The. And yet, papa, what else can you call it? for tho' lord Aimworth is extremely attentive and oblig. ing, I assure you he is by no means one of the most ardent of lovers.

S. Har. Ardent, ah! there it is; you girls never think there is any love, without kissing and hugging; but you shou'd consider, child, my lord Aimworth is a polite man, and has been abroad in France and Italy, where these things are not the fashion; I remember when I was on my travels, among the madames and signoras, we never saluted more than the tip of the ear.

334

The. Really, papa, you have a very strange opinion of my delicacy; I had no such stuff in my thoughts.

S. Har. Well come, my poor Dossy, I see you are chagrin'd, but you know it is not my fault; on the contrary, I assure you, I had always a great regard for young Mervin, and should have been very glad

The. How then, papa, could you join in forcing me to write him that strange letter, never to see me more; or how indeed could I comply with your commands? what must he think of me?

344

S. Har. Ay, but hold, Dossy, your mama convinced me that he was not so proper a son-in-law for us as Lord Aimworth.

The. Convinced you! Ah, my dear papa, you were not convinced.

S. Har. What don't I know when I am convinced? The. Why no, papa; because your good-nature and easiness of temper is such, that you pay more re

spect to the judgment of mama, and less to your own, than you ought to do.

354

S. Har. Well, but Dossy, don't you see how your mama loves me; if my finger does but ache, she's like a bewitched woman; and, if I was to die, I don't believe she would outlive the burying of me: nay she has told me as much herself.

The. Her fondness indeed is very extraordinary. S. Har. Besides, could you give up the prospect of being a countess, and mistress of this fine place? The. Yes, truly could I.

AIR.

With the man that I love, was I destin'd to dwell,
On a mountain, a moor, in a cot, in a cell,
Retreats the most barren, most desert, would be
More pleasing than courts or a palace to me.

Let the vain and the venal, in wedlock aspire
To what folly esteems, and the vulgar admire;

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I yield them the bliss, where their wishes are placed, 370 Insensible creatures! 'tis all they can taste.

SCENE VII.

SIR HARRY, THEODOSIA, LADY SYCAMORE.

L. Syc. Sir Harry, where are you?

S. Har. Here, my lamb.

L. Syc. I am just come from looking over his lordship's family trinkets.Well, Miss Sycamore, you are a happy creature, to have diamonds, equipage, title, all the blessings of life pour'd thus upon you at once.

The. Blessings, madam! Do you think then I am such a wretch as to place my felicity in the possession of any such trumpery. 380

L. Syc. Upon my word, Miss, you have a very disdainful manner of expressing yourself; I believe there are very few young women of fashion, who would think any sacrifice they could make too much for them. Did you ever hear the like of her, Sir Harry? S. Har. Why, my dear, I have just been talking to her in the same strain, but whatever she has got in her head388

L. Syc. Oh, it is Mr. Mervin, her gentleman of Bucklersbury.-Fye, Miss, marry a cit! Where is your pride, your vanity; have you nothing of the person of distinction about you?

S. Har. Well, but my lady, you know I am a piece of a cit myself, as I may say, for my great-grandfather was a dry-salter.

The. And yet, madam, you condescended to marry

my papa.

397

L. Syc. Well, if I did miss, I had but five thousand pounds to my portion, and Sir Harry knows I was past eight and thirty, before I would listen to him.

S. Har. Nay, Dossy, that's true, your mama own'd eight and thirty, before we were married: but by the la, my dear, you were a lovely angel; and by candle

light nobody would have taken you for above five and twenty.

405

L. Syc. Sir Harry, you remember the last time I was at my lord duke's.

S. Har. Yes, my love, it was the very day your little bitch Minxey pupt.

L. Syc. And pray what did the whole family say; my lord John, and my lord Thomas, and my lady Duchess in particular? Cousin, says her Grace to mefor she always called me cousin—

413

The. Well, but madam, to cut this matter short at once, my father has a great regard for Mr. Mervin, and would consent to our union with all his heart. L. Syc. Do you say so, Sir Harry ?

S. Har. Who, I, love!

L. Syc. Then all my care and prudence are come to nothing.

420

S. Har. Well, but stay my lady-Dossy, you are always making mischief.

The. Ah! my dear sweet

L. Syc. Do miss, that's right, coax————————

The. No, madam, I am not capable of any such

meanness.

L. Syc. 'Tis very civil of you to contradict me how

ever.

S. Har. Eh! what's that-hands off Dossy, don't

come near me.

430

AIR.

Why how now miss pert,

Do

you think to divert

My anger by fawning and stroking?
Would you make me a fool

Your play-thing, your tool ?
Was ever young minx so provoking?
Get out of my sight,

’Twould be serving you right,

To lay a sound dose of the lash on;

Contradict your mama,

I've a mind by the la!

But I won't put myself in a passion.

SCENE VIII.

440

SIR HARRY, LADY SYCAMORE, LORD AIMWORTH, GILES.

L. Aim. Come farmer, you may come in, there are none here but friends.-Sir Harry, your servant.

S. Har. My lord, I kiss your lordship's hands-I hope he did not overhear us squabbling—“ I have "been chattering here with my wife and daughter, my lord-We have been examining your lord"ship's pictures.

449

L. Aim. “I flatter myself, then her ladyship found "something to entertain her; there are a few of "them counted tolerable.". Well now, master