NON CIRCULATING A 514133 DUPL 1817 ARTES LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN VERITAS SALAURITS UMONT SCIENTIA OF THE TUEBOR QUERIS PENINSULAM AMCE NAM CIRCUMSPIC " ! i } 1 1 THE HISTORY O F OPHE L I A. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR OF DAVID SIMPLE. A NEW EDITION. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR T. VERNOR, IN BIRCHIN-LANE, CORNHILL. 1787. ·828 P46np 1787 • ADVERTISEMENT. JAM obliged to fortune for the papers I now offer to the public. I little ima- gined, when I bought an old bureau, that I was purchafing a work of fancy; for Juch I must fufpect this little work to be, though it contains many incidents that bear fo much the appearance of reality, that they might claim fome ſhare of our belief. I have not been able, by any enquiry, to find out the author, or the Lady to whom it was addreffed; but I hope I shall not give offence to either of them by the publi- cation; for if the story is fictitious, in all probability it must have been defigned for the prefs, as it is unlikely any one should put their invention on fo laborious a taſk, merely for their own amusement; and if the story is real, it is pity adventures fo new and entertaining fhould be buried in oblivion; efpecially when they, and the reflections Scattered throughout the book, are as well colculated for inftruction as amuſement. The Author of DAVID SIMPLE. INTRODUCTION. YOUR R Ladyship had little compaf- fion either on yourſelf or me, when you defired me to write you an exact ac- count of every circumftance of my life, and even of my thoughts, or you did not confider the long detail into which this lead me; a detail tedious for you to read, and difficult for me to write. You ex- prefly defire to know the impreffions I received from the firft view of cuftoms fo unlike what I had ever feen, at a time when they are become fo familiar to me that I almoſt forget many of them were ever otherwife. But your commands can meet with nothing but an implicit obedience from me; and when I men- tion the difficulties which may occur in the execution, it is not with a defign of difputing them, but to excufe my ill performance of the taſk. * You fay I must first account for the ignorance in which I was educated. This is obliging me to trouble your Ladyship with more adventures than my own; and is fcarcely in order, fince it makes me begin with the relation of circumſtances with which I was not acquainted till a confiderable time after the hiftory of my- felf will end. OPHELIA. OPHELIA. CHA P. I. ΜΕ nox, Nobleman; on Y father, whofe name was Le- was the fon of a Scotch his future fortune de- pended his rife in the army, wherein he was only a Captain, when he married his Colonel's daughter: the Colonel was then in the laft ftage of a con- fumption, of which he expired in leſs than two months after his daughter's marriage; befides her, he left another daughter, and they equally fhared four thousand pounds, which was his whole fortune. My father died in the third year of his marriage, leaving his wife with child of me: her VOL. I. B grief 藁 ​H 2 OPHELIA. grief at the lofs of her huſband was fo great, her friends feared it would prove fatal both to her and myfelf; but a little before the ufual time, I entered the world alive, contrary to their expectations; but my mother expired before the end of her month. My father's family were too far off Lon- don, the place of my birth, to think of ſo poor an orphan as myfelf; for my mother's fortune was confiderably impaired, and of her fide I had no near relation but my aunt, to whofe care I naturally fell, and her humanity readily undertook the office. My aunt was about twenty-two years old; and was just then deferted by an officer with whom every preliminary of marriage was agreed, when her father's death put a ftop to it, tho' he had a better fortune than is common to gentlemen of his profeffion; it then appeared that her charms had lefs influenced her lover than the hopes of ob- taining preferment by her father's intereft, for in a feigned obedience to a pretended command from an uncle, he broke off the match. As my aunt had confented to marry in compliance to her father's inclination more than with her own, her indifference afford- ed her fufficient confolation; her lover's behaviour a OPHELIA. 3 behaviour filled her with contempt, and independance gave her pleafure; but this was not long uninterrupted; fhe had beauty to excite love, and tho' her underſtanding was uncommonly good, it could not render her infenfible to the charms of a young nobleman, who became enamoured of her. A woman's heart is never in fo perilous a fituation, as when vanity joins with a lover's perfuafions in attacking it. My aunt at laft grew fo great a flave to her paffion, that the confented to a private marriage, which her lover earnestly entreated as the only means of reconciling his impatient fondneſs with the fear of his father's anger. Soon after their marriage, her huſband, who was in the army, was ftationed with his regiment in one of the American iſlands; this gave my aunt rather pleaſure than concern; while ſhe had his company, ſhe could not regret what ſhe left behind; and as he promiſed to own her as his wife when he had got fo far out of the obſervation of his father, her only uneafinefs was removed; for notwithstanding the flattered herſelf that when her marriage fhould be made public ſhe ſhould recover her blafted reputation, yet, tho' blinded with love to the utmoſt excess of infatuation, fhe was mortified at B 2 the 4 OPHELIA. the wounds which prefent fecrecy made in her character. I was the partner of her voyage, and we arrived fafe at our deftined port. } In this place we lived till I was two years old; my aunt happy that the fole endea- vour of her life, which was to pleaſe her husband, fucceeded fo well; for tho' his paffion was viſibly abated, yet ſtill he was eafy, good humoured, and affectionate; but one fatal day deprived her of this fe- licity. After receiving a packet from Eng- land, the perceived him thoughtful and un- eafy; fearing fome misfortune had befallen him, fhe preffed to know the occafion, but the more earneſtly ſhe urged it, the more gloomy he appeared. Two or three days paffed in this manner, which were moſt af- flicting to her, who only lived in his fimiles. The fecrecy he obferved made her apprè- hend that the news particularly concerned herſelf, and judging of his heart by her own, imagined his great pain was how to impart it to her, and to fupport her under it; fenfible that while he was well nothing could make her wretched, her defire of re- lieving his uneafineſs was greater than her fear of any impending evil which her ima- gination could reprefent; and finding fome invention was neceffary, to come at the knowledge OPHELIA. 5 knowledge of what he would not diſcover, fhe contrived to get at the letters he had laft received from England, happy in the thoughts of putting an end to his con- cern, by fhewing him how well fhe could fupport any misfortune while bleſſed with his tender regard. In this temper of mind the opened the only letter he had not communicated to her; already prepared to acquaint him with the effects of a curiofity, which if ever it can be laudable, was fo in this cafe; and to fhew her affection by her courage and compofure: but what was her furprize when he read the following words. "Do not imagine I am going to re- "proach the man whofe perfidiouſneſs I "muft ever defpife; that office I leave to your own confcience, which muſt long, "without my awakening it, have perform- "ed this duty, tho' its admonitions have "had no effect on him who can break (c 66 66 through all ties, divine and human. I "am above complaining of injuries I can avenge, and only write to inform you "that I will acquaint your father with our marriage, and your fubfequent behaviour, "unless you immediately on the receipt of "this, declare it to him, and do me the juftice 66 B 3 .. 6 OPHELIA. 66 << juftice for which I patiently waited, till 66 your neglect of me, and attachment to "the ftrumpet who now fhares your bed, changed all my love into rage and re- "fentment. Think not to intimidate me "with the effects of your father's anger; "his pride cannot inflict any thing fo cruel "as your faithlefs ingratitude has made "me fuffer. My character will be cleared, "and my injuries revenged, which are the "wifhes neareſt the heart of your much "injured wife. Your Ladyship will eafily believe that no diftrefs could exceed what my aunt felt at the perufal of this fatal letter. It was long before her grief and aftoniſhment. would fuffer her to go through the whole; frequently was the obliged to leave off, and give vent to paffions which for fome time rendered her unable to proceed, when every line feemed armed with freſh daggers to pierce her foul. My uncle did not come home the whole day, and the employed the time of his abfence, after the firſt burst of her grief was abated, in obtaining. a command over herſelf, and a compofure of behaviour which might conceal her knowledge of his treachery till fhe could get into her hands the anſwer to this let- ter, OPHELIA. 7 She ter, from whence fhe would more certainly judge of the truth of the affair. was not long obliged to put this cruel force upon herſelf, a ſhip was to fail for England in two days, and the difpatches defigned to go by it were to be fent the day before. My aunt had laid her plan, and it fucceed- ed; but the gratification of her curioſity was to be always painful to her. With fat different fentiments from thoſe with which the opened the former letter, the now broke the feal of her huſband's, though yet a ray of hope fhone upon her afflicted mind, and told her that poffibly he might not be fo guilty as the other had painted him, but this fmall and flattering confola- tion was foon extinguiſhed by reading the contents, which were as follows. " "Can fo much cruelty and beauty "dwell together? and can the una- "voidable confequences of an afflicting "abfence extinguish the remains of love "in that once fond breaft? my own ruin. "I would fmile at, if it gave you plea- "fure, did not your's depend upon it: " will you blaft all my endeavours towards "raifing you to a ſplendid fortune, by an "untimely difcovery? I fhall foon leave "this place; ftay then my angel but till B 4 "my 8 OPHEL I A. → my return to England, and I will ac knowledge you as the choice of my heart, "and my intreaties, united with the force "of your charms, fhall make a haughty "father confefs you were made to adorn "the rank which avarice might wish to "refuſe you. That my fincerity in one great point may prove the confidence you may venture to have in my word, "I frankly confefs I have a woman here, 66 66 but he is only the amufement of my "idle moments, while all my ſerious hours are ſpent in lamenting your ab- "fence, and ſtudying your advancement. "I cannot defend the inconftancy of my "actions, but my heart has never wa- "vered; let youth, and this forced fepa- "ration from you, plead in my favour, "and incline you to forgive the man who "henceforward will live only for you, and "be ever your moſt tenderly affectionate "hufband. c6 36 thee Hd CHAP OPHELIA. 9 СНА P. II. MY Y aunt, now convinced of her mif- fortune, and fpurred on by refent- ment, carried the two letters to the Go- vernor, and threw herſelf into his protec- tion. As foon as her husband became ac- quainted with all that had paft, he endea- voured to persuade her that his letter was framed to pacify a defperate woman, for whom he never had but a childifh fond- nefs, which ended with all his other boyish fancies; but that to gain his prefent pur- pofe, he was reduced to profefs to her the fentiments he only retained for my aunt; he affured her, that at his return to England he would have their marriage ratified, and prove the other woman's claim was not legal; of the falfhood of this, his letter -was a fufficient teftimony. My aunt, though she had at firft fuffered the impu tation, could not bear the reality of vice; The abfolutely refuſed to return to a houſe where virtue would no longer permit her to inhabit: fhe demanded her fortune and mine, which had been put into his hands; but only five hundred pounds remained. unfpent; that, by the Governor's authority and influence, he was obliged to pay her. With B 5 10 OPHELIA. With this little fum my aunt deter- mined to fly all human kind; deprived of the object of her affections, her peace, and reputation, what charms could the world have for her? She would relinquish all at once; and left the country, with no companion but myfelf, in fearch of a re- treat far from the fight of human kind. We landed in the weft; my aunt's roman- tic deſpair led her into Wales, where fhe found a ſmall cottage fituated on the fide of a hill, commanding a beautiful, though a wild and mountainous profpect; at the foot of the hill was a delightful valley, to which, from our cottage, we were led by a fine grove of trees; on the fide of the grove ran a clear brook, with feveral fmall cafcades intermixed, defcending into, the valley, where it flowed in beautiful mean- ders, till it loft itſelf in a little wood. This place was too well fuited to a love- fick defpair not to excite my aunt's envy. She went to it, and found it inhabited by an old man, and two young women, his daughters; the offered him whatever price he would require, if he could be tempted to fell it. His daughters preferring the hu man ſpecies to the vegetable creation, had, for above a year, been endeavouring to prevail on the old man to leave a cottage, which OPHELIA. -II which was fituated above twenty miles dif- tant from any other houfe; their fuccefs continued doubtful, when my aunt's offer added weight to their perfuafions. That one found of a little more than the value, will tempt an old man to fell every re- maining bleffing. Avarice in the ufe of life abforbs all other paffions; it is no wonder, therefore, if fo ftrong a motive, united with the earneft endeavours of the two girls, procured my aunt the fuccefs. fhe wifhed. The greateft part of our little pittance was laid out in the purchaſe of this cottage, a garden belonging to it, the adjacent grove, all the pafture land, with the goats it fed, and fome poultry. My aunt, befides neceffaries for herſelf and me, carried feveral books, materials for wri- ting, and for various kinds of work. The impatience of the old man's daughters conquered the tedioufnefs of age, and my aunt got into full poffeffion of her little purchafe, without more delay than was ne- ceffary for her to learn to milk her goats, and the other parts of rural bufinefs fo new to her. When the former inhabitants. left the place, and my aunt faw nothing about her but the animals to whom fhe was to give her care and attendance, and from whom she was to receive the grateful return of 12 OPHELIA. at of fupport and fuftenance, except my- felf, then as ignorant of evil, and almoft as dumb as they, fhe began to enjoy greater compofure of fpirits; defpair was foftened into melancholy, and air, ex- ercife, and all-healing time, by de- grees alleviated her forrows, and length raiſed her to content and tranquil- lity. My aunt's firft amufement was the adorning her cottage; it was her laft, like- wife, for fhe was continually ornamenting it during the whole time fhe ftayed there; taking pleaſure in beautifying it, though no one was likely to behold either her or her habitation. The care of my education foon fhared her leifure, and in time be- came her principal employment. But de- firous not to leffen my innocence and fim- plicity while fhe difpelled my ignorance, fhe gave me no account of the manners and cuftoms of a people with whom ſhe hoped I ſhould never have any intercourſe. The books fhe had brought into Wales were chiefly books of divinity, and fuch hiſto- ries as ferved to enlarge and inftruct the mind of the reader, without informing him of the exiſtence of vices, which a pure imagination, untaught by obfervation and experience, cannot reprefent to itſelf. My aunt fo artfully diverfified my employ- ments, OPHELI A. 13 ments, that fond as I was of reading, I had not peruſed all her little library when I left this folitude, where I could for ever have Contentedly remained. My aunt's tender affection, and reaſonable indulgence, filled my heart and fatisfied my defires. We made our nights very fhort, and yet our days were never too long. The vernal beauties of the finer feafons charmed our eyes, the tuneful choir of birds enchanted our ears, and both united to raiſe our con- templations to their creator; we were grate- ful for general bleffings, not lefs efteemed by us for being common to all mankind; we wanted no partial favours; we faw much to admire, much to rejoice in, and nothing to envy. CHA P. III. IN N this happy tranquillity I lived with my aunt, till one evening that we were just returned from walking by our little brook, and admiring the reflection of the moon, then at the full, and which fhining on the water, a new Heaven in its fair bofom fhew'd. Before we entered the houſe we were greatly aſtoniſhed to hear a human voice; a found ſo ſtrange to us, that 14 OPHELIA. that we could not fufficiently recover our furprize to return an answer to the call; nor was our wonder abated at feeing our- felves accofted by a young gentleman whoſe cloaths outfhone the gentle luftre of the moon, at leaſt to eyes fo unaccuf- tomed as mine to any but the plainest drefs. At first furprize had fixed me to the ground, but as I began to recover from the fudden impreffion, the firft effect of my abated fear was to fly from this strange phantom, for fuch it appeared to me. I was directing my trembling fteps to the houfe, when the ſtranger, with accents of the greateſt earneſtneſs and diſtreſs, cried out, itay! beauteous angel, ftay! Whether the harmony of his voice, or the ſweetneſs of the flattering appellation was moſt pow- erful I know not, but my feet flackened. their pace, and looking round, I faw him bending towards me in the moft fuppliant pofture, with geftures which I thought almoſt profane to addrefs to a mortal be- ing. Yet was the humility not difpleafing. The moon fhone full upon him, and was bright enough to fhew me a face, which, notwithſtanding female vanity, the only innate principle for which I contend, feemed to me far more beautiful than my own; a tranfcendancy that before I could not OPHELIA. 15 not conceive, having had no opportunity of comparing myſelf with any thing but my aunt's faded charms, worn with age, and blafted by misfortunes. Nor was my admiration confined to the ſtranger's coun- tenance; in his perfon appeared that ele- gant proportion, that delicacy, blended with dignity, of which the mind can judge without rule or compariſon. It is not furprizing that, as I had never feen any of my own fpecies but my aunt, and a few times an old man who had been at our houſe on occafions neceffary to our rural life, I ſhould be ftruck with beauty which I have not feen equalled fince I lived in the midst of mankind, and which had no bad foil in the harth grotefque features of a Swifs attendant, who at that time accom- panied him. My aunt, with a politeness ill agreeing with our rural appearance, ad- dreffed the ftranger, who informed us, that having made a vifit to an acquaintance on the borders of Wales, the face of the country had fo charmed him, by its "wild and natural beauties, that he had "been tempted to spend a little time in "viewing more of it; accordingly he left "his friend's houfe two days before, and "travelled where his fancy led him, with- "out having been under any difficulty for "neceffary 66 6C "( 16 OPHELI A. " "neceffary accommodations till then. "Fine woods and winding rivers had at- "tracted him to fome diftance from the road, and he had purfued the way "thoſe beauties led him, without having "feen even an inhabited hut fince morn- 66 ing; but had not till then given up the "expectation; when finding that in an "extenfive proſpect his eye could diſcover no houſe but ours, he was induced to apply to our hoſpitality for a little re- freſhment, not imagining that by doing "fo he fhould behold charms that not "only furpaffed all the rural beauties which "had captivated his fancy, but the moſt "admirable part of the creation; fuch as "muft for ever make him forget that "Wales, or even the world, contained any "other treafure." 66 66 Flattery was fo new to me, that I did not underſtand myſelf to be the treaſure he meant, though his eyes, which ſpoke na- ture's language, an univerfal dialect where- in even the favage can want no inftruction, told his admiration in terms more intelligi- ble to fimple nature's fcholar; but my aunt's care informed me of the full ex- tent of his expreffions; no uncommon ef- fect of prudery, which often difcovers more than the moſt confummate affurance. With a look OPHELIA. 17 << a look of indignation; fye, Sir, faid fhe, can you expect hofpitality from us, "when you, with more than favage cru- "elty, endeavour to pervert with perni- "cious flattery, a mind hitherto educated "in purity and truth?" This rebuke, and the ftranger's de- fence of himſelf, which greatly increaſed the crime laid to his charge, for it was only begging pardon for the fudden effect made on his fenfes by the moſt ſtriking beauty he had ever beheld, left me no longer in doubt for the application of his com- pliment: but I could not find in myſelf any iparks of my aunt's refentment; her's, however, was pacified by the gentleman's affurances of reftraining his fentiments within the bounds of filence; and after many intreaties, in which I at laſt joined, (furprized to find moroſeneſs and want of benevolence in a temper which I before thought all gentleneſs, love, and com- paffion) fhe was prevailed upon to admit the ſtranger into our cottage. If he was fo fufceptible of wonder, or furprized at the fight of a pretty woman, it is not extraordinary that he fhould be very fincerely aftonifhed at en- tering a little hovel, and finding in it neat rooms, furniſhed with the greateſt ele- gance, 66 18 OPHELIA. gance, and fo much in character that even the embroidery of the chairs, curtains, bed, &c. was in a rural tafte; and every part of the houfe ornamented with things for which we had been indebted purely to nature, and fo peculiarly difpofed as to ex- cel all the efforts of art; nor had the out- fide of the houfe, the garden, and the reft of our little territory been neglected. The ftranger, to whom, I think, I muft, to avoid circumlocution, already give his title, and call him Lord Dorchefter, though I knew it not at that time, was amazed be yond defcription, on entering the houſe. He began by an exclamation which made my aunt fmile, and I found fhe did not think compliments fo dangerous when ap- plied to herſelf, as when her darling niece was the fubject of them.. But I muſt do her the juftice to own, that the more places I have feen which the art of man has been exhaufted to adorn, the more I am con-- vinced that on this fubject no expreffions could exceed what her ingenuity juſtly de- ferved. Sallads, milk, and eggs, were: all our houfe afforded; thefe we fet before our gueſt with a cleanliness and fimplicity, the novelty of which delighted him ; and with truth he declared that the white- nefs of our wooden bowls and platters, V fcarcely OPHELIA 19 fcarcely excelled by the linen they were upon, were in his opinion far preferable to filver or china. The fame compliment he made to the freſhneſs and fweetnefs of our fare, of which, though he might well be fuppofed hungry, we could not for a long time get him to tafte, his attention was fo entirely engroffed by all the wonders (as he expreffed it) around him. He aſked us fome queftions concerning our way of life; I was fo ftruck with the novelty of the adventure, and fo abafhed with the pre- fence of a ſtranger, and his continual gaz- ing at me, that I was quite dumb; but my aunt freely anfwered him; and as our actions were too innocent to require con- cealment, he received full fatisfaction. He made my aunt fome compliments on her good fenfe and reafon; declared the ad- miration her way of life had excited in him; and added with a ſmile, that if fhe would excufe him, he muſt juſt obſerve that he had abated his aftoniſhment at finding fuch a heavenly form in that place, fince he now underſtood her neice to be no more than one might expect; for, from angelic food, an angelic life, an- gelic innocence, and the wife and virtuous inftructions of a parent of more than hu- man underſtanding and conduct, how could 20 OPHELIA. could lefs excellence be expected. He found that the uniting my aunt in his com- pliment would not excufe it; fhe knit her brow, and awed him with filence on that fubject; but his eyes became fo much more eloquent for the reftraint laid on his tongue, that my confufion was inex- preffible. His curiofity was fo happily tempered- with politeness, that though he at laft en- quired how a perfon, whofe qualifica- tions fhewed her to have been bred where every improvement of tafte and under- ftanding was to be acquired, first came fixed in fuch a folitude, fo little imperti- nence appeared in the request, that my aunt, though the concealed the circum- ftances, gave him fuch a general account as ferved at leaſt to quiet his curiofity. The greatest part of the night was spent in converfation; but at length my aunt, in compaffion for the fatigue her guest had undergone, offered him our bed, the only one our cottage contained; but he infifted on our keeping it, and affuring us he could fufficiently repofe himſelf on a couch that ftood in the room where we then were, we left him to his reft. СНАР. OPHELIA. 21 66 (6 CHA P. IV. AF FTER a fhort fleep, rifing to our morning's employments, we found Lord Dorcheſter up before us, and em- ployed in examining our library. "C My Aunt expreffed her concern at not having had fufficient conveniencies to af- ford his Lordfhip the neceffary refreſh- ment the night required; he affured her, "that was not the reafon of her finding "him waking, but that his fpirits were "fo agitated with furprize and pleaſure, arifing from fo extraordinary an adven- ture, as he esteemed the finding two perfons whom his imagination conti- "nually reprefented as the divinities pre- fiding over that charming country, that "he had not been able to compoſe himſelf "to reft:" adding that," at the dawn "of day, he arofe to admire new won- ders, which he must call fo valuable a "collection of books, whofe merit made 66 up for the fmallness of their number," "but more ftill the extracts from, and "the obfervations upon them, which he imagined were done by me, from fome "little corrections in another fine hand " which feemed to have been the model of 68 66 22 OPHELIA. of that wherein thofe tranfcripts and "obfervations were written." The con- fufion this gave me feverely puniſhed my negligence in not having removed my mi- ferable performances into another room. He foon made us underſtand by fome po- lite compliments, that he had examined into all the papers, among which were many fhort effays on fubjects my aunt had given me as exerciſes for my under- ſtanding, and ſeveral things of that fort which had ferved as a profitable employ- ment, or as an amufement for our leifure hours. His Lordſhip defired we would permit him to accompany us in the bufinefs which called for our attendance at that time. He went with us to our goats, our poul- try, and through all our domeftick cares. We then fhewed him our garden, grove, &c. The elegance and order with which they were difpofed, charmed him as much as the ingenuity that adorned them. The feats, the bowers, the ruftick ornaments on the outfide of the houſe, excited his admiration. At our return, he begged leave to ftay with us till the next day, that he might have time" to come a "little to his fenfes, for that he could "ſcarcely OPHELIA. 23 t 1 1 1 fcarcely believe all he had feen was any thing but enchantment." My aunt had preferved fo much of her refentment against the fex, and was fo greatly alarmed at every hour I ſpent with one fo amiable, that he could ob- tain no other permiffion than what he might gather from her filence. He put his own conftruction upon it, and then acted accordingly. My bashfulneſs wear- ing off by degrees, during the courſe of that day, I got courage to join in the converfation, and muft confefs I never thought the gift of fpeech, peculiarly be- ſtowed on man, fo great a bleffing. My aunt, notwithſtanding all her prejudices, I could fee was pleafed with our gueft; his juftness of thought, his elegance of expreffion, and the livelinefs of his ima- gination, afforded us the highest enter- tainment. I have fince been told, that my aunt would not fuffer him to ftay, but on condition that he ſhould ſay no- thing which might tend to leffen my ig- norant fimplicity, having taken an oppor- tunity upon my leaving the room of ac- quainting him with her reaſons for bring- ing me up in a happy ignorance of evil, which he hoped would never be difpelled. He then reprefented to her the . 66 24 OPHELIA. the impoffibility of my "continuing my "whole life in that folitude, unleſs, con- trary to the courfe of nature, I ſhould "die before her; urged the cruelty of "fecluding me from the pleafures I might "enjoy, and from the univerfal adora- tion to which my perfon," he was pleafed to fay, "intitled me, and to ftrengthen his arguments, offered my aunt any affiftance of fortune, if (6 want of it had been her inducement "for flying from mankind." She replied, "that was a generofity for which fuch 66 fimplicity as mine might thank him, "but a perfon as well acquainted with the: "world as herſelf, would doubt what gratitude it deferved, but muſt refuſe "it without hefitation." Of this con- verfation I could not then have the leaſt fufpicion, and fo well did he obey the inftructions he had received, that I got. no knowledge, though much amufement, by his ftay with us. At night he again. took up with his couch; and if the de- jection which appeared in his countenance the next day might be believed, he had not enjoyed more reft on it than the night before; but finding it improper to intrude himself any longer upon us, about noon he took his leave, which he often * 66 66 OPHELIA. 25 often attempted before he could execute; and at laſt he could not do it without the greateſt appearance of force on his incli- nations. At parting, he laid afide his fear of my aunt's anger, and took fo tender a farewel of me, mixing fuch very high flattery with his affectionate expreffions, as then rendered me incapable of return- ing any answer, and now prevents my repeating them. While he regretted be- ing obliged to bid me eternally adieu, a few tears ftole down his face, and melted me fo much that I was almoſt ready to accompany them with fome of mine. He looked back till diftance deprived us of each other's fight. I grew penfive; and I remember my aunt feemed difturbed at it. She endeavoured to amufe my thoughts, but they were entirely engroffed by the ftranger: whatever fubject he began, the converfation was immediately turned to him. I own my former amuſements became lefs pleafing to me; I found leſs attention to what I read, lefs joy in the vernal beauties which before delighted me, and innocently told my aunt the change I felt; who with a melancholy, though a gentle forgiving air, faid, " fhe perceived "her company was not fo fufficient to my happineſs as mine was to her's." VOL. I << с This 26 OPHELIA. 2 This kind reproach had the defigned ef- fect; it first rendered me filent on the ſub- ject, and making me think myſelf ungrate ful in not returning an equal affection, I took my heart fo feverely to taſk, that I conquered, or thought I had conquered, this fudden attachment, and was restored to my tranquillity, enjoying all the charms of our folitude, in lefs than two months after Lord Dorchefter's departure. This victory was ufeleſs, for my deſtiny had decreed that I fhould not abide there much longer. CHAP. V. ON N the evening of a very hot day, I accompanied my aunt to a feat we had placed under the ſpreading fhade of a venerable oak. The frefhnefs of the air made us unwilling to leave it, and with no other light than what the twinkling ftars afforded us, we fat finging of hymns, in- fpired by true gratitude for the bleffings we enjoyed, when fuddenly we were furprized with the found of the trampling of horſes; my aunt immediately fhrieked out, caught my hand, and we were running with our utmoſt OPHELIA. 27 " utmoſt ſpeed to our cottage, when I felt fome one feize me, but it was too dark to diftinguish the face of the perfon. My poor aunt kept faft hold on me; begged, entreated, and ufed every argument to prevail on him to let me go; we both kneeled to him, fhe befeeching his com- paffion, I joining in the fuppliant poſture; but more frighted with the terror in which I ſaw her, than with any danger I could apprehend, I had not power to ſpeak; and was greatly furprized to hear her addrefs him as our late gueft, reproaching him with cruelty, ingratitude, and the greateſt breach of hoſpitality, in thus returning the reception we had given him. I could not imagine how he could fufpect him of an action that deferved fuch imputations; I thought it impoffible he ſhould be guilty of any bad thing, or that he who ſeemed to have conceived a greater affection for me than I could account for in fo fhort a time, fhould wish to do me fo irreparable an in- jury as feparating me from my beloved and tender aunt, which I now found was the intention of the perfon who held me. She has fince faid that the perceived Lord Dor- chefter's paffion for me to be fo violent, that from the time of his departure fhe had been apprehenfive of fome ill effects from С 2 it, OPHELIA. it, and had never got a dread off her fpi- rits; this made her immediately attribute the prefent attempt to him. But how could I, ignorant of the force of an unruly paffion, fufpect it? My aunt's refiftance and mine no longer availed than till another perfon came up, who forced her to let me go, and, notwithstanding the exclamations of fear and diftrefs which we both uttered, one of them took me in his arms, and fet ting me before him on horfeback, rode away as fast as the intricacy of the way would permit him. At first my terror rendered me almoſt fenfelefs; I was frighted without knowing what I feared. I had indeed read of mur- ders, but then ambition had been the in- ducement: what had I to tempt any one to rob me of my life? fuch wickednefs could not be perpetrated without tempta- tion or refentiment. My life had injured no one, nor could my death be of any be- nefit to them; therefore I could not appre- hend being murdered; but my ignorance of the nature of the dangers which threat- ened me gave no eafe to my mind. A pannic is ftronger than a reafonable fear, and fuch mine was. After a time, grief fucceeded to terror, and then I found fome relief from tears. The misfortune of be- ing OPHEL I A. 29 ? ing feparated from my beloved aunt, of lofing the pleaſures of her fweet indul- gence and tender affection, was more than my heart had fortitude to fupport; and how was my affliction embittered, when I reflected on what fhe would fuffer, deprived of her only companion, the object of her love and care; and anxious for the fate of all that was dear to her on earth! I wept her forrow, I wept my own unhappy fate, in an exceſs fo fuitable to the occation, that when day-light difpelled a little of the terrors of my fituation, I was fcarcely able to receive any advantage from it, being al- moft blinded with my tears. And it was more from the found of a voice once fo pleafing to me, than from any diſtinction. my eyes could make, that I perceived I was accofted by Lord Dorchefter, who ad- dreffed me with every expreffion of kind- nefs and humility- The harsh notes of a croaking raven could not have been fo grating to my ears as the voice I before thought fo harmonious. I could not but greatly have refented the injury done me, had it been by a perfect ftranger; but my anger was much encreaf- ed when I found the injurer was one who had worn the maſk of a peculiar regard. Hypocrify was a crime of which I had C 3 never 30 OPHELIA. never heard; this was my firft acquaintance with deceit; and hatred fprung up with it. I was angry with myſelf for having ever conceived a favourable impreffion of fuch a wretch; and although this was, I believe, the first paffion I had ever been in, it had none of the weakneſs of a new emotion. A perfon bred up in the continual exercife of her rage could not have expreffed her- felf more strongly than I did to his Lord- fhip, who endeavoured to foothe and pa- cify me; and he fo far fucceeded, that I loft all utterance from the violence of my tears he feemed to feel my forrow, and wept with me. I then hoped compaffion had melted him, and feized the favourable mo- ment (as I thought it) to prevail on him to reſtore me to my afflicted aunt: it appeared to me impoffible that an heart where pity had ever dwelt could refufe my requeft; the ardent defire of obtaining it, the excefs of my forrow and deſpair, made me elo- quent; I befeeched, as a favour, what with- out the higheft cruelty and injuftice could not be denied me, and all the refentment of an injured perfon was loft in the humi- lity of the afflicted fuppliant. I painted OPHELIA. 31 86 I painted my wretchednefs in fuch ftrong colours, that I at laft became dumb with horror at the melancholy profpect; but yet fo little did it avail, that I could not obtain one flattering hope of being car- ried back. I could perceive he was ex- tremely agitated, which made me conti- nue my intreaties as long as I was able; but when I ftopped, I learnt the little fuc- cefs they had, by his crying out, "oh! my "faireft, my lovely Ophelia ! ceaſe to dif- "trefs the fondeft heart that ever was "contained in a human breaft, by afking "what it must refufe you: with what joy could I comply with any requeſt "that did not deprive me of you! aſk my fortune, my life, any thing but your- "felf, and it fhall be your's. Could I have fupported life without you, I would "have forborn this violence. Your hap- pineſs ſhall be all my care, believe me "my deareft angel; though your pre- "fence is more neceffary to my exiflence "than the light of the fun, yet would "I restore you to your aunt, was I not "fure that in a little time you would "confefs yourſelf happier with me than' "in the dull folitude from whence I have "brought you, to introduce you into a C 4 6.6 variety "( << 66 32 OPHELI A. variety of lively and enchanting plea- "fures." (6 "I know not your pleafures, nor your "cuſtoms," anſwered I; " in my little "cottage were all my defires gratified; " and can I think that man wiſhes me "happy who tears me from every joy joining .. 256 OPHELI A. joining with them. This, in fome mea fure compofed them, and they began to take leave of us with the moft ar- dent acknowledgements. The Captain afked my Lord pardon for the reluctance with which he received the first news of his bounty; adding, " that he hoped "his Lordship would excufe what was cauſed by the love of his wife, if "he confidered how very irkſome any "gift would be to himſelf that ſhould cc oblige him to leave his lady. For "he could fee from his behaviour, as "well as know it from the charms na- "ture had bestowed on her, that he "was a very ſtrong inftance of conjugal "affection.' "" He concluded, with wifh- ing us to live to a happy old age toge- ther; and they bid us adieu, having raiſed bluſhes in both my Lord and my- felf by their miſtake, and mine were in- creaſed by my Lord's watching my coun- tenance. I never before faw him do fo ill natured a thing, as to make any one fuffer a moment's uneafinefs even from bafhfulness. I wondered why thefe people ſhould imagine us married. As a man may have many friends, but can have only one wife, OPHELI A: 257 wife, the probability was, in my opi- nion, againſt them; and I could no other- wife account for an error that had fo difconcerted us both, than from a belief that it proceeded from the appearance of more affection in my Lord's beha- viour than was ufual between perfons united by no dearer tie than friendſhip. This conftruction was too agreeable for me to perplex myſelf by feeking any other. The happineſs I had of late enjoyed, was doomed to be of fhort continuance, The evening of the day in which my Lord had given fuch felicity by his ge nerofity to the diftreffed Captain and his family, I went to an affembly; at my coming from thence, my foot- man was not to be found, and, to avoid the trouble of returning into a crowded room, I got into my chair, and went away without him. As my chairmen were carrying me under a dead wall that was in my road, they were ſtop- ped by fome men, who pulled me out of my chair, and forced me into ano- ther, which they had brought for that purpoſe. The 258 OPHELIA. 00 The place being little frequented, my fcreams were not heard, and what little courage nature had beſtowed on my chair- men, was quite overcome by the fuperior number of the enemy, and I was carried off without reſiſtance. Every step increaſed my terror; but yet, confcious that the fhrilneſs of a fe- male voice must be almoft as ufeful in populous ſtreets as a weapon of defence, I endeavoured to let down the windows of the chair, that I might the eaſier make myſelf heard. But this attempt I perceived in vain: I then broke a pane of glafs, but instead of receiving any benefit thereby, I found that they were cafed up with wood on the out- fide, I fuppofe to prevent the very thing I intended. This difcovery, however, explained to me the fudden darkneſs which had immediately followed the put- ting me into the chair, and increaſed the terrors which the other circumftances alone would have rendered fufficient. However, unwilling to give up the hope, of which I was thus in reaſon deprived, I exerted my voice to its loudeft key, flattering myfelf with a poffibility " OPHELI A. 259 poffibility that it might be diftinguiſhed by fome chance perfons paffing cloſe to the chair, whofe compaffion might lead them to enquire the cauſe. But this effort only ferved to spend my fpirits the more entirely. The men who attended me, I imagined, kept every one elſe from coming within hearing, and we proceeded without moleftation till we arrived at the houfe where we were de- figned to ftop. The chair carried me into the hall. I was led into a dark room, and there left to my own thoughts, with fubject for "meditation even to "madneſs." It would be in vain, fhould I attempt to deſcribe my terrors. I had heard of robberies and murders; I was not con- fcious of having given fuch offence to any one, as fhould incline them to per- petrate fo horrid an action; but then fo much ceremony feemed unneceffary for a robbery, which might have been per- formed with more eafe and expedition.. Thus I remained terrified and perplexed, fearing every thing, yet fixing upon no- thing, till I was almoft diftracted with my apprehenfions, from which I was at laft 260 OPHELI A. laft relieved by feeing the door open. The terrors of expectation were fo in- creafed by the approach of the danger which I feared, that, no longer able to fupport the agonies it raiſed, life forfook me, and I fainted away before I could diſtinguiſh for whom the door was opened. CHAP. OPHELIA. 261 CHA P. XXX. MY S Y horrors did not end with the fainting fit they had occafioned; I came to myſelf in apprehenfions no lefs dreadful than if certain death had awaited me. Fear paints in very ſtrong colours; my imagination reprefented to me armed men, of moft tremendous mien and merciless behaviour; it cloathed them like the murderers in Macbeth, with the additional terrors they would wear when one's felf was to become the victim of their cruelty. I could not immediately venture to look up; and when I did, it was not di- rectly that the appearance of a fine wo- man, richly and gaily dreffed, could dif- pel thofe dreadful ideas from my brain. However, her endeavours to calm the fears he had raiſed, at laft fucceeded; and when ſhe perceived me in fome de- gree come to my fenfes, fhe fat down by me, with a countenance, which, under a fmile, tried to conceal dejection, anger, and difdain; but fo ineffectually, that at any other time every glance would have 262 OPHELIA. have diſcompofed and alarmed me; but I now beheld her with pleaſure; for how- ever terrible a woman's rage may be to a mind at eafe, yet her face was more fweet than mercy and benevolence, when compared to the grim murderers my fancy had formed. She left me fome leifure to recover myſelf before fhe broke filence, during which time I recollected her to be the Marchioness of Trente, whom I had often met in my vifits, though fhe had never condefcended to fpeak to me, and had always caft fuch difdainful glances upon me, as made me not more forward to court her acquaintance than fhe feemed defirous of cultivating mine; on the con- trary, I uſed to keep at as great a dif- tance as I could poffibly, flying her as if my mind had fome knowledge of the un- eafinefs I was to fuffer from her. At length fhe began thus, "though "it may mortify my pride to confefs my "love to a fuccefsful rival, yet my de- fign requires I fhould inform you that "I have long entertained a particular "affection for Lord Dorcheſter, and. "had once reaſon to believe it was "not without return; though now his "views • OPHELIA. 263 views are more humble, and he con- fines his defires to objects eaſier ob- "tained. I cannot longer endure to ſee "him thus debafe himself; neglecting a "ftate of happinefs that might be as "lafting as his life; but as I don't chufe "to confer fo great an obligation as I "fhould by declaring my care for him, "I have taken this method of confulting "at once his welfare and my own." She then offered me an income fupe- rior to that he gave me, on condition "I "would promife never, from that hour, "to fee, to write, or fend any verbal mef- fage to him." (6 With great warmth, I told her, « I "would not enter into fuch an engage- "ment, could fhe reward me with the "poffeffion of all Europe; no, not to "fave my life; becauſe I believed I "fhould not be able to perform it; and "I would never make a promiſe fo con- “ trary to my happineſs, as it would be bringing myſelf into an almoſt irrefifti- "ble temptation to break it." << 486 Wonderfully fcrupulous truely," re- plied her Ladyfhip: "but how ignorant foever moft people may be, you find "my vigilant endeavours to diſcover 66 you 264 OPHELI A. "you have not proved fruitless: and "I must tell you, it would be more "wife to accept the propofal I have fo "generously made you, and to ſpend your time in making peace with Hea- ven, and rendering yourſelf fit for death, "with which our mortality threatens us "every hour, than perfift to glory in "wickedness with fuch unparallelled im- "pudence. I was fo ignorant of the Marchioness's meaning, that my anfwer could not be very much to the purpofe; but it was ſpoke with that ſpirit which fuch ground- lefs, and, to me, unaccountable abufe could not fail in raifing in a difpofition like mine. Its effect was natural; her temper was combuftible, and, confe- quently, being kindled by the fire in mine, burft into flame. She roſe from her chair in a violent rage, telling me," fhe would "no longer give the power of choice to "fo infolent a creature, but by force "perform what I would not confent to; "for fhe would convey me to fuch a diftance, that I fhould no longer fee "and bewitch Lord Dorcheſter." 66 દુઃ " I was very fenfible of the terrors of this menace but could not ftoop to one OPHELIA. 265 one whofe unworthy treatment of me gave little hope of redreſs from her compaffion: what mercy can we expect from thoſe who are void even of juftice. I told her, with an air of indignation that ſtill rendered me more qualified to converfe with her than I thought I could have been, that "I would never confent "to my own unhappineſs, whatever her "power might inflict." Adding, that it would not redound greatly to the "honour of Lady Trente, to have made "a woman unhappy who deſerved no Sevil from her." # • } The Marchionefs did not deign to give me any anfwer befide a difdainful fmile; then turning to a woman who was juft come into the room, but had kept a ſtrict filence," Herner," faid fhe, "take this "wretch under your care. See the is "well guarded, and that he has no "means of correfponding with any one, either before or after fhe leaves this "town. Watch her well on the road, "but never converfe with her; for I "could not forgive any relation of mine "who fhould fo far debafe herſelf." VOL. I. N The F 266 OPHELIA. The obfequious Herner curtfied, and promiſed exact obedience; and then they both departed, leaving me to my own reflections, which were not much inter- rupted for three days; for fo long was I locked up in that room, where was no bed by whofe refreshment I might alleviate either my mental or bodily un- eafinefs. A little fire was afforded me, and a bare fufficiency of meagre food, little fu- perior to bread and water. I have fince had charity enough to believe her La- dyfhip thought fafting and mortification moft falutiferous for my foul; of whofe ftate, it féems, fhe had entertained no very favourable opinion. My door was never unlocked, but to let in the necef- fary fupports of my exiſtence, and all thefe offices were performed with ſuch fi- lent gravity, as gave a greater air of melancholy and folemnity to a fituation, which, your Ladyfhip will allow, was in none of its circumftances very lively and agreeable. f 7 > My chief attendant was a little girl of ten or eleven years old; who when- ever fhe came in, ftartled at me as if I had A - ✔ OPHELIA. 267 I had been a monster. If I spoke to her, ſhe would run away, and if I of- fered to fnatch hold of her, would ſcream as if I was going to murder her. If fhe was obliged to, pafs me, fhe would take as large a circumference to avoid me, as if the imagined I had drawn an en- chanted circle round my chair. I need not fay that my mind was in a very un-. eafy ftate. I had a love for freedom which ill agreed with impriſonment; and 1hourly repined at having exchanged the pleafures of Lord Dorchester's converfa- tion for the moſt odious folitude, with no object to entertain my eyes, or raife new ideas in me; denied the found of a human voice, or any thing that might in any degree divert my thoughts from the pains of my prefent fituation, or from the fears of what farther punishment might ftill be in ftore for me; without even the means of expofing a body fatigued with want of reft, and worn out with grief and terror. A mind less pain- fully affected than mine, would have found fome difficulty in fleeping in an uneafy chair; to me, it was fo near im- poffible, that I had but a few moments refpite N 2 268 OPHELIA. refpite from my anxious reflections the whole time I was there. Nothing more diftreffed me than the notion of my Lord's uneafinefs at my fudden difap- pearing; and I know not how I could have been fupported under all the per- plexity and perturbation of my mind, had I not formed great hopes of making my efcape, when time fhould have abated the rigour of their vigilance. I thought I had fo much greater reafon to be di- ligent in difcovering the means of get- ting from thence, than they could have for keeping me there, that I muſt, at length, be able to effect it. I flattered myfelf, that my Lord's fearch after me would give me another chance. I ima- gined he must hear of the violence with which I had been carried away, and could not doubt but his affection would con- trive to reſcue me. By theſe hopes I was kept from fink- ing into abfolute deſpair; and the necef- fity of exerting fome command over myſelf, gave me fpirit to go through three days of this painful confinement with more fortitude than I could have expected. The third evening of this my enforced OPHELI A. 269 "" enforced refidence, Mrs. Herner made her appearance, and told me "we were "to go into the country the next morn- ing. I aſked" if the Marchioness "was to be of the party ?" To my inexpreffible fatisfaction, fhe anſwered in the negative; but added, "that I was "to be guarded as carefully as if I was "under her Ladyfhip's eyes. Though, "perhaps, the might a little exceed "her orders in her care for my conveni- "ence; for fhe could not but confefs my perfon, and the dignity which ac- "companied my grief, without any mix- "ture of rage or impatience, had pre- "judiced her fo much in my favour, that he was forry fhe was forbid con- "verfing with me." 86 I could not help thanking her for her humanity; the leaft inftance of tender- nefs was now particularly dear to me. The compariſon my mind drew between her and her Right Honourable coufin, re- preſented her in moft advantageous co- lours. I immediately conceived hopes of finding favourable opportunities for my eſcape, either in my journey, or in my refidence with one whofe compaffion might 250 OPHELIA. might make her lefs defirous of detain- ing me, confequently lefs vigilant than, the Marchioness. I Before the left me, I begged that if I was still to live with, mutes fhe would> give me a book; with which fhe rea- dily complied. Her complaifance gave me no reaſon to admire her taſte. fhould have been very forry to have had my ftudies long under her direction; however, fimple as the book was, I pre- ferred it to the chaos of my own mind; and was lefs offended at the folly of the author than I ſhould have been at my own in fo long a feries of thoughts, as I was not inclined to blufh for his foolishness. Before the Marchionefs went to bed, he came into my dungeon, to renew the offers the had at firſt made, in hopes, I fuppofe, that my captivity had humbled me; but when he found my reſolution remained unfhaken, fhe informed me, that “ I was going to a family man- "fion which was fo very difmal and for- lorn, that it would make me repent my obftinacy and I might depend on "fpending my whole life there, unless I "would agree to the terms propofed." cc } है My OPHELIA. 271 . My answer was, that "nothing could appear fo dreadful to me as lofing the converfation of Lord Dorcheſter, and "leaving him in fuch uncertainty con- "cerning the occafion of it." The Marchionefs replied, that " my "rejecting her offer would not prevent "the thing I feemed moft to fear, fince "fhe would take care he ſhould never more hear of me." Without any further difcourfe, fhe left the room. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 1 1 (1 I JJ. mode bbat K 67 € 90gr 1 1 } DULUI CRCULATE BOUND OCT 12 1954 UNIV. OF MICH. LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 3 9015 06835 0910