Lady T. [Rising and advancing to front.] In short, my lord, if money is always the subject of our conversation, I shall make you no answer.

Lord T. [Rising and advancing] Madam, madam, I will be heard, and make you answer.

Lady T. (R. C.) Make me!

Then I must tell you, my

lord, this is a language I have not been used to, and I won't bear it.

Lord T. (L. c.) Come, come, madam, you shall bear a great deal more before I part with you.

Lady T. My lord, if you insult me, you will have as. much to bear on your side, I assure you.

Lord T. Pooh! your spirit grows ridiculous! you have neither honour, worth, nor innocence to support it.

Lady T. You'll find, at least, I have resentment; and do you look well to the provocation.

Lord T. After those you have given me, madam, 'tis almost infamous to talk with you.

Lady T. I scorn your imputation and your menaces. The narrowness of your heart is your monitor-'tis there, there, my lord, you are wounded; you have less to complain of, than many husbands of an equal rank to you.

Lord T. Death! madam, do you presume upon your corporal merit, that your person's less tainted than your mind? Is it there, there alone, an honest husband can be injured? Have you not every other vice that can debase your birth, or stain the heart of woman? Is not your health, your beauty, husband, fortune, family disclaimed-for nights consumed in riot and extravagance? The wanton does no more;-if she conceals her shame, does less; and sure the dissolute avowed as sorely wrongs my honour and my quiet.

[Walks about. Lady T. I see, my lord, what sort of wife might please you.

Lord T. Ungrateful woman! could you have seen. yourself, you in yourself had seen her-I am amazed our legislature has left no precedent of a divorce for this more visible injury, this adultery of the mind, as well as that of the person! When a woman's whole heart is alienated to pleasures I have no share in, what is it to me whether a black ace or a powdered coxcomb has possession of it. [Change places.

Lady T. (L. c.) If you have not found it yet, my lord, this is not the way to get possession of mine, depend upon it.

Lord T. (R. C.) That, madam, I have long despaired of; and, since our happiness cannot be mutual, 'tis fit that, with our hearts, our persons too should separate. -This house you sleep no more in; though your content might grossly feed upon the dishonour of a husband, yet my desires would starve upon the features of a wife.

Lady T. Your style, my lord, is much of the same delicacy with your sentiments of honour!

Lord T. Madam, madam, this is no time for comp'iments I have done with you.

Lady T. Done with me! If we had never met, my lord, I had not broke my heart for it—but have a care: I may not, perhaps, be so easily recalled as you may imagine.

Lord T. Recalled!

ho's there?

[Lady Townly retires back,

Enter WILLIAMS, L. D.

Desire my sister and Mr. Manly to walk up.

[Exit Williams, L. D. Ludy T. [Returning.] My lord, you may proceed as you please; but pray, what indiscretions have I committed, that are not daily practised by a hundred other women of quality?

Lord T. (L.) "Tis not the number of ill wives, madam, that makes the patience of a husband less contemptible; and, though a bad one may be the best man's lot, yet he'll make a better figure in the world, that keeps his misfortunes out of doors, than he that tamely keeps them within.

Lady T. (R. C.) I don't know what figure you may make, my lord; but I shall have no reason to be ashamed of mine, in whatever company I may meet you.

Lord T. Be sparing of your need it to support you.

spirit, madam; you'll [Lady Townly stands R.

Enter LADY GRACE and MR. MANLY, L. D.

Mr. Manly, I have an act of friendship to beg of you, which wants more apologies than words can make for it.

Manly. (L. c.) Then, pray make none, my lord, that I may have the greater merit in obliging you.

Lord T. (R. c.) Sister, I have the same excuse to entreat of you, too.

Lady G. (L. C.) To your request, I beg, my lord.

Lord T. Thus, then-As you both were present at my ill-considered marriage, I now desire you each will be a witness of my determined separation.-I know, sir, your good nature, and my sister's, must be shocked at the office I impose on you; but, as I don't ask your justification of my cause, so, I hope, you are conscious, that an ill woman can't reproach you, if you are silent on her side.

Manly. My lord, I never thought, till now, it could be difficult to oblige you.

Lord T. (L. C.) For you, my Lady Townly, I need not here repeat the provocation of my parting with you—the world, I fear, is too well informed of them.-For the good lord, your dead father's sake, I will still support you as his daughter.-As the Lord Townly's wife, you have had every thing a fond husband could bestow, and, to our mutual shame I speak it, more than happy wives desire-But those indulgencies must end-state, equipage, and splendour, but ill become the vices that misuse them-[Lady Grace quits her position L., and stands close on the right of Lady Townly, R.]-The decent necessaries of life shall be supplied, but not one article of luxury-not even the coach, that waits to carry you from hence, shall you ever use again. Your tender aunt, my Lady Lovemore, with tears, this morning, has consented to receive you; where, if time, and your condition, bring you a due reflection, your allowance shall be increased; but if you still are lavish of your little, or pine for past licentious pleasures, that little shall be less; nor will I call that soul my friend that names you in my hearing.

Lady G. (R.) My heart bleeds for her!

[Aside.

Lord T. Oh, Manly, look there! turn back thy thoughts with me, and witness to my growing love.There was a time, when I believed that form incapable of vice or of decay; there I proposed the partner of an easy home; there I for ever hoped to find a cheerful companion, a faithful friend, a useful helpmate, and a tender mother-but, oh, how bitter now the disappoint

ment!

Manly. (L.) The world is different in its sense of happiness offended as you are, I know you will still be just.

Lord T. Fear me not.

Manly. This last speech, I see, has struck her!

[Aside.

Lord T. No, let me not (though I this moment cast her from my heart for ever), let me not urge her punishment beyond her crimes-I know the world is fond of any tale that feeds its appetite of scandal:-and, as I am conscious severities of this kind seldom fail of imputations too gross to mention, I here, before you both, acquit her of the least suspicion raised against the honour of my bed. Therefore, when abroad her conduct may be questioned, do her fame that justice.

Lady T. Oh, sister! [Turns to Lady Grace, weeping. Lord T. When I am spoken of, where without favour this action may be canvassed, relate but half my provocations, and give me up to censure. [Going, L. Lady T. Support me-save me-hide me from the world! [Falling on Lady Grace's neck. Lord T. [Returning.] I had forgot me-You have no share in my resentment; therefore, as you have lived in friendship with her, your parting may admit of gentler terms, than suit the honour of an injured husband.

[Offers to go out, L.

Manly. [Interposing.] My lord, you must not, shall not, leave her thus!-One moments stay can do your cause no wrong. If looks can speak the anguish of her heart, I'll answer with my life, there's something labouring in her mind, that, would you bear the hearing, might deserve it.

Lord T. Consider since we no more can meet, press not my staying to insult her.

Lady T. Yet stay, my lord-the little I would say will not deserve an insult: and undeserved, I know your nature gives it not. But, as you've called in friends to witness your resentment, let them be equal hearers of my last reply.

Lord T. I shan't refuse you that, madam-be it so.

Lady T. My lord, you ever have complained I wanted love; but as you kindly have allowed I never gave it to another, so, when you hear the story of my heart, though you may still complain, you will not wonder at my coldness.

Manly. This, my lord, you are concerned to hear.
Lord T. Proceed-I am attentive.

Lady T. Before I was your bride, my lord, the flattering world had talked me into beauty: which, at my glass, my youthful vanity confirmed. Wild with that fame, I thought mankind my slaves-I triumphed over hearts, while all my pleasure was their pain: yet was my own so equally insensible to all, that, when a father's firm commands enjoined me to make choice of one, I even there declined the liberty he gave, and to his own election yielded up my youth-his tender care, my lord, directed him to you-Our hands were joined, but still my heart was wedded to its folly :-My only joy was power, command, society, profuseness, and to lead in pleasures. The husband's right to rule, I thought a vulgar law, which only the deformed or meanly-spirited obeyed. I knew no directors, but my passions; no master, but my will. Even you, my lord, some time o'er. come by love, were pleased with my delights; nor then foresaw this mad misuse of your indulgence. And though I call myself ungrateful while I own it, yet, as a truth, it cannot be denied, that kind indulgence has undone me; it added strength to my habitual failings, and, in a heart thus warm in wild, unthinking life, no wonder if the gentler sense of love was lost.

Lord T. Oh, Manly, where has this creature's heart been buried?

[Apart.

Manly. If yet recoverable, how vast the treasure!

[Apart.

Lady T. What I have said, my lord, is not my excuse, but my confession; my errors (give them, if you please, a harder name) cannot be defended.-No, what's in its nature wrong, no words can palliate-no plea can alter! What then remains in my condition, but resignation to your pleasure? Time only can convince you of my future conduct: therefore, till I have lived an object of forgiveness, I dare not hope for pardon-The penance of a lonely, contrite life were little to the innocent; but to have deserved this separation will strew perpetual thorns upon my pillow. Sister, farewell! [Kissing her.] Your virtue needs no warning from the shame that falls on me; but when you think I have atoned my follies past, persuade your injured brother to forgive them.

Lord T. No, madam! your errors, thus renounced,