Let drudging fools by honesty grow great; The shorter road to riches is deceit. [_Exeunt._ ACT II. _SCENE a gaming house, with a table, box, dice, &c._ _BEVERLEY is discovered sitting._ _Beverley_. Why, what a world is this! The slave that digs for gold, receives his daily pittance, and sleeps contented; while those, for whom he labours, convert their good to mischief; making abundance the means of want. O shame! shame! Had fortune given me but a little, that little had been still my own. But plenty leads to waste; and shallow streams maintain their currents, while swelling rivers beat down their banks, and leave their channels empty. What had I to do with play? I wanted nothing. My wishes and my means were equal. The poor followed me with blessings; love scattered roses on my pillow, and morning waked me to delight.--O, bitter thought! that leads to what I was, by what I am! I would forget both--Who's there? SCENE II. _Enter a WAITER._ _Wait._ A gentleman, Sir, enquires for you. _Bev._ He might have used less ceremony. Stukely I suppose? _Wait._ No, Sir; a stranger. _Bev._ Well, shew him in. (_Exit Waiter._) A messenger from Stukely then. From Him that has undone me! Yet all in friendship; and now he lends me from his little, to bring back fortune to me. SCENE III. _Enter JARVIS._ Jarvis! Why this intrusion?--Your absence had been kinder. _Jar._ I came in duty, Sir. If it be troublesome-- _Bev._ It is. I would be private; hid even from myself. Who sent you hither? _Jar._ One that would persuade you home again. My mistress is not well; her tears told me so. _Bev._ Go with thy duty there then. But does she weep? I am to blame to let her weep. Prithee begone; I have no business for thee. _Jar._ Yes, Sir; to lead you from this place. I am your servant still. Your prosperous fortune blessed my old age. If That has left you, I must not leave you. _Bev._ Not leave me! Recall past time then; or through this sea of storms and darkness, shew me a star to guide me. But what can'st Thou? _Jar._ The little that I can, I will. You have been generous to me. I would not offend you, Sir--but-- _Bev._ No. Think'st thou I'd ruin Thee too? I have enough of shame already. My wife! my wife! Would'st thou believe it, Jarvis? I have not seen her all this long night; I, who have loved her so, that every hour of abscence seemed as a gap in life. But other bonds have held me. O! I have played the boy; dropping my counters in the stream, and reaching to redeem them, have lost Myself. Why wilt Thou follow misery? Or if thou wilt, go to thy mistress--She has no guilt to sting her, and therefore may be comforted. _Jar._ For pity's sake, Sir! I have no heart to see this change. _Bev._ Nor I to bear it. How speaks the world of me, Jarvis? _Jar._ As of a good man dead. Of one, who walking in a dream, fell down a precipice. The world is sorry for you.