ift Cred. No, not at all-we, lenders of money, do all our business in the dark. The fight of a man's hand. writing is enough for us-and, if we knew all our creditors, gad! we should have the most numerous and fafhionable acquaintance in London. --- 2d Cred. So we should and, as his new haunt is fomewhere hereabouts, fuppofe we keep a fharp look out. Huh! fomebody's coming-who knows-stand afide-(They go up stage--Tom remains concealed). Enter Doctor, muffled in a great coat. Doctor (in a low voice). Now for it-now for my experiment-and if, by means of this contrivance, I can lure her into my fnares,-(croffing stage)-Soft!(knocks at the door)-Oh! be propitious, fortune! Serv. (opening a window over the door) Who's there? Doctor. Why, don't you know? Are you near fight- Doctor. Yes, I'm the great Thomas Tick, Efquire. (Here the Tradesmen ftare at each other, and begin to move forward.) And, d'ye hear, tell Mils Georgiana, I and Mr. Leonard are waiting at the corner of the ftreet in a hackney coach, and beg to speak to her directly. Serv. Mr. Leonard with you! I warrant fhe'll come directly. [Exit from window. Doctor. Bravo! the day's my own! Poor Leonard! poor Tommy Tick! [Exit, walking on tip toe, and rubbing his hands. Tradesmen exeunt after him likewise, walking on tip-toe, chuckling and rubbing their hands. Tom (advancing). Ha! ha! poor ommy Tick!Dam'me, now he's taken the name, I hope he'll stick to it and I defy him to choose a more popular onefor fee what crowds he draws after him! No man living is more fought after-and if I were an actor, what what houses I fhou'd bring! But where-where will all this end? I'll peep-'Sdeath! Poft Obit is coming!Now, I'm down again-for, if he has met them, and, after all, the real Simon Pure fhould be detected Enter Poft Obit. Poft Obit. Here's pretty work! Mr. Tick, I'm aftonifh'd! Going out, I met Dr. Infallible, and he talks to me of your debts, and his own riches-And, coming home, I fee this fame monied man actually jump into a hackney coach to avoid a dozen duns!-And, after in vain denying his name, and trying other hocus-pocus arts to get rid of them, he bade the coachman drive for it, and away they all went after him, like so many bulldogs. Gad! I hope, with all my heart, they won't quit him till he has paid every fhilling-don't you, coufin? Tom. That I do, with all my foul, coufin. But enough of him, and his Radix Rheno. Have you seen your lawver? Poft Obit. I have-and the agreement, giving you the nomination of Georgiana's hufband, will be ready to fign this very night, and the will alfo. So, whilft I go reconcile her, do you inform your friend Tom. I will-and, from this hour, keep in mind the lordly caftle. Poft Obit. And do you keep in mind your ftate of health-don't ftand chilling in the night-air-Adieu !and, d'ye hear, take care, and keep off the attack in the shoulder, coufin. Tom. Thank ye, coufin. The Doctor has kept off that already. [Exeunt Poft Obit into the house. SCENE II.-An Apartment at Sir Herbert's, fript of its Furniture. Enter Lady Melmoth and Dame Shenkin. Dame. Come, come-why accufe and reproach yourfelf, my Lady, when Sir Herbert has forgiven and forgotten every thing? Lady Lady M. Yes; but can I forget? when, in each room of this once fplendid manfion, I trace the progress of extravagance and guilt?-when, in my husband's wan and frenzied look I read distrust and desperation?—You know not half the mifery I dread. Deferted by his friends, bankrupt in fortune, and in hope, may he not fly to felf-destruction for relief?-Nay, I have cause to think it And, now!-Why, wherefore does he not return? Dame. Be patient;-isn't he gone to borrow a small fum? and, fure, amidst so many wealthy friends Lady M. No; when winter comes, these fummer infects are beheld no more; and for your fake-yes; your's and poor Shenkin's forrows heighten mine-Oh! would I could relieve you. Dame. Nay, don't mind us, my Lady.-Had I a thought to fee you fo grieved, and fo diftrefs'd, I'd have died before I'd have applied for my fon's wages ;but we were in bitter want-out of place, and no means of fubfiftence. Lady M. And I the author of your ruin. I have not the power-merciful forgetfulness! come to my aid— befriend-compose me (throws berfelf in a chair weeping.) Dame. Poor Lady! fhe almost drives my own troubles out of my head-tho' to be fure, if my fon don't shortly get employment; and fome how, his fimple manners are against him-Alack go where he will, they difmifs,--and Shenkin (without). "Oh, the noble race of Shenkin.” (Singing). Dame. Blefs me! what noise is that? Shenkin. (without). "Oh the noble race of Shenkin." Enters in a new fuit of clothes. Mother! my tear, tear old mother! (embracing ber violently). Dame. Mercy on me! why, what's the matter?what Shenkin. (putting his hand before her mouth.) Stopdo not you put me out; look you! I did hear of a place at Dr. Infallible's, and fo I did go to his great house to offer and fo as I did ftand in the hall with the butler and the fervants laughing at me, the Dr. did push in with three or four companions, and being in a great hafte and buftle did order a fine fupper to revive him-and this did remind me of your wants, mother, and fo I did hold him by the arm, and fwear he shou’dn't ftir, till he did hear and relieve me; but instead of doing either, he did fay I was another of the villains, and did fend for a warrant, and then, the conftable did come, and then, he did read aloud the Doctor's defeription, and then, he! he!-give me another hug, mother. Dame. Why, the boy's wild, diftrac Shenkin. Stop you-do not you interrupt.-The conftable did read at full length the Doctor's name, and was going on, when, at one spring I did rush into the fupperToom. "Look you," faid I, "three questions, Doctor, before I be committed-Were you born at Abarathgwilly?" "Ha!" faid he,-" Have you a mole on your left breaft?""Heavens!" faid he" Is your Chriftian name Alcibiades ?" "Oh, ifs," faid he. "Then," faid I, you did rob an orchard, and are my brother-1 be little Caractacus ;-you loft Alcibiades-and pleffed pe Saint David you have brought your cotlings to such a good market."And then, for his own credit fake he did order me these beautiful clothes-And then, he did give me this beautiful gold watch, which did coft thirty guineas-And then, I did run to tell you-and then-Oh the noble race of Shenkin." (kiffing watch, and frutting.) Dame. Thank heaven for the joyous, welcome news! But how was it? Did you ask him how he got all these riches? Shenkin. Ifs-and there I did mistake. You do know, we did always fear he wou'dn't ftop with the pippins; and fo, when he did boast he had made his fortune by the coinage of his own brain, by Radix Rheno, I did think he faid, by coining ready rhino-and fo I did tell him: but come, he have ordered fupper for us alfo and 5! and the next time we do want eleven pounds, this little gentleman (kiffing watch) will pay it three times over mother. (finging). Dame. Stay, my fon-in our own good fortune, let us not forget the diftreffes of others (pointing to Lady Melmoth). Shenkin. Oh ho! what, the do begin to feel at last, do fhe?-Come Dame. For fhame! is this the way you bear profperity? Poor foul! the creditors have feized on all the has have left her nothing but the humble dress fhe wears. Shenkin. Inteed! Dame. Nothing-and we who've known fuch bitter want ourselves— Shenkin. Want! plefs my foul! my mistress, wife of a Pembrokeshire baronet, want-Look you-I've no more money than this poor half guinea, and take it! take it! while 'tis of its full value-for my fingers do wax fo hot and melting, that it will be ftew'd to a feven fhilling piece, before you can fay Dim Sarfenid. Dame. My child! ftill the fame generous heart. Shenkin. Ifs, and if I thought altering my drefs would alter my difpofition, I would walk ftraight to Aberathgwilly, climb up into the tall cherry tree, and change clothes with the fly old fcarecrow. But what will this small fum avail? Where are all their vifitors? their friends?Oh! I fee now-gone after the dinner tables-gone to leave cards at the next houfe their mahogany friends do put up at.-Let them-but let me fhew a different Come along, mother-I have it. [Lady Melmoth rifes and liftens. Dame. Dear! dear! what do you mean? Shenkin. Mean-to let this watch point out to my por Lady, hours, minutes, and feconds of peace, plenty, and happinefs-to change it into money, and give it all to her and never fay the rich are not happy for all the kids on all the mountains can't fkip more than my heart does at doing one fmall charitable action. [Exit with Dame. |