Volume Iv Part 11 (1/2)

_Maun._ Madam, I understand Lovers are best by dark, and shall be diligent: the Doctor has secur'd Sir _Patient_ by a sleeping Pill, and you are only to expect your approaching Happiness.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Lady _Knowell's_ Chamber.

Enter Lady _Knowell_ and _Leander_.

L. _Kno._ _Leander_, raise your Soul above that little trifle _Lucretia_;--cannot you guess what better Fate attends you? fy, how dull you are! must I instruct you in plain right-down Terms? and tell you, that I propose you Master of my Fortune.--Now possibly you understand me.

Enter _Lucretia_, and peeps.

_Lean._ I wish I did not, Madam, Unless I'd Virtue to deserve the Bounty; I have a thousand Faults Dissimulation hides, Inconstant, wild, debauch'd as Youth can make me.

_Lucr._ All that will not do your Business. [Aside.

L. _Kno._ Yet you wou'd have my Daughter take you with all these Faults; they're Virtues there, but to the name of Mother, they all turn retrograde: I can endure a Man As wild and as inconstant as she can; I have a Fortune too that can support that Humour, That of _Lucretia_ does depend on me, And when I please is nothing; I'm far from Age or Wrinkles, can be courted By Men, as gay and youthful as a new Summer's Morn, Beauteous as the first Blossoms of the Spring, Before the common Sun has kiss'd their Sweets away, If with salacious Appet.i.tes I lov'd.

_Lean._ Faith, Madam, I cou'd wish--

L. _Kno._ That I were but Fifteen: but If there be inequality in Years, There is so too in Fortunes, that might add A l.u.s.tre to my Eyes, Charms to my Person, And make me fair as _Venus_, young as _Hebe_.

_Lean._ Madam, you have enough to engage any unconquer'd Heart; but 'twas, I thought, with your allowance I dispos'd of mine, and 'tis a Heart that knows not how to change.

L. _Kno._ Then 'tis a foolish unambitious Heart, unworthy of the Elevation it has not glorious Pride enough to aim at:--Farewel, Sir,--when you are wiser, you may find admittance.

[Goes out.

_Lean._ Stay, Madam--

Enter _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ For what? to hear your Penitence! Forgive me, Madam, I will be a Villain, forget my Vows of Love, made to _Lucretia_.

And sacrifice both her, and those to Interest.

Oh, how I hate this whining and dissembling!

_Lean._ Do, triumph o'er a wretched Man, _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ How! wretched in loving me so entirely, or that you cannot marry my Mother, and be Master of her mighty Fortune? 'Tis a Temptation indeed so between Love and Interest, hang me if ever I saw so simple a Look as you put on when my Mother made love to you.

_Lean._ You may easily guess the Confusion of a Man in my Circ.u.mstances, to be languis.h.i.+ng for the lov'd Daughter, and pursu'd by the hated Mother, whom if I refuse will ruin all my hopes of thee.

_Lucr._ Refuse her! I hope you have more Wit.

_Lean._ _Lucretia_, cou'd she make a Monarch of me, I cou'd not marry her.

_Lucr._ And you wou'd be so wise to tell her so?

_Lean._ I wou'd no more abuse her, than I cou'd love her.