both my capacities, lately, after I have dressed your hair, I may draw up the marriage articles.

Inkle. Whence comes your intelligence, Sir?

Trudge. Patty told me all that has passed in the Governor's family, on the quay, sir. Women, you know, can never keep a secret. You'll be introduced in form; with the whole island to witness it.

Inkle. So public, too!-Unlucky!

Trudge. There will be nothing but rejoicings, in compliment to the wedding, she tells me; all noise and uproar ! Married people like it, they say.

Inkle. Strange! that I should be so blind to my interest, as to be the only person this distresses.

Trudge. They are talking of nothing else but the match, it seems.

Inkle. Confusion! How can I, in honour, retract ?
Trudge. And the bride's merits-

Inkle. True!-A fund of merits! I would not-but from necessity-a case so nice as this-I-would not wish

to retract.

Trudge. Then they call her so handsome.

Inkle. Very true! so handsome! the whole world would laugh at me they'd call it folly to retract.

Trudge. And then they say so much of her fortune.

Inkle. O death! it would be madness to retract. Surely, my faculties have slept, and this long parting from my Narcissa has blunted my sense of her accomplishments. "Tis this alone makes me so weak and wavering. I'll see her immediately. [Going across, L.

Trudge. Stay, stay, Sir; I am desired to tell you, the Governor won't open his gates to us till to-morrow morning.

Inkle. (L.) Well, be it so; it will give me time, at all events, to put my affairs in train.

Trudge. (R.) Yes; it's a short respite before execution; and if your honour was to go and comfort poor Madam Yarico

Inkle. Damnation! Scoundrel, how dare you offer your advice?-I dread to think of her!

Trudge. I've done, Sir, I've done-But I know I should blubber over Wows all night, if I thought of parting with her in the morning.

Inkle. Insolence! begone, Sir!

Trudge. Lord, sir, I only

Inkle. Get down stairs, Sir, directly.

[Crosses, R.

Trudge. [Going out.] Ah! you may well put your hand to your head; and a bad head it must be, to forget that Madam Yarico prevented her countrymen from peeling off the upper part of it. [Aside. Exit, I..

Inkle. 'Sdeath, what am I about? How have I slumbered?"Rouse, rouse, good Thomas Inkle!" Is it I-Iwho, in London, laughed at the younkers of the town-and when I saw their chariots, with some fine, tempting girl perked in the corner, come shopping to the city, would cry -Ah!-there sits ruin-there flies the Greenhorn's money! then wondered with myself how men could trifle time on women; or, indeed, think of any women without fortunes. And now, forsooth, it rests with me to turn romantic puppy, and give up all for love.-Give up!-Oh, monstrous folly!-thirty thousand pounds!

Re-enter TRUDGE, L.

Trudge. May I come in, sir?

Inkle. What does the booby want?

Trudge. Sir, your uncle wants to see you.
Inkle. Mr. Medium! show him up directly.

[Exit Trudge, L. He must not know of this. To-morrow! I wish this marriage were more distant, that I might break it to her by degrees. She'd take my purpose better, were it less suddenly delivered.

Enter MEDIUM, L

Med. (L.) Ah! here he is! Give me your hand, nephew! Welcome, welcome to Barbadoes, with all my heart!

Lord!

Inkle. (R.) I am glad to meet you here, uncle! Med. That you are, that you are, I'm sure. Lord! when we parted last, how I wish'd we were in a room together, if it was but the black hole! "Since we sunder'd," I have not been able to sleep o'nights, for thinking of you. I've laid awake, and fancied I saw you sleeping your last, with your head in the lion's mouth, for a night-cap; and I've never seen a bear brought over, to dance about the street, but I thought you might be bobbing up and down in its belly.

Inkle. I am very much obliged to you.

Med. Ay, ay, I am happy enough to find you safe and sound, I promise you. But you have a fine prospect be fore you now, young man. I am come to take you with me to Sir Christopher, who is impatient to see you.

Inkle. To morrow, I hear, he expects me.

Med. To morrow! directly-this moment-in half a second. I left him standing on tip-toe as he calls it, to embrace you; and he's standing on tip-toe now in the great parlour, and there he'll stand till you come to him. Inkle. Is he so hasty?

Med. Hasty! he's all pepper-and wonders you are not with him, before it's possible to get at him. Hasty, indeed! Why he vows you shall have his daughter this very night. Inkle. What a situation!

Med. Why, it's hardly fair just after a voyage. But come, hustle, bustle, he'll think you neglect him. He's rare and touchy, I can tell you; and if he once takes it into his head that you show the least slight to his daughter, it would knock up all your schemes in a minute.

Inkle. Confusion! If he should hear of Yarico! [Aside. Med. But at present you are all and all with him; he has been telling me his intentions these six weeks: you'll be a fine warm husband, I promise you.

Inkle. This cursed connexion!

[Aside. Med. It is not for me, though, to tell you how to play your cards; you are a prudent young man, and can make calculations in a wood.

Inkle. Fool! fool! fool!

[Aside. Med. Why, what the devil is the matter with you? Inkle. It must be done effectually, or all is lost; mere parting would not conceal it. [Aside; crosses, L. Med. Ah! now he's got to his damned Square Root again, I suppose, and Old Nick would not move himWhy, nephew!

Inkle. The planter that I spoke with cannot be arrived -but time is precious-the first I meet-common prudeuce now demands it. I'm fixed; I'll part with her. [Aside; exit, L.

Med. Damn me, but he's mad! The woods have turned the poor boy's brains; he's scalped, and gone crazy! Hollo. Inkle! Nephew! Gad, I'll spoil your arithmetic, I warrant me. [Exit, L.

SCENE III.-The Quay.

Enter SIR CHRISTOPHER CURRY, R.

Sir C. Od's my life! I can scarce contain my happiness. I have left them safe in church in the middle of the ceremony. I ought to have given Narcissa away, they told me; but I capered about so much for joy, that Old Spin

text advised me to go and cool my heels on the quay, till it was all over. Od, I'm so happy; and they shall see, now, what an old fellow can do at a wedding.

Enter INKLE, L. S. E.

Inkle. (L.) Now for dispatch! Hark'ee, old gentleman! [To the Governor.

Sir C. (R.) Well, young gentleman!

Inkle. If I mistake not, I know your business here. Sir C. 'Egad, I believe half the Island knows it, by this time.

Inkle. Then to the point-I have a female whom I wish to part with.

Sir C. Very likely; it's a common case, now a-days, with many a man.

Inkle. If you could satisfy me you would use her mildly, and treat her with more kindness than is usual for I can tell you she's of no common stamp-perhaps we might agree.

Sir C. Oho! a slave! Faith, now I think on't, my daughter may want an attendant or two extraordinary; and as you say she's a delicate girl, above the common run, and none of your thick-lipped, flat-nosed, squabby, dumpling dowdies, I don't much care if

Inkle. And for her treatment

Sir C. Look ye, young man ; I love to be plain : I shall treat her a good deal better than you would, I fancy; for, though I witness this custom every day, I can't help thinking the only excuse for buying our fellow creatures is to rescue 'em from the hands of those who are unfeeling enough to bring them to market.

Inkle. Fair words, old gentleman; an Englishman won't put up with an affront.

Sir C. An Englishman! More shame for you! Men, who so fully feel the blessings of liberty, are doubly cruel in depriving the helpless of their freedom.

Inkle. Let me assure you, sir, 'tis not my occupation; but for a private reason-an instant pressing necessity

Sir C. Well, well, I have a pressing necessity too; I can't stand to talk now; I expect company here presently; but if you'll ask for me to-morrow, at the CastleInkle. The Castle!

Sir C. Aye, sir, the Castle; the Governor's Castle; known all over Barbadoes.

Inkle. [Aside.] 'Sdeath, this man must be on the Go

vernor's establishment: his steward, perhaps, and sent after ine, while Sir Christopher is impatiently waiting for me— I've gone too far; my secret may be known-As 'tis, I'll win this fellow to my interest: [To Sir C.] One word more, sir: my business must be done immediately; and, as you seem acquainted at the Castle, if you should see me there -and there I mean to sleep to-night

Sir C. The devil you do!

Inkle. Your finger on your lips; and never breathe a syllable of this transaction.

Sir C. No! Why not?

Inkle. Because, for reasons, which perhaps you'll know to-morrow, I might be injured with the Governor, whose most particular friend I am.

Sir C. So here's a particular friend of mine, coming to sleep at my house, that I never saw in my life. I'll sound this fellow. [Aside.] I fancy, young gentleman, as you are such a bosom friend of the Governor's, you can hardly do any thing to alter your situation with him?

Inkle. Oh! pardon me; but you'll find that hereafterbesides, you, doubtless know his character ?

Sir C. Oh, as well as I do my own. But let's understand one another. You may trust me, now you've gone so far. You are acquainted with his character, no doubt, to a hair?

Inkle. I am-I see we shall understand each other. You know him too, I see, as well as I.-A very touchy, testy, hot old fellow.

Sir C. [Aside.] Here's a scoundrel! I hot and touchy! Zounds! I can hardly contain my passion!-But I won't discover myself. I'll see the bottom of this- -[To Inkle.] Well now, as we seem to have come to a tolerable explanation-let's proceed to business-bring me the woman.

Inkle. No; there you must excuse me. I rather would avoid seeing her more; and wish it to be settled without my seeming interference. My presence might distress her -You conceive me?

Sir C. Zounds! what an unfeeling rascal!-The poor girl's in love with him, I suppose. No, no, fair and open. My dealing's with you, and you only: I see her now, or I declare off.

Inkle. Well then, you must be satisfied: yonder's my servant-ha!-a thought has struck me. Come here, sir.

Enter TRUDGE, l.

I'll write my purpose, and send it her by him-It's lucky