the fire-fide of the cottage.

Jon. Aye, that will make you amends; there you will witness no folly nor diffipation.-And what fay you, Sir? Suppofe I go and prepare for the morning?

Prim. Do, Jonathan; and d'ye hear, be stirring as early as five-but don't trouble yourself to call me. Joy and expectation will keep me awake[Exit JONATHAN.

Yes, there I fhall fit down content for life, and with the two unfophifticated cottagers, looking up to me as a father-Father! Píha! I can't bear the word-it reminds me of my poor dead-s'life! I can't bear that word either-Plague on't, why did fhe die? What right had fhe to leave me, who never wrong'd her-didn't I tho'? Because she married the man of her heart, didn't I, like an old worldly favage, defert, abandon-I'll tell you what-don't you talk of the vices of mankind, Mr. Primitive; by Heaven, you're as great a profligate as any of them (tamping of feet is beard without). Heh! what's that noife? (looks out) As I live, a man bearing a woman in his arms! another cousin, I fuppofe.-I'll observe (retires up Stage).

Enter CLIFFORD with Mrs. BELFORD.

Clif. There-reft there awhile (placing her in a chair). Nay, nay; refiftance is in vain, the landlord and all his fervants are at my difpofal; (locks door, and puts the key into his pocket;) and in the morning we'll take a pleasant fail to Lifbon.

Mrs. B. Oh! for mercy! you know not whom you force me from!

Clif. Nay, nay; 'tis all for your advantage: but as 'tis neceffary to make inftant preparations for our voyage, I must to my chamber, and get money and other articles; now don't be uneafy, 'tis all for your happiness, I affure you. [Exit. Prim. (advances, not feen by Mrs. B.) So this is one way of curing the pain in the cheft!

Mrs. B. Heavens! but a few short minutes past I was in fight of all that's dear to me on earth-of Rofa, and yes, I am weak enough to own itof Rofa and her father. Where am I now?imprisoned by a villain! on the point of being forced to a foreign country! without hope, without friends!

Prim. No, not without friends-you fee one before you.

Mrs. B. Away-you're a confederate with this vile feducer.

Prim. I a confederate! I a feducer! Blefs you, only look at these wrinkles (pointing to his face); and if that does not fatisfy you, feel if a feducer ever poffeffed this, a heart that beats and fympathizes for the diftreffes of a woman.

Mrs. B. It does. And now I look again, I think, oh, yes! I'm fure you will not add to my afflictions.