BERN. Why do you doubt them ?
ABR. Oh, I know them well;

On the same board together oft we've worked ;
Oft have I seen them with an abject eye,
Tremble before the tyrant master's frown,

And crouch beneath the foreman's weak dominion.
BERN. If thus you doubt, 'twere better to prevent
The ills you fear, than wait in vain their cure.
ABR. That's my design.

BERN. Shall I secure them, then?

ABR. Not yet, with open force; with deeper art, We'll make their fears the rulers of their fate. Involved in guilt, they'll then have no retreat, But to go forward. This night's hostile act (I know Isaacos will do his duty)

Commences war; no hopes of peace remain.

BERN. Have you yet heard from great Isaacos ? ABR. Yes, my Bernardo, that the blow is struck ; That done, they all dispersed, but will attend Their several duties here. In the mean time, Be it thy care to watch those heartless Dungs; Inform the leaders of the Eastern climes, Redriff, and Wapping, of our honest fears, That when we've singled out these half-made souls, (Should we not bring them to the paths of Honour) Then, like a limb diseased, we'll lop them off!

BERN. Bravely resolved, my chief.-But sure 'tis time

That we repair to council.

ABR. Let's go in.

[Exeunt.-L.

SCENE III.-The Club-room.

BERNARDO, CHRISTOPHORIDES, HUMPHRYMINOS, BARTHOLOMEUS, ZACHARIADES, PHILIPPOMENOS, and RALPHO, discovered in council; ABRAHAMIDES in the chair.

ABR. Oh, gallant men, chief pillars of the trade! For the last time we meet, to fix the plan Of future action. 'Tis well known to all, Some timid Dungs (unworthy of the name Alike of tailor or of man; from whom Opprobrious proverbs rise to hurt our fame,) Meanly descend to work for half-a-crown. Whilst this continues, all our schemes are vain ; What's to be done?

HUM. Great Abrahamides,

Permit a man, unskilled in council sage,

Yet from plain facts, that have been, thence conclude
What may be.-When the weaving sons of silk,
Oppressed with debts and hunger, rose in arms,
They had divisions then, as we have now :
What did they do? whene'er they found a man
Doubting or faltering, him they straight compelled:
Hence, soon a formidable band arose,

And all the sister trades were forced to join.
Lo! their example points us out the way.

BART. And since, among such numbers will be found

Some dastard Dungs, let chosen bands be placed
To storm the masters' houses where they work ;
And at the midnight hour, when sunk in sleep,
Break all their windows, frighten all their wives;

While others shall assault each house of call,
Smash all their slates, and plunder every box;
Till by experience, they are taught to know
No private safety can depend on aught

But on the common good. We want not men,
Nor chiefs to lead them.

ZACH. Measures such as these,

Could we insure success, would gain our ends.
The Dungs are numerous; and though, so base,
They dread the noble toil of glorious war,
Yet that same baseness may defeat our valour.
It is well known, before these fatal broils,
The Flints and Dungs in friendly intercourse
Together worked, together friendly drank;
Hence each is known,-his name-his habitation,—
His house of haunt, and each particular;
Should we proceed to force, as is advised,
With informations they would straight repair
To Sir John Fielding; whose fierce myrmidons,
At unexpected moments, might entrap
Singly our chiefs, and throw them into gaol.
BERN. And if they do, they cannot hang us, sure!
Breaking of windows is not capital.

ZACH. But plundering boxes is.

BERN. That we'll avoid.

ZACH. Think on the Riot Act.

BERN. Ere that is read,

All our swift-footed Flints, as swift as ducks,
Will soon elude their search.

ZACH. But when asleep

Can they escape? may they not then be ta’en?

BERN. Suppose they are, is there a man so base, Who fears, for such a cause, to live in gaol? When from each box they will be well supplied

D

With beef, with cabbage, cucumbers, and porter.
Fear, more than wisdom, dictates gentler means.
ABR. Bernardo, you forget!

BERN. I ́stand reproved.

ZACH. Fear! fear, Bernardo? sure he but little knows

Firm Zachariades, who doubts his courage.

BERN. Curs'd be the man who doubts it! Well
I know,

Through every purlieu of long Drury Lane,
And Covent Garden, has thy prowess shone ;
And White Hart Yard is wanton at thy name,
Nor is thy matchless hardiness unknown ;
For, while the slaves of ease repose on down,
Oft on the flinty pavement hast thou laid,
Hushed by the murmuring kennel to thy slumbers.
I meant not to reproach, but only raise

Thy well-known courage to support our cause.
PHIL. His courage none can doubt; and since all
here

Are free, with freedom will I speak my mind;
I own I think with Zachariades,

That gentler means at first should be proposed,
To win as friends, rather than treat as foes.

CHRIS. No generous means will ever win a Dung ; Their sordid souls are lost to every sense

Of kindness or of honour; Force alone

Can e'er prevail with them. Ye have my voice.

Enter ISAACOS.

ABR. Welcome, Isaacos! what's the news with thee? ISAACOS. At first I strove with subtle art to gain Full information of their dark design;

Sounded the waiters; but I found it vain,

For their own prentices secured the door :
That known, resolved at last to give no time
For future schemes, my troops I quickly formed,
And in an instant, at the signal given,

A cloud of brick-bats darkened all the air,
Smashed every window, deafened every ear:
Sudden they gazed; at the next onset fled,
Rout upon rout, confusion worse confounded!
Hats, wigs, and bottles, pipes and Tailors, lay
In one promiscuous carnage! Soon all fled,
Save those whom wounds or gouty limbs detained.
Great Hagglestonon, prostrate on the earth-
ABR. White-livered Tailor!-

There let him lie, and be the earth on him!

ISAACOS. With him, Regniades, Francisco, fell. This done, we all dispersed, and all are safe.

ABR. Conduct like this deserves our public thanks. OMNES. To great Isaacos our thanks be paid! ISAACOS. Oh, you o'er-rate my services too much; All I can boast, is to have done my duty.

ABR. Thus by one brave and daring bright example, You see how vigour will insure success: And, Zachariades, I trust will, own, On that alone depends our future hope.

ZACH. I meant not to oppose the public voice, But freely gave my thoughts.

ABR. Then we conclude,

With hostile vigour to compel the Dungs.

OMNES. All; all resolve!

ABR. In Covent-Garden, ere to-morrow's dawn, We'll muster all our troops; there let each chief Attend for further orders.-Good night to all!

[Exeunt all but Abr. and Bern.—R.