But you

no, but you must love me too. If I tell you you are handsome, you must deny it, and say I flatter you. must think yourself more charming than I speak you: and like me, for the beauty which I say you have, as much as if I had it myself. If I ask you to kiss me, you must be angry, but you must not refuse me. If I ask you for more, you must be more angry,—but more complying; and as soon as ever I make you say you'll cry out, you must be sure to hold your tongue.

Prue. O Lord, I swear this is pure !—I like it better than our old-fashioned country way of speaking one's mind ;—and must not you lie too?

Tat. Hum!-Yes; but you must believe I speak truth.

Prue. O Gemini! well, I always had a great mind to tell lies: but they frighted me, and said it was a sin.

Tat. Well, my pretty creature; will you make me happy by giving me a kiss?

Prue. No, indeed; I'm angry at you.

[Runs and kisses him. Tat. Hold, hold, that's pretty well;-but you should not have given it me, but have suffered me to have taken it.

Prue. Well, we'll do't again.

Tat. With all my heart.-Now then, my little angel!

Prue. Pish!

Tat. That's right-again, my charmer!

[Kisses her.

[Kisses her again.

Prue. O fy! nay, now I can't abide you.

Tat. Admirable! that was as well as if you had been born and bred in Covent Garden. And won't you show me, pretty miss, where your bed-chamber is?

Prue. No, indeed, won't I; but I'll run there and hide myself from you behind the curtains.

Tat. I'll follow you.

Prue. Ah, but I'll hold the door with both hands, and be angry; and you shall push me down before you come in.

Tat. No, I'll come in first, and push you down afterwards.

Prue. Will you? then I'll be more angry, and more complying.

Tat. Then I'll make you cry out.

Prue. Oh, but you shan't; for I'll hold my tongue.
Tat. Oh, my dear apt scholar!

Prue. Well, now I'll run, and make more haste than you.

Tat. You shall not fly so fast as I'll pursue. [Exeunt.

The Gallery adjoining PRUE'S Bedchamber.
Enter Nurse.

URSE. Miss! miss! Miss Prue!-mercy on me, marry and amen!-Why, what's become of the child? why miss? Miss Foresight! Sure, she has locked herself up in her chamber, and gone to sleep, or to prayers.-Miss! miss! I hear her ;to your father, child; open the door-open the door, miss! I hear you cry "Hush!"-O Lord who's there?

-come

[Peeps through the keyhole.]-What's here to do?O the father! a man with her!-Why, miss, I say! God's my life, here's fine doings towards!-O Lord, we're all undone !-O you young harlotry!-[Knocks.] Od's my life! won't you open the door?-I'll come in the back way. [Exit.

SCENE II.

PRUE'S Bedchamber.

TATTLE and Miss PRUE.

Prue. O Lord, she's coming!-and she'll tell my

father; what shall I do now!

Tat. Pox take her!-if she had stayed two minutes longer, I should have wished for her coming.

Prue. Oh dear, what shall I say? tell me Mr. Tattle, tell me a lie.

Tat. There's no occasion for a lie; I could never tell a lie to no purpose; but since we have done nothing, we must say nothing, I think. I hear her; I'll leave you together, and come off as you can.

[Thrusts her back, and shuts the door.

SCENE III.

A Room in FORESIGHT's House.

TATTLE, VALENTINE, SCANDAL, and ANGELICA.

Ang. You can't accuse me of inconstancy; I never told you that I loved you.

Val. But I can accuse you of uncertainty, for not telling me whether you did or not.

Ang. You mistake indifference for uncertainty; I never had concern enough to ask myself the question.

Scan. Nor good-nature enough to answer him that did ask you; I'll say that for you, madam.

Ang. What, are you setting up for good-nature?

Scan. Only for the affectation of it, as the women do for ill-nature.

Ang. Persuade your friend that it is all affectation.

Scan. I shall receive no benefit from the opinion; for I know no effectual difference between continued affectation and reality.

Tat. [Coming up.] Scandal, are you in private discourse? anything of secrecy? [Aside to SCANDAL. Scan. Yes, but I dare trust you! we were talking of Angelica's love for Valentine; you won't speak of it ?

Tat. No, no, not a syllable;-I know that's a secret, for it's whispered everywhere.

Scan. Ha ha ha!

Ang. What is, Mr. Tattle? I heard you say something was whispered everywhere.

Scan. Your love of Valentine.

Ang. How!

Tat. No, madam, his love for your ladyship.-Gad take me, I beg your pardon; for I never heard a word of your ladyship's passion till this instant.

Ang. My passion! and who told you of my passion, pray, sir?

Scan. [Aside to TATTLE.] Why, is the devil in you? did not I tell it you for a secret?

Tat. [Aside to SCANDAL.] Gad so, but I thought she – might have been trusted with her own affairs.

Scan. Is that your discretion? trust a woman with her self?

Tat. You say true, I beg your pardon ;-I'll bring all off. -[Aloud.] It was impossible, madam, for me to imagine, that a person of your ladyship's wit and gallantry could have so long received the passionate addresses of the accomplished Valentine, and yet remain insensible; therefore you will pardon me, if, from a just weight of his merit, with your ladyship's good judgment, I formed the balance of a reciprocal affection.

Val. O the devil! what damned costive poet has given thee this lesson of fustian to get by rote?

Ang. I dare sware you wrong him, it is his own; and Mr. Tattle only judges of the success of others from the effects of his own merit. For certainly Mr. Tattle was never denied anything in his life.

Tat. O Lord! yes, indeed, madam, several times.
Ang. I swear I don't think 'tis possible.

Tat. Yes, I vow and swear I have: Lord, madam, I'm the most unfortunate man in the world, and the most cruelly used by the ladies.