the key, (taking it from the wall) I'll have my share. (opens the door.)

Enter Mrs. Aubrey.

Madam, (bowing) you're welcome to our villa, (Smiling and putting up his chitterlin).

Mrs. Aub. Your villa! no poor evafion, firWhere is the owner of this mifcalled Hermitage? who lured me to that fecret room, and then, unknown to me, fecured the door.

O. Doric. Hermitage! (alarmed and looking about) Mrs. Aub. Aye, where is the artful Miss Stoic? But, to my joy, Major Tornado comes-and in fo right a caufe

O. Doric. Major! what, that old fiery, bully, loving-(looks out) oh! ho! talk of the right caufe, dam'me, I'm in the wrong box, and that rafcal, Jack, has fhoved me in the lion's den, without a partner to share half the mawling.

Miss Stoic (without.) Nay, brother, 'twas your fottish fervant's fault.

Major (without). S'blood! fifter, I'll play the devil.

O. Doric. There! he'll play the devil! Not that I am afraid of a whole troop of Majors. Major (without). Granted!

O, Doric. Oh, lord; he's here!

[Exit haftily into door in back scene.

Enter Major Tornado and Mifs Stoic.

Major. Granted-'tis no fault of your's, fif ter'; and Olivia is by this time fafe at the concert; but, much as I'm prepar'd for rural fports, to mifs her, and to mifs my chariot; and after walking home thro' rain and dirt, to find my fervants all laid flat with that arcadian leveller called ale

Mrs. Aub. Where is Olivia, Sir?

Mifs Stoic. (afide, and much agitated) How! Major. Why, more ruftic blifs! Mrs. Aubrey! the chaife was fractured in a chrystal stream

Mrs. Aubrey. I'll not believe it-no; why was I made a prifoner, madam? why thus confinedMifs Stoic. Confined! brother, 'tis well philofophy has steel'd my mind.

Mrs. Aubrey. Philofophy! oh! when its fource is virtue and strong fenfe, no fyftem is more noble; but made the veil for worldly and ambitious views, 'tis a perverted term, and tho' it preach in faintlike language, it means, or leads to danger and deftruction.

Major. Nay, when the world's fo guilty, is there no merit in avoiding it?

Mrs. Aubrey. No; for if it be as mifanthropes defcribe, let them remain, and help to correct its guilt, nor cowardly forfake what true philofophy might vanquish; but 'tis in vain-I fee the triumphs, where I hoped to please; and fince my heart forebodes new danger to Olivia, alcne, once more I'll fuccour and protect her.

Mifs Stoic. Protect! brother, they're leagued to rob me of your friendship; and this falfe ftory of confinement well correfponds with their affociate's tale of love, respect and Seraphina.

Major. Affociate! he! that old builder, who fhall find I am the real Rollo Furioso (shaking his Stick). Madam, my fifter's honour (noife within of fomething falling) why, what's that noife, and in your fanctum fanctorum? Oh ho! (going hastily towards the door.)

Mifs Stoic. Hold! dare not approach that hallowed ground. (holding Major.)

Major. Zounds! I will murder-(breaking from her, and getting near the door; O. Doric rushes out.)

O. Dor.

O. Doric. Don't-I afk pardon-and if you think I can defend that lady-(pointing to Mifs Stoic.) Quite the contrary.

Mifs Stoic. Sir, I infift

-(going)

[Exit.

Major. Sifter, one word-confefs-impart where I can find Olivia; and if I can forget

Mifs Stoic. Go, afk the real culprits-afk of Sir Edward and his vile dependent, and for forgetting-I fhall remember and refent for ever.

[Exit. Mrs. Aub. Afk of Sir Edward! Oh! mercy! Major. Come, best of friends; and ruled by you, we will preferve Olivia ftill.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-A Cavern-an opening in the back fcene, and Yacht feen.

Enter Tom Tackle, with three Sailors.

Tom. Come along, my lads; for tho' this Mr. Delinquent has brought the young lady fafe into this cavern here, whilft we get the boat ready to receive her, yet, why fhou'd fhe figh, and hang upon him, and entreat him to take her away again? Lookye! I'll bet a feventy-four to a Thames wherry, he means foul play to Sir Edward-fo, come, boys! first for the boat, then for our prize; and then we've done our duty by a noble, gallant master. [Exeunt

Enter Olivia following Delinquent from Cavern.

Delin. Away! your eyes are bafilisks,

Olivia. Oh! think-think how I was lured into your power-by apt contrivance, when the carriage broke, you flew to my relief, and I, believing you'd befriend and pity-

Delin. Pity! for you! I need it for myself: for prove that reafon holds, and the whole earth. contains no bofom fo unfeeling.

Olivia. "Tis this that gives me hope-I'm fure you are no willing agent-(falls at his feet) and fee-fee at your feet one who, an hour ago, cherifhed the fond hope of being united to him she loved-now, fad reverfe! alone, and guarded by a defperate crew, waiting to meet a worse than pirate's fury

Delin. Forbear! it ftrikes me to my brainmy heart!

Olivia. (clinging to him) And if fhe calls for thofe, who mourn her lofs, none, none fhail anfwer her but winds and waves, and thus cut off-thus torn from every friend

Delin. Friend! who are your friends? my curfes on 'em! for, had they watch'd you as they ought, you had been fafe, and I-that's comfort ftill-I'm not more criminal than he, who, trufting to this fiend-like fifter's power

Olivia. How! Major Tornado!

Delin. Ay; your own father-who firft forfakes you on a flanderous tale, and then conceding to Sir Edward's plots, unites, like me, with villains to deftroy you.

Olivia. What! clafs the virtuous with fuch infamy.

Delin. No; link the author of fuch evil

Oliv. Hear me! tho' direft vengeance be the fure refult, I will not have his name, who gave me more than life, compar'd one inftant with a wretched hireling, whom, much as I contemn, I more defpife myself, for having ftoop'd to parley with fuch bafeness.

Delin. Hireling! live I to-take my defiance then. (feizes her hand, and fuddenly draws back) Gracious powers! does my fight fail, or-it is

(reading)

(reading) Lord Danvers' picture! (pointing to the banging round Olivia's neck.)

Olivia. Ay and know the man that you call villain, is but my father by adoption; for when the brave lord Danvers fell, he charged him to protect his lov'd Olivia, and named her as his own; because, forfaken by her natural parents, they loft that right her generous benefactor claim'd.

Delin. (looking at her clofely, and raising the hair over her forehead.) Nearer-still nearer! Oh heaven! that ftrong, resembling look! your hand-(nearly fainting.)

Olivia. Mercy! this ftrange, mysterious

Delin. Soft! not a word-feal gently, or they'll hear now, fwift as lightning-(trying to force her off with rapidity.)

Enter Tom Tackle, and Sailors meeting them.

Tom. So-we have caught you, fir-and you, falfe lady-part them this inftant. (forces Olivia from Delinquent, and with another failor, ftands between her and Delinquent.)

Delin. Never! for wild and favage as I'm proved, e'en the tiger springs to guard its young; and Nature arms a parent with fuch nerves, that if one moment fhe'll forget paft wrongs, I'm gifted with a giant's strength, and thus rufh on, to clafp my long loft daughter to my heart. (forcing by Tom and Sailors, and embracing her.)

Olivia. Father! forget! Oh! let me bend(going to kneel.)

Delin. To heaven! you had a father there. (pointing to heaven.)

Tom. What!-fhe― you!-speak ! —— own daughter?

your

Delin. Ay; and for her I fought my native land; for her I funk to flavery and fhame-and