_Heart._ But I thought, Mrs. Chatter, you were going to give me an Account of your Distress. _Chat._ I was so, but I protest I quite forgot it--hark! is not that our Coach stopped! Yes 'tis they--then--I beg pardon, Mr. Heartly, but I can't possibly stay to tell you the Story now, for I must run to my Lady. (_Exit_) (_Enter_ HARRIET) _Har._ O Mr. Candid, your Servant; you're a gallant Gentleman not to come to us. O you Clown! You have lost such a Night, such Diversion---- _Heart._ I am glad you were so well entertained, Madam, but you know it was impossible for me to have the Pleasure of waiting upon you, as I was obliged to attend my Uncle. Besides, Madam, I had your leave to be absent. I am glad to hear the Play had such Success; pray how does my Lady like it? _Har._ O immoderately! _Heart._ How happened that? She went prejudiced against it, I am sure. _Har._ O Canker did insinuate a most villainous character of it to us all, that's the truth on't; but _Sir Charles Stanza who is a great Friend of the Author's_ came into our Box and sat there all Night with us; and what with his Encomiums and the Merit of the Piece, we are all become most Violent Converts; and now my Lady like a true Proselyte is for persecuting everybody with the Brand of Idiotism who is out of the Pale of her Ladyship's Judgment. _Heart._ A true mark of Biggotry and Ignorance. _Har._ You know she is as fond of a New Wit, as a City Esquire who is setting up to be one himself; so she begged Sir Charles would introduce her to the Author, and he was so very obliging as to promise to bring him here to sup this very Night. _Heart._ That was a high Compliment indeed to a Lady of her Fondness for Authors. _Har._ O it has won her Heart; she's distracted with it. _Heart._ But dear Harriet, now to our Affairs. You see there is no getting the better of this Fellow Canker; he has got the entire Possession of your Aunt, and she is resolved by Marriage Contract to give you to him this very Night. What's to be done? _Har._ What's to be done? Why twenty things; I'll have the Vapours, Hystericks, Cholick and Madness rather than consent, and at last if my Aunt does persist, as I am afraid she will, why, like Jacyntha in the new Play, it is but providing a Ladder of Ropes and a pair of Breeches, and then the Business is done. _Heart._ Dear Girl, you have eased my anxious Heart; thus let me pay my soft Acknowledgment. _Har._ Thus let me pay my soft Acknowledgment. Ha, ha, ha! (_Mimicking him_) Upon my Word and Honour you make as ridiculous a Figure as a whining Lover in a Farce. Prithee let us have done with this theatrical Cant. _Heart._ No, Harriet, I can never have done Loving you. _Har._ Why I don't desire you to have done loving me; I only bid you have done telling me so--if you would please me, love me more and tell me less. _Heart._ Dear kind Creature! (_Kissing her Hand_) Pray what's become of my Lady?