I Sir John. As for you, Mr. Lionel, what terms can I find strong enough to paint the excess of my friendship!—I loved, I esteemed, I honoured your father: he was a brave, a generous, and a sincere man; thought you inherited his good qualities—you were left an orphan, I adopted you, put you upon the footing of my own son; educated you like a gentleman; and designed you for a profession, to which I thought your virtues would have been an ornament. Jen. Dear me, dear me. Jenk. Hold your tongue. 581 Sir John. What return you have made me, you seem to be acquainted with yourself; and, therefore, I shall not repeat it-Yet, remember, as an aggravaC tion of your guilt, that the last mark of my bounty was conferr'd upon you in the very instant, when you were undermining my designs. Now, Sir, I have but one thing more to say to you-Take my daughter: was she worth a million, she is at your service. Lion. To me, Sir !-your daughter-do you give her to me?-Without fortune-without friends!without him Sir John. You have them all in your heart; whom virtue raises, fortune cannot abase. Clar. O, Sir, let me on my knees kiss that dear hand-acknowledge my error, and entreat forgiveness and blessing. Sir John. You have not erred, my dear daughter; you have distinguish'd. It is I should ask pardon, for Ι A& III. this little trial of you; for I am happier in the son-inlaw you have given me, than if you had married a prince603 Lion. My patron-my friend-my father—I would fain say something; but, as your goodness exceeds all bounds Sir John. I think I hear a coach drive into the court; it is Colonel Oldboy's family; I will go and receive them. Don't make yourself uneasy at this; we must endeavour to pacify them as well as we can. My dear Lionel, if I have made you happy, you have made me so, Heaven bless you, my children, and make you deserving of one another. SCENE XI. CLARISSA, LIONEL, JENNY. Jen. O dear, Madam, upon my knees, I humbly beg your forgiveness—Dear Mr. Lionel, forgive me -I did not design to discover it, indeed-and you won't turn me off, Madam, will you? I'll serve you for nothing. Clar. Get up, my good Jenny; I freely forgive you if there is any thing to be forgiven. I know you love me; and, I am sure here is one who will join with me in rewarding your services. 622 Jen. Well, if I did not know, as sure as could be, that some good would happen, by my left eye itching this morning. Lion. AIR. O bliss unexpected! my joys overpow'r me! He bless'd us, and peace is restor❜d to my mind. Clar. He bless'd us! O rapture! Like one I recover Whom death had appal'd, without hope, with out aid; 630 A moment depriv'd me of father and lover ; Lion. Forsaken, abandoned, Clar. -What folly! what blindness! Lion. We fortune accus'd; Clar. And the fates that decreed: A. 2. But pain was inflicted by Heaven, out of kindness, To heighten the joys that were doom'd to suc ceed. Our day was o'ercast : But brighter the scene is, The sky more serene is, And softer the calm for the hurricane past. 640 SCENE XII. Lady MARY OLDBOY, leaning on a Servant, Mr. JESSAMY leading her; JENNY, and afterwards Sir JOHN FLOWERDALE, with Colonel OLDBOY. Lady M. 'Tis all in vain, my dear ;—set me down any where; I can't go a step further-I knew, when Mr. Oldboy insisted upon my coming, that I should be seized with a meagrim by the way; and it's well I did not die in the coach. Mr. Jes. But, pr'ythee, why will you let yourself be affected with such trifles-Nothing more common than for young women of fashion to go off with low fellows. Lady M. Only feel, my dear, how I tremble! Not a nerve but what is in agitation; and my blood runs cold, cold! Mr. Jes. Well, but, Lady Mary, don't let us expose ourselves to those people; I see there is not one of the rascals about us, that has not a grin upon his countenance. Lady M. Expose ourselves, my dear! Your father will be as ridiculous as Hudibras, or Don Quixote. Mr. Jes. Yes, he will be very ridiculous indeed. Sir John. I give you my word, my good friend, and neighbour, the joy I feel upon this occasion, is greatly allayed by the disappointment of an alliance with your family; but I have explained to you how things have happened You see my situation; and, as you are kind enough to consider it yourself, I hope you will excuse it to your son. Lady M. Sir John Flowerdale, how do you do? You see we have obey'd your summons; and I have the pleasure to assure you that my son yielded to my entreaties with very little disagreement: in short, if I may speak metaphorically, he is content to stand candidate again, notwithstanding his late repulse, when he hopes for an unanimous election. Col. Well, but, my Lady, you may save your rhetoric; for the borough is disposed of to a worthier member. Mr. Jes. What do you say, Sir? SCENE XIII. Sir JOHN FLOWERDALE, Lady MARY OLDBOY, Mr. JESSAMY, Colonel OLDBOY, LIONEL, CLARISSA, JENNY. Sir John. Here are my son and daughter. Lady M. Is this pretty, Sir John? Sir John. Believe me, Madam, it is not for want of a just sense of Mr. Jessamy's merit, that this affair has gone off on any side: but the heart is a delicate thing; and after it has once felt, if the object is meritorious, the impression is not easily effac'd; it would therefore have been an injury to him, to have given him in appearance what another in reality possessed. I iij 2 |