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Show 2($ The R E L A P S E ; or, Aman. 1 a m fatisfv'd with every thing that • pleafes vou; elfe 1 had not come to T o w n at all. } Lev. O ! a little of the Noife and Buftle of_,he World fweetens the Pleafures of Retreat: W e fhall find ,he Charms of our Retirement doubled, when w e re- WAml Thatpleafmg Profpeft will «-•*«*«• Entertainment, whilft (much agamft m y Will) I am oblieed to ftand furrounded w.th thefe empty Pleafures, which 'tis fo much the Fafhion to be fond of. Uv. I own moft of them are indeed but empty j nay, fo empty, that one would wonder by what Magiclc Power they aft, when they induce us to be v.c.ous tor tlipir fakes Yet fome there are we may fpeak kindlier of : There are Delights (of which a private Life is deft.tute) which may divert an honeft Man, and be a harmlefs Entertain-ment to a virtuous W o m a n . The Conversion of the T o w n is one; and truly (with fome fmall Allowances) the Plays, I think, may be efteem'd another. Aman. The Plays, 1 muft confefs, have fome fmall Charms; and wou'd have more, wou'd they reftrain that loofe obfcene Encouragement to Vice, which mocks, if not the Virtue of fome W o m e n , at leaft the Modefty Lov. But till that Reformation can be made, I would not leave the wholefome Corn for fome intruding Tares that grow amongft it. Doubtlefs the Moral of a well-wrought Scene is of prevailing Force-Laft Night there liappen'd one that mov'd m e ftrangely. Aman. Pray, what was that ? Lov. W h y 'twas about but 'tis not worth repeating. Aman. Yes, pray let m e know it. Lov. N o , I think 'tis as well' let alone. Aman. Nay, now you make m e have a mind to know. Lov. 'Twasafoolilhthing; You'd pechaps grow jealous fhou'd I tell it you, tho without a Caufe, Heaven Atmn, Virtue in Danger. 57 'Amand. I fhall begin to think I have caufe, if you perfift in making it a Secret. Lov. I'll then convince you you have none, by making it no longer fo. Know then, I happen'd in the Play to find m y very Character, only with the Addition of a Relapfe ; which (truck m e fo, I put a fudden Stop to a moft harmlefs Entertainment, which till then diverted m e between the Acts. 'Twas to admire the Workmanfnip of Nature, in the Face of a younf* Ladv that fat fome diftance from me, fhe was fo exquiiltely hand fome. 7 Aman. So exquifltely handfome ! Lov. W h y do you repeat m y Words, m y Dear ? Aman. Bccaufe you feem'd to fpeak them with fuch Pleafure, I thought I might oblige you with their Echo. Lov. Then you are alarm'd, Amanda .«? Aman. It is m y Duty to be fo, when you are in dan-ger. Lov. You are too quick in apprehending forme- all will be well when you have heard m e out.° I do confefs J gaz'd upon her, nay, eagerly I gaz'd upon her. Aman. Eagerly ! That's with Defire. w ^ u ' ^ ° ' , 1 defir'd *>« n o t : 1 view'd her with a World of Admiration, but not one Glance of Love § Aman. Take heed of trufting to fuch nice Diftinc-tions. Lov. I did take heed ; for obferving in the Play, that he w h o feem'd to reprefent m e there? was, by an Ac-cidenthke this, unwarily furpriz'd into a Net, in which he lay a poor intang ed Slave, and brought a Train of M.fch,efs-0111 his Head, I fnatch'd m y Eyes away ?he* pleaded hard for Leave to look again, but I ereVabm* lute, and they obey'd. *~A 1 A. ,. ,, ' UJUUa nave ask'd and where fhe hv'd (yet (till without D e W was fhe".> pnrraayv ? o n v • >* ho Lov. Indeed I cannot tell. Aman. You will not tell. C 2 Lov. |