Sir Will. Sir, I have delivered it; and muft inform you, it was received with the moft mortifying contempt. Croak. Contempt! Mr. Lofty, what can that mean? Lofty. Let him go on, let him go on, I fay. You'll find it come to fomething presently,

Sir Will. Yes, fir, I believe you'll be amazed, if, after waiting fome time in the anti-chamber, after being furveyed with infolent curiofity by the paffing fervants, I was at laft affured, that Sir William Honeywood knew no fuch perfon, and I must certainly have been impofed upon.

Lofty. Good; let me die; very good. Ha! ha! ha ! Croak. Now, for my life, I can't find out half the goodness of it.

Lofty. You can't. Ha! ha!

Creak. No, for the foul of me; I think it was as confounded a bad anfwer, as ever was fent from one private gentleman to another.

Lofty. And fo you can't find out the force of the meffage? Why, I was in the house at that very time. Ha! ha! It was I that fent that very anfwer to my own letter. Ha! ha!

Croak. Indeed! How! why!

Lofty. In one word, things between Sir William and me must be behind the curtain. A party has many eyes. He fides with lord Buzzard; I fide with Sir Gilbert Goofe. So that unriddles the mystery.

Croak. And fo it does, indeed; and all my fufpicions

are over.

Lofty. Your fufpicions! What, then, you have been fufpecting, you have been fufpecting, have you? Mr.

Croaker, you and I were friends; we are friends no longer. Never talk to me. It's over; I fay, it's

over.

Croak. As I hope for your favour, I did not mean to offend. It efcaped me. Don't be difcomposed.

Lofty. Zounds! fir, but I am difcompofed, and will be discomposed. To be treated thus! Who am I! Was it for this, I have been dreaded both by ins and outs! Have I been libelled in the Gazetteer, and praised in the St. James's; have I been chaired at Wildman's, and a speaker at Merchant-Taylor's Hall; have I had my hand to addreffes, and my head in the print-shops; and talk to me of suspects!

Croak. My dear fir, be pacified. What can you have but afking pardon?

Lofty. Sir, I will not be pacified-Sufpects! Who am I! To be used thus! Have I paid court to men in favour, to ferve my friends; the lords of the treafury, fir William Honeywood, and the reft of the gang, and talk to me of fufpects! Who am I, I say, who am I!

Sir Will. Since, fir, you're fo preffing for an an anfwer, I'll tell you who you are. A gentleman, as well acquainted with politics, as with men in power'; as well acquainted with perfons of fashion, as with modefty; with lords of the treasury, as with truth; and with all, as you are with Sir William Honeywood. I am Sir William Honeywood.

[Difcovering his en figns of the Bath.

Croak. Sir William Honeywood!

Honey. Aftonishment! my uncle !

[Afide.

Lofty. So then my confounded genius has been all this time only leading me up to the garret, in order to fling me out of the window.

Croak. What, Mr. Importance, and are these your works? Sufpect you! you who have been dreaded by the ins and outs: you, who have had your hand to addreffes and your head stuck up in print-shops. If you were ferved right, you should have your head ftuck up in the pillory.

Lofty. Ay, ftick it where you will; for, by the Lord, it cuts but a very poor figure where it sticks at present.

Sir Will. Well, Mr. Croaker, I hope you fee now how incapable this gentleman is of ferving you, and how little Mifs Richland has to expect from his influence.

Croak. Ay, fir, too well I fee it; and I can't but say I have had fome boding of it these ten days. So, I'm refolved, fince my fon has placed his affections on a lady of moderate fortune, to be fatisfied with his choice, and not run the hazard of another Mr. Lofty, in helping him to a better.

Sir Wil. I approve your refolution; and here they come to receive a confirmation of your pardon and confent.

Enter Mrs. CROAKER, JARVIS, LEONTINE and OLIVLA.

Mrs. Croak. Where's my husband! Come, come, lovey, you must forgive them. Jarvis here has been to tell me the whole affair; and, I fay, you must forgive them. Our own was a stolen match, you know, my dear; and we never had any reafon to repent of it.

Croak. I wish we could both fay fo. However, this gentleman, Sir William Honeywood, has been beforehand with you, in obtaining their pardon. So, if the two poor fools have a mind to marry, I think we can tack them together without croffing the Tweed for it. [Joining their bands.

Leont. How bleft and unexpected! What, what can we fay to fuch goodness! But our future obedience shall be the best reply. And, as for this gentleman, to whom

we owe

Sir Will. Excufe me, fir, if I interrupt your thanks, as I have here an intereft that calls me (Turning to Honeywood) Yes, fir, you are surprised to fee me; and I own that a defire of correcting your follies led me hither. I faw, with indignation, the errors of a mind that only fought applause from others; that eafiness of difpofition, which though inclined to the right, had not courage to condemn the wrong. I faw, with regret, those splendid errors, that still took name from some neighbouring duty. Your charity, that was but injuftice; your benevolence, that was but weakness; and your friendship, but credulity. I faw, with regret, great talents and extensive learning, only employed to add sprightliness to error, and increase your perplexities. I faw your mind with a thousand natural charms; but, the greatness of its beauty ferved only to heighten my pity for its prostitution.

Honey. Ceafe to upbraid me, fir; I have for fome time but too ftrongly felt the juftice of your reproaches. But there is one way ftill left me. Yes, fir, I have determined

this very hour, to quit for ever a place where I have made myself the voluntary flave of all; and to feek a mong ftrangers that fortitude which may give ftrength to the mind, and marfhal all its diffipated virtues. Yet ere I depart, permit me to folicit favour for this gentleman; who, notwithstanding what has happened, has laid me under the moft fignal obligations. Mr.

Lofty

Lofty. Mr. Honeywood, I'm refolved upon a reformation as well as you. I now begin to find that the man who first invented the art of fpeaking truth was a much cunninger fellow than I thought him. And, to prove that I defign to speak truth for the future I muft now affure you, that you owe your late enlargement to another; as, upon my foul, I had no hand in the matter. So now if any of the company has a mind for preferment he may take my place, I'm determined to refign.

Honey. How have I been deceived!

[Exit.

Sir Will. No, fir, you have been obliged to a kinder, fairer friend for that favour; to Mifs Richland. Would the complete our joy, and make the man fhe has honoured by her friendship, happy in her love, I fhould then forget all, and be as bleft as the welfare of my dearest kinfman can make me.

would be but affectaYes, I will own an

Mifs Rich. After what is paft, it tion to pretend to indifference. attachment, which, I find, was more than friendfhip. And, if my entreaties cannot alter his refolution to quit the country, I will even try if my hand has not power to detain him. [Giving her hand.