to defpife malice if we cannot oppofe it, and not make the incendiary's pen as fatal to our repofe as the highwayman's pistol.

Mrs. Croak. O then you think I'm quite right?

Honey. Perfectly right.

Croak. A plague of plagues, we can't be both right. I ought to be forry, or I ought to be glad. My hat must be on my head, or my hat must be off.

Mrs. Croak. Certainly, in two oppofite opinions, if one be perfectly reasonable the other can't be perfectly right.

Honey. And why may not both be right, madam : Mr. Croaker in earnestly seeking redress, and you in waiting the event with good humour? Pray, let me fee the letter again. I have it. This letter requires twenty guineas to be left at the bar of the Talbot inn. If it be indeed an incendiary letter, what if you and I fir, go there; and, when the writer .comes to be paid his expected booty, feize him?

Croak. My dear friend, it's the very thing; the very thing. While I walk by the door, you shall plant yourself in ambush near the bar; burft out upon the mifcreant like a mafqued battery; extort a confeffion at once, and fo hang him up by furprise.

Honey. Yes; but I would not chufe to exercife too much feverity. It is my maxim, fir, that crimes generally punish themfelves.

Croak. Well, but we may upbraid him a little, I fuppofe? (Ironically,

Honey. Ay, but not punish him too rigidly.

Groak. Well, well, leave that to my own benevolence.

Honey. Well, I do; but remember that univesral be

nevolence is the first law of nature.

[Exeunt Honeywood and Mrs. Croaker.

Croak. Yes; and my univerfal benevolence will hang

the dog, if he had as many necks as a hydra.

ACT THE FIFTH.

WELL

SCENE, an INN.

Enter OLIVIA, JARVIS.

Olivia.

ELL, we have got fafe to the inn, however.Now, if the poft-chaife were ready

Jar. The horses are just finishing their oats; and, as they are not going to be married, they choose to take their own time.

Oliv. You are for ever giving wrong motives to my impatience.

Jar. Be as impatient as you will, the horses must take their own time; befides, you don't confider we have got no answer from our fellow-traveller yet. If we hear nothing from Mr. Leontine, we have only one way left us.

Oliv. What way?

Jar. The way home again.

Oliv. Not fo. I have made a refolution to go, and nothing fhall induce me to break it.

out.

Jar. Ay; refolutions are well kept, when they jump with inclination. However, I'll go haften things withAnd I'll call, too, at the bar, to see if any thing should be left for us there. Don't be in such a plaguy hurry, madam, and we shall go the fafter I promise you. [Exit Jarvis.

Enter LANDLADY.

Land. What! Solomon, why don't you move ? Pipes and tobacco for the Lamb there-Will nobody anfwer? To the Dolphin; quick. The Angel has been outrageous this half hour. Did your ladyfhip call,

madam?

Oliv. No, madam,

Land. I find, as you're for Scotland, madam-But, that's no business of mine; married, or not married, I ask no queftions. To be sure, we had a fweet little couple fet off from this two days ago for the fame place. The gentleman, for a taylor, was to be sure, as fine a spoken taylor, as ever blew froth from a full pot. And the young lady fo bashful, it was near half an hour before we could get her to finish a pint of rafberry between us. Oliv. But this gentleman and I are not going to be married, I affure you.

Land. May be not. That's no business of mine; for certain, Scotch marriages feldom turn out. There was, of my own knowledge, Mifs Macfag, that married her father's footman.-Alack-a-day, fhe and her husband foon parted, and now keep feparate cellars in Hedgelane.

Oliv. A very pretty picture of what lies before me.

[Afide.

Enter LEONTINE.

Leont. My dear Olivia, my anxiety, till you were out of danger, was too great to be refifted. I could not help

coming to fee you fet out, tho' it expofes us to a difcovery.

Oliv. May every thing you do prove as fortunate. Indeed, Leontine, we have been moft cruelly disappointed. Mr. Honeywood's bill upon the city has, it seems, been protefted, and we have been utterly at a loss how to proceed.

Leont. How! an offer of his own too. Sure, he could not mean to deceive us.

Oliv. Depend upon his fincerity; he only mistook the defire for the power of ferving us. But let us think no more of it. I believe the poft-chaife is ready by this.

Land. Not quite yet: and, begging your ladyfhip's pardon, I don't think your ladyfhip quite ready for the poft-chaife. The north road is a cold place, madam. I have a drop in the houfe of as pretty rafberry as ever was tipt over tongue. Juft a thimble full to keep the wind off your ftomach. To be fure, the last couple we had here, they said it was a perfect nofegay. Ecod, I fent them both away as good natur'd-Up went the blinds, round went the wheels, and drive away, post-boy, was the word.

Enter CROAKEK.

Croak. Well, while my friend Honeywood is upon the post of danger at the bar, it must be my business to have an eye about me here. I think I know an incendiary's look; for, wherever the devil makes a purchase, he never fails to fet his mark. Ha! who have we here? My fon and daughter! What can they be doing here!

I