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charms in the gallant happy lover, which she had over-looked in the flighted Squire. "Betty," fays she, "you are certainly in the right: he is a very » pretty fellow, and I don't wonder that my coufin's maid fhould tell you fo many women are fond of him. I am forry now I did not inform him where my coufin was: and yet if he be fo terrible a rake as you tell me, it is a pity she should ever fee him any more; for what but her ruin can happen from marrying a rake and „a beggar against her father's confent. I proteft, if he be fuch a man as the wench defcribed him ,, to you, it is but an office of charity to keep her from him; and, I am fure, it would be unpardonable in me to do otherwife, who have tafted fo bitterly of the misfortunes attending fuch marriages.

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Here she was interrupted by the arrival of a vifitor, which was no other than his Lordship; and as nothing paffed at this vifit either new or extraordinary, or any ways material to this History, we fhall here put an end to this Chapter.

CHA P. I I I.

A Project of Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and her Vifit to Lady Bellafton.

WHEN Mrs. Fitzpatrick retired to reft, her thoughts were entirely taken up by her cousin Sophia and Mr. Jones. She was, indeed, a little offended with the former, for the difingenuity which fhe now difcovered. In which meditation fhe had not long exercised her imagination, before the following conceit fuggefted itself: That could fhe poffibly become the means of preserving Sophia from this man, and of restoring her to her father, she should, in all human probability, by fo great a fervice to the family, reconcile to herself both her uncle and her aunt Western.

As this was one of her most favorite wishes, fo the hope of fuccefs feemed fo reasonable, that nothing remained but to confider of proper methods to accomplish her scheme. To attempt to reason the case with Sophia, did not appear to her one of those methods: for as Betty had reported from Mrs. Honor, that Sophia had a violent inclination to Jones, she conceived, that to diffuade her from the match, was an endeavour of the fame kind, as it would be, very heartily and earnestly to entreat a moth not to fly into a candle.

If the Reader will please to remember, that the acquaintance which Sophia had with Lady Bellafton, was contracted at the house of Mrs. Western, and must have grown at the very time when Mrs. Fitzpatrick lived with this latter Lady, he will want no information, that Mrs. Fitzpatrick must have been acquainted with her likewife. They were, befides, both equally her diftant relations.

After much confideration, therefore, fhe resolved to go early in the morning to that Lady, and endeavour to fee her, unknown to Sophia, and to acquaint her with the whole affair. For fhe did not in the leaft doubt, but that the prudent Lady, who had often ridiculed romantic love, and indif creet marriages, in her conversation, would very readily concur in her fentiments concerning this match, and would lend her utmost affiftance to prevent it.

This refolution fhe accordingly executed; and the next morning before the fun, fhe huddled on her clothes, and at a very unfashionable, unfeafonable, unvifitable hour, went to Lady Bellaston to whom he got accefs, without the leaft knowledge or fufpicion of Sophia, who, though not afleep, lay at that time awake in her bed, with Honor fnoring by her fide.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick made many apologies for this early, abrupt vifit, at an hour "when" fhe faid, "fhe should not have thought of difturbing her Ladyship

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but upon business of the utmost consequence.' She then opened the whole affair, told all she had heard from Betty, and did not forget the vifit which Jones had paid to herself the preceding evening.

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Lady Bellafton answered with a smile, “Then » you have feen this terrible man, Madam; pray is he fo very fine a figure as he is represented? For Etoff entertained me last night almost two hours with him. The wench, I believe, is in love with him by reputation." Here the Reader will be apt to wonder; but the truth is, that Mrs. Etoff, who had the honor to pin and unpin the Lady Bellafton, had received complete information concerning the faid Mr. Jones, and had faithfully conveyed the fame to her Lady last night (or rather that morning) while fhe was undreffing; on which account fhe had been detained in her office above the space of an hour and a half.

The Lady indeed, though generally well enough pleased with the narratives of Mrs. Etoff at those feafons, gave an extraordinary attention to her account of Jones; for Honor had defcribed him as a very handsome fellow, and Mrs. Etoff in her hurry added fo much to the beauty of his person to her report, that Lady Bellafton began to conceive him to be a kind of miracle in nature.

The curiofity which her woman had infpired, was now greatly increased by Mrs. Fitzpatrick, who spoke as much in favor of the perfon of

Jones, as she had before spoke in dispraise of his birth, character, and fortune.

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When Lady Bellaston had heard the whole, she anfwered gravely, "Indeed, Madam, this is a matter of great confequence. Nothing can certainly be more commendable than the part you » act; and I shall be very glad to have my share in the preservation of a young Lady of so much ,, merit, and for whom I have fo much esteem."

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"Does not your Ladyship think," fays Mrs. Fitzpatrick eagerly, "that it would be the best "way to write immediately to my uncle, and » acquaint him where my coufin is?"

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The Lady pondered a little upon this, and thus anfwered "6 Why, no, Madam, I think not. Di Western has defcribed her brother to me to be fuch a brute, that I cannot confent to put » any woman under his power who has escaped from it. I have heard he behaved like a monster to his own wife; for he is one of those wretches who think they have a right to tyrannize over us, and from fuch I fhall ever efteem it the cause of my fex to rescue any woman ,, who is fo unfortunate to be under their power.The business, dear coufin, will be only to keep Mifs Western from feeing this young fellow, till the good company, which she will have an " opportunity of meeting here, give her a pro» perer turn.

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