Pafquin. I thought fo, by the fparkling of thofe roguith eyes. Fine. Say no more. To be ferious, it would be a very meritorious acion, Cleon.

Palquin. If it were lo, that would be the only reafon why he fhould not do it. Generofity is a virtue my mafter is not much enamoured with. When he gives his money (which he fometimes does profufely) it is either to indulge his vanity, or gratify his appetites. Though he fquanders away thoufands, hardly a fhilling is applied to any good purpofe, but is fpent upon fycophants, and pretended friends, who are not contented with eating him up, but laugh at him, as foon as his back is turned.

Fine. And do you connive at this, Mr. Pasquin ?

Palquin. I connive! What would you have me do?

Fin. Do! I would have you affume a fomething on account of your long fervice under Cleon, and the liberty he indulges you with, to tell him what you think of his conduct, without referve, and fend his harpies a packing; for elfe they will never leave him while he has a fhilling in his pocket. Do you think I would fuffer my mitrefs to go on at such a rate? No, I'd die firft. . I would throw half a dozen fuch fellows out of the window, before I would fuffer them to domineer in our houfe. Aye, marry would I !

Fafquir. But, Mrs. Fineffe, you muit know, that, at first, I took a little upon me, in hopes of clearing the houfe of thefe vermin! but what did it fignify? If one door were shut upon them, they found their way in at another. My mafter, for fome time, behaved as he ought to do. My word was a law to him.-But thefe fawning, flattering villains fome how got the better of me; and not to mention two or three handsome canings, I was likely to be difcharged for my friendly officioufnefs: but when I found how matters were, I changed my note, for I could not entertain the

idea of lofting my place by an unfeafonable honefty; but like the dog in the fable, relolved to come in for a flare, of what I knew it was not in my power to keep from others.

Fin. But Pafquin, do you think this is acting honefly to your matter?

Pafquin. Your molt obedient, Mifs Finefle! quite fentimental! Folks fhould always look at home, should always confider whether they haveglafs windows, before they fling a tone at thofe of their neighbours. Now-there is your mistress Julia, on whom my poor mafter doats to dif traction, he knows too well what influence he has. Why has the not taken advantage of it to cure his extravagance, and to prevent his flinging away his fortune in fuch a way as he does? Intead of which, he is the first to encourage him, and to lend an hand to trip him.

Pulquin. You fay fhe comes in for her fhare; but are you behind hand with your miftrefs? You are now equipped like a duchefs, and be tween you and your miftrefs, we are finely plundered. Ah, Fineffe! Finefle!

Fine. Laud ha' mercy on poor me. I have not been able yet but to piddle. If you would give me your affift ance, fomething may be done?

Pafqui. Excufe me, Fineffe, nothing can be done, unle's we make the Count one of the party. He has gained fuch a predominancy over my mafter by his fycophantry, that he has no eyes nor ears of his own. He has made himself so despotic in our house, that he difpofes of every thing in it. Therefore, I fay, in the first place, we must make him our friend.

Fine. Your advice may be good; and I think to follow it. But I mult bid you adieu, for 1 fee my lady is coming. Your fervant, Mr. Pafquin.

Pafquin. I had fome fweet things to whisper, my dear Fineffe; but am prevented. However, I fhall balance the account the next time we meet. Fineffe

in the neighbourhood. To fame the behaviour of young Plume appeared abfurd, to others worthy of attention. Mifs Safh, by fudying romances, had imbibed fimilar fentiments with himfelf, and withed for a husband, who, like him, could talk of warlike fests, and would encounter any dangers in defence of female chastity. Whenever Plume mentioned St. George the would immediately recount the valorous feats of the renowned Guy earl

figned from Nature, by a royal Academift.

S

IR Charles Plume was defcended, in a right line, from one of the most famous heroes in the reign of Elizabeth. Even in the lifping age of childhood, he delighted in heroic deeds the hiftory of the Seven renowned Champions of Christendom, had been read by him fo frequently, that he was infpired with the fame enthufiafm of chivalry as his favourite St. George, the patron of England: he withed to encounter a dragon, and not being able to meet with that chimerical being, frequently exerted his prowess against fome lefs remarkable

ones.

The turn he fhewed for feats of arms followed him from the fpring to the winter of life; and bis difcourfe was replete with fieges, battles, and the deeds of English warriors.

When a regular militia was formed in this ifland, he ufed his intereft to be appointed to a command; and when be put on his fafh, thought himself in the direct road to eclipfe the glory of the king of Pruffia, and thirfted for an hiftorian, like Curtius, to decorate him with all the romantic feats of an Alexander.

His father, who had long watched him with the eyes of precaution, endeavoured in vain to bias him to bufinefs. He thought, that if he could engage him to facrifice to the Graces, he might, like a fecond Hercules, change the club for a diftaff, and he invited to his houfe the moft engaging females

to fupport his character against the canonized drummer and bacon-feller, the thought he approached nearer to him than any other of the Seven Champions of Christendom.

Mifs Safh's connection and apparent predilection for Plume, gave her father fome uneafinefs, as a military character was no favourite with him. He affociated all the fuppofed vices of a foldier to all his acknowledged virtues ; and thought that an acquaintance with a fcarlet coat was dangerous to female chastity. He intimated his fentiments to Mifs Safh as foon as he difcovered her penchant, and recommended to her choice one of a more pacific difpofition. Fired with all the romantic virtues of chivalry, his daughter thought that oppofition was the beft teft of courage: the difdained the civic crown, the mercantile walk, the olive grove of peace, and wifhed for the temples encircled with laurel. Young Barnard had long wifhed for the honour of her hand; but his dif pofition was fo counter to her's, that he looked down upon his attentions with difdain; and tho' he was favoured by her father, made no progrefs in his fuit. One word of martial found from Plume, was worth a volume of tender expreffions from Barnard: yet he was not difcouraged. He refolved to gain the place by regular approaches, which he found he could not carry by form; and determined to carry on a fiege as long as that of Troy, rather than lofe the object of his wifhes. His chief endeavour was to divert ber mind from its favourite bias, and to

engage