ACT THE THIR D.

WHA

Enter HARDCASTLE, folus.

Hardcafile.

HAT could my old friend Sir Charles mean by recommending his fon as the modeftest young man in town? To me he appears the most impudent piece of brass that ever spoke with a tongue. He has taken poffeffion of the eafy chair by the fire-fide already. He took off his boots in the parlour, and defired me to fee them taken care of. I'm defirous to know how his impudence affects my daughter.-She will certainly be íhocked at it.

Enter Mrs's HARDCASTLE, plainly drefs'd.

Hard. Well, my Kate, I fee you have changed your dress as I bid you; and yet, I believe, there was no great occafion.

Mifs Hard. I find fuch a pleasure, fir, in obeying your commands, that I take care to obferve them without ever debating their propriety.

Hard. And yet, Kate, I fometimes give you fome caufe, particularly when I recommended my modeft gentleman to you as a lover to-day.

Mifs Hard. You taught me to expect something extraordinary, and I find the original exceeds the description. Hard. I was never fo surprised in my life! He has quite confounded all my faculties !

Mifs Hard. I never faw any thing like it; and a man of the world too!

Hard. Ay, he learned it all abroad,-what a fool was I, to think a young man could learn modefty by travel-, ling. He might as foon learn wit at a masquerade. Mifs Hard. It feems all natural to him.

Hard. A good deal affifted by bad company and a French dancing-master.

Mifs Hard. Sure you miftake, papa! A French dancing-mafter could never have taught him that timid look, that aukward addrefs,-that bashful mannerHard. Whofe look? whofe manner, child?

Mifs Hard. Mr. Marlow's his mauvaise honte, his timidity ftruck me at the first fight.

Hard. Then your first fight deceived you; for I think him one of the most brazen first fights that ever astonished my fenfes.

Mifs Hard. Sure, fir, you rally! I never faw any one fo modeft.

Hard. And can you be ferious! I never saw such a bouncing swaggering puppy fince I was born. Bully Dawfon was but a fool to him.

Mifs Hard. Surprising! he met me with a respectful bow, a ftammering voice, and a look fixed on the ground. Hard. He met me with a loud voice, a lordly air, and a familiarity that made my blood freeze again.

Mifs Hard. He treated me with diffidence and refpect; cenfured the manners of the age; admired the prudence of girls that never laughed; tired me with apologies for being tiresome; then left the room with a bow, and, madam, I would not for the world detain you.

Hard. He spoke to me as if he knew me all his life before. Asked twenty questions, and never waited for an answer. Interrupted my best remarks with fome fil

pun, and when I was in my beft ftory of the duke of Marlborough and prince Eugene, he asked if I had not a good hand at making punch. Yes, Kate, he asked your father if he was a maker of punch!

Mifs Hard. One of us muft certainly be mistaken.

Hard. If he be what he has fhewn himself, I'm determined he fhall never have my confent.

Mifs Hard. And if he be the fullen thing I take him he shall never have mine.

Hard. In one thing then we are agreed-to reject him. Mifs Hard. Yes. But upon conditions. For if you fhould find him lefs impudent, and I more prefuming; if you find him more respectful, and I more importunateI don't know the fellow is well enough for a manCertainly we don't meet many such at a horse race in the country.

Hard. If we fhould find him fo-But that's impoffible. The first appearance has done my bufinefs.

feldom deceived in that.

Mifs Hard. And yet there may be many good qualities under that first appearance.

Hard. Ay, when a girl finds a fellow's outside to her tafte, she then fets about gueffing the reft of his furniWith her, a smooth face ftands for good fenfe, and a genteel figure for every virtue.

ture.

Mifs Hard. I hope, fir, a converfation begun with a compliment to my good fenfe won't end with a fneer at my understanding?

Hard. Pardon me, Kate. But if young Mr. Brazen can find the art of reconciling contradictions, he may please us both, perhaps.

Mifs Hard. And as one of us must be mistaken, what if we go to make further difcoveries ?

Hard. Agreed. But depend on't I'm in the right. Mifs Hard. And depend on't I'm not much in the

wrong.

Enter TONY running in with a casket.

[Exeunt.

Tony. Ecod! I have got them. Here they are. My coufin Con's necklaces, bobs and all. My mother fhan't cheat the poor fouls out of their fortin neither. O! my genus, is that you ?

Enter HASTINGS.

Haft. My dear friend, how have you managed with your mother? I hope you have amused her with pretending love for your coufin, and that you are willing

to be reconciled at laft? Our horfes will be refrethed in a fhort time, and we shall foon be ready to set off.

Tony. And here's fomething to bear your charges by the way, (giving the casket) your sweetheart's jewels. Keep them, and hang those, I say, that would rob you of one of them.

Haft. But how have you procured them from your mother?

Tony. Afk me no queftions, and I'll tell you no fibs. I procured them by the rule of thumb. If I had not a key to every drawer in mother's bereau, how could I go to the ale-house so often as I do? An honeft man may rob himself of his own at any time.

Haft. Thousands do it every day. But to be plain with you; Mifs Neville is endeavouring to procure them from her aunt this very inftant. If the fucceeds, it will be the most delicate way at least of obtaining them.

Tony. Well, keep them, till you know how it will be. But I know how it will be well enough, fhe'd as foon part with the only found tooth in her head.

Haft. But I dread the effects of her refentment, when fhe finds fhe has loft them.

Tony. Never you mind her refentment, leave me to manage that. I don't value her refentment the bounce of a cracker. Zounds! here they are. Morrice. Prance. [Exit Haftings.

TONY, MRS. HARDCASTLE, and Miss NEVILLE.

Mrs. Hard. Indeed, Conftance, you amaze me. Such a girl as you want jewels? It will be time enough for jewels, my dear, twenty years hence, when your beauty begins to want repairs.

Mifs New. But what will repair beauty at forty, will certainly improve it at twenty, madam.

Mrs. Hard. Yours, my dear, can admit of none. That natural blush is beyond a thousand ornaments. Befides, child, jewels are quite out at prefent. Don't you see half the ladies of our acquaintance, my lady Killdaylight, and Mrs. Crump, and the reft of them, carry their jewels to town, and bring nothing but paste and marcafites back.

Mifs Nev. But who knows, madam, but fomebody that fhall be nameless would like me best with all my little finery about me.

Mrs. Hard. Confult your glafs, my dear, and then fee if, with such a pair of eyes, you want any better fparklers. What do you think, Tony, my dear? does your ccafin Con, want any jewels, in your eyes, to fet off her beauty?