Breakfast was now fet forth in the Parlour, where Mr. Blifil attended, and where the Squire and his Sifter likewife were affembled; and now Sophia was ordered to be called.

O, Shakespear, had I thy Pen! O, Hogarth, had I thy Pencil! then would I draw the Picture of the poor Serving-Man, who, with pale Coun tenance, ftaring Eyes, chattering Teeth, faultering Tongue, and trembling Limbs,

(E'en fuch a Man, fo faint, fo fpiritless, So dull, fo dead in Look, fo woe-be-gone, Drew Priam's Curtains in the dead of Night, And would have told him, half his Troy was burn'd)

enter'd the Room, and declared,-That Madam Sophia was not to be found.

Not to be found!' cries the Squire, ftarting from his Chair; Zounds and D--nation T Blood and Fury! Where, when, how, what, -Not to be found! where?'

La! Brother,' faid Mrs. Western, with true political Coldness, you are always throwing yourself into fuch violent Paffions for nothing. My Niece, I fuppofe, is only walked out into the Garden. I proteft you are grown fo unreasonable, that it is impoffible to live in the • House with you.'

Nay, nay,' anfwered the Squire, returning as fuddenly to himself, as he had gone from himfelf; if that be all the Matter, it fignifies not much; but, upon my Soul, my Mind mifgave me, when the Fellow faid fhe was not to be ⚫ found.' He then gave Orders for the Bell to be rung in the Garden, and fat himself contentedly down.

No

No two Things could be more the Reverse of each other than were the Brother and Sifter, in moft Inftances; particularly in this, That as the Brother never forefaw any thing at a Distance, but was most fagacious in immediately seeing every Thing the Moment it had happened; fo the Sifter eternally forefaw at a Diftance, but was not fo quick-fighted to Objects before her Eyes. Of both these the Reader may have obferved Examples: And, indeed, both their feveral Talents were exceffive: For as the Sifter often forefaw what never came to pafs, fo the Brother often faw much more than was actually the Truth.

This was not however the Cafe at present. The fame Report was brought from the Garden, as before had been brought from the Chamber, that Madam Sophia was not to be found.

The Squire himself now fallied forth, and began to roar forth the Name of Sophia as loudly, and in as hoarfe a Voice, as whilome did Hercules that of Hylas: And as the Poet tells us, that the whole Shore echoed back the Name of that beautiful Youth; fo did the Houfe, the Garden, and all the Neighbouring Fields, refound nothing but the Name of Sophia, in the hoarfe Voices of the Men, and in the fhrill Pipes of the Women; while Echo seemed fo pleased to repeat the beloved Sound, that if there is really fuch a Perfon, I believe Ovid hath belied her Sex.

Nothing reigned for a long Time but Confu→→ fion; 'till at laft the Squire having fufficiently fpent his Breath, returned to the Parlour, where he found Mrs. Western and Mr. Blifil, and threw himself, with the utmoft Dejection in his Coun-tenance, into a great Chair,

Here

Here Mrs. Western began to apply the following Confolation:

Brother, I am forry for what hath happened; "and that my Neice fhould have behaved herself << in a Manner fo unbecoming her Family; but "it is all your own Doings, and you have no

body to thank but yourself. You know fhe' "hath been educated always in a Manner direct"ly contrary to my Advice, and now you see the "Confequence. Have I not a thousand Times "argued with you about giving my Niece her "own' Will? But you know I never could pre"vail upon you: and when I had taken fo much "Pains to eradicate her headftrong Opinions, and

to rectify your Errors in Policy, you know

fhe was taken out of my Hands; fo that IF "have nothing to answer for. Had I been "trufted entirely with the Care of her Educa❝tion, no fuch Accident as this had ever befallen' "you: So that you must comfort yourself by thinking it was all your own Doing; and, indeed, what elfe could be expected from fuch "Indulgence?",

"Zounds! Sifter,' answered he," you are "enough to make one mad. Have I indulged "her? have I given her her Will?-It was no

longer ago than laft Night that I threatned, "if the difobeyed me, to confine her to her "Chamber, upon Bread and Water, as long as "The lived.-You would provoke the Patience of "Fob."

Did ever Mortal hear the like?" replied the. "Brother, if I had not the Patience of fifty "Fobs, you would make me forget all Decency, "and Decorum. Why would Why would you interfere?

"Did

"Did I not beg you, did I not entreat you to "leave the whole Conduct to me? You have de"feated all the Operations of the Campaign by

one falfe Step. Would any Man in his Senfes "have provoked a Daughter by fuch Threats as thefe How often have I told you, that Eng"lifh Women are not to be treated like Cira66 ceffian + Slaves. We have the Protection of "the World: We are to be won by gentle "Means only, and not to be hectored, and bul

lied, and beat into Compliance. I thank Hea❝ven, no Salique Law governs here. Brother, 66 you have a Roughness in your Manner which 66 no Woman but myfelf would bear. I do not "wonder my Niece was frightned and terrified "into taking this Measure; and to speak honeft"ly, I think my Niece will be juftified to the "World for what the hath done. I repeat it to "you again, Brother, you must comfort yourfelf by remembring that it is all your own Fault. How often have I advifed-" Here Western role haftily from his Chair, and, venting two or three horrid Imprecations, ran out of the Room.

When he was departed, his Sifter expreffed more Bitterness (if poffible) against him, than fhe had done, while he was prefent; for the Truth of which the appealed to Mr. Blifil, who, with great Complacence, acquiefced entirely in all the faid; bút excufed all the Faults of Mr. Weftern, as they must be confidered,' he faid, to have ⚫ proceeded from the too inordinate Fondnefs of a Father, which must be allowed the Name of " an amiable Weakness.' So much the more for whom

inexcufable,' anfwered the Lady;

Poffibly Circaffian.

• doth

doth he ruin by his Fondnefs, but his own Child? To which Blifil immediately agreed. Mrs. Western then began to exprefs great Confufion on the Account of Mr. Blifil, and of the Ufage which he had received from a Family to which he intended fo much Honour. On this Subject the treated the Folly of her Neice with great Severity; but concluded with throwing the whole on her Brother, who, the faid, was inexcufable to have proceeded fo far without better. Affurances of his Daughter's Confent: But he. was (fays fhe) always of a violent, head ftrong Temper; and I can fcarce forgive myfelf for all the Advice I have thrown away upon him.' After much of this Kind of Converfation, which, perhaps, would not greatly entertain the Reader, was it here particularly related, Mr. Blifil took his Leave, and returned home, not highly pleafed with his Difappointment; which, however, the Philofophy which he had acquired from Square, and the Religion infused into him by Thwackum, together with fomewhat elfe, taught him to bear rather better than more paffionate Lovers bear thefe Kinds of Evils.

I

T is now Time to look after Sophia ; whom the Reader, if he loves her half fo well as I do, will rejoice to find escaped from the Clutchesof her paffionate Father, and from thofe of her difpaffionate Lover.

Twelve Times did the iron Regifter of Time. beat on the fonorous Bell-metal, fummoning the

Ghofts