be HISTORY of Book XIII ever a Right to the Pleafure you mention, I am convinced it is yourfelf. My Coufin tells me, fhe acquainted you with the Distress in which the found us. That, Sir, is all greatly removed, and chiefly by your Goodness.-My Children have now a Bed to lie on, and "they have they have eternal Bleffings reward you for it--they have Bread to eat. My little Boy is recovered; My Wife is out of Danger, and I am happy. All, all owing to you, Sir, and to my Cousin here, one of the best of Women. Indeed, Sir, I must fee you at my Houfe.-Indeed my Wife muft fee you, and thank you.-My Children too muft exprefs their Gratitude.Indeed, Sir, they are not without a Senfe of their Obligation; but what is my Feeling when I reflect to whom I owe, that they are now capable of expreffing their Gratitude.Oh, Sir! the little Hearts which you have warmed had now been cold as Ice without your Affistance."

Here Jones attempted to prevent the poor Man from proceeding; but indeed the Overflowing of his own Heart would of itfelf have stopped his Words. And now Mrs. Miller likewife began to pour forth Thankfgivings, as well in her own Name, as in that of her Coufin, and concluded with faying, the doubted not but fuch Goodness would meet a glorious Reward,

Jones anfwered, He had been fufficiently rewarded already. Your Coufin's Account, Madam, faid he, hath given me a Senfation more pleafing than I have ever known. He muft be a Wretch who is unmoved at hearing fuch a Story; how tranfporting then must be the Thought of having happily acted a Part in this • Scene !

1

275 Scene! If there are Men who cannot feel the Delight of giving Happinefs to others, I fincerely pity them, as they are incapable of tafting what is, in my Opinion, a great Honour, a higher Intereft, and a fweeter Pleasure, than the ambitious, the avaritious, or the voluptu· ous Man can ever obtain.'

The Hour of Appointment being now come, Jones was forced to take a hafty Leave, but not before he had heartily fhaken his Friend by the Hand, and defired to fee him again as foon as poffible; promifing, that he would himself take the first Opportunity of visiting him at his own Houfe. He then ftept into his Chair, and proceeded to Lady Ballafton's, greatly exulting in the Happiness which he had procured to this poor Family; nor could he forbear reflecting without Horror on the dreadful Confequences which muft have attended them, had he liftened rather to the Voice of ftrict Juftice than to that of Mercy, when he was attacked on the high Road.'

Mrs. Miller fung forth the Praifes of Jones during the whole Evening, in which Mr. Enderfon, while he ftayed, fo paffionately accompanied her, that he was often on the very Point of mentioning the Circumftances of the Robbery. However, he luckily recollected himfelf, and avoided an Indiscretion which would have been fo much the greater, as he knew Mrs. Miller to be extremely ftrict and nice in her Principles. He was likewife well apprized of the Loquacity of this Lady; and yet fuch was his Gratitude, that it had almost got the better both of Difcretion and Shame, and made him publish that, which would have defamed his own Character, rather than • omit

N 6

omit any Circumstances which might do the fulleft Honour to his Benefactor.

CHA P. XI.

In which the Reader will be furprized.

TR. Jones was rather earlier than the Time appointed, and earlier than the Lady, whofe Arrival was hindered not only by the Diftance of the Place where the dined, but by fome other crofs Accidents, very vexatious to one in her Situation of Mind. He was accordingly fhewn into the Drawing-Room, where he had not been many Minutes before the Door opened, and in came- -no other than Sophia herfelf, who had left the Play before the End of the first Act; for this, as we have already faid, being a new Play, at which two large Parties met, the one to damn, and the other to applaud, a violent Uproar, and an Engagement between the two Parties had fo terrified our Heroine, that he was glad to put herself under the Protection of a young Gentleman, who fafely conveyed her to her Chair.

As Lady Bellafion had acquainted her that fhe fhould not be at Home till late, Sophia expecting to find no one in the Room, came haftily in, and went directly to a Glafs which almoft fronted her, without once looking towards the upper End of the Room, where the Statue of Jones now food motionlefs.In this Glafs it was, after contemplating her own lovely Face, that she first difcovered the faid Statue; when inftantly turning about, fhe perceived the Reality of the Vifion: Upon which he gave a violent Scream, and fcarce preferved herself from fainting, till Jones

Jones was able to move to her and support her in his Arms.

To paint the Looks or Thoughts of either of thefe Lovers is beyond my Power. As their Senfations, from their mutual Silence, may be judged to have been too big for their own Utterance, it cannot be supposed, that I should be able to exprefs them: And the Misfortune is, that few of my Readers have been enough in Love, to feel by their own Hearts what paft at this Time in theirs.

After a Short Paufe, Jones, with faultering Accents, faid, I fee, Madam you are furprized.' Surprize!' anfwered fhe; Oh Heavens! Indeed, I am furprized. I almoft • doubt whether you are the Perfon you seem." Indeed,' cries he, my Sophia, pardon me, Madam, for this once calling you fo, I am that very wretched Jones, whom Fortune after fo many Difappointments, hath, at laft, kindly conducted to you. Oh! my Sophia, did you know the Thousand Torments I have fuffered in this long, fruitlefs Purfuit'. Purfuit of whom?' faid Sophia, a little recollecting herself, and affuming a referved Air. Can < you be fo cruel to afk that Queftion ?' cries Fones. • Need I fay of you ?' Of me?' anfwered Sophia Hath Mr. Jones then any fuch 6 important Business with me?' To fome, ← Madam,' cries Jones, this might feem an • important Bufinefs,' (giving her the PocketBook). I hope, Madam, you will find it of the fame Value, as when it was loft.' Sophia took the Pocket-Book, and was going to fpeak, when he interrupted her, thus ;------' Let us not, 'I befeech you, lofe one of thefe precious Mo

6 monts which Fortune bath fo kindly fent us

Omy Sophia, I have Bufinefs of a much fuperior Kind-Thus, on my Knees, let me afk your Pardon. My Pardon?' cries she; Sure, Sir, after what is paft, you cannot expect, after what I have heard I scarce know what I fay, anfwered ones. By Heavens! I fcarce with you should pardon me. O my Sophia, henceforth never caft away à Thought on fuch a Wretch as I am. If any Remembrance of me fhould ever intrude to give a Moment's Uneafiness to that tender Bofom, think of my Unworthinefs; and let the Remembrance of what paft at Upton blot me for ever from your Mind'

Sophia ftood trembling all this while. Her Face was whiter than Snow, and her Heart was throbbing through her Stays. But at the mention of Upton, a Blush arofe in her Cheeks, and her Eyes, which before fhe had scarce lifted up were turned upon Jones with a Glance of Difdain. He underftood this filent Reproach, and replied to it thus: O my Sophia, my only Love, you cannot hate or defpife me more for what happened there, than I do myfelf: But yet do me the Juftice to think, that my Heart was never unfaithful to you. That had no Share in the Folly I was guilty of; it was even then unalterably yours. Though I defpaired of poffeffing you, nay, almoft of ever seeing you more, I doated ftill on your charming Idea, and could feriously love no other Woman. But if my Heart had not been engaged, fhe, into whofe Company I accidentally fell at that curfed Place, was not 6 an Object of ferious Love. Believe me, my Angel, I never have seen her from that Day to this; and never intend, or defire, to fee her again. Sophia, in her Heart, was very glad

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