MISS HARDCASTLE." I proteft, fir, I do not comprehend your meaning."-p. 326. more (kissing his hand), he's mine, I'll have him! HARD. And to crown all, Kate, he's one of the most bashful and reserved young fellows in all the world. MISS HARD. Eh! you have frozen me to death again. That word re served, has undone all the rest of his accomplishments. A reserved lover, it is said, always makes a suspicious husband. HARD. On the contrary, modesty seldom resides in a breast that is not enriched with nobler virtues. It was the very feature in his character that first struck me. MISS HARD. He must have more striking features to catch me, I promise you. However, if he be so young, so handsome, and so everything, as you mention, I believe he'll do still. I think I'll have him. HARD. Ay, Kate, but there is still an obstacle. It's more than an even wager, he may not have you. MISS HARD. My dear papa, why will you mortify one so!-Well, if he refuses, instead of breaking my heart at his indifference, I'll only break my glass for its flattery, set my cap to some newer fashion, and look out for some less difficult admirer. HARD. Bravely resolved! In the meantime I'll go prepare the servants for his reception; as we seldom see company, they want as much training as a company of recruits the first day's muster. MISS HARDCASTLE, sola. [Exit. MISS HARD. Lud, this news of papa's puts me all in a flutter. Young -handsome: these he put last; but I put them foremost. Sensible good-natured: I like all that. But then reserved, and sheepish: that's much against him. Yet, can't he be cur'd of his timidity, by being taught to be proud of his wife? Yes; and can't I-But, I vow, I'm disposing of the husband, before I have secured the lover. Enter MISS NEVILLE. MISS HARD. I'm glad you're come, Neville, my dear. Tell me, Constance : how do I look this evening? Is there anything whimsical about me? Is it one of my well-looking days, child? Am I in face to-day? MISS NEV. Perfectly, my dear. Yet, now I look again-bless me!— sure no accident has happened among the canary birds, or the gold fishes. Has your brother or the cat been meddling? Or, has the last novel been too moving? this. MISS HARD. No; nothing of all this. I have been threatened I can scarce get it out-I have been threatened with a lover. MISS NEV. And his name- MISS HARD. The son of Sir Charles Marlow. MISS NEV. As I live, the most intimate friend of Mr. Hastings, my admirer. They are never asunder. I believe you must have seen him when we lived in town. MISS HARD. Never. MISS NEV. He's a very singular character, I assure you. Among women of reputation and virtue, he is the modestest man alive; but his acquaintance give him a very different character among creatures of another stamp: you understand me. MISS HARD. An odd character, indeed. indeed. I shall never be able to manage him. What shall I do? Pshaw, think no more of him, but trust to occurrences for success. But how goes on your own affair, my dear? has my mother been courting you or my brother Tony, as usual! MISS NEV. I have just come from one of our agreeable tête-à-têtes. management of it, I'm not surprised to see her unwilling to let it go out of the family. MISS NEV. A fortune like mine, which chiefly consists in jewels, is no such mighty temptation. But, at any rate, if my dear Hastings be but constant, I make no doubt to be too hard for her at last. However, I let her suppose that I am in love with her son, and she never once dreams that my affections are fixed upon another. MISS HARD. My good brother holds out stoutly. I could almost love him for hating you so. MISS NEV. It is a good-natured creature at bottom, and I'm sure would wish to see me married to anybody but himself. But my aunt's bell rings for our afternoon's walk round the improvements. Allons! Courage is necessary, as our affairs are critical. MISS HARD. Would it were bedtime, and all were well. [Exeunt. SCENE. An ale house room. Several shabby fellows, with punch and tobacco. TONY at the head of the table, a little higher than the rest a mallet in his hand. OMNES. Hurrea, hurrea, hurrea, bravo! 1 FEL. Now, gentlemen, silence for a song. The 'squire is going to knock himself down for a song. OMNES. Ay, a song, a song! TONY. Then I'll sing you, gentlemen, a song I made upon this alehouse, the Three Pigeons. SONG. Let school-masters puzzle their brain, With grammar, and nonsense, and learning; Good liquor, I stoutly maintain, Give genus a better discerning. Let them brag of their heathenish gods, Toroddle, toroddle, toroll. When methodist-preachers come down, But you, my good friend, are the pigeon. Then come, put the jorum about, And let us be merry and clever; Here's a health to the Three Jolly Pigeons! OMNES. Bravo! bravo! 1 FEL. The 'squire has got spunk in him. 2 FEL. I loves to hear him sing, bekeays he never gives us nothing that's low. 3 FEL. O damn anything that's low, I cannot bear it. 4 FEL. The genteel thing, is the genteel thing at any time. If so be that a gentleman bees in a concatenation accordingly. 3 FEL. I like the maxum of it, Master Muggins. What though I am obligated to dance a bear? a man may be a gentleman for all that. May this be my poison, if my bear ever dances but to the very genteelest of tunes : "Water parted, or "The minuet in Ariadne.' 2 FEL. What a pity it is the 'squire is not come to his own! It would be well for all the publicans within ten miles round of him. TONY. Ecod and SO it would, Master Slang. I'd then show what it was to keep choice of company. 2 FEL. O he takes after his own father for that. To be sure, old 'squire Lumpkin was the finest gentleman I ever set my eyes on. For winding the straight horn, or beating LAND. There be two gentlemen in a post-chaise at the door. They have lost their way upo' the forest; and they are talking something about Mr. Hardcastle. TONY. As sure as can be, one of them must be the gentleman that's coming down to court my sister.-Do they seem to be Londoners? LAND. I believe they may. They look woundily like Frenchmen. TONY. Then desire them to step this way, and I'll set them right in a twinkling. (Exit LANDLORD.) Gentlemen, as they mayn't be good enough company for you, step down for a moment, and I'll be with you in the squeezing of a lemon. (Exeunt mob. able day have we had of it! We were told it was but forty miles across the country, and we have come above threescore. HAST. And all, Marlow, from that unaccountable reserve of yours, that would not let us inquire more frequently on the way. MARL. 1 own, Hastings, I am unwilling to lay myself under an obligation to every one I meet; and often stand the chance of an unmannerly answer. HAST. At present, however, we are not likely to receive any answer. TONY. No offence, gentlemen; but I'm told you have been inquiring for one Mr. Hardcastle, in those parts. Do you know what part of the country you are in? HAST. Not in the least, sir; but should thank you for information. TONY. Nor the way you came? HAST. No, sir; but if you can inform us TONY. Why, gentlemen, if you know neither the road you are going, nor where you are, nor the road you came, the first thing I have to inform you is, that you have lost your way. MARL. We wanted no ghost to tell us that. TONY. Pray, gentlemen, may I be so bold as to ask the place from whence you came? MARL. That's not necessary towards directing us where we are to go. TONY. No offence; but question for question is all fair, you know. Pray, gentlemen, is not this same Hardcastle a cross-grained, old-fashioned, whimsical fellow, with an ugly face; a daughter, and a pretty son? HAST. We have not seen the gentleman; but he has the family you mention |