RECOLLECTION.

[Aside.] Shall I (though provoked beyond sufferance,) recover myself at the entrance of a third person, and that my servant too, and shall I not have a due respect for the dictates of my own conscience,

["Conscience," to be spoken with the right hand on the

breast.]

for what I owe to the best of fathers, and to the defenceless innocence of my lovely Indiana, whose very life depends on ming? [To Mr. Myrtle] I have, thank heaven, had time to recollect myself, and have determined to convince you, by` means I would willingly have avoided, but which yet are preferable to murderous duelling, that I am more innocent of nothing, than of rivalling you in the affections of Lucinda.

REMONSTRANCE.

Read this letter, and consider, what effect it would have had upon you to have found it about the man you had murdered.

SULLENNESS.

[In reading the letter, the countenance of Myrtle ought to quit, by degrees, the look of anger, and pass on to the instructions in capitals.]

[Myrtle reads] I hope it will be consistent with the laws a woman ought to impose upon herself, to acknow. ledge, that your manner of declining

SURPRISE.

what has been proposed, of a treaty of marriage in our family,

RISING HOPE.

and desiring, that the refusal might come from me, is more engaging, than the Smithfield courtship of him,

D&JOY.

whose arms I am in danger of being thrown into, unless your friend exerts himself for our common safety and happiness."

SIIAME.

-O, I want no more to clear your innocence, my injured worthy friend-I see her dear name at the bottom-I see that you have been far enough from designing any obstacle to my happiness.

REMORSE.

while I have been treating my benefactor as my betrayer.

CONFUSION.

-O Bevil, with what words shall I—

BENEVOLENCE.

Bevil. There is no need of words. to convince is more than to conquer; if you are but satisfied that I meant you no wrong, all is as it should be.

ANGUISH.

Myrtle. But can you-forgive

REMORSE.

Such madness!

BENEVOLENCE and FORGIVING.

Bevil. Have not I myself offended? I had almost been as guilty as you, though I had the advantage of you, by knowing what you did not know.

ANGUISH.

Myrtle. That I should be such

REMORSE.

a precipitate wretch!

FORGIVING.

Bevil. Prithee no more.

SELF-CONDEMNATION.

Myrtle. How many friends have died by the hands of friends, merely for want of temper?

GRATITUDE with HORROR.

What do I not owe to your superiority of understanding? what a precipice have I escaped? O my friend!

INTREATING with REMORSE.

Can you ever-forgive-can you ever again look upon me -with an eye of favour ?

BENEVOLENCE.

Bevil. Why should I not? any man may mistake; any man may be violent where his love is concerned. I was myself.

ADMIRATION.

Myrtle. O Bevil! you are capable of all that is great, all that is heroic.

XII. The scene of Indiana's being found to be Mr. Sealand's daughter.

CIVILITY.

Indiana. I am told, sir, you are come about business, which requires your speaking with me.

Sealand. Yes, madam, there came to my hands a bill' drawn by Mr. Bevil, which is payable to-morrow, and as I have cash of his, I have made bold to bring you the money myself,

CONFUSION.

Aaaand, to be free, madam, the fame of your beauty, and the regard which Mr. Bevil is but too well known to have for you, excited my curiosity.

OFFENCE.

Indiana. Too well known to have for me! Your sober appearance, sir, made me expect no rudeness or absurdity from you-who waits ?-Sir, if you pay the money to a servant, it will be as well. [going.]

APOLOGY.

Sealand. Pray, madam, be not offended. I came hither with an innocent, nay, a virtuous design, and, if you will have patience to hear me, it may be of service to you as well as to my only daughter, on whose account I come, and whom I was this day to dispose of.

APPREHENSION.

: I

Indiana. [Aside.] In marriage with Mr. Bevil; fear, what I dreaded is come, but I must compose myself if possible.

RECOLLECTION.

[To him.] Sir, you may suppose I shall desire to know any thing, which may be interesting to Mr. Bevil, or to myself.

CONFUSION.

As appearances are against me with regard to this bekaviour, I ought to forgive your suspicion, sir:

APOLOGY.

Be free then, I am composed again, go on, sir.

WONDER with DISAPPROBATION.

Sealand. I feared indeed, an unwarrantable passion here; but I could not have thought any man capable of abusing so much loveliness and worth, as your appear. ance and behaviour bespeak. But the youth of our age care not what excellence they destroy, so they can but gratify.

VINDICATION.

Indiana. [Interrupting.] Sir, you are going into very great errors.

ENQUIRY with APPREHENSION. But please to keep your suspicions; and acquaint me, why the care of your daughter obliges a person of your seeming rank

DISTRESS.

to be thus inquisitive about a

wretched, helpless, friendless—

APOLOGY.

[weeps.]

I beg pardon, good sir-I am an orphan, who can call nothing in the world my own, but my virtue-pray, good sir, go on.

PITY with DISAPPROBATION.

Sealand. How could Mr. Bevil think of injuring such sweetness?

VINDICATION.

Indiana. You wrong him, sir; he never thought of injuring me;

PRAISE.

Ilis bounty he bestows for my support, merely for the pleasure of doing good!

ENQUIRY with APPREHENSION.

You are the gentleman, I suppose, for whose happy daughter he is designed by his worthy father, and he has consented, perhaps, to the proposal.

CAUTIONING.

Sealand. I own, such a match was proposed;

RESOLUTION.

but it shall not proceed, unless I am satisfied, that your connection with him may be consistent with it.

DISTRESS.

Indiana. It is only, sir, from his actions and looks, that I have had any reason to flatter myself into the notion of his having any particular affection for me; from them, I own, I was led into the hope of what I earnestly wished, that he had thoughts of making me the partner of his heart; but now I find my fatal mistake; the goodness and gentleness of his demeanour, with the richness of his benevolence, made me misinterpret all-'Twas my own hope, my own passion, that deluded me he never made one amorous advance to me-his generous heart and liberal hand meant only to help the miserable;

SELF-CONDEMNATION. and I-O fool that I was!-I fondly suffered myself to be drawn into imaginations, too high, and too ambitious for my lowly wretchedness-oh!-oh!--oh!

of

COMFORT.

[weeping.]

Sealand. Make yourself easy, madam, upon the score my daughter, at least; the connection between Mr. Bevil and her is not so far as to render it necessary that your peace should be destroyed by such a marriage : depend upon it, madam, my daughter shall never be the cause of your disappointment.

DISTRESS HEIGHTENED.

Indiana. Sir, your speaking so makes me still more wretched. Shall I be the cause of injury to my noble benefactor? shall I, who have no pretensions to him, be the hindrance of his happiness? heaven forbid!

PERSUASION.

No, sir, give your daughter to the worthiest of men ; give her to my generous Bevil