Anger: For the Enemy had not only applied her Nails to his Cheeks, but likewife her Fift to his Noftrils, which lamented the Blow with Tears of Blood in great Abundance. To this we may add Reflections on his Miftake; but indeed nothing fo effectually filenced his Refentment, as the Manner in which he now difcovered his Error; for as to the Behaviour of Mrs. Honour, it had the more confirmed him in his Opinion: but he was now affured by a Perfon of great Figure, and who was attended by a great Equipage, that one of the Ladies was a Woman of Fashion and his intimate Acquaintance.

By the Orders of this Perfon, the Landlord now afcended, and acquainted our fair Travellers, that a great Gentleman below defired to do them the Honour of waiting on them. Sophia turned pale, and trembled at this Meffage, tho' the Reader will conclude it was too civil, notwithstanding the Landlord's Blunder, to have come from her Father; but Fear hath the common Fault of a Juftice of Peace, and is apt to conclude haftily from every flight Circumftance, without examining the Evidence on both Sides.

A

To eafe the Reader's Curiofity, therefore, rather than his Apprehenfions, we proceed to inform him, that an Irish Peer had arrived very late that Evening at the Inn in his Way to London. This Nobleman having fallied from his Supper at the Hurricane before commemorated, had feen the Attendant of Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and upon a fhort Enquiry, was informed, that her Lady, with whom he was very particularly acquainted, was above. This Information he' had no fooner received, than he addreffed himself to the Landlord, pacified him, and fent him up

Stairs

Stairs with Compliments rather civiller than thofe which were delivered.

It may perhaps be wondered at, that the Waiting-woman herfelf was not, the Meffenger employed on this Occafion; but we are forry to fay, he was not at prefent qualified for that, of indeed for any other Office. The Rum (for fo the Landlord chofe to call the Diftillation from Malt) had bafely taken the Advantage of the Fatigue which the poor Woman had undergone, and had made terrible Depredations on her noble Faculties, at a Time when they were very unable to refift the Attack.

We shall not defcribe this tragical Scene too fully; but we thought ourfelves obliged by that hiftoric Integrity which we profefs, fhortly to hint a Matter which we would otherwise have been glad to have fpared. Many Hiftorians indeed, for want of this Integrity, or of Diligence, to fay no worse, often leave the Reader to find out thefe little Circumftances in the Dark, and fometimes to his great Confufion and Perplexity.

enabled

Sophia was very foon eafed of her caufelefs Fright by the Entry of the noble Peer, who was not only an intimate Acquaintance of Mrs. Fitzpatrick, but in Reality a very particular Friend of that Lady. To fay Truth, it was by his Affiftance, that he had been enabled to escape from her Hufband; for this Nobleman had the fame gallant Difpofition with those renowned Knights, of whom we read in heroic Story, and had delivered many an imprifoned Nymph from Durance. He was indeed as bitter an Enemy to the favage. Authority too often exercifed by Hufbands to and Fathers, over the Young and Lovely of the other Sex, as ever Knight-Errant was to the bar

barous

barous Power of Enchanters: Nay, to fay Truth, I have often fufpected that thofe very Enchanters with which Romance every where abounds, were in Reality no other than the Hufbands of those Days; and

enchanted Matrimony itfelf was perhaps the

enchanted Castle in which the Nymphs were faid to be confined.

This Nobleman had an Estate in the Neighbourhood of Fitzpatrick, and had been for fome Time acquainted with the Lady. No fooner therefore did he hear of her Confinement, than he earneftly applied himself to procure her Liberty; which he prefently effected, not by storming the Caftle, according to the Example of antient Heroes; but by corrupting the Governor, in Conformity with the modern Art of War; in which Craft is held to be preferable to Valour, and Gold is found to be more irresistible than either Lead or Steel.

This Circumftance, however, as the Lady did not think it material enough to relate to her Friend, we would not at that Time impart it to the Reader. We rather chose to leave him a while under a Suppofition, that she had found, or coined, or by fome very extraordinary, perhaps fupernatural Means, had poffeffed herself of the Money with which fhe had bribed her Keeper, than to interrupt her Narrative by giving a Hint of what feemed to her of too little Importance to be mentioned.

The Peer, after a fhort Conversation, could not forbear expreffing fome Surprize at meeting the Lady in that Place; nor could he refrain from telling her, he imagined fhe had been gone to Bath. Mrs. Fitzpatrick very freely anfwered, That she had been prevented in her Purpose by

the

the Arrival of a Perfon fhe need not mention. In fhort,' fays fhe, "I was overtaken by my Husband (for I need not affect to conceal what

e World knows too well already.), I had the

good Fortune to escape in a moft furprizing Manner, and am now going to London with this young Lady, who is a near Relation of mine, and who hath escaped from as great a • Tyrant as my own.'

His Lordship concluding that this Tyrant was likewife a Husband, made a Speech full of Compliments to both the Ladies, and as full of Invectives against his own Sex; nor indeed did he avoid fome oblique Glances at the matrimonial Inftitution itself, and at the unjust Powers given by it to Man over the more fenfible, and more meritorious Part of the Species. He ended his Oration with an Offer of his Protection, and of his Coach and Six, which was inftantly accepted by Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and at laft, upon her Perfuafions, by Sophia.

Matters being thus adjusted, his Lordship took his Leave, and the Ladies retired to Reft, where Mrs. Fitzpatrick entertained her Coufin with many high Encomiums on the Character of the noble Peer, and enlarged very particularly on his great Fondness for his Wife; faying, the believed he was almoft the only Perfon of high Rank, who was entirely conftant to the Marriage Bed. Int

deed,' added the, my dear Saphy, that is a very rare Virtue amongst Men of Condition. Never expect it when you marry; for, believe me, if you do, you will certainly be deceived.'

A gentle Sigh ftole from Sophia at thefe Words, which perhaps contributed to form a Dream of no

very pleasant Kind; but as, fhe never revealed this Dream to any one, fo the Reader cannot expect to fee it related here.

CHAP. IX.

The Morning introduced in fome pretty Writing. A Stage Coach, The Civility of Chambermaids. The heroic Temper of Sophia. Her Generofity. The Return to it. The Departure of the Company, and their Arrival at London; with fome Remarks for the Ufe of Travellers.

HOSE Members of the Society, who are born to furnish the Bleffings of Life, now began to light their Candles, in order to pursue their daily Labours, for the Ufe of those who are born to enjoy thefe Bleffings. The sturdy Hind now attends the Levee of his Fellow Labourer the Ox; the cunning Artificer, the diligent Mechanic fpring from their hard Mattrefs; and now the bonny House-maid begins to repair the difordered Drum Room, while the riotous Authors of that Disorder, in broken interrupted Slumbers tumble and tofs, as if the Hardnefs of Down difquieted their Repose.

In fimple Phrafe, the Clock had no fooner ftruck Seven, than the Ladies were ready for their Journey; and at their Defire, his Lordship and his Equipage were prepared to attend them.

And now a Matter of fome Difficulty arofe; and this was how his Lordship himself fhould be conveyed: For tho' in Stage-Coaches, where Paffengers are properly confidered as fo much Luggage, the ingenious Coachman ftows half a Dozen with perfect Eafe into the Place of four:

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