HARD. Nor ever will, I dare answer for him. Ay, you have taught _him_ finely. MRS. HARD. No matter, Tony Lumpkin has a good fortune. My son is not to live by his learning. I don't think a boy wants much learning to spend fifteen hundred a-year. HARD. Learning, quotha! a mere composition of tricks and mischief. MRS. HARD. Humour, my dear: nothing but humour. Come, Mr. Hardcastle, you must allow the boy a little humour. HARD. I'd sooner allow him a horse-pond. If burning the footmen's shoes, frighting the maids, worrying the kittens—be humour, he has it. It was but yesterday he fastened my wig to the back of my chair, and when I went to make a bow, I popt my bald head in Mrs. Frizzle's face. MRS. HARD. And am I to blame? The poor boy was always too sickly to do any good. A school would be his death. When he comes to be a little stronger, who knows what a year or two's Latin may do for him! HARD. Latin for him! A cat and fiddle. No, no, the alehouse and the stable are the only schools he'll ever go to. MRS. HARD. Well, we must not snub the poor boy now, for I believe we shan't have him long among us. Anybody that looks in his face may see he's consumptive. HARD. Ay, if growing too fat be one of the symptoms. MRS. HARD. He coughs sometimes. HARD. Yes, when his liquor goes the wrong way. MRS. HARD. I'm actually afraid of his lungs. HARD. And truly so am I; for he sometimes whoops like a speaking trumpet—(_Tony hallooing behind the scenes_)—O there he goes—A very consumptive figure, truly. _Enter_ TONY, _crossing the stage_. MRS. HARD. Tony, where are you going, my charmer? Won't you give papa and I a little of your company, lovee? TONY. I'm in haste, mother, I cannot stay. MRS. HARD. You shan't venture out this raw evening, my dear; you look most shockingly. TONY. I can't stay, I tell you. The Three Pigeons expects me down every moment. There's some fun going forward. HARD. Ay; the alehouse, the old place: I thought so. MRS. HARD. A low, paltry set of fellows. TONY. Not so low neither. There's Dick Muggins the exciseman, Jack Slang the horse-doctor, little Aminadab, that grinds the music-box, and Tom Twist, that spins the pewter platter. MRS. HARD. Pray, my dear, disappoint them for one night at least. TONY. As for disappointing _them_, I should not so much mind; but I can't abide to disappoint _myself_. MRS. HARD. (_Detaining him._) You shan't go. TONY. I will, I tell you. MRS. HARD. I say you shan't. TONY. We'll see which is the strongest, you or I! _Exit, hauling her out._ HARDCASTLE, _solus_. HARD. Ay, there goes a pair that only spoil each other; but is not the whole age in a combination to drive sense and discretion out of doors? There's my pretty darling Kate; the fashions of the times have almost infected her too. By living a year or two in town, she is as fond of gauze, and French frippery, as the best of them.