_. Step you out, Charles, and receive Lady Rodolpha;--and, I
desire you will treat her with as much respect and gallantry as possible;
for my lord has hinted that you have been very remiss as a lover.--So go,
go and receive her.

_Eger_. I shall, sir.

_Sir Per_. Vary weel,--vary weel;--a guid lad: go--go and receive her as a
lover should. [_Exit_ Egerton.] Hah! I must keep a devilish tight hand
upon this fallow, I see,--or he will be touched with the patriotic frenzy
of the times, and run counter till aw my designs.--I find he has a strong
inclination to have a judgment of his ain, independent of mine, in aw
political matters;--but as soon as I have finally settled the marriage
writings with my lord, I will have a thorough expostulation with my
gentleman, I am resolved,--and fix him unalterably in his political
conduct.--Ah!--I am frighted out of my wits, lest his mother's family
should seduce him to desert to their party, which would totally ruin my
whole scheme, and break my heart.--A fine time of day for a blockhead to
turn patriot;--when the character is exploded--marked--proscribed;--why
the common people--the vary vulgar--have found out the jest, and laugh at
a patriot now-a-days,---just as they do at a conjurer,--a magician,--or
any other impostor in society.--

_Enter_ TOMLINS, _and Lord_ LUMBERCOURT.

_Tom_. Lord Lumbercourt.

_Lord Lum_. Sir Pertinax, I kiss your hand.

_Sir Per_. Your lordship's most devoted.

_Lord Lum_. Why, you stole a march upon me this morning;--gave me the
slip, Mac;--tho' I never wanted your assistance more in my life.--I
thought you would have called on me.

_Sir Per_. My dear lord, I beg ten millions of pardons for leaving town
before you; but you ken that your lordship at dinner yesterday settled it
that we should meet this morning at the levee.

_Lord Lum_. That I acknowledge, Mac.--I did promise to be there, I own.

_Sir Per_. You did, indeed.--And accordingly I was at the levee and waited
there till every soul was gone, and, seeing you did not come, I concluded
that your lordship was gone before.

_Lord Lum_. Why, to confess the truth, my dear Mac, those old sinners,
Lord Freakish, General Jolly, Sir Antony Soaker, and two or three more of
that set, laid hold of me last night at the opera,--and, as the General
says, 'from the intelligence of my head this morning,' I believe we drank
pretty deep ere we departed; ha, ha, ha!

_Sir Per_. Ha, ha, ha! nay, if you we