your majefty thanks for the honours and hofpitable favours fhewn to me and my daughter. Lycom. You would oblige me more, Madam, if your • affairs would allow you to accept them longer. Thet. I have prefumed, Sir, to trespass further on your generofity, in leaving my daughter under your protection. I hope Pyrrha's behaviour will deserve it. AIR VI. To you, my dear, and to no other. Lycom. Ah, why this tear? • She'll in Theafpe find another; In me, paternal love and care. • Had you taken her with you, my daughters would have ⚫ been miferable beyond expreffion: theirs and her edu⚫cation fhall be the fame. Thet. I beg you, Sir, not to regard my gratitude like the common obligations of princes; for neither time nor interest can ever cancel it. Lycom. Affairs of confequence may require your prefence. Importunity, upon thefe occafions, is trou⚫blesome and unhofpitable. I afk no questions, Madam, 'because I choose not to pry into fecrets. • Thet. I can only thank, and rely upon your majefty's goodness- -My duty to the queen, Sir, calls me hence, to own my obligations, and receive her commands.' [Exit. *Enter Diphilus. Lyc. The princess Califta hath taken her leave; fhe is but just gone out of the room. Diph. The daughter, Sir, was a moft delicious piece. Lycom. With all her little vixen humours, to my taste the is infinitely agreeable. Diph. Your parting with her, Sir, in this eafy manner, is aftonishing-One, too, fo exceffively fond of you—— Lycom. Parting with her, Diphilus! * In the representation, the first Act begins here. Dipb. 6 Diph. But no prince alive hath so great a command ⚫ of his paffions. Lycom. Dear Diphilus, let me understand you. Diph. To my knowledge, you might have had her. Diph. I really thought the queen began to be a little uneafy; and, for the quiet of the family, (fince she is gone) I must own I am heartily glad of it. AIR VII. John went fuiting unto Joan. How your patience had been try'd, 'What's a mistress and a wife? Joy for moments, plague for life.' Lycom. I am not fo unhappy, Diphilus-Her mother hath left her to my care Diph. Juft as I wished. Lycom. Would fhe had taken her with her! Diph. It might have been better; for, beyond difpute, Sir, both you and the queen would have been eafier. Lycom. Why did she truft her to me? Diph. There could be but one reason. Diph. 'Twas upon that very profumption you was • trufted. Lycom. Would I could believe thee.' Diph. 'Tis an apparent manifest scheme, Sir; and you would difappoint both mother and daughter, if your majefty did not betray your truft. You love her, Sir, you fay. Lycom. To diftraction, Diphilus. Diph. And was the betraying a truft ever, as yet, an ⚫ obstacle to that paffion? What would you have a mother 'do more upon fuch an occafion? Ladies of her rank cannot tranfact an affair of this kind, but with fome 'decorum.' Lycom. But you can never fuppofse Pyrrha knows any thing of the matter. Diph. Why not, Sir? • Lycom. Lycom. From me fhe cannot; for I have never, as. yet, made any downright profeffions. Diph. There lies the true caufe of her thoughtfulnefs; 'tis nothing but anxiety, for fear her scheme 'fhould not take place; for, no doubt, her mother hath inftructed her not to be too forward, to make you more fo.'-Believe me, Sir, you will have no difficulties in this affair, but thofe little ones that every woman knows how to practife to quicken a lover. Lycom. Be it as it will, Diphilus, I must have her. Diph. Had I been acquainted with your pleasure fooner, your majetty by this time had been tired of her. -How happy fhall I make her, if I may have the honour of your majefty's commands to hint your paffion to her. Lycom. Never did eyes receive a paffion with fuch coldnefs, fuch indifference! AIR VIII. Groom's Complaint. Diffembling words, too cruel maid, By looks the paffions are betray'd, For Whene'er my foul hath breath'd defire, No glance confess'd her fecret fire; Diph. Though 'tis what the wifles, what he longs for, what the fighs for, refpect and awe are a restraint upon ther eyes as well as tongue. I have often told you, Sir, The dares not understand you; the dares not believe herfelf fo happy. Lycom. Take this ring, Diphilus. I must leave the rest to your difcretion. Diph. There may be a manner in giving it her, a little hint or fo- but the prefent will fpeak for itself; 'tis the most fuccefsful advocate of love, and never wants an interpreter. Lycom. Say every thing for me, Diphilus; for I feel I cannot speak for myself. B Diph. Could I be as fuccefsful in all my other negotiations! Yet there may be difficulties,' for, if I miftake not, the lady hath fomething of the coquette about and what felf-denial will not those creatures fuffer to give a lover anxiety? her; AIR IX. O'er Bogie. Obferve the wanton kitten's play, Now in fond embrace, Till 'midit her freaks, He from her breaks, Steals off, and bilks the chafe. Lycom. Dear Diphilus, what do you mean? I never faw a woman fo little of that character. Diph. Pardon me, Sir; your fituation is fuch, that you can never fee what mankind really are. In your prefence every one is acting a part; no one is himself, and was it not for the eyes and tongues of your faithful fervants, how little would your fubjects be known to you! Though fhe is fo prim and reserved before you, fhe is never at a lofs for airs to draw all the young flirting lords of the court about her. Lycom. Beauty must always have its followers. Diph. If I miftake not, general Ajax too (who is fent to folicit your quota for the Trojan war) hath another folicitation more at heart.- But fuppofe • she had ten thousand lovers; a woman's prevalent paffion is ambition, which must answer your ends.-The queen is coming this way, and her commands may detain me.I go, Sir, to make Pyrrha the happiest creature upon earth.' Enter Theafpe. [Exit. Theaf. I think the princess Califta might as well have taken her daughter with her.That girl is fo intolerably forward, that I cannot imagine fuch converfation can poffibly poffibly be of any great advantage to your daughters education. Lycom. You feem of late to have taken an averfion to the girl. She hath spirit and vivacity, but not more than is becoming the fex; and' yet I never faw any thing in her behaviour but what was extremely modest. Theaf. For heaven's fake, Sir, allow me to believe my own eyes. 'Her forwardness muft give the fellows fome encouragement, or there would not be that intolerable flutter about her. -But, perhaps, fhe hath fome • reasons to be more upon her guard before you.' Lycom. How can you be fo unreasonably cenforious? Theaf. I can fee her faults, Sir. I fee her as a woman fees a woman. The men, it feems, think the aukward creature handfome. Lycom. • AIR X. Dutch Skipper. First part. • When a woman's cenforious, And attacks the meritorious; In the fcandal fhe fhews her own malicious thought; If real guilt fhe blames, Then pride her heart inflames, And fhe fancies he's better's for another's fault: The flips of friends and foes, By her envy she does herself alone expofe.' Nay, dear child, your attacking her in this peevish way can be nothing but downright antipathy. Theaf. Nay, dear Sir, your defending her in this feeling manner, can be nothing but downright partiality. Lycom. I own myself partial to distress, and I fee her in that circumftance. Theaf. But there are other reasons that may make a man partial. AIR XI. Dutch Skipper. Second part. As you, Sir, are my husband, no doubt you're prone 'To turn each new face To a wife's disgrace; And for no other cause but that she's your own; B. 2. |