Sir H. (peeping out.) No Mrs. Gabriel yetfurely I heard fomebody-foft, I'll peep further. (Pufbes the door further open, and bits against the back of the chair.)-Not a foul. Damme! I'lt bear it no longer.-(Bangs open the door, and it hits violently against chair.-PRIMITIVE jumps out, and, unseen by SIR HARRY, gets behind the door to watch.)-Rather than be left alone, and endure this tedium, this inanity, I'll plunge into any fociety. As he is going)

Enter MRS. LACKBRAIN baftily.

Mrs. L. O, my dear Sir Harry! I've run myfelf out of breath; and I'm fo frightened, and fo faint-fo-1 fhall be able to fpeak in a moment

-there.

Sir H. What's the matter?

Mrs. L. Why, Gabriel was the perfon at the paddock-gate; knows I've an affignation in that dreffing-room: he's coming here to search; and if you're discovered, he'll find out that you were his affailant, and inftantly fight you.

(PRIMITIVE watching all the time.)

Sir H. Well, let him: damme! employment is the very thing I wanted.

Mrs. L. Nay, think of my reputation-my hopes with Mr. Primitive.-And, look! fee what. a tremendous cudgel he wields over his head.

Sir H. Gad! fo he does; and that may produce more employment than is neceffary: and fince E am unarmed, and your reputation is in danger, I tell you what I was before going; and, if you'l promife to befriend Marchmont, I'll fly so fast that time itfelf fhan't overtake me.

[Exit.

GABRIEL, finging and shaking cudgel.

Mrs. L. So, Sir, you think I've a lover here? but it's all a falfehood, Sir: and I should like to know if this is a return for fecuring Mr. Primitive's fortune, by my fcandalizing this Mrs. Belford?

Prim. (looking over door.) Scandalize her!

Gabr. You fecured! why 'twas I-'twas the fweet child of nature that

Mrs. L. Don't tell me, Sir; I fay it was my doing.

Gabr. And I fay it was mine: wasn't it my servant that made him believe cards of invitation figns of domeftic comfort; being up all night, a proof of early rifing? And didn't I convince old Hurlo-Thumbo that reeling was rural awkwardnefs; and the flush of claret, the rofy hue of health? -But enough of old Hurlo-Thumbo.

Prim. Hurlo-Thumbo!

Gabr. Now for the dreffing-room.

Mrs. L. O, pray do, Sir, pray fearch the dreffing-room.

Gabr. I will; and Jemmy Swagger fhall be nothing to it. But firft I'll lock the door, and then go bring coufin baronet to fee me perform fuch an operation.-Locks the door, leaving PRIMITIVE ftanding up in the chair; who taps him on the head.GABRIEL turns round, and they meet face to face.)

Enter MRS. BELFORD.

Prim. Your fervant, rural innocence !-your moft obedient, connubial love!

Gabr. What is it you, uncle?

Prim. Yes, it's old Hurlo-Thumbo.-For you, wronged, injured lady, (to MRS. B.) without pry

ing further into your hiftory, henceforth accept thofe favours I defigned for them; henceforth let me be a father to you.-And, d'ye hear, Sir? (to GABR.) if you expect to profit by my future. bounty, retire-retire, and repent.

Gabr. Well, we'll go, uncle.-And I begin to think I fhall repent; for I'm ftill fo much a child of nature as to feel forry for my behaviour to that lady I am indeed; for though my education has made me a fool, I think I'm not quite a knave :though my head is wrong, my heart is right; and I dare fay, when we're all fober, we fhall ftill be friends. [Exeunt GABR. and MRS. L. Prim. Pha! away with you!--Odfheart! town manners are to me unbearable, even in their proper fphere: but brought into the country; introduced into the calm, fequeftered vale !-Though I hope and trust the cafe is fingular; and, that the English cottage is, and ever will be, the seat of peace, induftry, and virtue. [Exit with MRS. B.

THE END OF THE FOURTH ACT.

ACT V.

SCENE-The Infide of CRAFTLY's Library, filled with Toys, Jewellery, &c. as Libraries are at Watering Places-a Raffling Table in the Centre.

Enter SIR HARRY from Door in Flat.

Sir H. So-'cis as poor Rofa expected. Craftly has the appointment of the new steward, and her father is again at his mercy. What's to be done? There is no way but to expofe him to Mr. Primitive. Gad, I'll try hard for it-I don't mind trouble. That (napping his fingers) for content, and the placid ftreams of life! give me love, and a little agreeable hot-water.

Enter PRIMITIVE and MRS. BELFORD.

Mrs. B. Alas! that is his fituation--a diftreffed author. By his pen he earns a fcanty pittance for himself and daughter; and for her fake I thus prefume to recommend him to the stewardship.

Sir H. (advancing to Prim.) And I prefume to back that recommendation? The gentleman at the Priory is a worthy man.

Prim. Why, that's true-and I certainly am much indebted to you for bumping me out of that chair, and I can't bear to deny my dear adopted any thing. But you should confider, my worthy friend, Craftly is the only perfon who, from his experience, can felect a proper steward for me;

F

and,

and, therefore, he must have the nomination.Nay, I am peremptory, Sir.-And now (to Mrs. BELFORD) let me congratulate you on your arrival from the dens of Arcadia at the feat of learning and rationality.

Sir H. Learning and rationality!

Prim. To be fure, Sir. What, with the works of deceased authors, and the fociety of living ones, I know no place more amufing and instructing than the house of a refpectable bookfeller-and fuch a one is Craftly! But let me look about me (puts on his spectacles). I'm told he has made great improvements fince I went abroad. Blefs me, what a noble room! And here (going towards the counters), what's here? Children's ridinghorfes, cricket bats, powder, pomatum, candlefticks, and tea-pots! Pfha! we've made a mistake. Come along-this is a toy-fhop-this can't be a library.

Sir H. Not a library! ha! ha!-that's good!What, I fuppofe, you thought Craftly dealt in

books?

Prim. To be fure. What elfe fhould he deal in?

Sir H. What? why, in raffling.

Prim. Now, what the devil is raffling?

Look, look at this

dice-box. Here!

rationality (throws

Sir H. Ha! ha! ha! He don't know what raffling is (goes up to the table). gaming-table. Behold this here's the feat of learning and dice).

Prim. Heaven defend me! And you call this raffling, do you?

Sir H. Yes; and trifling and infignificant as the fport may appear, I know no fpecies of gaming more fatal or pernicious. Mrs. Lackbrain is at once an inftance. She told me herself, that when

only