Rof. O, pray let me hear it.

SONG, Fidelia.

¿ I.

For a fhape, and a bloom, and an air, and a mien, 'Myrtilla was brightest of all the gay green; • But artfully wild, and affectedly coy,

Those her beauties invited, her pride would destroy.

II.

By the flocks, as fhe ftray'd with the nymphs of the vale,

'Not a fhepherd but woo'd her to hear his foft tale ; Tho' fatal the paffion, the laugh'd at the fwain,

And return'd with neglect, what she heard with difdain.

III.

'But beauty has wings, and too hastily flies,
And love, unrewarded, foon fickens and dies.
The nymph cur'd, by time, of her folly and pride,
Now fighs in her turn for the blifs fhe deny'd.

IV.

No longer the frolicks it wide o'er the plain,
To kill with her coynefs the languishing fwain ;
So humbled her pride is, fo foften'd her mind,
That, tho' courted by none, fhe to all would be kind.

-You

Ref. Pfhah! there's a fong indeed! 'fhould fing of men's perjuries, my dearof kind nymphs, and cloy'd fhepherds'-For, take my word for't, there's no charm like cruelty, to keep the men conftant ; nor no deformity like kindness, to make them loath you.

Enter Servant.

Serv. A letter for your Ladyfhip, Madam.
Rof. For me? I don't remember the hand.

[Exit.

[Opens and reads the letter to herself.

Fid. I have little inclination to be chearful, tho I fing fongs, and prattle thro' the whole day-Belmont ! Belmont! [Afide.]' You feem ftrangely concerned, Madam- -I hope no ill news?

Rof. The worst in the world, Fidelia, if it be true.

Fid. Pray Heaven it be falfe then!-But muft it be a fecret-I hope, my dear Rofetta knows, that whatever affects her quiet, can't leave mine undisturbed.

Rof. Who's there?

Enter Servant.

How did you receive this letter?

Ser. From a porter, Madam.

Rof. Is he without?

Ser. No, Madam; he faid it required no answer.

Rof. Had you any knowledge of him?

Ser. Not that I remember, Madam.

Rof. Should you know him again?

Ser. Certainly, Madam.

Rof. Where did my brother fay he dined to-day?
Ser. At the King's-Arms, Madam.

Rof. And Mr. Faddle with him?

Ser. They went out together, Madam.

Ref. Run this moment, and fay I defire to speak with both of them immediately, upon an extraordinary af

fair.

Ser. Yes, Madam.

Fid. What can this mean, Rofetta ?

to be trusted?

[Exit.

-Am 1 unfit

Rof. Tell me, Fidelia-But no matter-Why should I difturb you?-I have been too grave.

Fid. Still more and more perplexing!

-But my enquiries are at an end- I fhall learn to be lefs troublefome, as you are lefs kind, Roferta.

Rof. Pr'ythee don't talk fo, Fidelialefs kind.

I can never be

Fid. Indeed, I won't deferve you should.
Rof. I know it, Fidelia.-

But tell me then-Is there

a circumstance in your life, that would call a blush to

your cheeks, if t'were laid as

ledge, as to your own?

open to the world's know

Fid. If from the letter you afk me that strange queftion, Madam, furely I should fee it.

Rof

Rof. I think not, Fidelia-For, upon fecond thoughts, 'tis a trifle, not worth your notice.

Fid. Why were you so much alarmed then?

Rof. I confefs, it startled me at first-But 'tis a lying letter, and should not trouble you.

Fid. Then it relates to me, Madam ?

Rof. No matter, Fidelia.

Fid, I have loft my friend then-I begged at first, to be a fharer in Rofetta's griefs-but now I find they are all my own, and the denies my right to them.

Rof. This is too much, Fidelia-And now to keep you longer in fufpenfe would be cruelty- -But the writer of this fcroll has a mind darker than night. You fhall join with me in wondering, that there is fuch a monfter in the world. [Reads.

Madam,

To Mifs Rofetta Belmont.

As I write without a name, I am alike indifferent to your thanks or refentment.- -Fidelia is not what the feems- -She has deceived you, and may your brother, to his ruin.—Women of the town know how to wear the face of innocence, when it ferves the purposes of guilt. Faddle, if he pleafes, can inform you fartherBut be affured, I have my intelligence from more fuffi cient authority.

P. S. There needs no farther addrefs in this matter, than a plain queftion to Fidelia-Is the the fifter of Mr. Belmont's friend?

Fid. Then I am loft!

[Afide Rof. What, in tears, Fidelia ?-Nay, I meant to raise your contempt only-Pr'ythee, look up, and let us laughi at the malice of this nameless libeller,

Fid. No, Rofetta- -The mind must be wrapt in its own innocence, that can ftand against the storms of ma lice-I fear, I have not that mind.

Rof. What mind, Fidelia ?

Fid. And yet that letter is a falfe one.

Rof. Upon my life, it is-For you are innocence itfelf.

Fid. Oh, Rofetta!- -No fifter of Mr. Belmont's friend kneels to you for pardon- -but a poor wretched out-caft of fortune, that with an artful tale has imposed upon your nature, and won you to a friendship for a helpless stranger, that never knew herself.

Rof. Rife, Fidelia-But take care!-For if deceived me, honefty is nothing but a name. Fid. Think not too hardly of me neither

you have

-For tho

I am not what I feem, I would not be what that letter calls me, to be mistress of the world.

Rof. I have no words, Fideliamethinks you fhould not weep fo.

·Speak on- -But

Fid. Nay, now, Rofetta, you compel me-For this gentleness is too much for me I have deceived you, and you are kind -If you would dry up my tears, call forth your refentment- -Anger might turn me into ftone-but compaffion melts me.

Rof. I have no anger, Fidelia Pray go on. Fid. When my tears will let me -Í have played a foolish game, Rofetta-and yet my utmoft fault has been confenting to deceive you. What I am, I know notThat I ain not what I feem, I know.-But why I have feemed otherwife than I am, again I know not.-'Tis à riddle, that your brother only can explain. He knows the ftory of my life, and will in honour reveal it. Would he were here!

Ref. Would he were, Fidelia!-for I am upon the rack-Pr'ythee, go on, and inform me farther.

Fid. There's my grief, Rofetta-For I am bound by fuch promifes to filence, that to clear my innocence, would be to wound it -All I have left to fay is, that my condition of life only has been affumed, my virtue

never.

Ref. Well, Sir!

Enter Servant,

Ser. Mr. Belmont, Madam, was just gone; but Mr. Faddle will wait upon your Ladyfhip immediately. Rof. Did they fay where my brother went ? Ser. They did not know

Madam.

Mr. Faddle is here,

Enter Faddle, humming a tune.

Fad. In obedience to your extraordinary commands, Madam- -But you fhould have been alone, child. Rof. No trifling, Sir--Do you know this handwriting? [Gives him the letter. Fad. Hum!. -Not I, as I hope to be faved-Nor you neither, I believe. [Afide.]-Is it for my perufal, Madam?

Fid. And your answering too, Sir.

Fad. Mighty well, Madam. [Reads.] Hum !-Fidelia-Women-of the town-Innocence-Guilt-Faddle inform you farther! Why, what a-pox am I Intelligence-Question-Fidelia

brought in for?

Sifter of Mr. Belmont's friend.

Rof. Well, Sir !

[Stares and whiftles.

[Takes the letter. Fad. Oh!-I am to guefs at the writer-Can't, upon -Upon my foul, I can't, child- -'Tis a woman, I believe tho', by the damned blabbing that's in't.

my foul

Fid. The letter fays, Sir, that you can inform this lady farther concerning me.-Now, Sir, whatever you happen to know, or to have heard of me, deliver it freely, and without disguise.-I entreat it, as an act of friendship, that will for ever oblige me.

Fad. Let me fee- -No- -It can't be her neither-She is a woman of too much honour-and yet, I don't remember to have opened my lips about it, to any foul but her.

Fid. You know me then, Sir?

Rof. Speak out, Sir.

Fad. Methinks, if these letter-writers were a little more communicative of their own names, and less fo of their neighbours, there would be more honesty in them. -Why am I introduced here!-Truly, forfooth, becaufe a certain perfon in the world is overburthened with the fecrets of her own flips, and for a little vent, chufes to blab thofe of another-Faddle inform you farther! Faddle will be damned as foon.

Rof. Hark you, Sir-If you intend to enter thefe doors again, tell me all you know, for I will have it. You have owned your telling it elsewhere, Sir.