FRANKTON. Nothing; only he visits Miss Harriet frequently. LOVEYET. Hah!--and does she countenance his addresses? FRANKTON. I'll explain.--He imagines she is fond of him, because she does not actually discard him; upon which presumption he titters, capers, vows, bows, talks scraps of French, and sings an amorous lay--with such an irresistibly languishing air, that she cannot do less than compliment him--on the fineness of his voice, for instance; the smartness of his repartees, the brilliancy of his wit, the gaiety and vivacity of his temper, his genteel carriage, his handsome person, his winning address, his---- LOVEYET. Hah! you surely cannot be in earnest, Frankton. FRANKTON. To be serious then,--the sum total of the affair, I take to be this.--In order to kill a heavy hour, she sometimes suffers the fool to be in her company, because the extravagance of his behaviour, and the emptiness of his upper region furnish her with a good subject for ridicule; but _your_ presence will soon make him dwindle into his primitive insignificance. LOVEYET. If your prediction proves false, Harriet will be false indeed;--but I must see her straightway. FRANKTON. I think you go pretty well fraught with the fruits of our united deliberations. LOVEYET. Deliberations!--away with the musty term-- _No caution need my willing footsteps guide;-- When Love impels--what evil can betide? Patriots may fear, their rulers lack more zeal, And nobly tremble for the public weal; To front the battle, and to fear no harm, The _shield_ must glitter on the warrior's arm: Let such dull prudence _their_ designs attend, But _Love_, unaided, _shall_ obtain its end!_ [_Exeunt._ SCENE II. _OLD LOVEYET'S House._ _Enter OLD LOVEYET and TRUEMAN._ LOVEYET. I tell you it is the most infernal scheme that ever was devis'd. TRUEMAN. And I tell you, sir, that your argument is heterodox, sophistical, and most preposterously illogical. LOVEYET. I insist upon it, sir, you know nothing at all about the matter; and, give me leave to tell you, sir-- TRUEMAN. What--give you leave to tell me I know nothing at all about the matter! I shall do no such thing, sir--I'm not to be govern'd by your _ipse dixit_. LOVEYET. I desire none of your musty Latin, sir, for I don't understand it, not I. TRUEMAN. Oh, the ignorance of the age! To oppose a plan of government like the new Constitution. Like it, did I say?--There never was one like it:--neither Minos, Solon, Lycurgus nor Romulus, ever fabricated so wise a system;--why it is a political phenomenon, a prodigy of legislative wisdom, the fame of which will soon extend almost _ultramundane_, and astonish the nations of the world with its transcendent excellence.--To what a sublime height will the superb edifice attain! LOVEYET. Your aspiring edifice shall never be erected in _this_ State, sir.