Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Lady Rac. Ay, and you make me laugh too-ha, ha !

Enter Footman.

[Toying with him.

Foot. Your honour's cap and flippers.

Sir Cha. Ay, lay down my night-cap-and here, take these shoes off. [He takes 'em off, and leaves 'em at a diftance.] Indeed, my Lady Rackett, you make me ready to expire with laughing-ha, ha!

Lady Rac. You may laugh-but I'm right, notwithftanding.

Sir Cha How can you say so?

Lady Rac. How can you fay otherwise?

Sir Cha. Well, now mind me, my Lady Racket-We can now talk of this matter in good-humour-We can difcufs it coolly

Lady Rac. So we can and 'tis for that reafon I venture to fpeak to you-Are these the ruffles I bought for you? Sir Cha. They are, my dear,

Lady Rac. They are very pretty

played the card wrong.

But indeed you

Sir Cha. Po, there is nothing fo clear-if you will but hear me-only hear me.

Lady Rac. Ah!-but do you hear me-the thing was thus-The adverfary's club being the best in the houseSir Cha. How can you talk fo!-[ fomewhat peevish. Lady Rac. See there now

Sir Cha. Liften to me-- This was the affair.
Lady R. Pfha! fiddleftick! hear me firft.

[ocr errors]

Sir. Cha. Po no damn it, let me speak.
Lady Rac. Well, to be fure you're a strange man.
Sir Cha. Plague and torture! there is no fuch thing
as converfing with you.

Lady Rac. Very well, Sir! Sir Cha. Look here now. now you fhall be convinc'd.

fly out again.

-here's a pack of cards,

Lady Rac. You may talk till to-morrow; I know I'm right. Walks about. Sir Cha. Why then, by all that's perverfe, you are the most headstrong-Can't you look here now- - here very cards.

are the

Lady Rac. Go on; you'll find it out at last.
Sir Che. Damn it! will you let a man show

you. Po!

'tis all nonfenfe-I'll talk no more about it-[puts up the cards.] Come, we'll go to bed. [Going.] Now, only ftay a moment-[takes out the cards.] Now, mind me-fee here. Lady Rac. No, it does not fignify-your head will be clearer in the morning-I'll go to bed.

Sir Cha. Stay a moment, can't ye?

Lady Rac. No-my head begins to ache-[affectedly.] Sir Cha. Why then, damn the cards-there-there [throwing the cards about] and there, and there-You may go to bed by yourself; and confufion feize me if I live a moment longer with you—[Putting on his fhoes: again.] • Enter Dimity.

• Dim. Did you call, Sir?

Sir Cha. No, never, Madam.

Dim. [in a fit of laughing.] What, at it again!" Lady Rac. Take your own way, Sir.

Sir Cha. Now then, I tell you once more you are a vile woman.

Dim. La, Sir! This is charming-I'll run and tell the old couple.

[Exit.' Sir Cha. [fill putting on his shoes.] You are the most perverfe, obftinate, nonfenfical

Love Rac. Ha, ha! don't make me laugh again, Sir Charles.

Sir Cha. Hell and the devil

quietly, and let me convince you?

-Will you fit down

Lady Rac. I don't choose to hear any more about it. Sir Cha. Why then I believe you are poffeffed-it is in vain to talk fenfe and reafon to you.

Lady Rac. Thank you for your compliment, Sirfuch a man [with a fneering laugh.] I never knew the like[Sits down.

Sir Cha. I promise you, you shall repent of this usage, before you have a moment of my company again-it fhan't be in a hurry you may depend, Madam-Now fee here I can prove it to a demonftration [Sits down by her, he gets up] Look ye there again now-you have the most perverse and peevish temper-I wish I had never feen your face-I wish I was a thousand miles off from you-Sit down but one moment.

Lady Rac. I'm difpos'd to walk about, Sir.

Sir Cha. Why then, may I perish if ever-a blockhead-an idiot I was, to marry [walks about] such a provoking-impertinent-[She fits down.] Damnation!-I am fo clear in the thing-she is not worth my notice[Sits down, turns his back, and looks uneafy.] I'll take no more pains about it-[Pauses for fome time, then looks at her.] Is not it very ftrange that you won't hear me? Lady Rac. Sir, I am very ready to hear you. Sir Cha. Very well then-very well-my dear-you remember how the game ftood.

me.

Lady Rac. I wish you'd untie my necklace, it hurts

Sir Cha. Why can't you liften?

Lady Rac. I tell you it hurts me terribly.

Sir Cha. Death and confufion! there is no bearing this-you may be as wrong as you please; and may I never hold four by honours, if I ever endeavour to fet you right again.

[Exit. Enter Mr and Mrs Drugget, Woodley, Lovelace, and Nancy.

Drug. What's here to do now?

Lady Rac. Never was fuch a man born-I did not fay a word to the gentleman-and yet he has been raving about the room like a madman.

Drug. And about a club again, I fuppofe-Come hi ther, Nancy; Mr Woodley, the is your's for life. Mrs Drug. My dear, how can you be fo

Drug. It fhall be fotake her for life, Mr Woodley.

Wood. My whole life shall be devoted to her happinefs.

Love. The devil! and fo I am to be left in the lurch in this manner, am I?

[ocr errors]

Lady Rac. Oh! this is only one of thofe polite difputes which people of quality, who have nothing elfe to differ about, must always be liable to-This will all be be made up.

Drug. Never tell me 'tis too late now- -Mr Woodley, I recommend my girl to your care-I fhall have nothing now to think of, but my greens, and my images, and my shrubbery-though, mercy on all married folks,

fay

fay I! for these wranglings are, I am afraid, What we muft all come to.

Lady Rackett coming forward.

What we must all come to? What?-Come to what? Muft broils and quarrels be the marriage-lot?

If that's the wife, deep meaning of our poet, The man's a fool! a blockhead! and I'll fhow it.. • What could induce him,,in an age fo nice, 'So fam'd for virtue, fo refin'd from vice, 'To form a plan fo trivial, false, and low? 'As if'a belle could quarrel with a beau : 'As if there were, in thefe thrice happy days, One who from nature or from reason strays! There's no cross husband now, no wrangling wife ;; The man is downright ignorant of life. 'Tis the millennium this-devoid of guile. 'Fair gentle truth and white-rob'd candour smile. 'From every breast the fordid love of gold Is banish'd quite-no boroughs now are fold! Pray tell me, Sirs [for I don't know, I vow,] Pray-is there fuch a thing as gaming now? 'Do peers make laws against that giant vice? 'And then at Arthur's break them in a trice? No-no-our lives are virtuous all, auftere and hard; Pray, Ladies-do you ever see a card?

[ocr errors]

Thofe empty boxes fhow you don't love plays;
The managers, poor fouls! get nothing now a-days
• If here you come-by chance but once a-week,
The pit can witnefs that you never speak :

• Penfive attention fits with decent mien;
'No paint, no naked shoulders, to be feen!'
And yet this grave, this moral, pious age,
May learn one useful lesson from the stage.
Shun ftrife, ye fair; and, once a contest o'er,
Wake to a blaze the dying flame no more-
From fierce debate, fly all the tender loves;
And Venus cries, " Coachman, put to my doves:"
The genial bed no blooming Grace prepares,

ت

And every day becomes a day of cares."

B. ON.

[blocks in formation]

Written by GEORGE COLEMAN.

Spoken by Mr KING.

Find words and periwigs have both their day:

ASHION in ev'ry thing bears fov'reign fway,

Each have their purlieus too, are modish each
In stated districts, wigs as well as fpeech.

The Tyburn fcratch, thick club, and Temple tie,
The parfon's feather-top frizz'd broad and high,

The

« VorigeDoorgaan »