.

L. _Kno._ _Leander_, raise your Soul above that little trifle
_Lucretia_;--cannot you guess what better Fate attends you? fy, how dull
you are! must I instruct you in plain right-down Terms? and tell you,
that I propose you Master of my Fortune.--Now possibly you understand
me.

Enter _Lucretia_, and peeps.

_Lean._ I wish I did not, Madam,
Unless I'd Virtue to deserve the Bounty;
I have a thousand Faults Dissimulation hides,
Inconstant, wild, debauch'd as Youth can make me.

_Lucr._ All that will not do your Business. [Aside.

L. _Kno._ Yet you wou'd have my Daughter take you with all these Faults;
they're Virtues there, but to the name of Mother, they all turn
retrograde: I can endure a Man
As wild and as inconstant as she can;
I have a Fortune too that can support that Humour,
That of _Lucretia_ does depend on me,
And when I please is nothing;
I'm far from Age or Wrinkles, can be courted
By Men, as gay and youthful as a new Summer's Morn,
Beauteous as the first Blossoms of the Spring,
Before the common Sun has kiss'd their Sweets away,
If with salacious Appetites I lov'd.

_Lean._ Faith, Madam, I cou'd wish--

L. _Kno._ That I were but Fifteen: but
If there be inequality in Years,
There is so too in Fortunes, that might add
A Lustre to my Eyes, Charms to my Person,
And make me fair as _Venus_, young as _Hebe_.

_Lean._ Madam, you have enough to engage any unconquer'd Heart; but
'twas, I thought, with your allowance I dispos'd of mine, and 'tis a
Heart that knows not how to change.

L. _Kno._ Then 'tis a foolish unambitious Heart, unworthy of the
Elevation it has not glorious Pride enough to aim at:--Farewel,
Sir,--when you are wiser, you may find admittance.
[Goes out.

_Lean._ Stay, Madam--

Enter _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ For what? to hear your Penitence! Forgive me, Madam, I will be a
Villain, forget my Vows of Love, made to _Lucretia_.
And sacrifice both her, and those to Interest.
Oh, how I hate this whining and dissembling!

_Lean._ Do, triumph o'er a wretched Man, _Lucretia_.

_Lucr._ How! wretched in loving me so entirely, or that you cannot marry
my Mother, and be Master of her mighty Fortune? 'Tis a Temptation indeed
so between Love and Interest, hang me if ever I saw so simple a Look as
you put on when my Mother made love to you.

_Lean._ You may easily guess the Confusion of a Man in my Circumstances,
to be languishing for the l