Georgiana. And if he would, do you think I'd fuffer him! No, Sir-I have fufficiently involv'd him-and not for the world fhall he a fecond time oppofe his father therefore your triumph is complete; for till you confent, Leonard is loft to Georgiana. Poft Obit. Then he is loft for ever.And now for my unknown coufin, the great Thomas Tick, Elquire;-now to look out my letter of recommendation; and then for a will without a difappointment-But, plague on it how shall 1 find him out? Do you know that London is fuch a confus'd scene, that I can't tell one street, place, or house, from another? Georgiana. Indeed, Sir! Poft Obit. No-to me they are all alike-and, yefterday morning, I faw no more difference in the bulls and bears in the Stock Exchange, and the lions and tygers in Exeter Exchange, than I did yesterday evening between the wranglers for fish at a lady's card party, and the criers of the fame article at Billingfgate.-But keep up your fpirits; and while I go to Mr. Tick, remember, in this houfe you're fafe from all lovers, but the one who will leave me a thumping legacy. [Exit, Georgiana. And this is the afylum he affords methis the protection I fo long implored! But whither can! I go? Return to Melmoth Houfe is hopeless-is impoffible; and to apply to Leonard-No, no, turn not a thought that way. Lady Melmoth (without). Let me pass-I must and will fee her (Lady Melmoth enters) Georgiana! Georgiana. My cousin! (pa tly turning from her). Lady M. Nay; it is not now, the gay and haughty Lady Meimoth that addreffes you, but a poor penitent, who fees her errors are beyond all pardon-not you alone and Leonard, are the victims of my folly-noan indulgent husband— Georgiana. What! the dreaded hour is come! Lady M. Even fo-the house, fo lately decorated with all that art and fancy could fuggeft, is now one naked ruin -All, all is feized-not e'en a bed is left to yield repofe to him, who, till he knew a diffipated wife, ne'er felt the lofs of it. And yet, he forgives the wretch, who, from the heighth of fortune and of fame-Oh, that he had but cenfured and reproached me!-It is his kindness cuts me to the heart. Georgiana. Be pacified: Leonard will now come forth to fuccour and preserve him. Lady M. No-his father will not hear him named, and vows to welcome ruin, ere ask of him affiftance. Befiues, it feems that Malcour has the ear of Leonard, and that he liftens to the flanderous tale of that vain, boasting, and unfeeling man-when, Heaven's my witness! till yesterday I thought him ftill my friend-but when he openly avowed his love, I fcorn'd his bold, prefumptuous offers, and had proclaim'd him to the world, but that I prized my husband's life beyond a villain's fhame. Georgiana. Oh yes! my life upon your innocence: and, could I talk with Leonard-but, by my guardian's orders, we are for ever parted. Lady M. This I had heard, and therefore came to tell you that Sir Herbert and myself mean to feek out fome distant and fequeftered fpot.-Come, go with us. He'll bury in oblivion all that's paft, and I, repentant, and reclaim'd Georgiana. No-let me stay here; and if my guardian will relax, and his confent be gained, Leonard may still be mine-and then I'll join you in retirement.-And now return to him who anxioufly expects you. Oh, may you be happy, coufin. Lady M. And may the hour be not far off when this confent is gain'd-till then farewell-and fure I must be happier than I have been-for I know not why, but the forc'd smile of diffipation ne'er yielded half the joy these tears of penitence afford. Georgiana. No; because their fountain is the heart; and nature bids them flow to moiften and revive thofe feeds of virtue, long deadened in the heated foil of error and of fashion. Farewell! and to reward a generous hufband's love, be henceforth Ellen Arundel, the child of feeling and fimplicity. SCENE SCENE III.—The Street. Outfide of Poft Obit's House. Leonard and Tom Tick discovered near the Door. Leonard You fee my fears were right. I am denied ad nitrance to Poft Obit's houfe; and if you are serious in your offer to affift your old school-fellow and college friend, now, now is the moment. Tom. My dear fellow, afk me to fhoot the guardian, burn the noufe, fly away with the girl-in fhort afk me to do any thing, but lend you money, and Tom Tick's refponfible. Leonard. Then, obferve-I'm now call'd away to watch over the fate of my father: his diffipated wife has not only ruin'd him in fortune, but in love; and her attachment to Malcour shall convince him of his errortherefore, whilft I feek him, do you get fight of Georgiana, as a perfon unknown to her guardian. Tom. I may gain admiffion, and wheedle him out of his confent. Leonard. That hope is vain. No longer influenced by my father, he will indulge his hatred to our family; and Georgiana is too proud to be Sir Herbert's daughter, without a fortune to fupport her; but if you'll tell her that the time may come, and that I ftill adoreftill Tom. Go along-I'm used to flourishing fpeechesI practise them every day for my duns, and ere next we meet, I'll lay you all I'm worth-no, that's a bub ble bet; I'll lay you all I owe, that I fecure the prize. Enter Dr. Infallible behind; Seeing Tom, he stops and liftens. Leonard. Kind, generous fellow! you'll find me at our friend Malcour's.. But, remember, there are rivals as well as guardians to contend with, particularly one Dr. Infallible. Tom. He! that rascal one of her lovers! Oho! then I've a double motive for ferving you; and I'll fee you married to Georgiana, if it is only to out-quack that Rhadix Rheno mountebank.-So away--go to your father, and let me commence operations. Leonard. Adieu! fuccefs attend you-and if I could but defcribe to you how much I feel indebted Tom. And if you can't, I know very well what it is to be indebted, without troubling you or any man to explain it. (Exit Leonard.] And, now, take notice, my little Doctor. Doctor (meeting him.) And the little Doctor does take notice, you fee. And after my advancing you fuch large fums of money, how dare you Tom. And after my advancing you to your prefent fituation, how dare you refufe me more money, Sir? Doctor. You advance me! Zounds, Sir, 'twas genius, application. Tom. No, Sir, 'twas puffing, advertiging! didn't I, at your own defire, infert a letter in all the newspapers, dated Monmouth, tho' I never was there in my life; ftating, I had been worn to a skeleton with a confirm'd ophondria; tho' I don't know what the diforder means? and that, as a laft hope, I flew to your immortal medicine; when, wonderful to tell! and, joy to my dif confolate friends! the firft glafs warm'd the vifcera, the fecond brac'd the nerves, the third enliven'd and electrified the whole fyftem? And fo far I fpoke truth-to do you justice, Radix Rheno is a delicious dram; and after half a botte, I never was fo jollily drunk in all my days. Doctor. Dram! call my Radix Rheno a -fire and fury! if it were, who do you suppose wou'd take it? Tom. Who? afk the ladies. Doctor. Pha! all fcurrilous alike-and long-long before I knew you, I made as much noite as any medical man in London. Tom. I can't tell whether you made a noife; but I know your patients did:And if by accident your name was feen at the bottom of a prefcription, why, 'twas like my my name at the bottom of a note-dam'me, nobody took it. you. Doctor. No matter, Sir-I laugh at you, and defy And to prevent your effecting a marriage between Leonard and Georgiana, by impofing on Poft Obit, I'll go directly, and lay a train to expofe you. I'll inform him of your debts, of your keeping the caftle inn on the north road, of your whole family being compos'd Tom. I grant it. My father, uncle, and grandfather, were all innkeepers; and I fee, I fee your freaking motive for traducing them.-They lower'd the market; for they called drams, drams; and at a tenth part your profit, fold Radix Rheno under its proper name, Britifh fpirit. But to battle,—for I'm on fire till the war begins. Doctor. And fo am I-for I'm fecure of victory ;and dub me coward, if Georgiana be not ftill the Doctor's. Tom. And dub me coward, if the be not Leonard's. (Exit Doctor.) And, now to found the trumpet of defiance,-now to rap that little knocker-and, then, infpir'd by gallantry and friendship- [Going to door. Enter Poft Obit from the boufe, meeting Tom. Your fervant, Sir, your fervant-but as thefe lodgings are to be let, and I'm in hafte to look at them-(croffes Poft Obit, who pulls him back by the coat.) Poft Obit. Softly-not fo faft, if you please, my young fpark.-No man enters that house till I know his name and bufinefs; and you, Sir Tom. And I, Sir! my name is Tom Tick, Sir. Poft Obit. What! Thomas Tick, Efquire, of the north! Tom. To be fure-I'm of the north! Tom. To be fure, I'm owner of the caftle. Poft Obit. Ten thouland pardons. You are the very gentleman I was going to, my dear Sir. (pulling off his bat, and bowing with great humility.) I've brought this letter |