gallantry-no, as you are fatigu'd, you shall have a horse; and hark'ye, a nice foft fide faddle!

Privilege (crofing him). Stand by, fir; this is some contrivance of Honoria's, but it shan't amuse me from my purpose; no, I'll inftantly pursue her : and for you, fir; dare not to follow me; dare not to affront a privileg'd man. [Exit.

Paul. Man! that's a good joke; as if nature ever meant fuch a thing as that, for one of my noble gender?-And as to her ftrutting and bluftering; does fhe think I don't know one fex from another? Pooh; go where the will, I'll go after her; and bring her before the Court, if it's only for a libel on the nation; for if it confifted of no better men than fhe is, we should be all Bond-ftreet beaus, men-milliners, butterflies, and jackadandies. [Exit.

SCENE-Infide of the Farm-Houfe, Stairs leading to a large dark-colour'd Door, a great Iron Chain across it, Chairs, Table with a Jug upon it.

Enter NIGHTSHADE and LAURETTA ST. ORME.

Nightshade. Aye aye, if you like retirement, this is the houfe for you. In the first place, you are never to stir out; and when I do, you are toexpect to be lock'd in.

Lauretta. Lock'd in, fir!

Nightshade. Ay: and you are not to write letters or receive any; and on no account to admit vifitors.

Lauretta. No, fir!

Nightshade. No-you are to fee nobody, but myself, a nurse, and another perfon: look at that door, that with the chain across it.

Lauretta. I fee, fir; you terrify me beyond defcription: let me go. Nightshade.

Nightshade. Nonfenfe !--'tisn't to imprison you; no, 'tis fecur'd in that manner for fecret purpofes; and, when affiftance is requir'd, you must be ready to afford it. And now, I've told you your employment, do as your predeceffor us'd to docome (fitting down and taking the jug), enliven me with a fong.

Lauretta (looking at the door with great agitation). Sir, I--

Nightshade, Nay, I am mafter here, and will not be refus'd-fing, I infift; it will amufe us all.

LAURETTA fings-NIGHTSHADE falls afleep.

SONG.

Once happy in a peaceful home,

Of Fortune's gifts I afk'd no other;
A prifon's now my father's docm;

And fay, oh fay, where art thou, mother!

If thou hast press'd a luckless bier

Of victims Death! Oh take another;

Or, if immur'd in cavern drear,

Boldly I'll fly to fave my mother.

(After the Jong, voice within.) Lauretta!
Lauretta. Ha! that voice!

(Voice within.) Help! help, Lauretta!

Lauretta. My mother, it is my mother's voice! (running towards door and beginning io unbar it). Nightshade (waking, starting up, and feeing her). Hold-Who bid you unbar the door?

Lauretta. Instinct, which impels the offspring to affift its parent! (LAURETTA throws back the chain, door opens and difcovers a dreary apartment, lamp banging in it; Mrs. ST. ORME falls in LauRETTA's arms.)

Nightshade (advancing to feize Mrs. ST. ORME). Stir not, fhe's my prifoner.

Enter

Enter HENRY SAPLING.

Henry (feizing NIGHTSHADE). And you're mine.-If taking prifoners be the plan, a British failor 'gainst the world, my boy.

Mrs. St. Orme. Lauretta! though thus difguis'd, I trace each well-known feature ;-and that bounteous power that long fince blefs'd me with returning health, reftor'd my harafs'd and difor-. der'd mind, now makes me feel the bleffing ten times o'er; for I behold and know my child again. Oh! I'm most grateful!-but that ftranger-is he not a foe ?.

Henry. Heaven forbid, Madam.

Lauretta. No, he's the best of friends, and will conduct you to my father.

Mrs. St. Orme. Your father!-Never! never! Lauretta. Never!

Mrs. St. Orme. No, his falfehood firft derang'd me; and that he fince has doom'd me to captivity, I have unanswerable proof-His letter; oh, his letter written to the late Sir Frederick, and fhewn me by Sir Edward's agent.

Lauretta. His letter!

Mrs. St. Orme. Aye, his;-I knew the once lov'd hand too well, and the indelible and cruel words can never be effac'd. "I charge you to confine her; if the efcape, my mifery is everlasting."--Oh! this from him! from him, the father of Lauretta!

Henry Sapling. Madam, my life on't, he is wrong'd.

Mrs. St. Orme. No, fir; this, with his falfehood, is fufficient proof; and I retort the accufation of derangement-the road to happiness is virtue; thofe who forfake it are the truly mad, and if this treatment of a doating wife be not infanity, 'tis worfe, 'tis vice, and I would rather pity than defpife him.

Henry.

Henry. I fay again, he's wrong'd; but this is. not a place for explanation; let me conduct you to fome fafer [pot.-And for you, Mr. Solitude-you fee that fpare room? fay too words and I'll fhut you there, with no food but your reflections; no company but your confcience; they were this fuffering lady's beft fupport-but if you were a navy, they'd fink you, hypocrite!

Enter THOMAS, in great hafte and agitation.
Thomas. Sir! fir! (whispering HENRY).
Henry. Come! arriv'd!

Thomas. Yes, fir-(whispering again).

Henry. At the door! in the low chariot with her Yorkshire coufin! and to catch me with two fuch lovely- -Oh, this will never do, I'll fneak and hide myself (letting go Mrs. Sг. ORME's hand), Lauretta. How! Do you hefitate? Will you at laft forfake us?Look! look on my mother.

Henry. I do and it's coming-I'm fcrewing myself up, I'm comparing my own paltry danger with fuch diftrefs as hers, and— your hand, ma'am, I'm ready for action!--But, at the fame time, there can be no harm in your flicking close, Thomas.

Nightshade, Hold, fir-none fir without my leave.

Henry. Your leave !that's a good joke-when I've made up my mind to engage a feventy-four, do you think I'm afraid of a common cock-boat? -go-go before I infift, fit; and tell the enemy, if they dare fight against two veffels fhipwreck'd and diftrefs'd, they must be cowards; and, fpite of coulins, cuffs, cordials and faintings, I'll convey both to harbour -1, Henry, the friend of them, of marriage, of Honoria! [Exeunt.

END OF THE THIRD ACT.

ACT IV.

SCENE.-An Apartment in Delauny HouseDoor in the Flat leading to a Bed-Chamber.

Enter PRIVILEGE.

Privilege. So I've got clear of him—I've at laft efcap'd him and his fide-faddles, and fubpœnas, and I begin to suspect his business now. It's a writ-he has got a writ againft me from fome curft taylor or other; and if I'm arrested at this moment, I lofe Honoria and her thirty thousand pounds; but she's fafe now; I'm fure to catch her before he catches me.-No-damme! here's the horrid brute again !-Where fhall I go? (tries oppofite ftage door.) This door's lock'd!-and yonder's Mrs. Sapling's bed-chamber-fhe's not in it though; or if he were, my character would there bring me off; but with lawyers and bailiffsfomehow I never could convince them I'm a privileg❜d man. [Exit into chamber

Enter PAUL POSTPONE time enough to fee him.

Paul. I fee you, my darling! I fee you; and fhould have come up with you fooner; only I ftop'd to look at a cricket match.-He! he! it's pretty sport; (Shewing money) and I fhould have won more on the runs, than these two guineas, only the dull dogs left off play to go to business. But now for it-(goes to the chamber door and tries to open it.)-Foolish little thing! as if that would fave her.-Holloa! there's the fubpoena under the door-that's a good fervice--and thus the iron