papa, in whose hands I then was, gave me up at discretion.

Lady G. How do you mean?

Lady T. He said the wives of this age were come to that pass, that he would not desire even his own daughter should be trusted with pinmoney; so that my whole train of separate inclinations are left entirely at the mercy of a husband's odd humor.

Lady G. Why, that indeed is enough to make a woman of spirit look about her.

Lady T. Nay, but to be serious, my dear-What would you really have a woman to do in my case ?

Lady G. Why, if I had a sober husband as you have, I would make myself the happiest wife in the world, by being as sober as he.

Lady T. Oh, you wicked thing! How can you teaze one at this rate, when you know he is so very sober that (except giving me money) there is not one thing in the world he can do to please me. And I, at the same time, partly by nature, and partly, perhaps, by keeping the best company, do with my soul love almost every thing he hates. I dote upon assemblies; my heart bounds at at a ball, and at an opera-I expire. Then I love play to distraction; cards enchant me-and dice-put me out of my little wits. Dear, dearhazard! O whataflow of spirits it gives one! Do you never play at hazard, child?

Lady G. Oh, never! I don't think it sits well upon women; there's something so masculine, so much of the air of rake in it. You see how it makes the men swear and curse; and when a woman is thrown inte the same passion-why

Lady T. That's very true; one is a little put to it, sometimes, not to make use of the same words to express it.

Lady G. Well, and upon ill luck, pray what words are you really forced to make use of ?

Lady T Why, upon a very hard case indeed, when a sad wrong word is rising just to one's tongue's end, I give a great gulph and---swallow it.

Lady G. Well-and is it not enough to make you forswear play as long as you live?

Lady T. Oh, yes: I have foresworn it.

Lady G. Seriously?

Lady T. Solemnly, a thousand times; but then one is constantly foresworn.

Lady G. And how can you answer that?

Lady T. My dear, what we say when we are losers, we look upon to be more binding than a lover's oath, or a great man's promise. But i beg pardon, child: I should not lead you so far into the world; you are a prude, and design to live soberly.

Lady G. Why, I confess my nature and my education do in a good degree confine me that way.

Lady T. Well, how a woman of spirit (for you don't want that, child) can dream of living soberly, is to me inconceivable; for you will marry, I suppose. Lady G. I can't tell but I may.

Lady T. And won't you live in town ?

Lady G. Half the year I should like it very well.

Lady T. My stars! And you would really live in

London half the year, to be sober in it!

Lady G. Why not?

Lady T. Why can't you as well go and be sober in the country?

Lady G. So I would-t'other half year.

Lady T. And pray, What comfortable scheme of life would you form now for your summer and winter sober entertainments?

Lady G. A scheme that I think might very well content us.

Lady T. Oh, of all things, let's hear it.

Lady G. Why, in summer I could pass my leisure hours in riding, in reading, walking by a canal, or sitting at the end of it under a great tree; in dressing, dining, chatting with an agreeable friend; perhaps hearing a little music, taking a dish of tea, or a game at cards-soberly managing my family, looking into its accounts, playing with my children, if I had any; or in a thousand other innocent amusements-soberly; and possibly, by these means, I might induce my husband to be as sober as myself.

Lady T. Well, my dear, thou art an astonishing crea

FF

ture! For sure such primitive antedeluvian notions of life have not been in any head these thousand years. Under a great tree! ha ! ha ! ha!--But I beg we may have the sober town scheme too-for I am charmed with the country one.

Lady G. You shall, and I'll try to stick to my sobriety there too.

Lady T. Well, though I am sure it will give me the vapors, I must hear it.

Lady G. Why, then, for fear of your fainting, madam, I will first so far come into the fashion, that I would never be dressed out of it-but still it should be soberly; for I can't think it any disgrace to a woman of my private fortune not to wear her lace as fine as the wedding suit of a first dutchess; though there is one extrayagance I would venture to come up to.

Lady T. Ay, now for it

Lady G. I would every day be as clean as a bride. Lady T. Why, the men say that's a great step to be made one. Well, now you are drest, pray let's see to what purpose.

Lady G. I would visit that is, my real friends;but as little for form as possible. I would go to court; sometimes to an assembly, nay, play at quadrille-soberly, I would see all the good plays; and because 'tis the fashion, now and then go to an opera; but I would not expire there for fear I should never go again. And lastly, I can't say, but for curiosity, if I liked my company, I might be drawn in once to a masquerade;-and this, I think, is as far as any woman can go-soberly.

Lady T. Well, if it had not been for that last piece of sobriety, I was just agoing to call for some surfeit wa

ter.

Lady G. Why, don't you think, with the farther aid of breakfasting, dining, taking the air, supping, sleeping, (not to say a word of devotion) the four and twenty hours might roll over in a tolerable inanner?

Lady T. Tolerable? Deplorable! Why, child, all you propose is but to endure life; now, I want to enjoy it.

III.-Priuli and Jaffier--- VENICE PRESERVED.

Pri. NO more I'll hear no more; Begone, and leave me.

Jaff. Not hear me? By my sufferings, but you shall! My lord, my lord! I'm not that abject wretch You think me. Patience! Where's the distance throws Me back so far, but I may boldly speak

In right, though proud oppression will not hear me?" Pri. Have you not wronged me ?

Jaff. Could my nature e'er

Have brook'd injustice, or the doing wrong,
I need not now thus low have bent myself,
To gain a hearing from a cruel father.
Wrong'd you ?

Pri. Yes, wrong'd me. In the nicest point,
The honor of my house, you've done me wrong.
When you first came home from travel,
With such hopes as made you look'd on
By all men's eyes a youth of expectation,
Pleas'd with your seeming virtue, I receiv'd you;
Courted and sought to raise you to your merits!
My house, my table, nay, my fortune too,
My very self was yours; you might have used me
To your best service; like an open friend
I treated, trusted you, and thought you mine:
When, in requital of my best endeavors,
You treacherously practis'd, to undo me;
Seduc'd the weakness of my age's darling.
My only child, and stole her from my bosom.

Jaff. "Tis to me you owe her;
Childless you had been else, and in the grave
Your name extinct; no more Priuli heard of.
You may remember, scarce five yearsare past,
Since, in your brigantine, you sail'd to see
The Adriatic wedded by our duke;
And I was with you. Your unskilful pilot
Dash'd us upon a rock; when to your boat
You made for safety; entered first yourself;
Th' affrighted Belvidera, following next,
As she stood trembling on the vessel's side,

Was by a wave wash'd off into the deep;
When, instantly, I plunged into the sea,
And, buffeting the billows to her rescue,
Redeem'd her life with half the loss of mine;
Like a rich conquest, in one hand I bore her,
And with the other dashed the saucy waves,
'That throng'd and press'd to rob me of my prize.
I brought her; gave her to your despairing arms;
Indeed, you thank'd me; but a nobler gratitude
Rose in her soul; for, from that hour she lov'd me,
*Till, for her life, she paid me with herself.

Pri. You stole her from me; like a thief, you stole her
At the dead of night; that cursed hour you chose
To rifle me of all my heart held dear.
May all your joys in her prove false as mine;
A sterile fortune and a barren bed
Attend you both; continual discord make
Your days and nights bitter and grievous still :
May the hard hand of a vexatious need
Oppress and grind you; till, at last, you find
The curse of disobedience all your portion.

Jaff. Half of your curse you have bestowed in vain : Heaven has already crown'd our faithful loves With a young boy, sweet as his mother's beauty. • May he live to prove more gentle than his grand sire, And happier than his father.

Pri No more.

Jaff. Yes, all; and then-adieu forever.
There's not a wretch that lives on common charity
But's happier than I : for I have known
The luscious sweets of plenty; every night
Have slept with soft content about my head,
And never wak'd but to a joyful morning;
Yet now must fall; like a full ear of corn,
Whose blossom 'scap'd, yet's wither'd in the ripening,
Pri. Home and be humble, study to retrench;

Discharge the lazy vermin of thy hall,
Those pageants of thy folly;
Reduce the glitt'ring trappings of thy wife,
To humble weeds, fit for thy little state:
Then to some suburb cottage both retire :