terfeit a rage against me, and I will make my escape through the private passage from her chamber, which

hard, if then

I'll take care to leave open; 't will be you can't bring her to any conditions. For this discovery will disarm her of all defence, and leave her entirely at your mercy: nay, she must ever after be in awe of you.

Mel. Let me adore thee, my better genius! By heaven I think it is not in the power of Fate to disappoint my hopes--My hopes, my certainty!

Mask. Well, I'll meet you here within a quarter of eight, and give you notice.

Mel. Good fortune ever go along with thee.

Enter CARELESS.

[Exit.

Care. Mellefont, get out of the way, my Lady Plyant's coming, and I shall never succeed while thou art in sight- -Tho' she begins to tack about; but I made love a great while to no purpose.

Mel. Why, what's the matter? She is convinced that I don't care for her.

Care. I cannot get an answer from her that does not begin with her honour, or her virtue, her religion, or some such cant. Then she has told me the whole story of Sir Paul's nine years courtship; how he has lain for whole nights together upon the stairs before her chamber-door; and that the first favour he received from her was a piece of an old scarlet petticoat for a stomacher; which, since the day of his marriage, he has, out of a piece of gallantry, converted

into a night-cap, and wears it still with much solemnity on his anniversary wedding night.

Me!. That I have seen, with the ceremony thereunto belonging-For on that night he creeps in at the bed's feet, like a gulled Bassa that has married a relation of the Grand Signior, "and that night he has "his arms at liberty. Did she not tell you at what a "distance she keeps him? He has confessed to me, "that but at some certain times, that is, I suppose, "when she apprehends being with child, he never has "the privilege of using the familiarity of a husband "with a wife. He was once given to scrambling with "his hands, and sprawling in his sleep, and ever since "she has swaddled him up in blankets, and his hands "and feet swathed down, and so put to bed; "there he lies with a great beard, like a Russian bear upon a drift of snow. You are very great with him," I wonder he never told you his grievances; he will, I warrant you.

and

Care. Excessively foolish !- -But that which gives me most hopes of her, is her telling me of the many temptations she has resisted.

Mel. Nay, then you have her; for a woman's bragging to a man that she has overcome temptations, is an argument that they were weakly offered, and a challenge to him to engage her more irresistibly. 'Tis only an enhancing the price of the commodity, by telling you how many customers have underbid her. Care. Nay, I don't despair-But still she has a grudging to you-I talked to her t' other night at my

Lord Froth's masquerade, when I am satisfied she knew me, and I had no reason to complain of my reception; but I find women are not the same bare-fac'd and in masks and a vizor disguises their inclina

tions as much as their faces.

Mel. "Tis a mistake; for women may most pro"perly be said to be unmasked when they wear vizors; "for that secures them from blushing, and being out "of countenance, and next to being in the dark, or "alone, they are most truly themselves in a vizor"mask." Here they come. I'll leave you. Ply her close, and by and by clap a billet-doux into her hand: for a woman never thinks a man truly in love with her 'till he has been fool enough to think of her out of her sight, and to lose so much time as to write to her.

Enter Sir PAUL and Lady PLYANT,

[Exit,

Sir P. Shan't we disturb your meditation, Mr. Careless? You would be in private ?

Care. You bring that along with you, Sir Paul, that shall be always welcome to my privacy.

Sir P. O, sweet sir, you load your humble servants, both me and my wife, with continual favours.

Lady P. Sir Paul, what a phrase was there! You will be making answers, and taking that upon you which ought to lie upon me: that you should have so little breeding to think Mr. Careless did not apply himself to me. Pray, what have you to entertain any body's privacy? I swear and declare, in the face of the world, I'm ready to blush for your ignorance.

Sir. P. I acquiesce, my lady; but do n't snub so loud.

[Aside to her. Lady P. Mr. Careless, if a person that is wholly illiterate might be supposed to be capable of being qualified to make a suitable return to those obligations which you are pleased to confer upon one that is wholly incapable of being qualified in all those circumstances, I am sure I should rather attempt it than any thing in the world, [Curtsies.] for I'm sure there's nothing in the world that I would rather. [Curtsies.] But I know Mr. Careless is so great a critic, and so fine a gentleman, that it is impossible for me

Care. O Heavens! Madam, you confound me.
Sir P. Gads-bud! she's a fine person-

Lady P. O lord! Sir, pardon me; we women have not those advantages: I know my own imperfections but at the same time you must give me leave to declare in the face of the world that nobody is more sensible of favours and things; for, with the reserve of my honour, I assure you, Mr. Careless, I don't know any thing in the world I would refuse to a person so meritorious You 'll pardon my want of expression.

Care. O, your ladyship is abounding in all excellence, particularly that of phrase.

Lady P. You are so obliging, sir.
Care. Your ladyship is so charming.
Sir P. So, now, now; now, my lady.
Lady P. So well bred.

Care. So surprising.

Lady P. So well drest, so bonne mien, so eloquent,

so unaffected, so easy, so free, so particular, so agreeable

Sir P. Ay, so, so, there.

Care. O lord, I beseech you, madam, do n't

Lady P. So gay, so graceful, so good teeth, so fine shape, so fine limbs, so fine linen, and I don't doubt but you have a very good skin, sir.

Care. For Heaven's sake, madam

out of countenance.

-I am quite

Sir P. And my lady 's quite out of breath; or else you should hear-Gad's-bud, you may talk of my Lady Froth

Care. O fy, fy, not to be named of a day-My Lady Froth is very well in her accomplishments—but it is when my Lady Plyant is not thought of-If that can ever be.

Lady P. O, you overcome me cessive.

-That is so ex

Sir P. Nay, I swear and vow that was pretty.

Care. O, Sir Paul, you are the happiest man alive. Such a lady! that is the envy of her own sex, and the admiration of ours.

Sir P. Your humble servant; I am, I thank Heaven, in a fine way of living, as I may say, peacefully and happily, and I think need not envy any of my neighbours, blessed be Providence-Ay, truly, Mr. Careless, my lady is a great blessing, a fine, discreet, well-spoken woman as you shall see -if it becomes me to say so; and we live very comfortably together; she is a little hasty sometimes, and so am I ; but mine's