THE
MAN
O F
FEELING.
A NEW EDITION.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR W. STRAHAN; AND
T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND.
MDCCLXXXJII,
.;/V~
-
INTRODUCTION.
IVl Y dog had made a point on a piece
of fallow-ground, and led the curate
and me two or three hundred yards
over that and fome ftubble adjoining,
in a breathlefs ftate of expectation, on
a burning firft of September.
It was a falfe point, and our labour
was vain : yet, to do Rover juftice (for
he's an excellent dog, though I have
loft his pedigree), the fault was none of
his, the birds were gone : the curate
fliewed me the fpot where they had lain
baflcing, at the roct of an old hedge.
I flopped and cried Hem ! The cu-
rate is fatter than I ; he wiped the fweat
from his brow.
There is no ftate where one is apter
to paufe and look round one, than after
A 2 fuch
iv INTRODUCTION
fuch a difappointment. It is even fo m
life. When we have been hurrying on,
impelled by fome warm wifh or other,
looking neither to the right hand nor to
the left we find of a fudden that all
our gay hopes are flown j and the only
flender conib'ation that fume friend
can give us, ib to point where they were
once to be found. And lu I if we are
not of that combuilible race, who will
rather beat their heads in fpite, than
wipe their brows with the curate, we
look round and fay, with the naufeated
Micfinefs of the king of Ifrael, " All
is vanity and vexation of fpirit."
Hooked round with fome fuch grave
apophthegm in my mind when I difco-
*vered, for the firft time, a venerable pile,
to which the inclofure belonged. An
I air of melancholy hung about it. There
was a languid tfiilnefs in the day, and a
fingle
INTRODUCTION. v
fingle crow, that perched on an old
tree by the fide of the gate, Teemed to
delight in the echo of its own croaking.
I leaned on my gun and looked j but
I had not breath enough to afk the cu-
rate a queftion. I obferved carving on
the bark of fome of the trees : 'twas
indeed the only mark of human art
about the place, except that fome
branches appeared to have been lopped,
to give a view of the cafrade, which was
formed by a little rill at fome diftance.
Juft at thatinftant I law pafs between
the trees, a young lady with a book in-
her hand. I flood upon a ftone to ob-
ferve her i but the curate fat him down
on the grafs, and leaning his back where
I ftood, told me, " That was the daugh^
ter of a neighbouring gentleman of the
name of WALTON, whom he had feen
walking there more than once.
3 (t Some
vi INTRODUCTION.
" Some time ago" he faid", " one
HARLEY lived there, a whimfical fort
of a man I am told, but I was not then
in the cure j though, if I had a turn
for thofe things, I might know a good
deal of his hiftory, for the greateft part
of it is ftill in my pofiefiion."
' tf His hiftory! faid I. " Nay, you
may call it what you pleafe, faid the
curate^ for indeed it is no more a hif-
tory than it is a fermon. The way I
came by it was this : fome time ago, a
grave, oddifli kind of man boarded
at a farmer's in this parifh : The coun-
try people called him The Ghod; and
he was known by the fiouch in his
gait, and the length of his ftride. I
was but little acquainted with him, for
he never frequented any of the clubs
hereabouts. Yet for all he ufed to
walk a-nights, he was as gentle as a
lamb at times ; for I have feen him
i play-
INTRODUCTION. vii
playing at te-totum with the children
on the great ftone at the door of our
church-yard.
" Soon afcer I was made curate, he
left the parilh, and went no body knows
whither - 3 and in his room was found a
bundle of papers, which was brought
to me by his landlord. I began to read
them, but I foon grew weary of the
tafk -, for, befides that the harlti is in-
tolerably bad, I could never find the
author in one ftrain for two chapters I
together; and I don't believe there's a U
fingle fyllogifmfrom beginning toend."
" 1 ihould be glad to fee this med-
ley," faid I. " You (hall fee it now,"
anlVered the curate, " for I always take
it along with me a-fhooting." "How
came it fo torn ?" " 'Tis excellent wad-
ding," faid the curate. This was a
pica of expediency I was not in a con-
dition to anfweri for I had actually in
my
viii INTRODUCTION.
my pocket great part of an edition of
one of the German IlluftrifTuni, for the
very fame purpofe. We exchanged
books j and by that means (for the
curate was a ftrenuous logician) we
probably faved both.
When I returned to town, I had lei-
fure to.peru.'e the acq 1 iiuion I had
> maJe !i|I found it a burr.: it ot'little epi-
PTodeSj put together v/i. \iout art, and of
no importance on the whole, with fome-
l ' thing of nature, and little cl r e in them.
1 I was a good aeal affected with fome
very trifling paiTages in itj and had the
name of Marmontel, or a Richardlbn,
been on the title-page 'tis odds that
I Ihould have wept : But
One is afhamed to be pleafed with the
works of one knows not whom. (/
THE
THE
MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XI *.
Of bajhfulnefs. A charafter. His opi-
nion on that fubjeff.
THERE is fome ruft about every
man at the beginning ; though in
Tome nations (among tlVe^French, for
inftance) the ideas of the inhabitants,
from climate, or what other caufe you
* The reader will remember, that the Editor
is accountable only for fcattered chapters, and
fragments of chapters ; the curate muft anfwer/
for the reft. The number at the top, when the
chapter was entire, he has given as it originally
flood, with the^itle which its author had affixed
to it.
B will,
2 THE MAN OF FEELING.
will, are fo vivacious, fo eternally on
the wing, that they muft, even in fmall
focieties, have a frequent collifion ; the
ruft therefore will wear off fooner : but
in Britain, it often goes with a man to
his grave; nay, he dares not even pen
a bic jacct to fpeak out for him after
his death.
, " Let them rub it off by travel,"
faid the baronet's brother, who .was a
flriking inflance of excellent metal,
fhamefully rufted. I had drawn my
chair near his. Let me paint the Koncft
old man : 'tis but one paffing fentence
to preferve his image in my mind.
He fat in his ufual attitude, with his
elbow refted on his knee, and his fingers
prefied on his cheek. His face was
fhaded by his hand \ yet it was a face
that
THE MAN OF FEELING. 3
th at might once have been well account-
ed handfome ; its features were manly
and ftriking, and a certain dignity re-
fided on his eyebrows, which were the
largeft I remember to have feen. His
perfon was tall and well-made ; but the
indolence of his nature had nowinclined
it to corpulency.
His remarks were few, and made only
to his familiar friends j but they were
fuch as the world might have heard with
veneration : and his heart, uncorrupted
by its ways, was ever warm in the caufe'
of virtue and his friends.
He is now forgotten and gone! The
laft time I was aTS ikon- hallTTTaw his
chair ftand in its corner by the fire-fide^
there was an additional cufhion on if,
and ic was occupied by my young lady's
B 2 favourite
4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
I favourite lap-dog. I drew near unper-
ceived, and pinched itsear in the bitter-
nefs of my foul ; the creature howled,
v and ran to its miftrefs. She did not
fufpect the author of its misfortune,
but fhe bewailed it in the mod pathetic
terms 5 and killing its lips, laid it gently
on her lap, and covered it with a cam-
brick handkerchief. I fat in my old
friend's feat ; I heard the roar of mirth
and gaiety around me : poor Ben Sil-
ton ! I gave thee a tear then : accept of
one cordial drop that falls to thy me-
mory now.
Cf They fhould wear it off by travel."
Why, it is true, faid I, that will go
far ; but then it will often happen, that
in the velocity of a modern tour, and
amidft the materials through which it is
commonly made, the fri&ion is fo vio-
lent,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 5
lent, that not only the ruft, but the
metal too, is loft in the progrefs.
Give me leave to correct the expref-
fion of your metaphor, laid Mr. Silton :
that is not always ruft which is acquired
by the inactivity of the body on which
it preys ; fuch, perhaps, is the cafe with
me, though indeed I was never cleared
from my youth ; but (taking it in its
firft ftage) it is rather an encruftation,
which nature has given for purpofes of
the greateft wifdom.
You are right, I returned 3 and fome-
times, like certain precious foflils, there
may be hid under it gems of the pureft
brilliancy.
Nay, farther, continued Mr. Silton.,
there are two diftin<5t forts of what we
B 3 call
6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
call bafhfulnefs ; this, the awkvvardnefs
of a booby, which a few fteps into the
world will convert into the pertnefs of a
coxcomb ; that, a confcioufneis, which
the moft delicate feelings produce, and
the rnoft extenfive knowledge cannot
^.always remove.
*
From the incidents I have already
related, I imagine it will be concluded,
fthat Harley was of the latter fpecies of
^^fc^BS^ ^ i * - i' '
bafhful animals j at lead, if Mr. Sil-
ton's principle is juft, it may be argued
on this fide : for the gradation of the
firft mentioned fort, it is certain, he
never attained. Some part of his ex-
ternal appearance was modelled from
the company of thofe gentlemen, whom
the antiquity of a family, now poflefled
of bare 250!. a year, entitled its repre-
fentative to approach: thefe indeed
were
THE MAN OF FEELING. 7
were not manyj great part of the pro-
perty in his neighbourhood being in
the hands of merchants, who had got
rich by their lawful calling abroad, and
the fons of fte wards, who had got rich
by their lawful calling at home : per-
fons fo perfectly verfed in the ceremo-
nial' of thoufands, tens of thoufands,
and hundreds of thoufands (whofe de-
grees of precedency are plainly demon-
ftrable from the firft page of the Com-
plete Accomptant, or Young Man's
beft Pocket Companion), that a bow
at church from them to luch a man as
Harley, would have made the parfon
look back into his fermon for fome pre-
cept of Chrjftian humility.
B 4 CHAP.
8 THE MAN OF FEELING,
CHAP. XII.
Of worldly interefts.
are certain interefts which
A the world fuppofes every man to
have, and which therefore are properly
enough termed worldly i but the world
is apt to make an erroneous eftimate :
ignorant of the difpofitions which con-
ftitute our happinefs or mifery, they
bring to an undiftinguilhed fcale the
means of the one, as connected with
power, wealth or grandeur^ and of the
other with their contraries. Philofo-
phers and poets have often protefted
againft this decifion ; but their argu-
ments have been defpifed as declama-
tory, or ridiculed as romantic.
There
THE MAN OF FEELING. 9.
There are never wanting to a young
man fome grave and prudent friends to
fet him right in this particular, if he
need it : to watch his ideas as they arife,
and point them to thofe objects which.
a wife man Ihould never forget.
Harley did not want for fome moni-
tors of this fort. He was frequently
told of men, whofe fortunes enabled
them to command all the luxuries of
life, whofe fortunes were of their own
acquirement : his envy was invited by
a defcription of their happinefs, and
his emulation by a recital of the. means
which had procured it.
\
Harley was apt to hear thofe lectures
with indifference; nay fometimes they
got the better of his temper ; and as the
inftances were not always amiable, pro-
B 5 voked,,
jo THE MAN OF FEELING.
voked, on his part, fome reflexions,
which I am perfuaded his good-nature
would elfe have avoided.
Indeed I have obferved one ingre-
dient, fomewhat necefiary in a man's
compofition towards happinefs, which
people of feeling would do well to ac-
quire ; a certain refpedt for the follies of
mankind : for there are fo many fools
whom the opinion of the world entitles
to regard, whom accident has placed in
heights of which they are unworthy,
that he who cannot retrain his con-
tempt, or indignation at the fight, will
betoooften quarrelling widi thedifpofal
of things, to relifti that fhare which is al-
lotted to himfclf. I do not mean, how-
ever, to infmuate this to have been the
cafe with Hurley ; on the contrary, if
we might rely on his own teftimony,the
conceptions
THE MAN OF FEELING, n
conceptions he had of pomp and gran-V
deur ferved to endear the ftate which;
Providence had affigned him.
f He loft his father, the laft furviving
f
of his parents, as I have already related,
^hen he was a boy. The good man,
from a fear of offending, as well as a re-
gard to his fon,. had named him a va-
riety of guardians ; one confequence of
which was, that they feldom met at all '
to confider the affairs of their ward j
and when they did meet, their opinions
were fo oppofite, that the only poffible
method of conciliation, was the media-
tory power of a dinner and a bottle,,
which commonly interrupted, not end-
ed, the difpute ; and after that inter-
ruption ceafed, left the confulting par-
ties in a condition not very proper for
adjufting it. His education therefore
B6 had:
12 THE MAN OF FEELING.
had been but indifferently attended to ^
and after being taken from a country-
fchool, at which he had been boarded,
the young gentleman was fuffered to
be his own matter in the fubfequent
branches of literature, with fome afiift-
ance from the parfbn of the parifh in lan-
guages and philofophy, and from the
excifeman in arithmetic and book-
keeping. One of his guardians, indeed,
who, in his youth, had been an inha-
bitant of the Temple, fet him to read
Coke upon Lyttelton j a book which
is very properly put into the hands of
beginners in that fcience, as its fim-
plicity is accommodated to their under-
Handings, and its fize to their inclina-
tion. He profited but little by the
perufal , but it was not without its ufe
in die family : for his maiden aunt ap-
plied it commonly to the laudable pur-
pofe
THE MAN OF FEELING. 13
pofe of preffing her rebellious linens to
the folds fhe had allotted them.
There were particularly two ways of
increafmg his for tune, which might have
occurred to people of lefs forefight than
the counfellors we have mentioned. One
of thefe was, the profpect of his fucceed-
ing to an old lady, a diftant relation,
who was known to be poflefTed of a very
large fum in the flocks : but in this
their hopes were difappointed i for the
young man was fo untoward in his diff
pofition, that, notwithftanding the inj
ftrutftions he daily received, his vifits
rather tended to alienate than gain the
good-will of his kinfwoman. He fome-
times looked grave when the old lady
told the jokes of her youth j he often
refuted to eat when fhe prefled him,
and was feldom or never provided with
fugar-
i 4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fugar-candy or liquorice when fhe was
feized with a fir of coughing : nay, he
had once the rudenefs to fall afleep,
while (he was defcribing the compofi-
tion and virtues of her favourite cholic-
(water. In ihort, he accommodated
himfelf fo ill to her humour, that fhe
died, and did not leave him a far-
thing.
The other method pointed out to hirrr
was, an endeavour to get a leafe of fome
crown-lands, which lay contiguous to
his little paternal eftate. This, it was
imagined, might be eafily procured, as
the crown did not draw fo much rent as
Harley could afford to give, with very,
confiderable profit to himfelf ; and the
then lefiee had rendered himfelf fo ob-
noxious to the miniftry, by the difpofal
of his vote at an election, that he could
7 net
THE MAN OF FEELING. 15
not expect a renewal. This, however,
needed fome intereft with the great,
which Harley or his father never pof-
felled.
His neighbour, Mr. Walton, having
heard of this affair, generoufly offered
his afiiftanee to accomplifli it. He told
him, that though he had long been a
ftranger to courtiers, yet he believed
there were fome of them who might
pay regard to his recommendation j
and that, if he thought it worth the
while to take a London-journey upon
the bufmefs, he would furnifh him with
a letter of introduction to a baronet of
his acquaintance, who had a great deal
to fay with the firft lord of the trea-
fury.
When
16 THE MAN OF FEELING.
When his friends heard of this offer r
they prefied him with the utmoft ear-
neftnefs to accept of it. They did not
fail to enumerate the many advantages
which a certain degree of fpirit and af-
fnrance gives a man who would make a
figure in the world : they repeated
their inftances of good fortune in others,
afcribed them all to a happy forward-
nefs of difpofition; and made fo copious
a recital of the difad vantages which at-
tend the oppofite weaknefs, that a ftran-
ger, who had heard them, would have
been led to imagine, that in the Britifh.
code there was fome disqualifying fta-
tute againft any citizen who fnould be
\ con v idled of modefty.
Harley, though he had no great re-
lifh for the attempt, yet could not
refift
THE MAN OF FEELING. 17
refift the torrent of motives that af-
faulted him ; and as he needed 'but
little preparation for his journey, a day,
not very diftant, was fixed for his de-
parture.
CHAP.
i8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XIIL
The Man of Feeling in love.
THE day before that on which
he fet our, he went to take leave
of Mr. Walton. We would conceal
nothing; there was another perfon of
the family to whom alfo the vifit was
intended, on whofe account, perhaps,
therewere fome tenderer feelings in the
bofom of Harley, than his gratitude
for the friendly notice of that gentleman
(though he was feldom deficient in that
virtue) could infpire. Mr. Walton had
a daughter ; and fuch a daughter ! we
will attempt fome defcription of her by
and by.
Harley's
THE MAN OF FFELING. 19
Harley's notions of the X.OAOV, or
beautiful, were not always to be de-
fined, nor indeed fuch as the world
would always aflent to, though we
could define them. A blufli, a phrafe
of affability to an inferior, a tear at a
moving tale, were to him, like the
Ceftus of Cytherea, unequalled in con-
ferring beauty. For all thefe Mifs
Walton was remarkable j but as thefe,
like the above-mentioned Ceftus, are
perhaps (till more powerful, when the
wearer is poflfefled of fome degree of
beauty, commonly fo called ; it hap-
pened, that, from this caufe, they had
more than ufual power in the perfon of
that young lady.
She was now arrived at that period of
life which takes, or is fuppofed to take,
from the flippancy of girlhood thofe
fpright-
20 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fprightlinefles with which fome good-
natured old maids oblige the world at
three-fcore. She had been ulhered into
life (as that word is ufed in the dialed
of St. James's) at feventeen, her father
being then in parliament, and living in
/London : at feventeen, therefore, fhe
I had been a univerfal toaft -, her health,
inow fhe was four-and-twenty, was only
idrank by thofe who knew her face at
jleaft. -Her complexion was mellowed
into a palenefs, which certainly took
from her beauty -, but agreed, at lead
Harley ufed to fay fo, with the penfive
foftnefs of her mind. Her eyes were
of that gentle hazel colour which is ra-
ther mild than piercing ; and, except
when they were lighted up by good hu-
mour, which was frequently the cafe,
were fuppofed by the fine gentlemen to
want fire. Her air and manner were
elegant
THE MAN OF FEELING. 21
elegant in the higheft degree, and were
as lure of commanding refpect, as their
miftrefs was far from demanding it.
Her voice was inexpreffibly foftj^it
was, according to that incomparable
fimile of Otway's,
f like the fhepherd's pipe upon
the mountains,
" When all his little flock's at feed
before him."
The erTeft it had upon Harley,himfclf
ufed to paint ridiculoufly enough j and
afcribed it to powers, which few be-
lieved, and nobody cared for.
' Her converfation was always cheer-
fuU.j3utjj.rely witty; and without the
fmalleft affectation of learning, had as
much Jenrjrnrnr in it as would have
6 puzzled
22 THE MAN OF FEELING.
puzzled a Turk, upon his principles
of female materialifm, to account for.
Her benjkence was urrbotmdejdj in-
deed the natural tendernefs of her heart
might have been argued, by the frigi-
.dity of a cafuift, as detracting from her
[virtue in this refpect, for her humanity
fas a feeling, not a principle : but
linds like Harley's are not very apt
k> make this diftinction, and generally
ive our virtue credit for all that be-
^evolence which is inftinclive in our
As her father had fome years retired
to the country, Harley had frequent
opportunities of feeing her. He looked
on her for fome time merely with that
refpect and admiration which her ap-
pearance feemed to demand, and the
opinion of others conferred upon her :
from
THE MAN OF FEELING. 23
from this caufe, perhaps, and from that
extreme fenfibility of which we have
taken frequent notice, Harley was re-
markably filent in her prefence. He
heard her fentiments with peculiar at-
tention, fometimes with looks very ex-
preffive of approbation ; but feldom
declared his opinion on the fubjefr,
much lefs made compliments to the
lady on the juftnefs of her remarks.
From this very reafon it was, that
Mifs Walton frequently took more par-
ticular notice of him than of other vifit-
ors, who, by the laws of precedency,
were better entitled to it : it was a
mode of politenefs fhe had peculiarly
ftudied, to bring to the line of that
equality, which is ever neceflary for
the eafe of our guefts, thofe whofe fen-
fibility had placed them below it.
Harley
24 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Harley faw this ; for though he was
a child in the drama of the world j yet
was it not altogether owing to a want
of knowledge in his part ; on the con-
/trary, the moft delicate confcioufnefs of
( propriety often kindled that blufh which
marred the performance of it : this
raifed his efleem fomething above what
the moft fanguine defcriptions of her
goodnefs had been able to doj for cer-
tain it is, that notwithftanding the la-
fboured definitions which very wife men
have given us of the inherent beauty of
virtue, we are always inclined to think
her handfomeft when fhe condefcends
to fmile upon ourfelves.
It would be trite to obferve the eafy
\ gradation from efteem to love : in the
bofom of Harley there fcarce needed a
tranfition j for there were certain feafons
when
THE MAN OF FEELING. 25
wfren his ideas were flufhed to a degree
much above their common complexion.
In times not credulous of infpiration >
we fhould account for this from fome
natural caufe ; but we do not mean to
account for it at all; it were fufficienc
to defcribe its effects -, but they were
fometimes fo ludicrous, as might dero-
gate from the dignity of the fenfations
which produced them to defcribe. They
were treated indeed as fuch by mod of
Harley'sfober friends, who often laugh-
ed very heartily at the awkward blun* \
ders of the real Harlty, when the dif-
ferent faculties, which fhould have pre-
vented therm, were entirely occupied
by the ideaJ. In fome of thefe pa-j
roxifms of fancy, Mils Walton did nos
fail to be introduced ; and the picture?
which had been drawn aonidft the fur-
C rounding;
26 THE MAN OF FEELING.
rounding objects of unnoticed levity,
was now fingled out to be viewed
[through the medium of romantic ima-
j gination : it was improved of courfe,
i and efteem was a word inexprefiive of
Lthe feelings which it excited.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING, af
C HAP. XIV.
/<? fets out on bis journey. The beggar
and his dog.
HE had taken leave of his aunt on
the eve of his intended departure ;
but the good lady's afFe&ion for her
nephew interrupted herfleep, and early
as it was next morning when Harley
came down flairs to fet out, he found
her in the parlour with a tear on her
-cheek, and her caudle-cup in her hand.
She knew enough of phyfic to pre-
fcribe againft going abroad of a morn-
ing with an empty ftomach. She gave
her blefling with the draught ; her in-
ftruclions fhe had delivered the night
before. They confided moftly of ne-
C 2 gatives ;
2 8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
gatives j for London, in her idea, was
fo replete with temptations, that it
needed the whole armour of her friendly
cautions to repel their attacks.
Peter flood at the door. We have
mentioned this faithful fellow formerly:
Harley's father had taken him up an
1, orphan, and faved him from being caft
on the parifh ; and he had ever fmce
remained in the fervice of him and of
his fon. Harley fhook him by the
hand as he palled, fmiling, as if he had
faid, " I will not weep." He fprung
haftily into the chaife that waited for
him : Peter folded up the ftep. V" My
dear mafter (faid he, fhaking the foli-
tary lock that hung on either fide of his
head), I have been told as how London
is a fad place." He was choaked*
with the thought, and his benediction
could
THE MAN OF FEELING. 29
could not be heard: but it fliall be
heard, honed Peter! where thefe tears
will add to its energy. \^s^
In a few hours Harley reached the
inn where he propofed brcakfafting;
but the fulnefs of his heart would not
fufFer him to eat a morfel. tie walked
out on the road, and gaining a little
height, flood gazing on that quarter he
had left. He looked for his wonted
profpeft, his fields, his woods, and
his hills : they were loft in the diftant
clouds ! He penciled them on the
clouds, and bade them farewel with a
figh !
He fat down on a large ftone to take
out a little pebble from his fhoe, when
he faw, at fome diftance, a beggar ap-
proaching him. He had on a loofe fort
Cj of
30 THE MAN OF F'E E'L I N"<?..
of coat, mended with different-coloured
rags, amongft which the blue and the
rujQet were predominant. He had a,
Ihort knotty (lick in his hand, and on
the top of it was ftuck a ram's horn ;
his knees (though he was no pilgrim)
had worn the fluff of his breeches ; he
wore no fhoes, and his ftockings had
entirely loft that part of them which
fhould have covered his feet and ancles t
in his face, however, was the plump
appearance of good humour $ he walk-
ed a good round pace, and a crook
legged dog trotted at his heels.
" Onr delicacies, fakl Harley to him-
felf, are fantaftic ; they are not in na.
ture! that beggar walks over the
fharpeft of thefe ftones barefooted,
whilft I have loft the moft delightful
dreajri in the world, from the fmalleft
of
THE MAN OF FEELING. 31
of them happening to get into my
fhoe." The beggar had by this time
come up, and pulling off a piece of hat,,
afked charity of Harley j the dog be-
gan to beg too : it was impoflible to
refift both j and, in truth, the want of
fhoes and {lockings had made both un-
necefiary, for Harley had deflined fix-
pence for him before. The beggar,
on receiving it, poured forth bleflings
without number ; and, with a fort of
fmile on his countenance, faid to Har-
ley, <f that if he wanted to have his
fortune told" Harley turned his eye
brifkly on the beggar : it was an un-
promifing look for the fubjed of a
prediction, and filenced the prophec
immediately. " I would much rather
learn, faid Harley, what it is in your
power to tell me : your trade muft be
an entertaining one : fit down on this
C 4 ftone,
3 2 THE MAN OF FEELING.
jftone, and let me know fomething of
your profeffion j I have often thought
of turning fortune-teller for a week or
two myfelf."
" Matter, replied the beggar, I like
your franknefs much ; God knows I
had the humour of plain-dealing in me
from a child j but there is no doing
with it in this world ; we mutt live as
we can, and lying is, as you call it, my
profefilon: but I was in fome fort forced
to the trade, for I dealt once in telling
truth.
" I was a labourer, Sir, and gained
as much as to make me live : I never
laid by indeed : for I was reckoned a
piece of a wag, and your wags, I take
it, are feldom rich, Mr. Harley."
_ f? So, faid Harley, you feem to know
THE MAN OF FEELJNG. 33
me." " Ay, there are few folks in the
country that I don't know fomething
of: How fhould I tell fortunes elfe ?"
" True ; but to go o-n with your ftory :
you were a labourer, you fay, and a
wag ; your indu.ftry, I fuppofe, you left
with your old trade ; but your humour
you preferve to be of ufe to you in your
new."
" What fignifks fadnefs, Sir? a man-
grows lean on't : but I was brought to
my idlenefs by degrees -, firft I could
not work, and it went againft my fto-
nnacb to work ever after. I was feized
with a jail fever at the time of the affizes
being in the county where I lived j for
I was always curious to get acquainted
with the felons, becaufe they are com-
monly fellows of much mirth and little^
thought, qualities I had ever an efteem '
C 5 for. \
34 THE MAN OF FEELING,
for. In the height of this fever, Miv
'Harley, the houfe where I lay took
fire, and burnt to the ground : I was
carried out in that condition, and lay
all the reft of my illnefs in a barn. I
got the better of my difeafe, however,
but I was fo weak that I fpit blood-
whenever I attempted to work. I had
/io relation living that I knew of, and I
never kept a friend above a week, when
J was able to joke ; I feldom remained
above fix months in a parifh, fo that I
might have died before I had found a
fettlement in any: thus I was forced to
beg my bread, and a forry trade I found
it, Mr. Harley. I told all my misfor-
tunes truly, but they were feldom be-
lieved ; and the few who gave me a
halfpenny as they pafifed, did it with a
fliake of the head, and an injunction
JBOt to trouble them with a long ftory.
In
THE MAN OF FEELING. 35
In fhort, I found that people don't care ^
to give alms without fome fecurity for
their moneys a wooden leg or a wither-
ed arm is a fort of draught upon heaven
for thofe who chufe to have their money 1
placed to account there -, fo I changed \
my plan, and, inftead of telling my
own misfortunes, began to prophefy
happinefs to others. This I found by
much the better way : folks will always
Jiften when the tale is their own ; and
of many who fay they do not believe in
fortune-telling, I have known few on
whom it had not a very fenfible effect.
I pick up the names of their acquaint-
ance; amours and little fquabbles are
eafily gleaned among fervants and neigh-
bours; and indeed people themfelves
are the bed intelligencers in the world
for our purpofe : they dare not puzzle
C 6 u*
36 THE MAN OF FEELING,
us for their own fakes, for every one is
anxious to hear what they wifli to be-
lieve i and they who repeat it to laugh
at it when they have done, are gene-
rally more ferious than their hearers are
apt to imagine. With a tolerable good
memory, and fome (hare of cunning,
with the help of walking a-nights over
heaths and church-yards, with this, and
fhewing the tricks of that there dog,
whom I ftole from the ferjeant of
marching regiment (and by the way he
can fteal too upon occafion), I make
fhift to pick up a livelihood. My
trade, indeed, is none of the honefteft;
yet people are not much cheated nei-
ther, who give a few half- pence for a
profpect of happinefs, which I have
heard fome perfons fay is all a man can
arrive at in this world. But I muft bid
you
THE MAN OF FEELING. 37
you good-day, Sir ; for I have three
miles to walk before noon, to inform
fome boarding-fchool young ladies,
whether their hufbands are to be peers
of the realm, or captains in the army :
a queftion which I promifed to anfwer
them bv that time."
fr' t J /"CX-C *
Harley had drawn a Shilling from his,
pocket j but Virtue bade him confider
on whom he was going to beftow it.
Virtue held back his arm : but a
milder form, a younger fifter of Vir-
tue's, not fo fevere as Virtue nor fo
ferious as Pity, fmiled upon him: His
fingers loft their comprefiioni nor did
Virtue offer to catch the money as it
fell. It had no fooner reached the
ground than the watchful cur (a trick
he had been taught) fnappeditupj
andj
157347
J
38 THE MAN OF FEELING.
and, contrary to the mod approved
method of ftewardfhip, delivered it
immediately into the hands of hit
matter.
. * * * ******
CHAP,
THE MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XIX,
He makes afecond expedition to the Bara-
uet's. The laudable ambition of a young
man to be thought fomething by the
world.
WE have related, in a former
chapter, the little fuccefs of his
firft vifit to the great man, for whom
he had the introductory letter from Mr..
Walton. To people of equal fenfibi-
lity, the influence of thofe trifles we
mentioned on his deportment will not
appear furprifing ; but to his friends in
the country, they could not be ftated,
nor would they have allowed them any
place in the account. In fome of their
letters, therefore, which he received
foon after, they exprefied their furprife
at
40 THE MAN OF FEELING.
^at his not having been more urgent in
(Jiis application, and again recommend-
ed the bluihkfs aflldu-ity of fuccefsful
merit.
He refolved to make another attempt
at the baronet's; fortified with higher
notions of his own dignity, and with
lefs apprehenfion of repulfe. In his
way to Grofvenor-fquare he began to
ruminate on the folly of jmnkmcj, who
affixed thofe ideas of fuperiority to
riches, which reduced the minds of
men, by nature equal with the more
fortunate, to that fort of fervility which
he felt in his own. By the'time he had
reached the Square, and was walking
along the pavement which led to the
baronet's, he had brought his reafoning
en the fubject to fuch a point, that the
ji by every rule of logic,,
fliould
THE MAN OF FEELING. 41
fhould have led him to a thorough in-
difference in his approaches to a fellow-
mortal, whether that fellow- mortal was
pofiefied of fix, or fix thoufand pounds
a year. It is probable, however, that
the premifes had been improperly form-
ed : for it is certain, that when he ap-
proached the great man's door, he felt
his heart agitated by an unufual pulfa-
tion.
He had almoft reached it, when he
obferved a young gentleman coming
out, drefied in a white frock, and a red
laced waiftcoat, with a fmall fwitch in
his hand, which he feemed to manage
with a particular good grace. As he
patted him on the fteps, the ftranger
very politely made him a bow, which
Harley returned, though he could not
remember ever having feen him before.
He
42 THE MAN OF FEELING,
He alked Harley, in the fame civil man-
ner, if he was going to wait on his friend
the Baronet? (t For I was juft calling,
faid he, and am forry to find that he is
gone for fome days into the country "
Harley thanked him for his inform-
ation j and was turning from the door,
when the other obferved that it would
be proper to leave his name, and very
obligingly knocked for that purpofe.
*' Here is a gentleman,. Tom, who
tf meant to have waited on your mafter." 4
"Your name, if you pleafe, Sir?'*
'* Harley." "You'll remember, Tom,.
Harley." The door was fhut. " Since
we are here, faid he, we fliall not lofe
our walk, if we add a little to it by a
turn or two in Hyde-park." He ac-
companied this propofal with a fecond
bow, and Harley accepted of it by an-
other in return..
Th*
THE MAN OF FFELING. 4.3
The converfation, as they walked,
was brilliant on the fide of his compa-
nion. The playhoufe, the opera, with
every occurrence in high-life, he feem-
ed perfectly mafter ofj and talked of
fome reigning beauties of quality, in a.
manner the moft feeling in the world.
Harley admired the happinefs of his
vivacity ; and, oppofite as it was to the
refejre_of his own nature, began to be
much pleafed with its effects.
Though I am not of opinion with"
fome wife men, that the exiftence of
objects depends on idea j yet, I am
convinced, that their appearance is not
a little influenced by it. The .optics
of fome minds are in fo unlucky a per-
fpectlve, as to throw a cejtaTnihade on
every picture that is prefented to them ;
while thofe of others (of which number
was-
44 THE MAN OF FEELING.
was Harley), like the mirrors of the la-
ies, have a wonderful ffiVfi in better
no; their complexions. Through fuch
a medium perhaps he was looking on
his prefent companion.
When they had finifned their walk,
and were returning by the corner of the
Park, they obferved a board hung out
of a window, fignifying, " an excel-
lent ORDINARY on Saturdays and Sun-
days." It happened to be Saturday,
and the table was covered for the pur-
pofe. " What if we fhould go in and
dine here, if you happen not to be en-
gaged, Sir ?" faid the young gentleman.
" It is not impofiible but we fhall meet
with fome original or other it is a fort
of humour I like hugely." Harley
made no objection j and the ftranger
fhowed him the way into the parlour.
He
THE MAN OF FEELING. 45
He was placed, by the courtefy of his
introdu&or, in an arm-chair that ftood
at one fide of the fire. Over againft
him was felted a man of a grave confi-
dering afpecl, with that look of fober
prudence which indicates what is com-
monly called a warm man. He wore a
pretty large wig, which had once been
white, but was now of a brownifh yel-
low j his coat was one of thofe modeft-
coloured drabs which mock the injuries
of dud and dirt ; two jack-boots con-
cealed, in part, the well-mended knees
of an old pair of bucklkin breeches,
while the fpotted handkerchief round
his neck, preferved at once its owner
from catching cold, and his neckcloth
from being dirtied. Next him fat an-
other man, with a tankard in his hand,
and a quid of tobacco in his check,
3 whofe
. 4 6 THE MAN OF FEELING,
whofe eye was rather more vivacious,
and whofe drefs was fomething fmarter.
The firft-mentioned gentleman took
notice, that the room had been fo lately
wafhed, as not to have had time to
dry; and remarked, that wet lodging
was unwholefome for man or bead.
He looked round at the fame time for a
poker to ftir the fire with, which, he at
laft obferved to the company, the peo-
ple of the houfe had removed, in order
to fave their coals. This difficulty,
however, he overcame, by the help of
Harley's flick, faying, " that as they
fliould, no doubt, pay for their fire in
fome fhape or other, he faw no reafon
why they fhould not have the ufe of ic
while they fat."
4 The
'THE M'AN OF FEELING. 47
The door was now opened for the ad-
miffion of dinner. " I don't know how
it is with you, gentlemen, faid Harley's
new acquaintance; but I am afraid I
fhall not be able to get down a morfel
at this horrid mechanical hour of din-
ing." He fat down, however, and did
not Ihow any want of appetite by his
eating. He took upon him the carv-
ing of the meat, and criticifed on the
goodnefs of the pudding.
"When the table-cloth was removed,
he propofed calling for fome punch,
which was readily agreed to i he feem-
ed at firfl inclined to make it himfelf,
but afterwards changed his mind, and
left that province to the waiter, telling
him to have it pure Weft Indian, or he
could not tafte a drop of it.
When
48 THE MAN OF FEELING.
When the punch was brought, he
undertook to fill the glaftes and call the
toads." The king." The toaft na-
turally produced politics. It is the
privilege of Englifhmen to drink the
king's healch, and to talk of his con-
duct. The man who fat oppofite to
Harley (and who by this time, partly
from himfelf, and partly from his ac-
quaintance on his left hand, was difco-
vered to be a grazier) obferved, c< That
it was a fname for fo many ptnfioners 'o
be allowed to take the bread out of the
mouth of the poor." " Ay, and pro-
vifions, faid his friend, were never fo
dear in the memory of man ; Iwifhthe
king, and his counfellors, would look
to that." cc As for the matter of pro-
vifions, neighbour Wrightfon, he re-
plied, I am fure the prices of cattle "
A difpuce would have probably enfued,
hut
THE MAN OF FEELING. 49
but it was prevented by the fpruce toaft
mafter, who gave a fentiment; and
turning to the two politicians, " Pray,
gentlemen, faid he, let us have done
with thefe mufty politics : I would
always leave them to the beer- fuckers
in Butcher- row* Come, let us have
fomething of the fine arts. That was a
dainn'd hard match betwixt the Nailor-
and Tim Bucket. The knowing ones
were curfedly taken in there ! I loft a
cool hundred myfclf, faith."
At mention of the cool hundred, the
grazier threw his eyes aflant, with a min-
gled look of doubt and furprife ; while
the man at his elbow looked arch, and
gave a fhort emphatical fort of cough.
Both feemed to be filenced, hov/ever,
by this intelligence j and, while the re-
D mainder
5 o THE MAN OF FEELING.
mainder of the punch lafted, the con-
verfation was wholly engrofTed by the
gentleman with the fine waiftcoat, who
told a great many f( immenfe comi-
cal flories," and " confounded fmart
things," as he termed them, acted and
fpoken by lords, ladies, and young
bucks of quality, of his acquaintance*
At laft, the grazier, pulling out a
watch, of a very unufual fize, and tell-
ing the hour, faid, that he had an ap-
pointment. " Is it fo late ? faid the
young gentleman j then I am afraid I
have mifled an appointment already j
but the truth is, I am curfedly given to
miffing of appointments."
"When the grazier and he were gone,
Harley turned to the remaining perfon-
2ge, and aflced him, If he knew that
young gentleman ? " A gentleman 1
L -~ faid
THE MAN OF FEELING. 51
faid he j ay, he is one of your gentle-
men, at the top of an affidavit. I knew
him, fome years ago, in the^uality of '
a footman j and, I believe, he had fome- /
times the honour to be a _pimp. Ati
laft,, fome of the great folks, to whom
he had been ferviceable in both ca-
pacities, had him made a ganger; irt
which ftation he remains, and has
afiurance to pretend an acquaint
with men of quality. The impu-.
dog ! with a few (hillings in his poc
he will talk you three times as muc
rny friend Mundy there, who is vvor '
nine thoufand, if he's worth a farthing./
But I know the rafcal, and defpife himJ
as he deferves."
Harley began to defpife him too, and
to conceive fome indignation at havi;
fat with patience to hear fuch a ft
D 2 fp
52 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fpeak nonfenfe. But he corrected him-
felf, by reflecting, that he was perhaps
as well entertained, and inftrufted too,
by this fame modeft ganger, as he
fhould have been by fuch a man as he
had thought proper to perfonate. And
furely the fault may more properly be
imputed to that rank where the futility
is real, than where it is feigned; to that
rank, whofe opportunities for nobler
accomplishments have only ferved to
rear a fabric of folly, which the untu-
tored hand of affectation, even among
the meaneft of mankind, can imitate
with fuccefs.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 53
CHAP. XX.
He vifits Bedlam. T'he diftrejfis of a
daughter.
OF thofe things called Sights in
London,- which every ftranger is
fuppofed defirous to fee, Bedlam is one.
To that place, therefore, an acquaint-
ance of Harley's, after having accom-
panied him to feveral other (hows, pro-
pofed a vifit. Harley objected to it,
'< becaufe, faid he, I think it an inhu->
man practice to expofe the greateft mi-
fery with which our nature is afflicted,
to every idle vifitant who can afford i
trifling perquifite to the keeper j efpe*
cially as it is a diftrefs which the hu-
mane muft fee with the painful reflec-
tion, that it is not in their power to
D 3 alleviate
54 THE MAN OF FEELING.
alleviate it.*' He was overpowered,
however, by the folicitations of his
friend and the other perfons of the
party (amongft whom were feveral la-
dies) ; and they went in a body to
Moorfields.
Their conductor led them firft to the
^ difmal manfions of thofe who are in the
moft horrid ftate of incurable madncfs.
The clanking of chains, the wildnefs of
their cries, and the imprecations which
fome of them uttered, formed a fcene
inexprefilbly {hocking. Harley and his
companions, efpecially the female parr
of them, begged their guide to return :
he feemed furprifed at their uneafmefs,
and was with difficulty prevailed on to
have that part of the hou-fe without
fhowingthem fome others j who, as he
exprefTed it in the phrafe of thofe that
keep
IKE MAN OF FEELING. 55
keep wild beafts for iliow, were much
better worth feeing than any they had
patted, being ten times more fierce and
unmanageable*
He led them next to that quarter
where thofe refide, who, as they are not
dangerous to themfelves or others, en-
joy a certain degree of freedom, accord-
ing to the ftfltc of their diftemper.
Harley had fallen behind his compa-
nions, looking at a man, who was mak-
ing pendulums with bits of thread, and
little balls of clay. He had delineated
a fegment of a circle on the wall with
chalky and marked their different vi-
brations, by interfering it with crofs
lines. A decent looking man came up,
and fmiling at the maniac, turned to
Harley, and told him, that gentleman
D4 had
56 THE MAN OF FEELING.
had once been a very celebrated mathe-
matician. " He fell a facrifice, faid
he, to the theory of comets j for hav-
ing, with infinite labour, formed a table
on the conjectures of Sir Ifaac Newton,
he was difappointed in the return of one
of thofe luminaries, and was very foon
after obliged to be placed here by his
friends. If you pleafe to follow me,
Sir, continued the ftranger, I believe I
fhall be able to give you a more fatif-
factory account of the unfortunate peo-
ple you fee here, than the man who
attends your companions." Harley
bowed, and accepted his offer,
The next perfon they came up to had
fcrawled a variety of figures on a piece
of flate. Harley had the curiofity to
take a nearer view of them. They con-
fifted of different columns, on the top
of
THE MAN OF FEELING. 57
of which were marked South-fea an-
nuities, India-flock, and Three per
cent, annuities confol. " This, faid
Harley's inftructor, was a gentleman
well known in Change -alley. He was
once worth fifty thoufand pounds, and
had actually agreed for the pur chafe of
an eflate in the Weft, in order to realize
his money; but he quarrelled with
the proprietor about the repairs of the
garden-wall, and fo returned to town
to follow his old trade of flock-jobbing
a little longer j when an unlucky fluc-
tuation of flock, in which he was en-
gaged to an immenfe extent, reduced
him at once to poverty and to madnefs.
Poor wretch ! he told me t'other day,
that againfl the next payment of differ-
ences, he (hould be fome hundreds
above a plum,"
D 5 It
58 THE MAN OF FEELING.
** It is a fpondee, and 1 will main-
tain it," interrupted a voice on his left
hand. This aflertion was followed by
a very rapid recital of fome verfes from
Homer. te That figure, faid the gen-
f tleman, whofe clothes are fo bedaubed
with fnufF, was a fchoolmafter of fome
/ reputation : he came hither to be re-
folved of fome doubts he entertained
concerning the genuine pronunciation
of the Greek vowels. In his higheft
fits, he makes frequent mention of one
s Mr. Bentley.
" Burdejiufive ideas, Sir, are the mo-
tives of the greateft parFeT 7 mankind,
and a heated imagination the power by
which their actions are incited : the
world, in the eye of aphilofopher,- may
be faid tQ,he-a~large madhQufe." " It
is true, anfwered Harleypttie paffions
* of
THE MAN OF FEELING. 59
of men are temporary madnefies; ancf
fometimes very fatal in their effects.
From Macedonia's madman to the
Swede."
" It was indeed, faid the ftranger, a
very mad thing in Charles, to think of
adding fo vail a country as Ruffia to
his dominions j that would have been
fatal indeed ; the balance of the North
would then have been loft; but the
Sultan and I would never have allowed
it." Sir !" faid Harley, with no*
fmall furprife on his countenance.
** Why, yes, anfwered the other, the
Sultan and I j do you know me? I am
the Chan of Tartary."
Harley was a good deal (truck by this
difcovery j he had prudence enougl*,
D 6 however,
60 THE MAN OF FEELING.
however, to conceal his amazement,
and bowing as low to the monarch, as
his dignity required, left him imme-
diately, and joined his companions.
He found them in a quarter of the
houfe fet apart for the infane of the
other fex, feveral of whom had gathered
about the female vifitors, and were ex-
amining, with rather more accuracy
than might have been expected, the
particulars of their drefs.
* Separate from the reft ftood one,
\vhofe appearance had fomething of fu-
; perior dignity. Her face, though pale
and wafted, was lefs fqualid than thofe
of the others, and Ihowed a dejection of
that decent kind, which moves our pity
unmixed with horror : upon her, there-
fore, the eyes of all were immediately
turned. 1
THE MAN OF FEELING, 61
turned. The keeper, who accompa-
nied them, obferved it : " This, faid
he, is a young lady, who was born to
ride in her coach and fix, She was be-
loved, if the ftory I have heard is true,
by a young gentleman, her equal in
birth, though by no means her match
in fortune : but love, they fay, is >
blind, and fo fhe fancied him as much
as he did her. Her father, it feems, i
would not hear of their marriage, and \
threatened to turn her out of doors, if )
ever Ihe faw him again. Upon this the
young gentleman took a voyage to the
Weft Indies, in hopes of bettering his
fortune, and obtaining his miftrefs ;
but he was fcarce landed, when he was
feized with one of the fevers which are
common in thofe iflands, and died in a
few days, lamented by every one that
knew him. This news foon reached
his
$2 THE MAN OF FEELING.
his miftrefs, who was at the fame time
prdTed by her father to marry a rich
miferly fellow, who was old enough to
be her grandfather. The death of her
lover had no effect on her inhuman pa-
rent : he was only the more earneft for
her marriage with the man he had pro-
vided for her j and what between her
defpair at the death of the one, and her
averfion to the other, the poor young
lady was reduced to the condition you
' fee her in. But God would not pro-
;fper fuch cruelty ; her fathers affairs
\foon after went to wreck, and he died
almoft a beggar."
Though this flory was told in very
plain language, it had particularly at-
tracted Harley's notice ; he had given
it the tribute of fome tears. The un-
fortunate young lady had till now fecm-
cd
THE MAN OF FEELING. 63
ed entranced in thought, with her eyes
fixed on a little garnet ring fhe wore on
her finger: fhe turned them now upon
Harley. tf My Billy is no more ! faid
fhe, do you weep for my Billy ? Blefif-
ings on your tears ! I would weep too,
but my brain is dry; and it burns, it
burns, it burns !" She drew nearer to
Harley. " Be comforted, young lady,
faid he, your Billy is in heaven."
" Is he, indeed ? and fhall we meet
again ? and fliall that frightful man
(pointingto the keeper) not be there ?
Alas ! I am grown naughty of late; I
have almoft forgotten to think of hea-
ven: yet I pray fometimes; when I can,
I pray ; and fometimes I fingj jvhenj
arnjaddeft, I fing:You fhall hear
me, hufh \
Light
64 THE MAN OF FEELING.
" Light be the earth onBilly's bread,
ef And green the fod that wraps his
grave !"
There was a plaintive wildnefs in the air
not to be withftood; and except the
keeper's, there was not an unmoiftened
eye around her.
<f Do you weep again ? faid fhej I
would not have you weep : you are like
my Billy : you are, believe me; jufl To
he looked when he gave me this rings
poor Billy ! 'twas the laft time ever we
met!
" 'Twas when the feas were roaring
I love you for refembling my Billy; but
I {hall never love any man like him."
She ftretched out her hand to Harlcy j
he preffed it between both of his, and
bathed
THE MAN OF FEELING. 65
bathed it with his tears. " Nay, that
is Billy's ring, faid fhe, you cannot
have it, indeed; but here is another,
look here, which I plated to-day of
ibme gold-thread from this bit of fluff j
will you keep it for my fake ? I am a
ftrange girl j but my heart is harm-
lefs : my poor heart ; it will burft fome
day j feel how it beats!" She prefs'd
his hand to her bofom, then holding
her head in the attitude of liftening
" Hark ! one, two, three ! be quiet,
thou little trembler; my Billy's is cold!
but I had forgotten the ring." She
put it on his finger. ff Farewell ! I
muft leave you now." She would have
withdrawn her hand; Harley held it to
his lips. -^" I dare not ftay longer j my
head- throbs fadly : farewell !" She
walked with a hurried ftep to a little
apartment at fome diftance, Harley
ftood
66 THE MAN OF FEELING.
flood fixed in aftoniihment and pity !
his friend gave money to the keeper.
Harley looked on his ring. He put a
couple of guineas into the man's hand :
" Be kind to that unfortunate" He
burft into tears, and left them.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 67
CHAP. XXL
<Tbe Mifantbropijt .
THE friend, who had conducted
him to Moorfields, called upon
him again the next evening. After
fome talk on the adventures of the pre-
ceding day i " I carried you yefterday,
faid he to Harley, to vifit the mad j let
me introduce you to-night, at fupper,
to one of the wife : but you muft not
look for any thing of the Socratic plea-
fantry about him ; on the contrary, I
warn you to expect the fpirit of a Dio-
genes. That you may be a little pre-
pared for his extraordinary manner, I
will let you into fome particulars of his
hiftory.
"He
68 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fc He is the elder of the two fons of a
; gentleman of confiderable eftate in the
Urountry. Their father died when they
were young : both were remarkable at
fchool for quicknefs of parts, and extent
of genius ; this had been bred to no
profefllon, becaufe his father's fortune,
which defcended to him, was thought
fufficient to fet him above it ; the other
was put apprentice to an eminent attor-
ney. In this the expectations of his
friends were more confulted than his
own inclination j for both his brother
and he had feelings of that warm kind,
that could ill brook a ftudy fo dry as
the law, efpecially in that department
of it which was allotted to him. But the
difference of their tempers made the cha-
rade rift ical diftinflion between them.
'. The younger, from the gentlenefs of
his nature, bore with patience a fitua-
tion
THE MAN OF FEELING. 69
tion en:m ly difcordant to his genius J
and diipofition. At times, indeed, his
pride would fuggeft, of how little im-
portance thofe talents were, which the
partiality of his friends had often extol-
led : they were now incumbrances in~a]|
walk of life where the dull and the ig-
norant pafied him at every turn ; his
fancy and his feeling were invincible
obftacles to eminence in a fituation,
where his fancy had no room for exer-
tion, and his feeling experienced per-
petual difguft. But thefe murmurings
he never fuffered to be heard ; and that
he might not offend the prudence of
thole who had been concerned in the
choice of his profeflion, he continued to
labour in it feveral years, till, by the
death of a relation, he fucceeded to an
eilateofalittle better than lool, a year,
with which, and the fmall patrimony
kft
r o THE MAN OF FEELING.
left him, he retired into the country,
and made a love-match with a young
iady of a temper fimilar to his own,
f with whom the fagacious v/orld pitied
\ him for finding happinefs.
K But his elder brother, whom you
are to fee at fupper, if you will do us
? the favour of your company, was na-
; turally impetuous, decifive, and over-
* bearing. He entered into life with
thofe ardent expectations by which
young men are commonly deluded : in
his friendfhips, warm to excefs j and
equally violent in his dillikes. He was
on the brink of marriage with a
young lady when one of thofe friends,
for whofe honour he would have
pawned his life, made an elopement
with that very goddefs, and left him
befides deeply engaged for fums which
that
THE MAN OF FEELING. 71
that good friend's extravag ...^ uad
fquandered.
< e The dreams he had formerly en^\
joyed were now changed for ideas of ai
very different nature. He abjured all/
confidence in any thing of human form J
fold his lands, which dill produced him
a very large reverfion, came to town,
and immured himfelf with a woman who
had been his nurfe, in little better than
a garret j and has ever fince applied hisl
talents to the vilifying of his fpecies./
In one thing I muft take the liberty to
inftrucl: you j however different your
fentiments may be (and different they
muft be), you will fuffer him to go on
without contradiction ; otherwife he will
be filent immediately, and we fhall not
get a word from him all the night
after." Harky promifed to remember
this
72 THE MAN OF FEELING.
this injunsflion, and accepted the invi-
tation of his friend.
When they arrived at the houfe, they
were informed that the gentleman was
come, and had been fnown into the par-
lour. They found him fitting with a
daughter of his friend's about three
years old, on his knee, whom he was
teaching the alphabet from a horn-
book : at a little diftance flood a fitter
of hers, fome years older. " Get you
away, Mifs, faid he to this lad, you are
.a pert goffip, and I will have nothing
to do with you.'* " Nay, anfwercd fhe,
Nancy is your favourite ; you are quite
in love with Nancy." <c Take away
that girl, faid he to her father, whom he
now obferved to have entered the room,
fhehaswoman about her already." The
children were accordingly difmifled.
9 Betwixt
THE MAN OF FEELING. 73
Betwixt that and (upper-time he did
not utter a fyllable. When (upper
came, he quarreled with every difh at
table, but eat of them all; only ex-
empting from his cenfures a fallad,
which you have not fpoiled, faid he,
becaufc you have not attempted to
cook it.
When the wine was fet upon the
table, he took from his pocket a parti-
cular fmoking apparatus, and filled his
pipe, without taking any more notice
of Harley, or his friend, than if no fuch
perfons had been in the room.
Harley could not help dealing a look
of furprife at him j but his friend, who
knew his humour, returned it, by an-
nihilating his prefence in the like man-
ner, and, leaving him to his own me-
E ditations,
74 THE MAN OF FEELING.
ditations, addrefied himfelf entirely to
Harley.
In their difcourfe fome mention hap-
pened to be made of an amiable charac-
ter, and the words honour and politenefs
were applied to it. Upon this the gen-
tleman, laying down his pipe, and
changing the tone of his countenance,
from an ironical grin to fomething more
intently contemptuous: "Honour, faid
he, Honour and Politenefs I this is the
coin of the world, and pafles current
with the fools of it. You have fubfli-
tuted the fhadow Honour, inftead of
S the fubftance Virtue; and have banilh-
ed the reality of friendfhip for the
fictitious femblance, which you have
termed Politenefs : politenefs, which
confifts in a certain ceremonious jargon,
more ridiculous to the ear of reafon
than
THE MAN OF FEELING. 75
than the voice of a puppet. You have
invented founds, which you worfhip,
though they tyrannize over your peace j
and are furrounded with empty forms,
which take from the honeft emotions of
joy, and add to the poignancy of mif-
fortune." " Sir !" faid Harley His
friend winked to him, to remind him
of the caution he had received. He was
filenced by the thought The philofo-
pher turned his eye upon him : he ex-
amined him from top to toe, with a fort
of triumphant contempt. Harley's coat
happened to be a new one - t the other's
was as fhabby as could poflibly be fup-
pofed to be on the back of a gentleman :
there was much fignificance in his look
with regard to this coat : it fpoke of the
fieeknefs of folly, and the threadbare-
nefs of wifdom.
2 " Truth,
76 THE MAN OF FEELING.
" Truth, continued he, the mod
amiable, as well as' the mod natural of
virtues, you are at pains to eradicate.
Your very nurferies are feminaries of
falfehood j and what is called Fafhion
in manhood, compleres the fyftem of
avowed infincerity. Mankind, in the
grofs, is a gaping moniler, that loves
to be deceived,, and has feldom been
difappointed : nor is their vanity lefs
fallacious to your philofophers, who
adopt modes of truth to follow them
through the paths of error, and defend
paradoxes merely to be finguiar in de-
fending them. Thefe are they whom
ye term Ingenious ; 'tis a phrafe of
commendation I detail ; it implies an
attempt to impofe on my judgment, by
flattering my imagination: yet thefe are
they whofe works are read by the old
with delight, which they oung are taught
THE MAN OF FEELING. 77
to look upon as the codes of knowledge
and philofophy.
" Indeed, the edu cation ofyour you tri]
is every way prepofterous; you wafte at
fchool years in improving talents, with-
out having ever fpent an hour in difco-
vering them j one promifcuous line of
inftruction is followed, without regard
to genius, capacity, or probable fitua-
tion in the commonwealth. From this
bear-garden of the pedagogue, a raw
u principled boy is turned loofe upon
the world to travel > without any ideas
but thofe of improving his drefs at
Paris, or ftarting into tafte by gazing en
fome paintings at Rome. Afk him of
the manners of the people, and he will
tell you, That the fkirt is worn much
fhorter in France, and that every body
eats macaroni in Italy. When he re-
E 3 turns
78 THE MAN OF FEELING.
turns home, he buys a feat in parlia-
ment, and {Indies the constitution at
Arthur's.
<f Nor are your females trained to any
more ufeful purpofe : they are taught^
by the very rewards which their nurfes
propofe for good behaviour, by the firft
thing like a jeft which they hear from
every male vifitor of the family, that a
young woman is a creature to be mar-
lied ; and when they are grown fome-
what older, are inftru&ed, that it is
the purpofe of marriage to have the en-
joyment of pin-money, and the ex-
pectation of a jointure.*'
* " Thefe indeed are the effects of
luxury, which is perhaps infeparable
from
* Though the Curate could not remember
having ftiown this chapter to any body, I ftrongly
fufped
THE MAN OF FEELING, 79-
from a certain degree of power and
grandeur in a nation. But it is no
fimply of the progrefs of luxury that
we have to complain : did its votaries
keep in their own fphere of thoughdefs
diffipation, we might defpife them with-
out emotion j but the frivolous purfuits
of pleafure are mingled with the mod
important concerns of the ftate ; and
public enterprife (hall deep till he who
fhould guide its operation has decided
his bets at Newmarket, or fulfilled his
engagement with a favourite miftrefs in
fufpedl that thefe political obfervations are the
work of a later pen than the reft of this perform-
ance. There feems to have been, by fome acci-
dent, a gap in the manufcript, from the words,
*' Expectation of a jointure," to thefe, " In
Ihort, man is an animal," where the prefenc
blank ends ; and fome other perfon (for the hand
is different, and the ink whiter) has filled part of
it with fentiments of his own. Whoever he was,
he feems to have caught fome portion of the
fpirit of the man he perfonates.
E 4 the
8o THE MAN OF FEELING.
the country. "We want fome man of
acknowledged eminence to point our
counfels with that firmnefs which the
counfels of a great people require. We
have hundreds of minifters, who prefs
/forward into office, without having ever
/ learned that art which is neceflary for
every bufinefs, the art of thinking; and
miflake the petulance, which could
give infpiration to fmart farcafms on an
obnoxious meafure in a popular afiem-
bly, for the ability which is to balance
the intereft of kingdoms, and inveftigate
the latent fources of national fuperio-
rity. With the adminiftration of fuch
men the people can never be fatisfied;
for befides that their confidence is
gained only by the view of fuperior ta-
lents, there needs that depth of know-
ledge, which is not only acquainted
with thejuft extent of power, but can
alfo
THE MAN OF FEELING. 81
alfo trace its connexion with the expe-
dient, to preferve its pofiefibrs from the
contempt which attends irrefolution, or
therefentment which follows temerity."
[Here a confiderable part is wanting.]
* * " In fhort, man is an animal
equally felfifh and vain. Qfanity^ in-
deedjis bu t a modification of felfifhnefs.
From the latter^ there are fome who pre-
tend to be free : they are generally fuch
as declaim againft the luftof wealth and
power, becaufe they have never been
able to attain any high degree in either:
they boaft of generofity and feeling.
They tell us (perhaps they tell us in
rhime^ that the fenfations of an honeft
heart, of a mind univerfally benevolent,
make up the quiet blifs which they en-
E 5 joy j
82 THE MAN OF FEELING!
joy j but they will not, by this, be ex-
empted from the charge of felfifhnefs.
Whence the luxurious happinefs they
defcribe in their little family- circles ?
Whence the pleafure which they feel,
when they trim their evening fires, and
liften to the howl of winter's wind I
Whence, but from the fecret reflection
of what houfelefs wretches feel from it ?
" Or do you adminifter comfort in afflic-
tion the motive is at hand j I have had
it preached to me in nineteen out of
twenty of yourconfolatory difcourfes
the comparative littlenefs of our own
misfortunes.
" With vanity your beft virtues are
grofsly tainted : your benevolence^ which
ye deduce immediately from the natural
impulfe of the heart, fquints to it for its
reward. There are fome, indeed, who
4 tell,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 3:
tell us of the fatisfaftion which flows
from a fecret confcioufnefs of good ac-
tions : this fecret fatisfaftion is truly-?
excellent when we have fome friend to
whom we may difcover its excellence.'*
He now paufed a moment to relight
his pipe, when a clock, that flood at
his back, ftruck eleven > he ftarted up
at the found, took his hat and his cane,
and nodding good night with his head,,
walked out of the room. The gentle-
man of the houfe called a fervant to-
bring the ftranger's furtout. (t What
fort of a night is it, fellow?" faid he.
" It rains, Sir, anfwered the fervant,,
with an eafterly wind." (f Kafterly for
ever!"- He made no other reply ;. but
Ihrugging up his fhoulders till they al-
moft touched his ears, wrapped himfelf
tight in his great coat, and difappeared.
E 6 " This.
84 THE MAN OF FEELING.
<c This is a ftrange creature," faid
his friend to Harley. " I cannot fay,
anfvvered he, that his remarks are of
the pleafant kind : it is curious to ob-
ferve how the nature of truth may be
changed by the garb it wears j foftened
to the admonition of friendlhip, or
foured into the feverity of reproof : yet
this feverity may be ufeful to fome
tempers ; it fomewhat refembles a file ;
dilagreeable in its operation, but hard
metals may be the brighter for it."
C H A P.
THE MAN OF FEELING. B$
CHAP. XXV.
His /kill in phyfiognomy.
THE company at the baronet's re-
moved to the playhoufe accord-
ingly, and Harley took his ufual route
into the Park. He obferved, as he en-
tered, a frefh-looking elderly gentle-
man in converfation with a beggar, who,
leaning on his crutch, was recounting
the hardfhips he had undergone, and
explaining the wretchednefs of his pre-
fent condition. This was a very inte-
refting dialogue to Harley , he was rude
enough therefore to fiacken his pace as
he approached, and at laft to make a
full flop at the gentleman's back, who
was juft then exprefling his companion
for the beggar, and regretting that he
had
86 THE MAN O-F FEELING,
had not a farthing of change about him-
At faying this he looked piteoufly on
the fellow : there was fomething in his
phyfiognomy which caught Harley's
notice : indeed phyfiognomy was one of
Harley's foibles, for which he had been
often rebuked by his aunt in the coun-
try j who ufed to tell him, that when
he was come to her years and experi-
ence, he would know that all's not gold
that glifters: and it muft be owned,
that his aunt was a very fenfible, harfii-
looking, maiden-lady of threefcore and
upwards. But he was too apt to forget
thii caution ;. and now, it fee ms, it had
not occurred to. him.: ftepping up v
therefore, to the gentleman, who was
lamenting the want of filver, " Your
intentions, Sir, faid he, are fo good,,
that I cannot help lending you my af-
fiftance to. carry them into execution,'*
and.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 87
and gave the beggar a (hilling. The
other returned a fuitable compliment,
and extolled the benevolence of Harley.
They kept walking together, and. bene-
volence grew the topic of difcourfe..
The ftranger was fluent on the fub-
jeft. " There is no ufe of money, faicT]
he, equal to that of beneficence : with/
the profufe, it is loft; and even with
thofe who lay it out according to the
prudence of the world, the objects ac-
quired by it pall on the fenfe, and have
fcarce become our own till they lofe
their value with the power of pleafing;
but here the enjoyment grows on reflec-
tion, and our money is moft truly ours,,
when it ceafes being in our pofleiftorx"
" Yet I agree in fbme meafure, an-
fwered Harley, with thofe who think,
that
gg THE MAN OF FEELING.
that charit^jto_our common be^arsjs
often mifplaced j there are objefls Jefs
obtrulive whofe tide is a better one."
<f We cannot eafily diftinguifh, faid
the ftranger j and even of the worthlefs,
are there not many whofe impudence,
or whofe vice, may have been one
dreadful confequence of misfortune ?"
Harley looked again in his face, and
blefled himfelf for his fkill in phyfiog-
nomy.
By this time they had reached the end
of the walk, the old gentleman leaning
on the rails to take breath, and in the
meantime they were joined by a younger
man, whofe figure was much above the
appearance of his drefs, which was poor
and fhabby : Harley '$ former compa-
i nion
THE MAN OF FEELING. 89
nion addrefied him as an acquaintance,
and they turned on the walk together.
The elder of the Grangers complained
of the clofenefs of the evening, and
afked the other, if he would go with
him into a houfe hard by, and take one
draught of excellent cyder. " The
man who keeps this houfe, faid he to
Harley, was once a fervant of mine : I
could not think of turning ioofe upon
the world a faithful old fellow, for no
other reafon but that his age had inca-
pacitated him; fo I gave him an annuity
of ten pounds, with the help of which
he has fet up this little place here, and
his daughter goes and fells milk in the
city, while her father manages his tap-
room, as he calls it, at home. I can't
well afk a gentleman of your appear-
ance to accompany me to fo paltry a
place."
90 THE MAN OF FEELING.
place." " Sir, replied Harley, inter-
rupting him, I would much rather enter
it than the moft celebrated tavern in
tOWn : tnjtiv* tp fhejTpremrnng., may
fometirries iifr-^-geaknefs in the man ;
to encourage induftry, is a duty in the
/^citizen." They entered the houfe ac-
cordingly.
On a table at the corner of the room
}ay a pack of cards, loofely thrown to-
gether. The old gentleman reproved
the man of the houfe for encouraging fo
idle an amufemeiH. Harley attempted
to defend him, from the necefllty of ac-
commodating himfelf to the humour of
his guefls, and taking up the cards, be-
gan to fhuffle them backwards and for-
wards in his hand. (( Nay, I don't
think cards fo unpardonable an amufe-
mcnt as fome do, replied the other. - t and
now
THE MAN OF FEELING. 91
now and then, about this time of the
evening, when my eyes begin to- fail
me for my book, .1 divert myfeif with
a game at piquet, without finding my
morals a bit relaxed by it." " Do you*
play piquet, Sir?" (to Harley) Harley
anfwered in the affirmative} upon which
the other propofed playing a pool at a
Shilling the game, doubling the (lakes ^
adding, that he never played higher
with any body.
Harley^s good nature could not re- 1
fufe the benevolent old man; and the
younger flranger, though he at firft
pleaded prior engagements, yet being/
earneftly folicited by his friend, at laft.
yielded to felicitation.
When they began to play, the old'
gentleman, fomewhat to the furprife of
Harleyj,
92 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Harley, produced ten (hillings to ferve
for markers of his fcore. " He hadjio
phangp for fh
himieli.but I can eafily account for it ^
fit is curious to obferve the affection that
inanimate things will create in us by a
.Jong acquaintance : if I mayjudge from
nny own feelings, the old man would'
not: part with one of thefe counters for
ten times its intrinfic value , it even got
the better of his benevolence ! I myielf
haveapairofoldbraisfleeve-buttons" -
Here he was interrupted by being told,
that the old gentleman had beat the
younger, and that it was his turn to
take up the conqueror. Ci Your game
has been fhort," faid Harley. " I re-
piqued him,'* anfwered the old man,
with joy fparkling in his countenance.
Harley wifhed to be repiqued too, but
he was difappointed ; for he had the
fame
THE MAN OF FEELING. 93
fame good fortune againft his opponent.
Indeed, never did fortune, mutable as
(he rs, delight in mutability fo much as
at that moment : the victory was fo
quick, and fo conftantly alternate, that
the flake, in a fhort time, amounted to
no lefs a fum than 12!. Harley's pro-
portion of which was within half a gui-
nea of the money he had in his pocket.
He had before propofed a divifion, but
the old gentleman oppofed it with fuch
a pleafant warmth in his manner, that
it was always over- r If J. Now, how-
ever, he told them, that he had an ap-
pointment with fome gentlemen, and it
was within a few minutes of his hour.
The young ftranger had gained one
game, and was engaged in the fecond
with the other j they agreed therefore
that the ftake Ihould be divided, if the
old gentleman won that -, which was
more
94 THE MAN OF FEELING.
more than probable, as his fcore was
90 to 35, and he was elder hand j but
a momentous repique decided it in fa-
vour of his adverfary, who feemed to
enjoy his vi&ory mingled with regret,
for having won too much, while his
friend, with great ebullience of paf-
fion, many praifes of his own good
play, and many maledictions on the
power of chance., took up the cards,
and threw them into the fire.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 95
CHAP. XXVI.
The Man of Feeling in a brothel.
TH E company he was engaged to
meet were afiembled in Fleet-
flreet. He had walked fome time along
the Strand, amidft a crowd of thofe
wretches who wait the uncertain wages
of proftitution, with ideas of pity fuit-
able to the fcene around him, and the
feelings he poffeffed, and had got as
far as Somerfet-houfe, when one of
them laid hold of his arm, and, with a
voice tremulous and faint, afked him
for a pint of wine, in a manner more
fiipplicatory than is ufual with thofe
whom the infamy of their profeffion
has deprived of fhame : he turned
round at the demand, and looked fted-
faftly on the perfon who made it.
She
$6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
She was above the common fize, and
elegantly formed ; her face W4S thin and
hollow, and fhowcd the remains of tar-
nifhed beauty. Her eyes were black,
but had little of their luftre left : her
checks had fomc paint laid on without
art, and productive of no advantage to
her complexion, which exhibited a
deadly palenefs on the other parts of
her face.
Harley flood in the attitude of hefi-
tation j which fhe interpreting to her
advantage, repeated her requeft, and
endeavoured to force a leer of invita-
tion into her countenance. He took her
arm, and they walked on to one of thofe
obfequious taverns in the neighbour-
hood, where the dearnefs of the wine is
a difcharge in full for the character of
the houfe. From what impulfe he did
this,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 97
this, we do not mean to enquire ; as it
has ever been againft our nature to
fearch for motives where bad ones are
to be found. They entered, and a
waiter fhewed them a room, and placed
a bottle of claret on the table.
Harley filled the lady's glafs; which
Ihe had no fooner tailed, than dropping
it on the floor, and eagerly catching his
arm, her eye grew fixed, her lipaffumed
a clayey whitenefs, and ftie fell back
lifelefs in her chair.
Harley ftarted from his feat, and,
catching her in his arms, fupported her
from falling to the ground, looking
wildly at the door, as if he wanted to
run for affiftance, but durft not leave
the miferable creature. It was not till
fome minutes after, that it occurred to
F him
98 THE MAN OF FEELING.
him to ring the bell, which at laft how-
ever he thought of, and rung with re*
peated violence even after the waiter
appeared. Luckily the waiter had his
fenfes fomewhat more about him ; and
fnatching up a bottle of water, which
flood on a buffet at the end of the room,
he fprinkled it over the ha*nds and face
of the dying figure before him. She
began to revive, and with the afii fiance
of fome hartfhorn drops, which Harley
now for the firft time drew from his
pocket, was able to defire the waiter to
bring her a cruft of bread ; of which
fhe fwallowed fomc mouthfuls with the
appearance of the keeneft hunger. The
waiter withdrew : when turning to Har-
ley, fobbing at the fame time, and fhed-
ding tears, " I am forry, Sir, faid fhe,
that I fhould have given you fo mucfi
trouble j but you will pity me when I
6 tell
THE M-AN OF FEELING. 99
tell you, that till now I have not tafled 1
a morfelthcfe two dayspaft." Hefixed1>
his eyes on her's every circumftance 1
but the lad was forgotten ; and he tookj
her hand with as much refpect as if fhe
had been a dutchefs. It was ever the i
privilege of misfortune to be revered by 1
him. " Two days! faid he; and I j
have fired fumptuoufly every day !" *'
He was reaching to the bell; (he under-
lie od his meaning, and prevented him.
" I beg, Sir, faid (he, that you would
give yourfdf no more trouble about a
\vretch who does not wifh to live ; but,
at preient, I could not eat a bit ; my
ilomach even rofe at the laft mouthful
of that cruft. He offered to call a
chair, faying, that he hoped a little reft
would relieve her. -He had one half-
guinea left : " I am forry, he faid, that
at prefent I fhould be able to make you
F 2 an
ioo THE MAN OF FEELING.
an offer of no more than this paltry
fum." She burft into tears : Your
generality, Sir, is abufed j to beftow it
on me is to take it from the virtuous :
I have no title but mifery to plead ;
mifery of my own procuring." " No
more of that, anfwered Harley j there
is virtue in thefe tears j let the fruit of
them be virtue." He rung, and order-
ed a chair. " Though I am the vileft
of beings, faid (he, 1 have not forgotten
every virtue j gratitude, I hope, I (hall
flill have left, did I but know who is
my benefactor." " My name is Har-
ley" e< Could I ever have an oppor-
tunity" " You fhall, and a glorious
one too ! your future conduit but I do
not mean to reproach you if, I fay
it will be the nobleft reward I will do
myfeif the pleafure of feeing you again."
Here the waiter entered, and told
them
THE MAN OF FEELING. 101
them the chair was at the door $ the-
lady informed Harley of her lodgings,
and he promifed to wait on her at ten
next morning.
He led her to the chair, and returned
to clear with the waiter, witiiout ever
once reflecting that he had no money in
his pocket. He was afliamed to make
an excufe; yet an excufe muft be made:
he was beginning to frame one, when
the waitercut him fiiort, by telling him,
that he could not run fcores j but that,
if he would leave his watch, or any
other pledge, it would be as fafe as if it
lay in his pocket. Harley jumped at
the propofal, and pulling out his watch
delivered it into his hands immediately j
and having, for once, had the precau-
tion to take a note of the lodging he in-
tended to vifit next morning, fallied
F 3 forth
102 THE MAN OF FEELING,
forth with a blufli of triumph oa his
face, without taking notice of the fneer
of the waiter, who, twirling the watch
in his hand, made him a profound bow
at the door, and vvhifpered to a girl,
who ftood in the paflage, fomething,
in which the word CULLY was honoured
with a particular emphafis.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 103
CHAP. XXVII.
His Jkill in plyfiognomy is doubted.
AFTER he had been fome time
with the company he had ap-
pointed to meet, and the tafl: bottle was
called for, he firft recollected that he
would be again at a lofs how to dif-
charge his fhare of the reckoning. He
applied therefore to one of them, with
whom he was moft intimate, acknow-
ledging that he had not a farthing of
money about him j and, upon being
jocularly afkecFthe reafon, acquainted
them with the two adventures we have
juft now related. One of the company
afked him, if-the old man in Hyde-park I
did not wear a brownifh coat, with a I
narrow gold edging, and his companion
an old green frock, with a buff-coloured
E 4. waiftcoau '
jo 4 THE MAN OF FEELING,
waiftcoar. Upon Harley's recollecting
that they did, " Then, faid he, you
may be thankful you have come off fo
well; they are two as noted fhar^exs, in
their way, as in any town, and but t'o-
ther night took me in for a much larger
fum : I had fome thoughts of applying
to a juftice, but one does not like to
be feen in thofe matters."
Harley anfwered, " That he could
not but fancy the gentleman was mif-
taken, as he never faw a face promife
more honefty than that of the old man
he had met with." " His face !" faid
a grave-looking man, who fat oppofite
to him, fquirting thejuice of his tobacco
obliquely into the grate. There was
fomething veryemphatical intheaftion:
for it was followed by a burft of laugh-
ter round the table. " Gentlemen, faid
Harley,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 105
Harley, you are difpofed to be merry;
it may be as you imagine, for I confefs
myfelf ignorant of the town : but there
is one thing which makes me bear the
lofs of my money with temper : the
young fellow who won it muft have been
miferably poor; iobferved him borrow
money for the flake from his friend :
he had diftrefs and hunger in his coun-
tenance : be his character what it may,
his neceflities at leail plead for him."
At this there was a louder laugh than
before. " Gentlemen, faid the lawyer,
one of whofe converfations with Harley
we have already recorded, here's a very
pretty fellow for you : to have heard
him talk fome nights ago, as I did, you
might have fworn he was a faint ; yet
now he games with (harpers, and lofes
his money $ and is bubbled by a fine
(lory invented by a whore 3 and pawns
F 5 his
jo6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
his watch j here are fanftified doings
with a witnefs ?"
cc Young gentleman, faid his friend
on the other fide of the table, let me
advife you to be a little more cautious
for the futures and as for faces you
may look into them to know, whether
a man's nofe be a long or a fhort one."
CHAP.
TH'E MAN OF FEELING. 107
CHAP. XXVIII.
He keeps bis appointment*
THE lafl night's raillery of his com-
panions was recalled to his remem-
brance when he awoke, and the colder
homilies of prudence began to fugged
fome things which were nowife favour-
able for a performance of his promife to
the unfortunate female he had met with
before. He rofe uncertain of his pur-
pofe ; but the torpor of fueh confidera-
tions \vas feldom prevalent over the
warmth of his nature. He walked fome
turns backwards and forwards in his
room j he recalled the languid form of
the fainting wretch to his mind j he
wept at the recollection of her tears..
" Though I am the vileft of beings, I
F 6 have
io8 THE MAN OF FEELING,
have not forgotten every virtue j grati-
tude, I hope, I fhall ftill have left."
he took a larger ftride <f Powers of
mercy that furround me ! cried he, do
ye not fmile upon deeds like thefe ? to
calculate the chances of deception is too
tedious a bufmefs for the life of man !"
The clock ftruck ten ! When he
was got down ftairs, he found that he
had forgot the note of her lodgings ;
he gnawed his lips at the delay : he was
fairly on the pavement, when he recol-
lected having left his purfe -, he did but
juft prevent himfelf from articulating
an imprecation. He rufaed a fecond
time up into his chamber. " What a
wretch I am, faid he ; ere this time per-
haps " 'Twas a perhaps not to be
born j two vibrations of a pendulum
would have ferved him to lock his bu-
reau i but they could not be fpared.
Wheti
THE MAN OF FEELING. 109
When he reached thehoufe, and in-
quired for Mils Atkins (for that was the
lady's name), he was fhown up three
pair of flairs into afmall roomlighted by
one narrow lattice, and patched round
with fhreds of different- colon red paper.
In the darkeft corner flood fomething
like a bed, before which a tattered co-
verlet hung by way of curtain. He had
not waited long when (he appeared.
Her face had the glifter of new-wafhed
tears on it. " I am afhamed, Sir, faid
flie, that you fhould have taken this
frefh piece of trouble about one fo little
worthy of it -, bur, to the humane, I
know there is a pleafure in goodnefs for
its own fake : if you have patience for
the recital of my flory, it may palliate,
though it cannot excufe my faults."
Harley bowed, as a fign of aflent ; and
fhe began as follows :
3 I am
iro THE MAN OF FEELING.
" I am the daughter of an officer,
whom a fervice of forty years had ad-
vanced no higher than the rank of cap-
tain. I have had hints from himfelfV
and been informed by others, that it was
in fome meafure owing to thofe prin-
ciples of rigid honour, which it was his
boaft to pofTefs, and which he early in-
culcated on me, that he had been able
to arrive at no better ftation. My mo-
ther died.whren I was a child; old
enough to grieve for her'dcath, but in-
capable of remembering her precepts.
Though my father was doatingly fond
of her, yet there were fome fentiments
in which they materially differed : fhe
had been bred from her infancy in the
ilricleft principles of religion, and took
the morality of her conduct from the
motives which an adherence to thofe
principles fuggefted. My father, who
who
THE MAN OF FEEDING, in
had been in the army from his youth,
affixed an idea of pufillanimity to that
virtue, which was formed by the doc-
trines, excited by the rewards, or guard-
ed by the terrors of revelation -, his dar-
ling idol was the honour of a foldierj'
a term which he held in fuch reverence,
that he ufed it for his moft facred afle-
veration. When my mother died, I
was fome time fuffered to continue in
thofe fentiments wruch her inftruclions
had produced j but foon after, though,
from refpecl: to her memory, my father
did not abfolutely ridicule them, yet he
fhewed, in his difcourfe to others, fo
little regard to them, and at times
fuggefted to me motives of action fo
different, that I was foon weaned from
opinions, which I began to confider as
the dreams of fuperftition, or the artful
inventions of defigning hypocrify. My
mother's
ii2 THE MAN OF FEELING.
mother's books were left behind at the
different quarters we removed to, and
my reading was principally confined to
plays, novels, and thofe poetical de-
fcriptions of the beauty of virtue and
honour, which the circulating libraries
eafily afforded.
" As I was generally reckoned hand-
fome, and the quicknefs of my parts
extolled by all our vifitors, my father
had a pride in fhowing me to the
world. I was young, giddy, open to
adulation, and vain of thofe talents
which acquired it.
" After the lad war, my father was
reduced to half-pay; with which we re-
tired to a village in the country, which
the acquaintance of fome genteel fami-
lies who refided in it, and the cheapnefs
of
THE MAN OF FEELING. 113
of living, particularly recommended.
My father rented a fmall houfe, with
a piece of ground fufficient to keep a
horfe for him, and a cow for the bene-
fit of his family. Aa old man fervant
managed his ground j while a maid,
who had formerly been my mother's,
and had fince been mine, undertook
the care of our little dairy : they were
afiifted in each of their provinces by
my father and me j and we pafled our
time in a ftate of tranquillity, which he
had always talked of with delight, and
my train of reading had taught me to
admire.
" Though I had never feen the po-
lite circles of the metropolis, the com-
pany my father had introduced me into
had given me a degree of good-breed-
ing, which foon difcovered a fuperiority
over
ii 4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
over the young ladies of our village.
I was quoted as an example of polite-
nefs, and my company courted by mod
of the confiderable families in the
neighbourhood.
" Amongft the houfes where I was
frequently invited, was Sir George
Winbrooke's* He had two daughters
nearly of my age, with whom, though
they had been bred up in thofe maxims
of vulgar dodlrine, which my fuperior
underftanding could not but defpife,
yet as their good-nature led them to an
imitation of my manners in every thing
elfe, I cultivated a particular friend-
Ihip.
'" Some months after our firft ac-
quaintance, Sir George's elded fon came
home from his travels. His figure, his
THE MAN OF FEELING, 115
addrefsj and converfation, were not un-
like thofe warm ideas of an accomplifh-
ed man which my favourite novels had
taught me to form j and hisfentiments,
on the article of religion, were as libe-
ral as my own : when any of thefe
happened to be the topic of our dif-
courfe, I, who before had been filent,
from a fear of being fingle in oppofi/-
tion, now kindled at the fire he railed,
and defended our mutual opinions with
all the eloquence I was miftrefs of. He
would be refpectfully attentive all the
while -, and when I had ended, would
raife his eyes from the ground, look at
me with a gaze of admiration, and ex-
prefs his applaufe in the higheft ftrain of
encomium. This was an incenfe the
more pleafing, as I feldom or never had
met with it before; for the young gen-
tlemen who vifited Sir George were for
the
Ii6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
the moft part of that athletic order, the
pleafure of whofe lives is derived from
fox-hunting : thefe are feldom felicit-
ous to pleafe the women at all : or if
they were, would never think of apply-
ing their flattery to the mind.
" Mr.Winbrookeobfervedtheweak-
nefs of my foul, and took every occa-
fion of improving the efleem he had
gained. He afked my opinion of every
author, of every fentiment, with that
fubmifTive diffidence, which (hewed an
unlimited confidence in my underftand-
ing. I fa w my felf revered, as a fuperior
being, by one whofe judgment my va-
nity told me was not likely to err : pre-
ferred by him to all the other vifitors
of my fex, whofe fortunes and rank
fhould have entitled them to a much
higher degree of notice : I faw their
little
THE MAN OF FEELING. 117
little jealoufies at the diftinguifhed at-
tention he paid me j it was gratitude,
it was pride, it was love! Love which
had made too fatal a progrefs in my
heart, before any declaration on his part
fhould have warranted a return : but I
interpreted every look of attention,
every exprefiion of compliment, to the
pafiion I imagined him infpired with,
and imputed to his fenfibility that fi-
lence which was the effecT: of art and
defign. At length, however, he took
an opportunity of declaring his love :
he now exprefTed himfelf in fuch ardent
terms, that prudence might have fuf-
pe&ed their fmcerity j but prudence is
rarely found in the fituation 1 had been
unguardedly led into j befides, that the
courfe^of reading to which I had been
accuftomed, did not lead me to con-
clude, that his expreflions could be too
warm
1*8 THE MAN OP FEELING.
warm to be fmcere : nor was I even
alarmed at the manner in which he talk-
ed of marriage, a fubjeclion, he often
hinted, to which genuine love fhould
fcorn to be confined. The woman, he
would often fr.y, who had merit like
mine to fix his affection, could eafily
command it for ever. That honour
too which I revered, was often called
in to enforce his fentiments. I did nor,
however, abfolutely affent to them ;
but I found my regard for their oppo-
fites diminifh by degrees. If it is dan-
gerous to be convinced, it is dangerous
to liften { for our reafon is fo much of
a machine, that it will not always be
able to refift, when the ear is perpetual*
ly afiailed.
" In fhort, Mr. Harley, (for I qre
you with a relation, the cataftrophe of
which
THE MAN OF FEELING. 119
which you will already have imagined)
I fell a p'ey to his artifices. He had
not been able-fo thoroughly to convert
me, that my confcience was filent on
the fubjectj but he was fo affiducus to
give repeated proofs of unabated affec-
tion, that I huihed its fuggetlions as
they rofe. The world, however, I
knew, was not to be filencedj and
therefore I took occafion to exprefs my
uneafinefs to my feducer, and entreat
him, as he valued the peace of cne to
'whom he profeiTed fuch attachment, to
remove it by a marriage. He made ex-
cufe from his dependance on the will of
his father, but quieted my fears by the
promife of endeavouring to win his
aflfent.
" My father had been fome days ab-
fcnt on a vifit .to a dying relation, from
\vhom
120 THE MAN OF FEELING.
whom he had confiderable expectations.
I was left at home, with no other
company than my books : my books I
found were not now fuch companions
as they ufed to be ; I was reftlefs, me-
lancholy, unfatisfied with myfelf. But
judge my fituaeion when I received a
billet from Mr. Winbrooke informing
me, that he had founded Sir George on
the fubjecl: we had talked of, and found
him fo averfe to any match fo unequal
to his own rank and fortune, that he
was obliged, with whatever reluctance,
to bid adieu to a place, the remem-
brance of which fhould ever be dear to
him.
<c I read this letter a hundred times
over. Alone, helplefs, confcious of
guilt, and abandoned by every better
thought, my mind was one motley
fcenc
THE MAN OF FEELING. 121
fcene of terror, confufion, and re-
morfe. A thoufand expedients fuggeft-
ed themfelves, and a thoufand fears
told me they would be vain : at lafr,
in an agony of defpair, I packed up a
few clothes, took what money and trin-
kets were in the houfe, and fet out for
London, whither I underftood he was
gone, pretending to my maid, that I
had received letters from my father re-
quiring my immediate attendance, I
had no other companion than a boy, a
fervant to the man from whom I hired
my horfes. I arrived in London within
an hour of Mr. Winbrooke, and acci-
dentally alighted at the very inn where
he was.
" He ftarted and turned pale when
he faw me ; but recovered himfelf in
time enough to make many new proteft-
G ations
122 THE MAN OF FEELING.
ations of regard, and beg me to make
myfelf eafy under a difappointment
which was equally afflicting to him.
He procured me lodgings, where I
flept, or rather endeavoured to deep,
for that night. Next morning I faw
him again ; he then mildly obferved on
the imprudence of my precipitate flight
from the country, and propofed my
removing to lodgings at another end of
the town, to elude the fearch of my
father, till he fliould fall upon fome
method of excufing my conduct to him,
and reconciling him to my return. We
took a hackney-coach, and drove to the
houfe he mentioned.
ff It was fituated in a dirty lane, fur-
nifhed with a taudry affectation of
finery, with fome ; ,old family-pictures
hanging on walls which their own cob-
webs
THE MAN OF FEELING. 123
webs would better have fuited. I was
ftruck with a fecret dread at entering;
nor was it lefiened by the appearance of
the landlady, who had that look of
felfifh ihrewdnefs, which, of all others,
is the mod hateful to thofe whofe feel-
ings are untinclured with the world. A
girl, who ftie told us was her niece, fat
by her, playing on a guitar, while her-
felf was ac work, with the afilftance of
fpectacles, and had a prayer-book, with
the leaves folded down in feveral places,
lying on the table before her. Perhaps,
Sir, I tire you with my minutenefs;
but the place, and every circumftance
about it, is fo imprefied on my mind,
that I fhall never forget it.
ff I dined that day with Mr. Win-
brooke alone. He loft by degrees that
reftraint which I perceived too well to
G 2 hang
t24 THE MAN OF FEELING,
hang about him before, and, with his
former gaiety and good-humour, re-
peated the flattering things, which,
though they had once been fatal, I durft
not now diftruft. At laft, taking my
hand and kiffing it, " It is thus, faid
he, that love will laft, while freedom is
preferved -, thus let us ever be bleft,
without the galling thought that we are
tied to a condition where we may ceafe
to be fo." I anfwered, " That the
world thought otherwife ; that it had
certain ideas of good fame, which it
was impofiible not to wifh to maintain."
f " The world, faid he, is a tyrant > they
are (laves who obey it: let us be happy
^ without the pale of the world. To-
morrow I (hall leave this quarter of it,
for one, where the talkers of the world
(hall be foiled, and lofe us. Could not
my Emily accompany me? my friend,
my
THE MAN OF FEELING. 125
my companion, the miftrefs of my foul!
Nay, do not look fo, Emily ! your fa-
ther may grieve for a while, but your
father fhall be taken care of; this bank-
bill I intend as the comfort for his
daughter."
" I could contain myfelf no longer r
" Wretch, I exclaimed, dofl thou ima-
gine that my father's heart could brook
dependance on the deftroyer of his
child, and tamely accept of a bafe equi-
valent for her honour and his own !"
" Honour, my Emily, faid he, is the
word of fools, or of thofe wifer men
who cheat them. 'Tis a fantaftic
bauble that does not fuitthe gravity of
your father's age j but, whatever it is,
I am afraid it can never be perfectly
reftored to you : exchange the word
then, and let pleafure be your object
G 3 now."
126 THE MAN OF FEELING,
now." At theie words he clafped me
in his arms, and prefled his lips rudely
to my bofom. I darted from my feat.
" Perfidious villain ! faid I, who dar'ft
infult the weaknefs thou haft undone ;
were that father here, thy coward foul
would (brink from the vengeance of his
honour! Curft be that wretch who has
deprived him of it ! oh! doubly curft,
who has dragged on his hoary head the
infamy which fhould have cruflied her
own ! I fnatched a knife which lay be-
fide me, and would have plunged it in
my breaft; but the monfter prevented
my purpofe, and fmiling with a grin of
barbarous infult, <f Madam, faid he, I
confefs you are rather too much in he-
roics for me: I am forry we fhould
differ about trifles; but as I feem fome-
how to have offended you, I would
willingly remedy it by taking my leave.
You
THE ,MAN OF FEELING. 127
You have been put to fome foolifii ex-
pence in this journey on my account j
allow me to reimburfe you." So fay-
ing, he laid a bank-bill, or what
amount I had no patience to fee, upon
the table. Shame, grief, and indig-
nation, choaked my utterance; unable
to fpeak my wrongs, and unable to bear
them in fiknce, I fell in a fwoon at his
feet.
" What happened in the interval I
cannot tell ; but when I came to my-
felf, I was in the arms of the landlady,
with her niece charing my temples, and
doing all in her power for my recovery.
She had much compaffion in her coun-
tenance : the old woman affumed the
fofteft look fhe was capable of, and
both endeavoured to bring me comfort.
They continued to fhow me many civi-
G 4 lities,
128 THE MAN OF FEELING.
lities, and even the aunt began to be
lefs difagreeable in my fight. . To the
wretched, to the forlorn, as I was, ftnall
offices of kindnefs are endearing.
" Mean time my money was far
fpent, nor did I attempt to conceal my
wants from their knowledge. I had
frequent thoughts of returning to my
father ; but the dread of a life of fcorn
is infurmountable. I'avoided therefore
going abroad when I had a chance of
being feen by any former acquaintance,
nor indeed did my health for a great
while permit it j and fuffered the old
woman, at her own fuggeftion, to call
me niece at home, where we now and
then faw (when they could prevail on
me to leave my room) one or two other
elderly women, and fometimes a grave
bufmefs-Iike man, who ihowed great
com-
THE MAN OF FEELING. 129
companion for my indifpofition, and
made me very obligingly an offer of a
room at his country-houfe for the reco-
very of my health. This offer I did
not chufe to accept ; but told my land-
lady, " that I fhould be glad to be em-
ployed in any way of bufmefs which my
fkill in needlework could recommend
me to; confeffing, at the fame time,
that I was afraid I (hould fcarce be able
to pay her what I already owed for
board and lodging, and that for her
other good offices, I had nothing but
thanks to give her."
" My dear child, faid fhe, do not
talk of paying j fince I loft my own
fweet girl (here fhe wept), your very
picture fhe was, Mifs Emily, I have
no body, except my niece, to whom I
Ihould leave any little thing I have been
G 5 able
130 THE MAN O FEELING.
able to fave : you fhall live with me,
my dean and I have fometimes a little
millinery work, in which, when you
are inclined to it, you may afiift us.
By the way, here are a pair of ruffles
we have juft fmifhed for that gentleman
you faw here at tea ; a diftant relation
of mine, and a worthy man he is.
'Twas pity you refufed the offer of an
apartment at his country-houfe j my
niece, yon know, was to have accom-
panied you, and you might have fancied
yourfelf .at home : a mod fweet place
it is, and but a fhort mile beyond
Hampftead. Who knows, Mifs Emi-
ly, what effect fuch a vifit might have
had ! if I had half your beauty, I
Ihould not wafte it pining after e'er a
worthlefs fellow of them all." I felt
my heart fwell at her words j I would
have been angry if I could - t but I was
in
THE MAN OF FEELING. 131
in that ftupid flate which is not eafily
awakened to anger : when I would
have chid her, the reproof {tuck in my
throat; I could-only weep !
fe Her want of refpect increafed,
as I had not fpirit to affert it ; my work
was now rather impofed than offered,
and I became a drudge for the bread I
eat : but my dependance and fervility
grew in proportion, and I was now in
a fituation which could not make any
extraordinary exertions to difengage /
itfelf from either -, I found myfelf with
child.
ce At laft the wretch, who had thus
trained me to deftruction, hinted the
purpofe for- which thofe means had
been ufed. I difcovered her to be an
artfulprQCiirefs for the pleafures of
G 6 thofe >
I 3 2 THE MAN OF FEELING.
thofe, who are men of decency to the
world in the midft of debauchery.
<c I roufed every fpark of courage
within me at the horrid propofal. She
treated my pafllon at firft fomewhae
mildly i but when I continued to exert
it, fhe refented it with infult, and told
me plainly, That if I did not foon
comply with her defires, I fhould pay
her every farthing I owed, or rot in a
jail for life. I trembled at the thought ;
ftill, however, I refitted her importu-
nities, and fhe put her threats in exe-
cution. I was conveyed to prifon, weak
from my condition, weaker from that
flruggle of grief and mifery which for
fome time I had fuffered. A mifcar-
riage was the confequcnce.
** Amidft all the horrors of fuch a
ftate, furrounded with wretches totally
callous,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 133;
callous, loft alike to humanity and to
fhame, think, Mr. Harley, think what
I endured : nor wonder that I at laflr
yielded to the felicitations of that mif-
creant I had ften at her houfe, and funk
to the proftitution which he tempted.
But that was happinefs compared to-
what I have fuffered fince. He foon
abandoned me to the common ufe of the
town, and I was caft among thofe mi-
ferable beings in whofe fociety I have
fince remained.
" Oh ! did the daughters of virtue"
know our fufferings j did they fee our
hearts torn with anguilh amidft the af-
fectation of gaiety which our faces are
obliged to afTume ! our bodies tortured
by difeafe, our minds with that con-
fcioufnefs which they cannot lofe ! Did
they know, did they think of this, Mr.
3 Harley I
I 3 4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Harley ! their cenfures are juft ; but
their pity perhaps might fpare the
wretches whom their juftice fliould
condemn.
(t Laft night, but for an exertion of
benevolence which the infection of our
infamy prevents even in the humane,
had I been thruf: out from this mifer-
able place which misfortune has yet
left mej expofed to the brutal infults
of drunkennefs, or dragged by that
juftice which I couid not bribe, to the
f>uniihment which may correct, but,
alas ! can never amend the abandoned
objects of its terrors. From that Mr.
Harley, your goodnefs has relieved
me."
He beckoned with his hand : he
would have flopped the mention of his
favours $
THE MAN OF FEELING. 135
favours ; but he could not fpeak, had
it been to beg a diadem.
She faw his tears -, her fortitude began
to fail at the fight, when the voice of
fome fl ranger on the flairs awakened
her attention. She liftened for a mo-
ment ; then darting up, exclaimed,
" Merciful God ! my father's voice !"
She had fcarce uttered the word, when
the door burft open, and a man entered
in the garb of an officer. When he
difcovered his daughter and Harley, he
flarted back a few paces ; his look af-
fumed a furious wildnefs ! he laid his
hand on bis fword. The two objects of
his wrath did not utter a fyllable.
" Villain, he cried, thou feed a father
who had once a daughter's honour to
preferve ; blafted as it now is, behold
him ready to avenge its lofs !"
5 Harley
136 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Harley had by this time fome power
of utterance. " Sir, faid he, if you
will be a moment calm" <f Infamous
coward ! interrupted the other, doft thou
preach calmnefs to wrongs like mine ?'*
He drew his fword. " Sir, faid Harley,
let me tell you" The blood ran quicker
to his cheek his pulfe beat oneno
more and regained the temperamentof
humanity ! " You are deceived, Sir,
faid he, you are much deceived j but I
forgive fufpicions which your misfor-
tunes have juftified : I would not wrong
you, upon my foul I would not, for the
deareft gratification of a thoufand
worlds j my heart bleeds for you 1"
I His daughter was now proftrate at
his feet. " Strike, faid (he, ftrike here
\ a wretch, whofe mifery cannot end but
: with that death fhe deferves." Her hair
had
THE MAN OF FEELING. i
had fallen on her fhoulders ! her loo*k"\
had the horrid calmnefs of out-breathed
defpair ! Her father would have fpoken;
his lip quivered, his cheek grew pale;
his eyes loft the lightning of their fury I
there was a reproach in them, but with
a mingling of pity ! He turned them
up to heaven then on his daughter.-
He laid his left hand on his heart
the fword dropped from his right he
burit into tears.
CHAP.
138 THE MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XXIX.
T'he dijlrejfes of a father.
HARLEY kneeled alfo at the fide
of the unfortunate daughter :
c< Allow me, Sir, faid he, to entreat
your pardon for one whofe offences have
been already fo fignaUy punifhed. I
know, I feel, that thofe tears, wrung
from the heart of a father, are more
dreadful to her than all the punifhments
your fword could have inflicted: accept
the contrition of a child whom heaven
has reftored to you." " Is fhe not loft,
anfwered he, irrecoverably loft? Dam-
nation ! a common proftitute to the
meaneft ruffian!" " Calmly, my dear
Sir, faid Harley, did you know by
what
THE MAN OF FEELING, 139
what complicated misfortunes fhe had
fallen to that miferable ftate in which
you now behold her, I fhould have no
need of words to excite your compaf-
iion. Think, Sir, of what once fhe
was ! Would you abandon her to the
infuks of an unfeeling world, deny her
opportunity of penitence, and cut oft"
the little comfort that ftill remains for
your afflictions and her own t" <{ Speak,
faid he, addrefiing himfelf to his daugh-
ter; fpeak, I will hear thee." The
defperation that fupported her was loft ;
fhe fell to the ground, and bathed his
feet with her tears !
Harley undertook her caufe : he re-
lated the treacheries to which fhe had
fallen a facrifice, and again folicited the
forgivenefs of her father. He looked
on her for fome time in filence j the
pride
I 4 o THE MAN OF FEELING.
pride of a foldier's honour checked for
a while the yearnings of his heart ; but
nature at laft prevailed, he fell on her
neck, and mingled his tears with hers.
Harley, who difcovered from the
drefs of the ftranger that he was juft ar-
rived from a journey, begged that they
would both remove to his lodgings, till
he could procure others for them. At-
kins looked at him with fome marks of
furprife. His daughter now firft re-
covered the power of fpeech : " Wretch
as I am, faid (he, yet there is fome
gratitude due to the preferver of your
child. See him now before you. To
him I owe my life, or at lead the com-
fort of imploring your forgivenefs be-
fore I die." " Pardon me, young
gentleman, faid Atkins, I fear my paf-
fion wronged you.'*
" Never,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 141
<f Never, never, Sir, faid Harley;
if it had, your reconciliation to your
daughter were an atonement a thou-
fand fold." He then repeated his re-
queft that he might be allowed to con-
du6t them to his lodgings] to which Mr.
Atkins at laft confented. He took his
daughter's arm, " Come, my Emily,
faid he, we can never, never recover
that happinefs we have loft ! but time
may teach us to remember our misfor-
tunes with patience."
When they arrived at the houfe
where Harley lodged, he was informed,
that the firft floor was then vacant, and
that the gentleman and his daughter
might be accommodated there. While
he was upon his enquiry, Mifs Atkins
informed her father more particularly
what fhe owed to his benevolence.
When
142 THE MAN OF FEELING.
When he turned into the room where
they were, Atkins ran and embraced
him ; begged him again to forgive the
offence he had given him, and made
the warmeft proteftations of gratitude
/'for his favours. We would attempt to
defcribe the joy which Harley felt on
this occafion, did it not occur to us,
that one half of the world could not
underftand it though we did ; and the
other half will, by this time, have
underftood it without any defcription
- at all.
Mifs Atkins now retired to her cham-
ber, to take fome reft from the violence
of the emotions (he had fuffered. When
Ihe was gone, her father, addrefiing
himfelf to Harley, faid, " You hav,e
a right, Sir, to be informed of the pre-
fent fituationofone who owes fo much
to
THE MAN OF FEELING. 143
to your compaflion for his misfortunes.
My daughter I find has informed you
what that was at the fatal juncture
when they began. Her diftreffes you
have heard, you have pitied as they de-
ferved j with mine perhaps I cannot fo
eafily make you acquainted. You have
a feeling heart, Mr. Harley ; I blefs it
that it has favedmy child j bu^vc^u
never were a father, a father, torn_by
that mo ft dreadful of calamities, the
diihon-our_ojl_a_child he doated on !
You have been already informed of
fome of the circumftances of her elope-
ment- I was then from home, called
by the death of a relation, who, though
he would never advanceme a {hilling on
the utmoft exigency in his life-time, left
me all the gleanings of his frugality at
ills death. I would not v/rite this in-
telligence
I4 4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
telligence to my daughter, becaufe I in-
tended to be the bearer myfelf j and as
foon as my bufmefs would allow me, I
fet out on my return, winged with all
the hade of paternal affection. I fondly
built thofe fchemes of future happinefs,
which prefent profperity is ever bufy to
fuggeft : my Emily was concerned in
them all. As I approached our little
dwelling, my heart throbbed with the an-
ticipation of joy and welcome. I ima-
gined the cheering fire, the blifsful con-
tentment of a frugal meal, made luxu-
rious by a daughter's fmile : I painted
to myfelf her furprife at the tidings of
our new-acquired riches, our fond dif-
putes about the difpofal of them.
The road was fhortened by the
dreams of happinefs I enjoyed, and it
began
THE MAN OF FEELING. 1-45
began to be dark as I reached the honfe :
I alighted from my horfe, and walked
foftly up flairs to the room we common,
ly fat in. I was fomewhat difappointed
at not finding my daughter there. I
rung the bellj her maid appeared, and
fhewed no fmall figns of wonder at the
fummons. She blefled herfelf as flie
entered the room : I fmiled at her fur-
prife. " Where is Mifs Emily, Sir ?"
faid fhe. " Emily !" " Yes, Sin fhe
has been gone hence fome days, upon
receipt of thofe letters you fent her.'*
" Letters! faid I. Yes, Sir; fo
fhe told me, and went off in all hafte
that very night."
" I flood aghaft as fhe fpoke -, but
was able fo far to recollect myfelf, as to
put on the affectation of calmnefs, and
telling her there was certainly Tome mif-
H take
i 4 6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
take in the affair, defired her to leave
me.
fe When fhe was gone, I threw rny-
felf into a chair in that flate of uncer-
tainty which is of all others the mod
dreadful. The gay vifions with which
I had delighted myfelf, vanifhed in an
inilant : 1 was tortured with tracing
back the fame circle of doubt and dif-
appointment. My head grew dizzy as
I thought : I called the fervant again,
and afked her a hundred queftions to no
purpofe j there was not room even for
Conjecture.
* e Something at laft arofe in my
mind, which we call Hope, without
knowing what it is. I wifhed myfelf
deluded by itj but it could not prevail
over my returning fears, I rofe and
walked
THE MAN OF FEELING. 147
walked through the room. My Emily's
fpinnet flood at the end of it, open,
with a book of mufic folded down at
fome of my favourite leflbns. I touch-
ed the keys; there was a vibration in
the found that froze my blood: I look-
ed around, and methought the family-
pi&ures on the walls gazed on me with
companion in their faces. I fat down
again with an attempt at more com-
pofure } I ftarted at every creaking of
the door, and my ears rung with ima-
ginary noifes 1
" I had not remained long in this
fituation, when the arrival of a friend,
who had accidentally heard of my re-
turn, put an end to my doubts, by the
recital of my daughter's difhonour. He
told me he had his information from
a young gentleman, to whom Win-
H 2 brookc
i 4 8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
brooke had boafted of having feduced
her.
(< I ftarted from my feat, with broken
curfes on my lips, and without knowing
whither I Ihould purfue them, ordered
my fervant to load my piftols, and faddle
my horfes. My friend, however, with
great difficulty, perfuaded me to com-
pofe myfelf for that night, promifing to
accompany me on the morrow to Sir
George Winbrooke's in quefl of his fon.
" The morrow came, after a night
fpent in a flate little diftant from mad-
nefs. We went as early as decency
would allow to Sir George's: he receiv-
ed me with politenefs, and indeed com-
pafilon ; protefted his abhorrence of his
jbn's conduct, and told me that he had
let out fome days before for London,
on which place he had procured a
draught
THE MAN OF FEELING. 149
draught for a large fum, on pretence of
finifhing his travels j but that he had not
heard from him fmce his departure.
" I did not wait for any more, either
of information or comfort, but againft
the united remonftrances of Sir George
and my friend, fet out inftantly for Lon-
don, with a frantic uncertainty of pur-
pofe j but there all manner of fearch
was in vain. I could trace neither of
them any farther than the inn where they
firft put up on their arrival j and after
fome days fruitlefs inquiry, returned
home deftitute of every little hope that
had hitherto fupported me. The jour-
neys I had made, the refllefs nights I
had fpent, above all, the perturbation
of my mind, had the effect which natu-
rally might be expected j a very dan-
gerous fever was theconfequence. From
H this,,
150 THE MAN OF FEELING.
this, however, contrary to the expec-
tation of my phyficians, I recovered.
It was now that I firfl felt fomething like
calmnefs of mind j probably from be-
ing reduced to a ftate which could not
produce the exertions of anguifh or de-
fpair. A ftupid melancholy fettled on
my foul; I could endure to live with
an apathy of life 3 at times I forgot my
refentmenr, and wept at the remem-
brance of my child.
<f Such has been the tenor of my
days fince that fatal moment when thefc
misfortunes began, till yeflerday, that
I received a letter from a friend in town,
acquainting me of her prefent fituation.
Could fuch tales as mine, Mr. Harley,
be fometimes fuggefled to the daughters
of levity, did they but know with what
anxiety the heart of a parent flutters
round the child he loves, they would be
lefs
THE MAN OF FEELING. 151
kfs apt to conftrue into harfhnefs that
delicate concern for theirconduct, which
they often complain ofas laying reftraint
upon things, to the young, the gay, and
the thoughtlefs, feemingly harmlefs and
indifferent. Alas ! I fondly imagined
that I needed not even thefe common
cautions ! my Emily was the joy of my
age, and the pride of my foul! Thofe
things are now no more ! they are loft
for ever ! Her death I could have born 1
but the death of her honour has added
obloquy and fhame to that forrow which
bends my grey hairs to the duft !"
As he fpoke thefe laft words, his
voice trembled in his throat; it was
now loft in his tears ! He fat with his
face half turned from Harley, as if he
would have hid the forrow which he
felt. Harley was in the fame attitude
H 4 himfelf ;
I 5 2 THE MAN OF FEELING,
himfelf i he durfl not meet his eye with
a tear i but gathering his (tifled breath a
* f Let me in treat you, Sir, faid he, to
hope better things. The world is ever
tyrannical j it warps our forrows to edge
them with keener affliction : let us not
be flaves to the names it affixes to mo-
tive or to aftion. I know an ingenuous
mind cannot help feeling when they
fling : but there are confiderations by
which it may be overcome: its fantaftic
ideas vanifh as they rife; they teach U&
i to look beyond it."
A FRAG-
THE MAN OF FEELING. 153
A FRAGMENT.
Showing bis fuccefs with tbe baronet.
X HE card he received was
in the policed ftyle in which difappoint-
ment could be communicated : the
baronet " was under a necefiity o->
giving up his application for Mr. Har- /
ley, as he was informed, that the leafe /
was engaged for a gentleman who had
long ferved his majefty in another ca- \
pacity, and whofe merit had entitled \
him to the firft lucrative thing thac-^
fhould be vacant." Even Harley could
not murmur at fuch a difpofal. " Per-
haps, faid he to himfelf, fome war-
worn officer, who, like poor Atkins,
H 5 had
154 THE MAN OF FEELING.
had been neglected from reafons which
merited the higheft advancement jwhofe
honour could not ftoop to folicit the
preferment he deferved ; perhaps, with
a family, taught the principles of de-
licacy, without the means of fupport-
ing it j a wife and children gracious
heaven ! whom my wifties would have
deprived of bread."-
He was interrupted by his reverie by
fome one tapping him on the fhoulder,
and, on turning round, he difcovered
it to be the very man who had explain-
ed to him the condition of his gay com-
panion at Hydepark-corner. <f I am
glad to fee you, Sir, faid he ; I believe
we are fellows in difappointment."
Harley ftarted, and faid, that he was at
a lofs to under/land him. " Poh ! you
need not be fofhy, anfwered the other;
every
THE MAN OF FEELING. 155
every one for himfelf is but fair, and
I had much rather you had got it than
the rafcally gauger." Harley ftill pro-
tefted his ignorance of what he meant.
* c Why, the leafe of Bancroft-manor j
had not you been applying for it ?"
<; I confefs I was, replied Harley ;
but I cannot conceive how you Ihould
be interefled in the matter." ec Why,
I was making intereft for it myfelf^
faid he, and I think I had fome title :
I voted for this fame baronet at the laft
election, and made fome of my friends
do fo too ; though I would not have
you imagine that I fold my vote; no,
I fcorn it, let me tell you, I fcorn it ;
but I thought as how this man was
{launch and true, and I find he's but a
double-faced fellow after all, and
fpeechifies in the houfe for any fide he
hopes to make moft by. Oh ! how
H 6 many
156 THE MAN OF FEELING,
many fine fpeeches and fqueezings by
the hand we had of him on the canvas I
" And if ever I fhall be fo happy as
to have an opportunity of ferving you >5r
! A murrain on the fmooth-tongned
knave ! and after all to get it for this
pimp of a gauger." " The gauger t
there muft be fome miilalceTTaidmar-
ley ! he writes me, that it was engaged
for one whofe long fervices" " Ser-
vices ! interrupted the other j you fhall
hear: Services ! Yes, his filter arrived
in town a few days ago, and is now
iempftrefs to the baronet. A plague
on all rogues ! fays honeft Sam Wright-
ion : I Ihall but jult drink damnation
to them to-night, in a crown's-worth
of Alhley's, and Leave London to-mor-
row by fun-rife."" I Ihall leave it
too," faid Harley ! and fo he accord-
ingly did.
In
THE MAN OF FEELING. 157
In pafling through Piccadilly, he had
obferved on the window of an inn a no-
tification of the departure of a ftage-
coach for a place in his road home-
wards j in the way back to his lodgings
he took a feat in it for his return.
CHAP.
I 5 8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XXXIII.
He leaves London. Characters in afiagi*
coach.
THE company in the flage-coach
confifted of a grocer and his wife,
who were going to pay a vifit to fome
of their country friends j a young of-
ficer, who took this way of marching
to quarters ; a middle-aged gentle-
woman, who had been hired as houfe-
keeper to fome family in the country ;
and an elderly well-looking man, with
a remarkable old-fafhioned periwig.
Harley, upon entering, difcovered
but one vacant feat, next the grocer's
wife, which, from his natural Ihynefs of
temper, he made no fcruple to occupy,
how-
THE MAN OF FEELING. 159
however aware that riding backwards
always difagreed with him.
Though his inclination to phyfiogno-
my had met with fome rubs in the me-
tropolis, he had not yet loft his attach-
ment to that fcience : he fet himfelf
therefore to examine, as ufual, the
countenances of his companions. Here
indeed he was not long in doubt as to
the preference ; for befides that the el-
derly gentleman, who fat oppofite to
him, had features by nature more ex-
preflive of good difpofitions, there was
fomething in that periwig we mention-
ed, peculiarly attractive of Harley's re-
gard.
He had not been long employed in
thefe fpeculations, when he found him-
felf attacked with that faintifh ficknefs 3
which
i6o THE MAN OF FEELING.
which was the natural confequence of
his fituation in the coach. The pale-
nefs of his countenance was firft ob-
ferved by the houfekeeper, who imme-
diately made offer of her finell ing-
bottle, which Harley however declined,
telling at the fame time the caufe of his
uneafinefs. The gentleman on the op-
pofite fide of the coach now firft turned
his eye from the fide-direction in which
it had been fixed, and begged Harley
to exchange places with him, exprefiing
his regret that he had not made the
propofal before. Harley thanked him,
and, upon being allured that both feats
were alike to him, was about to accept
of his offer, when the young gentle-
man of the fword, putting on an arch
look, laid hold of the other's arm,
e So, my old boy, faid he, I find you
have ftill fome youthful blood about
you,,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 161
you, but, with your leave* I will do
myfelf the honour of fitting by this
ladyj" and took his place accordingly.
The grocer flared him as full in the
face as his own fliort neck would al-
low j and his wife, who was a little
round faced woman, with a great deal
of colour in her cheeks, drew up at the
compliment that was paid her, look*
ing firft at the officer, and then at the
houfekeeper.
This incident was productive of Tome
difcourfej for before, though there was
fometimes a cough or a hem from the
grocer, and the officer now and then
humm'd a few notes of a fong, there
had not a fmgle word pafTed the lips of
any of the company.
Mrs. Grocer obferved, how ill-con-
venient it was for people, who could
not
1 62 THE MAN OF FEELING.
not be drove backwards, to travel in a
flage. This brought on a difiertation
on ftage coaches in general, and the
pleafure of keeping a chay of one's
own j which led to another, on the
great riches of Mr. Deputy Bearfkin,
who, according to her, had once been
of that induftrious order of youths who
fweep the croffings of the flreets for the
conveniency of patten gers, but, by va-
rious fortunate accidents, had now ac-
quired an immenfe fortune, and kept
his coach and a dozen livery-fervants.
All this afforded ample fund for con-
verfation, if converfation it might be
called, that was carried on folely by the
before-mentioned lady, nobody offer-
ing to interrupt her, except that the of-
ficer fometimes fignified his approbation
by a variety of oaths, a fort of phrafeology
in which he feemed extremely verfanr.
She
THE MAN OF FEELING. 163
She appealed indeed frequently to her
hufband for the authenticity of certain
facts, of which the good man as often
protefted his total ignorance ; but as
he was always called fool, or fomething
very like it, for his pains, he at laft con-
trived to fupport the credit of his wife
without prejudice to his confcience,
and fignified his aflent by a noife not
unlike the gruntingof that animal which /
in ihape and fatnefs he fomewhat re-
fembled.
The houfekeeper, and the old gentle-
man who fat next to Harley, were now
obferved to be fad afleep ; at which the
lad}?, who had been at fuch pains to en-
tertain them, muttered fome words of
difpleafure, and, upon the officer's whif-
pering to fmoke the old put, both fhe
and her hufband purs'd up their mouths
into a contemptuous fmile. Harley
looked
-
164 THE MAN OF FEELING.
looked fternly on the grocer : " You
are come, Sir, faid he, to thole years
when you might have learned fome re-
verence for age: as for this young man,
who has fo lately efcaped from the nur-
fery, he may be allowed to divert him-
felf." Dam'-me, Sir, faid the of-
ficer, do you call me young?" ftriking
tip the front of his hat, and ftretching
forward on his fear, till his face aimed
touched Harley's. It is probable*
however, that he difcovered fomtthing
there which tended to pacify him ; for
on the lady's entreating them not to
quarrel, he very foon refumed his pof-
ture, and calmnefs together, and was
rather lefs profufe of his oaths during
the reft of the journey.
It is poffible the old gentleman had
waked time enough to hear the lafl part
of
THE MAN OF FEELING. 165
of this difcourfe ; at leaft (whether
from that caufe, or that he too was a
phyfiognomift) he wore a look remark-
ably complacent to Harley, who, on
his part, fhewed a particular obfer-
vance of him : indeed they had foon a /
better opportunity of making their ac- j
quaintance, as the coach arrived that
night at the town where the officer's
regiment lay, and the places of deftina-
tion of their other fellow-travellers, it
feems, were at no great diftance $ for
next morning the old gentleman and
Harley were theonlypaflfengers remain-
ing.
When they left the inn in the morn-
ing, Harley, pulling out a little pocket-
book, began to examine the contents,
and make fome corrections with a pen-
cil. " This, faid he, turning to his
com-
i66 THE MAN OF FEELING.
companion, is an amufement with which
I fometimes pafs idle hours at an inn :
thefe are quotations from thofe humble
poets, who truft their fame to the brittle
tenure of windows and drinking-glaf-
fes." " From our inns, returned the
gentleman, a ftranger might imagine
that we were a nation of poets : ma-
chines at leaft containing poetry, which
the motion of a journey emptied of their
contents : is it from the vanity of being
thought geniufes, or a mere mechanical
imitation of the cuftom of others, that
we are tempted to fcrawl rhyme upon
fuch places ?"
" Whether vanity is the caufe of our
becoming rhimeflers or not, anfwered
Harley, it is a pretty certain effect of it.
An old man of my acquaintance, who
deals in apothegms, ufed to fay, That he
had
THE MAN OF FEELING. 167
had known few men without envy, few
wits without ill-nature, and nqjx)et__
without vajiity j and I believe his re-
mark is a pretty juft one : vanity has
been immcmorially the charter of poe ts.
In this the ancients were more honeft
than we are : the old poets frequently
make boaftful predictions of the im-
mortality their works fhall acquire
them ; ours, in their dedications and
prefatory difcourfes, employ much elo-
quence to praife their patrons, and
m.ujcji--^aii]ag__m^de{iy to condemn
themfelvesj or at leaft to apologize for
their productions to the world : but
this, in my opinion, is the more afTum-
ing manner of thetwoj_ for of all the
garbs I ever ~faw
herJuimility is to_
it
*68 THE MAN OF FEELING.
<f It is natural enough for a poet to be
vain, faid the ftranger: the little worlds
which he raifes, the infpiration which he
claims, may eafily be productive of felf-
importance ; though that infpiration is
fabulous, it brings on egotifm, which
is always the parent of vanity."
" It may be fuppofed, anfwered Har-
ley, that infpiration of old was an article
of religious faith j in modern times it
may be tranflated a propenfity to com-
pofe $ and I believe it is not always moft
readily found where the poets have fixed
its refidence, amidft groves and plains,
and the fcenes of paftoral retirement.
The mind may be there unbent from
the cares of the world ; but it will fre-
quently, at the fame time, be unnerved
from any great exertion : it will feel
imperfect ideas which it cannot exprefs>
2 and
THE MAN OF FEELING. 169
and wander without effort over the re-
gions of reflection."
" There is at leaft, faid the ftranger,
one advantage in the poetical inclina-
tion, that it is an incentive to philan-
thropy. There is a certain poetic
ground, on which a man cannot tread
without feelings that enlarge the heart :
the caufes of human depravity vanifh
before the romantic enthufiafm he pro-
fefTes, and many who are not able to
reach the Parnaffian heights, may yet
approach fo near as to be bettered by
the air of the climate."
" I have always thought fo, replied
Harley; but this is an argument with
the prudent againft it : they urge the
1 danger of unfitnefs for the world."
'sr
I I allow
170 THE MAN OF FEELING,
" I allow it, returned the orher j but
I believe it is not always rightfully im-
puted to the bent for poetry : that is
only one effect of the common caufe.
Jack, fays his father, is indeed no fcho-
iar; nor could all the drubbings from
his matter ever bring him one ftep for-
\vard in his accidence or fyntax : but I
intend him for a merchant. Allow the
fame indulgence to Tom. Tom reads
Y r irgil and Horace when he fhould be
cafting accounts ; and but t'other day
he pawned his great-coat for an edition
of Shakefpeare. -But Tom would have
been as he is, though Virgii and Ho-
race had never been born, though
Shakefpeare had died a link-boy j for
his nurfe will tell you, that when he was
a child, he broke his rattle, to difcover
what it was that founded within itj and
burnt the fticks of his go- cart, becaufe
he
THE MAN OF FEELING. i 7 r
Tie liked to fee the fparkling of timber
in the fire. 'Tis a fad cafe; but what is
to be done ? Why, Jack fhall make a
fortune, dine on venifon, and drink cla-
ret. Ay, but Tom Tom fhall dine
with his brother, when his pride will let
'him ; at other times, he fliall blefs God
over a half-pint of ale and a Welfh-rab-
bitj and both uSall go to heaven as they
may. That's a poor profpect for Tom,
fays the father. To go to heaven ! I
cannot aree with him."
" PerhapSj faid Harley, v/e
daysdifcourage the romantic turn a little
too much. Our boys are prudent too
foon. Mi flake me not, I do not mean
to blame them for want of levity or difii-
pation; but their pleafures are thofe of
hackneyed vice, blunted to every finer
e motion by the repetition of debauch ;
I 2 and
172 THE MAN OF FEELING.
and their define of pleafure is warped to
the defire of wealth, as the means ofpro-
curing it. The immenfe riches acquired
by individuals have erected aftandard of
ambition, deftruflive of private morals,
and of public virtue. The weaknefTes
of vice are left usj but the moft allow-
able of our failings we are taught to de-
Mpife. Love, the pafiion inoft natural
to the fenfibility of youth, has loft the
I plaintive dignity he once poffeffed, for
I the unmeaningiimperof a danglingcox-
comb i and the only ferious concern,
* that of a dowry, is fettled, even amongft
the beardlefs leaders of the dancing-
fchool. The Frivolous and the Intereft-
cd (might a fatirift fay) are the charac-
teriftical features of the age j they are
vifible even in the cffays of our philofo-
phers. They laugh at the pedantry of
our fathers, who complained .of the times
in
THE MAN OF FEELING. 173
in which they lived ; they are at pains
to perfuade us how much thofe. were
deceived ; they prjde themfelves in de-
fending things as they find them, and
in exploding the barren founds which
had been reared into morives for action.
To this their ftyle is fuited ; and the
manly tone of reafon is exchanged for
perpetual efforts at fneer and ndicule.
This I hold to be an alarming crifis in
the corruption of a ftate ; when not
only is virtue declined, and vice pre-
vailing, but when the praifes of virtue
are forgotten, and the infamy of vice
unfelt."
They foon after arrived at the next
inn upon the route of the ftage-coach,
when the ftranger told Harley, that his
brother's houfe, to which he was return-
ingj lay at no great diftance, and he
I 3 mud
j 7 4 THE MAN OF FEELING,
muft therefore unwillingly bid him:
adieu.
" I fhould like, faid Harley, taking
his hand, to have fome word to remem-
ber fo much feeming worth by : my
name is Harley." " I lhall remember
it, anfwered the old gentleman, in my
-^prayers 5 mine is Silton."
And Silton indeed it was ! Ben Sil-
ton himfelf ! Once more, my honoured
friend, farewell! Born to be happy
without the world, to that peaceful
happinefs which the world has not to
beftow ! Envy never fcowled on thy life,
v nor hatred fmiled on thy grave.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 175
CHAP. XXXIV.
He meets an old acquaintance.
WH EN the ftage-coach arrived at
the place of its defti nation, Har-
iey began toconfider how he fhould pro-
ceed the remaining part of his journey.
He was very civilly accofted by the ma-
iler of the inn, who offered to accom-
modate him either with a poft-chaife or
horfes, to any diftance he had a mind :
but as he did things frequently in a way
different from what other people call na-
tural, he refufed thefe offers, and fet ou-c
immediately a-foot, having firfl put a
fpare fhirt in his pocket, and given direc-
tions for the forwarding of his portman-
teau. This was a method of travelling
which he' was accuftomed to take -, it
faved the trouble of provifion for any
I 4 animal
t 7 6 THE MAN OF FEELING,
animal but himfelf, and left him at li-
berty to chufe his quarters, either at an
inn, or at the firft cottage in which he
faw a face he liked : nay, when he was
not peculiarly attracted by the reafon-
able creation, he would fometimes con-
fort with a fpecies of inferior rank, and
lay himfelf down to fleep by the fide of
a rock, or on the banks of a rivulet.
He did few things without a motive,
but his motives were rather eccentric :
and the ufeful and expedient were terms
which he held to be very indefinite,
and which therefore he did not always
apply to the fenfe in which they are
commonly underftood.
The fun was now in his decline, and
the evening remarkably ferene, when he
entered a hollow part of the road, which
winded between the furrounding banks,
and
THE MAN OF FEELING. 177
and Teamed the fward in different lines,
,as the choice of travellers had directed
them to tread it. It feemed to be little
frequented now, for fome of thofe had
partly recovered their former verdure.
The fcene was fuch as induced Harley
to ftand and enjoy it j when, turning
round, his notice was attracted by an
object, which the fixture of his eye on*
the ipot he walked had before prevent-
ed him from obferving.
An old man, who from hisdrefs feem- .
ed to have been a foldier, lay fad afleep
on the ground j a knapfack refted on
a (tone at his right hand, while his ftaff
and brafs- hiked fword were crofled at
his left.
Harley looked on him with the moft
earned attention. He was one of thofe
figures which Salvator would have
I 5 drawn *
I 7 8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
drawn ; nor was the furrounding fcenery
unlike the wildnefs of that painter's
back-grounds. The banks on each fide
were covered with fantaftic (hrub-wood,
and at a little divtance, on the top of one
of them, flood a finger- poft, to mark
the directions of two roads which di-
verged from the point where it was
placed. A rock, with fome dangling
wild flowers, jutted out above where the
foldierlay; on which grew the (lump of
a large tree, white with age, and a fingle
twifted branch (haded his face as he
fiept. His face had the marks of manly
comelinefs impaired by time ; his fore-
head was not altogether bald, but its
hairs might have been numbered j
while a few white locks behind crofTed
the brown of his neck with a contrafl
the mod venerable to a mind like Har-
ley's. " Thou art old, faid he tohim-
felf, but age has not brought thce reft
for
THE MAN OF FEELING. 179
for its infirmities : I fear thofe filver
hairs have not found Ihelter from thy
country, though that neck has been
bronzed in its fervice." The granger
waked. He looked at Harley with
the appearance of fome confufion :
it was a pain the latter knew too well
to think of caufing in another j he
turned and went on. The old man
readjufted his knapfack, and followed
in one of the tracks on the oppofite fide
of the road.'
When Harley heard the tread of his
feet behind him, he could not help
ftealing back a glance at his fellow-
traveller. He feemed to bend under
the weight of his knapfack j he halted
on his walk, and one of his arms was
fupported by a fling, and lay motion-
lefs acrofs his bread. He had that
I 6 fleady
i8o THE MAN OF FEELING.
Heady look of forrow, which indicates
that its owner has gazed upon his griefs
till he has forgotten to lament them j
yet not without thole ftreaks of compla-
cency, which a good mind will fome-
times throw into the countenance,
through all the incumbent load of its
"deprefilon.
He had now advanced nearer to
Harley, and, with an uncertain fort of
voice, begged to know 'what it was
o'clock j " I fear, faid he, fleep has
beguiled me of my time, and I fhall
hardly have light enough left to carry
me to the end of my journey." lc Fa-
ther ! faid Harley, (who by this time
found the romantic enthufiafm rifing
ift him) how far do you mean to
go ?" " But a little way, Sir, returned
the other; and indeed it is but a little
way
THE MAN OF FEELING. 181
way I can manage now : 'tis juft four
miles from the height to the village,
thither I am going." " I am going
there too, faid Harley ; we may make
the road fhorter to each other. You
feem to have ferved your country, Sir,
to have ferved it hardly too; 'tis a cha-
racter I have the higheft efteem for. I
would not be impertinently inquifitive$
but there is that in your appearance
which excites my curiofity to know
fomething more of you : in the^mean
time,fuffer me to carry that knapfack."
The old man gazed on him j a tear
flood in his eye ! " Young gentleman,
faid he, you are too good ; may heaven
blefs you for an old man's fake, who
has nothing but his blefimg to give 1
but my knapfack is fo familiar to my
fhoulders, that I (hould walk the worfe
for
ifo THE MAN OF FEELING.
for wanting it j and it would be trou-
blefomc to you, who have not been
ufed to its weight." (t Far from it,
anfwered Barley, I fhould tread the
lighter 3 it would be the moft honour-
able badge I ever wore."
< c Sir, faid the ftranger, who had
looked earneftly in Harley's face during
the laft part of his difcourfe, is not your
name Harley ?" "It is, replied he;
I am afhamed to fay I have forgotten
yours." You may well have forgot-
ten my face, faid the ftranger, 'tis a
long time fince you faw it; but pof-
fibly you may remember fomething of
old Edwards." " Edwards ! cried
Harley, oh ! heavens ! and fprung to
embrace him; let me clafp thofe knees
on which I have fat fo often: Ed-
wards! 1 fhall never forget that
_t fi re ~
THE MAN OF FEELING'. x 3
fire-fide, round which I have been fo
happy ! But where, where have you>
been ? where is Jack ? where is your
daughter ? How has it fared with them,:
when fortune, I fear, has been fo un-\
kind to you? 1 '" 'Tis a long tale, re- ;
plied Edwards j but I will try to tell-;
it you as we walk.
" When you were at fchool in the"
neighbourhood, you remember me at
South-hill: that farm had been pofiefTed
by my father, grandfather, and great-
grandfather, which Jaft was a younger
brother of that very man's anceftor, who
is now lord of the manor. I thought I
managed it, as they had done, with pru-
dence ; I paid my rent regularly as it be-
came due, and had always as much be-
hind as gave bread to me and my chil-
dren. But my laft leafe was out foon
after
184 THE MAN OF FEELING.
after you left that part of the country j
and the fquire, who had lately got a
London- attorney for his fteward, would
not renew it, becaule, he faid, he did
not chufe to have any farm under 300 1.
a-year value on his eftate ; but offered
to give me the preference on the fame
terms with another, if I chofc to take
the one he had marked out, of which
mine was a part.
" What could I do, Mr. Harley ? I
feared the undertaking was too great for
me j yet to leave, at my age, the houfe
I had lived in from my cradle ! I could
not, Mr. Harley, I could not ; there
was not a tree about it that I did not
look on as my father, my brother, or
my child : fo I even ran the riik, and
took the fquire's offer of the whole.
But I had foon reafon to repent of my
bargain 3
THE MAN OF FEELING. 185
bargain ; the (teward had taken care
that my former farm (hould be the bed
land of the divifion : I was obliged to
hire more fervants, and I could not
have my eye over them all ; fbme un-
favourable feafons followed one another,
and I found my affairs entangling on
my hands. To add to my diftrefs, a
confiderable corn-faclor turned bank-
rupt with a fum of mine in his pofief-
fion : I failed paying my rent fo punc-
tually as I was wont to do, and the
fame fteward had my (lock taken in
execution in a few days after. So,
Mr. Harley, there was an end of my
profperity. However, there was as
much produced from the fale of my ef-
fects as paid my debts and faved me
from a jail : I thank God I wronged
no man, and the world could never
charge me with diftionefty.
"Had
186 THE MAN OF FEELING,
< Had you feen us, Mr. Harley, when
we were turned out of South- hill, I am
fure you would have wept at the fight.
You remember old Trufty,. my fhag
houfe-dog j I fhall never forget it while
I live ; the poor creature was blind with
age, and could fcarce crawl after us to
the door j he went however as far as the
goofeberry-buflij that you may remem-
ber flood on the left fide of the yard ;
he was wont to balk in the fun there j
when he had reached that fpot, he (top-
ped ; we went on: I called to him 5
he wagged his tail, but did not flir :
I called again ; he lay down : I whittled,
jand cried Trufty; he gave a fhort howl,
jand died ! I could have lain down and
/died too ; but God gave me ftrengtii
(to live for my children."
The old man now paufed a moment
to take breath. He eyed Harley 's face ;
it
THE MAN OF FEELING. 187
h was bathed with tears : the (lory was
grown familiar to himfelf ; he dropped
one tear, and no more.
" Though I was poor, continued he,
I was not altogether without credit. A
gentleman in the neighbourhood, who
had a fmall farm unoccupied at the
time, offered to let me have it, on giv-
ing fecurity for the rent; which I made-
fhift to procure. It was a piece of
ground which required management to
make any thing of 5 but it was nearly
within the compafs of my fon's labour
and my own. We exerted all our in-
duftry to bring it into fome heart. We
began to fucceed tolerably, and lived
contented on its produce, when an un-
lucky accident brought us under the-
difpleafure of a neighbouring juftice of
the peace, and broke all our family-
happinefs again,
" My
188 THE MAN OF FEELING.
" My foon was a remarkable good
fhooter; he had always kept a polrner
on our former farm, and thought no
harm in doing fo nowj when one day,
having fprung a covey in our own
ground, the dog, of his own accord,
followed them into the juftice's. My
fon laid down his gun, and went after
his dog to bring him back : the game-
keeper, who had marked the birds,
came up, and feeing the pointer, ihoc
him jufl as my fon approached. The
creature fell j my fon ran up to him :
he died with a complaining fort of cry
at his matter's feet. Jack could bear
it no longer j but flying at the game-
keeper, wrenched his gun out of his
hand, and with the butt end of it, fell-
ed him to the ground.
" He
THE MAN OF FEELINJ3. 189
<{ He had fcarce got home, when a
conftable came with a warrant, and
dragged him to prifon -, there he lay,
for the juftices would not take bail, till
he was tried at 'the quarter- fefiions for
the affault and battery. His fine was
hard upon us to pay ; we contrived
however to live the worfe for it, and
make up the lofs by our frugality : but
the juflice was not concent with that
punilhment, and foon after had an op-
portunity of punifhing us indeed.
" An officer with prefs-orders came
down to our county, and having met
with thejufticesj agreed that they fhould
pitch on a certain number, who could
mod eafily be fpared from the county,
of whom he would take care to clear
it : my fon's name was in the juftices'
lift.
" 'Twas
o THE MAN OF FEELING.
" 'Twas on a Chriflmas eve, and the
'l)irth-day too of my Ton's little boy.
The night was piercing cold, and it
blew a dorm, with fhowers of hail and
fnow. We had made up a cheering
fire in an inner room , I fat before it in
my wicker-chair, bleffing providence,
that had ftill left a ffielter for me and
my children. My fon's two little ones
were holding their gambols around us j
'my heart warmed at the Tight: I brought
-iubottle of my beft ale, and all our mif-
"fortunes were forgotten.
" It had long been our cuflom to
play a game at blind man's burFon that
night, and it was not omitted now j fo
to it we fell, I, and my fon, and his
wife, the daughter of a neighbouring
farmer, who happened to be with us at
the time, the two children, and an old
maid
THE MAN OF FEELING. 191
maid fervant, who had lived with me
from a child. The lot fell on my fon
to be blindfolded : we had continued
fome time in our game, when he grop-
ed his way into an outer room in purfuit
of fome of us, who, he imagined, had
taken (belter there $ we kept fnug in
our places, and enjoyed his miftake. He
had not been long there, when he was
fuddenly feized from behind* t( I fhall
have you now, faid he, and turned
about." c< Shall you fo, matter ? an-
fvvcred the ruffian, who had laid hold of
him j we fhall make you play at another
fort of game by and by." At thefe <
words Harley darted with a convulfive
fortofmotion> and grafping Edwards's
fword, drew it half out of the fcabbard,
with a look of the mod frantic wildnefs.
Edwards gently replaced it in its flieath,
and went on with his relation.
" On
192 THE MAN OF FEELING,
On hearing thefe words in a ftrange
voice, we all rufhed out to difcoverthe
caufe ; the room by this time was al-
moft full of the gang. My daughter-
in-law fainted at the fight ; the maid
and I ran to afiift her, while my poor
fon remained motionlefs, gazing by
turns on his children and their mo-
then We foon recovered her to
life, and begged her to retire and
wait the iffue of the affair ; but
Hie flew to her-hufband, and clung
round him in an agony of terror
and grief.
" In the gang was one of a fmoother
afpecl, whom, by his drefs, we difco-
vered to be a fcrjeant of foot: he came
up to me, and told me, that my fon
had his choice of the lea or land fer-
vice, whifpering at the fame time, that
7 if
THE MAN OF FEELING. 19%
if he chofe the land, he might g
on procuring him another ma;,,
paying a certain fum for his freedom.
The money we could juft mufler up in
the hoiife, by the affiftance of the
maid, who produced, in a green bag,
all the little favings of her fervice -, but
the man we could not expe'lt to find.
My daughter-in-law gazed upon her
children with a look of the wildeft
defpair : (( My poor infants ! faid fhe,
your father is forced from you j who
(hall now labour for your bread ? or
muft your mother beg for herfelf and
you ?" I prayed her to be patient , but
comfort I had none to give her. At
laft, calling the ferjeant afide, I afked
him, " If I was too old to be accepted
in place of my fon ?" " Why, I don't
know, faid he ; you are rather old to
be fure, but yet the money may do
K much. 5 '
194 THE MAN OF FEELING.
much.'* I put the money in his hand ;
and coming back to my children,
* e Jack, faid I, you are free j live to ,
i give your wife and thefe little ones
1 bread j I will go, my child, in your
ttead : I have but little life to lofe,
and if I ftaid, I Ihould add one to the
wretches you left behind." " No,
replied my fon, I am not that coward
you imagine rnc ; heaven forbid, that
my father's grey hairs fhould be fo ex-
pofed, while I fat idle at home j I am
young, and able to endure much, and
God will take care of you and my fa-
i mily." f< Jack, faid I, I will put an
end to this matter ; you have never
hitherto difobeyed me; I will not be
contradicted in this ; flay at home, I
charge you, and, for my fake, be kind
to my children.
"Our
THE MAN OF FEELING. 195
" Our parting, Mr. Harley, I can-
not defcribe to you ; it was the firft
time we ever had parted : the very
prefs-gang could fcarce keep from
tears ; but the ferjeant, who had feem-
ed the fofteft before, was now the leaft
moved of them all. He conduced
me to a party of new-raifed recruits,
who lay at a village in the neighbour-
hood ; and we foon after joined the
regiment. I had not been long with,
it, when we were ordered to the Eaft
Indies, where I was foon made a fer-
jeant, and might have picked up fome
money, if my heart had been as hard
as fome others were j but my nature
was never of that kind, that could think
of getting rich at the expence of my
confcience.
K 2 Amongft
196 THE MAN OF FEELING,
" Amongft our prifoners was an old
Indian, whom fome of our officers fup-
pafed to hav-e a treafure hidden fome-
where; which is no uncommon practice
in that country. They prefied him to
difcover it. He declared he had none j
but that would not fatisfy them : fo
they ordered him to be tied to a (lake,
and fuffcr fifty laihes every morning,
tiU he fhould learn to fpeak out, as they
faid. Oh ! Mr. Harley, had you feen
him, as I did, with his hands bound
behind him, fuffering in filence, while
the big drops trickled down his fhri-
veiled cheeks, and wet his grey beard,
which fome of the inhuman fol-
die-rs plucked in fcorn ! I could not
bear it, I could not for my foul j and
one morning, when the refl of the
guard were out of the way, I found
mt>ns to let him cfcape, I was tried
by
THE MAN OF FEELING. 1-97
by a court-martial for negligence of
my poft, and ordered, in companion
of my age, and having got this wound
in my arm, and that in my leg, in
the fervice, only to fuffer 300 lafhes,
and' be turned out of the regiment j
but my fentence was mitigated as to
the lafhes, and' I had only 200. When
I had fuffer red thefe, I was turned out
of the camp, and had betwixt three
and four hundred miles to travel before
I could reach a fea-port, without guide
to conduct me, or money to buy me
provifions by the way. I fet out, how-
ever, refolved to walk as far as I could,
and then to lay myfelf down and die.
But I had fcarce gone a mile, when
I was met by the Indian whom I had
delivered. He prefTed -me in his arms,
and kified the marks of the lafhes on
my back a thoufand times ; he led me
K 3 to
j 9 8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
to a little hut, where fome friend of
his dwelt; and after I was recovered
of my wounds, conducted me fo far
on my journey himfelf, and fent another
Indian to guide me through the reft.
"When we parted, he pulled out a
purfe with two hundred pieces of gold
in it : " Take this,- faid he, my dear
preferver, it is all I have been able to
procure." I begged him not to
bring himfelf to poverty for my fake,
who fhould probably have no need of
it long j but he infifted on my accept-
ing it. He embraced me : " You
are an Englifliman, faid he, but the
Great Spirit has given you an Indian
heart; may he bear up the weight of
your old age, and blunt the arrow that
brings it reft !" We parted ; and not
long after I made fhift to get my paf-
fage to England. J Tis but about a
week
THE MAN OF FEELING. 199
week fince 1 landed, and I am going
to end my days in the arms of my fon.
This fum may be of ufe to him and his
children j 'tis all the value I put upoa
it. I thank heaven I never was covet-
ous of wealth j I neve_r_had_rnuch, but
was-- alw&y-fr-ibLjiappy^s to be content
wuluny little."
When Edwards had ended his rela-"
tion, Harley flood a while looking at
him in filence ; at laft he prefied him
in his arms, and when he had given
rent to the fullnefs of his heart by a
fhower of tears, " Edwards, faid he,
kt me hold thee ta my bofom j let me
imprint the virtue of thy fufferings on
my foul. Come, my honoured vete-
ran ! let me endeavour to foften the
laft days of a life, worn out in the fer-
vice of humanity : call me alfo thy fon-,
K 4 and
200 THE MAN OF FEELING,
and let me cheriih thee as a father."
Edwards, from whom the recollection
of his own fufferings had fcarce farced
a tear, now blubbered like a boy ; he
could not fpeak his gratitude, but by
fome (hort exclamations of blefiings
upon Harley.
CHAP.
THE MAN OF FEELING. 201
CHAP. XXXV.
He mtffes an old acquaintance. An
adventure confcquent upon it.
WHEN they had arrived' within a
little way of the village they
journeyed to, Harky flopped fhort,
and looked fledfaflly on the mouldering
walls of a ruined houfe that flood on
the road-fide. " Oh heavens! he cried,
what do I fee : filent, unroofed, and
dcfolate 1 Are all thy gay tenants
gone ? do I hear their hum no more-? .
Edwards, look there, look there -.1 : the
fcene of my iafant joys, my earliefl
friendfhips, laid wafte and ruinous!
That was the very fchool where I was
boarded when you were at South-hil} 1 ;
K 5 'tis
202 THE MAN OF FEELING.
'tis but a twelvemonth fince I faw it
flanding, and its benches filled with
cherubs: that oppofite fide of the road
was the green on which they fported;
fee it now ploughed up ! I would
have given fifty times its value to have
faved it from the facrilege of that
plough."
" Dear Sir, replied Edwards, per-
haps they have left it from choice, and
may have got another fpot as good."
* f They cannot, faid Harley, they can-
not ; I (hall never fee the fward cover-
ed with its daifies, nor prefied by the
dance of_thc dear innocents : I lhall
never fee that flump decked with the
garlands which their little hands had
gathered. Thefe two long ftones which
now lie at the foot of it, were once the
fupport$ of a hut I myfelf affifted to
rear:
THE MAN OF FEELING. 203
rear : I have fat on the fods within ir,
when we had fpread our banquet of
apples before us, and been more bleft
Oh ! Edwards ! infinitely more
bleft than ever I fhall be again."
Juft then a woman pafied them on
the road, and difcovered fome figns of
wonder at the attitude of Harley, who
flood, with his hands folded together,
looking with a moiftened eye on the
fallen pillars of the hut. He was too
much entranced in thought to obfervc
her at all j but Edwards civilly accoft-
ing her, defired to know, if that had
not been the fchool-houfe, and how it
came into the condition in which they
now faw it ? " Alack a day ! faid Ihe,
it was the fchool-houfe indeed \ but to
be fure, Sir, the fquire has pulled it
down, becaufe it flood in the way of his
K6
2Q4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
profpecls." - ff What! how! pro-
! pulled down !" cried Harley,
" Yes, to be fure > Sir -, and the green>
where the children ufed to play he has
ploughed up, becaufe, he faid, they
hurt his fence on the other fide of
it.-" Curfes on his narrow heart,
cried Harley, that could violate a right
fo facred ! Heaven blaft the wretch !
" And from his derogate body never fpring
A babe to honour him 1" -
But I need not, Edwards, I need not
(recovering himfelf a little), heiscurfed
enough already : to him the nobleft
fource of happinefs is denied; and the
cares of his fordid foul ftiall gnaw if,
while thou fitteft over a brown cruft,
fmiling on thofe mangled limbs that
have faved thy fon and his children !"
"If
THE MAN OF FEELING. 205
cc If you want any thing with the
fchool-miftrefs, Sir, faid the woman,
I can fhew you the way to her houfe."
He followed her without knowing whi-
ther he went*
They ftopped at the door of a fnug
habitation, where fat an elderly woman
with a boy and. a girl before her, each
of whom held a fupper of bread and
milk in their hands. " There, Sir, is
the fchool-miftrefs.'* <e Madam, faid
Harley, was not an old venerable man
fchool-m after here fome time ago ?"
" Yes, Sir,, he was ; poor man ! the
lofs of his former fchool-houfe, I be-
lieve, broke his heart, for he died foon
after it was taken down ; and as another
has not yet been found, I have that
charge in the mean time." lf And
this boy and girl, I prefume, are your
pupils ?"
206 THE MAN OF FEELING.
pupils ?" " Ay, Sir, they are poor
orphans, put under my care by the pa-
rifh; and more promrfing children I
never faw." ."Orphans!" faid Har-
ley. " Yes, Sir, of honeft creditable
parents as any in the parifh $ and it is a
fhame for fome folks to forget their re-
lations, at a time when they have moft
need to remember them." " Ma-
dam, faid Harley, let us never forget
that we are all relations." He luffed
the children.
" Their father, Sir, continued fhe,
was a farmer here in the neighbour-
hood, and a fober induflrious man he
vvasj but nobody can help misfortunes :
what with bad crops, and bad debts,
which are worfe, his affairs went to.
wreck, and both he and his wife died
of broken hearts. And a fvveet couple
"they were, Sir j there was not a pro-
perer
THE MAN OF FEELING. 207
perer man to look on in the county
than John Edwards, and fo indeed
were all the Edwardses." " What
Edwardses ?" cried the old foldier
haftily. " The Edwardses of South-
hill ; and a worthy family they were."
tc South-hill !" faid he, in languid
voice, and fell back into the arms of
the aftonilhed Harley. The fchool-
miftrefs ran for fome water, and a fmell-
ing-bottle, with the affiftanceof which
they foon recovered the unfortunate
Edwards. He flared wildly for fome
time, then folding his orphan grand-
children in his arms, " Oh ! my chil-
dren, my children ! he cried, have I
found you thus ? My poor Jack ! art
thou gone ? I thought thou fhouldfl
have carried thy father's grey hairs to
the grave I and thefe little ones" his
tears choaked his utterance, and he
fell
208 THE MAN OF FEELING*.
fell again on the necks of the chil-
dren.
r~" My dear old, man ! faid Harlcy,
/Providence Has fent you to relieve
I them j it willblefs me, if I can be the
means of affifting you.'* Yes, in-
deed, Sir, anfwered the boy j father,
when he was a-dying, bade God blefs
us 5 and prayed, that if grandfather
lived, he might fend him to fupport
us."" Where did they lay my .boy ?'.*
faid Edwards. " In the. Old Church,
yard, replied the woman, hard by his
mother." " I will fhow it you, an-
fWered the boy i for I have wept over
ft many a time, , when firft I came>
amongft ftrange folks.'* He took the
old man's hand, Harley laid hold of
his fitter's, and they walked, in filence
to the church-yard.
There
THE MAN OF FEELING. 209
There was an old ftone, with the cor-
ner broken off, and fome letters, half
covered with mofs, to denote the names
of the dead : there was a cyphered R. E.
plainer than the reft : it was the tomb
they fought. " Here it is, grandfather,'*
faid the boy. Edwards gazed upon i
without uttering a word : the girl, who
had only fighed before, now wept out-
right : her brother fobbed^ but he ftifled
his fobbing. " I have told fitter, faid
he, that fhe fhould not take it fo to
heart ; fhe can knit already, and I (hall
foon be able to dig : we fhall not flarve,
fifteo indeed we fhall not, nor fhall
grandfather neither." The girl cried
afrefh j Harley kifTed off her tears as
they flowed, and wept betweea every
kifs.
CHAP.
210 THE MAN OF FEELING.
CHAP. XXXVI.
He returns home. A defcription of his
retinue.
IT was with fome difficulty that Har-
ley prevailed on the old man to leave
the fpot where the remains of his fon
were laid. At laft, with the afftftance
of the fchool-miftrefs, he prevailed j
and fhe accommodated Edwards and
him with beds in her houfe, there being
nothing like an inn nearer than the di-
flance of fome miles.
In the morning, Harley perfuaded
Edwards to come with the children
to his houfej which was diftant but a
fhort day's journey. The boy walked
in his grandfather's hand j and the name
of Edwards procured him a neighbour-
ing
THE MAN OF FEELING. 2ir
ing farmer's horfe, on which a fervant
mounted, with the girl on a pillow be-
fore him.
With this train Harley returned to
the abode of his fathers : and we cannot
but think, that his enjoyment was as
great as if he had arrived from the tour
of Europe, with a Swifs valet for his
companion, and half a dozen fnuff-
boxes, with invifible hinges, in his
pocket. But we take our ideas from)
founds which folly has invented j Fa-|
fhion, Bon ton, and Vertu, are the names*
of certain idols, to which we facrifice
the genuine pleafures of the foul : in \
this world of femblance, we are con- j
tented with perfonating happinefs 5 to l
feel it, is an art beyond us.
It was otherwife with Harley; he ran
up flairs to his aunt, with the hiftory of
his
&I2 THE MAN OF FEELIN.G.
his fellow- travellers glowing on his lips.
His aunt was an economiftj but flae
knew the pleafure of doing charitable
things, and withal was fond of her ne-
phew, and felicitous to oblige him. She
received old Edwards therefore with a
look of more complacency than is per-
haps natural to maiden ladies of three-
fcore, and was remarkably attentive to
his grand-children : fhe roafted apples
with her own hands for their fupper,
and made up a little bed befide her own
for the girl. Edwards made fame at-
tempts towards an acknowledgment for
thefe favours j but his young friend
flopped them in their beginnings.
" Whofoever receiveth any of thefe
children" faid his aunt; for her ac-
quaintance with her bible was habi:jal.
Early next morning, Harley ftole
into the room where Edwards lay : he
expected
THE MAN OF FEELING. 213
expected to have found him a-bedj but
in this he was mi-ftaken : the old man
had rifen, and was leaningover his fleep-
ing grandfon, with the tears flowing
down his cheeks. At firft he did not
perceive Harley j when he did, he en-
deavoured to hide his grief, and crofting
his eyes with his hand, exprefied his
furprife at feeing him fo earJy aftir.
" I was thinking of you, faid Harley,
and your children : I learned laft night
that a frnall farm of mine in the neigh-
bourhood is now vacant : if you will
occupy it, I lhall gain a good neigh-
bour, and be able in fome meafure to
repay the notice you took of me when
a boy j and as the furniture of the houfe
is mine, it will be fo much trouble
faved." Edwards's tears gufhed afrefli,
and Harley led him to fee the place he
intended for him.
The
214 THE MAN OF FEELING.
The houfe upon this farm was indeed
little better than a hutj its fituation,
however, was pleafant, and Edwards,
affifted by the beneficence of Harley,fet
about improving its neatnefs and con-
venience. He flaked out a piece of the
green before for a garden, and Peter,
who afled in Harley's family as valet,
butler, and gardener, had orders to fur-
nifh him with parcels of the different
feeds he chofe to fow in it. I have
feen his mafter at work in this little
fpoat, with his coat off, and his dibble
in his hand : it was a fcene of tranquil
virtue to have flopped an angel on his
errands of mercy ! Harley had con-
trived to lead a little bubbling brook
through a green walk in the middle of j
the ground, upon which he had erected
a mill in miniature for the diverfion of
Edwards's infant grandfon, and made
fhift
THE MAN OF FEELING. 215
Ihift in its con ft ruction to introduce a
pliant bit of wood, that anfwered with*
its fairy clack to the murmuring of the"
rill that turned it. I have feen him
ftand, liftening to thefe mingled founds,
with his eye fixed on the boy, and the
fmile of confcious fatisfadion on his
cheek ; while the old man, with a look
half turned to Harley, and half to
Heaven, breathed an ejaculation of '
gratitude and piety.
Father of mercies ! I alfo would
thank thee ! that not only haft thou
afllgned eternal rewards to virtue, but
that, even in this bad world, the lines
of our duty, and our happinefs, are fo
frequently woven together.
A FRAG-
ai6 THE MAN OF FEELING.
A FRAGMENT.
The Man of Feeling talks of what he does
not under/land. An incident,
* * * * " INWARDS, faid he, I
have a proper regard for the profperity
of my country: every native of it ap-
propriates to himfelf fome fhare of the
power, or the fame, which, as a nation,
It acquires j but I cannot throw off the
man fo much, as to rejoice at our con-
quefts in India. You tell me of im-
menfe territfcrries fubjecltotheEnglifh:
I cannot think of their poffefiions,
without being led to enquire, by what
right they poffefs them. They came
there as traders, bartering the commo*
dities they brought for others which
i their
THE MAN OF FEELING, 217
their purchafers could fpare* and how-
ever great their profits were, they were
then equitable. But what title have
the fubje&s of another kingdom to
eftablifh an empire in India ? to give
laws to a country where the inhabitants
received them on the terms of friendly
commerce ? You fay they are happier
under our regulations than the tyranny
of their own petty princes. I mufl
doubt it, from the conduct of thofe by
whom thefe regulations have been
made. They have drained the treafu-
ries of Nabobs, who mufl fill them by
oppreffing the induftry of their fubjects.
Nor is this to be wondered at, when we
confider the motive upon which thofe
gentlemen do not deny their going to
India. The fame of conqueft, barba-
rous as that motive is, is but a fecon-
dary confideration : there are certain
L ftations
2i8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
ftations in wealth to which the warriors
of the Eaft afpire. It is there indeed
where the wiflies of their friends affign
them eminence, where the queftion of
their country is pointed at their retuin.
When fhall I fee a commander return
from India in the pride of honourable
poverty ? You defcribe the victories
they have gained ; they are fullied by
the caufe in which they fought : you
enumerate the fpoils of thofe victories;
they are covered with the blood of the
vanquifhed !
" Could you tell me'of fome con-
queror giving peace and happinefs to
the conquered ? did he accept the gifts
of their princes to ufe them for the
comfort of thofe whofe fathers, fons,
or hufbands, fell in battle? did he ufe
his power to gain fecurity and freedom
to
THE MAN OF FEELING. 219
to the regions of opprefiion and flavery ?
did he endear the Britifh name by ex-
amples of generofity, which the moft
barbarous or moft depraved are rarely
able to refifl ? did he return with the
confciouihefs of duty difchargcd to his
country, and humanity to his fellow-
creatures ? did he return with no lace
on his coat, no flaves in his retinue,
no chariot at his door, and no burgun-
dy at his table ? thefe were laurels
which princes might envy which art
honed man would not condemn !"
cc Your maxims, Mr. Harley*, are
certainly right, faid Edwards. I am
not capable of arguing with you ; but
I imagine there are great temptations
in a great degree of riches, which it is
no eafy matter to refift ; thofe a poor
man like me cannot defcribe, becaufe he
never knew them j and perhaps I have
L 2 reafon
THE MAN OF FEELING.
reafon to blefs God that I never did j
for then, it is likely, I fhould have
withftood them no better than my
neighbours. For you know, Sir, that
it is not the fafhion now, as it was in
.former times, that I have read of in
books, when your great generals died
fo poor, that they did not leave where-
withal to buy them a coffin j and people
thought the better of their memories
for it : if they did ,fo now-a-days, I
queftion if any body, except yourfelf,
and fome few like you, would thank
.them."
-* 1 " I am forry, replied Harley, that
there is fo much truth in what you fay .;
but however the general current of opi-
nion may point, the feelings are not yet
loft that applaud .benevolence, and cen-
iure inhumanitv. Let us endeavour to
THE MAN OF FEELING; 22 r
ftrengthen them in ourfelves j and we,
who live fequeftered from the noife of
the multitude, have better opportuni-
ties of littening: undifturbed to their
voice.'-'
They now approached the little
dwelling of Edwards. A maid-fervant,
whom he had hired to affift him in the
care of his grandchildren, met them a
little way from the houfe : " There is a
young lady within with the children,"
faid fhe. Edwards expreffed his fur-
prife at the vifit : it was however noc
the lefs true; and we mean to account
for it.
This young lady then was no other
than Mifs Walton. She had heard the
old man's hiftory from Harley, as we
have already related it. Curiofity, or
J, 3 fomc
222 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fome other motive, made her defirou-s
to fee his grandchildren j this (he had
an opportunity of gratifying foon, the
children, in fome of their walks, having
ftrolled as far as her father's avenue.
She put feveral queftions to both; flie
was delighted with the fimplicity of
their .anfwers, and promifed, that if
they continued to be good children, and
do as their grandfather bid them, fhe
would foon fee them again, and bring
fome prefent or other for their reward.
This promife Ihe had performed now :
fhe came attended only by her maid,
and brought with her a complete fuit of
green for the boy, and a chintz gown,
a cap, and a fuit df ribbands, for his
fifter. She had time enough, with her
maid's affiftance, to equip them in their
new habiliments before Harley and
Edwards returned. The boy heard his
grancU
THE MAN OF FEELING. 2*3
grandfather's voice, and, with that filent
joy which his prefent finery infpired,
ran to the door to meet him : putting
one hand in his, with the other point-
ed to his fitter, " See, .faid he, what
Mils Walton has brought us !" Ed-
wards gazed on them. Harley fixed his
eyes on Mifs Walton ; hers were turn-
ed to the ground , in Edwards's was. a
beamy moifture. He folded his hands,
together " I cannot fpeak, young
lady, faid he, to thank you.'* Neither
could Harley. There were a thoufand
fentimentsi but they gulhed fo impe-
tuoufly on his heart, that he could not
utter a fyllablc. * * * *
L 4 CHAP.
224 THE MAN OF FEELING.
T
CHAP. XL.
<Tbe Man of Feeling jealous*
H E defire of communicating
knowledge or intelligence, is an
argument with thofe who hold that man
is naturally a focial animal. It is in-
deed one of the earlieft propenfities we
difcover j but it may be doubted whe-
ther the pleafure (for pleafure there
certainly is) arifing from it be not often
more fctfiih than focial : for we fre-
quently obferve the tidings of 111 com-
municated as eagerly as the annuncia-
tion of Good. Is it that we delight in
obferving the effects of the ftronger
pafiions ? for we are all philofophers in
this refpect; and it is perhaps amongfl:
the fpe&ators at Tyburn that the mod
genuine are to be found.
Was
THE MAN OF FEELING. 225
Was it from this motive that Peter
came one morning into his matter's
room with a meaning face of recital ? :
His matter indeed did not at firft ob-
ferve it i for he was fitting, with one
ihoe buckled, delineating portraits in
the fire. " I have bruflied thofe clothes, .
Sir, as you ordered me."- Harley
nodded his head ; but Peter obferved
that his hat wanted brufhing too : his
matter nodded again. At laft Peter
bethought him, that the fire needed
ftirringj and taking up the poker,
demolifhed the turban'd head of a Sara-\
cen, while his matter was feeking out a i J
body fork. " The morning is main
cold, Sir," faid Peter. Is it'*'* faid
Harley. " Yes, Sirj I have, been as
far as Tom Dowfon's to fetch fome bar-
berries he had picked for Mrs. Marge-
ry.. , There was a rare junketting laft
L 5 . night
226 THE MAN OF FEELING.
night at Thomas's among Sir Harry
Benfon's fervants j he lay at Squire
Walton's, but he would not fuffer his
fervants to trouble the family : fo, to
be fure, they were all at Tom's, and
had a fiddle and a hot fupper in the big
room where the juftices meet about
the destroying of hares and partridges,
and them things j and Tom's eyes
looked fo red and fo bleared when I
called him to get the barberries: And
I hear as how Sir Harry is going to be
married to Mifs Walton." " How !
Mifs Walton married !'" faid Harley.
' Why, it may'nt be true, Sir, for all
that; but Tom's wife told it me, and
to be fure the fervants told her, and
their mafter told them, aslguefs, Sirj
but it mayn't be true for all that, as I
faid before." " Have done with your
idle information, faid Harley : Is my
aun.c
THE MAN OF FEELING. 227
aunt come down into the parlour to
breakfaft ?" " Yes, Sir."" Tell her
I'll be with her immediately."
When Peter was gone, he flood with
his eyes fixed on the ground, and the
lafl words of his intelligence vibrating
in his eafs. " Mifs Walton married !"
he fighed and walked down flairs,
with his (hoe as it was, aad the buckle
in his hand. His aunt, however, was
pretty well accuftomed to thofe appear-
ances of abfence; befides, that the na-
tural gravity of her temper, which was
commonly called into exertion by the
care of her houfehold concerns, was
fuch, as not eafily to be difcompofed
by any circumftance of accidental im-
propriety. She too had been informed
of the intended match between Sir
Harry Benfon and Mifs Walton. " I
L 6 have
228 THE MAN OF FEELING.
have been thinking, faid fhe, that they
are diftant relations : for the great-
grandfather of this Sir Harry Benfon,
who was knight of the fhire in the reign
of Charles the Firft, and one of the
Cavaliers of thofe times, was married
to a daughter of the Walton family."
Harley anfwered drily, that it might be
fo; but that he never troubled him-
felf about thofe matters. ff Indeed,
faid fhe, you are to blame, nephew,
for not knowing a little more of them :
before I was near your age, I had fevved
the pedigree of our family in a fet of
chair-bottoms, that were made a pre-
fent of to my grandmother, who was a
very notable woman, and had a proper
regard for gentility, I'll allure you j
f but now-a-days, it is money, not birth,
that makes people refpe&ed j the more
fliame for the times."
Harley
THE MAN OF FEELING, 229
Harley was in no very good humour
for entering into a difcufiion of this
queftion ; but he always entertained fo
much filial refpect for his aunt, as to
attend to her difcourfe.
c We blame the pride of the rich,
faid he, but are not we afhamed of our
poverty ?"
" Why, one would not chufe, re-
plied his aunt, to make a much worfe
figure than one's neighbours} but, as
I was faying before, the times (as my
friend Mrs. Dorothy Walton obferves)
are fhamefully degenerated in this.re-
fpec~h There was but t'other day, at
Mr. Walton's, that fat fellow's daugh-
ter, the London Merchant, as he
calls himfelf, though I have heard
that he was little better than the keeper
of
2jo THE MAN OF FEELING-.
of a chandler's fhop : We were leav-
ing the gentlemen to go to tea. She
had a hoop forfooth as large and as ftifF
and it fhewed a pair of bandy legs,
as thick as two 1 was nearer the
door by an apron's length, and the pert
hufly brufhed by me, as who fhould
fay, Make way for your betters, and
with one of her London-bobs but
Mrs. Dorothy did not let her pafs
with it j for all the time of drinking
tea, fhe fpoke of the precedency of fa-
mily, and the difparity there is between
people who are come of fomething,
and your mufhroom-gentry who wear
their coats of arms in their purfes."
Her indignation was interrupted by
the arrival of her maid with a damaik
table-cloth, and afet of napkins, from
the loom, which had been fpun by her
miitrefs's
THE MAN OF FEELING. 231
miftrefs's own hand. There was the
family-creft in each corner, and in the
middle a view of the battle of Wor-
cefter, where one of her anceftors had
been a captain in the king's forces ; and
with a fort of poetical licence in per-
fpeftive, *there was feen the Royal
Oak, with more wig than leaves upon
it.
On all this the good lady was very
copious,, and took up the remaining in-
tervals of filling tea, to defcribe its ex-
cellencies to Harleyj adding, thatlhe
intended this as a prefent for his wife,
when he fhould get one. He fjghed
and looked foolifh, and commending
the ferenity of the day, walked out in-
to the garden*
He fat down on a little feat which
commanded anextenfive profpeft round
8 the
232 THE MAN OF FEELING.
the houfe. He leaned on his hand,
and fcored the ground with his ftick :
" Mifs Walton married ! faid he j but
what is that to me? May fhe be hap-
py ! her virtues deferve it j to me her
marriage is otherwife indifferent : I
had romantic dreams ! they are fled I-
it, is perfectly indifferent."
Juft at that moment he faw a fer-
vant, with a knot of ribbands in his
hat, go into the houfe. His cheeks
grew flufhed at the fight ! He kept his
eye fixed for fome time on the door by ,
which he had entered, then ftarting to
his feet, haftily followed him.
When he approached the door of the
kitchen where he fuppofed the man had
entered, his heart throbbed fo violently,
that when he would have called Peter,
his
THE MAN OF FEELING. 233
his voice failed in the attempt. He
flood a moment liftening in this breath-
kfs ftate of palpitation :. Peter came
out by chance. <c Did yout^honour
want any thing E" tc Where is the
fervant that came juft now from Mr
Walton's:" "From Mr. Walton's,
Sir ! there is none of his fervants here
that I know of/' <c Nor of Sir Harry
Benfon's ?" He did not wait for ait
anfwerj but having by this time ob-
ferved the hat with its party-coloured
ornament hanging on a peg near the
door, he prefled forwards into the-
kitchen,. and addreffing himfelf to. a
fir anger whom he faw there, afked him,
with no fmall tremor in his voice, "If he
had any commands for him r" The man
looked filly, and faid, ec That he had no-
thing to trouble his honour with."
" Are not you a fervant of Sir Harry Ben-
fon's r
234 THE MAN OF FEELING.
fon's?" No, Sir."" You'll par-
don me, young man j I judged by the
favour in your hat." " Sir, I'm his
majesty's fervant, God blefs him ! and
thefe favours we always wear when we
are recruiting." fc Recruiting !" his
eyes gliftened at the word : he feized
the foldier's hand, and fhaking it vio-
lently, ordered Peter to fetch a bottle
of his aunt's bed dram. The bottle
was brought: " You (hall drink the
king's health, faid Harley, in a bum-
per." " The king and your ho-
nour." f< Nay, you fhall drink the
king's health by itfelf; you may drink
mine in another. 31 Peter looked in his
matter's face, and filled with fome little
reluclance. " Now to your nniftrefs,
faid Harley -, every foldier has a mif-
trefs." The man excufed himfelf -
<c To your miftrefs I you cannot refufe
THE MAN OF FEELING. 235
it." 'T was Mrs. Margery's beft dram!
Peter flood with the bottle a little in-
clined, but not lo as to-difcharge a drop
of its contents : " Fill it, Peter, faid
his mafter, fill it to the brim." Peter
filled it i and the foldier having named
Suky Simpfon, difpatched it in a twink-
ling." " Thou art an honeft fellow,
faicl Harley, and I love thee ;" and
fhaking his hand again, defired Peter
to make him his gueil at dinner, and
walked tip into his room with a pace
much quicker and more fpringy than
ufual.
This agreeable difappointment how-
ever he was not long fuffered to enjoy.
The curate happened that day to dine
with him : his vifits indeed were more
properly to the aunt than the nephew j
and many of the intelligent ladies in
the
236 THE MAN OF FEELING.
the pariih, who, like fome very great
philofophers, have the happy knack at
accounting for every thing, gave our,
that there was a particular attachment
between them, which wanted only to
be matured by fome more years of
courtfhip to end in the tendereft con-
nexion. In this conclufion indeed, fup-
pofing the premifes to have been true, ,
they were fomewhat juftiiied by the
known opinion of the lady,, who fre-
quently declared herfelf a friend to the
ceremonial of former times, ,. when a
lover might have fighed feven years at
his miftrefs's feet, before he was allowed
the liberty of kiffing her hand. 'Tis
true Mrs. Margery was now about her
grand clima<5leric.$ . no matter : that is
jufl the age when we expect to grow
younger. But I verily believe there
was nothing in the reports the curate's
connexion
THE MAN OF FEELING. 237
connexion was only that of a genealo-
gift i for in that character he was no
way inferior to Mrs. Margery herfelf.
He dealt alfo in the prefent times ; for
he was a politician and a newfmonger.
He had hardly faid grace afterdinner,
Avhen he told Mrs. Margery, that fhe
might foon expect a pair of white gloves,
.as Sir Harry Benfon, he was 'very well
informed, was jud going to be married
to M ifs Walton. Harley fpilt the wine
he was carrying to his mouth:: he had
time however to recollecl himfelf be-
fore'the.curate had finifbed the different
^particulars of his intelligence, and
iumming up all the beroifm he was
matter of, rilled a bumper, and drank
ijto'Mifs Walton. " With all my heart,
faid the curate, the bride- that is to be."
Harley would have faid Bride too j but
the
238 THE MAN OF FEELING.
the word Bride fluck in his throat.
His confufion indeed was manifeft :
but the curate began to enter on fome
point of defcent with Mrs. Margery,
and Harley had very foon after an op-
portunity of leaving them, while they
were deeply engaged in a queftion, whe-
ther the name of fome great man in the
time of Henry the Seventh was Richard
or Humphrey.
He did not fee his aunt again till fup-
per; the time between he fpent in walk-
ing, like fome troubled ghoft, round
the place where his treafure lay. He
*
went as far as a little gate, that led into
a copfe near Mr. Walton's houfe, to
which that gentleman had been fo
obliging as to let him have a key. He-
had juft begun to open it, when he faw,
On a terrace below, Mifs Walton walk-
ing
THE MAN OF FEELING. 239
ing with a gentleman in a riding drefs,
whom he immediately guefled to be Sir
Harry Benfon. He (lopped of a fud-
dtn; his hand fhook fo much that he
could hardly turn the key; he opened
the gate, however, and advanced a few
paces. The lady's lap-dog pricked
up its ears, and barked : he flopped
again
" the little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, fee they
bark at me !
His refolution failed j he flunk back,
and locking the gaie as foftly as he
could, flood on tiptoe looking over the
wall till they were gone. At that in-
flant afhepherd blew his horn : the ro-
mantic melancholy of the found quite
overcame him !- it was the very note
that
40 THE MAN OF FEELING.
that wanted to be touched he fighed 1
he dropped a tear! and returned.
At fupper his aunt obferved that he
was graver than ufual j but Ihe did not
fufpect the caufe : indeed it may feern
odd than fhe was the only perfon in the
family who had no fufpicion of his at-
tachment to Mifs Walton. It was fre-
quently matter of difcourfe amor.gft the
fervantsi .perhaps her maiden-cold-
nefs but for thofe things we need not
account.
In a day or two he was fo much ma-
tter of himfelf as to be able to rhime
upon the fuhject. The following paf-
toral he left, fome time after, oa the
handle of a tea-kettle, at a neighbour-
ing houfe where we were vifiting j and
as I filled the tea-pot after him, I hap-
i pened
THE MAN OF FEELING. 241
pcned to put it in my pocket by a fimi-
lar at of forgetfulnefs. It is fuch as
might be expected from a man who
makes verfes For amufement. I am
pleafed with fomewhat of good-nature
that runs through it, becaufe I have
commonly obferved the writers of thofe
complaints to beftow epithets on their
loft miftrefies rather too harfh for the
mere liberty of choice, which led them
to- prefer another to the poet himfelf :
I do not doubt the vehemence of their
paffion j but, alas ! the fenfations of love
are fomething more than the returns of
gratitude.
LAVINIA. A PASTORAL.
WH Y fteals from my bofom the figh ?
Why fix'd is my gazeon the ground ?
Come, give me my pipej and I'll try
To banilh my cares with the found.
M Ere-
242 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Erewhile were its notes of accord
With the fmile of the flow'r-footed Mufe;
Ah ! why by its mafter implor'd
Shou'd it now the gay carrol refufe ?
'Twas taught byLAViNiA's fweet fmile
In the mirth-loving chorus to join :
Ah me ! how unweeting the while !
can never be mine !
Another, more happy, the maid
By fortune is deftin'd to blcfs -
'Tho' the hope has forfook that betray'd,
Yet why fhould I love her the lefs ?
Her beauties are bright as the morn,
With rapture I counted them o'er;
Such virtues thefe beauties adorn,
1 knew her, and prais'd them no more.
I term'd her no goddefs of love,
I call'd not her beauty divine :
Thefe far other pafiions may prove,
But they could not be figures of mine,
It
THE MAN OF FEELING. 243
It ne'er was apparel'd with art,
On words it could never rely ;
It reign'd in the throb of my heart,
It gleam'd in the glance of my eye.
Oh fool ! in the circle to fhine
That Fafhion's gay daughters approve.
You muft fpeak as the faftiions incline;
Alas ! are there famions in love ?
Yet fure they are fimple who prize
The tongue that is fmooth to deceive ;
Yet fure {he had fenfe to defpife
The tinfel that Folly may weave.
When I talk'd, I have feen her recline
With an afpecl fo penfively fweet, - -
Tho' I fpolce what the (hepherds opine,
A fop were afham'd to repeat.
She is foft as the dew-drops that fall
From the lip of the fweet-fcented pea j
Perhaps when fhe fmil'd upon all,
I have thought that fhe fmil'd upon me.
Ma But
14 4 THE MAN OF FEELING.
But why of her charms fliould I tell?
Ah me ! whom her charms have undone !
Yet I love the reflexion too well,
The painful refle&ion to {hun.
Ye fouls of more delicate kind,
Who feaft not on pleafure alone,
Who wear the foft fenfe of the mind,
To the fons of the world ftill unknown,
Ye know, tho' I cannot exprefs,
Why I foolifhly doat on my pain ;
Nor will ye believe it the lefs
That I have not the flcill to complain.
I lean on my hand with a figh,
My friends the foft fadnefs condemn;
Yet, methinks, tho' I cannot tell why,
I fliould hate to be merry like them.
When I walk'd in the pride of the dawn,
Methought all the region look 'd bright:
Has fweetnefs forfaken the lawn ?
For, methinks, I ^row fad at the fight.
When
THE MAN OF FEELING. 245
When I flood by the frream, I have thought
There was mirth in the gurgling foftfound $
But now 'tis a forrowful note,
And the banks are all gloomy around !
I have laugh'd at the jeft of a friend ;
Now they laugh and I know not the caufe,
Tho' I feem with my looks to attend,
How filly ! I afk what it was !
They fmg the fweet fong of the May,
They fmg it with mirth and with glee ;
Sure I once thought the fonnet was gay,
But now 'tis all fadnefs to me.
Oh ! give me the dubious light
That gleams thro' the quivering {hade j
Oh ! give me the horrors of night
By gloom and by filence array'd !
Let me walk where the foft-rifing wave
Has pi&ur'd the moon on its breaft :
Let me walk where the new-cover'd grave
Allows the pale lover to reft !
M 3 When
246 THE MAN OF FEELING.
When fhall I in its peaceable womb
Be laid with my forrows afleep !
Should LAVINTIA but chance on my tomb
J could die if I thought fhe would weep*
Perhaps, if the fouls of the juft
Revifit thefe manfions of care,
It may be iny favourite truft
To watch o'er the fate of the fair.
Perhaps the foft thought of her breafl
With rapture more favour'd to warm - t
Perhaps, if with forrow opprefs'd,
Her forrow with patience to arm.
Then ! then ! in the tendereft part
May I whifper, " Poor COLIN was true j
And mark if a heave of her heart
The thought of her COLIN purfue.
THE
THE MAN OF FEELING. 247
THE PUPIL. A FRAGMENT.
* * * * J3 U T as to the higher
part of education, Mr. Harley, the
culture of the mind j let the feelings
be awakened, let the heart be brough
forth to its objecl, placed in the light in
which nature would have it ftand, and
its decifions will ever be juft. The
world
Will fmile, and fmile, and be a villain ;
and the youth, who does not fufpect its
deceit, will be content to fmile with it.
Men will put on the moft forbidding
afpect in nature, and tell him of the
beauty of virtue.
I have not, under thefe grey hairs,
forgotten that I was once a young man,
M 4 warm
248 THE MAN OF FEELING.
warm in the purfuit of pleafure, but
meaning to be honeft as well as happy.
I had ideas of virtue, of honour, of
benevolence, which I had never been
at the pains to define; but I felt my
bofom heave at the thoughts of them,
and I made the moft delightful folilo-
quies. It is impofilble, faid 1, that-
there can be halffo many rogues as are
imagined.
I travelled, becaufe it is the fafhioa
for young men of my fortune to travel :
I had a travelling tutor, which is the
falhion too j but my tutor was a gentle-
man, which it is not always the fafhion
for tutors to be. His gentility indeed
was all he had from his father, whofe
prodigality had not left him a (hilling
to fupport it,
I have.-
THE MAN OF FEELING. 449
fc I have a favour to afk of you, my
dear Mountford, faid my father, which
I will not be refufed : You have travel-
led as became a man > neither France
nor Italy have made any thingofMount-
ford, which Mountford' before he left
England would have been afhamcd of:
my fon Edward goes abroad, would you
take him under your protection ?"
He blufhed my father's face was fear--
let he preffed his hand to his bofom,
as if he had faid,-Umy heart does not
mean to offend you. Mountford fighed
twice <? I am a proud fool, faid he,
and you will pardon it; there! (he
fighed again) I can hear of dependance,.
fince it is dependance on my Sedley."
" Dependance ! anfwered my father - f
there can be no fuch word between us :
what is there in 9000!, a-year that
ftiould make me unworthy of Mount-
M 5 ford'*
2^o THE MAN OF FEELING.
ford's friendfhip ?" They embraced ^
and fooa .after I fee out on my travels,
with Mouniford for my guardian.
<{ We were at Milan, where my fa-
ther happened to have an Italian friend,
to whom he had been of fome fervice
in England. , The count, for he was
of quality, was felicitous to return the
obligation, by a particular attention to
his fon : We lived in his palace, vifited
with his family, were carefTed by his
friends, and 1 began to be fo well
plealed with my entertainment, that I
thought of England as of fome foreign
country!
<c The count had a fon not much
older than myfelf. At that age a friend
is an eafy acquifuion : we were friends
the firil n,ght of our acquaintance.
"He
THE MAN, OF FEELING. 251
<f He introduced ,me into the com-
pany of a fet of young gentlemen, whofe
fortunes .gave them the command of
pleafure, and whofe inclinations incited
them to the purchafe. After having-
fpent fome joyous evenings in their fo-
cicty, it became a foit of habit which
I could not mifs without uneafinefsj
and our meetings, which before were
frequent, were now ftated and regular.
<f Sometimes in the paufes of our
mirth, gaming was introduced as an
amufement : it was an art in which I
was a novice : I received instruction, as
other novices do, by lofing pretty large-
ly to my teachers. Nor was this the
only evil which Mountford forefaw
would arife from the connexion I had
formed i but a lecture of four injunc-
tions wasnot his method of reclaiming.
M6 He
252 THE MAN OF FEELING,
He fometimes afked me queftions a-
bout the company - t but they were fuch
as the curiofity of any indifferent man
might have prompted : I told him of
their wit, their eloquence, their warmth
of friendfhip, and their fenfibility of
heart : *' And their honour, faid I, lay-
ing my hand on my bread, isunquefti-
onable." Mountford feemed to rejoice
at my good fortune, and begged that
J would introduce him to their acquaint-
ance. At the next meeting I intro-
duced him accordingly.
ic The converfation was as animated
as ufual j they difplayed all that fpright-
linefs and good-humour which my
praifes had led Mountford to expect;
fubjecls too of fentiment occurred, and
their fpeeches, particularly thofe of our
friend the fon of count Refpino, glow-
ed
THE MAN OF FEELING, 253
cd with the warmth of honour, and
foftened into the tendernefs of feeling..
Mountford was charmed with his com-
panions ; when we parted, he made the
higheft eulogiumsupon them: " When
fliall we fee them again?" faid he. I
was delighted with the demand, and
promifed to reconduct him on the mor-
row.
" In going to their place of rendez-
vous, he took me a little out of the
road, to fee, as he told me, the perform-
ances of a young ftatuary. When we
were near the houfe in which Mount-
ford faid he lived, a boy of about fever*
years old crofled us in the flreet. At
fight of Mountford he Hopped, and
grafping his hand, " My deareft Sir,
faid he, my father is likely to do well ;
he will live to pray for you, and to blefs
you :
254 THE MAN OF FEELING.
you: f ycs, he will blefs. you, though,
you are an Enolifhman, and Tome other
hard word that the monk talked of this
morning which I have forgot, but it.
meant that you Ihould not go to hea-
ven j but he fhall go to heaven, faid
I, for he has laved my father : come-
and fee him, Sir, that \\t may be hap-
py." " My dear, I am engaged at
prefent with this gentleman." " But
he fhall come along with you j he is an
Engliihman too; I fancy $ he fiiall come
and Jearn how an Englifhman may go
to heaven. "r Mountford fmiled, and
\ve followed the boy together.
" After crofling the next dreet, we
arrived at the gate of a prifon. I feem-
ed furpriied at the fight j our little
conduflor obferved it. " Are you
afraid, Sir ? faid he j I was afraid once
too,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 255
too, but my father and mother are here,
and I am never afraid when I am with
them." He took my hand, and led me
through a dark pafTage that fronted the
gate. When we came to a little door
at the end, he tapped , a boy, ftili
younger than himielf, opened it to re-
ceive us. Mountford entered with a
look in which was pictured the benign
afifurance of a fuperior being. I fol-
lowed in filence and amazement.
" On fomethinglike a bed, lay a man,
with a face feemingly emaciated with
ficknefs, and a look of patient dejedlion;
a bundle of dirty (hreds ferved him for a.
pillow j but he had a better fupport
the arm of a female who kneeled befide
him, beautiful as an angel, but with a
fading languor in her countenance, the
ftill life of melancholy, that feemed to
borrow
256 THE MAN OF FEELING.
borrow its fhade from the object on
which fhe gazed. There was a tear in
her eye ! the fick man kitted it off in
its bud, fmiling through the dimnefs
of his own ! when fhe faw Mountford y
fhe crawled forward on the ground,
and clafped his knees ; he railed her
from the floor ; fhe threw her arms
round his neck, and fobbed out a
fpeech of thankfulnefs, eloquent be-
yond the power of language.
" Compofe yourfelf, 'rny love, faid
the man on the bed j but he, whofe
goodnefs has caufed that emotion, will
pardon its effefts." " How is this*
Mountford? faid Ij what do I fee?
what muft I do?" " You fee, re-
plied the ftranger, a wretch, funk in po-
verty, ftarving in prifon, ftretchcd on a
fick bed 1 but that is little : -there are
his wife and children, wanting the bread
which
THE MAN OF FEELING. 257
which he has not to give them 1 Yet
you cannot eafily imagine the confcious
ferenity of his mind ; in the gripe of
affliction, his heart fwells with the pride
of virtue \ it can even look down with
pity on the man whofe cruelty has wrung
it almoft to burfting. You are, I fancy*
a friend of Mr. Mountford's ; come
nearer and I'll tell you ; for, fhort as
my ftory is, I can hardly command
breath enough for a recital. The for*
Of count Refpino (I ftarted as if I had
trod on a viper) has long had a criminal
pafTion for my wife , this her prudence
had concealed from mej but he had
lately the boldnefs to declare it to my-
felf. He promifed me affluence in ex-
change for honour > and threatened mi-
fery, as its attendant, if I kept it. I
treated him with the contempt he de->
ferved : the confequence was, that he
hired
2:58 THE MAN OF FEELING.
hired a couple of bravocs (for I am per-
fuaded they acted under his direction)
who attempted to affaflmate me in the
ftreet ; but I made fuch a defence as
obliged them to fly, after having given
me two or three ftabs, none of which
however were mortal. But his revenge
was not thus to be difappointed : in the
little dealings of my trade I had con-
tracted fome debts, of which he had
made himfelf mafter for my ruin ; I
was confined here, at has fuit, when not
yet recovered frofln the wounds I had
received ; the dear- woman, and thefe
two boys, followed me, that we might
flarve together; but Providence inter-
pofed, and fent Mr. Moumford to our
fupport : he has relieved my family
from the gnawings of hunger, and re-
fcued me from death, to which a fever,
confequent on my wounds and increaf-
cd
THE MAN OF FEELING. 259
cd by the want of every ncccflary, had
almoil reduced me."
" Inhuman villain !" I exclaimed,
lifting up my eyes to heaven. " Inhu-
man indeed ! faid the lovely woman who
flood at my fide : Alas ! Sir, what had
we done to offend him ? what had thefe
little ones done, that they fhould perifti
in the toils of his vengeance ?" 1
reached a pen which ftood in the ink-
ftandilh at the bed-fide " May I afk
what is the amount of the fum for
which, you are imprifoned ?" " I was
able, he replied, to pay all but 500
crowns."" I wrote a draught on the
banker with whom I had a credit from
my father for 2500, and prefenting it
to the Granger's wife, " You will re-
ceive, Madam, on prefenting this note,
a fum more than fufficient for your huf-
band's
2 6o THE MAN OF FEELING.
band's difcharge ; the remainder I leave
for his induftry to improve." I would
have left the room : each of them laid
hold of one of my hands; the children
clung to my coat : Oh ! Mr. Harley,
methinks I feel their gentle violence at
this moment; it beats here with delight
inexprefiible ! " Stay, Sir, faid he, I
do not mean attempting to thank you ;
(he took a pocket-book from under his
pillow) let me but know what name I
lhall place here next to Mr. Mount-
ford ?" et Sedley*' he writ it down
f< An Englifhman too, I prefume."
<c He fhall go to heaven notwithftand-
ing," faid the boy who had been our
guide. It began to be too much forme;
I fqueezed his hand that was clafped in
mine ; his wife's I prefled to my lips,
'and burft from the place to give vent
to the feelings that laboured within me.
^ Oh t
THE MAN OF FEELING. 261
" Oh! Mountford ! faid I, when he
had overtaken me at the door: <c It is
time, replied he, that we fhould think
of our appointment j young Refpinc*!
and his friends are waiting us."
tc Damn him, damn him ! faid I; let
us leave Milan inftantly j but foft
I will be calm s Mountford, your pen-
cil." I wrote on a flip of paper.
To Signor RESPINO,
ef When you receive this I am at a
di fiance from Milan. Accept of my
thanks for the civilities I have received
from you and your family. As to the
friendfhip with which you were pleafed
to honour me, the prifon, which I have
juft left, has exhibited afcene to cancel
it for ever. You may poflibly be merry
with your companions at my weaknefs,
as I fuppofe you will term it. I give
you
262 THE MAN OF FEELING.
you leave for derifion : you may affeft
a triumph j I (hail feel ic.
EDWARD SEDLEY."
<c You may fend this if you will, faid
Mountford coolly ; but dill Refpino is
a man of honour -, the world will continue
to call him Io7 " It is probable, I an-
iwered, they may; I envy not the ap-
pellation. If this is the world's honour,
if thefe men are the guides of its man-
ners" Tut ! faid Mountford, do you
eat macaroni ?"
[At this place had the greatefl depre-
dations of the curate begun. There
were fo very few connected pafiages of
the fubfequent chapters remaining, that
even the partiality of an Editor could
not offer them to the Public. I dif-
3 covered,
THE MAN OF FEELING. 263
covered, from fome fcattered fentences,
that they were of much the fame tenor
with the preceding j recitals of little
adventures, in which the difpofitionsotf
a man, fenfible tojudge, and (till mofdj
warm to feel, had room to unfold them-
felves. Some inftruflion, and fome
example, I make no doubt they con-
tained ; but it is likely that many of
thofe, whom chance has led to a peru-
fal of what I have already prefented,
may have read it with little pieafure,
and will feel no difappointment from
the want of thofe parts which. I have
been unable to procure: to fuch as mayt
have expected the intricacies of a novel, )
a few incidents in a life undiftingiiifliedJ
except by fome features of the heart,
cannot have afforded much entertain-
ment,
Harley's
64 THE MAN OF FEELING.
Harley'sown ftory,from the mutilat-
ed paflfages I have mentioned, as well as
from fome inquiries I was at the trouble
of making in the country, I found to
fiave been fimple to excefs. His mif-
trefs, I could perceive, was not married
to Sir Harry Benfon : but it would
feem, by one of the following chapters,
which is ftill entire, that Harley had
not profited on the occafion by making
any declaration of his own paflion, after
thofe of the other had been unfuccefs-
ful. The ftate of his health, for fome
part of this period, appears to have
been fuch as to forbid any thoughts of
that kind : he had been feized with a
very dangerous fever, caught by at-
tending old Edwards in one of an in-
fectious kind. From this he had re-
covered but imperfectly, and though
he had no formed complaint, his health
was manifeftly on the decline.
2 It
THE MAN OF FEELING. 265
It appears that the fagacity of fome
friend had at length pointed out to his
aunt acaufe from which this might be
fuppofed to proceed, to wit, his hope-
lefs love for Mifs Walton j for, accord-
ing to the conceptions of the world,
the love of a man of Harley's fortune
for the heirefs of 4000 1. a year, is in-
deed defperate. Whether it was fo in
this cafe may be- gathered from the
next chapter, which, with the two fub-
fequent, concluding the performance,
have efcaped thofe accidents that proved
fatal to the reft.]
N CHAP.
26 THE MAN OF FEELING,
CHAP. LV,
He fees Mifs Walton, and is happy.
HA R L E Y was one of thofe few
friends whom the malevolence of
fortune had yet left me : I could not
therefore but be fenfibly concerned for
his prefent indifpofition j there feldom
pafled a day on which I did not make
inquiry about him.
The phyfician who attended him had
informed me the evening before, that he
thought him confiderably better than
he had been for fume time pad. I called
next morning to be confirmed in a piece
of intelligence fo welcome to me.
When I entered his apartment, I found .
him fitting on a couch, leaning on his
hand, with his eye turned upwards in the
attitude
THE MAN OF FEELING. 267
attitude of thoughtful infpiration. His
look had always an open benignity,
which commanded efleem j there was
now ibmething more a gentle triumph
in it.
He rofe, and met me with his uftial
kindnefs. When I gave him the good
accounts I had had from his phyfician,
" I am foolifh enough, faid he, to rely
but little, in this inftance, upon phyfic :
my prefentiment may be falfe ; but I
think I feel myfelf approaching to my
end, by fleps fo cai/, that they woo me
to approach it.
There is a certain dignity in retir-
ing from life at a time, when the infir-
mities of age have not fapped our facul-
ties. This world, my dear Charles,
was a fcene in which I never much de-
lighted. I was not formed for the
N 2 buttle
268 THE MAN OF FEELING.
buftle of the bufy, nor the difilpation
of the gay : a thoufand things occurred,
where I blufhed for the impropriety of
my conduct when I thought on the
world, though my reafon told me I
fhould have blufhed to have doneother-
wife. It was a fcene of diflimulation,
of reftraint, of difappointment. I
leave it to enter on that ftate, which I
have learned to believe, is replete with
the genuine happinefs attendant upon
virtue. I look back on the tenor of
my life, with the confcioufnefs of few
great offences to account for. There
are blemifhes, I confefs, which deform
in fome degree the pidlure. But I know
the benignity of the Supreme Being,
and rejoice at the thoughts of its ex-
ertion in my favour. My mind expands
at the thought I lhall enter into the
fociety of the blefled, wife as angels,
with
THE MAN OF FEELING. 269
with the fimplicity of children." He
had by this time clafped my hand, and/
found it wet by a tear which had juftj
fallen upon it. His eye began to moif-
ten too we fat for fome time filent
At laft, with an attempt to a look of
more compofure, " There are fome
remembrances (laid Harley) which rife
involuntarily on my heart, and make me
almoft wilh to live. I have been blefled
with a few friends, who redeem my opi-
nion of mankind. I recollect, with the
tenderefl emotion, thefcenesofpleafure
I have patied among them j but we fhall
meet again, my friend, never to befepa-
rated. There are fome feelings which
perhaps are too tender to be fuffered by
the world. The world is in general f
fifh, interefted, and unthinking, and
throws the imputation of romance or
melancholy on every temper more fuf-
N 3 ceptible
270 THE MAN OF FEELING.
ceptible than its own. I cannot thinlc
but in thofe regions which I contem-
plate, if there is any thing of mortality
left about us, that theie feelings will
fubfiftj they are called, perhaps they
are weaknefies here -, but there may
be fome better modifications of them
in heaven, which may deferve the name
of virtues." He fighed as he fpoks
thefe laft words. He had fcarcely finifli-
ed them, when the door opened, and
his aunt appeared leading in Mifs Wal-
ton. " My dear, fays flie, here is
Mifs Walton, who has been fo kind as
to come and enquire for you herfelf."
I could obferve a tranfient glow upon
his face. He rofe from his feat <c If
to know Mifs Walton's goodnefs, faid
he, be a title to deferve it, I have fome
claim." She begged him to refume
his feat, and placed herfelf on the fofa-
befide
THE MAN OF FEELING. 271
befide him. I took my leave. Mrs.
Margery accompanied me to the door.
He was left with Mifs Walton alone.
She inquired anxioufly abouthis health.
" I believe, faid he, from the accounts
which my phyficians unwillingly give
me, that they have no great hopes of
my recovery/' She ftarted as he fpoke ;
but recollecting herfelf immediately,
endeavoured to flatter him into a belief
that his apprehenfions were groundlefs.
" I know, faid he, that it is ufual with
perfonsat my time of life to have thtfe
hopes, which your kindnefs ftiggeftsj
but I would not wifh to be received.
To meet death as becomrs a man, is a
privilege beftowed on few. I would
endeavour to make it mine j nor do I
think that I can ever be better prepared
for it than now : It is that chiefly which
determines the fitnefs of its approach."
N 4 " Thofe
272 THE MAN OF FEELING.
"_Thofe fentiments, anfwered Mifs
Walton, arejuft; but your good fenfe,
Mr. Harley, will own, that life has its
(proper value. As the province of vir-
tue, life is ennobled j as fuch, it is to
be defired. To virtue has the Supreme
Director of all things afiigned rewards
enough even here to fix its attachment."
The fubjecT: began to overpower her.
Harley lifted his eyes from the
ground <f There are, faid he, in a
very low voice, there are attachments,
Mifs Walton" His glance met her's
They both betrayed a confufion, and
were both inftandy withdrawn. He
paufed fome moments " I am in fuch
a ftate as calls for fincerity, let that alfo
excufe it It is perhaps the laft time we
fhall ever meet. I feel fomething par-
ticularly fokmn in the acknowledgment,
yet
THE MAN OF FEELING. 273
yet my heart fwells to make it, awed as
it is by a fenfe of my preemption, by a
fenfe of your perfections" -He paufed
again <f Let it not offend you to
know their power over one fo unworthy
It will, I believe, foon ceafe to beat 3
even with that feeling which it (hall lofe
the lateft. To love Mifs Walton could
not be a crime; if to declare it is one
the expiation will be made." Her
tears were now flowing without con-
troul. " Let me intreat you, faid flie,
to have better hopes Let not life be "
fo indifferent to you j if my wifhes can
put any value on it I will not pretend
to mifunderfland you I know your
worth I have known it long I have !
efteemed it What would you have me I
fay ! I have loved it as it deferved." j
He feized her hand a languid colour
reddened his cheek a fmile brighten-
ed
274 THE MAN OF FEELING.
ed faintly in his eye. As he gazed on
her, it grew dim, it fixed, it clofed
He fighed, and fell back on his feat
Mifs Walton fcreamed at the fight
His aunt and the fervants rufhed into
the room They found them lying mo-
tionlefs together. His phyfician hap-
pened to call at that inftant. Every
art was tried to recover them With
Mifs Walton they fucceeded But
Harley was gone for ever !.
G H A P.
THE MAN OF FEELING, 275
CHAP. LVI.
The emotions of the heart.
"T Entered the room where his body lay;
-*- I approached it with reverence, not
fear : I looked ; the recollection of the
pad crowded upon me. I faw that form
which, but a little before, was animated
with a foul which did honour to huma-
nity, flretched without fenfe or feeling
before me. 'Tis a connexion we cannot
eafily forget : I took his hand in mine ;
I repeated his name involuntarily ; I
felt a pulfe in every vein at the found.
I looked earneflly in his face;, his eye
was clofed, his lip pale and motionlefs.
There is an enthufiafm in forrow that
forgets impoffibility ; I wondered that.
it was fo. The fight drew a prayer
from my heart : it was the voice of
frailty and of man ! the confufion of
my mind began to fubfide into thoughts
I had time to meet!
I turned,
276 THE MAN OF FEELING.
I turned, with the laft farewell upon
my lips, when I obierved old Edwards
(landing behind me. I looked him full
in the face ; but his eye was fixed on
another object : he preiTed between me
and the bed, and ftood gazing on the
breathlels remains of his benefactor.
I fpoke to him I know not what ; but
he took no notice of what I laid, and
remained in the fame attitude as before.
He flood fome minutes in that pofture,
then turned and walked towards the
door. He paufed as he went -, he re-
turned a fecond time : I could obferve
his lips move as he looked : but the
voice they would have uttered was loft.
He attempted going again; and a third
time he returned as before. I faw him
wipe his cheek; then covering his
face with his hands, his bread heaving
with themoftconvulfive throbs, he flung
out of the room.
THE
THE MAN OF FEELING. 277
THE CONCLUSION.
HE had hinted that he fhould like
to be buried in a certain fpot near
the grave of his mother. This is a
weaknefs i but it is univerfally incident
to humanity : 'tis at lead a memorial
for thofe who furvive : for fome indeed
a {lender memorial will ferve; and the
foft affections, when they are bufy that
way, will build their ftrudtures, were
it but on the paring of a nail.
He was buried in the place he had
defired. It was fliaded by an old tree,
the only one in the church-yard, in
which was a cavity worn by time. I
have fat with him in it, and counted the i
tombs. The laft time we paffed there,
methought he looked wiftfully on that
tree: there was a branch of it, that bent
towards
2.7-8 THE MAN OF FEELING.
towards us, waving in the wind j he
waved his hand, as if he mimicked its
motion. There was fomething predic-
tive in his look! perhaps it is foolifh to
remark it; but there are times and
places when I am a child at thofe things.
I fometimes vifit his grave ; I fit in
the hollow of the tree. It is worth a
thoufand homilies ; every noble feeling
rifes within me ! every beat of my heart
awakens a virtue ! but it will make
you hate the world No: there is
fuch an air of gentlenefs around, that I
can hate nothing ; but, as to the world
I pity the men of it.
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