OCR Text |
Show JcT The Inconflant: Or, mine before the juft performance of your Contract to Ori ma. [Difcovering her felf Om. Oriana I Or. In this difguife I refolved to follow you abroad, counr terfeited that Letter that got m e into your Service ; and fo, by this ftrange turn of Fate, I became the Inftrument of your Pre-fervation ; few common Servants wou'd have had luch cunning : M y Love infpir'd m e with the meaning of your Mef-fage, 'caufe m y concern for your Safety made mefufpectyour Company. Dur. Mirabel, you're caught. Aiir. Caught! I fcorn the thought of Impofition, the tricks and artful cunning of the Sex I have defpis'd, and broke thro' all Contrivance. Caught! No,'tis m y voluntary Act; this was no humane Stratagem: but by m y providential Stars, defigned to fhow the dangers, wandring Youth incurs by the permit of an unlawful Love, to plunge m e headlong in the Snares of Vice, and then to free m e by the Hands of Vertue; here, on m y knees, I humbly beg m y fair Prefcrver's Pardon j m y thanks are needlefs, for m y felf I owe. And now for ever do proteft m e yours. Old M. Tall, all, di dall. [Sings.] Kifs me, Daughter • no, you ihall kifs m e firft; [To Lamorce.]; For you re the caufe on't. Well, Bifarre, what fay you to the Captain ? Bif. I like the Beaft well enough, but 1 don't underftand his Paces fo, well as to venture him in a ftrange Road. Old Ad. But Marriage is fo beaten a Path that you can't go wrong. Bif. Ay, 'tis fo beaten that the W a y is fpoil'd. Dur. There is but one thing fhou'd make m e thy Husband. • I cou'd marry thee to D a y for the privilege of beating' thee to morrow. Old M. Come, come, you may agree for all this: Mr. Du\ gard, are not you pleas'd with this ? Dug. So pleas'd, that if I thought it migbt fecufe your Son s Affection to m y Sifter, I wou'd double her Fortune. Mir. Fortune! has not fhe given m e mine ? m y Life, Eftate, m y All, and What is more, her vertuous felf. Vertue, in this fo advantageous Light, has her o w n fparkling Charms more tempting far than glittering Gold or Glory. Behold the Foil [Pointing to Lamorce.] that fets this Brightnefs off. (To Oriana.) Here view the Pride (To Oriana.) and lcandal of the Sex. (To Lam.) There (To Lam.) the falfe Meteor, whofe deluding Light leads Mankind to destruction. Here CTflOri&ia,) |