The Man of the World (1792) Part 16

_Sir Per._ How! married!

_Eger._ I know, sir, at present we shall meet your anger; but time, reflection, and our dutiful conduct, we hope, will reconcile you to our happiness.

_Sir Per._ Never, never--and could I make you, her, and aw your issue, beggars, I would move h.e.l.l, heaven, and earth, to do it.

_Lord Lum._ Why, Sir Pertinax, this is a total revolution, and will entirely ruin my affairs.

_Sir Per._ My lord, with the consent of your lords.h.i.+p, and Lady Rodolpha, I have an expedient to offer, that will not only punish that rebellious villain, but answer every end that your lords.h.i.+p and the lady proposed by the intended match with him.

_Lord Lum._ I doubt it much, Sir Pertinax--I doubt it much:--But what is it, sir?--What is your expedient?

_Sir Per._ My lord, I have another son, and, provided the lady and your lords.h.i.+p have nai objection till him, every article of that rebel's intended marriage shall be amply fulfilled upon Lady Rodolpha's union with my younger son.

_Lord Lum._ Why that is an expedient indeed, Sir Pertinax.--But what say you, Rodolpha?

_Lady Rod._ Nay, nay, my lord, as I had nai reason to have the least affection till my cousin Egerton, and as my intended marriage with him was entirely an act of obedience till my grandmother, provided my cousin Sandy will be as agreeable till her ladys.h.i.+p as my cousin Charles here wou'd have been,--I have nai the least objection till the change. Ay, ay! one brother is as guid till Rodolpha as another.

_Sir Per._ I'll answer, madam, for your grandmother.--Now, my lord, what say you?

_Lord Lum._ Nay, Sir Pertinax, so the agreement stands, all is right again. Come, child, let us begone.--Ay, ay, so my affairs are made easy, it is equal to me whom she marries.--I say, Sir Pertinax, let them be but easy, and rat me, if I care if she concorporates with the Cham of Tartary.

[_Exit._

_Sir Per._ As to you, my Lady Macsycophant, I suppose you concluded, before you gave your consent till this match, that there wou'd be an end of aw intercourse betwixt you and me.--Live with your Constantia, madam, your son, and that black sheep there.--Live with them.--You shall have a jointure, but not a bawbee besides, living or dead, shall you, or any of your issue, ever see of mine;--and so, my vengeance light upon you aw together. [_Exit._

_Lady Rod._ Weel, cousin Egerton, in spite of the ambitious frenzy of your father, and the thoughtless dissipation of mine, Don Cupid has at last carried his point in favour of his devotees.--But I must now take my leave.--Lady Macsycophant, your most obedient.--Maister Sidney, yours.-- Permit me, Constantia, to have the honour of congratulating myself on our alliance.

_Con._ Madam, I shall ever study to deserve and to return this kindness.

_Lady Rod._ I am sure you will.--But ah!--I neglect my poor Sandy aw this while! and, guid traith, mine ain heart begins to tell me what his feels, and chides me for tarrying so long.--I will therefore fly till him on the wings of love and guid news;--for I am sure the poor lad is pining with the pip of expectation and anxious jeopardy. And so, guid folks, I will leave you with the f.a.g end of an auld North-Country wish:--'May mutual love and guid humour be the guests of your hearts, the theme of your tongues, and the blithsome subjects of aw your tricksey dreams through the rugged road of this deceitful world; and may our fathers be an example till ourselves to treat our bairns better than they have treated us.'

[_Exit._

_Eger._ You seem melancholy, sir.

_Mel._ These precarious turns of fortune, sir, will press upon the heart,--for, notwithstanding my Constantia's happiness, and mine in hers-- I own I cannot help feeling some regret, that my misfortunes should be the cause of any disagreement between a father, and the man to whom I am under the most endearing obligations.

_Eger._ You have no share in his disagreement; for had not you been born, from my father's nature, some other cause of his resentment must have happened.--But for a time at least, sir, and, I hope, for life, affliction and angry vicissitudes have taken their leaves of us all.--If affluence can procure content and ease, they are within our reach.--My fortune is ample, and shall be dedicated to the happiness of this domestic circle.--

_My scheme, tho' mock'd by knave, coquet, and fool, To thinking minds will prove this golden rule; In all pursuits, but chiefly in a wife, Not wealth, but morals, make the happy life._

FINIS.

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FRANCES REYNOLDS (?): _An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Taste, and of the Origin of Our Ideas of Beauty_, &_c._ (1785). Introduction by James L. Clifford.

THOMAS BAKER: _The Fine Lady's Airs_ (1709). Introduction by John Harrington Smith.

DANIEL DEFOE: _Vindication of the Press_ (1718). Introduction by Otho Clinton Williams.

JOHN EVELYN: _An Apologie for the Royal Party_ (1659); _A Panegyric to Charles the Second_ (1661). Introduction by Geoffrey Keynes.

CHARLES MACKLIN: _Man of the World_ (1781). Introduction by Dougald MacMillan.

_Prefaces to Fiction_. Selected and with an Introduction by Benjamin Boyce.

THOMAS SPRAT: _Poems_.

SIR WILLIAM PETTY: _The Advice of W.P. to Mr. Samuel Hartlib for the Advancement of some particular Parts of Learning_ (1648).

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