University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Freeman senr. enters.
Freeman senr.
I greet thee, Lewis, with a Father's Love;
And, whether 'tis Design or Chance that throws
Thee in my Way, I always count it Gain
To have the near me, as thou'rt near my Heart,
My Son, my best Companion, and my Friend.

Y. Freeman.
I owe you, Sir, more than is barely due
To the respectful Title of a Father.
Not once in five and twenty Years I've seen
The Shadow of the Hand of Rigour o'er me.
What I remember of my infant Days
Were all with Pleasure and with Fondness crown'd:
And while at College I pursued my Studys
Pleasures flow'd on me in a thousand Streams
From the rich Fountains of old Greece and Rome:
And now the Virtues of the best of Fathers,
The social Virtues, have bestow'd on me
All that I wish'd to meet with in a Friend.

Freeman senr.
Thou art the Harvest of my Life's long Toil;
And the rich Crop rewards my Labour well.

Y. Freeman.
Your Peace, Sir, is among my first Concerns,
I therefore shall be glad if you'll inform me
How the long Contest is at last determin'd.

Freeman senr.
To my Content, tho to my Cost: our Friend
Weldon, who was appointed Arbitrator,
Such is his Heart fraught with Benevolence,
Franckly propos'd to pay Half Briar's Charge,
Rather than see Contention kep'd alive
Betwixt two Neighbours, who shou'd live as Friends.
The generous Proposal was applauded;
But 'twas my Choice to pay the whole myself,
Hoping by that to gain a quiet Neighbour:
The poor Man hates me for no other Cause
But that I'm more successful than himself.

Y. Freeman.
Poor Charlotte, sweet and fair, thou faultless, Flow'r,
How much unlike the Stock from which you sprung!

Freeman Senr.
What maiden was it that I hear'd you name
In Terms so tender that I thought they spoke
Her Sov'reign of your Wishes and your Heart?

Y. Freeman.
'Twas Briar's Daughter, Sir.

Freeman senr.
Deal with me, Lewis,
As you wou'd with a Friend to whom you'd sworn
Inviolable Truth and Confidence;
And you shall find that open Heart in me,
And such an unreserv'd Regard, which you
Might justly hope to meet with in a Friend
Who had repos'd as dear a Trust in you.
Tho I have weather'd thro near sixty Years,
I've not forgot what the soft Passions are;
And I mistake, if still I cannot read
The Language of the Eyes; which is to me,
Who have pass'd thro the various Scenes of Love,
As legible as Characters in Gold.
I perceiv'd plainly, when you nam'd the Maid,
That Change of Countenance, and Change of Voice,
Which tell me that your Bosom has receiv'd
A Guest which you desire to entertain:
If it is so, communicate to me;
And shew not that Reserv'dness in yourself,
Which you shall never find in me your Friend.

Y. Freeman.
No; be my Love my Curse, if e'er I wrong
So good a Father, and so true a Friend.
There are some Errors pass'd; but, by the Friendship
Which you profess to me, I beg you wou'd not
Enquire into them yet: what now I ask
Is your Consent to prosecute my Love:
That she is fair all who have Eyes can tell;
She has such Virtues to adorn her Life,
As in themselves will be an ample Dow'r.

Freeman senr.
I've often seen the Girl, and mark'd her well;
And I acknowledge that I think your Passion,
With all th'Extravagance of youthful Heat,
Can not describe her lovelyer than she is:
And, by the sacred Name of him that cloaths
The Earth with Beauty, and the Stars with Light,
Was she as poor as is the sunburn'd Wench
That stoops to take the Gleanings of my Fields,
I wou'd myself perform the Father's Office,
And give her Hand to thee, so much, my Son,
My own Felicity depends on thine.

Y. Freeman.
Then may that Son ne'er know the sweet Possession
Of her whom his Soul loves, if ever he
With his Consent shou'd give that Father Pain.

Freeman senr.
Yet, my dear Son, methinks there is a Bar,—
Nay, do not start: it is not such a Bar
As shall obstruct the End which you propose,
But may a-while delay the sweet Possession.
My Family is of a low Beginning:
My Forefathers seem to have been no more
Than lab'ring poor Inhabitants of Kent,
The humble Tillers of another's Land;
And all my Heritage was the long Lease
Which has been oft' renew'd from Son to Son.
When I was young, my Person was the Theme
Of many a lovesic Maid and jealous Swain;
Yet, while my Ears were fill'd with my own Praise,
Nor Vanity, nor Pride, cou'd reach my Heart:
I flourish'd then in Man's Opinion fair.
Your Mother then was, like your Charlotte now,
The Virgin's Envy, and the Wish of Men:
Her Parents dy'd when she was young, and left her
Ten thousand Pounds: I was her partial Choice
Against the Approbation of her Friends:
Her Father was a Gentleman: on that
She has too often and too much presum'd.
Now to the End to which my Tale has led:
I doubt your Mother's Pride will make her start
Objections to the Match; but it shall never
Prevent it: what I mean is for her Peace
To use some Art to draw her gently in
To give Consent: I'm going Home, and there
I'll try her with the Secret of your Love:
Perhaps you're bound another Way. Farewel:
My Blessing's ever with you.

[Freeman senr. goes.