fear left her father might, by this fellow's means, be able to trace her to that city; wherefore if she fhould there ftrike into the London road, fhe apprehended he would certainly be able to overtake her. She therefore altered her refolution; and having hired horfes to go a week's journey, a way which he did not intend to travel, fhe again fet forward, after a light refreshment, contrary to the defire and earnest entreaties of her maid, and to the no lefs vehement remonftrances of Mrs. Whitefield, who, from good breeding, or perhaps from good nature (for the poor young Lady appeared much fatigued) preffed her very heartily to stay that evening at Gloucefter.

Having refreshed herself only with fome tea, and with lying about two hours on the bed, while her horfes were getting ready, fhe refolutely left Mrs. Whitefield's about eleven at night, and ftriking directly into the Worcester road, within less than four hours arrived at that very inn where we laft faw her.

Having thus traced our Heroine very particularly back from her departure, till her arrival at Upton, we fhall in a few words bring her father to the fame place; who having received the first fcent from the poft - boy, who conducted his daughter to Hambrook, very eafily traced her afterwards to Gloucester; whence he purfued her to Upton, as he had learned Mr. Jones had taken that rout, (for Partridge, to ufe the Squire's expreffion,

left every where a strong scent behind him) and he doubted not in the leaft but Sophia travelled, or, as he phrafed it, ran the fame way. He used indeed a very coarfe expreffion, which need not be here inferted; as fox-hunters, who alone would understand it, will eafily fuggeft it to themselves.

THE

HISTORY

OF A

FOUNDLING.

IN

BOOK XI.

Containing about three Days.

CHAP. I.

A Cruft for the Critics.

our laft initial Chapter, we may be supposed to have treated that formidable fet of men, who are called critics, with more freedom than becomes us; fince they exact, and indeed generally receive, great condefcenfion from authors. We fhall in this, therefore, give the reasons of our conduct to this auguft body; and here we shall perhaps place them in a light, in which they have not hitherto been feen.

This word Critic is of Greek derivation, and fignifies judgment. Hence, I prefume, fome perfons who have not understood the original, and

have seen the English translation of the primitive, have concluded that it meant judgment in the legal fenfe, in which it is frequently ufed as equivalent to condemnation.

I am the rather inclined to be of that opinion, as the greatest number of critics has of late years been found amongst the lawyers. Many of these gentlemen, from despair, perhaps, of ever rifing to the bench in Westminster - hall, have placed themselves on the benches at the play-house, where they have exerted their judicial capacity, and have given judgment, i. e. condemned without mercy.

The gentlemen would perhaps be well enough pleased, if we were to leave them thus compared to one of the most important and honorable offices in the commonwealth, and, if we intended to apply to their favor, we should do fo; but as we defign to deal very fincerely and plainly too with them, we must remind them of another officer of justice of a much lower rank; to whom, as they not only pronounce, but execute their own judgment, they bear likewife fome remote refemblance.

But in reality there is another light, in which these modern critics may with great justice and propriety be feen; and this is that of a common flanderer. If a person who pries into the characters of others, with no other defign but to difcover their faults, and to publifh them to the world,

deferves the title of a flanderer of the reputation of men; why should not a critic, who reads with the fame malevolent view, be as properly styled the flanderer of the reputation of books?

Vice has not, I believe, a more abject flave; fociety produces not a more odious vermin; nor can the devil receive a guest more worthy of him, nor poffibly more welcome to him, than a flanderer. The world, I am afraid, regards not this monster with half the abhorrence which he deferves; and I am more afraid to affign the reafon of this criminal lenity shown towards him; yet it is certain that the thief looks innocent in the comparison ; nay, the murderer himself can feldom ftand in competition with his guilt: for flander is a more cruel weapon than a fword, as the wounds which the former gives are always incurable. One method, indeed, there is of killing, and that the basest and most execrable of all, which bears an exact analogy to the vice here exclaimed against, and that is poifon. A means of revenge fo bafe, and yet fo horrible, that it was once wifely dif tinguished by our laws from all other murders, in the peculiar feverity of punishment.

Befides the dreadful mifchiefs done by flander, and the baseness of the means by which they are effected, there are other circumstances that highly aggravate its atrocious quality: for it often proceeds from no provocation, and seldom promises itself any reward, unlefs fome black and infernal