Sterl. My girls are always ready, I make 'em rise soon' and to-bed early; thei. husbands shall have them with good constitutions, and good fortunes, if they have nothing else, my lord. L Ogle. Fine things, Mr Sterling! Sterl. Fine things, indeed, my lord !-Ah, my lord, had not you run off your speed in your youth, you had not been so crippled in your age, my lord. LOgle. Very pleasant, I protest, he, he, he. [Half laughing. Sterl. Here's monsieur now, I suppose, is very near your lordship's standing; but having little to eat, and little to spend, in his own country, he'll wear three of your lordship out-eating and drinking kills us all. L Ogle. Very pleasant, I protest-what a vulgar dog! [Aside. Cant. My lor so old as me!-He is shicken to me-and look like a boy to pauvre me. Sterl. Ha, ha, ha. Well said, mounseer—keep to that and you'll live in any country of the world-Ha, ha, ha. -But, my lord, I will wait upon you into the garden; we have but a little time to breakfast-I'll go for my hat and cane, fetch a little walk with you, my lord, and then for the hot rolls and butter! [Exit Sterling. L Ogle. I shall attend you with pleasure Hot rolls and butter, in July!—I sweat with the thoughts of it—What a strange beast it is! Cant. C'est un barbare. L Ogle. He is a vulgar dog, and if there was not so much money in the family, which I can't do without, I would-Come aleave him and his hot rolls and butter directly. long, monsieur ! [Exeunt lord Ogleby and Canton. Scene changes to the garden. Enter Sir JOHN MELVIL and LOVEWELL. Love. In my room this morning? Impossible. Sir John. I was so anxious to disclose my mind to you, that I could not sleep in my bed-But I found that you could could not sleep neither-The bird was flown, and the nest long since cold-where was you, Lovewell? Love. Pooh! prithee! ridiculous! Sir John. Come now; which was it? Miss Sterling's maid? a pretty little rogue! -or Miss Fanny's Abigail? a sweet soul too!-or Love. Nay, nay, leave trifling, and tell me your busi ness. Sir John. Well, but where was you, Lovewell? Love. Walking-writing-what signifies where I was? Sir John. Walking! yes, I dare say. It rained as hard as it could pour. Sweet refreshing showers to walk in! no no, Lovewell.-Now would I give twenty pounds to know which of the maids Love. But your business! your business, Sir John ! Sir John. Let me a little into the secrets of the family. Love. Psha! Sir John. Poor Lovewell! he can't bear it, I see. She charged you not to kiss and tell. -Eh, Lovewell! however, though you will not honour me with your confidence, I'll venture to trust you with mine.- What dy'e think of Miss Sterling? Love. What do I think of miss Sterling? Sir John. Ay; what dy'e think of her? Love. An odd question!-but I think her a smart, lively girl, full of mirth and sprightliness. Sir John. All mischief and malice, I doubt. Love. How? Sir John. But her person-what dy'e think of that? Sir John. A little grisette thing. Love. What is the meaning of all this? Sir John. I'll tell you. You must know, Lovewell, that notwithstanding all appearances (seeing Lord Ogleby, etc.) We are interrupted-When they are gone, I'll explain. Enter Lord OGLEBY, STERLING, Mrs HEIDELBERG' Mifs STERLING, and FANNY. L Ogle. Great improvements indeed, Mr Sterling! wonderful improvement! the four seasons in lead, the flying Mercury, and the basin with Neptune in the middle, are all in in the very extreme of fine taste. You have as many rich figures as the man at Hyde-Park Corner. Sterl. The chief pleasure of a country house is to make improvements, you know, my lord. I spare no expence, not I.-This is quite another guess-sort of a place than it was when I first took it, my lord. We are surrounded with trees. I cut down above fifty to make the lawn before the house, and let in the wind and the sun-smacksmooth as you see. -Then I made a greenhouse out of the old laundry, and turned the brew-house, into a pinery. The high Octagon summer-house, you see yonder, is raised on the mast of a ship, given me by an EastIndia captain, who has turned many a thousand of my money. It commands the whole road. All the coaches and chariots, and chaises, pass and repass under your eye. I'll mount up there in the afternoon, my lord. 'Tis the pleasantest place in the world to take a pipe and a bottle,-and so you shall say, my lord. LOgle. Av-or a bowl of punch, or a can of flip, Mr Sterling! for it looks like a cabin in the air. If flying chairs were in use, the captain might make a voyage to the Indies in it still, If he had but a fair wind. Cant. Ha ha! ha! ha! my Mrs Heidel. My brothers a little comical in his ideas, lord!-But you'll excuse him.-I have a little gothic dairy, fitted up entirely in my own taste- -In the evening I shall hope for the honour of your lordship's company to take a dish of tea there, or a sullabub warm from the cow. L Ogle. I have every moment a fresh opportunity of admiring the elegance of Mrs Heidelberg-the very flower of delicacy, and cream of politeness. Mrs Heidel. O my lord! leering at each other. L Ogle. O madam! Sterl. How dy'e like those close walks, my lord ? LOgle. A most excellent serpentine! It forms a perfect maze, and winds like a true lovers knot. Sterl. Ay-here's none of your strait lines here—but all taste--zig-zag-criukum crankum-in and out-right and left to and again-twisting and turning like a worm, my lord! L Ogle. Admirably laid out indeed, Mr Sterling! one can hardly see an inch beyond one's nose any where in these walks. You are a most excellent œconomist of your land land, and make a little go a great way.- -It lies together in as small parcels as if it was placed in pots out at your window in Gracechurch-Street. Cant. Ha ha! ha! ha! I. Ogle. What d'ye laugh at Canton ? Cant. Ah! que cette similitude est drole! So clever what you say, mi lor! L Ogle. [to Fanny.] You seem mightily engaged, madam. What are those pretty hands so busily employed about? Fan. Only making up a nosegay, my lord! lordship do me the honour of accepting it? Will your [presenting it. L Ogle. I'll wear it next my heart, madam!-I see the young creature doats on me. [Apart. Miss Ster. Lord, sister! you've loaded his lordship with a bunch of flowers as big as the cook or the nurse carry to town on Monday morning for a beaupot.-Will your lordship give me leave to present you with this rose and a sprig of sweet briar? L Ogle. The truest emblems of yourself, Madam! all sweetness and poignancy.—A little jealous poor soul! [Apart. Ster. Now, my lord, if you please, I'll carry you to see my ruins. Mrs Heidel. You'll absolutely fatigue his lordship with overwalking, brother! L Ogle. Not at all, madam? We're in the garden of Eden, you know; in the region of perpetual spring, youth, and beauty. [leering at the women. Mrs Heidel. Quite the man of quality, I per test. [Apart. Cant. Take a my arın, miler! [Lord Ogleby leans on bimg Ster. I'll only shew his lordship my ruins, and the cascade, and the Chinese bridge, and then we'll go to breakfast. L Ogle. Ruins, did you say, Mr Sterling? Ster. Ay, ruins, my lord! and they are reckoned very fine ones too. You would think them ready to tumble on your head, It has just cost me a hundred and fifty pounds to put my ruins in thorough repair.This way, if your lordship pleases. VOL. III. B L Ogle. LOgle. [going stops.] What steeple's that we see yonder the parish-church, I suppose. Ster. Ha ha! ha! that's admirable. It is no church at all, my lord! it is a spire that I have built against a tree, a field or two off, to terminate the prospect. One must always have a church, or an obelisk, or a something, to terminate the prospect, you know. That's a rule of taste, my lord! L Ogle. Very ingenious indeed! For my part, I desire no finer prospect, than this I see before me. [leering at the women.]-Simple, yet varied; bounded, yet extensive. -Get away, Canton! [pushing away Canton.] I want no as istance. I'll walk with the ladies. Ster. This way, my lord! L Ogle Lead on sir!-We young folks here will follow you.-Madam! Miss Sterling! Miss Fanny! I attend you. [Exit after Sterling, gallanting the ladies. Cant. [following.] He is cock o' de game, ma foi! Manet Sir John Melvil, and Lovewell. [Exit. Sir John. You must know then, notwithstanding all appearances, that this treaty of marriage between Miss Sterling and me will come to nothing. Love. How! Sir John. It will be no match, Lovewell. Love. You amaze me. What should prevent it. Sir John. I. Love. You! wherefore? Sir John. I dont like her. Love. Very plain indeed! I never supposed that you was extremely devoted to her from inclination, but thought you alway sconsidered it as a matter of convenience, rather than affection. Sir John. Very true. I came into the family without any impressions on my mind-with an unimpassioned indifference ready to receive one woman as soon as another. I looked upon love, serious, sober, love, as a chimæra, and marriage as a thing of course, as you know most people do, But I who was lately so great an infidel in love, am now one of its sincerest votaries.-In short, my defection from Miss Sterling proceeds from the violence of my attachment to another. |