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 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 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 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 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 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 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 conftrun 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- <* ] 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; { 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 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 University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. OCT 2 7 1997 A 000 005 671 3 Unh Si