day, General but nothing in my power shall be wanting.

to make him happy.

Gen. Obliging loveliness!

Miss Wal. You may imagine, that if I had not been previously impreft in favor of your propofal, it would not have met my concurrence fo readily.

Gen. Then you own I had a previous friend in the garrifon.

Miss Wal. I don't blush to acknowledge it, Sir, when I confider the accomplishments of the object.

Gen. O this is too much, Madam: the principal merit of the object is his paffion for Miss Walfingham.

Miss Wal. Don't say that, General, I beg of you; for I don't think there are many women in the kingdom, who could behold him with indifference.

Gen. Ah, you flattering angel! and yet by the memory of Marlborough, my lovely girl, it was the idea of a prepoffeffion on your part, which encouraged me to hope for a favorable reception.

Miss Wal. Then I must have been very indifcreet, for I labored to conceal that prepoffeffion as much as poffible. Gen. You could not conceal it from me; the female heart is a field I am thoroughly acquainted with.

Miss Wal. I doubt not your knowledge of the female heart, General; but as we now understand one another so perfectly, you will give me leave to retire.

Gen. One word, my dear creature, and no more; I shall wait on you some time to day about the neceffary settle

ment.

Miss Wat. You must do as you please, General; you are invincible in every thing.

Gen. And if you please we will keep every thing a profound secret, till the articles are all fettled, and the definitive treaty ready for execution.

Miss Wal. You may be fure that delicacy will not fuffer me to be communicative on the fubject, Sir. Gen. Then you leave every thing to my management. Miss Wal. I can't trust a more noble negociator.

[goes out.

Gen. The day is my own, (sings) Britons strike home: strike home.

192

Scene between General SAVAGE, Captain SAVAGE, Miss WALSINGHAM, and TORRINGTON, a Lawyer; in which the General discovers his mistake.

N

AY, but my dearest Miss Walsingham, Captain Sav. the extenuation of my conduct to Belville made it absolutely necessary for me to discover my engagements with you; and as happiness is now fo fortunately in our reach, I flatter myfelf that you will be prevailed upon to forgive an error which proceeded only from extravagance of love.

Miss Wal. To think me capable of fuch an action, Captain Savage! I am terrified at the idea of an union with you; and it is better for a woman at any time to facrifice an infolent lover, than to accept of a fufpicious husband.

Capt. In the happiest union, my dearest creature, there must always be something to overlook on both fides.

Miss Wal. Very civil, truly.

Capt. Pardon ine, my life, for this frankness: and recollect, that if the lover has through misconception, been unhappily guilty, he brings a husband altogether reformed to your hands.

Miss Wal. Well, I see I must forgive you at last: so I may as well make a merit of neceffity, you provoking

creature.

Capt. And may I indeed hope for the blessing of this hand ?

Miss Wal. Why you wretch, would you have me force it upon you? I think after what I have faid, a foldier might venture to take it without further ceremony.

Capt. Angelic creature! thus I seize it, as my lawful prize.

Miss Wal. Well, but now you have obtained this ineftimable prize, Captain, give me leave again to ask if you have had a certain explanation with the General ?

Capt. How can you doubt it?

Miss Wal. And is he really impatient for our marriage ?
Capt. 'Tis incredible how earnest he is.

Miss Wal. What! did be tell you of his interview with

me this evening, when he brought Mr. Torrington?

Capt. He did.

Miss Wal, O, then I can have no doubt.

Capt. If a shadow of doubt remains, here he comes to remove it. Joy, my dear Sir, joy a thousand times! Enter General SAVAGE and TORRINGTON.

Gen. What, my dear boy, have you carried the day? Miss Wal. I have been weak enough to indulge him with a victory, indeed, General.

Gen. Fortune favors the brave, Torrington.

Tor. I congratulate you heartily on this decree, Gen

eral.

Gen. This had nearly proved a day of difappointinent, but the stars have fortunately turned it in my favor, and now I reap the rich reward of my victory.

Capt. And here I take her from you as the greateft good which heaven can send me.

Miss Wal. O Captain!

:

Gen. You take her as the greatest good which heaven can fend you, Sirrah? I take her as the greatest good which heaven can fend me :-and now what have you to fay to her P

Miss Wal. General Savage !

Tor. Here will be fresh injunction to stop proceedings. Miss Wal. Are we never to have done with mistakes? Gen. What mistakes can have happened now, fweeteft,

you delivered up your dear hand this moment!

Miss Wal. True, Sir, but I thought you were going to

beltow my dear hand upon this dear gentleman. Gen. How! that dear gentleman!

Capt. I am thunderstruck!

Tor. Fortune favors the brave, General, none but the

brave-[Laughingly.

Gen. So the covert way is cleared at last; and you have all along imagined that I was negociating for this fellow, when I was gravely foliciting for myself.

Miss Wal. No other idea, Sir, ever entered my imagination.

Tor. General, noble minds should never defpair.

V

[Laugbingly. Gen. Well, my hopes are all blown up to the moon at once, and I shall be the laughing stock of the whole

town.

T

:

Scene between Mrs. BELVILLE, Miss WALSINGHAM, and Lady RACHEL MILDEW.-On DUELLING.

Mrs. Belv.

W

HERE is the generofity, where is the [alone. sense, where is the shame of men, to find pleasures in pursuits which they cannot remember without the deepest horror: which they cannot follow without the meanest fraud: and which they cannot effect without consequences the most dreadful? The greatest triumph which a libertine can experience is too defpicable to be envied: 'tis at best nothing but a victory over humanity: and if he is a husband, he must be undoubtedly tortured on the wheel of recollection.

Enter Miss WALSINGHAM and Lady RACHEL MILDEW. Miss Wal. My dear Mrs. Belville, I am extremely unhappy to fee you fo distresled.

Lkdy Rach. Now I am extremely glad to see her fo; for if the were not greatly diftreffed, it would be monstroufly unnatural.

Mrs. Bel. O Matilda! my husband! my children! Miss Wal. Don't weep, my dear! don't weep! pray be comforted, all may end happily. Lady Rachel, beg of her not to cry fo.

Lady Rach. Why, you are crying yourself, Mifs Walfingham. And though I think it out of character to encourage her tears, I cannot help keeping you company.

Mrs. Bel. O, why is not fome effectual method contrived to prevent this horrible practice of duelling ?

Lady Rach. I'll expose it on the ftage, fince the law now a days kindly leaves the whole cognizance of it to the

theatre.

Miss Wal. And yet, if the laws against it, were as well enforced as the laws against destroying the game, perhaps it would be equally for the benefit of the kingdom.

Mrs. Bel. No law will ever be effectual till the cuftom is rendered infamous. Wives must shriek! mothers muft agonize; orphans must be multiplied! unless fome bleffed hand strip the fafcinating glare from honorable murder, and bravely expose the idol who is worshiped thus in blood. While it is difreputable to obey the laws, we cannot look for reformation.But if the duelist is once banished from the prefence of his fovereign, if he is fer life excluded the confidence of his country;

a mark of indelible disgrace is stamped upon him, the fword of public justice will be the fole chastiser of wrongs: trifles will not be punished with death, and offences really meriting fach a punishment will be referved for the only proper revenge, the common executioner.

Lady Rach. I could not have expreffed myself better on this fubject, my dear; but till such a hand as you talk of, is found, the best will fall into error of the times.

Miss Wal. Yes, and butcher each other like madinen, for feat their courage should be fufpected by fools.

Sir Har.

COLONEL

I am come

Colonel RIVERS and Sir HARRY. NOLONEL, your most obedient: upon the old business : for unless I am allowed to entertain hopes of Miss Rivers, I shall be the most miferable of all human beings.

Riv. Sir Harry, I have already told you by letter, and I now tell you perfonally, I cannot listen to your propofals. Sir Har. No, Sir ?

Riv. No, Sir; I have promised my daughter to Mr. Sidney: do you know that, Sir ?

Sir Hur. I do; but what then? Engagements of this kind you know

Riv. So then, you know I have promifed her to Mr. Sidney ?

Sir Har. I do, but I also know that matters are not finally settled between Mr. Sidney & you; and I moreover know that his fortune is by no means equal to mine, thereforeRiv. Sir Harry, let me afk you one question before you make your confequence.

Sir Har. A thoufand if your please, Sir.

Riv. Why then, Sir, let me ask you, what you have ever observed in me, or my conduct, that you defire une so familiarly to break my word? I thought, Sir, you confidered me as a man of honor.

Sir Har. And so I do, Sir, a man of the niceft honor. Riv. And yet, Sir, you afk me to violate the fanctity of my word; and tell me directly, that it is my interest to be a rascal.

Sir Har. I really don't understand you, Colonel: Ithot I was talking to a man who knew the world; and as you have not figned