_Man._ _Basset_? Oh, I remember; I know him by sight. _John Mood._ Well! to be sure, as civil a Gentleman, to see to---- _Man._ As any sharper in town. [_Aside._ _John Mood._ At York, he us'd to breakfast with my Lady every morning. _Man._ Yes, yes, and I suppose her Ladyship will return his compliment here in town. [_Aside._ _John Mood._ Well, Measter---- Lord _Town._ My Service to Sir _Francis_ and my Lady, _John_. Lady _Grace._ And mine, pray Mr. _Moody_. _John Mood._ Ay, your honors, they'll be proud on't, I dare say. _Man._ I'll bring my compliments myself: So, honest _John_---- _John Mood._ Dear Measter _Manly_! the goodness of goodness bless and preserve you. [_Exit ~John Moody~._ Lord _Town._ What a natural creature 'tis! Lady _Grace._ Well! I can't but think _John_, in a wet afternoon in the country, must be very good company. Lord _Town._ O! the _Tramontane_! If this were known at half the _quadrille_-tables in town, they would lay down their cards to laugh at you. Lady _Grace._ And the minute they took them up again they would do the same at the losers----But to let you see, that I think good company may sometimes want cards to keep them together: what think you if we three sat soberly down, to kill an hour at _Ombre_? _Man._ I shall be too hard for you, Madam. Lady _Grace._ No matter! I shall have as much advantage of my Lord, as you have of me. Lord _Town._ Say you so, Madam? Have at you then! Here! get the _ombre_-table, and cards. [_Exit Lord ~Townly~._ Lady _Grace._ Come, Mr. _Manly_----I know you don't forgive me now! _Man._ I don't know whether I ought to forgive your thinking so, Madam. Where do you imagine I could pass my time so agreeably? Lady _Grace._ I'm sorry my Lord is not here to take share of the compliment----But he'll wonder what's become of us! _Man._ I'll follow in a moment, Madam---- [_Exit ~Lady Grace~._ It must be so----she sees I love her----yet with what unoffending decency she avoids an explanation! How amiable is every hour of her conduct? What a vile opinion have I had of the whole sex, for these ten years past, which this sensible creature has recovered in less than one? Such a companion, sure, might compensate all the irksome disappointments, that pride, folly and falshood ever gave me! Could women regulate, like her, their lives, What _Halcyon_ days were in the gift of wives! Vain rovers, then, might envy what they hate; And only fools would mock the married state. [_Exit._ +ACT+ II. +SCENE+ I. +SCENE+, _Mrs._ Motherly's _House_. _Enter Count ~Basset~ and Mrs. ~Motherly~._