Selected Works of Eliza Haywood

A Wife to be Let - ACT I.

Enter Captain Gaylove, Courtly and Shamble.

COURTLY. I little thought when I went out to take the air this morning, to be so agreeably surprised with the sight of my old companion, and friend—but I hope no misfortune of yours has occasioned me this happiness, which I confess would be much more complete, but for that doubt.

GAYLOVE. While fortune has a being, we must all expect to find vicissitudes—but nothing of my own affairs can take me up so much as to make me forgetful of my friends. May I yet wish you joy? Art married? Or do you still set Hymen at defiance?

COURT. No, Charles, I am not yet so happy.

GAY. Happy! Is it possible you can term the loss of liberty a happiness? You, who of all mankind seemed most averse to it.

COURT. My eyes, at last, are opened, Charles, and I now court those bonds as a blessing, which I once looked upon as galling fetters.

GAY. Poor Ned! I pity thy change. But pray who is the lady whose charms have wrought so wonderful a transformation?

COURT. I will not go about to describe her, because I am certain you'll look on her real character as an extravagant encomiums but she is the niece of Mr. Fairman, whom you have often seen with me in London.

GAY. If I remember the man, he's of a downright sincere temper, affable and obliging; but I believe loves money.

COURT. You read his character:—his brother was a positive, hasty, old gentleman, and considered money as the source of all happiness—left an only daughter, whom, on his death he obliged to swear she should marry the man he proposed to her, (one who is, without exception, the greatest fop in nature. But has 3000l. a year, which was an irresistible motive to him:) you cannot but have seen him either at London or Bath his name is Toywell.

GAY. O! I know him perfectly.

COURT. This wretch, who has no sense of what is truly valuable, and esteems Marilla only for her fortune, makes me despair of happiness: for she seems so religiously bent to keep her vow, that all my applications hitherto have been ineffectual to obtain anything more from her than a bare complaisance —— But prithee, dear Charles, give me leave to be impertinent, and enquire what drove you to Salisbury?

GAY. Why faith, Ned, you know in what manner I used to live, the consequence of which was a certain equipage of people called duns, whose daily attendance was no way pleasing to me. In short, my creditors having no patience, my father no compassion, and I no money, I was obliged to leave London in compliance to my tradesmen, fearing I should put them to the expense of providing a lodging for one, who thought himself too far engaged to 'em already; therefore selling my company in the guards, I bought in one of these regiments. But prithee, Ned, give me some little idea how you spend your time here.

COURT. As they do in most country towns: the men in hunting, hawking, and drinking, the women in cookery. pickling, and preserving; not but there are some more elegant among us, to whom I shall make it my business to introduce you.