to your companion, and you shall drink presently; but de nothing rashly. Tay. I can't help it, rashness is my fault, Sir; but age and more experience, I hope, will cure me- Your servant, Sir-Indeed he is a fine old Grecian! [Exit Taylor. Esop. Poor fellow I pity him. Enter MERCURY. Mer. What can be the meaning, Esop, that there are no more mortals coming over? I perceive there is a great bustle on the other side the Styx, and Charon has brought his boat over without passengers. Esop. Here he is to answer for himself. Enter CHARON, laughing. Char. Oh! oh! oh! Mer. What diverts you so, Charon ? Char. Why there's the devil to do among the mortals yonder; they are altogether by the ears. Esop. What's the matter? Char. There are some ladies who have been disputing so long and so loud, about taking place and precedency, that they have set their relations a tilting at one another, to support their vanity; the standers-by are some of them so frighted, and some of them so diverted at the quarrel, that they have not time to think of their misfortunes; so I e'en left them to settle their prerogatives by themselves, and be friends at their leisure. Mer. What is to be done, Esop. Esop. Discharge these we have, and finish the business. of the day. Enter DRUNKEN MAN and Mrs RIOT. Drunken Man, I never went to pick up a whore in my life, but the first woman I laid hold of was my dear virtuous wife, and here she is Esop. Is that lady your wife? Drunken Man. Yes, Sir; and yours, if accept of her you please to Esop. Tho' she has formerly given too much into fashionable follies, she now repents, and will be more prudent for the future. Drunken Man, Lookee, Mr Esop, all your preaching and and morality signifies nothing at all-but since your wisdom seems bent upon our reformation, I'll tell you the only way, old boy, to bring it about. Let me have enough of your water to settle my head; and throw madam into the river. Esop. 'Tis in vain to reason with such beings; therefor, Mercury, summon the mortals from the grove, and we'll dismiss them to earth, as happy as Lethe can make 'em SON G. BY MERCURY. I. Come, mortals, come; come follow me. To mirth, and joy, and jollity : Hark, bark, the call; come, come and drink, [During the song, the characters enter from the grove.] B 3 Esop. Esop. Now, mortals, attend; I have perceived from your examinations, that you have mistaken the effect of your distempers for the cause-you would willingly be relieved from many things which interfere with your passions and affections; while your vices, from which all your cares and misfortunes arise, are totally forgotten and neglected. Then follow me, and drink to the forgetfulness of vice 'Tis vice alone disturbs the buman breast; Gure dies with gut; be virtuous, and be blest. FINIS H Gayless's Lodgings. Enter GAYLESS and SHARP. Sharp. OW, Sir, shall you be married to-morrow? Eh, I'm afraid you joke with your poor humble servant. Gayl. I tell thee, Sharp, last night Melissa consented, and fixed to-morrow for the happy day. Sharp. 'Tis well she did, Sir, or it might have been a dreadful one for us in our present condition: all your money spent; your moveables sold; your honour almost ruined, and your humble servant almost starved; we could not possibly have stood it two days longer-But if this young lady will marry you, and relieve us, o' my conscience I'll turn friend to the sex, rail no more at matrimony, but cuise the whores, and think of a wife myself. Gayl. And yet, Sharp, when I think how I have imposed upon her, I am almost resolved to throw myself at her feet, tell the real situation of my affairs, ask her pardon, and implore her pity. let Sharp. After marriage with all my heart, Sir; but don't your conscience and honour so far get the better of your poverty and good sense, as to rely on so great uncertainties as a fine lady's mercy and good-nature. B4 Guy!.. Gayl. I know her generous temper, and am almost persuaded to rely upon it: what, because I am poor, shall I abandon my honour? Sharp. Yes, you must, Sir, or abandon me so, pray, discharge one of us; for eat I must, and speedily too: and you know very well that that honour of yours will neither introduce you to a great man's table, nor get me credit for a single beef-steak. Gayl. What can I do ? Sharp. Nothing, while honour sticks in your throat: de gulp, master, and down with it. Gayl. Prithee leave me to my thoughts. Sharp. Leave you! no, not in such bad company, I'll assure you why you must certainly be a very great philosopher, Sir, to moralize and declaim so charmingly, as you do, about honour and conscience, when your doors are beset with bailiffs, and not one single guinea in your pocket to bribe the villains. Gayl. Don't be witty, and give your advice, sirrah! Sharp. Do you be wise, and take it, Sir. But to be serious, you certainly have spent your fortune, and out-liv'd your credit, as your pockets and my belly can testify; your father has disown'd you; all your friends forsook you, except myself, who am starving with you. Now, Sir, if you marry this young lady, who as yet, thank heaven, knows nothing of your misfortunes, and by that means procure a better fortune than that you squander'd away, make a good husband, and turn economist; you still may be happy, may still be Sir William's heir, and the lady too no loser by the bargain: there's reason and argument, Sir. Gayl. 'Twas with that prospect I first made love to her; and though my fortune has been ill spent, I have, at least, purchased discretion with it. Sharp. Pray then convince me of that, Sir, and make no more objections to the marriage. You see I am reduced to my waistcoat already; and when necessity has undress'd me from top to toe, she must begin with you; and then we shall be forced to keep house and die by inches. Look you, Sir, if you won't resolve to take my advice, while you have one coat to your back, I must e'en take to my heels while I have strength to run, and something to cover me: so, Sir, wishing you much comfort and consolation with your |