Lady T. Nay, but to be ferious, my dear; what would you really have a woman do, in my case ? Lady G. Why--if I had as fober a husband, as you have, I would make myself the happiest wife in the world, by being as fober as he. Lady T. Oh, you wicked thing! how can you teize one at this rate, when you know he is so very fober, that (except giving me money) there is not one thing in the world he can do to please me. And I, at the fame time, partly by nature, and partly, perhaps, by keeping the best company, do, with my foul, love almost every thing he hates. I doat upon affemblies; my heart bounds at a ball; and at an opera-I expire. Then I love play to diffraction; cards enchant me—and dice put me out of my little wits-Dear, dear hazard !—Oh, what a flow of spirits it gives one!- -Do you never play at hazard, child? Lady G. Oh, never! I don't think it fits well upon women; there's fomething fo mafculine, fo much the air of a rake in it. You fee how it makes the men fwear and curfe; and when a woman is thrown into the fame paffion-why Lady T. That's very true; one is a little put to it fometimes, not to make use of the fame words to exprefs 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 cafe, indeed, when a fad wrong word is rifing, juft to one's tongue's end, I give a great gulp--and swallow it. Lady Lady G. Well-and is not that enough to make jou forfwear play, as long as you live? Lady T. Oh, yes: I have forfworn it. Lady T. Solemnly! a thousand times; but then one is conftantly for fworn. we Lady G. And how can you answer that? Lady T. My dear, what we fay, when we are lofers, look upon to be no more binding than a lover's oath, or a great man's promife. But I beg pardon child; I fhould not lead you fo far into the world; you are a prude, and defign to live foberly. Lady G. Why, I confefs, my nature, and my education do, in a good degree, incline me that way. Lady T. Well, how a woman of fpirit, (for you don't want that, child) can dream of living foberly, is to me inconceivable; for you will marry, I fuppofe. Lady G. I can't tell but I may. Lady T. And won't you live in town? Lady G. Half the year, I fhould like it very well. Lady T. My ftars! and you would really live in London half the year to be fober in it 2 Lady G. Why not? Lady T. Why can't you as well go and be fober in the country? Lady G. So I would--t'other half year. Lady T. And pray, what comfortable fcheme of life would you form now, for your fummer and winter fober Lady G. A scheme that I think might very well con tent us. Lady T. Oh, of all things, let's hear it. Lady G. Why, in fummer, I could pass my leisure hours in riding, in reading, walking by a canal, or fitting at the end of it under a great tree; in dreffing, dining, chatting with an agreeable friend; perhaps, hearing a little mufic, taking a difh of tea, or a game of cards, soberly; managing my family, looking into its accounts, playing with my children, if I had any, or in a thousand other innocent amusements-foberly ;, and poffibly, by these means, I might induce my hufband to be as fober as myself Lady T. Well, my dear, thou art an aftonishing creature! For fure fuch primitive antediluvian notions of life, have not been in any head these thousand years -Under a great tree! Oh, my ftars!-But I beg we may have the fober town-fcheme too-for I am charmed with the country one! Lady G. You fhall, and I'll try to stick to my fobriety there too. Lady T. Well, though I'm fure it will give me the vapours, I must hear it however. Lady G. Why then, for fear of your fainting, Madam, I will first fo far come into the fashion, that I would never be dreffed out of it—but ftill it should be foberly: 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 fuit of a first duchefs. Though there is one extravagance I would venture to come up to. Lady Lady G. I would every day be as clean as a bride. Lady 7. Why the men fay, that's a great step to be made one- -Well, now you are drest-Pray let's fée to what purpose ? Lady G. I would vifit-that is, my real friends; but as little for form as poffible--I would go to court; fometimes to an affembly, nay, play at Quadrillefoberly: I would fee all the good plays; and, because 'tis the fashion, now and then an opera-but I would not expire there, for fear I fhould never go again : and lastly, I can't say, but for curiofity, 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→→→→→ foberly. 4 Lady T. Well, if it had not been for that last piece of sobriety, I was just going to call for fome furfeit water. Lady G. Why, don't you think, with the farther aid of breakfasting, dining, taking the air, fupping, fleeping, not to fay a word of devotion, the four and twenty hours might roll over in a tolerable manner? Lady T. Tolerable! Deplorable! Why, child, all you propofe, is but to endure life, now I want to enjoy it but, my dear, you will excuse me; you know my time is fo precious Lady G. That I beg I may not hinder your leaft enjoyment of it. Lady T. You will call on me at Lady Revel's ? Certainly. Lady " Lady T. But I am so afraid it will break into your fober fcheme, my dear. Lady G. When it does, I will-soberly break from you. Lady T. Why then, 'till we meet again, dear fister, I wish you all tolerable happiness. [Exit Lady T. Lady G. There she goes-Dash! into her stream of pleafures! Poor woman, fhe is really a fine creature ; and fometimes infinitely agreeable; nay, take her out of the madness of this town, rational in her notions, and eafy to live with: but she is fo borne down by this torrent of vanity in vogue, the thinks every hour of her life is loft that she does not lead at the head of it. What it will end in, Itremble to imagine GLOSTER AND JANE SHORE. Gloft. Oh! You are come moft fitly. We have ponder'd On this your Grievance And tho' fome there are, Nay, and thofe great ones too, who would enforce The rigour of our pow'r to afflict you, And bear a heavy hand, yet fear not you, We've ta'en you to our favour, our protection Shall ftand between, and fhield you from mishap. |