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Scand. Humour him, madamn, by all means.

Val. Where is she? Oh, I see her?-She comes like riches, health, and liberty, at once, to a despairing, starving, and abandoned wretch.—O welcome, wel

come!

Mrs. F. How dy'e, sir ? can I serve you?

Val. Harkee-I have a secret to tell you-Endymion and the moon shall meet us upon Mount Latmos, and we'll be married in the dead of night.-But say not a word.-Hymen shall put his torch into a dark lantern, that it may be secret; and Juno shall give her peacock poppy water, that he may fold his ogling tail, and Argus's hundred eyes be shut, ha? Nobody shall know but Jeremy.

Mrs. F. No, no, we'll keep it secret; it shall be done presently.

Val. The sooner the better-Jeremy, come hither

-closer-that none may overhear us. Jeremy, I can tell you news. Angelica is turned nun; and I am turned friar: and yet we'll marry one another in spite of the pope. Get me a cowl and beads, that I may play my part-for she'll meet me two hours hence in black and white, and a long veil to cover the project; and we won't see one another's faces, till we have done something to be ashamed of-and then we'll blush once for all.

Enter TATTLE and ANGELICA.

Jer. I'll take care, and

Val. Whisper.

Ang. Nay, Mr. Tattle, if you make love to me, you spoil my design; for I intend to make you my confident.

Scand. How's this! Tattle making love to Angelica!

Tatt. But madam to throw away your person, such a person! and such a fortune, on a madman !

Ang. I never loved him till he was mad; but don't tell any body so.

Tatt. Tell, madam? alas, you don't know me.I have much ado to tell your ladyship how long I have been in love with you-but, encouraged by the impossibility of Valentine's making any more addresses to you, I have ventured to declare the very inmost passion of my heart. Oh, madam, look upon us both. There you see the ruins of a poor decayed creature! -Here, a complete lively figure, with youth and health, and all his five senses in perfection, madam; and to all this, the most passionate lover—

Ang. O, fie for shame, hold your tongue. A passionate lover, and five senses in perfection! When you are as mad as Valentine, I'll believe you love me ; and the maddest shall take me.

Val. It is enough. Ha! who's there;

Mrs. F. O Lord, her coming will spoil all.

[To Jeremy. Jer. No, no, madam; he won't know her; if he should, I can persuade him.

Val. Scandal, who are these? Foreigners? If they are, I'll tell you what I think.-Get away all the com.

pany but Angelica, that I may discover my design to her. [Whispers. Scand. I will.-I have discovered something of Tattle, that is of a piece with Mrs. Frail. He courts Angelica; if we could contrive to couple them toge[Whispers.

ther

-Hark'ee

Mrs. For. He won't know you, cousin; he knows nobody.

For. But he knows more than any body.-Oh, niece, he knows things past and to come, and all the profound secrets of time.

Tatt. Look you, Mr. Foresight; it is not my way to make many words of matters, and so I shan't say much. But in short, d'ye see, I will hold you a hundred pounds now, that I know more secrets than he. For. How? I cannot read that knowledge in your face, Mr. Tattle. Pray what do you know;

Tatt. Why, d'ye think I'll tell you, sir ?-Read it in my face! No, sir, it is written in my heart; and safer there, sir, than letters written in juice of lemon, for no fire can fetch it out. I'm no blab, sir.

Val. Acquaint Jeremy with it; he may easily bring it about. They are welcome, and I'll tell them so myself. [To Scandal.] What, do you look strange upon me?—Then I must be plain. [Coming up to them.] I am Honesty and hate an old acquaintance with a new face. [Scandal goes aside with Jeremy.

Tatt. Do you know me, Valentine?
Val. You? Who are you? I hope not.
Tatt. I am Jack Tattle, your friend.

Val. My friend! what to do? I'm no married man, and thou canst not lie with my wife. I am very poor, and thou canst not borrow money of me. Then what employment have I for a friend?

Tatt. Ha! a good open speaker, and not to be trusted with a secret.

Ang. Do you know me, Valentine ?
Val. Oh, very well.

Ang. Who am I?

Val. You're a woman-one to whom Heaven gave beauty, when it grafted roses on a briar. You are the reflection of heaven in a pond; and he that leaps at you is sunk. You are all white, a sheet of lovely spotless paper, when you were first born; but you are to be scrawled and blotted by every goose's quill. I know you; for I loved a woman, and loved her so long, that I found out a strange thing; I found out what a woman was good for.

Tatt. Ay, pr'ythee, what's that?

Val. Why, to keep a secret.

Tatt. O Lord!

Val. O, exceeding good to keep a secret: for though

she should tell, yet she is not believed.

Tatt. Ha! good again, faith.

"Val. I would have music.-Sing me the

song

that

"I like..

"SONG.

"I tell thee, Charmion, could I time retrieve,
"And could again begin to love and live,
"To you I should my earliest offering give ;

"I know my eyes would lend my heart to you,
"And I should all my vows and oaths renew;
"But, to be plain, I never would be true.

"For, by our weak and weary truth, I find,
"Love hates to centre in a point assign'd;
"But runs with joy the circle of the mind:
"Then never let us chain what should be free,
"But for relief of either sex, agree:

"Since women love to change, and so do we.

"No more; for I'm melancholy.”

[Walks musing.

Jer. [Jeremy and Scandal whisper.] I'll do't, sir. Scand. Mr. Foresight, we had best leave him. He may grow outrageous, and do mischief.

For. I will be directed by you.

Jer. [To Mrs. Frail.] You'll meet, madam.—I'll take care every thing shall be ready.

Mrs. F. Thou shalt do what thou wilt; in short, I will deny thee nothing.

Tatt. Madam, shall I wait upon you? [To Angelica. Ang. No, I'll stay with him.-Mr. Scandal will protect me. Aunt, Mr. Tattle desires you would give

him leave to wait upon you.

Tatt. Pox on't, there's no coming off, now she has said that-Madam, will you do me the honour ? Mrs. For. Mr. Tattle might have used less ceremony!

[Exeunt Mrs. Frail, Mr. and Mrs. Foresight and Tattle.]

Scand. Jeremy, follow Tattle.

[Exit Jeremy.

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