UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES
VERSITY of CALITOKNi*
S
THE
AMICABLE QUIXOTE;
OR,
THE ENTHUSIASM
O F
FRIENDSHIP.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
Tout doit tendre au bon fens; tna's pour y parvenir
Le chem'm eft gliffant et penible a tenir.
BoiLf AU,
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR J.WALTER, C H AR.I NG-CROSS,
M.DCC.LXXXVIII,
FT?
v,
PREFACE.
/\ F T E R the production of thofe im-
^ ^" mortal fictions, the Achievements
of Don Quixote, the Adventures of Gil
Bias, the hiftories by Fielding, with others
of great excellence, Who can hope to ob-
tain even a leaf of that laurel conferred
upon the genius and the wit of (b many
ages ?
I think it neceflary to declare, that no-
thing but the experience of having fre-
quently beheld new characters in new fitua-
ticns would induce me to prefent the fol-
lowing pages to the public. What Roche-
foucault * fays of felf-love may be very
" Q3 ? 'VJ?5 decouvertes que Ton ait fakes dans \f
pays de Tamour proprc, il y rcfte encore b:cn des tcrres
inconnues.
VOL. I. b
vi PREFACE.
corre&ly applied to knowledge of the world ;
and, I fhall be highly gratified, if my rea-
ders allow that I have traced undifcovered
lineaments, either lurking in the depths of
the heart or floating on the furface of the
difpofition.
If any praife fhould be granted to my
prefent undertaking, I fhall, with pleafure,
furvey the choice of an amufement which
I have chofen during the opportunities af-
forded me in my leifure hours.
From the commendations of the ladies,
for whom works of this kind are generally
vjritten^ I hope to derive that fanction and
encouragement, which have the moft pow-
erful influence in a refined and a lettered
age ; but, I {hall yet eftimate as the higheft
recompence I can receive, the favourable
fufFrages of thofe judges who allow that I
7 have
PREFACE. vii
have excited a reverence towards virtue
and a deteftation of vice ; for, I have inva-
riably confidered, that every virtuous rea-
der, who pofiefles powers of genuine criti-
cifm, if he perufes a compofition without
obtaining fome inftruclion, as well as fome
pleafure,
' Fares like the man, who firft upon the ground
" A glow-worm fpy'd, fuppofing he had found
" A moving diamond, a breathing ftone,
" (For life it had, and like thofe jewels (honej)
" He held it dear, till, by the fpringing day
" Inform'd, he threw the worthlefs worm away."
WALLER.
THE
THE
AMICABLE QUIXOTE,
CHAP. I.
The laws of focial benevolence require that every mnrx
ihould endeavour to affift others by his experience.
He that has at laft cfcaped into port from the fluctu-
ations of chance, and the gufls of cppoution, ought to
make fome improvements in the chart of life, by
marking the rocks on which he has been dafhed, and
the fhallows where he has been ftranded.
RAMBLER, Vol. IV. N 174.
SIR Harry Hyndley and his lady had
long flourifhfid in the moft fplendid
fcenes of fafhionablc magnificence. Dur-
ing twenty years they had graced the an-
ihals of matrimony by the bft*bred diflen-
VOL. I, B Con,
C 2 ]
fion, which, foftered by acrimony and time,-
at length expanded into the moft reputable
fpecies of conjugal and reciprocal detefta-
tion. Lady Hyndley was childiflily fond
of inordinate and frivolous pleafure ; (he
was one of thofe common characters who
are never happy but in a crowd. Sir
Harry, who had a perfon uncommonly
fine, was a grofs voluptuary, depraved in
principles, riotous in enjoyment, without
wit, without fentiment, without elegance.
They had no children to promote fond-
;xfs, 01 to check hatred. Separate com-
panions, and feparate plcafures, were the
natural confequences of their polite aliena-
'ticn ; and among the friends fclecled by
Lady Hyndley as her favourites, file parti-
cularly diftinguiihed a ftudent of Oxford.
5;r Stephen Bruce was an intimate friend
. of
[ 3 ]
of Sir Harry Hyndley, who was intruded
with the care of his fon during the ivfi-
dence of Sir Stephen in Scotland.
The young man, therefore, patted every
vacation, and every leifure hour, with Lady
Hyndley. He received her attentions with
gratitude, but gave no encouragement to
thofe kindnefles which were lavished with
more tendernefs than propriety. Her lady-
(hip was not old, hut was yet " touched by
u the tender b.ind of melloivlng tinic. " he
was, perhaps, at that age indicated by
Voltaire, when he lays " L' amour eft le
" piss grand des maux quand il n'e/1 le plus
u grand des biens." The object of her
partiality was placed next her in every
company, with an ill-bred and rude prefe-
rence of him to people of higher rank and
Unqueftionable fuperiority. At table ftie
B 2 alwavs
[ 4 J
always fed him with the niceft mcrceatix,
culled with felicitous delicacy from the moft
exquifite difhes. He attended her to all
places of public amufement, and to every
private party, where, from his frequent ap-
pearance, he foon became an accuftomed
gueft. This intimacy occafioned many-
hints and fneers; but the rigid propriety,
and occafional coldnefs, exhibited by Bruce,
whenever Lady Hyndley's friendfhip be-
came too fervid, effectually prevented every
other ill confequence but the difpleafure of
Sir Harry. Weary of conjectures, the
truth of which they could not afcertain, the
Attentive friends of Lady Hyndley thought
it neceflary " not to know what to think."
George Bruce, the fon of Sir Stephen
Bruce, was bred at Eton, and had ftudied
fct Queen's for three years. At the age of
twenty-one
[ 5 ]
twenty- one he was entitled to a fmall in*
dependent fortune, left him by a relation of -
his mother. Lady Bruce was married
when very young to Sir Stephen, who be-
ing of a difpofrtion untameably ferocious,
treated his wife with cruelty, and his fon
with oppreflion. They had little inter-
courfe; for Sir Stephen denied his fon that
income to which his rank entitled him,
and prohibited any correfpondence between,
George and his mother.
The perfon of Bruce was formed with
that happy mixture of mafculine firmnefs
and graceful elegance which a painter
would choofe for the reprefentation of
manly beauty : he was not dim, but was
perfectly arrondi. His eyes dark, fpark-
ling, and intelligent ; his voice clear anJ
B 3 energetic ->
energetic ; his manners regulated by that
invariable eafe which is the characleriftic
of high-breeding. Though his intellectual
capacity was uncommonly great, he was
yet an eccentric mixture of romantic fen-
timent and volatile careleflhefs.
He was like Anthony, "for Lis bounty
" there zvas no winter /'/;" and his munifi-
cence was not confined to the mere fplen-
dour of indolent donation, but was dif-
played in aifiduous endeavours to ferve
and afiift. One favourite proper.fity, the
effect of a noble difpofition, had often led
him into ridiculous fituations, by which
he was expofed to the laughter of his ac-
quaintance ; this was the tuthnf.afm of
friendftnpi which glowed in his heart with
fuch uncommon rapture and fuch inva-
riable
[ 7 1
liable philanthropy, that his whole ftudr
was to admire every one he knew of both
fcxes, and to bind himfelf to them by the
flrongeft ties of inviolable attachment.
Bruce had engraved upon his mind all thofe
fublime and glittering precepts of poets and
philofophers, which generally aggrandize
fentimental effufion, and confecrate difm-
tcrefted regard, without infuring or ce-
menting any folid friendship. By an un-
wearied endeavour to ferve and to oblige,
he had attracted the admiration of many
individuals vrho were incapable of inability
in their refolutions, or fuavity in their dif-
pofitions, and thus, by a pliant acquief-
cence, he had kept fecure pofleffion of their
favour. Ever ardent to cultivate the good -
will of mankind, fearful of offending, and
ambitious of pofleffing an unlimited ac-
B 4 quaintance
C 8 J
quaintance, he perhaps fometimes forfeited
his dignity, and difgraced his abilities, by a
blind fubmiiSon to the diflamina of his
companions.
Such was the man who by rigid cen-
fors was called the minion of Lady Hyndley,
and whom Sir Harry would have been
happy to repulfe without injury or injuftice.
He doubted not but that he was a gallant
fuitor for his lady's favours, and therefore
wanted nothing but due prowefs to difmifs
his gueft. The exceflive cordiality and
politenefs of Bruce rendered the attempt
unfuccefsful. He perpetually exprefied fuch
a regard for his hoft, fuch a high ienfe of
the ties of friendfhip, that it was almoft im-
poffible to infult a man, who every hour
exhibited in his behaviour new inftances of
amiable beneficence.
i Sir
[ 9 J
Sir Harry at laft apprehended, that fmce-
her ladyfliip was fo hofpitable, it might not
ill become him to imitate her generofity
with equal ardour. Previous, therefere,
to Bruce's next vifit, he gave orders for a
chamber to be got ready, and preparations
to be made, for the reception of a lady who
had before frequently vifited Lady H. He
went out the next morning, and returned
in his carriage with a young lady, whofe
elegant deportment and animated beauty
interefted every one in her favour, and de-
precated that averfion which all felt at
this fingular introduction. Sir Harry pre-
iented her to Lady Hyndley with thefe
words ; " I muft intreat that you will be as
" affectionate to your female friends as I
have been. I introduce this lady to you
" as a woman I value next to yonrfelf; I
hali
[ 10 J
" fhall be happy to give our friend Bruce
" fo agreeable a companion ; his fidelity
" and attachment to our houfe deferve our
" beft endeavours to make it agreeable to
" him." Her ladyfhip felt the fneer, but
prudently refifted the impulfe to refent it.
She received her new gueft civilly, and, to
the aftonifhment of every one, Mifs Bry-
ant was allowed by her own friends, and
prevailed upon by Sir Harry, to remain
fome time in his family.
The next day Bruce arrived. He was,
as ufual, received with that prodigality of
friendfhip, which he knew fo well how to
recompenfe and to retain ; his anxious en-
deavours to pleafe revived all thofe fenti-
ments in his favour which had perpetually
influenced the whole family ; and fuch were
his powers of exciting efteem, that even Sir
Harry
[ II ]
Harry reproached himfelf for thinking with
feverity of fo amiable a companion.
The intimacies of Bruce were formed up-
on principles very different from thofe which
cement ordinary friendfliips. The fault?,
fellies, and foibles of their acquaintance,
are frequently the inducements which bring
together people of a gregarious difpofition,
and vifitors who furnifh ample food for
cenfure and laughter are often received
with open arms : Bruce, on the contrary,
found in the flighted acquaintance fome
virtue or fome recommendation ; ' and he
carried his reverence for their qualities to
a ludicrous height. On all other fubjecls
he converfed rationally, and fometimes ele-
gantly; but as foon as the enthufiafm of
friendfhip was excited, it overwhelmed his
difcretion, and clouded his perfpicacity.
When
[ 12 ]
When Sir Harry introduced him to Miis
Bryant, with fome forced encomiums on
his high character for cordiality in friend-
fhips, Bruce readily quitted the beaten
track of cuftomary compliment, to launch
out into his favourite fubjedr,. " I have
" been often amazed, Mr. Bruce, at the
41 number of your acquaintance ; how do
" you manage to attach and to preferve fo
" numerous a body of people ? I think I
" have met with very few who are in poflef-
" fion of fo many connections." " Very
" few, indeed, Sir Harry ; I pique myfelf
" with fome reafon, I believe, on the wide
" circle to which I am allied ; my prefent
" complement is let me fee Eighty
" then, fifty Hampfhire fix at Scilly
" the privy counfellor's three aunts four-
" teen Ay, ay the prefent complement is
[ 13 3
<c one hundred and fifty-threes to which add
" my nineteen intimates in Ruffia, whom I
u never faw, and you will not find me very
*' deftitute." The company fmiled, and
Sir Harry was pleafed with the amicable
phrenzy : " I wonder how you can endure
" fome of the odd traits which I think you
" muft occafionally meet with in fome
* characters, and efpecially where neither
" your intereft nor your pleafure is con-
" cerned." " Pardon me, Sir Harry,
" I have not a fingle friend, but who pof-
<* fefles fome valuable talent ; even the
11 moft common acquaintance I acknow-
" ledge is dear to me by the fuperiority of
*' fome fplendid merit j and I cbnfider my
" integrity and judgment equally pledged
"for the difcovery of his virtues."
A difcernoient lefs ;thaa your's, Mr.
Bruce,
C 14 ]
<l Bruce, couki never defcry any re;-.l worth
*' in your new friend Sir Dudley Drone, ft
" man abfolutely devoid of all ideas, and
" who feems born for no other purpofe but
" to fleep : he neither gives nor receives
" pkafure ; he is ignorant, indolent, and
" abfent ; in fhort, I never faw a man Icfs
K companionable." " Ah ! dear fir, you
" know not half his merits ; he is neither
" paffionate, arrogant, nor impertinent ;
w he hears every thing which is faid in
every company with the moft patient at-
41 tention ; he never raifcs your expecta-
u tions of his abilities too high, and of
u courfe never difappoints you; fo far
" from afluming any character which he
* 4 is unequal to, I have pafled a week in
" his fociety at his own houfe, and never
" heard him -^>eak the whole time."
' "Ton
[ 15 3
w 'Foil my word, a mcft agreeable man f
" Well then, there's another acquaintance
** of your's I once met, Bob Panic, who is
" always plaguing people with fears for
" their health, becaufe he has not feen them
*fo /0;., though it often happens that he
" has dined with them the day before ; the
" laft time I encountered him he went
" through all the fymptoms of gout, palfy,
" and pleurify, to prove to me that I had
" got a bilious fever." " Sir, I hardly
" know a more excellent man than Bob
" Panic ; his only failing is, that he dif-
" frefles his own mind for the welfare of
" his friends, in which, perhaps, he a little
" refembles me ; his anxiety if he does not
" often fee you ; his folicitude to fuggeft
* 4 means for your being better than you
"arc, ever* if -you are ever fo. well; hii
jo * caution
[ 16 J
i{ caution in not fuffering you to deceive
*' yourfelf into an opinion of being in
w health becaufe you look fo, or feel fo ;
u and, above all, his power of magnifying
*' every misfortune and every danger, that
tc you may be quite prepared againft it ;
* 4 thefe, Sir, fpeak a man a true friend, and
" I, who have fo often experienced his
u bounties, muft always reverence my good
" friend Bob Panic." "You fpeak
" very highly of him, which is furely more
than you can do of his brother-in-law
Ned Schifm." " Pardon me, I think
w him one of the moft ufeful and equitable
" characters I know ; he is famous for ce-
** menting thofe friendfhips which by fome
** unlucky perverfenefs or mifunderftand-
* 4 ing have been feparated ; and his great
" merit isf- that- he never allows people
[ '7 3
c who have quarrelled to meet with a vir.v
; to reconciliation, till he has made all
parties acquainted with the mutual afpe-
rity which both have exhibited in each
other's abfence ; he has a noble memory
and he is always able to relate, with in-
credible accuracy, the whole vocabulary
of abufes and menaces which he has
:ollec~ted from either fide, together with
ill the different (hades of infinuation
md figures of abhorrence : thus you fee
very one as under reciprocal convic-
tion and cannot again give way to the
u violence of their temper, with die felvo
" of having been trepanned into good will
" under falfe pretences."
Well, Sir, thefe people have doubt-
" lefs great recommendations, and they
" are much fupcrior to another man, whole
VOL. I. C " want
[ i8 J
" want of education and good fenfe would,
" I fliould apprehend, totally preclude an
"intimacy between you; I mean Peter
" Le Pied." " Blefs me, Sir Harry,
" he is one for whom I have a very fin-
" cere regard, as well for his elegant ac-
u complements as for his manly virtues :
' Sir, he is the beft dancer I know! he
<k treads moft learnedly ; he cannot afk
u you how you do, but you may fee
u he has been taught to dance ! Even his
** mind, Sir, is always moving in an intel-
" le&ual minuet ; all the world know it ;
u his fame might entitle him to a dancing
u diploma for opening every ball he goes
" to ; and I doubt not but his minuteft pas
"-will reach pofteriry: then his temper is
tc as flexible as his toes j he bows benevo-
" lently ; there is a kind of probity in his
mode
t '9 J
c< mode of being true to the time whenever
" he exhibits : he keeps time fo much bet-
<c ter than " " He keeps his word
"which he will, I believe, break to his
" deareft friend, upon the moft folemn oc-
" cafion." " Sir Harry, we are not all
perfect ; and, I think myfelf bound by
" every tie of agility, to maintain the friend-
" (hip of Peter Le Pied." And pray,
Mr. Bruce, give me leave to aflc, Are
" the motives equally cogent which united
" you in friendfhip with Billy Tipple, the
" meagre toaftmafter, who drinks three
bottles in an hour ?" Certainly ! It
*' is not his intemperance that I admire ;
" no, Sir Harry, it is his valour and forti-
" tude ; it is refolution exhibited upon
* c many occafions, that fhews him to be
** pofiefled of a genuine courage which
C 2 " marks
[ 20 J
'* marks the truly brave : my poor praifes,
" however, would be faint, if you could
" once fee him in his proper fphere, if you
* could view him glowing with natural
11 ardour, and with unfhaken firmnefs ; for
" inftance now, if you faw him take phy-
" fie ! Ah ! Sir Harry, the prowefs with
" which he fwallowed two pills and a fa-
" line draught ! Never fhall I forget, when
" ftruggling with a cold, which he got by
" {having in a hard froft, how he fpurned,
" with a generous indignation, the reme-
" dies of abftinence, which his great foul
" could not brook ! No, Sir, with that un-
" daunted fpirit which he may fo juftly
" boaft, he encountered a fudorific potion
" of white wine whey ; he then went to
" fleep, fubmitting for four hours and an
" half to the ignominious bondage of the
bed-
C 21 ]
bed-chamber : his fever abated j but his
" rnind, Sir, was neither elevated by fuc-
" cefs, nor funk by imprifonment ; no
" longer, then, let us fay with a malignant
w and narrow prejudice, that
" Heroes are much the fame, the point''* agreed,
" From Macedonia's madman to the Swede."
M Far be it from thofe who are illumined
u by the rays of Tipple's heroifm j far be
" it from fuch to deny that a great mind
<* may exift in a flight perfon : let every
one difpofed to carp at lofty deeds con-
" fult the annals of my friend Tipple's
" courage and conduit ; let them remem-
<l ber his atchievements, and gladly offer that
*' portion of praife which is fo juftly due to
" the chevalier/; peur & fans reprocbe."
The novelty of Bruce's predominating
cnthufiafm afforded Mifs Bryant infinite
C 3 enter-
" J
entertainment ; but {he law, or thought {he
law, in him fomething more interefting
than the peculiarity which he then exhibi-
ted : this fentiment, whatever it was, fhe
too fludioufly endeavoured to conceal.
When the ladies retired to coffee, Mifs Bry-
ant noticed Bruce's frailty : " What a ri-
** diculous propenfity ! nothing fo ill be-
** comes a man as to proclaim the imbe-
u ciliity of his own mind ; the handfomeft
" man in the world muft fuffer from fo
" dark a {hade in his character : no, I
" could never bear Mr. Bruce, even if he
"laid or thought the civilleft things of
me."
Lady Hyndley was ftruck with the brifk
cenfure from a girl not of a fatirical difpo -
fition. " You are fevcre upon my friend,
" and really without reafon, for I doubt
"not
" not but he is fincere in whatever he
" fays ; and if you confider how valuable a
" true friend is, you will refpect his zeal,
"and honour his fidelity." "I (hall
" think much better of him, Madam, fince
" he is fo ably defended ; and, like you, I
" (hall make it no lei's my duty than my
a pleafure to contemplate his little peculuii-
w ties." " If you favour us with your
" company during his refidence with u?,
" you will have leifure for permitting Mr.
w Bruce to increafe the number of his
" friends ; and I prefume you have no one
" in your family who would object to
" your knowing the world by ftudying
tc characters." "Your ladydiip is little
* acquainted with me, and ftill Icfs with
" my friends, if you fuppofe they would
C 4 " not
[ H J
" not be anxious on the fubjecl: of my
" ufurping attentions, to which I have no
" claim : I (hall ferioufiy confidcr myfelf
" felecled pointedly as the object of your
" ridicule and diiapprobation, if you think I
u do not thoroughly contemn Mr. Bruce's
" affected raptures , and, whatever excel-
*- lence you may fee in them, nothing can
" be more remote from my difpofition than
" to lend my praife to fuch empty fen-
" timents." " You are the firft perfon
" who has not feen fomething amiable even
" in his errors." " Dear Ma'am, 1 am
" not obliged to be watching every body's
u virtues j my own go very well, and can
" never want to be regulated by the dial
of every moralift I meet."-: But,
u why imagine that the dial is fo incor-
rea?"
reft ?" Not at all, Madam ; he is
** very true, and tells how love flies, that
" is, if you fhine upon him."
Bruce and Sir Harry came in. The
latter, who was an intemperate feeder, had
drank inordinately. He reeled up to Mifs
Bryant. " My dear Emily, rob me of my
w bottle, if I don't love thee ; I de, 'faith !
u I'll have fome coffee ; it fhall be ftrong
" as your fenfe : I'll put milk enough in to
" make it as foft, and fugar enough to make
w it as fweet as your difpofition." Mifs
Bryant was much confufed at his improper
behaviour. Lady Hyndley coloured, and told
Bruce, in a whifper, to perfuade Sir Harry to
behave with due decorum. " Alas ! Ma-
a dam, it is the bufinefs of ray life to make
" friends ; judge then, if I can be fo weak
a as to tell them when they expofe them-
felves?"
[ 26 ]
" felves." u But, my friend, is there
" not fome very gentle manner in which
" you, with your ufual good fenfe, could
" convey a reproof?" " Dear Madam,
" no good fenfe ever conveyed a reproof :
" I fee Sir Harry is totally wrong, there-
" fore the laft thing that will cure him is a
" reprimand. - If he was fober, and in the
" right, he might, no doubt, be eafily per-
41 fuaded to alter his conduct." Lady
Hyndley interfered, and at laft prevailed
upon Sir Harry to fit down and drink his
coftee. Well, I will be perfuaded and
" good-natured ! 'Faith your ladyfhip looks
f very well to-night ; how I fhould love
*' you if you were not married ! hey, Lady
v Hyndley ? Nay ; don't blufh now, for
? it looks as if you underftood me, and
" that I dare fay you would not do for the
" world j
C 27 3
11 world ; befides, I have fuch ideas of the
" facred purity of women's delicacy, that
" I am fhocked to fee them renounce the
" fmalleft particle of it. Ah! Emily, my
" love ! well, how do all do at home ? Is Sir
" Edward pretty well, and Lady Bryant,
" and young Mr. Bryant ? How do they
" all go on there ? What a pretty, nice,
" little creature you are, Emily ! I dare lay
" your mother is very fond of you.-
u Now, Mr. Bruce, I have drank my
u coffee, let's all go and take a ftroll to
" the Opera; come let us let us."
The reft of the party declined it, con-
fidering Sir Harry's fituation ; he only
darted a look of vengeance at his lady for
preventing the expedition, and then went
off himfelf. The evening palled very
agreeably, from the mutual endeavours of
Bruce
C 28 ]
Bruce and Mifs Bryant to contribute to
the pleafure of Lady Hyndley, who had
juft prudence enough to be pleafed with her
company, when it was her intereft not to
offend them ; a fpecies of difcretion not al-
ways difplayed by perfons apparently much
wifer than her ladyfhip : in the charlatan'
ntrle of felf-conceit, thofe who afpire at
fuperiority may, without any one requifite
for a valuable character, without fenfc,
wifdom, good-humour, or politenefs, foar
above their companions by petulant and
felicitous difdain.
CHAP.
CHAP. II.
To be cut off by the fword of injured friendfliip is
the mod dreadful of all deaths next to fuicide.
CLARISSA.
H E elegant beauties of Emily Bry-
ant had attracted the admiration of
Bruce foon after his arrival at Sir Harry
Hyndley's. She was juft eighteen; her
perfon finely formed, rather majeftic and
lofty, than infmuating and complacent:
her accomplifhments were various, her at-
tachments violent, and her friendfliip in-
diflbluble. She loved to oblige, but fhe
loved alfo to controul ; and (he had blend-
ed, with a high fenfe of her own fuperior
abilities, a fpirit of refolute firmnefs and
unyielding dignity. She entertained the
mod
[ 3 3
moft noble fentiments of virtue and had
very high ideas of propriety ; but, this fenfc
of decorum would fometimes evaporate in
the vindication of her own liberty. Ker
perfections, therefore, excited rather admi-
ration than tendernefs ; her influence was
that of irrefiftible fway, not of artlefs al-
lurement. When Bruce firft few her, he
was "awejlruck,
And as he pafs'd he worfliipp'd *."
At the next interview he converfed with
her as a pleafant companion, without ex-
pecting any information or any uncom-
mon tilents. Her accomplifhments fur-
prifed himj her knowledge of the fine
arts ; the elegance with which fhe fpoke ;
the tafte with which fhe fung ; the judg-
ment with which (he decided. He had
-* Comus.
* feen
[ 3i J
fcen many women poflefled of fingle ex-
cellence but never had found fo many
qualities with fo little pedantry. Emily
was never arrogant on the fubjecT: of her
talents, and fhe was feldom otherwife in the
fupport of her humours. She gave her
opinions with the moil insinuating humi-
lity ; {he uttered her commands with im-
perious vehemence. The family of Sir Ed-
ward Bryant were much afraid of her attract-
ing admirers unequal to her in fortune or in
rank. She was loved by her father, and her
mother indulged herinfome caprices which
ought to have been reclined in her early
years. Adrian degl' Uberti, a foreigner of
diiftndlion, was the firft fuitor who afpired
at the hand of Emily Bryant. His fidll in
mufic was incomparably great. He touch-
ed, with fying fingers^ the harp and the
organ.
[ 3* ]
organ. Every hearer was enraptured at
the melody, which his delicate tafte and
cxquifite Hull always produced. But, with
his harmony ended his power of entertain-
ment. Dull and infenfible to all the
charms of intellectual fupremacy, he was
very ill calculated to excite the tendernefs
and efteem of fuch a miftrefs as Emily.
She admired his melody, but when the
mufic was finifhed, quitted him with readi-
nefs. Succeffive admirers approached ;
fome with diftant awe, fome with pert fa-
miliarity, and others with elegant foftnefs.
But all thefe were either the fport, or the
objects of delegation, in the mind of Mifs
Bryant.
In a few days, Sir Harry rode out.
Bruce remained all the morning with
Lady Hyndley, who was not very well k
and
r 33 J
and Mifs Bryant was retired to her own
apartment. About three o'clock Sir Harry
was inquired for by a young lady, who de-
fired, if he was not at home, fhe might be
permitted to wait for him. She was fhewn
into a room, and Bruce, hearing of -it,
had the curiofity to pafs through, in order
to take a view of her. Her form was no-
ble, heightened by all the charms of natural
beauty, but in her countenance appeared a
ferocious and ghaftly gloom, which infpired
the beholder with horror and difmay. She
had with her a beautiful child, who feemed
about nine years old, whom, when Bruce
entered, fhe was prefling to her bofbm
with convulfions of anguifh, while the tears
ftreamed inceflantly from her eyes. The
boy fhewed a lively fenfe of his mother's
forrow ; his heart fwelled with tumultuous
VOL. I. D agony,
r 34 ]
agony, and he kifled the tears from her
eyes without being able to fpeak comfort
to her. She rofe at Bruce's entrance, and,
with much confufion, endeavoured to re-
cover herfelf. He advanced very refpecV
fully, and addrefled her with a tender-
nefs which was one of the predominant
features of his character : " I find myfelf
'** reprehenfible, Madam, in thus intruding
u upon your forrows ; had I known there
* was a ftranger in diftrefs, nothing would
** have prevailed upon me to interrupt you
" but the certainty that I could mitigate
" u your affliction." The lady during fome
time ftruggled for utterance ; (he at laft
overcame the conflict of fierceriefs and mi-
-fery: "I thank you, Sir, for the benevolent
*' expreffions to which I have no claim
" from a ftranger j my wifh to fee Sir
Harry
t 3S 3
" Harry Hyndley has, perhaps, made me an
" intruder. I fliould be ferry to intereft
" any of his friends in my misfortunes, by
" an improper and tinauthorifed applica-
" tion to them on the fubjedl of my pre-
" fent requeft. My woes are too common
" to excite admiration and too keen to
" admit remedy. You may yet, Sir, do
" me a very great fervice by concealing
" from Sir Harry that he is wanted by one
" in mifery, and by directing him to be
" brought into this room when he returns."
" I perceive, Madam, you are little
" acquainted with me ; you are ignorant
tc that my name is Bruce. Do you now
" know me, Madam ? Do you not recog-
" nize in me the friend of all mankind ?
" Every body's brother; the humble efforts
D 2 w I have -
[ 36 ]
" I have made to eftablifli amity, and to
" dignify friendfhip, the nobleft of all fen-
w fentiments, have they never reached
" you r" The lady, who could by no
means comprehend the tenor of his dif-
courfe, fat filent for a few minutes ; fhe
then, recollected herfelf, and replied : u Of
" friendihip, Sir, I have known fo little,
<c that every thing refpecHng it is new to
" me but the found ; you profefs yourfelf
u every body's friend, and I may, therefore,
** hope to be included in your good wifhes.
<c Pardon me if I fay I neither expecl or
44 deflre any thing more ; I have been fo
" long a ftranger to al! the tender offices
" of friendfhip and humanity, that I now
w only wifh for fullen folitude ; and I in-
** treat you will not involve yourfelf in the
" gloom
[ 37 I
"gloom of my miferies, but leave me to
<c indulge the wretchednefs I am accuf-
" tomed to."
Bruce would have foothed her violent
lamentations, buffhe fo vehemently inmtcd
upon his quitting her, that he thought pro-
per at laft to retire.
In an hour Sir Harry returned. A ier-
vant, who opened the door of the roorh
where the lady waited, obferved him ftaft
at feeing her. "Is it poflible!" was his
exclamation as he entered, but he checked
himfelf, and the fervant could hear no
more. They continued in the room above
half an hour, when a violent fhriek furri-
moned the attention of every one near:
Bruce, Lady Hyndley, Mifs Bryant, and a
train of fervants, ran into the room, where
they beheld Sir Harry fupporting himfelf
D 3 againft
[ 38 1
againft a window, and as they entered he
fell fpeechlefs on the floor : the lady was
thrown on a fofa, her cloaths bloody, and
in her hand a knife, with which fhe had
wounded herfelf and Sir Harry Hynclley.
The child was {creaming in an agony of
"horror, and clafping the arm of his mother,
who wrung his hand with looks of frantic
defpair. When ihe perceived Lady Hynd-
ley, {he attempted to fpeak, and, after fome
efforts, delivered thefe words in a trem-
bling yet emphatical voice :
" On a wretch who has deprived me of
" my fame and my innocence, by whofe
t( villainy I was precipitated from fecure
" happinefs to the gulph of infamy and
" wretchedness, on that monfter I have ob-
** tained the vengeance which my honour
* demanded. Execrations would now be
vain
39 ]
" vain and ungenerous ; but fomething is
" due to my own fame, and I ought to de-
" clare, that he mifled me, not by the de-
;c pravity of my own paflions, but by my
" love for him. He attached my heart
" when I was a ftranger to guile, and led
" me through all the varieties of ungovern-
" able fondnefs by infidious adulation ; he
u t::en reflgned me to difgrace and indi~
" gence, when I had no one to affift me
" but my God, or to foothe me but my
" child." She turned to the boy with
eager tranfport; a ray of tendernefs fhot
from her eyes, and he kuTed him with a
look which no defcription could delineate*
In the midft of her embraces a ftrong con-
vuliion feized her, and, in a few minutes,
fhe expired. None prefent could fpeak,
for they were all harrowed with wonder
D 4 and
I 40 ]
and dread. Sir Harry, who recovered
a little from his fwoon, uttered a few
words ir.a feeble voice : " Before I die, let
* { me intreat you, Lady Hyndley, to be
"" kind to that child ; if any conflderation
-" can expiate my crimes, it mud be the
" welfare of that infant, of whom I am the
"" father. As for you, I have amply re-
* e compenfed you in my will, for the un-
'* eafmefs I may have given you in my
*Mife. -Emily, my dear charming girl, let
" me embrace you ; I have been your friend
" and your protedlor, and I hope you will
* not find I am unworthy your regard in
*my behaviour to you when you perufe
" my will. Commend me to your family j
." may your charms and your virtues be
" beloved as I have beloved them, and you
" will never want a friend. The hand of
death
" death is on me, and I grow dim ; yet
< : there is a fecret I could wifh you to "
His voice then forfook him, and in violent
pangs he terminated his exiftence.
The amazement with which every be-
holder was feized at the view of this fcene,
produced a long filence, till Mifs Bryant,
hurfting into tears, poured forth the moft
piercing lamentations over the body of Sir
Harry Hyndley : " I have loft one who
" was fo generous a friend, that I hoped he
" would have lived many years to honour
" me with his regard and his protection."
Lady Hyndley was aftonifhed at her words,
and a look of difdain, which mewed her
fentiments, was darted at Emily with all
the acrimony of lively deteftation. Bruce,
not in lefs agitation, took the child, who
lay
r 4-i ]
lay frantic upon his mother's corfe, and,
after trying to foothe his grief, inquired
who he was. His name was Forrefter,
and they came that morning from *****,
the place where his mother had formerly
lived.
After the bodies were removed, and all
ajuftanceadminiftered, though ineffectually,
that could be thought of, the friends of Sir
Harry Hyndley were fent to the next day,
and upon opening the will, they found he had
bequeathed the following legacies : To Lady
Hyndley . 20,000, in addition to her join-
ture, which was . 2,000 per annum ; to
Mifs Bryant .20,000, which was left
in truft with her mother till fhe came of
agej to Lady Bryant .10,000, and to
Sir Edward Bryant, in confideration of
fome
[ 43 J
fome acts of fricndihip, . ic,ooe. Thcfe,
with a few ethers, were the only legacies
&e bequeathed.
Upon the perufal of the teftament, Laxfy
IJyndley, with a ferocity which {he had
never before difplayed, broke out into ex-
preflions of averfion and reproach againft
Emily. She reprobated the memory of
Sir Harry for throwing away fo much mo-
ney in what (he ftyled cm infamous legacy^
and concluded her afperfions by infifting
upon the departure of Mifs Bryant the
next morning. Bruce, who hardly dared
to interfere, left his pafiion for Mifs B.
mould be detected, with fome addrefs pre-
vailed upon Lady Hyndley, for her own
fakgy to permit Emily's refidence there till
flae could conveniently prepare for her de-
parture.
A queftioil
C 44 ]
A queftion now arofe : " \Vhat was to
" be done with the child r" Lady Hyndley
could not bear his prefence for fome time ;
but at laft Bruce told her, that if (lie de-
clined the prote&ion of him, he himfelf
would be at the expence of his education.
Her ladyfhip blufhed at her own want cf
humanity: the child was fuffered to remain
where he was.
Sir Harry Hyndley, but a few days be-
fore he died, had, with his fondnefs for
Mifs Bryant, privately made her a hand-
fome prefent. She always appeared very
wealthy, which might be expected from
the opulence of her own family.
Emily, whofe heart ever glowed with all
the generous feelings for fuffering huma-
nity, and who found in benevolence the
pureft delight, took the prefent opportunity
of
[ 45 j
of difplaying her munificence. She 'con-
ferred with Bruce on the Tub] eft of the
debts contracted by the unhappy female,
whofe error had been fo fatal to herfelf and
to Sir Harry : Emily then gave him fifty
pounds, infilled upon his accepting it for
the payment of them, and promifed as
much more as would fatisfy the creditors
if that was not fufficient. Bruce, whofe
income was not large, contributed a furn
for the fame purpofej but Lady Hyndley
refufed to hear of any fubfcription, or to af-
ford the leaft trifle on fuch an occafion.
Bruce afked her again ; (he frowned with
difguft : " Give them my warmeft cenfure
" for being fuch fools as to truft fuch a
;c woman in diftrefs." " I certainly
" will, Madam, they ftiall have the widow's
mite."
Bruce
[ 46 ]
Bruce went to the mother's lodgings to
get fome intelligence of her friends, but
without fucccfs. Nobody knew her ; fhc
had lived there for three years very pri-
vately, and no one ever came to vifit her,
but an old man who formerly brought her
money. This perfon had not been there
for fome time ; and it was fuppofed, when
they heard the ftory, that the extremity of
her indigence, and the keen fenfe of her in-
juries, had driven her to the defperate deed
which fhe perpetrated. Bruce fettled what
little debts were due there, and then re-
turned to Lady Hyndley.
"When he arrived, he found Emily with
the child upon her lap. She was endea-
vouring to afluage the violence of his dif-
trefs for the lofs of his unfortunate parent.
She had moderated his tranfports, and was
2 amufing
[ 47 J
amufing him with an inimitable (kill and
a playful tendernefs, to which her huma-
nity and her beauty added new luftre and
excited frefh emotions in the heart of
Bruce. He fat down near her : " How
" foon do you leave us ? Tell me, I intreat
" you, what courfe I (hall take to fee you
" as often as I have lately done, for I find
11 1 cannot live without you." -Emily
looked at him, and fmiled : "Any friend
" of Lady Hyndley's muft be dear to me ;
" and, after the treatment I received from
" her, I cannot but be difpofed to liften to
" the addrefles and proteftations of her fa-
u vourite." " Your reply is a fevere
" one ; why is a regard for Lady H. more
" criminal than a partiality for Sir Harry?"
Emily was (truck with confcious impropri-
ety of her own conduct : Bruce proceeded
However
[ 48 ]
" However circumftances may have ap-
K peared to injure your character, and how-
" ever malignantly they may have been in-
" terpreted, I cannot be prejudiced againft
" you ; I have ftill the higheft opinion of
u your virtues and your difcretion. Sir
" Harry is now dead, and you may want
" the fervice of one who makes it his
" glory to be faithful in his attachments,
" If you fmile at my enthufiafm, at leaft
u you may approve my adoration of you.
" When I forfeit my allegiance to my
M friends, may I become unworthy your
*' tendernefs j no greater curfe can befal
me." It is an odd feafon to talk
" of love, nor ought I to hear you on a
"fubjed fo foreign to my prefent fitua-
" tion ; I have, indeed, loft fuch a friend,
w that it is, perhaps, my duty never to al-
low
C 49 ]
" low another a place in my heart."
u As a lover, Madam, Sir Harry was, no
" doubt, happy." " You err moft cru-
" elly, he was no lover, he was merely a
" friend; it ill becomes you, Sir, to draw
" fuch conftruc~lions from that facred
" name j you injure his memory, and infult
" my character, if you think 1 was the
" companion of his pleafures ; Sir Harry's
" views were noble, he would not for the
" world " " Nay, Madam, after what
" we have this day feen, Sir Harry's
" virtues will hardly be brought even into
" queftion ; the wretch who could fubvert
" the principles, ruin the fame, and after-
" wards promote the deftru<Slion of a wo-
" man, is too depraved for me to vindi-
" cate : but I hope to be pardoned for
" daring to employ your time and your
VOL. I. E " thoughts
C 50 ]
" thoughts on fo worthlefs an objeft as
" mvfelf ; I want neither ardour, fincerity,
" nor perfeverance, but I ftand in great
" need of intereft in your heart; I have in-
" deed foolifnly thought, as you oftenta-
11 tioufly declined the idea of a fordid par-
u tiality to any admirer, that my adoration
u might be favourably accepted ; you know
u me for your friend, your fervant, and
*' your lover."
As he pronounced thefe words very
emphatically, Lady Hyndley entered the
room ; fhe appeared highly enraged, and
addrefled Emily with a look of infolent fe-
verity : " Since I know it, I {hall take care
" to be.fo much the friend of your familr,
" Madam, as not to let you throw yourfelf
41 away upon a young man whofe ingrati-
" tude to me proves him unworthy your
I "affection."
I 5i 3
K affection." Bruce was diflrefled at the
interruption : " If I am your lady/hip's
" friend, I am not your flave ; your in-
u fluence over me is that of haughty defpo-
" tifm, not of infinuating tendernefs ; I
" never meant to offend you by my regard
*' for Mifs Bryant ; your claims to my fin-
" cereft and moft zealous partiality are cer-
" tainly unlimited, but why may I not, in an
" honourable way, addrefs my vows to a
" lovely woman, who may boaft her em-
<c ciire over my heart, founded on virtue
u and beauty r" Lady Hyndley grew more
inflamed : " To-morrow, Madam, I muft
" recommend you to your family." Bruce
was ftung at her illiberal ufe of power :
" And to-morrow I mall return to Ox-
" ford." Lady Hyndley retired without
a reply. Emily, who would not appear to
2 be
[ 52 ]
be fenfible of her rudenefs, told Bruce that
{he had written to Lady Bryant, and fhould
have the carriage fent die next morning :
w My heart is fo completely wrung by the
" gloomy events of thefe three days, that I
" fhall hardly ever recover that airy mirth
" which has blefied me in every period of
" my life. I fhall refign myfelf to forrow
" and reflection, and endeavour to retire to
" the country, where no founds or fights
" of pleafure can interrupt my melancholy;
" I confefs to you, my tears will ever flow
4< for the lofs of poor Sir Harry ; why I fo
u much refpect his memory, and why my
" heart melts into the utmoft foftnefs of
" forrow at the recollection of him, I
" know not, unlefs it is the fenfe of his
{ unbounded generofity. Think not un-
*' favourably of me for having loved him; I
" have
[ S3 i
" have often told you it was friendfhip not
" paflion."
Bruce repeated his own ardent protefta-
tions : " I muft ceafe to hear you have fo
" little regard for yourfelf and me, as to re-
" linquifti all in the world that is worth
" living for ; would you give up fociety
" who have a mind formed for all that is
" great and good r" His pafiionate ve-
hemence affected her; {he felt returning
fondnefs glide into her foul ; and {he at laft
allowed him to vow eternal bondage to her,
and to feal it with a kifs upon her hand.
At that inftant the miniature of Sir Harry,
which hung at her watch, fell to the ground,
and broke. Bruce took it up, and faw her
relapfmg to her former uncertainty : " Can
" an event fo trifling, Madam, have the
"power of refuting my fincerity r"
E 3 Emily
[ 54 3
Emily gazed on the picture without re-
plying ; at laft fhe turned to Bruce, and,
with a compofed air, afked him, " What
" can make me amends for the lofs of fuch
" a friend and the injury to fuch a pic-
w ture? You cannot anfwer me I'll tell
" you then ; let me find in Bruce the man
" of honour, the tender friend, and the dif-
" creet companion, and I (hall always efti-
" mate his regard as a compenfation for
** every lofs and every forrow." Bruce
with great delight acknowledged her good-
jiefs.
They now retired, Mifs Bryant to her
own apartment, and Bruce to Lady Hynd-
ley, whom he found pouting with the fullen
difcontent of neglected vanity. He turned
the convention on young Forrefter, the
child of whom he had threatened to under-
take
[ 55 ]
take the care, if her ladyfhip caft him off.
She fpoke of him with acrimony : " Do
" you think it right, George, that this ur-
*' chin fhould be a charge upon me ? he will
u never repay me in any way for the gene-
u rofity T may mew him." " There-
" fore your ladyflvp feems inclined to keep
" him clear of ingratitude by never behav-
" ing towards him with common charity."
" I wifii he was taken away, I can-
" not bear him, he puts me fo much in
" mind of poor Sir Harry." " Much
" as your ladyfliip hated your hufband, I
" did not think you carried your antipathy
" fo far as to deteft the recollection of his
" image." a How impertinent you are,
" George but I fhall difmifs the boy."
" I am fure you cannot be fo cruel;
he is a fine little rogue ; let us fend for
4 him."
[ 56 J
him." I won't I will not fee
<c him." Bruce rung the bell, and the
child was brought into the room ; Lady
Hyndley arofe, and was going away, but
Mifs Bryant came in, and Bruce joined
her in prevailing upon her ladyfhip to flay.
The child fat for fome time, but without
fpeaking ; at laft Bruce called him : " How
a fhould you like to go away from here,
" and leave us ?" The boy lifted up his
eyes, and, looking earneftly at Lady Hynd-
ley, he went up to her, and, laying his
hand on her knee, " I don't like to leave
fuch a pretty lady as this." The fpeech
operated like electricity upon the generous^
the beneficent Lady Hyndley ; fhe took the
child in her arms, and kified him with
rapture : " Don't fear, my fweet little one,
" you never (hall leave me, I'll take care
** of you as long as J live he is a cliarm-
"ing
[ 57 ]
" ing fine fellow, George ; what eyes he
" has, and this chin is quite Sir Harry's !
" Ah ! I fhall love him for poor Sir Harry's
" fake what have you had for dinner to-
" day, my dear! poor thing ! he looks as
" if he had not eat this week ; do ring the
" bell, George, let us have tea, and give
" him fomething. Come, my little rogue,
" you fhall fit in my lap, and I'll always
" be your friend, and you will be my little
" companion."
The exceflive fondnefs which Lady
Hyndley lavifhed on the child was fcarcely
credible even to thofe who beheld it. One
of the greateft matters of the human heart
has faid, Nous fommes ft accoutumes a nous
deguifer aux autres, qu'a la fin nous nous
degulfons a nous memes.
The next day, previous to Emily's de-
parture,
[ 58 ]
parture, Bruce intrested her to let him ac-
company her to Sir Edward Bryant's.
She would not hear cf it : u Never, till you
" have every right over me which my hand
" can give you, fhall you be feen by my
" family ; if they receive you as a man of
" honour and a mr.n of fortune, they will
* take care to know that their expectations
u are well-founded, and I fhall have no
" opportunity of trailing to the purity of
" your principles or to the ardour of your
" paffion. You will be the choice of my
" friends, not the choice of my heart ; and
" I fhall be confidered as a mere wife, who
w has a right to every pleafure and refpect
" that you can give me. I fhall be obliged
" to advance a claim where I cannot prove
" a welcome in your mind, and fhall be-
" come no more than your rec-tor, to take
" tythes
C 59 ]
" tythes of all you poflefs and refide in
" the parfonage houfe. This will ren-
" der you and myfelf unworthy in my own
" eyes : when I ceafe to (hare your affec-
" tion, I will ceafe to deferve it ; and when
" I ceafe to deferve it, I will ceafe to claim
" it. While I am your friend I will treat
" you with the fmcerity of a wife ; if I am
" your wife I will treat you with the ten-
" dernefs of a friend, and thus endeavour
" to exalt the chara6ler of both."
Bruce was delighted with her franknefs
and her refolution : he endeavoured to per-
fuade her to marry him inftantly, but (he
fteadily refufed : " I owe refpe&ful be-
" haviour to my friends, and that is all
" but I owe much more to mylelf. Rec-
" titude, propriety, and difcretion, are to
" be confulted ; they are my guardians, and
I fhall
[ 60 J
" I fhall never marry without their con-
<c kntjir/l had and obtained." Bruce fmil-
ed : " You have read Dfflouches^ Madam ?
Emily. Certainly.
B. Do you remember his Triple Mar-
riage? It is a very good piece; Ifabelle
there fays to Nerine of her lover, " Je lui
a ai jure de n'epoufer jamais que lui."
To which Nerine replies, " Ma foi, Ma-
11 demoifcllc, il y a long terns que 1'amour
" & le marriage ont fait divorce, et qu'ils
u ont jure de n'habiter plus enfemble ; je
" compte plus fur leurs fermens que fur les
votres."
Emily. You are very fevere in your
application ; but it is no new thing for
young men to be more humorous than
tender. Your vanity, in fuppofmg I fhould
break an oath becaufe I am fmcere, has led
you
[ 6i ]
you into a moft capricious inference which
no reafon can juftify. I find I muft learn
to be lefs communicative. Now, theie-
fore, we are quits. You have amply re-
paid my plain dealing, by the fevere leflbn
you teach me to keep every pretended ad-
mirer at his proper diftance. I make you
a low courtefy for your excellent precept,
and beg I may not fee you often.
B. Every hour of
Emily. That I may be able to put it in
practice for, to adhere rigidly to your doc-
trine, I ought never to fee you again.
Emily was retiring, but Bruce recanted
with fo much pleafantry and ardour, that
being now invefted with the dignity of her
ferious lover, he took the oath and bis feat in
ber heart.
The refolution of Emily not to admit
Bruce
C 62 ]
Bruce at Sir Edward's left him in a ftate
of indeterminate anxiety. He could not
bear her abfence. She had told him that
flic fliould go for a few days to pay a vifit
in the country to one of her friends, Airs.
Ellyfon. He was earneft to (hew fome
new proof of his attachment, but he de-
clined mentioning his intentions to Mifs
Bryant. He had informed her that he
muft return to Oxford the next morning,
and he now repeated his declaration, add-
ing, that he fhould fondly hope for a
fpccdy interview with her, perhaps at Lady
Hyndley's. On the enfuing day they
parted; Mifs Bryant returned to Sir Ed-
ward's, and in the evening fet off to K.
Mrs. Ellyfon's houfe in the country.
Previous to Emily's departure, fhe again
exerted her natural benevolence. To Lady
Hyndley
C 63 ]
Hyndley fhe prefented very valuable and
elegant gifts, which (he had befpoken for
that purpofe fome time before. Her lady-
fhip could hardly endure the acceptance of
them, but the graceful charm with which
Emily offered them, overcame her lady-
fhip's averfion. To little Forrefter, the
new acquaintance at this houfe, who had
been well educated in the days of his mo-
ther's profperity, fhe gave fome proper do-
nations, which were handfome teftimonies
to his merit. Her ladyfhip and the whole
family were aftonifhed at her profufion and
generofity : " Why do you do this, Mifs
" Bryant ? What claims have we in your
" opinion to the eftufions of a liberality,
" which leads you to lavifh thefe prefents
" with fuch noble prodigality?" " My
" refpecl, Madam, rather let me fay my
" efteem,
C 6 4 ]
efteem, my affection for the memory of
w Sir Harry, (and let me declare it with-
" out offending your ladyftiip) will induce
" me, through my life, to behave to his
" friends and relations with folicitous en-
" deannent : my tears will ever ftream at
" remembering the wretched termination
u of his exiftence, and my heart will ever
" glow with gratitude at the recollection of
" the difmterefted partiality by which he
" attached me to his interefls. He was a
"munificent benefactor, prodigal in his
" bounties to me ; accepted by all my
" family as one of my firft friends j autho-
<c rifed by their moft unlimited regard, and
11 defer v ing every encomium from me by
" the flrength and the perpetuity of his
" kindnefs : thefe are motives to gratitude ;
u but my heart feems to tell me, that even
"had
I 65 ]
" had he never been fo partial to me, I
*' muft yet have loved him \vith tendernefs
" and with propriety, with invariable inno-
" cence and unequalled fervour."
Lady Hyndley faid no more ; the gifts cf
Emily foftened her antipathy, and trie man-
ner in which fhe now adddreiTed her had
fuch an appearance of {incerity, that {he
could not help hoping {he fpoke truth.
The fervants, Mifs Bryant, rewarded for
their attention to her with the fame dig-
nity cf beneficence ; and, when {he quitted
Lady Hyndley's houfe, carried with her the
bleiTmgs and the admiration of every inmate.
Bruce took his leave, for a fhort time,
of Lady Hyndky; he recommended the
child once more in a very pathetic manner,
and promifed her ladyfliip to revifit Lon-
don fhortly. He then departed, as {he ima-
VOL. I. F gined,
C 66 ]
gined, to Oxford, but really to the houfe of
a friend, who affifted him in an important
undertaking he had in view.
Bruce had been enamoured of many
\vomen yet had never before been fenfible
to a folid attachment. The dangers to
which he was liable, from being difcovered
by Lady Hyndley, loft all their terror on
the prefent occafion ; and it was only his
fear of being known to the friends of
Emily, that urged him to feek the flicker
of a difguife, by means of which he could
remain concealed, and at the fame time en-
joy frequently the company of Mifs Bry-
ant. Love, the creator of all artifice, at
laft fuggefted to him the difguife of a foot-
man, in which character he determined to
offer his fervices to Sir Edward Bryant,
who had difcharged one a few days before.
5 None
None of the family knew him ; Emily
would, doubtlefs, for her own fake, afiift
the deception ; and no difficulty occurred
but the want of a recommendation from
fome former matter. He immediately ap-
plied to his friend Orford, who had been a
partner with him in many airy frolics.
The propofal charmed a young man of lefs
invention and of as much gaiety as Bruce.
He fat down inftantly, wrote a long letter
to Sir Edward, and another to Lady Bry-
ant, wherein he {trained every epithet to
exalt his friend's talents for the office he
wiftied to fill : he repeated the moft ardent
declarations of that regard which he had fo
often profefled for the family, and as a
proof, recommended to them an excellent
young man, the bearer, who \vas> formed to
ferve them,
F ft Colonel
I 68 ]
Colonel Orford was one of the mod dif-
fipated chara&ers that blazed in the circles
of faftiionable fplendour ; yet he was a liber-
tine, not from inclination but, from youth-
ful vanity and habitual excefs. He natu-
rally abhorred diffipation of every kind, yet
a falfe difdain of domeftic virtues and ra-
tional amufements had plunged him into an
early courfe of unceafing debauchery. He
was often drunk, though he detefted wine :
he kept a miftrefs, to whofe charms he was
iX)t infenfible; but the dread of being
thought conftant, even to her, had frequently
united him to the moft elegant in high
life and to the moft defpicable in the lower
clafs of unfortunate women. He gamed
deep ; and, as he won without pleafure, he loft
without anger. The brilliancy of his dreis,
.the politenefs of his manners, and the mag-
nificence
[ 69 ]
nificence of his equipage, had fecured him
a place in the exalted circles, which arc
often ignorantly cenfured by thofc who
cannot approach them, without being fln-
cerely applauded by thofe who can.
Such was the affiftant of Bruce in his
prefent undertaking. A plain luit of cloaths
being provided, he waited on Lady Bryant;
and, after a few interrogations, was ordered
to come to his place the next day.
Eruce's romantic difpofition wasv every
\vay gratified in the purfuit of this fcheme.
He was wrapped in the contemplation of
his approaching triumph all the way to
Colonel Orford's, and as he went along, ran
againft three pofts, joftled a couple of por-
ters, and overfet an old lady, in the "cogi-
" bundity of his cogitations." He anlici-
F 3 pated;
t 70 ]
pated all thofe events which are governed
by improbability, and forefaw the iflue of
every circumftance, and the train of every
fuccefs, which could not poiHbly happen.
" While I am in the humble fituation
" which awaits me, I {hall not only indulge
11 myenthufiafm in the caufe of love but my
" raptures alfo in the fervice of friendfhip : I
" fhall fuperadd, to the glory of gaining my
<c miftrefs, the fatisfadtion of making new
" friends, a bufmefs which does honour to
" the man of benevolence and the man of
" the world. Thefe friends too, whom I
" gain in an humble .ftation, will be of the
" nobleft kind. They will berithful and
" difinterefied ; I fhall huve thef>eft oppor-
" tunity of trying their zeal anjpf proving
* ; their fteadinefs. Thus forrAig intima-
" cies
[ /I ]
" cies, as no man ever did before, I fliall
" not be indebted to fordid views for their
<c attachment to me. The world will now
" learn, that there ft ill exifts, in its full vi-
" gour, and in its moft fplendid colours,
* c the lofty fentiment of generous regard ;
" and how much I have deferved efteem
" will be manifeft by my fuccefs in fecur-
" ing it." Thefe were the felf-complacent
reflexions of Eruce, as he left Lady
Bryant's. In the fame ftrain of wild
imagination he raifed ideal and indiflbluble
fabrics of friendship in his converfation
with Orford, who irniicd at his oddity and
pitied his inexperience. Bruce, like a true
Quixote, liftened to no objections againft
the indulgence of his fanguine hopes ; in his
defence, we may remember that Crebillon
F 4 has
[ 72 ]
has faid, " Les lecons et les examples font
" pen de chofes pour un jeune homme, et
<; ce n'eft iamais qu' a fes depens qu'U
"s'inftruit*."
* Le3 Egaremens du Cceur & de T Efprit..
CHAP.
[ 73 I
CHAP. Ill,
Sur cet example, on peut ici m'en croire ;
Trop de talens, trop de fucces flatteurs
Trainent fouvent la ruine de< mcrurs.
CRESS T.-rVer. Vert.
"^ T T H E N Bruce arofe the next
morning, and prepared for his de-
parture, Orford informed him, that he had
the day before called at Lady Hyndley's ;
that ihe was going to (et off for the coun-
try without delay ; that {he intended to
write a letter to Bruce as foon as fhe ar-
rived there, and that fhe had, the day he called,
fcnt young Forrefter to a fcliool at fome dif-
tance from town, where, however, fhe did
not intend he foould remain, as fhe was
grown
['74 ]
grown fo fond of the child, it was impoflible
to part with him. She extolled him to the
Colonel with unwearied praife : " He is fo
u pretty ; he has fo many winning ways,
" and above all, though fo young a child,
" he has the fenfe, Colonel, to enter deep
" into my character, for he never thinks of
" me but kindly ; and he lifps his dear little
" praifes fo naturally ! he is a charming
" child ; and if he goes on as well as he
" promifes, we may hope from him every
" thing great and good."
Bruce departed, and arrived at Sir Ed-
ward Bryant's. His firft obje& was to in-
quire after his Emily; he was informed
that {he was gone to K. the refidence of
her friend Mrs. Ellyfon and was to return
-very foon. He then inquired into the
characters of the family j and, cultivating an
intimacy
[ 75 J
intimacy with Lewfton, who was woman
to Lady Bryant, he obtained the following
information.
Sir Edward was a character not often
feen. He was very facetious. Ever ready
to be entertained by his friends, and con-
tributed largely to their merriment : but he
had a mod dangerous talent; his love of
ridicule was not profefled. Difguifed by a
perpetu:;! appearance of kindnefs, no one
fufpec~cecl that his great aim, in the cultiva-
tion of his friendships, was to exhibit, with
treacherous (kill, thofe deformities which
disfigure the furface of every character in a
greater or lefs degree. He had the art of
foothing every body's failings, and extolling
their abfurdities, that he might obtain the
full length of every folly, out of which he
lrew a fund of humour for the amufement
of
[ 76 ]
of the table. Thefe perfidious blandifri^
ments were often happily exerted upon the
moft wife and the moft gigantic minds,
for as they v.-ere confcious of their own
powers, they little fufpedled any one watch-
ed their intellectual blcmifhes with a dar-
ing and fatirical merriment. Sir Edward
had many friends and an unbounded ac-
quaintance. A fmooth addrefs, a poliftied
behaviour, and a countenance, which had
been drilled at his entrance into life, and
exercifed in all the evcluiions of attractive
pleafantry and amiable benignity, fafcinated
thofe who were expofed to the derifion of
the fpec~tators by his infidious mirth. Ke
was a convivial bafiiifk, who attracted only
to deftroy.
Lady Bryant was an elegant woman.
Her drefs was the great object of her affec-
tions*
C 77 ]
>tions, and fo powerfully was fhe attached
to the Deity of fafhion, that every paffion
and foible was concentred in perpetual obe-
dience to his dictates. Of fuch a woman
I fhall not now fay much ; fhe is a com-
.rnon character, but not to be defpifed for
- thefe prcpenfi ties. Whoever renders them-
felves ar.d the world more agreeable than
they were are entitled to a very great portion
of popular applaufe.
Emily and a fon were the defendants of
; this family. Mr. Bryant had his mother's
fondnefs for fplendour, without his father's
admiration for wit. He was very polite,
for he would always laugh at a jeft without
requiring it to be explained, a condefcen-
fion which often laid the relater under fome
, obligation. Mr. Bryant's mouth was in-
-deed perpetually " ajar.*' He was perfectly
good-
good-natured. He would, at the coft o
others, eat with anybody, drink with any-
body, game with anybody, and do any
thing with anybody. Mis conftitution
would have been early facrificed to his fa-
cility of temper, and his eftate, perhaps,
fpent before he came to it, but one trait
in his difpofition carried an antidote to all
ruinous excefles ; for, of his friends, no one
accufed him of that pernicious brilliancy of
expence or thofe powers of entertainment,
which allure and enchain a company to the
utter ruin of their pofleflbr. Air. Bryant was
therefore only invited when he was thought
of. The young men of fpirir found him
too penurious, and the young men of
gaiety too dull, for their fociety. Kis chief
aflociates were die mere women of faibiorj,
whofe infipid minds eftablifhed a reciprocal
fecurity
[ 79 3
fecurity from every poflible danger. With
all this, his friend Temple declared, that
Mr. Bryant once faid a good thing ; for, to
the aftonifhment of every one he faid
grace at dinner.
On the enfuing morning, Bruce and
another fervant attended Lady Bryant to
pay vifits. The raft houfe they went to
was an ill omen for Bruce. They flopped
at Mrs. Sydney's, who was one of Bruce's
moft intimate friends, a woman from whom
he had received many favours, and whofe
abidance he had fome thoughts of foliciting
on the fubjet of Mifs Bryant. Mrs. Syd-
ney had a large fortune, and was rather
advanced in years. Among many good
qualities, which rendered her truly amiable,
fhe was principally beloved for her excef-
five zeal in promoting the happinefs of
young
[ 8o ]
young people, without patronizing their
-vices. She often inveighed againft the
cruelty and oppreflion with which the old
rule the young, defcanted very largely upon
the envious jealoufy with which they denied
-pleafures to youth, becaufe they themfelves
were unable to partake of them. She fre-
quently declared, that her mind fhould
never be out of its teer.s ; that fee looked
upon herfelf as bound in duty, for the ho-
nour of age, to fhew the world that fome
people might be eld and human at the fame
time, and to prove to them that there was
-not fo much difgrace in a fecond childhood,
provided the laft infancy was nourished by
the milk of human ki-.dr.cfs. Such a wo-
man was a proper perfon for Bruce to ap-
.ply to in his late exigency ; but the pre-
fcnt fcheme had rendered it unnecefiary.
Lady
C 81 ]
Lady Bryant flayed but a ihort time,
and then drove to Lady Warynton's,
where, while the fervants waited, Lord W.
came out. He looked at Bruce with fome
earneftneis, and then afked him if he was
not the new fervant lately come from Col.
Orford to Lady Bryant ? Bruce replied in
the affirmative ; and Lord W. defiring to
fpeak to him, he followed to the drefling-
room ; where, cautioufly (hutting the door,
Lord W. began.
Ld. W. My honeft friend, I have heard
fuch an account of your tfkill and fidelity
from your late mafter, who would never, I
allure you, have parted with you but to
oblige Sir Edward b'ryant, that I am induced
to rely upon your kindriefs and conduct
in an affair of great importance. If I find I
can depend upon you, promife yourfelf
VOL. J. G every
[ 82 J
every recompcnce my generofity can be-
flow, for, I never refufe to pay well, if I am
ferved with integrity.
Br. The report of your lordfhip's libe-
rality is not new to me. Fame has almoft
done juftice to your high ideas and to your
perpetual difplay of true nobility; I {hall
think myfelf gratified in the opportunity of
{hewing my refpedl for your chara&er. To
the facred and fo often abufed tide offrien^
I can never hope to lay claim ; it will be
enough for me to poflefs the luxury of re-
flecting what an amicable fmcerity might
have been interwoven between our minds,
had we been born equal.
Ld. W. Upon my word, you fpeak in-
comparably, for a fellow in your ftation.
Where did you come from ? I fancy you
muft have received a decent education.
Br. The
I 83 ]
Br. The great lefTon, my lord, which
I have learned, has been to make myfelf
ufeful. To cultivate the feeds of activity,
fidelity, and attachment, which I early dif-
covered in my own heart. A young lad,
who has to make his way in the world,
needs every requiiite of diligence and pru-
dence. I wifh I could add to the prefent
little ftock of merit, which your lord/hip is
pleafed to eftimate fo highly, the pleafure of
ferving you in any undertaking with zeal
and readinefs.
Ld. W. You aftonifh me ! why you are
juft the perfon I wanted. But I am fo
overwhelmed with furprife at your elevated
lentiments, and the propriety of your ad-
drefs, that I can fcarcely believe what I
hear.
Gz Br.
C *4 ]
Sr. I am forry for that, my lord, for
I fpeak fincerely.
Ld. 17. I do not doubt it; but I
mean, 'tis melancholy for you to be in
foch a fituation as your prefent one, with
die abilities which you poflefs.
Sr. I prefer my prefent fituation to all
others, my lord. I fee the world ; 1 have
little trouble ; and while I am treated with
kindnefs, I fball never regret the profperity
which I fee others in pofieflion of. I am
under many obligations to fortune ; for,
inftead of giving me a mafs of wealth, fhe
has beftowed upon me the means of enjoy-
ment.
Ld. W. And a philofopher too ! This
is the moft extraordinary inftance of for-
tune's caprice that I ever beheld but we
have
3
[ 8 5 J
have not now time to inquire about it. I
fee you have every excellence that I can wifh
for, and therefore I fcruple not to tell you,
you may look upon me as your friend.
Here is a letter which I wifh to have con-
veyed with all poflible care, fpeed, and fe-
<:rec", to the place of its addrefs. 1 hope
you know your bufmefs, your intereft, and
my power to fervc you, too well to betray
me. I am equally amazed and delighted
at your difcourfe ; and, when I have more
leifure, {hall be very glad to hear your hif-
tory, and to know if I can render you any
folid fervice. In the mean time, there are
ve guineas, as a pledge of my future fa-
vour.
Mr. No, my lord, you rnuft excufe
me if I decline your generous offer. I am
a perfect ifev.nger to you, and you cannot
G 3 tell
[ 86 ]
tell of what value or unimportance may be
my endeavours to acquit myfelf to your fa-
tisfa&ion. I will not abufe your bounty,
by receiving a donation before I have de-
ferved it. When I have executed your
commiiilon, and you have rcafcn to com-
mend me, I fliall think myfelf amply re>-
compenfed by the honour of your praifes.
Ld, W. By Keaven, you're a noble
fellow ! Well, my good friend, I am almoft
afhamed of not having paid a worthier tri-
bute to your merit, in a more decent way.
I fincerely beg your pardon, and fhall feek
an opportunity to make amends for my de-
ficiency. There is the letter ; it is for Mife
Meredyth ; he lives in * * Street, Portman
Square. If you can contrive to leave it
before fix, and bring me an anfwer, your
whole commilHon will be fully executed ;
and
[ 87 J
and I'll meet you at night at Mrs. Ruclle's
in Dover Street.
Lady Bryant's carriage was now called ;
Bruce therefore quitted the room and
foon after went away with her ladyfhip.
They reached Sir Edward's before four,
and Bruce was then luckily difpatched with
fome notes to that part of the town where
Mifs Meredyth refided. Ke went to the
houfe ; and, after waiting fome time for an,
anfwer to Lord W.'s letter, he was ordered
to come up flairs. A fervant (hewed him
into a room where Mifs Meredyth fat..
She was a moft beautiful woman, of five
and twenty, elegantly drefled; and in her
eyes were blended fuch a mixture of vi-
vacity and tendernefs, that their power was
irrefiftible: "Do you live with Lord
"Waryntonr"
G 4 Br.
[ 88 ]
Sr No, Madam, I live vviih Sir Ed-
ward Bryant ; but have the honour of being
employed by Lord Warynton on this occa-
fion.
Mifs M. You was ordered to wait for
an anfwer ?
Er. Certainly, Madam. I prefume yen
are too well acquainted with the impa-
tient difpofition of Lord Warynton not to
fuppofe that he ordered me to wak.
Mifs M. Blefs me ! he had more fenfe
than to mention the contents of his filly
letter to any body, I hope ?
Br. Upon no account, Madam upon
no account in the worldfor it was irapof-
fible that any body could guefe them.
Mifs M. I fancy you would fmile now,
if yon dared ; and truly I could not blame
you. I fuppofe you are his confident ?
Br.
[ 9 J
Br, I dare not boaft fo much, Madam ;
for I have net earned his unlimited frank-
nefs.
Mfs M. Is this the firft embafly of
the kind in which he has employed you?
Br. Upon my honour it is -and per-
haps, Madam, it will be the laft.
Mifs M. I hope fo, for his own fake.
There is an anfwer, it is very fhort but
it is the laft I ftiall write.
Br. May I prefume to requeft, Ma-
dam, that the anfwer (hall be fuch as will
afford him fome pleafure ? I fhould be very
unwilling to be the meflenger of unpleafmg
news.
Miff M. How, are you interefted in it?
Br. No further than as I am influ-
enced by my very great refpecl for Lord
Warynton.
JHf,
f 90 ]
Mifs M. I never defire to hear any
thing about Lord Warynton ; and I mould
think myfelf indebted to you, if you would
for the future decline bringing me any let-
ters or meflages from him.
Br. I never before, Madam, was fo
cruelly fituated. His lordfhip's kindnefs
to me has been fo great, I think myfelf
every way obliged to exert myfelf in his
fervice; and, I confefs, till now never
thought it difficult to obey him. Permit
me to fay, that when he gave me the billet,
which I juft brought, it was with an air of
fo much truth and tendernefs, that I did
not doubt his fuccefs, in whatever it con-
tained, before I faw you and ftill lefs af-
terwards.
Mifi M. You plead his caufe very
well. Who taught you to fpeak fo much
above
[ 9' J
above your ftation ? You muft have haJ
an able teacher.
Br. Indeed I had, Madam ; but names
are facred. I (hall have a much higher
opinion both of the inftru&or and the pu-
pil, if I can prevail upon you to fend his
lordfhip a gentle anfwer.
Mifs M. Who are you ? Have you
lived long with Sir Edward ?
Br. Two days, Madam.
Mifs M. Your hiftory muft be inte-
refting. I wonder by what ftrange fatality
you have been fo mifplaced in the world.
To a perfon of your fagacity, fuch a fitua-
tion muft be truly mortifying. Have you
no profpedt of railing yourfelf to a more
eligible rank ?
Br. Why (hould I, Madam? That
pofl, which gives me the opportunity of ac-
cefs
[ 92 ]
cefs to fo lovely a woman as Mils Mere-
dyth, can have no circumftances, however
difagreeable, which are not eafily borne.
But, the truth is, that the condition of a lac-
quais has ten thoufand advantages which I
may lay our fuperiors never attain to. In
the firft place, we are often at the tables of
the great; and fome among u$ have the
ear of the leading men in this country.
Mtfs M. What, the men of fafhion ?
Br. No, Ma'am, .thofe are the led
men; I mean the men in power But, I
beg pardon, I fhould have mentioned firft,
a much more important advantage we are
always near the ladies, the contemplation
of whofe beauty mitigates many difficulties
and many (brrows.
Mifs M. I Ihould rather imagine you
mull be frequently mortified, if you have
the
C 93 J
the fenfibility to be touched by beauties,.
Which you can never pofiefs.
Br. Pardon me, Madam ; there are
fbme women whofe portraits are inimitably
fine, but who are obfcured by a want of
intereft in the countenance there are
others indeed Here he fighed, and
looked on the ground ; Mifs Meredyth re-
plied, " Well, what of thofe others ? How
do they differ ?
Br. In the radiance which their minds
communicate to their eyes, and that de-
lightful illumination and intelligence which
are difuifed through their countenances.
Mifs M. Then the fex feems to be di-
vided between light and fhade.
Br. I never prefume, Madam, to judge
decifively. I am too young, and ought to
be too diffident of my own difcernment, to
form
[ 94 ]
form an opinion, which a glance from a
beautiful woman may deftroy in an in-
ftant.
Mifs M. And, do you never venture to
form any opinion of the fex, then ?
Br. Yes, Madam, one invariable deci-
Con that they can be judged of by no ge-
neral rule.
Mifi M. This is rude, Sir your good
fenfe might have taught you better, and
your good manners fhould have deterred
you from giving a verdict you cannot fup-
port. Your vanity has been excited by
fome unexpected, perhaps fome unmerited
honour; and you fuffer a vanity, which
might be turned to your advantage, to be
mifled by your fpleen.
Br. Spleen, Madam, I have none
Vanity I have much, and I never found it
dangeroufly
C 95 ]
dangeroufly gratified' till now. Your fo-
licitude to hear my opinion made you for-
get the inconvenience of fincerity. I will
make any apologies for daring to be inge-
nuous and muft fubmit to your fevere
cenfure of my inability to deceive you.
Bruce here made a very graceful bow,
and was retiring, when Mifs Meredyth,
with a blufli, called him back.
Mifs M. I beg your pardon for what 1
faid, and for feeming more interefted in your
ftory than it was poflible I could be. If
my refpect for Lord Warynton led me to
be candid to his ambaflador, I may efcape
reproof without the charge even of impro-
priety.
Br. You charm me. Madam, by your
good opinion of his lordmip ; and I fhall
take particular care to convince him how
4 fenfible
f 96 ]
fenfible you are of his merit. He will be
delighted at the fuccefs of my embafly,
fince I have obtained for him what I could
not procure for myfclf-^your good opinion.
Mfe M. Nay, nay do aot run away
in an error and miflead your employer I
never intend to fee Lord Warynton ; and, I
requeil you, if he aflcs your opinion on the
probability of his fuecefs, that you will tell
him fo. You ieem not to be acquainted
with either my fituation in life or my prin-
ciples of a&ion. I am a woman born to be
fwayed by paffion and prepofleffion. The
tendereft and the fofteft impulfe of the
heart is mingled with all my ideas of plea-
fure and plans of happinefs. Fond and
luxurious, I have yet neither injuftice nor
arrogance : it is my error to yield to the
firft emotions excited by love and to ac-
knowledge
f 97 J
knowledge an impreffion even from an 'in-
ferior but I will never facrifice myfelf to
the importunity of thofe who have higher
duties and fuperior claims.
A foft effufion upon her cheeks, excited
.by a mixture of fliame and pailion, con-
ferred new beauty upon the charms of Mifs
Meredyth ; fhe walked to the window, and
Bruce, who was never at a lofs, replied
immediately :
Er. You honour me, Madam, by your
noble frank nefe, which I, fo much your in-
ferior, have no right to expect. I applaud
that fpirit of integrity and ; * independence
which enables you to purfue your own
pleafure, without being gratified at the ex-
pence of your equity, or the peace of others.
What fhall I fay to Lord Warynton ? Will
he not fufpeft me of negle&ing the charge
VOL. I. H I have
I have received ? I fear I mall incur hii
refentment.
Mfs M. You ought, for you fee his
lordfhip has the gallantry to be in fear of
incurring mine.
Br. I feel your reproach very fenfibly
but I dare not be my own interpreter, and
ftill more I fear to be your's.
Mifs M. Thefe fears may increafe, and
I never wifh to be the caufe of fuch un-
pleafing fenfations. The whimficai pride
of hiding your penetration ill fuits with the
high ideas that might be formed of your
generofity at firft feeing you. I am forry
n?.t I have fo far forgot what is due to
you, and what is due to myfelf. You
could hardly, therefore, wonder if I hinted
to you, that no meilage from Lord Waryn-
be agreeable to me, and that his
2 meflengers
r 99 3
meflengers mxift have politenefs and good
fenfe, at leaft equal to your perverfenefs,
before I can receive them with friendly
confidence.
Br. I can bear any evil, Madam, but
your difpleafure.
A fcrvant now entered the room and
announced Mr. Aigrette the jeweller:
Tell him," faid Mifs M. that I am
" engaged at prefent, but that I will fend
K to him to-day."
The fervant retired. Mifs Meredyth
paufed a few minutes, and then unlocking
a drawer, took out a faufie-montre : " In
" your way home, oblige me by leaving
" this at Aigrette's ; he is to return a caf-
*< ket, which I fhall thank you for bring-
" ing to me any time to-morrow, but de
" liver it into no hands except my own."
II 2 Bruce
C ioo ]
Bruce readily promifed to obey her; he
alked if fhe had any further commands:
* l I have no right to command," replied
Mifs Meredyth, "where neither conde-
" fcenflon nor influence are acknowledged.
" You boaft of being a fervant to Lord
" Warynton as well as to Sir Edward
" Bryant, and who would quit the fervice
" or the interefts of two fuch men ?"
** How am I to underftand you, Madam ?
" You are in great hafte ! but, how-
"ever, let me fee you to-morrow."
Bruce added a final obeifance and with-
drew. " What a fmgular woman !" he re-
flected as he returned from her : " She is
* exquifitely beautiful ! I believe, (Emily
"forgive me!) I believe I fighed did I
u figh ? and if I did, what then ? I am too
w much attached to Emily to fufpecT: my-
[ 101 J
" felf but I am to call again to-morrow
" to what end ? She is very pretty but
" what is that to me I am only plenipo
" from Lord Warynton but then I have
u declined all mercenary advantages, and
in love I ought to do fo I'll afk Mifs
" Meredyth's opinion of itfhe may per-
" haps recompenfe my fidelity and difin-
" tereftednefs and it fhould be requited
" with femething more than praife. How I
" wander, but l L' amour tie/} qu'illujion ; it
* fefait pour ainfe dire un autre univers ; II
4 s'entourt d'objets qui ne font polnt^ ou auxquels
4 luifeul a donne Fetre : et comme il rend tous
1 fes fentimens en images^ fan langage ejl tou-
< jours figure.' "
ROUSSEAU, Heloifc.
H 3 CHAP.
CHAP. IV.
* It faHs out, very often, that, in moral queftions, th
" philofophers in the gown and in the livery difte*
*' not fo much in their fentiments as in their language,
*' and have equal power of difcerning right, though
they cannot point k out to others with equal ad-
drf.fi."
THE RAMBLER, N 68.
T T was half paft fix before Bruce ar-
-"- rived at Dover-flreet. When he en-
tered Mrs. Ruelle's houfc, he was defired
to walk into a room, where Lord Waryn-
ton preiently came to him : " Well, my
<l ingenious philofophcr, have you fucceed-
" ed in delivering my letter ? Was fhe at
" home and in a good humour ? But per-
* c haps you did not fee her." Bruce gave
the reply from Mifs Meredyth with a fmile.
His
[ 103 ]
Mis lordfhip opened it, and read with afto-
nifhment the following words, which he then
repeated to Bruce : " Your lordftiip knows
" my principles and my errors ; if I have not
" been delicate and lofty in my fentiments
" of love, I have been invariably governed
" in the choice of my companions by opi-
" nions in fome degree honourable. I
" have before told you, that as I am at my
" own difpofal, I will follow the dictates of
" a heart which has yet been depraved by
" only one failing. I never will receive
" the addrefles of a married man, nor add
" to the lift of my offences the crime of
" deftroying the honour and happinefs of a
" whole family. I muft decline permitting
" any farther importunities from a man
" whom every tie of probity, generofity,
11 and propriety forbids me to liften to."
H 4 And
"And was this all you could do for
* me ? Inexorable woman ! I would give
" my life and fortune for her favours."
Br. She wifhes your lordfhip very well ;
and you find that her regard for your cha-
ra&er and her own, is an infurmountable
bar to your feeing her.
Ld. W. What can me mean ? a wo-
man with fuch fine libertine principles as
fhe has always profeffed, would fcorn the
vulgar fqueamifh affectation of a narrow-
minded girl.
Br. I muft fay there is great honour,
my Lord, in her rejecting your offers, be-
caufe you are married. She feems a very
extraordinary creature, and, no doubt,
piques hetfelf upon being no one's enemy
but her own.
Ld. W* I wi/h I had never feen her.
Indeed)
C 105 ]
Indeed, my friend, you muft go to her for
me once more to-morrow you (hall have
another note ; I cannot give her up, it is
impoflible. You are willing to ferve me
in this bufinefs, and fmce you have pro-
fefled your zeal, prove it by your fuccefs.
Sr. Xo-morrow, my Lord, I will cer-
tainly attend you again.
Ld. W. Will you do me the favour to '
call a coach ? Bruce obeyed, the coach '
was called, and he retired. When he 1
reached Sir Edward's he was reprimanded'
by Lady Bryant for his lingering on his'
mefCiges. Mrs. Lewfton, her woman, who '
was prefent, mentioned that he had been 1
at the fate time employed by her, and
took great pains to exonerate Bruce from
her ladyfliip's difpleafure. As he came'
down flairs, Mrs. Lewfton followed him :
"Iwas
r ">6 ]
" I was very glad, James, that I happened
" to be in the way when my lady was angry;
" I hate words, and you may always depend
" upon me to get you out of afcrape." Bruce
thanked her, and fhe proceeded : " Will
" you fup with me to-night in my room ?
"Do; I fhall have a friend juft to pick a
a bit, and we may have a nice evening.
*' My lady and Sir Edward will be out, fo
" we (hall hardly be wanted ; do, let us,
44 James pray why can't we keep life and
" foul together as well as our betters ? and
K I affiire you we will have a nice evening.
Mrs. Honour, in Tom Jones, had
*' often a nice evening ; and Mrs. Slip-
** flop, in one of 'Squire Richardfon's ftories
" let me fee which was it ay, God's
" Revenge againil Adultery ay, there
" was another nice evening and we'll
have
[ io 7 J
u have one too. You fee I have been edu-
"cated, James I've read yes, a many
" books I have been a great reader in my
" time : I fubfcribed for a month to a cir-
" culating library ; and I read a volume of
" Mr. Shandy's Travels and I read the
" Adventures of a Pump and the Memoirs
" of an old Hat, and the Life of Peter the
" Pojlman, and half a volume of the For-
" tunate Fool, and a chapter in the Civility
" of Sentiment^ and
Bruce, who became ftunned by her cla-
morous enumeration of what (he had read,,
replied with a fmile : " I dare fay, Mrs,
" Lewfton, you have employed the leifurc
" you have occafionally found very pro-
" perly ; and indeed the elegant choice of
" your favourite authors convinces me of
" your diftinguifhed tafte. I (hall, without
u doubt, haften to join your agreeable
party
w party of this evening, but muft beg your
w excufe at prefent, as I am to attend my
lady to the Opera." The arrival of
Colonel Orford, and the duties of his office,
terminated this conference. The Colonel
found an opportunity of fpeaking to Bruce :
** I perceive here have been many remarks
" made upon your conduct ; Lady Bryant
'* fays there is fomething fo uncommonly
a refined in your difcourfe and your man-
** ners, that me cannot imagine where you
"have been bred. She likes you very
u much, but your mifdemeanour of this
" evening muft be repaired by double dili-
** gence for the future, fmce I perceive her
w favour is eaflly gained and eafily loft.
* Sir Edward is a very eafy man to ferve ;
'* and if you can find any opportunity to be
w witty, he will adore you. I have been
M enquiring
[ log 3
" enquiring about Emily ; fhe is to return
11 foon. When fhe comes make yourfelf
" known to her, and endeavour to prevail
" upon her to fly immediately : at my
" houfe in the country you fhall find an
" afylum. I muft caution you to beware
u of Lady Bryant ; fhe is jealous of her
" daughter's perfonal attractions, and would
" not endure that fhe fhould have any
" influence even over her domeftics."
" You would not cenfure me," faid Bruce,
" if you knew the unaccountable adventure
" I have had ; pray tell me did you ever
" hear of a Mifs Meredyth, who lives in
*** ftreet?" I recoiled the name;
" and now it occurs to me that I heard
" her mentioned in a whifper one day lately
" to Lord Warynton, by a young fellow
" whom I meet there fometimes j his name
[ "0 ]
* is Evelyne : if you can contrive to be
" prefent the next time he is with his lord-
" fhip, where he frequently vifits, you may
** obtain fome information from him."
Bruce then gave him an account of the
events in that day. Orford became curious
for a further knowledge of Mifs Meredyth,
and promifed to bring Mr. Evelyne to
Lord Warynton's, if he could meet him
as if by chance the next morning. " Eve-
** lyne is very communicative, and defires
" nothing more than to oblige a friend : he
" is patronifed by Lord Warynton with fo
much real regard, that he is anxious for
** every opportunity to ferve his lordmip's
u acquaintance. He is a new character,
w and worth your feeing."
The carriage now fet off for the Opera
with Lady Bryant, Sir Edward, Mr. Bry-
ant,
[ in ]
ant, and Colonel Orford, attended by
Bruce, and John another fervant. When
they were fet down, John turned to Bruce:
" I don't know how you may find yourfelfj
" Mailer James, but I am plaguy hot with
" my ride j come, I'll go and dip my
" beak into a bottle, and I dare fay if you
" do the fame none will go the wrong
" way." Bruce, who determined to fee
as much of the world as his prefent fixa-
tion afforded, willingly accepted the invita-
tion. " Where do we go ? To the next
" houfe ?" " No," replied John, " I
" was minded to go to the Rainbow in
*** ftreet, for at the Golden Goat the
" company is too low for any genteel per-
" fon." Bruce, fmiling at his delicacy,
afked him if the Rainbow then was fre-
quented
quented only by people of the frjl rank ?
No one comes there but with their
" own carriage we don't admit hackney
*' comers. If a fervant was to come who
<c had only attended a hack, we fhould
" take his number, and ouft him immedi-
** ately No, the peers, people of fortune,
" and profeflions, are the only members of
" our fociety, and no new one can be ad-
" mitted without the confent of the whole
" club a vifiter now and then is received,
" but then he muft treat the company if he
" is inferior. The Prince of Wales's or
" any royal fervant may be admitted an ho-
" norary member ; for whatever people may
" fay, Mafter James, there is nothing like
" blood, and none defpife it but thofe who
are of low origin. We all ftick very
r ^3 ]
" ftriclly to our ru-les, and keep the foci-
" cty very facred. Such are the conditions
" at the Rainbow."
Br. "The Rainbow;" ay, that's
where fervants ftand at livery.
They now arrived at the houfe, and
John going up to the bar, addrefled the
girl, who was very pretty, " Well, Nina,
" who's come ? a great many arc expelled ;
" you know Saturday is always Opera and
" club-night, but at prefent there are only
" The Bufy Body, George Barmuell, The
" Midfummer Nigbfs Dream, Sedufiion y
" and his brother Such Things arc there's
M Hamlet juft coming in at the door and
"who's that? Lord blefs me! I
" vow it's the Agreeable Surprrfe that dear
" little fellow whom we have not had fo
" long ; I am glad to fee him here again.'*
VOL. I, I She
I 114 ]
She went to the two men who entered,
and John turning to Bruce, defired him to
walk up : " You are to know, Mr. James,
" that there is a little fecret I muft treat
" you with before we go in : all our club, .
" when we firft formed ourfelves, were at
<l a lofs how to diftinguifh one member
* from another. The names John, Dick,
" Harry, Thomas, might often clafli, as
u there might be many of the fame name
" in company. As to our furnames^ many
" of us hardly knew 'cm ourftlves. To
<c take the names of our matters was not
*' agreeable, for, you know, it has been
" made the fubjccl of laughter fc much,'
"that we difdained running the fame
"rifque again. While we were in this*
" ftate of doubt, I met with a clever young
" dog, who lives fervant with Mifs Ben-
vvrl,
C. 5 I
" wal, an acquaintance of my lady's I he,
"Sir, had been a (trolling player, and -htf
" put us in the head to name every mem-
" her by the name of fome good acVmgf
" play, according to his own manners, dif-
** pofition, or rank in life; we hit upon the
" fcheme, and it anfwers vaftty well fo
u you muft not wonder if you hear us call
" each other by odd names."
Br. I hope the young fellow, who was"
fo lucky as to give you a hint for proper
epithets for each member, was amply ie-
compenfed in return.
John. Will you credit it! I never could
get him made member of the fociety arid'
indeed who could expecl it ? We could
not, you know, admit a fellow who had"
been a ftroiling player into fuch a meeting
as our's. No, he dines with us now. anft
I 2 then.
C 116 J
then, and we have the greatefl efteem foe
him poffible but he cannot rank with us.
They now entered- the room John
went up to one of them : " Friend Barn-'
** well, how is it with you ? tip us your
** hand, my little tnafter. Well, my boys,
" I have brought you a brother to peep
* on us for the night there he is I am
a forry, faith, that you're not all here, I
a mean to propofe him as a member in-
K deed we don't like to increafe our num-
a ber; but, hang it, for a friend."
"Ah, friend Macbeth, friend Macbeth,"
rejoined the other " fad news, Mac-
"beth! fad news Indeed!" "What
* the plague's the matter?" "The
** poor Deuce is in him is dead." " Is
u he, faith ? poor Deuce h in him ! is it
true ? Yes, too true ; his flambeaux
u went
C "7 .]
** went out laft night- turned out of the
<c world at a minute's warning, and I don't
<c think .he'll meet with fuch a good place
" there as he had here great wages and
*' little to do never -obliged to go out
" with the carriage no, he'H find no fuch
" place again." " What did he die of?"
" Ahi don't mention it ! the poor fel-
" low died of a rout carrying invitations
*' from her ladyship he took a fever, and
" quitted the fervice. But ccmc, let us
*' have more of this port pretty good is n't
" it, Macbeth ? So, here's fome more
" of us coming."- John and Bruce fat
down, and, as the reft of the members en-
tered, John told him their names : " You
*' fee the fmart fellow that's coming in now,
" with his hair well drefled, and a, very good
*' pair of eyes, which he is always rolling
13 about ;
** about ; he is perpetually ogling the
" wenches his name is King Leer. He
" that follows is the fon of a cabinet-maker
u who broke ; he lives with Lord Lively,
" and takes his place here under the name
" of The Upbolfterer. There comes a fo-
c reign fellow, that ferves Lord Mufkall;
*' he imports every year large quantities of
" efiences and perfumes of every fort from
" Italy he is the Merchant of Venice:'
" Really," interrupted Bruce, "youfeemto
u be quite mafter of the fubjecl ; you have
"adapted thefe names very fktlful'.y I pre-
" fume fome of your club read." " Sonic
u few there are about five or fix of us
" who are dabs at fcholarfhip all thefe read
" you every play and poem as they come
out but we begin to think of leaving it
*.' off, for it grows damned vulgar : our
" matters
C 119 I
" mafters and miftrefles have difdained the
"'thing a long time when they threw it
" off, we took it up ; but it is really be-
u come fo very ungenteel, that I think (as
K we are fometimes obliged in the way of
" our profeffion to handle the pen) the rif-
" ing generation of footmen muft hit upon
'** a fcheme for learning to write, without
" ever degrading themfelves by learning to
read."
Another party now entered ': - w That
" chap in the blue and white livery t-rim-
" med with filver lace," faid John, " is a
devilifh fhrewd lad ; he affifted Sir Gretna
" Green in carrying off the great Welch
u heirefs, and has done a vaft deal of bufinefs
w in that way he is here known as The
" Beaux Stratagem: he is growing rich,
M ar.d I fancy will foon refign. The mid-
I 4 die-
[ 120 J
" die-aged man is one that's always ripe
u with fome comical ftory, with which he
" fometimes keeps our fociety upon the
" roar for a whole night ; his name is /'//
" tell you what. That one entering with
" the bottle in his hand, is the purveyor of
" our liquors ; he was butler to Count
" >uaff, and underftands wine amazingly
" well he is The Critic" A brifk, jovial
fellow now entered : " Ah, my hearts, f
" are you all here ? Come, a propofal to
you and I (hall make it with dry lips,
" for damme if I'll kifs the cup till I have
" your agreements : Here's the poor
" Deuce is in him gone dead turned the
" corner, and fo forth ; he has left his wife
" without much money what fay you, my
" merry men all ? Suppofe we kick up a
* little for the poor woman, without leav-
"ing
[ 121 J
*< ing her to the mortification of applying
" to the charitable and humane and thofe
" whom Heaven has bleffed with affluence"
The motion was received with much
applaufe j and thefe good fellows, with a
benevolence which would have done ho-
nour to the nobleft ftation, collected a large
fum for the widow of their late compa-
nion.
Bruce now took his leave. He had be-
held a proof of exalted generofity in a rank
of life, the individuals of which are cen-
fured becaufe they feel their own impor-
tance in the fcale of human beings, and
are cruelly and unjuftly defpifed, becaufe
they are dependent upon the wealth, the
caprice, and the infolence of their matters,
to whom they frequently find themfelves
iuperior in intellect, good fenfe, and know-
ledge
[ 122 ]
ledge of the world : among fuch noble dif-
pofitions, the enthufiafm of Bruce led him
to anticipate faithful friends, and perhaps
'his romance was feldom more excufable,
'for their profufion was the effect of gene-
"rofity, and their civility was the language
'of nature.
It was after ten when Bruce went to
Mrs. Lewfton's rooms, where he found
"her all alone. " My friend is not yet
* come, I can't think what keeps her ; ftie
" w is vaft alluring, James ; {he is fuch a
"** fine creature, about twenty, with a 'pretty
lc little fortune, I aflure you* Caft your
" eye at her," purfued (he, tapping him oh
the fhoulder, " caft your eye at her, or
14 fhe will get married before you expect ;
" Money makes the mare to go."
Br* I am too young to marry, Mrs.
Lewfton
Lewflon befides I don't know enough of
the world.
Z, No, no, you are too old to be
fingle, and you know more of the world
even than I do, and this is the place to
make ufe of it Here you may make your-
felf friends in abundance. Mrs. Lew-
fton's friend now entered, and Lewftoh
fpoke very fondly t " My dear Betfy,
" where have you been ? how long you
"ftayecf! What, I fuppofe Mifs Benwal
ft had not done her evening duty ? I war-
" rant now me has been rehearfmg all the
" articles of her belief."
Betty. Yes, me has read all the Apo-
crypha to me. I thought I fhould have
never got away. Then fhe fent me to" a
poor lad who formerly lived with her, to
carry a receipt for the evil'; (he won't let
him
r 124 j
iiitn come to her, as all the reft of the pa-
tients do, becaufe he told her a lie foms
little time ago, and fhe ever fince calls
him her little Gehazi. Then I was obli-
ged to go home to her again, and (he had
got two or three people from the parifh in
the country; they were fettling accounts
with her in the Gilgal room.
Mrs. L. The what room ?
Betty. Dear me! did not you know
that all our apartments are nam^d after
fcripture ?
L. No ; what can that mean ?
Betty. Every one of 'em they have all
their feparate ufes. In one fhe fees her
fick people ; in another fhe manages the
church affairs ; in another fhe receives the
complaints of her penfioners ; another fhe
keeps for ftrangers. And all her rooms have,
[ 125 J
as I faid before, particular names taken
from the bible : there is the Ark parlour ;
there is the little Canaan clofet ; the Red-
fea room that's where the company dine ;
the Mofes and Aaron drawing-room, where
fhe entertains her two rectors in town and
country, with the principal managing peo-
ple of the charities. There's the Shem and
Japheth drefling-room, where fhe diftri-
butes the apparel which fhe gives away I
can't remember half the names of the places
where, a$ fhe fays, fhe does her funfiions ;
and indeed we all owe Ainfworth, our fel-
low-fervant, who was a player, and firft
put it in her head to nickname them, we
all owe him a grudge for advifmg her to
continue the cuftom.
Mrs. L. 1 never heard, in all the works
I ever
E i*6 )
I ever read, of fuch a woman as Mifs Beru
wal.
Bruce. Really I fhould think your houfe
muft be like an inn I fuppofe, when any
body calls on Mifs Benwal, the order is
w Shew them into the Lamentations."
Betty. Haf ha! I've heard of Mr.
James's humour before I faw him a
friend of mine, indeed, fpoke fo handfomely
of him, that I muft have known him if I
had not been told who he was. There
are people whom one as it were prcdtftl-
nates, I think my miftrefs calls it 1 beg
pardon, Sir, but I am fo ufed to talk church
language, that I hope you'll excufe it.
The girl continued, all the evening, to
ogle Bruce. He went home with her,
and it was not without difficulty that he
extricated
D 127 ]
extricated himfelf from the influence of het'
eyes. He returned to Mrs. Lewfton, and
from her collected an account of die mif-
trefs. Mifs Benwal was a good and a
weak woman ; and (he was infinitely pious.
Her fortune was large, but flie limited her
expences from the moft laudable of all mo-
tives, that ftie might be able to diftribute
without fplendour, and without error,
"" health to the fick, and folace to the Jwain."
Her whole time was nearly occupied in
thefe exemplary employments, which were
fo many and fo various, accompanied with
fuch intricacies of impofition, and attended
with fuch frequent difplays of miftaken be-
nevolence, that envious malignity would
raife falie reports, and wicked wit ridicu-
lous laughs, at Mife Benwal's expence. It
ihould, however, be confidered that much
7 general
general good cannot be done without in-
finite labour, even by an opulent be-
nefa&or. Mifs Benwal might have be-
ffowed fmaller donations with more bril-
liancy, if {he had confined her charity to a
lefs circle, but {he was anxious to do much
good, and to many people. The part fhe
took in a variety of concerns induced one
eternal fcene of reftlefs irritation through
her whole life. Slight diftreiles were
to be appeafed, and trifling wifhes to be
gratified. She entered with ftrcnuous di-
ligence into every petitioner's concerns j
and her fear of being impofec] upon ren-
dered her inquiries fometimes fuperfluous,
and often abftird. Her houfe was crowded
with paupers, yet (he had an odd whim of
giving to none but fuch as were perfectly
clean, and always profefied to receive only
the
C 9 1
the neat and the needy* Complaints of ra-
rrous kinds were often brought before her,
and (lie adjufted them more by authority
than fktH. A poor woman came to her to
complain that what fhe had earned in the
week, had been taken from her by a
drunken hufband, " who was always in
a the alehoufe, and never at home."
*< Heark'ye, good woman, do you under-
'vftand the Trinity." " Pleafe you,
* Madam ?" " I fay do you underftand
u the conftru<flion of the Trinity ? "
"' Why, if it's like your honour, Madam,
" I think I you know, Madam, I dare
" fay j and if you know it, your honour,
" we all know it, for your ladyfhip's ho-
c< nour underftands for the whole parifh."
" Ho! ho ! I fee how it is; why,
Vol.. I. K " woman,
[ 13 3
" woman, how can you have the face to
" come into my holy houfe, and not be
" able to explain your religion ? And how
" d'je ever expert your hu(band to ftay at
u home with you if you don't understand
" the Trinity." <-" Will your honour,
" Madam, be kind enough to explain it."
Ci No, I won't indeed, you're not wcr-
" thy of being acquainted with the Trinity ;
"go away, go home to your drunken huf-
" band ; poor good man, I dare fay he has
"plague enough with you, there, go
41 away, and never let me fee you again."
Mifs Eenwal went regularly to church,
but forbad any of her dependants to recog-
nize her in fo facred a place : " take care
*' of your to come" was her reproof to a
poor man who one day made her a pro-
jo found
found reverence in the aifle ; " no bowing
c .' of the body when God is in company ;
<c churches were not built to bow in."
The girl whom Bruce had met, was a
great favourite with Mifs Benwal. She
took her in fome meafure from her demure
appearance, as well as on account of her
name, which had been renowned in the an-
nals of holy mother church. Betty Tillot-
fi>n was jiift feventeen, tall, and well made,
with a pair of black eyes which were re-
markably brilliant, She drefled affectedly
plain, and her converfation was always dif-
guifed by a fimper, under which file faid
many odd things. Betty was not what
(he feemed; fhe valued her reputation
highly, as (he knew it was all fhe had to
value, except her perfon. Of her miilrefs's
devotion flie had only the femblance,
K2 and
C '3* 3
and never opened her prayer-book but flic
turned over a new leaf. Mifs Benwal al-
ways took her to church, and Mifs Ben-
wal's pew was the object of general ad-
miration. " You fee, Betty," was her
miftrefs's conftant remark, " You fee how
my humble fanclity attracts the public
c< eye." u True, Madam, you have to
"be fure introduced a new form of i(.or-
"Jbip." No, Betty, mine is the
"* eftaUHhed religion of my country."
CHAP.
CHAP. V.
I learn
Now of my own experience, not by talk,
How counterfeit a coin they are who friends
Bear in their fuperfcription (of the mod
1 would be underitood : ) in profp'rous days
They fwarm, but in adverfe withdraw their head
Not to be found though fought.
MILTON'S Samjon sfgeniffest
To all my foes, dear fortune, fend
Thy gifts, but never to my friend.
1 tamely can enJure the firft,
But this with envy makes me burfl.
SwiFT'i J^erfes on Us tnvn Deati*
Pfritti the hope that deadens young defire !
Purfue, poor imp, th' imaginary charm,
Indulge gay hope and fancy's pleafing fire;
Fancy and hope too foon fhall of themfelves expire !
BEATTIE^ Mwftrti, part i,v. 34.
T3 R U C E, who was appointed to carry
-*-* the caflcet to Mifs Meredyth the next
day, v/ent to the jeweller, and before he
VOL. T. K 3 waited
[ '34' 3
waited on her, called at Lord Warynton'sy
who was at breakfaft with Colonel Orford
and Mr. Evelyne. When Bruce arrived,
the Colonel, after having flightly noticed
him, took his leave. His lordfhip was ex-
hilarated at again feeing Bruce. " You are
" come very a-pro-pos, for I have written a
" note which I wifh you to take care of:
'* wait a few minutes, while my little friend
" Evelyne fatisfies my curiofiry upon a fub-
K je<5r, of fome importance j I will feal my
u letter, and we will then hear what he has
" to impart: you may remain here, as you.
" can perhaps yourfelf now throw fome
" light on the narrative." Lord Warynton-
feegan reading his letter, and fighed very
bitterly at the remembrance of Mifs Mere-
dyth. He endeavoured to difguife his for-
row, and mentioning his fon, addrefled
Evelyne
Kvelyne with affected levity; " I
" Tom from Eton in a few days ; I hope
" you will go down with us to Mount-
" bridge while he is with me ; Tom's a
" merry dog, and will make your time pafs
" agreeably ; I {hall be very happy to fee
" him in fuch company as your's, and
" highly obliged that you will kindly relin-
" quifh your more rational avocations to
" pafs a little time with my young rebel."
Evelyne received the invitation with grati-
tude and propriety. " Your lordfliip has
" fo many noble ways of conferring fa-
" vours, and extending beneficence, that I
" am defiitute even of exprefTion to thank
" you : the delight of thofe happy days
" I pafled with your fon Mr. Harwal, at
" Eton, where his generofity was refined
" by his friendship, can be exceeded only
K 4 "by
C 136 ]
** by the felicity which you are fo perpe-
<c tually lavifeing upon me. The patro-
" nage which I fo long foolifhly expected
" from others, with all the eagernefs of
" youthful credulity, I have been honoured
" with by your lordfliip beyond my ex-
" peculations, and beyond my deferts. The
** vapid promifes of profefibrs in friendthip,
" have yet been of infinite ufe to me; for as
" a charming writer * has obfervcd in one
** of his admirable poems,
Le fperanze fuggltivi c inccrte
Sogat fon di chl dorme a cigiia apsrta.
They have taught me the great lefton of
a life, never to expedt bounties, and never
c to forget them.'*
A fketch of Evelyne's character and
* Fulvio Tefti.
fituatiom
[ '37 ]
lituation in life may here be acceptable.
He became acquainted with lord Waryntoa
by an intimacy with his lordfhip's Ion at
Eton fchool, which Evelyne had quitted
three years before.
Eveiyne was a young man of eligible
fortune, and of abilities which he did not
always difplay. He had not large ac-
quaintance, nor were his good qualities
very generally known. It requires great
' abilities and great confidence in any mart
to ftep forth the publimer of his own in-
tellectual fupremacy, and to demand a re-
fpedl which the world is not often willing
to grant ; for mankind rather than eftimate
it too highly, will not eftimate it at all, and
it is not every one who can patiently bear
the refufal.
Evelyne's virtues I fear mentioning too
highly.
highly. They were of that eafy and com-
placent kind which, without loftinefs or ra-
diance, attracted no ftranger, but pleafed
every friend. An even temper, and a lively
difpofttion, made him tolerably agreeable to
others, and invariably happy within him-
felf. An aveHion to the buttle of public
entertainment induced him to pr.fs much
of his time in folitude, though his love of
focial pleafure was very great. His leifure
hours were conftantly employed in tranquil
avocr.tions, and rational ftudy, but he was
yet much delighted to find himfelf in the
circles of the wife, the gay, and the learned,
and among thefe he did not often pafs an
hour without much profit and fome ho-
nour.
He was in company remarkably filcnt,
but upon occasions where he was attracted
by
[ 139 ]
oy kindnefs or roufed by infolence, it was
ihid of him, that he could with unexpected
brilliancy refcue his character from the im-
putation of weaknefs ; that he could repay
good-breeding with elegance, and mortify
pride with unremitting feverity.
Lord Warynton, with a generous friend-
{hip took him by the hand, introduced hiriv
to his houfe, to his table, and to his friends.
Evelyne, notwithftanding his love of foli-
tude, had frill long wiflied to be more
known in public. Many people had pro-
mifed to prefent him in different circles,
and at various focieties. Many had pro-
fefled their efteem, but no one had ventured
to enlarge the number of his acquaintance,
or to introduce him into the world ; that great
fource of reputation and advantage had been
ftudioufly eluded through the felfifli cau-
tion
[ 143 3
tion of fome, and unkindly omitted through
the petty negligence, and cruel indifference
of others. The truth is, he whofe claims
to diftinclion arife from intellectual merit,
muft by fome fuccefsful effort make thofe
claims appear j he will rarely find a friend
diffidently generous and diflnterefted to eli-
cit, by a diligent concurrence, thofe talents
which may conftitute a rival : his acquain-
tance will reprefs his emulation with en-
vious malignity, and his friends will treat
his enterprifes with fupercilious coldnefs.
His honeft emulation, his hopes for fame,
his inceflant diligence 3 his fanguinc reliance
on amicable protection, will all be facrificed
to his want of intereft : glow of wit, fervour
of imagination, and folidity of knowledge,
charm in the acquaintance whofe perfonal.
confequence commands refpect j but if dif-
played
[ 14* J
played in thofe who have nothing but ge-
nius, they are (burned and blafted by the
artifices of envy, and the malevolence of
friendfhip. One trait of Evelyne will ex-
hibit his turn of thought. He had dined
frequency at Lord Warynton's, and the day
before Bruce called, he fat down with a fplen-
did company, where, in rank and fortune,
he knew himfelf inferior. He was placed
near Lord Warynton, oppofite to two boys
of fafhion, whofe pertnefs and clamour dif-
tinguifhed them from the reft of the com-
pany. They had frequently remarked the ta-
citurnity of Evelyne, and were very defirous
to make an experiment upon his diffidence.
Lord Warynton found, that in fo brilliant
a company, his young gueft Evelyne was
not noticed, and therefore, with that charm-
ing beneficence which diftinguUb.es a great
mind,
I 14* J
inind, he felected him as his companion for
.the day.
" I lament, Mr. Evelyne, that you ne-
ver travelled." Lord 1 Elefs me,
u my lord, that gentleman muft furely tra-
" vel a great deal, for he is always abfent"
Evelyne coloured at this unmerited farcafra
from a ftranger. " I believe, Sir," ob-
ferved the honourable Mr. B. brother to
the pert young peer juft mentioned, " I
" believe, Sir, that I had the pleafure of
<c feeing you yefterday put into Adams's, the
" globe-maker, in Fleet- Street." " Ay,"
replied Lord Qi that's a proof that he has
" feenthew^i/." Here they both laughed,
and the company joined them. Lord \Va-
rynton was hurt for his friend ; he turned
to them ; "You. have both travelled, I be-
* lieve? LvdQ. "We are juft returned."
^ And
[ 143 ]
And were you much efteemed and be-
loved while you were abroad ?" The little
peer and his brother replied almoft both in
a breath, " So much fo, that the very fai-
lors continually crowned us with joyful
acclamations." Evelyne. " I think, gen-
" tlemen, that's very likely ;
'
" Pufflbui et lasti nautae impofuere coronas."
The feverity of this allufion, given in
fuch a manner, was felt by all who had read
Virgil, and underftood the line.
t The laugh was pretty well over, when.
Lord Warynton faid, " Suppofe now, for
". the fatisfadion of the company, that one
<c of you two gendemen corulrue my friend
u Mr. Evelyne's quotation, that we may
u all know fo excelient and forcible an ad-
" drefs was not thrown, away upon you."
They
[ H4 J
They both looked at one another, then bit
their lips, and made no reply.
As I find," faid Mr. Temple, that you
" neither of you underftand it, I will, far
u the fatisfafiion of the company, give you
" two lines of Dr. Johnfon's London,
u which will explain it tolerably well. 1
addrefs myfelf to Lord Q..
" Fate never wounds more deep the gen'rous her.rf,
11 Than when a blockhead's infult points the dart."
Mr. Temple's bitter application of theie
admirable lines, added to the former fer-
cairns ; their ignorance in not underftanding
Evelyne's, and the laugh occafioned by their
receiving thefe lines as a tranflation of the
Latin, funk the two petty prattlers to the
loweft ftate of abject confufion.
Such was the youth, who obtained,
through the felicitous kindnefs of Lord
Warynton,
L us 3
Warynton, an acquaintance with men and
manners, and was enabled to move in a
more enlarged and elegant circle of ac-
quaintance.
Lord Warynton having now fealed his let-
ter, defired Evelyne to begin the narrative,
in which he was fo highly interefted : Eve-
Jyne commenced: " In my account, I (hall
" begin with your lordfhip's friend, Lord
" Spelman, as the circumftances of his life
" are an introduction to the hiftory of the
" lady in queftion.
' Lord Spelman had been of age two
years. He was the picture of elegant per-
fection. His perfon was uncommonly fine,
and he appeared to have been trained by the
Graces to every refinement of ftudied ele-
gance. He fpoke incomparably well ; and,
though he feldom inftru&ed, yet he was al-
VOL. I. L ways
ways fure to charm every hearer, by the
mufic of his voice, and the fv/eetnefs of his
periods. He \vas, at fchool, not fo remark-
able for dulnefs as infipience ; for abfence of
ideas, and a total vacancy of character. His
father had been a grave, folid, fedate man,
who attended the bufmefs of the fenate,
without difturbing or understanding the
debates. He got into his carriage with a
mechanical regularity, and every day per-
formed his revolutions about the capital,
which filled up his time till the hours carne
in which he was to ajjj/t at public places, to
behold and be feen by focieties which he
cared little about. But he was refpe&ed
for his integrity, his equanimity, and the
fmcothnefs of his character, which did not
often offend, becaufe it never delighted.
Lady Spelman, the mother of the prefent
10 lord,
[ "147 ]
lord, was a lucky woman, raifed from a
very obfcure origin to fudden affluence.
Lord Spelman, who caught her in fome of
the country towns, or petty villages, adja-
cent to the metropolis, brought her to Lon-
don, married her, and introduced her very,
young to all the fafliionable places of re-
fort. She was in time decrotiee* She for-
got, very fuccsfsfully, the fociety file had
left, and the harmony of her former com-
panions, the lamh bleat, and the linnets fong.
She now attained gradually fome graces
and fome difcretion, but no allurements of
any kind. Her hufoand taught her the
ufeful leflbn of feldom fpeaking; and fhe
praciifed a refcrved dignity, which gave
her few fpeeches an air of haughty benefi-
cence, as if fhe conferred a favour by vouch-
fafing to communicate her or rather other
L 2 people's
r H$ ]
people's ideas. She maintained the par-
tiality of Lord Spelman, by a refolute re-
pulfe of every civility from every man ; with
which, however, fhe was not often af-
failed. Her frigid deportment once in-
duced a female to call her a well drejjed ifi~
cle. Her lofty behaviour threw fome ene&gy
into her compofition, for without fuch a re-
quifite (he would have been an abfolute
nonentity in mind, one of thofe women who
" have no char otter at aU-" and if this con-
duct had not occafionally induced fome
candid friends to hint at her origin^ fhe
would have had pofitively nothing remark-
able about her.
Thefe were the progenitors of young
Lord Spelman; and from inftrudtors fo
flimfy, little could be expected. Reared
under the influence of fuch a combination
r 149 J
as dulnefs and inexperience on one hano\
and frivolous imbecillity on the other, Lord
Spelman entered the world without litera-
ture, without vivacity, without fenfibility.
He detefted books, and never frequented
any (bciety where the converfation was in-
ftru&ive*. He feldom underftood wit, and
readily therefore rejected the lively fallies of
the fprightly and ingenious-
His fortune was very ample ; and it had
no incumbrance of any kind, for exceffive
prodigality was not one of his vices. His
private life afforded one curious inftance of
romantic caprice. Mifs Meredyth was a
* Sa figure & les graces exterieurea de fa perfopne
"etoient telles que la nature n'a peut-etre jamais rien
forme de plus accompli Enfin tous
ks avantages du corps parloient pourlui, mais fon efprit
nc difoit pas un petit mot en fa faveur. II' n'avoit da
fentlment quece qu'on lui en infpiroit . . . . .
See Lee Memoires de Grammont, p. 2, ch. 4-
L i young
r 150 3
young lady of feme family, and great
wealth. Lord Spelman had met her in the
country, and was {truck with the elegance
of her figure, and the graces of her deport-
ment. He inquired her name, character,
and fituation. Mifs Meredyth, he was
told, had refufed many offers of marriage
from men of the moft enviable ranks in
life. She lived quite alone, both in town
and country, with a fplendour that muft be
fupportod by a very large eftate. She was
vifited by fome few people near Beaulieu,
which was the name of her feat ; her lively
temper and unequalled gaiety were dif-
played in nothing more than in the holpi-
table magnificence at Beaulieu.
This was a fingular account, " Did me
" profefs never to admit the addrefles of a
" lover?" On the contrary, fhe had received
many,,
many, but marriage {he feemed, totally
averfe to. Lord S pel man fa w her again.
Fie danced with her, they fuppedaftctwards,
and fat together. He mentioned fome fine
pictures he had lately purchafed : " I am
" informed, Madam, that at Beaulieu. you
" have a beautiful Claude, and fome other
" delightful pictures. I wifti I had a friend
" whofe intereft with you would obtain
" permiflion for me to admire them."
" Beaulieu is ever open to all well-bred
" encouragers of the arts ; and I will even
" invite your lordfliip to dine with me to-
" morrow: if you will come early, you can
" furvey the pictures ; and I am told there
" are fome which merit your attention."
Lord Spelman was furprifed at the franknefs
of fuch an early invitation; he bowedjVery
thankfully, and paid her many compliments
L 4 en
[ '5* 3
on her reputation for tafte and elegance,.
The next day he attended Eeaulieu before
two o'clock. He was aftonifhed at the
variety of the ^mbellifhments, difplayed in a
villa buUt in a ftile of uncommon tafte and
rural fimplicity. He was led through a
hall, an anti-room, and a library, into a
fpacious faloon, which fronted the grounds :
it was hung with variety of pictures, and
furnifhed entirely to correfpond with the
building. Here he waited fome time, dur-
ing which he examined the pictures, and
found fome of them were of infinite va-
lue. The late Lord Spelman had been a
collector, had travelled in fearch of exqur-
fite productions, and had imparted fome of
his own information to this his fon. Mifs
Meredyth at length appeared alone. She
apologized for being en dijh<ibilk) bat
owned
[ 153 1
owned (he was not an early rifer. She
rung the bell, told Lord Spelman (lie was
ready to attend him, and propofed entering
a room on the left from the library. They
walked into a beautiful little apartment, in
which was fome few fmall paintings, and a
very fine organ, with other mufical inftru-
ments difpofed near it. A table was fpread
with fruit, and other refrefhments, and a
very fine girl, neatly drefled, was playing
on a harp*. She rofe at their entrance, and
his lordfhip, of courfe, intreated he might
not interrupt the melody, but earneftly beg-
ged a repetition of the air which (he had
juft finifhed. The girl looked with an in-
quiring face at Mifs Meredyth, who faid,
" Sing, Duvair, you have a good voice;
" and -we muft ufe every endeavour to
" make Lord Spelman's time pafe agree-
ably,
r *54 ]
u ably, when he honours us with a vifit."
Duvair repeated the lively air, which was
French. ' Lord Spelman requefted the
words. She made no anfwer, but fang it
again. The words were Bainville's :
L'autre jour 1'enfant de Cytherc
Sous une treille a dctr.i-gris,
Difoit en parlant a fa mere
" Je bois a toi ma.chere Iris :"
Venus le regarde en colere .....
" Calmer maman votre courrour
" Si je vous prends pour ma bergere
" J'ai pns cent fois Iris pour vous."
The thought was common, but fhe fung
it divinely. They partook of the refection ^
and he furveyed the room with much fatis-
fa&ion. They entered another apartment,
wherein were only portraits, and among
them a noble one of Mifs Meredyth, The
library was next viiited; and the books were
found
r '55 j
found to confift of hlftory, poems, novels^.
and dramas in Englifh, French, and Ita-
lian. The collection was fmall, but very
excellent. They entered the grounds,
\vhich v.-are beautifully laid out; and though
the whole was in the modern ftyle, yet in
thefe, as well as in the houfe, there was a
novelty and a finguhrity not unpleafmg.
It was now after five o'clock, and the din-
ner-bell had rung. Lord Spelman and the
ladies therefore returned to the houfe, and
entered the eating-room, which he had not
yet feen. It was rather neat than fplendid^
The dinner was ferved with great elegance,
and attended by a fiiitable. retinue of fer-
vants. Both the ladies dined with him.
The converfation was very lively, and
turned principally on what they had feen in
the morning. Wonder and perplexity had,,
however,.
C 156 ] .
however, taken full pofleffion of Lord Spef-
man's mind. He faw himfelf at the houfe,
and at the table, of a fingle woman, who,
with a beautiful perfon, large fortune, and
various accomplifhments, feemed, in that
fTtuation, perfe&ly ifolee. He faw no im-
proper levity in her behaviour, yet (he was
not grave ; but he obferved fhe had a Ian-
guiftiing air in her eyes, which he thought
was fometimes very exprejjtve. He could
afk no queftions; nor could he, with much
probable propriety, invite her to pafs a day
with him at his houfe in town, or at his
feat, which was two hundred miles diftant.
He found her convivial talents fprightly and
agreeable ; once or twice he thought more
than agreeable. Thefe refkaions were at
laft interrurled by Mifs Duvair, who in-
treated Mifs Meredyth to oblige her with a
fong,
[ 157 ]
fong, in return for the air (he rehearfed in
the morning. She rung for the harp, and
Mifs Meredyth king fo infinitely fuperior
to her companion, with fuch exquifite me-
lody and refined tafte, that Lord Spelman
was enraptured. The words were her
own:
Vainly fliines the light of reafon,
Beaming faint in early day j
Dazzling in the fofter feafon,
Love and rapture to betray.
II.
The frofts of wint'ry age extinguish
All that early youth could fhew ;
And Reafon's tomb we then diftinguifh,
The heart of ftone, the head of fnow.
Love and delight fparkled in the eyes of
Lord Spelman. He was going to entreat
another fong, when coffee was announced j
and when he had written the words of the
air in his pocket-book, he followed the la-
dies
I 158 ]
<3ies to the mufic-room. Duvair prefided
at the tea-table, and Mifs Meredyth took
her feat at the organ, where fhe played a
ifine piece, and then fung another air en-
chantingly. " What an heavenly woman !"
faid Lord Spelman to himfelf ; " and how
" equivocally fituated !" Ke repeated his
acknowledgments for the infinite pleafure
he had received, and alaiofl requefted per-
miffion to repeat his vifit. When the time
came at which he propofed going, fhe in-
vited him to fup. He could not decline
it, and the evening patted in the fame lively
courfe of diverfified entertainment. He
knew not what to fay at his departure, but
he at length determined to invite Mifs Me-
redyth to town. She did not auent, but
- replied, that Lord Spelman would furely
not leave the country without honouring
her
[ 159 ]
her with another vifit. He readily pro-
rnifed to attend her, and took his leave.
The whole night was employed in confi-
dering what this girl could be. He found
himfelf more interefted in her fituation
than he expected. He rofe next day, and
drove about the country, afldng every one
he knew, if they could tell him the family,
the general conduct, the fortune, and the
connections of Pv/Iifs Meredyth. She was
very generally known, univerfally admired,
and occafionally vifited. He was impatient
till he faw her again. He called twice, and
left his card. A concert in the neighbour-
hood afforded him another interview, and
another invitation. The intimacy in-
creafed, till Lord Spelman grew fo ena-
moured of this extraordinary woman, that
he vehemently folicited a fpeedy marriage.
It
C 160 ]
It was one day when they had dined alone,
and he had faid every thing that lov could
anfpire, and confidence fuggeft, after afhort
filence, Mil's Meredyth thus addrefled him:
" You are the only man, my lord, I have
tt ever yet met, whom I mould be happy
" to felecl as a hufband, though I hav had
"many offers of the moft eligible kind;
" but I will be as ingenuous and difmte-
" refted, as you have been fond and un-
" thinking : you know little of me from
11 my character, or my fituation ; I have
every requifite of fortune, affection, ten-
<l dernefs, and fmcerity, .to conftitute your
<c happinefs and my own, as a faithful
u friend ; but I have no qualities to endear
<c me to you as a wife. However unbe-
c< coming this declaration may appear to
you, and however feverely you may judge
of
" of me as a light libertine, I have too high
" a value for your peace, for your charac-
" ter, and for my own integrity, to ally
" myfelf to a man of honour, while I am
" confcious that paflion or caprice might
" deftroy my conltancyj and that a huf-
" band, adorned with every virtue, might
K become a victim to my infidelity.'*
Lord Spelman was overwhelmed with
aftonifhment at this extraordinary fpeech.
He felt a magnanimity in. her rcfufal, which
declined all the advantages of rank and re-
fpect, and at the fame time carried with it
her own condemnation. He was infa-
tuated with her beauties and her manners ;
he was pleafcd with her ftyle of living; and,
above all, he was charmed with her frank-
nefs and liberality. Such were his reflec-
tions ; but fome anfwer was to be made to
M her
her declarations. He paufed for a fewmi-
nutes.
" The candour and friendship, Madam,
" with which you have treated me, merit
" more praifes than I am able to offer you j
" as you prefer that mode of living which
" yields pleafure, rather than reputation,
" may I hope that I fhall be more favour-
" ably received in the character of a lover
" than in that of a hufband ?"
Mifs Meredyth declined giving a direct
afTent to his fupplication. A few days,
however, terminated their fituation; and
Lord Spelman was at laft added to the lift
of thofe who had fliared, at Beaulieu, the
unlimited gratifications of luxury and love.
Two years had this licentious intimacy
continued; during which, Lord Spelman,
with a fafcination known only to the moft
ardent
ardent and moft weak of lovers, frequently
implored the eftablifhment of their mutual
regard, by a facred and indiflbluble union :
but no intreaties could prevail on Mife Me-
redyth to refign that liberty which me fo
much valued, and of which me made (b ill a
ufe. She never would be compelled to make
a vow me could not ratify; nor would fhe
put it out of Lord Spelman's power to fe-
lecl another woman, whofe principles of
virtue, and laftre of fame, might enfure her
own happinefs, -and that of Lord Spelman.
This gay intercourfe was, however, now
tlaily growing lefs permanent. Mifs Me-
redyth had a new lover ; and Lord Spel-
man, whofe inclinations became more do-
meftic, wifhed for a v/oman whom, as a
wife, he could introduce to his friends,
M 2 ' ' whona
[ 164 }
whom he could admire without di/grace,
and love without fatiety. He ftill, how-
ever, continued his vifits to Mifs Mere-
dyth, who difdained every other tribute
-but voluntary attachment; and had the
firmneis to- tell him, that the inftant he
married, their acquaintance muft ceafe;
that fhe never would difturb that tranquil-
lity which in a family is the foundation of
all virtue, and all happinefs ; and ftill lefc
would fhe give pain to a valuable woman,
whofe-intrinfic worth would be fuperior to
her own, though ihe might not poilefs an
equal power of pleafmg. She told him,
that a new lover had offered the incenfe of
admiration at the fhrine of her beauty, and
confefied hedelf partial to his perfon and
difpofition. She recommended to Lord
Spclaian, to marry without delay, not be-
caufc
[ 165 J
cauie flie wifhed to decline his friendfnip,
but to promote his welfare. She named
feveral women of rank and accomplifh-
ments ; and, among others, Mife Emily Bry-
ant, whofe high character, and fine accom-
plifhments, rendered her a proper compa-
nion for a man of Lord Spelman's amiable
turn of mind. She concluded by declar-
ing, that (he had no claim upon his lord-
fhip's affection or generofity; for that it
was perfectly juft, as " his love was a <?/?-
41 lent commencement in /''//, that foe JJjobU
*' fee an ar.fiverable jequeftretun*** Lord
S pel man has, 1 hear, taken her advice; he
was lately introduced to Lady Bryant j and,
when Mils Bryant returns from the coun-
try, which will be very foon, his lordfhip
will, it is iuppofed, pay his addreffes in form :
and who can doubt, but the elegance of his
M 3 manners,
f 166 ]
manners, the elevation of his rank, and the
fplendour of his opulence, will fecure him a
place in the heart of the young lady. This,
my lord, is the account I have received j
but I muft entreat you will not difcover
any part of what I have faid. Mifs Mere-
dyth's accompliftiments are doubtlefs equal
to her beauty j and no one can be ac-
quainted with her, but they muft involun-
tarily participate the charms of intellectual
pleafure ; and they, as Mr. Sheridan fays,
Will gladly light, their homage to improve,
The lamp of knowledge at the torch of love.'
Evelyne here concluded his detail ; which
Lord Warynton received with many
thanks. At the name of Mifs Bryant,
Bruce was alarmed j he found a new and
powerful rival oppofing his welfare ; and he
could-not help fearing, that Emily, feduced
by
C 1*7 ]
by the gaudy temptations of high rank,
would totally forget his fufferings and his
ardour. He however conibled himfelf, that
he fhould be near to interrupt the fuit, if
Emily had any love, or any virtue.
Lord Warynton gave him a fecond note
to Mifs Meredyth. He received a packet
of cards from Lady Bryant ; and when he.
had delivered them, waited on Mifs Me-
redyth. As he went up the ftreet, he faw
her at the window; fhe fmiled at feeing
him; and when he entered the room, her
firft apoftrophe was, " No exprefs, I hope,.
" from the doating peer !"
Bruce. I am unfortunate enough, Ma-
dam, to be the ambafiador of his heart.
Mifs Mereclyth. I forgive him upon your
account. Have you called at the jewel-
ler's?
M 4 Bruce
r ><* ]
Bruce gave her the cafket. She took
out a ring, which was hair in diamonds ;
and, preferring it to him, " I am not
" afhamed to confefs, that the man whofe
" mind is above his fhuation, whofe fen-
" fibility, and accomplifhments, would
" adorn the loftieft rank, though he moves
" in a fphere much inferior to mine; 1 do
" not blufh to own, that he has won my
*' heart : if you can find fuch a man, and
" furdy you are not dull, give him that
" bauble ; remind him that I have acknow-
." ledged all I dare acknowledge, and I leave
" the reft to his generofity and his-difcern-
ment." Mifs Meredyth hid her blufh-
ing face in her handkerchief, and was fome
time before he looked at Bruce ; he was
furprifed at her confeffion, and for a few
minutes was loft in thought: " I knew but
r *6 9 j
** of one unfortunate man, Madam, to
" whom you can allude ; and what a fitua-
** tion is he in, when I tell you, upon my
*< honour, that he has not a heart to give !
* His faith, his love, his fame, are all
" pledged to another Be not inconfide-
M rately violent with him for his misfor-
" tunes none can behold your beauties
u without languifhing in defpair ; and no-
" thing but the religion of love could de-
" ter an admirer from adoration. Pardon
" me, Madam, for my abrupt for my al-
" moft infolent reply : you cannot be more
" fcnfible to your own attractions than I
" am I could gaze for ever on that lovely
" form it's luftre and influence might
" difpel every confideration, but the hope
u of gaining your favours Thofe principles
u of truth and honour muft be ftrong in-
deed,
C 170 ]
deed, that do not melt away at the ra-
H diance of your charms Think me not
" vain or prefumptuous ! my life I fliould
" confider as a contemptible facrifice, if
11 placed in competition with your beauty;
" and if I offend you by truth, you will, I
" hope, confider the nature of my offence,
* and not judge of me too feverely."
JYlifs Meredyth coloured with confcious
fhame j (he fixed her eyes for fome time on
the ground ; then addrefjing Bruce, at firft
with a forced fmile, " Do not imagine,
" that, like many others of my fex, I am
c< unreafonably deurous of indulging my
" own wiihes at the expence of every vir-
11 tue I honour your conftancy, and yom
" fincerity I requelt you will accept the
" trifle I juft offered you, and let me in-
" treat that I may never fee you more."
Eruce
[ I?' J
Bruce was much furprifed at her reply ;
he looked for all the rage and difdain of a
flighted woman : if he was before pleafed
with her beauty, he was now delighted to
extafy at the candour and gentlenefs with
which fhe received her difappointment : " I
" can have no title, Madam, to the poffef-
" fion of fo valuable a gift as this ring ; you
" muft indeed excufe my accepting it ; I
" can have no merit in your eyes, and very
" little in my own ; for however you may
" admire the efforts I make to preferve the
" fidelity towards my real miftrefs unful-
" lied, I can never, perhaps, help reproach-
" ing myfelf for having flighted generous
" munificence, and having wounded an
" elegant mind." Mifs Meredyth was
much affected ; Bruce faw and pitied her
agitation: fhe compofed herfelf j and, after
gazing
gazing upon him fome time very tenderly,
" I entreat you fay no more. I muft have
" funk in your eftimation beneath the
" loweft of my fex j I own myfelf ftung by
" your conduct, with all that can be in-
" flicted by difappointment and difgrace :
" but I receive your reproof without bit-
" ternefs, and without malice; you are maf-
* ter of your own heart, and that fhoulJ
" teachmetobemiftrefsofmine. Thewo-
" man to whom you cannot impart love or
" efteem, you may perhaps be inclined to
" pity: keep the ring in memory of one
u whofe indifcretions may probably meet
" with fome lenity from you, when they do
M not interfere with your own interefts.
* 4 I cannot fay more, and only defire that
u you will never fpeak of me ; and, above
" all, that you will never fee me again,
May
[ '73 ]
" May you, in whatever fituation you afe
u placed, be recompenfed for your con-
" ftancy to your miftrefs, and enjoy every
" gratification you can defire or deferve !"
Mifs Meredyth retired ; and Bruce, who
was much grieved for her fufferings, came
away. She had put the ring into his hand,
and it would therefore have been flighting
her to refufe it. As he went home, he re-
proached himfelf for treating her with cool-
nefs; was it gallant? was it even polite?
He almoft determined to return, and be
more ardent ; to offer her his heart, with
franknefs and gaiety ; to acknowledge him-
felf culpable, in the higheft degree, for being
dull to the pleafures of love ; and for having
been grofsly difobedient to the CANONS
OF GALLANTRY, by which all men, and
efpecially young men, ought to be go-
'7 verned.
r ^74 ]
verned. Thus irrefolute, he turned the
corner of a ftreet, where he met Lord Wa-
rynton, who came up to him with all the
eagernefs of expectation ; and, feizing him
by the fhoulder, " Well, my better genius,
" am I to be bound to you for ever for the
" greateft bounty you could procure me r"
Bruce was in a very aukward fituation;
Mifs Meredyth's converfation had been
the only object of his thoughts ; and Lord
Warynton was quite forgotten, for fhe had
not even read his letter. It was fome time
before Bruce could anfwer him : " I have
" done every thing, my lord, that fkill and
" diligence could fuggeft, but without the
*' fmalleft profpect of fuccefs. I am juft
** come from Mifs Meredyth, who has
" commanded me never to fee her more/'
Lord Warynton, after lamenting his ill
5 ibrtune,
C i75 J
fortune, thanked Bruce for his care ; and
declared his perfect fatisfaclion and belief
of Bruce's exertions. " Your own hiftory
" muft be curious, and I {hall be happy to
" be more acquainted with it. Sir Ed-
" ward Bryant's family are going to pafs
" fome time with us at my houfe in the
" country; I have juft feen Lady Bryant,
" and requeued that fhe will permit you to
" call on my fon at Eton, and leave that
" letter : ride with him fo Mountbridge,
" where you are to remain till we all come
" down. You will attend young Mr.
" Bryant, who is to go with you. It may
" be a week or more before we come there,
K as Mifs Bryant is not returned from Mrs.
*' Ellyfon's; if fhe comes home fooner, we
" fhall fet off immediately." After re-
ceiving this intelligence, Bruce parted from
his
C 176 ]
his lordfhip. He went immediately home,
and was ordered by Lady Bryant to pre-
pare for his excurfion the next day. To
Bruce, Lewfton defcanted very copioufly
on the folly of that arrangement ; in which
flie difcovered all that was wrong and ill
judged : " Don't you remember, Mr. James,
" that it was always a, rule with Sir Charles
" Grandifon, when he fent his fervants
41 into the country, to let it be for the pro-.
K per and the fit ? And don't you reco!-
" lecl, that when Lady Bedy Thoughtlefs,
* and Lord Peregrine Fickle, in Squire
" Fielding's novel of Gil Bias, went to the
" North, that they never took any fervants
u with them at all Then there was, I am
" fure, that character in the Romance of
tt a Minute, he that You know who I
" mean?"
Bruce
C i77 ]
Bruce endeavoured to efcape from the
torrent, but without etrecl:; the woman
poured forth an inundation of complaints,
becaufe fhe could not fee why Bruce went
down to Mountbridge before the reft of the
family.
During this converfation, a fervant ar-
rived from Mrs. Ellyfon's, announcing
Emily's arrival in two days ; and Bruce,,
who was eager to obtain the earlieft intelli-
gence of his miftrefs, to know where fhe had
been, how fhe had pafled her time, and all
thofe frivolous circumftances which confti-
tute the delights of a lover, got acquainted
with the mefienger ; and, in order to find
an opportunity for afking him the particu-
lars of Mifs Bryant's conduct, prevailed
upon him to go that evening to the play*
Va-t-cn was a French domeftic, who had
VOL. L N attended
t 178 ]
attended Mrs. Ellyfon from Paris; and fhe
fent him to acquaint Sir Edward that fne
propofed accompanying Emily to London.
The young fellow, who had been well edu-
cated, eafily accepted Bruce's invitation ;
and they went to Drury Lane, where Mrs.
Siddons appeared in the Fair Penitent,
When they arrived in the gallery, Bruce
commenced his enquiry; but in a few mi-
nutes the curtain drew up. Altamont and
Horatio entered; the firft fpeech was re-
ceived, as ufual, with no uncommon fervour
of applaufe by the audience ; but the inflant
when Horatio began his firft line, which was
only the empbatica!^ bigb-founn& and po :'.':-
cal exprefTion, " Yes, Altamont" Bruce
applauded with fuch vehemence, and fuch
clamour, that he drew every one's atten-
tion. He accompanied his geftures with
loud
[ 179 3
loud exclamations of " The friend! the
" friend ! Eravo ! bravo ! Well done friend-
" (hip! Finely fpoken P* The man who
was with him flared, fiiid did not at all com-
prehend this paroxyfm of approbation. At
the end of the fecond act, Va-t-cn obferved,
rh-t it was an excellent playj that Califra
v/as a natural character, if not a moral one.
Bruce interrupted him, " O Sir, talk not
" of Califta 'tis not for her the poet wrote
tc the play ; {he has nothing to do in it it
" is Horatio, Sir, the friend, the amicable
" liero, the guardian of his Altamont, that
'' is the fplendid ch?.racler of the piece.
" Obferve how nobly he interferes where he
" has no bufmefs with what's going for-
a ward ; mrrk the rude and grofs terms
u in whir.h he fpeaks to the delicate Ca-
' : 'i:T^ who never injured him: then, again,
V 2 his
M his refufal to be reconciled to Altamont,
" fliews how much he loved him : in ftiort,
" the two great characters of the piece are
" Horatio, the friend of Altamont, and
" Rofiano, the friend of Lothario."'
Va-t-en by no means underftood all this,
but replied brifkly, " Mais mon Dieu! Le
" Chevalier Shakfpeare il ecrit en hon-
" nete homme auffi il faut avouer que
" " Certainly you're right ; his Horatio,
" as a character, is much fuperior to his
" Hamlet for inftance, you fee the many
tl friends he has; Francifco, Bernardo, and
w Marcellus, arc all his fworn intimates;
<c but you do not fee that in Hamlet j no,
" no he tells you, that even his two olu*
" acquaintances, Rofencraus and Guilden-
44 ftern, v/hom he had known long, who
" were his fchoolfelJows, his fellow-ftu-
dent%.
u dents, what does he fay of them? .why,
forfooth, that he will " trujl them as be will
" adders fanged." Now this certainly de-
** predates the character of his Hamlet."
" Mais, done vous aimez 1'amitie des for-
" cieres ? No doubt it is a fine trait in
u their characters, and by this unanimity
" they were enabled to perform their incan-
44 tations." " Vous voulez, par hazard,
<c que Monfieur comment s'appelle le
u bon Monfieur." " V/ho d'ye mean?
u what play is it in?" " Eh! le grand
* ( nom m'eft echappe c'eft un efpece de
*' Marquis Blackamoor qui fe trouve tout
" noir, et qui au lieu de combler fa petite
" femme charmante par les carefles au lit
a mort de ma vie ! il y ' court, il 1'at-
>{ taque, et la voilaenfonceedans 1'Oreiller
brutal'"" O you mean Othello! Well
N 3 there's
[ 1*2 ]
* there's another divine character ; you
" fee his amity to lago ; you fee his charm-
" ing confidence in his lieutenant."
tt Mais que veut dire cela ? la petite ange
" (a femme." ** Nay, he was deceived into
" that ; it was his violent, furious love for
" her, that made hi 31 overcome his reafon,
and fmother" " Eh! le bon apotre'
frnotter mais c'eft fmotter au de la de
" I'expreffion on ne va pas etrangler ce
" qu'on aime c'eft d'aimer a la mode
" Angloife on y re'connoit Famour conju-
" S a ^-> rt ma ^^j c ' e ^ ce me ^ em ble ce
'* qu'on appelle ccnfummaic chez les bons-
" pates de maris" " Nay, nay, you do
u not fee this matter in a proper light."
" Comment, quand Monfieur Othello crie
" a tue tete " put out de light" commen^
<* Diable ! peut on voir goutte ?" Well,
C i3 ]
" I fee you relifh Shakefpeare no more
" than the reft of your countrymen;
" Othello's a noble character !" " II faut
" au moins un cceur de medicin pour tuer
u la petite ange."
The play now v/ent on, and the criti-
cifms ceafed. They did not flay the after-
piece, but Bruce returned home, after total-
ly forgetting, in the ardour of admiration
at his friend Horatio, to mention one fyl-
lable concerning Emily.
Bruce, the next morning, fet off for
Meuntbridge ; and, in the evening of that
day, Mifs Bryant came to London, efcort-
ed by Mrs. Ellyfon, who, notwithstanding
the moft preffing felicitations, returned im-
mediately to K .
N 4 CHAP.
I 184 3
CHAP. VI.
Since fcant the fource of pleafure flows,
Inftrudt the Reeling ftream to guide }
To guide, not to confine,
With ever)- little flower that blows
Around the variable tide.
To deck life's fober flirine,
For every purer joy is thine,
By thee alone are all our cares redreft,
True wifdom is the art of being bleft.
PINKERTON'S RIMES Ode to Scienct,
WHEN Bruce fet off with Mr.
Bryant, they proceeded till they
came to Eton, where they alighted ; and,
enquiring for Mr. Harwal, he made his ap-
pearance, which was ftriking, for he had a
very fine perfon, very carelefsly drefled.
Dr. N. his tutor, was alfo there. Har-
wal obtained leave of ab fence for that day ;
and with a few of his chums, fet off for Lord
Warynton's.
E 185 3
Warynton's. They reached die houfe at
ten o'clock ; and as Mr. Bryant had not
breakfafted, they called and eat a flight re-
paft at an inn in the neighbourhood; after
which the young gentlemen went by them-
felves upon a private expedition.
Mr. Harwal, fon to Lord Warynton,
was at this time juft feventeen. He was
generally regarded at fchool as a very idle
fellow, for he never attended to his leflbn
with diligence ; but as he had an aft on idl-
ing memory, and uncommon brilliancy of
parts, application was not fo requifite to
him as to many others. His early compo-
fitions were univerfally admired for ftrength
of imagination and boldnefs of expreffion ;
but his negligence and love ofpleafure pre-
vented his attaining a fteady corre&nefs.
His fpirit, vivacity, and fweetnefs of dilpo-
fition,
C 186 ]
fition, had made him the favourite of the
whole fchool ; while his audacity, and fkill
in mifchief, fupplied the records of the fe-
minary with matchlefs inftances of intre-
pid atchievement. The good Dr. N.
who was very partial to him, often remind-
ed him of Horace's maxim *.
" This licentious extravagance, Torn,
" will never do. No man arrives at emi-
" nence by fortuitous exertions ; the fum-
" mit of fame is only to be gained by the
" perfevering ftudent ; fuch a lad never is
w difappointed, fudavit et alfit-, while your
" life confifts of nothing but days of fupine-
"nefs, intermingled with fome few pa-
" roxyfms of meditation." Thefe pom-
pous and falutary counfels were often re-
Natura fieret, &c, Horat. De Arte Poet. v. 408,
peated ^
C 187 J
peated ; and were, unfortunately, often re-
futed by the fprightly wit of the difciple, for
Dr. N. loved to argue with him, though;
Tom generally got the better.
An excellent copy of Latin verfes pro-,
cured Harwal a prefent from his mafter ;
it was a little Seneca, a portable edition,,
which the doctor told him -would ferve him-
" to read for his entertainment in his-leifure'
" hours." Tom bowed, and,promifed to take-
care of the book ; he added, '" that the doc-
" tor Jhotdd- always find it in excellent pre-
" fervation" He kept his word, for through-
the fear of injuring fo elegant a volume,
and fo grave a writer^ he -put it in .paper,
buried it very fecurely in a drawer, and-
wrote upon it Refurgam.
Among other ufeful admonitions which,
before his departure for Mountbridge,
Harwal
[ i88 ]
Harwal received from the doctor, was a
ftrong injun&ion to frequent the company
of fuch friends as were eminently pious,
and who difplayed, in their lives and actions,
a conftant tenour of virtuous inclinations.
" Of all my acquaintance, Sir," was
Karwal's reply, " I moft admire Mifs
Bemvall." Indeed ! d'ye admire Mife
" Ben wall ! Ah ! that's a proof of your
u good fenfe and good heart ; my dear boy,
u I'm charm'd to fee this ! Really now,
" Tom, if any one can infinuate any adfci-
" titious virtues into your juvenile brcaft, if
" any one can reclaim that vehement and
** infatiable demand for tumultuous gratifi-
" cations, which is your principal frailty,
" Mifs Ben wall is the perfon. She promif-
ed to vifit me ; I fhould be happy to fee
her."
Why.
C 1*9 J
n Why, Sir, with fubmiflion, I fhoulcf
u think it as well not to afk her to come
"' here ; but I fhould be very glad, every
" now and then, to pafs a few hours at her
u houfe, particularly as I am always fure of
u being received there with the greateft
" klndnefs and friend/hip" " That's a fine
t; opportunity for you, rhy dear Tom, if you?
" know how to improve it." " Indeed, Sir,
I always do my beft." " Well, fmce I
ct fee you fo partFal to that excellent wo-
" man, you (hail have leave of abfence very
" frequently." The good dodlor kept his
word; Harwal went very frequently to
Mifs B.'s, and -the doctor talked very loud-
ly of this young- man's attendance on fo
worthy a woman. Another ludicrous cir-
cumftance drew the attention of Bruce :
Dr. N. had a fifter, an old dame of the
moft.
fnoft implacable and repulfive afperrty that
can be imagined j fhe was one of thofe
fhallow, yet felf important creatures, who
fuppofe peeviihnefs fo intimately connected
with wifdom, that they ought never to br
feparated. She therefore detefted Har-
wal for his eternal vivacity, and invittratt
rifibility. She frequently complained of
him to the doctor; and the day when Bruce
called, declared, in his own prefence, that
he was pail all cure. * I've tried every
" thing," faid ihe, " to reclaim him ; but
" he ftill goes on, in fpite of my teeth!"
" Really, rna'am," laid Tom, bowing, " I
" did not think I had any thing to fear
from that quarter." " There ! there's
< c for you," replied Mrs. N. " that's like
" the wicked and pcophanc ioke h m^rlc
t'other
I 191 J
<c t'other day, about Sufannah ; for he laughs
" at every body's expence."
When they touched on facrcd things, the
worthy doctor very properly thought fit to
terminate the argument, by giving a ver-
didt againft Harwal. " Go, Tom, go
" and ftudy for an hour or two." " He
" ftudy!" faidMrs. N. he a ftudent!
" he'll never ftudy as long as he lives."
" Indeed, ma'am," replied Tom, " I ftudy
" very hard, for I often fit pouring over
" a compofition a whole evening together."
Harwal having obtained permimon to
make an elopement from Eton, for one day,
had invited, with young Bryant, three or
four more lads, to dine, and fpend a jolly
day with him at his father's, before the ar-
rival of the family. They had a hand-
feme dinner, and variety of wines. Tom
(hewed
[ 192 ]
fhewed himfelf an excellent hoft; he con-
tributed, by his airy converfation and plea-
fantry, as well as by promoting the rapid
tranfit of the bottle, to the entertainment of
his guefts. The " mad wags" protracted
the banquet to a late hour j and, by ten
o'clock at night, grew tolerably mellow..
Horfes and chaifes were then ready; and
they all dHperfed feverally, fome to fchool,
and fome to town. Harwal and another
lad got into a chaife, and were proceeding
rapidly to Eton, when the motion of the
carriage, with poor Harwal's exceffive in-
ebriety, produced fo violent a ficknefs, that
they were compelled to ftop the chaife, and
order it to return to Mountbridge. Bruce
and two fervants took him out of the
chaife, and he was carried to bed in a ftate
ef infenfibility. While they were undreff-
ing
[ 193 J
ing him, his companion delivered an open
letter to Bruce : " When Tom's reco-
" vered in the morning," faid he, " give
" him that ; it's one of Tiilotfon's Dif-
" courfes, which he dropt out of his pocket
" in the chaife ; and this book too. I fhall
" inform Dr. N. that he was feized with
" a falling fickncfs, and that he will return
" to Eton in a day or two." The book
was an Ovid. The firft part of this fpeech,
which mentioned that the paper was one
of Tlllctfon's Difcourfisy Bruce did not per-
fectly comprehend ; but looking into it, he
faw it was a letter in a female hand, figned
Elizabeth Tillotfon, the fervant of Mifs Ben-
wall, who had a villa near Mountbridge.
This excited his curiofity, and he read as
follows :
VOL. I. O " Dear
[ '94 ]
u Dear and honoured young Gentleman,
44 YOU was very good indeed to fend
44 me the gifts, and the money ; but indeed
* c you are a great deal too good to me.
11 Coufin Peggy fays I muft not meet you
41 any more at her houfe, as her hufband is
" frightened left we fhould be found out ;
" and if we fhould, he fays that Lord Wa-
" rynton would ruin him without mercy.
" Dear Sir, if a poor girl like me lofes her
44 chara6ter, fhe is undone. I would do
" any thing, God he knows, and you know
44 too well, to pleafe you, and to ferve you.
I've feen Wijtiing Dick, my lord's old
" fervant, whom you fpoke to: he fays he'll
44 die to ferve you ; and fo I'm fure would
44 any body that knows you, or any fer-
u vant in my lord's houfe. Mifs Emily,
" and
[ '95 ]
' and the family of the Bryants, with my
<l lord, and her ladymip, come down in a
<{ few days. Lord blefs me ! if you do love
< Mifs Emily, fure you won't forget a poor
" girl whom you've faid fo much to !
" They fay that Lord Spelman is defigned
<c for Mifs Emily. Excufe me, dear and
" honoured Sir, this bad writing, from
xc your's till death,
Elizabeth Tillotfon."
This epiftle, which informed Bruce how
many rivals he had to contend with, was
carefully replaced in Mr. HarwaPs pocket;
and he then retired to reft, meditating on
fchemes for his future profperity.
Oa CHAP.
196
CHAP. VII.
Strange to relate, but wonderfully true,
That even ihadows have their fhadows too.
CHURCHILL'S ROSCIAD.
Men of a fufceptible nature, the prey of facceffive emo-
tions, for ever happy or miferable in extremes, often
capricious and inconfiftent, ought to cherifh their
lucid intervals, and dwell upon, and treafure up in
their minds, thcfe maxims of wifdom and of virtus
that in times of internal tumult may affuage their
diforder, and adminifter peace to their fouls.
RICHARDSON'S Analyfo of feme cbara&ers
in Sbakejftare, p. 88.
R U C E had remained in the country
above a week, in expe&ation of Lady
Bryant's arrival; and the day was now
come, on. which the families of the Bry-
ants and the Waryntons were to vifit
Mountbridge. It was time for Bruce to j
ccnfider in what way he fhould difco-
ver
C 197 ]
ver himfelf to Emily; or by what arti-
fice he fhould, if poffible, ftill conceal him-
felf, even from her recognition. He be-
gan now to alk, what he had before omit-
ted to inquire of his own heart, whether he
fhould have refolution to perfuade her to
elope with him ; and, what was of ftill fur-
ther importance, whether a young woman
of her high breeding, and delicate mind,
would confent to fuch a hafty union. He
knew fhe loved him ; and he well knew
that female affections, when fettled on one
object, are indiflblubly firm. No dangers
terrify, no temptations allure, no caprices
influence, no tyranny fubdues, the mind of,
a woman who is won by tendernefs and
attached by principle : he had every thing,
therefore, to expect from her conftancy, her
prudence, and her virtue. Some plan muft
O 3 now
C '98 J
now be laid, to acknowledge himfek" with-
out too fuddenly furprifing her ; and care
muft be taken, that when (he had perceived
the ardour and fidelity of his paffion, that
when {he had admired his refolution, and
pardoned his freedom, the proofs of kind-
nefs and condefcenfion fhe might fhew
him, fhould not be witnefied by the family.
A fcheme for their mode of life he had al-
ready formed : they were to retire into the
country ; he would write to his father, own
the/* ofclandef.ine marriage^ prevail upon
him, if pofiible, to hear and forgive; not
only to receive his prodigal fon, but to
kill the fatted calf ." Mifs Brpnt's for-
tune was very large ; but his own, in fome
meafure, depended upon the will of his fa-
ther, Sir Stephen Bruce, who had not been
very liberal, or very regular. He laid great
2 ftrefs.
L *99 J
flrefs, in his own mind, upon the marriage,
when performed, being irretrievable ; and
he prefumed, that feeing it could not be al-
tered, his father and Sir Edward Eryant
would vouchfafe their forgivenefs.
Thefe reflections naturally led him to an-
ticipate the felicity which he fhould enjoy
with Emily in fo defirable a union, a union
founded only upon love ; love, neither
warped by prudence^ nor weakened by faff fy.
He reprefented, to his romantic imagina-
tion, the charms of rural employment, and
innocent recreation. Domeilic eafe would
be accompanied by harmlefs plenty ; the
fports of the field would relieve the plca-
fures of the table ; and the delights arifing,
from fentiment and fonclnefs, would be pro-
perly contrafted by the focial and manly
exercifes which the country more particu-
O 4 laclv
[ 200 ]
larly affords. A numerous and lovely pro-
geny might perhaps cement the ties of con-
jugal intercourfe, and tranfmit to their de-
fcendants the honourable record of a happy
pair, who loved with vehemence, and mar-
ried with refolution. His own former ju-
venilities would be abjured and forgotten ;
and all future irregularities would be pre-
vented, by the beauty of his wife, the care
of his children, the novelty of his amufe-
ments, and the importance of his fituation.
They were then, at the death of his father,
to remove to town ; his daughters were to
be graces, and his fons to be ftatefmen.
He had determined his third fon fhouid
ftudy ; his fourth {hould travel ; and, for the
reft, the army and navy afforded an ample
provifion. He hoped never to outlive his
wife ; one tomb might receive their ames,
and
[ 201 J
and tell every cafual paflenger the exceffive
ardour, and the uncommon longevity, of
their mutual paflion. On the marble
fhould be infcribed, not the date of their
deaths, but the account of their loves ; and
pofrerity fhould hail the conftancy and af-
fection, fo delightfully blended in the family
of Bruce.
Such were the meditations of this fervent
admirer, when he was interrupted by the
arrival of a man, who rode up, and, ringing
violently at the gate, defired to fee Mr.
Bryant, as he had a meflage for him. The
man was ordered to alight; and Mr. Bry-
ant, when fought for, was, after fome time,
found timing in a diftant part of the
grounds. He came back to the houfe, and
Bruce introduced the man, who told him,
that Sir Edward defired him to come im-
mediately
[ 202 J
mediately to town ; that none of the party
\\ould leave London, as Lady Warynton
and Lady Spelman were with his mother;
and that Lord Warynton and Lord Spel-
man were both gone, with Sir Edward
Bryant, in fearch of Mifs Emily, who, after
remaining in London eight days, had ab-
ruptly left her father's houfe that morning.
The countenance of Bruce would have
betrayed him, even to a common obferver,
but Mr. Bryant's curicfity abforbed his fa-
culties till the narrative was finilhed j he
then feemed pretty well compofed, and
calmly obferving, u Pon my honour, that's
" rather a droll affair !" he ordered his
horfes ; told Bruce to get ready to accom-
pany him, as well as his own fervant ; and
then went to look for the fifh which he
had taken.
Bruce
Bruce was really in a dreadful agitation
of mind ; he had fallen, from tbefumniit of
'empyrean felicity, to the gu!t>b of bopelefs de-
fyair* He inquired the particulars of the
ftory; the man was ignorant of all but
what he had told. The unfortunate lover
was therefore obliged to content himfelf, for
the prefent, in a ftate of fufpence.
He now, for the firft time, felt the hard-
fhips of his fituation ; he viewed his livery
as a badge of fervitude, and as a reproach
to his family ; he refented the freedoms of
his fellow fervants, and of Mr. Bryant,
who, when the meflenger arrived, was pre-
paring to think of dinner, it being then
near five o'clock. As they mounted, he
inquired the hour : " She was miffed, Sir,'*
faid Bruce, " juft after nine."
On their journey, Mr. Bryant called out,
I'ra
[ 204 J
a I'm certain my mare has had an acci-
dent." " Yes, Sir," replied Bruce,
" fhe dropped her fan in the library; and
" left her watch under her pillow, where
" (he put it when (he went to bed."
/? V
CHAP.
CHAP. VIII.
I, under fair pretence of friendly ends,
And well piac'd words of glozing courtefy,
Baited with reafons not unplaufible,
Wind me into the eafy-hearted man,
And hug him into fnares.
COMUS.
r w\ HE train of events which had pro-
"* duced Mifs Bryant's elopement, are
now to be related. When file left Lady
Hyndley, file remained but a fiiort time at
Sir Edward Bryant's, for her fituation in that
houfe was not very agreeable. Many rea-
fons concurred to render her unhappy. Sir
Edward's raillery, Lady Bryant's caprice,
and the frequent interference of an imper-
tinent woman, who was much liked by Lady
Bryant, and made a very ill ufe of her in-
fluence
[ 206 ]
fluence in the family, by fuggefting every
fpecies of conduct which could deftroy
Emily's happinefs, and by producing end-
lefs differences between her mother and
herfelf. This perfon was Lady Waryn-
ton, who was perpetually at Sir Edward's.
There is not a character more uniformly
unprincipled, or more flagitioufly impudent,
than the intruder on domelKc peace. Lady
Warynton flighted all confideration?, except
thofe which related to her power and con-
fequence. Her hulband I have defcribed,
a noble and generous patron, yet a man of
intrigue. She never was difpleafcd at his
amours j for as love had the leaft (hare of
Lady Warynton's heart, fhe did not exact
it from others. To Emily Ihe had ever
{hewn a determined antipathy, excited by
the luftre of her beauty, the keennefs of her
reply,
[ 20 7 ]
reply, and the variety of her accomplhli-
ments.
Sir Edward, when difengaged from lux-
ury, had a great regard for his daughter ;
but there was 'ever difplayed in his conduct
towards her a mixture of fupercilious ge-
nerofity, which feemed to proceed rather
from the fenfe of parental duty, than the
warmth of real fondnefs. He fometimes
admired her qualities, and praifed her with
the utmoft politenefs and formality. At
other times, he attacked any little errors
with all the vivid afperity of wit and far-
cafm. It was remarkable, that inftead of
beftowing upon her thofe domeftic epithets,
My dear My Emily Child" &c. &c.
he always called her " My friend/" or
* c Mifs Emily" His love of raillery was,
however, fo ftrong, that people ceafed won-
dering
[ *o8 3
dering when they began to know him more
intimately. Lady Bryant's verfatility of
inclination was intolerable ; and her peevifh
vexation at Emily's pre-eminence in every
point, amounted fometimes to fixed anti-
pathy; and a quarrel frequently arofe on
the fubjeft, between Sir Edward and her
ladylhip.
In the midft of thefe domeftic feuds, a
new acquaintance betrayed Emily into the
fituation which is fo frequently embraced
by heroes and heroines of fantaftic ro-
mance.
Henry Albin was one of the moft daa-
gerous characters that deprave the morals,
and deftroy the interefts, of fociety. His
reputation was fupported by an oftentatious
piety, which he difplayed, every week, in a
regular attendance at church; and his ex-
terior
terior deportment perpetually manifefted a
pure and upright heart. But his private life
was polluted with excefles of almoft every
kind. Skilful fraud, and luxurious gratifi-
cation, conftituted the viciflitude of his ne-
farious employments ; and it was perhaps
difficult to fay by which fpecies of villainy
the greateft numbers had been undone, by
the allurements of his houfe, or by the fuc-
cefs of his private rapine. His fortune
was immenfely large ; his connections were
with people of rank, and frequently with
people of virtue. His wife was a woman
of equal (kill, and, if poflible, of worfe prin-
ciples. The luftre of youth and beauty
added frefh power to her infidious wiles ;
and fo totally was her mind eftranged from
every fenfe of honour and delicacy, that fhe
never fcrupled to become the infamous pro-
VOL. I. P moter
[ 210 ]-
moter of her hufband's intrigues. Some
paflages in Albin's life had been carefully
deted-ted, and would have been properly
expofed, but he appeafed the fury of his
perfecutors by complying with their de-
mands of exorbitant bribery. His ftyle of
living, which was uncommonly gay, threw
a fplendour round the name and character
of a man whofe manners were eafy and
refined} and his perpetual appearance at
church on the fabbath, and on the princi-
pal feafts and fafts, with a grave face, and
a. decent behaviour, had, with fome of the
blind bigots to extrinfic piety, totally ex-
punged from his reputation thofe foul blots
with which it had been tainted. His
bounty to the poor was very great. Hs
fubfcribed to hofpitals, encouraged beggars,
and had always a numerous train of thofe
gentlemtn
gentlemen pen/loners who " take no thought
" for the morrow." By thefe magnificent
donations, however, he really did much
good ; and many families were refcued from
ruin, many ufeful inftitutions fupported,
and much real benevolence excited in others,
by the example of a benefactor, who was
otherwife the vileft of mankind.
Amongft the victims to Albin's licen-
tioufnefs, was a young girl named Millar,
who was coufm to Mrs. Lewfton, woman
to Lady Bryant. Millar had been fome
time forfaken; and, after becoming the
prey of her feducer, was, with the infamous
barbarity, and unprincipled villainy, which
too often attend the gaiety of a libertine,
turned over to the bounty and the cruelty
of fucceflive profligates : he was devoted
to indigence and infamy; but the kindnefs
P 2 Of
[ 212 ]
of Mrs. Lewflon refcued her from deftruc-
tion.
Albin had met, admired, and at laft ar-
dently loved, Mifs Bryant. He wifhed for
her acquaintance ; and would have intro-
duced himfelf to her family, but feared that
his wifhes might, from fuch an intimacy,
be difappointed. He knew not to what
new artifice he {hould have recourfe j when
he at length received a letter from Mrs.
Lewfton, who, after reproaching him with
the ruin of her coufin, folicited, or rather
demanded, a proper relief, in the fituation to
which fhe was then reduced ; and con-
cluded by defiring him to direft his anfwer
to her at Sir Edward Bryant's. His afto-
nimment and delight, at this intelligence,
were equally powerful. He wrote word
that he was highly feniible how ill her
" coufin
r 213 j
a coufm had been treated; that he had
" long fince renounced all the pomps andva-
" nities of this wicked wcrld^ with allthefm-
ful lujls of the flejh ; that he hoped his
" heavenly Father would forget what had
" pafled between him and Kitty,, as he was
" now become a new man, pure and un-
" defiled. To ihcw his reformation was
" fincere, he inclofed a twenty pound note,
" which he defired her to accept, and beg-
" ged to fpeak to Mrs. Lewfton, at his
" own houfe, before eight o'clock that:
" evening."
The woman's heart overflowed with
pleafure at the fuppofed remorfe and bounty
of Albin. She concealed it from her cou-
fin, and was punctually at Aibin's by eight'
o'clock. She was introduced to him alone.
Mrs. Albin was out; and he had dined
P 3 early,
[ 2I 4 J
early, that he might be at leifure to nego-
ciate the bufmefs of the evening. He
teftified " excefs of happinefs and fliame
" at meeting this good woman." He talked
over the beauty of her coufin, and her fine
temper; but lamented that (he (hould have
loft her influence over his heart at a time
when he was the moft conftant creature
alive. He then proceeded to flatter Mrs.
Lewfton; commended her generofity to
Kitty Mfllar ; poured forth a lively pane-
gyric upon her fidelity, diligence, (kill, and
propriety of behaviour in the place which :
Ihe now occupied: he congratulated her
upon her fituation ; talked of Sir Edward
Bryant's pleafantry, and Lady Bryant's fa-
fhionable refinements ; and thus, by a na-
tural gradation, he made the tenour of the
converfation arrive at Mifs Emily.
Before
[ 2XS ]
Before Mrs. Lcwfton's arrival, fome ex-
quifite cates, and delicious liqueurs, had
been carefully provided. Of thefe Ihe plen-
tifully partook ; and in two hours grew fo
communicative, that Albin, who treated
her as his moft familiar friend, was foon
poflefled of all the information he could pof-
fibly wifh for. She was overpowered by
the blaze of magnificence in his houfe, and
the charms of condefcenfion in himfelf ; and
before fhe left him, thought he was not
quite fo culpable in the fedudion of her cou-
fin, but that Kitty was naturally aban-
doned, and juftly deferted.
Albin learned the whole ftory of Bruce's
attachment to Emily, as well as many
others, not much worth relating; the let-
ters he had written, the fecrecy he had ob-
ferved, and the refufal he had received from
P 4 Mife
[ .216 ]
Mifs Bryant, were all detailed, with many
kfle interpolations, and conje&ural falfe-
hoocls. The principal facts, however, were
pretty accurately ftated ; and of thefe, Al-
bin took all profitable advantages. By a
few rich prefents he won the heart of Mrs.
Lewfton, whofe principles of integrity
were fo very old, that fhe herfelf thought
them now quite Superannuated,, and chcfe
to employ them no longer.
He then promited an ample provifion tor
her coufm ; and pleaded his wife in excufe
for not taking her again. He hinted, very
delicately, his refpeft for Mifs Bryant, and
his fears left flie fhould be induced to ds
any thing amifs. " He had apprehenfions
" about this Bruce ; he knew him well, and
" \vas fure he was not at Oxford j he had
" a letter of his in his pofleffion; and if
6 " A'Irs.
2i 7 3
*' Mrs. Lewfton would ufe her endeavours
** to procure another, fhould be glad to
" compare the hand-writing." Mrs* Lew-
fton promifed every thing; and after once
or twice more facrificing to " plumpy Eac-
" ckus with pink eyne" fhe appointed 'a
meeting in two days, and tottered home.
Lady Bryant was at a rout; and Lew-
fton, who was not quite in a fituation to
receive her at her return, went to bed;
leaving another female to attend her mif-
trefs, and declared {he was very ill.
Her ladyfhip was very fond of this wo-
man. She had lived with her many years ;
had never openly committed any mifdeed to
forfeit her favour, but had ferved her (as
Lady Bryant fuppofed) with zeal and fide-
lity. Her honefty was, however, really not
graat. She was difliked by the domeftics
for
C 218 j
for her ill temper; but (he preferred the
friendfhip of the butler, and therefore,
when offended by the reft, {he retired to
her own room, and fwallowed the affront.
Emily was very partial to her; and in
the hour of gloom and difappointment,
when fhe had been harrafled by her mo-
ther, laughed at by her father, and irritated
by the impertinence of Lady Warynton, fhe
would repair to Mrs. Lewfton's room, and
with many tears lament the cruelty of for-
tune, and the caprices of her family. She
had no friend (he could truft; and that
weaknefs of judgment, which is incurred
by vexation and adverfity, often betrayed
her to make a confidante of Mrs. Lewfton ;
to relate her forrows, and confefs her paf-
fions ; to put herfelf in the power of one
10 who
who had no attachment, no fincerity, no
difcernment, no fenfibility, no education.
Thefearefome, among the many dread-
ful evils which arife from the unpardon-
able negligence of parents, in their dome-
ftic regulations. In parental duty, the art
of making home comfortabk holds a very
high place ; and thofe who carelefsly, or
purpofely, omit this important requifite to
the welfare of their children, are certainly
anfwerable for every folly, and every crime,,
which they are led to commit, by any cor-
rupt fociety into which they have been
driven.
The implicit reliance with which the
whole family regarded Mrs. Lewfton, gave
her many opportunities of admiffion to the
cabinets and drawers of the two ladies. She
foon found means to purloin three or four
of
r 220 ]
F Biruce's early letters, which (he fpeedily
conveyed to Albin, who rewarded her af-
fiduity with additional benefactions.
Of the hand- writing, the ftyle, and fome
ether neceflary circumftances, Albin foon
made himfelf mafter ; and then forwarded
his plot, with a fkill and perfeverance not'
to be excelled. He wrote feveral letters in
Bruce's hand to Mifs Bryant ; announced
his own fuppofed departure from Oxford j
repeated his declarations of love ; and added,
that his friend Mr. Albin had fome know-
ledge of their mutual regard; that he was a
man of the higheft honour; and that, could
he (Bruce) venture to town, where he was
afraid to (hew himfelf, left his father fhould
difcover him, he would have requefted the
honour of feeing her for a few minutes at'
Mr. Albin's houfe. The letter continued for.
fome:
[ 221 ]
fome pages in a ftrain of fondnefs and anx-
iety ; concluding without any hint at what
was mentioned in a future epiftle. It was
fealed with Bruce's feal, as he had one cut in
imitation of what was upon the letters, and
conveyed to Emily by the care of Mrs.
Lewfton.
The furprife and delight of Emily, at
hearing from her admirer, carried her be-
yond the limits of propriety. She liftened
with pleafure to the eulogiums which Lew-
fton laviftied upon the generofity of the Al-
bins j and was at length perfuaded, in one
of the airings which (he fometimes took
with this woman, to make them a vifit.
They received her with a refpet that flat-
tered, and a cordiality that charmed her.
She promifed to repeat her viiits j and after
being
[ 222 J
being gratified by an account of Albin's
acquaintance with Bruce, fhe returned
home, charmed with the moft fanguine
profpe&s of probable felicity.
1ND OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
5908
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