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night I'll fairly stroll down to the guard, and nod away the night with my honest lieutenant, over a flask of wine, a rake-helly story, and a pipe of tobacco.

Going off, BISARRE meets him.

Bis. Who comes there? Stand! Dur. Hey-day! now she's turn'd dragoon. Bis. Look ye, sir, I'm told you intend to travel again. I design to wait on you as far as Italy. Dur. Then I'll travel into Wales.

Bis. Wales! What country's that?

Lur. The land of mountains, child; where you're never out of the way, because there's no such thing as a high-road.

Bis. Rather always in a high-road, because you travel all upon hills. But, be as it will, I'll jog along with you.

Dur. But we intend to sail to the East In

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Dur. The devil's in the woman! Suppose I hang myself.

Bis. There I'll leave you.

Dur. And a happy riddance; the gallows is welcome!

Bis. Hold, hold, sir; [Catches him by the arm, going] one word before we part.

Dur. Let me go, madam, or I shall think that you are a man, and perhaps examine you.

Bis. Stir, if you dare; I have still spirits to attend me; and can raise such a muster of fairies as shall punish you to death. Come, sir, stand there now, and ogle me. [He frowns upon her.] Now a languishing sigh. [He groans.] Now run and take my fan-faster. [He runs, and takes it up.] Now play with it handsomely.

Dur. Ay, ay.

[He tears it all in pieces. Bis. Hold, hold, dear humourous coxcomb! Captain, spare my fan, and I'll-Why, you rude, inhuman monster, don't you expect to pay for this?

Dur. Yes, madam; there's twelve-pence; for that is the price on't.

Bis. Sir, it cost a guinea. Dur. Well, madam, you shall have the sticks again. [Throws them to her, and exit. Bis. Ha, ha, ha! ridiculous, below my concern. I must follow him, however, to know if he can give me any news of Oriana. [Exil.

SCENE IV.-Changes to LAMORCE's Lodgings.

Enter MIRABEL.

Mir. Bloody hell-hounds! I overheard you.

Was not I, two hours ago, the happy, gay, rejoicing Mira el? How did I plume my hopes in a fair coming prospect of a long scene of years? Life courted me with all the charms of vigour, youth, and fortune; and to be torn away from all my promised joys, is more than death-the manner too-by villains! Oh, my Oriana, this very moment might have bless'd me in thy arms! and my poor boy, the innocent boy!-Confusion !But, hush, they come: I must dissemble stillNo news of my wine, gentlemen?

Enter the four Bravoes.

1st Bra. No, sir; I believe your country booby has lost himself, and we can wait, no longer for it-True, sir, you are a pleasant gentleman; but I suppose you understand our business.

Mir. Sir, I may go near to guess at your employments:-you, sir, are a lawyer, I presume; you a physician, you a scrivener, and you a stockjobber- -All cut-throats, 'egad. [Aside

4th Bra. Sir, I am a broken officer; I was cashiered at the head of the army for a coward; so I took up the trade of murder, to retrieve the reputation of my courage.

3d Bra. I am a soldier too, and would serve my king, but I don't like the quarrel; and I have more honour than to fight in a bad cause.

2d Bra. I was bred a gentleman, and have no estate; but I must have my whore and my bottle, through the prejudice of education.

1st Bra. I am a ruffian too, by the prejudice of education: I was bred a butcher. In short, sir, if your wine had come, we might have trifled a little longer. Come, sir, which sword will you fall by? Mine, sir?

2d Bra. Or mine? 3d Bra. Or mine? 4th Bra. Or mine?

[Draws.

[Draws.

[Draws.

[Draws.

Mir. I scorn to beg my life; but to be butcher'd thus! [Knocking.] Oh, there's the wine! This moment for my life or death.

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Enter DURETETE with his sword drawn, and six of the Grand Musqueteers with their pieces presented: the Ruffians drop their swords. ORIANA goes off.

Mir. The wine, the wine, the wine! Youth, pleasure, fortune, days, and years are now my own again! Ah, my dear friends! did not I tell you this wine would make me merry?-Dear captain, these gentlemen are the best-natured, facetious, witty creatures that ever you knew. Enter LAMORCE.

Lam. Is the wine come, sir?

Mir. Oh, yes, madam, the wine is come-See there! [Pointing to the soldiers.]-Your ladyship has got a very fine ring upon your finger. Lam. Sir, 'tis at your service.

Mir. O ho! is it so? Thou dear seven hundred pounds, thou'rt welcome home again with all my heart. Ads my life, madam, you have got the finest built watch there! Tompion's, I prešume.

Lam. Sir, you may wear it.

Mir. Oh, madam, by no means, 'tis too much -rob you of all! [Taking it from her.] Good dear time, thou'rt a precious thing; I'm glad I have retrieved thee. [Putting it up.] What, my friends neglected all this while! Gentlemen, you'll pardon my complaisance to the lady. How now -is it civil to be so out of humour at my entertainment, and I so pleased with yours?-Captain, you are surprised at all this! but we're in our frolics, you must know-Some wine here.

Enter Servants with wine.

Come, captain, this worthy gentleman's health. -Tweaks the first Bravo by the nose; he roars.]—But now, where's my dear deliverer, my boy, my charming boy!

1st Bra. I hope some of our crew below stairs have dispatched him.

Mir. Villain, what sayest thou? Dispatched! I'll have you all tortured, racked, torn to pieces alive, if you have touched my boy.-Here, page! page! page! [Runs out. Dur. Here, gentlemen, be sure you secure those fellows.

1st Bra. Yes, sir, we know you and your guard will be very civil to us.

Dur. Now for you, madam- -he, he, he! I'm so pleased to think that I shall be revenged of one woman before I die-Well, Mistress Snap-Dragon, which of these honourable gentlemen is so happy to call you wife?

1st Bra. Sir, she should have been mine tonight, because Sampre here had her last night. Sir, she's very true to us all four. Dur. Take them to justice.

[The guards carry off the Bravoes. Enter Old MIRABEL, Dugard, and BISARRE. Old Mir. Robin,Robin; where's Bob? Where's my boy?-What, is this the lady? A pretty whore, faith? Hark'e, child, because my son was so civil as to oblige you with a coach, I'll treat you with a cart, indeed I will.

Dug.. Ay, madam, and you shall have a swinging equipage,-three or four thousand footmen at your heels, at least.

Dur. No less becomes her quality.

Bis. Faugh! the monster!

Dur. Monster! ay, you're all a little monstrous,

let me tell

you.

Enter MIRABEL.

Old Mir. Ah, my dear Bob, art thou safe, man? Mir. No, no, sir, I'm ruin'd; the saviour of my life is lost.

Old Mir. No, he came and brought us the

news.

Mir. But where is he?

Enter ORIANA.

Ha! [Runs and embraces her.] My dear preserver, what shall I do o recompence your trust ?-Father, friends, ntlemen, behold the youth that has relieved me from the most ignominious death, from the scandalous poniards of these bloody ruffians, where to have fallen would have defamed my memory with vile reproach—My life, estate, my all, is due to such a favour. Command me, child: before you all, before my late so kind indulgent stars, I swear to grant whate'er you ask.

Öri. To the same stars, indulgent now to me, I will appeal as to the justice of my claim: I shall demand but what was mine before--the just performance of your contract to Oriana.

Omnes. Oriana!

[Discovering herself.

Ori. In this disguise I resolved to follow you abroad, counterfeited that letter that got me into your service, and so, by this strange turn of fate, I became the instrument of your preservation:-few common servants would have bad such cunning: my love inspired me with the meaning of your message, because my concern for your safety made me suspect your company.

Dur. Mirabel, you're caught.

Mir. Caught! I scorn the thought of imposition; the tricks and artful cunning of the sex I have despised, and broke through all contrivance. Caught! No, 'tis my voluntary act; this was no human stratagem, but by my providential stars design'd, to shew the dangers wandering youth incurs by the pursuit of an unlawful love, to plunge me headlong in the snares of vice, and then to free me by the hands of virtue.-Here, on my knees, I humbly beg my fair preserver's pardon: my thanks are needless, for myself I owe-and now for ever do protest me yours.

Old Mir. Tall, all, di, dall. [Sings.] Kiss me, daughter-No, you shall kiss me first, [To LAMORCE] for you're the cause on't. Well, Bisarre, what say you to the captain?

Bis. I like the beast well enough, but don't understand his paces so well as to venture him in a strange road.

Old Mir. But marriage is so beaten a path that you cann't go wrong.

ed.

Bis. Ay, 'tis so beaten, that the way is spoil

Dur. There is but one thing should make me thy husband-I could marry thee to-day for the privilege of beating thee to-morrow.

Old Mir. Come, come, you may agree, for all this. Mr Dugard, are not you pleased with this?

Dug. So pleased, that if I thought it might secure your son's affection to my sister, I would double her fortune.

Mir. Fortune! has she not given me mine,— my life, estate, my all, and what is more, her virtuous self?-Virtue, in this so advantageous

life, has her own sparkling charms, more tempt-curity of happiness. A garden, and a single she, ing far than glittering gold or glory. Behold the [To ORIANA] was our first father's bliss; the foil [Pointing to LAMORCE] that sets this bright- tempter, [To LAM.] and to wander, was his ness off! [To ORIANA.] Here view the pride curse. [To ORIANA] and scandal of her sex. [To LAM.] There [To LAM.] the meteor whose deluding light leads mankind to destruction. Here [To ORIANA] the bright-shining star that guides to a se

What liberty can be so tempting there, [To LAM. As a soft, virtuous, am'rous bondage here?

[TO ORI. [Exeunt Omnes.

EPILOGUE.

FROM Fletcher's great original, to-day,
We took the hint of this our modern play:
Our author, from his lines, has strove to paint
A witty, wild, inconstant, free gallant;
With a gay soul, with sense, and will to rove,
With language, and with softness fram'd to move,
With little truth, but with a world of love.
Such forms on maids in morning slumbers wait,
When fancy first instructs their hearts to beat,
When first they wish, and sigh for what they
know not yet.

Frown not, ye fair, to think your lovers may
Reach your cold hearts by some unguarded way;
Let Villeroy's misfortune make you wise,―
There's danger still in darkness and surprise;
Though from his rampart he defy'd the foe,
Prince Eugene found an aqueduct below.
With easy freedom, and a gay address,
A pressing lover seldom wants success;

Whilst the respectful, like the Greek, sits down,
And wastes a ten years siege before one town.
For her own sake let no forsaken maid,
Our wanderer, for want of love, upbraid;
Since 'tis a secret, none should e'er confess,
That they have lost the happy power to please.
If you suspect the rogue inclin ́d to break,
Break first, and swear you've turn'd him off a
week;

As princes, when they resty statesmen doubt,
Before they can surrender, turn them out.
Whate'er you think, grave uses may be made,
And much even for inconstancy be said.
Let the good man for marriage-rites design'd,
With studious care and diligence of mind,
Turn over every page of womankind;
Mark every sense, and how the readings vary,
And, when he knows the worst on't-let him

marry.

THE RECRUITING OFFICER.

BY

FARQUHAR.

PROLOGUE.

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Ulysses caught the young aspiring boy,
And listed him who wrought the fate of Troy.
Thus by recruiting was bold Hector slain ;
Recruiting thus fair Helen did regain.
If for one Helen such prodigious things
Were acted, that they even listed kings;
If for one Helen's artful vicious charms
Half the transported world was found in arms,—
What for so many Helens may we dare,
Whose minds as well as faces are so fair?
If by one Helen's eyes old Greece could find
Its Homer fir'd to write, ev'n Homer blind,
Then Britons, sure, beyond compare may write,
That view so many Helens ev'ry night.

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ACT I.

SCENE I.-The Market-Place-Drum beats the Grenadiers' March.

any

Enter Serjeant KITE, followed by THOMAS APPLETREE, COSTAR PEARMAIN, and the Mob. Kite. [Making a speech.] If any gentlemen soldiers or others have a mind to serve his majesty, and pull down the French king; if 'prentices have severe masters, any children have undutiful parents; if any servants have too little wages, or any husband too much wife,--let them repair to the noble Serjeant Kite, at the sign of The Raven, in this good town of Shrewsbury, and they shall receive present relief and entertainment.-Gentlemen, I don't beat my drums here to ensnare or inveigle any man; for you must know, gentlemen, that I am a man of honour; besides, I don't beat up for common soldiers; no, I list only grenadiers; grenadiers, gentlemen.- -Pray gentlemen, observe this cap

this is the cap of honour; it dubs a man a gentleman in the drawing of a trigger; and he that has the good fortune to be born six foot high, was born to be a great man-Sir, will you give me leave to try this cap upon your head?

Cost. Is there no harm in't? Won't the cap! list me?

Kite. No, no, no more than I can.-Come, let me see how it becomes you?

Cost. Are you sure there be no conjuration in it? no gunpowder plot upon me?

Kite. No, no, friend;' don't fear, man. Cost. My mind misgives me plaguily.-Let me see it-[Going to put it on.] It smells woundily of sweat and brimstone. Smell, Tummas.

Tho. Ay, wauns does it.

Cost. Pray, serjeant, what writing is this upon the face of it?

Kite. The crown, or the bed of honour. Cost. Pray now, what may be that same bed of honour?

Kite. Oh! a mighty large bed! bigger by half than the great bed at Ware-ten thousand people may lie in it together, and never feel one another.

Cost. My wife and I would do well to lie in't, for we don't care for feeling one another But do folk sleep sound in this same bed of honour? Kite. Sound! ay, so sound that they never wake. Cost. Wauns! I wish again that my wife lay there.

Kite. Say you so! then I find, brotherCost, Brother! hold there, friend; I am no kindred to you, that I know of yet.-Look ye, serjeant, no coaxing, no wheedling, d'ye see-if 1 have a mind to list, why so-if not, why 'tis not so-therefore take your cap and your brothership back again, for I am not disposed at this

present writing.-No coaxing, no brothering me, ith!

Kite. I coax! I wheedle! I'm above it, sir: I have serv'd twenty campaigns-but, sir, you alk well, and I must own that you are a man, every inch of you; a pretty, young, sprightly fellow-I love a fellow with a spirit; but I scorn to coax; 'tis base; though I must say, that never in my life have I seen a man better built. How firm and strong he treads! he steps like a castle! -but I scorn to wheedle any man-Come, honest lad! will you take share of a pot?

Cost. Nay, for that matter, I'll spend my penny with the best he that wears a head; that is, begging your pardon, sir, and in a fair way.

Kite. Give me your hand, then : and now, gentlemen, I have no more to say but this-here's a purse of gold, and there is a tub of humming ale at my quarters-'tis the king's money, and the king's drink-he's a generous king, and loves his subjects-I hope, gentlemen, you won't refuse the king's health.

All Mob. No, no, no.

Kite. Huzza then! huzza for the king and the honour of Shropshire.

All Mob. Huzza! Kite. Beat drum.

[Exeunt shouting, drum beating a grenadier's march.

Enter PLUME, in a riding habit. Plume. By the grenadiers' march that should be my drum, and by that shout it should beat with success. Let me see four o'clock- [Looking on his watch.] At ten yesterday morning I left London-an hundred and twenty miles in thirty hours is pretty smart riding, but nothing to the fatigue of recruiting.

Enter KITE.

Kite. Welcome to Shrewsbury, noble captain! from the banks of the Danube to the Severn side, noble captain, you're welcome!

Plume. A very elegant reception, indeed, Mr Kite. I find you are fairly enter'd into your recruiting strain-Pray what success?

Kite. I've been here a week, and I've recruited five.

Plume. Five! pray what are they?

Kite. I have listed the strong man of Kent, the king of the gipsies, a Scotch pedlar, a scoundrel attorney, and a Welch parson.

Plume. An attorney! wert thou mad? list a lawyer! discharge him, discharge him this minute. Kite. Why, sir

Plume, Because I will have nobody in my company that can write:-a fellow that can write can draw petitions-I say, this minute discharge him. Kite. And what shall I do with the parson?

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