Terms with him, that I thought 'twou'd be to little purpofe to ask his Confent.

Trick. Sir, Sir, as I live yonder's Mrs. Clever;

Mr. Clerimont is in Difgrace with his Uncle, and I being in fomewhat fcoundrelifh, or, as your Honour calls it, [To Cler.] fcurvy Terms with him my felf, what if we fhou'd retain her for an opening Council towards him? Cler. Ha! lucky enough.

Friend. 'Sdeath! She's an intimate Friend of my Lady Stale's.

Trick. Ah dear Sir, fhe hath a violent Paffion for Mony; fhe loves it better, not than any thing, I wo'nt fay that of her neither, but than any Friend that ever fhe had, from her God-fathers and God-mothers to the laft new Acquaintance the made.

Cler. Prithee call her I have been mightily in her Books of late.

Trick. Hum! not altogether fo proper just now; my Lady Stale has join'd her, and they are both coming this way

Friend. Let's be gone; I wou'd not fee her.And d'ye hear, Sirrah, contrive fome way to rid us of my Lady Stale; -that unlucky amorous Five and Forty Face of hers is a meer Omen of ill Fortune,I wish we may never meet her 'till our Projects are paft croffing.

Trick. I warrant you, Sir: And for Mrs. Clever, you may reckon the thing done;- -you may depend upon her, as much as the Fench King does upon his Coufin of Bavaria.

Enter Lady Stale and Mrs. Clever.

[Exeunt,

Stale. Well, dear Clever, never talk, for this Croydon is. á most infufferable filthy Place.

Clev. There's a great deal of Hurry, Duft and Noise indeed. And yet fo there are at May Fair and Bartholomew Fair, where all the World come. -Methinks this Place

is as diverting as thofe are, and the People are as merry here as there, tho' they are not fo well drefs'd.

Stales.

and laughing à Gorge deWell, I am perfectly glad believe I am the only Wo

Stale. Drefs'd! the Creatures! why, Child, Dreffing's a reafonable thing-one must have a fine Wit, delicate and well turn'd, to be able to Drefs. --The things that come here never think, they love Walnuts and Sack, and fat Goofe, and feeing of Monsters, ployée, but they never think.I have met thee.---I'll fwear I man of Condition here.---- I'll fwear I'm in the laft Confufion to think I could have fo much Complaifance for Friendly to come hither.----I'll fwear I believe muft you think me furioufly fond, to let him engage me in a Party fo horribly upon the ridiculous.

Clev. We have dropt him fome where in the Crowd, and I fancy 'tis that makes you fo uneafie.- -Come, Madam, confefs, is it not Jealoufie, rather than Complaifance, engages you in all Friendly's Parties? To give the Man his due, methought he was not so very pretting for your Company hither.

Stale. Jealous! poor Clever! I jealous of the Fellow! I fwear, Madam, you're as much mistaken, Madam, as perhaps you ever were in your Life, Madam. After all, when one is made fo very much to one's Advantage, fo agreeable, fo handfom, fo every thing in the World, and when one has fo fine a Difcernment to understand it very well one's felt, Jealoufie is a Paffion that perhaps after all is as little trouble fome as any Paon in the orld.

Clev. Ob, Madam! all the World muft confefs how bountiful Nature has been to you, even to the last Prodigality of Gift and Graces.

Stale. Why re lly, and between Friends, Child, I don't think my Perfon has done Nature one jot of DifcreditWhat do you think? ha! as long as good Faces have been in Fashion, fe never finish'd one more to her Reputation

Clev. Ay, ay, Madam, take your Perfon all together you have all the reason in the World to be fatisfy'd with

it.

Stale. Na my Dear, that I am, upon my Word ;-

for,

for, as I was faying, I think I may, without Affectation, aver that I am handfom, rich, nay and young too, in fpight of all the little infignificant World may lay to the contrary. Clev. Why that's true

vil

World!

that fame World is the De the ridiculous ways they have got in that You fhall have 'em, when they are vex'd at their Hearts that they grow old themselves, fancy that every Body elfe grows old in proportion as they do: You all have 'em, because they happen'd to Dance at a Ball with a Woman, in the merry Days of King Charles the Second, cry, Smoak the reverend Gentlewoman, tho' fhe has as much Cherry-colour'd Ribbon, and black Hair fruz'd out as any Toaft of 'em all, and never miss'd the Front-Box of a new Play these Thirty Years.

-but

Stale. The World is full of ImpertinencesWord for it, that I am young, very you may take my

young.

Clev. Oh dear Madam! you don't think there is any Occafion to convince me of it?

Stale. No, Child, not at all as to that;

-but befides now, befides all these Accomplishments, I ought to pique my felf fomewhat upon my Birth and Family.

Clev. Why, that is very hard now, as to this damn'd World again.

Stale. As how, dear Clever?

Clev. As how? why that there fhould be fuch a thing as Scandal-that Virtue and Merit, like your Ladyship's, should run the Gantlet thro' fo many Vifiting Days every Week.- -Why I believe I have heard a Thousand People fay, that you never had Father or Mother, Uncle or Aunt, Sifter or Brother, that your felf or any other Body knew of -nay, not fo much as a Husband, tho' your Ladyfhip has had the Misfortune to be a difconfolate Widow for fo many Years last past.

Stale. This is pleasant, I vow! but, dear Clever, this is particularly pleasantthe ridiculous World! as if every

I'd have

every Body did not know my Family.'em to comprehend I have Two as fine young Gentlemen as ever wore Gowns at the Univerfity- -the worst of em (and indeed I think that is Jeremy) the worst of 'em understands HebrewAnd then my Neice at Hackney is the prettieft witty Creature.

Clev. Ah, Madam, 'tis not your Fertility is in Quefti on, no Body can have the Impudence to difpute that part of your Family- Your Pofterity is all fafe, but tis concerning your Illuftrious Ancestors that the Doubt is rais'd.

Stale. Folly to the laft degree!I fwear you be gin to be mighty entertaining.

Clev. You'll pardon me, Madam, that I have dealt fo very freely with your Ladyfhip You'll allow

for the Sincerity of Friendship.

Stale. Oh by all means, my Dear, you wrong me to fufpect the contrary- -I have Wit enough to be above the little Envy of those talking things-befides I am Rich, have a Fortune, Argent Comptant, Child,

Clev. A Fortune!

Stale. Ay, Clever, a Fortune.

Clev. Nay, then I don't wonder at your being above what the World can fay of you.

Pofitively no Body can be out of Humour that has Mony enough.

Stale. I think I have fome kind of an Inclination to Mr. Friendlythe Man loves me to Folly;- -I am pleas'd he fhould do fo, and, in fhort, I intend he fhall marry me within thefe Two Days.

-but

Clev. Well, Madam, I wish you good Succefsthe World, that has been fo ill-natur'd to difpute one Husband with you, may try to hinder you of anothertherefore have a Care, and make sure of your Man while you can have him.Between the Wars abroad, and the many preffing Occafions at home, Men are fcarce.

Enter Mariana.

Mar. My Lady Stale! Is it poffible that I fhould meet you here?

Stale

1

Stale, Mariana! this is the very Predestination of good Fortunemy Dear, Dear, incomparable Dear!

But, Child! what, are you
Mar. Oh no, Madam,

alone?

the Diverfions of this Place draw fo much Company to 'em, that 'twould be almoft impoffible to come alone, especially in a StageTo deal freely with you, I came hither

Coach

upon an Engagement with Mr. Clerimont.

Stale. And the reft of your Company?

Mar. Gallant and engaging to the laft degree. A Templer, a Lady of Wit and Pleasure, and a notable Man of Bufinets out of the City.

Clev. I fuppofe your Lady fhip can give a very good Account of the Inns of Court Gallantry?

Mar Oh, Mrs. Clever, your Servant.

You

have brought your ufual good Humour hither, I fee. Clev. I am always very much at your Service, Ma

dam.

Stale. Well, but how have you difpos'd of your Com

taken up with Four or Five fine Ladies in Masks. Stale. And your Lady of Pleafure?

Mar. With a Knot of Rakes.

my young Squire was

And my Man

A

of Bufinefs is engag'd in an Affair of Confequence." Stale. An Affair of Confequence at Cro aon? Mar. Ay, I'll affure you, and very great too.

Whim took him to give himself a t'other End o' the Town kind of an Air, and he wou'd not pay the CoachMan whereupon

Clev. I fuppofe he beat him.

Mar. Even fo, from Top to Toe-He had juft finif'd him when I left 'em.

Stale. Very pleafant! But, my Dear, have you met. with no Adventure your felt?

--

- A

Mar. Oh with a very good one, I affure you: Grenadier of the Guards proffer'd to Treat me with burnt Brandy and Sawfages.

Clev