,
&c."

TRUEMAN. A truce to your insipid, hard-labour'd wit: the honour you are
pleased to call in question, is not an empty name which can be purchased
with gold; it is too inestimable to be counterpoised by that imaginary
good; otherwise the titles of Honourable and Excellent would be always
significant of his Honour's or his Excellency's intrinsic worth;--a thing
"devoutly to be wish'd," but unfortunately too seldom exemplified; for, as
the dramatic muse elegantly says of money,--"Who steals my purse, steals
trash."

LOVEYET. I deny it;--the dramatic muse, as you call him, was a fool:--trash
indeed! Ha, ha, ha. Money trash! Ready Rhino trash! Golden, glittering,
jingling money!--I'm sure he cou'dn't mean the hard stuff.

TRUEMAN. Very sublime conceptions, upon my erudition; and expressed by some
truly elegant epithets; but your ideas, like your conscience, are of the
fashionable, elastic kind;--self-interest can stretch them like
Indian-rubber.

LOVEYET. What a stupid old gudgeon!--Well, you'll believe what I tell you,
sooner or later, Mr. Schoolmaster; so your servant:--as for you, Miss
Hypocrite, I wish your Honour farewell, and I guess you may do the same.

[_Exit._

TRUEMAN. These insinuations, Harriet, have put my anxiety to the rack.

HARRIET. I am happy I can so soon relieve you from it, sir. Young Mr.
Loveyet arrived this morning; but, it seems, the old gentleman has entirely
forgot him, during his long absence; and when he heard his father's
resolution, in consequence of the dispute he had with you, he did not think
proper to make himself known. It was this which made him think me so
culpable, that you hear he talks of marrying him to my friend Maria.

TRUEMAN. I see into the mistake; but the worst construction the affair will
admit, does not justify his using you so indecently; and, if it were not
for the more powerful consideration of a daughter's happiness, I would make
him repent it.

HARRIET. I have ever found my honoured, my only parent both wise in
concerting plans for that daughter's happiness, and good in executing them
to the utmost of his ability; and, I dare say, he does not think her
alliance with Mr. Loveyet's son will prove unfavourable to her happiness.

TRUEMAN. Far from it, my child:--Your unusual good sense makes a
common-place lecture unnecessary, Harriet; but beware of flattery and
dissimulation; for the manners of