L. T. Ha!

Mask. Look you, madam, we are alone.-Pray contain yourself and hear me. You know you loved your nephew when I first sighed for you; I quickly found it; an argument that I lov'd: for with that art you veiled your passion, 't was imperceptible to all but jealous eyes. This discovery made me bold, I confess it; for by it I thought you in my power.— Your nephew's scorn of you added to my hopes; I watched the occasion, and took you just repulsed by him, warm at once with love and indignation; your disposition, my arguments, and happy opportunity, accomplished my design; I prest the yielding minute, and was blest. How I have loved you since, words have not shewn, then how should words express?

L. T. Well, mollifying devil!met your love with forward fire?

-And have I not

Mask. Your zeal I grant was ardent, but misplaced -there was revenge in view; that woman's idol had defiled the temple of the god, and love was made a mock-worship. A son and heir would have edged young Mellefont upon the brink of ruin, and left him none but you to catch at for prevention.

L. T. Again, provoke me! Do you wind me like a larum, only to rouse my stilled soul for your diversion? Confusion!

Mask. Nay, madam, I am gone, if you relapseWhat needs this? I say nothing but what you yourself, in open hours of love, have told me. Why should you deny it? Nay, how can you? Is not all

this present heat owing to the same fire? Do you not love him still? How have I this day offended you, but in not breaking off his match with Cynthia? which, ere to-morrow, shall be done had you but patience.

L. T. How, what said you, Maskwellother caprice to unwind my temper ?

-An

Mask. By heaven, no; I am your slave, the slave of all your pleasures; and will not rest 'till I have given you peace, would you suffer me.

L. T. Oh, Maskwell, in vain do I disguise me from thee, thou knowest me, knowest the very inmost windings" and recesses" of my soul." Oh, "Mellefont! I burn;" married to-morrow! Despair strikes me! Yet my soul knows I hate him too: let him but once be mine, "and next immediate ruin "seize him."

you shall possess and ruin

Mask. Compose yourself, him too-Will that please you?

L. T. How, how? thou dear, thou precious villain, how?

Mask. You have already been tampering with my Lady Plyant.

L. T. I have; she is ready for any impression I think fit.

Mask. She must be thoroughly persuaded that Mellefont loves her.

L. T. She is so credulous that way naturally, and likes him so well, that she will believe it faster than I can persuade her. But I don't see what you can pro

D

pose from such a trifling design; for her first conversing with Mellefont will convince her of the contrary. Mask. I know it-I don't depend upon it.

-But

it will prepare something else; and gain us leisure to lay a stronger plot.If I gain a little time, I shall not want contrivance.

One minute gives invention to destroy,

What to rebuild, will a whole age employ.

[Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE I.

Enter Lady FROTH and CYNTHIA.

Cynthia.

INDEED, madam! Is it possible your ladyship could have been so much in love?

Lady F. I could not sleep; I did not sleep one wink for three weeks together.

Cyn. Prodigious! I wonder want of sleep, and so much love, and so much wit as your ladyship has, did not turn your brain.

Lady F. O my dear Cynthia, you must not rally your friend-but really, as you say, I wonder tocbut then I had a way. For between you and I, I had whimsies and vapours, but I gave them vent.

Cyn. How, pray, madaın?

Lady F. O, I writ, writ abundantlynever write?

-Do you

Cyn. Write, what?

Lady F. Songs, elegies, satires, encomiums, panegyrics, lampoons, plays, or heroic poems.

Cyn. O lord, not I, madam; I am content to be a courteous reader.

Lady F. O inconsistent! in love, and not write! If my lord and I had been both of your temper, we had never come together-Olless me! what a sad thing would that have been, if my lord and I should never have met!

Cyn. Then neither my lord nor you would ever have met with your match, on my conscience.

Lady F. O' my conscience no more we should; thou say'st right for sure my Lord Froth is as fine a gentleman, and as much a man of quality! Ah! nothing at all of the common air-I think I may say, he wants nothing but a blue ribband and a star, to make him shine the very phosphorus of our hemisphere. Do you understand those two hard words? If you don't, I'll explain them to you.

Cyn. Yes, yes, madam, I am not so ignorant.At least I won't own it, to be troubled with your instructions. [Aside. Lady F. Nay, I beg your pardon; but being derived from the Greek, I thought you might have escaped the etymology.- -But I am the more amazed, to find you a woman of letters, and not write! Bless me!, how can Mellefont believe you love him?

Cyn. Why, faith, madam, he that won't take my word, shall never have it under my hand.

Lady F. I vow Mellefont's a pretty gentleman, but methinks he wants a manner.

Cyn. A manner! What's that, madam?

Lady F. Some distinguishing quality, as for example, the bel air or brilliant of Mr. Brisk; the solemnity, yet complaisance of my lord, or something of his own that should look a little je ne sçai quoi; he is too much a mediocrity in my mind.

Cyn. He does not indeed affect either pertness or formality, for which I like him-Here he comes.

Enter Lord FROTH, MELLEFONT, and BRISK. Impertinent creature! I could almost be angry with her now.

[Aside. Lady F. My lord, I have been telling Cynthia how much I have been in love with you; I swear I have; I'm not asham'd to own it now; Ah! it makes my heart leap, I vow I sigh when I think on't:-My dear lord! ha, ha, ha, do you remember, my lord?

[Squeezes him by the hand, looks kindly on him, sighs, and then laughs out.

Ld. F. Pleasant creature! Perfectly well, ah! that look! Ay, there it is; who could resist !-T was so my heart was made a captive at first, and ever since it has been in love with happy slavery.

Lady F. O that tongue, that dear deceitful tongue ! that charming softness in your mien and your expression, and then your bow! Good, my lord, bow as you did when I gave you my picture; here, suppose this my picture-[Gives him a pocket glass.] Pray