haps it is Lauretta? Pray, fir, is the lady very young? About fifteen, fir ?

Landlord. No, ma'am: fhe feems to be nearly thirty; but very handfome.

Honoria. And you are fure, quite fure, that it is Henry Sapling?

Landlord. Quite, ma'am.

Honoria. Come, madam, I'll go home, and do whatever you require of me, and cheerfully; for I'm happy, quite happy (bursting into tears); and I'll never think of the falle, falle Henry more.

Mrs. Sapling. Won't you? Poor girl! (weeping violently.) Oh barbarous, inconftant man! (going.)

Enter PAUL POSTPONE, meeting them.

Paul. Inconftant man! and in tears! youv'e heard then?

Mrs. Sapling. We have, fir: his falfehood is detected.

Paul. I thought fo. When I gave you my card, I fear'd you'd find him out; but there's this confolation-your damages will be greater than Arabella's.

Mrs. Sapling. My damages!

Paul. Aye; you are an amiable, deferted wife; but Arabella-

Mrs. Sapling. I a deferted wife! Peace, fir! and know 'tis Henry Sapling-'tis his nephew that-

Paul. His nephew! Pooh! that's very well to blind you, but that fort of cover won't do for me. No; and fince my reputation refts upon this case, and I'm tir'd of being libell'd for other people's blunders, I'll have him out, and prove――

Mrs. Sapling. Do, fir: convince yourself, and this distrustful girl, that Henry is this Arabella's fwain, and that my doating hufband, who never

wanders

wanders from my apron ftrings, and who is now at home waiting with anxious

Enter SAPLING from the Inn, frutting, and in a bunting Dress.

Mercy on me! here, in the inn! Speak, fir-how came you (Sapling peffes by her, and goes towards the wing.) Why, what are you doing?

Sapling. (pretending not to fee or hear her). William is my favourite ready?

Mrs. Sapling. What favourite? Heavens! furely you don't mean this creature, this Arabella?

Sapling. I do mean Arabella; and I avow itboaft of it. I have fecretly concealed her a long time; but now the fhall have more of my company. I'll go out with her every morning, vifit her every evening, keep her an additional fervant, have drawings, paintings, ftatues made of herin fhort, curfe me if I don't think I'll live with her. Mrs. Sapling. Aftonishing! live with her!

Sapling. Why not?-She will be careful of my neck, though he has no annuity upon it! And you, Honoria, you fhall alfo fhare my favour; and we'll return to the farm, and never more quit it for faithless, fickle, cru-(half crying). There ! I've fhewn my spirit. And now, come along, girl. Honoria. Thank Fortune! Henry's affection is confirmed.

Paul. Thank Fortune! my reputation is confirmed. And that Sir Edward may know of my fuccefs,-come, madam, I'll attend you to Delauny Houfe !-And, for this little gay deceiver, depend on't, we'll bring him on his knees.

Mrs. Sapling. Aye: he fhall fue in vain for pardon; and, for the reft-oh! I wish, with all my heart, my first hufband were alive.

Sapling. So do I, with all my foul; then you'd have finished him inftead of me. [Exeunt feverally.

SCENE-A Wood.

Enter HENRY, Mrs. ST. ORME, and LAURETTA. N. B. LAURETTA is in her ow nCloaths.

Mrs. St. Orme (to Henry). May Heaven unite you to Honoria-hearts fuch as yours can beft reward each other-but, to my purpofe; that you, my child, no more may fuffer by the frowns of fortune, first let me claim my loft hereditary rights, and then to feek abroad that happiness denied me

here.

Lauretta. Abroad!-You cannot; you will fee my father.

Mrs. St. Orme. No, he has deceiv'd me once, and may again confine me. Like you, I triumph in his late fuccefs, and wish my charges were as groundless as Sir Edward's-but no, his letter is decifive! and therefore come to Delauny House, and there we part, my child.

Lauretta. Part, mother!-Speak, intercede for me, fir.

Mrs. St. Orme. Yes; part, Lauretta! I to fome foreign clime, and you where duty and affection dictate-he has no crimes to you, and though I thus could cling for ever round you, I will not rob him of a treasure he deferves. No, he has accuftom'd me to forrow, and I can proudly with him happy, happy with his daughter.

Lauretta. Why, why won't you speak, fir?

Henry. I do, ma'am-don't you fee I'm speaking all the time? not with my tongue, that fticks to my mouth; but my eyes, my hands, my heart, are all speaking; and when a failor's on fhore I don't think it kind of his friends to be always foaking him in this manner with falt water.(Weeping.)-Befides, there's danger at Delauny

House.

Mrs.

Mrs. St. Orme. What danger, fir? the eftate is mine; I go to claim it for my child; and in fuch a caufe, fear can't affail me.-Come, and when you've found your friend, fpeak not of me; or, if you do, I will be filent and avoid him.-Oh yes; to him I'm ftill a coward; but to Sir Edward and his haughty friends, I'm firm as pride, maternal love, and confcious worth can make me.

[Exit with LAURETTA.

Henry. Indeed!-I wifh fhe'd fpare me a little of her firmness; for between her, and St. Orme, and Honoria, and another lady, I'm fairly flurried out of my fenfes.-Gad; I don't know which I think most of.-Yes I do, though; her ladyship's is the lasting impreffion! I fhall never forget her! and as a proof fhe won't forget me, look, here's her curft Yorkfhire champion.Zounds! once in these scrapes a man never gets out of them.

Enter ROBERT GRANGE.

Robert. Sir, your very humble fervant—I— I-Oh Lord! what will become of me? (burfts into tears.)

Henry. Peace, fir, none of your fham fenfibility.

Robert. Nay; it's all downright earnest now: for you mun know, I went to a lawyer about your cafting off Bell; and when I got back to the tavern, I found fhe had caft me off!-Yes, you fee the had a knack of never fainting properly, unless there was fomebody to look on; and fo fhe got blubbering at the window, and one Captain O'Sash faw her, and nodded, and-dear! dear! I can't contain myself.

Henry. No more can I-Go on, melodious meflenger-proceed, feraphic orator! Robert. One Captain O'Sah, I fay, nodded

and

and tript up ftairs; and foon after, Bell order'd the low chariot, and away they both went to a French foreign place call'd Tipperary-yes, Tipperaryand further, I'm forry i can't tell you.

Henry. And fo am I; for I could dwell for ever on that filver fweet ton'd voice-and for this friendly captain--Oh! bleffings on him! I'll go fee Honoria directly.

Robert. Od dang it! what, won't thee try to bring her back again?

Henry. No, curfe me if I do-and that you may not attempt fo rafh an act, here's money to drink them a pleasant journey.-(Exit ROBERT.)—And now for that delicious darling hope, a wife, firefide, children, pure domestic love. Oh, generous, noble captain!

May all his future days be gay and airy

In the fweet bowers of love and Tipperary. Thomas. Sir, I ax pardon; but, to avoid detection, and get time for escaping, I understand Farmer Nightshade has given out that Mrs. St. Orme is dead.

Henry. Dead!

Thomas. Yes, fir, and Sir Edward believes the report.

Henry. Indeed! let the plot thicken, then. Tell St. Orme, he'll find Lauretta at Delauny Houfe(Exit THOMAS.-And may he there again partake connubial joys.

Enter SAPLING.

Sapling. Connubial joys! That's right, Henry. Come and enjoy them.-Come and marry Honoria directly.

Henry. What! confent! let me have a wife at laft!

Sapling. Aye, being in for't myself, the more the merrier, I fay.

Henry.