Western informed of Mr Allworthy's intention to make Jones his heir, than he joined heartily with the uncle in every commendation of the nephew, and became as eager for her marriage with Jones, as he had before been to couple her to Blifil.

Here Mr Allworthy was again forced to interpofe, and to relate what had paffed between him and Sophia, at which he testified great furprise.

The fquire was filent a moment, and looked wild with aftonishment at this account.At last he cried out, Why, what can be the meaning of this, neighbour Allworthy? Vond o' un fhe was, that I'll be fworn to.-Odzookers! I have hit o't. As fure as a gun I have hit o' the very right o't. It's all along o' zifter. The girl hath got a hankering after this fon of a whore of a lord. I vound 'em together at my coufin, my Lady Bellafton's. He hath turned the head o' her, that's certain-but d-n me if he fhall ha her.-I'll ha no lords nor courtiers in my vamily.'

Allworthy now made a long fpeech, in which he repeated his refolution to avoid all violent measures, and very earneftly recommended gentle methods to Mr Western, as thofe by which he might be affured of fucceeding belt with his daughter. He then took his leave, and returned back to Mrs Miller, but was forced to comply with the earnest intreaties of the fquire, in promifing to bring Mr Jones to vifit him that afternoon, that he might, as he faid, make all matters up with the young gentleman.' At Mr Allworthy's departure, Weitern promifed to follow his advice in his behaviour to Sophia, faying, I don't know how 'tis, but d-n me, Allworthy, if you don't make * me always do juft as you please; and yet I have as good an efteate as you, and am in the commiffion of the peace as well as yourself.'

Wherein the history begins to draw towards a conclufion:

WE

HEN Allworthy returned to his lodgings, he heard Mr Jones was juft arrived before him. He hurried therefore inftantly into an empty chamber, whither he ordered Mr Jones to be brought to him alone.

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It is impoffible to conceive a more tender or moving fcene, than the meeting between the uncle and the nephew, (for Mrs Waters, as the reader may well fuppofe, had at her laft vifit difcovered the fecret of his birth.) The first agonies of joy which were felt on both fides, are indeed beyond my power to defcribe: I fhall not therefore attempt it. After Allworthy had raised Jones from his feet, where he had proftrated himfelf, and received him into his arms, 'O my child,' he cried, how have I been to blame! how have I injured you! What • amends can I ever make you for thofe unkind, those unjuft fufpicions which I have entertained; and for all the fufferings they have occafioned to you?' 'Am I not now made amends?' cries Jones, would not my fufferings, if they had been ten times greater, have been now richly repaid? O my dear uncle! this goodness, this tenderness overpowers, unmans, destroys me. I cannot bear the tranfports which flow fo faft upon me. To be again reftored to your prefence, to your favour; to be once more, thus kindly received by my great, my noble, my generous benefactor.'- Indeed, child,' cries Allworthy, I have used you cruelly.'-He then explained to him all the treachery of Blifil, and again repeated expreffions of the utmolt concern, for having been induced by that treachery to ufe him fo ill. O talk not so,' aufwered Jones; indeed, Sir, you have used me nobly. The wifeft man might be deceived as you were, and under fuch a deception, the beft must have acted juft as you did. Your goodnefs difplayed itfelf in the midft of your anger, juft as it then feemed. I owe every thing to that goodness, of which I have been most unworthy. Do not put me on felf-accufation, by carrying your generous fentiments too far. Alas, Sir, I have not been punished more than I have deferved; and it fhall be the whole bufinefs of my future life to deferve that happiness you now beftow on me; for believe me, my dear uncle, my punishment hath not been thrown away upon me: though I have been a great, I am not a hardened finner: I thank Heaven I have had time to reflect on my past life, where, though I cannot charge myself with any grofs villainy, yet I can difcern follies and vices more than enough to repent and to be

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afhamed of; follies which have been attended with dreadful confequences to myself, and have brought me to the brink of deftruction.' 6 I am rejoiced, my dear 'child,' anfwered Allworthy, to hear you talk thus • fenfibly; for, as 1 am convinced hypocrify (good Heaven, how have I been impofed on by it in others!) was never among your faults, fo I can readily believe all you fay. You now fee, Tom, to what dangers imprudence alone may fubject virtue, (for virtue, I am now convinced you love in a great degree) Prudence is

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indeed the duty which we owe to ourselves; and if we ⚫ will be fo much our own enemies as to neglect it, we are not to wonder if the world is deficient is discharging their duty to us; for when a man lays the foundation of his own ruin, others will, I am afraid, be too apt to build upon it. You fay, however, you have seen your errors, and will reform them. I firmly believe you, my dear child; and therefore, from this moment, " you shall never more be reminded of them by me. 'member them only yourself fo far as, for the future, to teach you the better to avoided them ;. but still remember, for your comfort, that there is this great difference between those faults which candour may construe into imprudence, and those which can be deduced from • villainy only. The former, perhaps, are even more apt to fubject a man to ruin; but, if he reform, his character will, at length, be totally retrieved; the world, though not immediately, will in time be reconciled to him; and he may reflect, not without fome mixture of pleasure, on the dangers he hath escaped; but villainy, my bay, when once difcovered, is irretrieveable; the ftains which this leaves behind, no time will wash away. The cenfures of mankind will pursue the wretch, their fcorn will abash him in public; and if fhame drives him into retirement, he will go to it with all thofe terrors with which a weary child, who is afraid of hobgoblins, retreats from company to go to bed alone. Here his murdered confcience will haunt ' him. Repose, like a false friend, will fly from him. Where-ever he turns his eyes, horror prefents itself; if he looks backward, unavailable repentance treads on his heels; if forward, incurable defpair ftares him in

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Book XVIII. the face; till, like a condemned prifoner confined in a dungeon, he detefts his prefent condition, and yet dreads the confequence of that hour which is to relieve him from it. Comfort yourself, I fay, my child, that this is not your cafe; and rejoice, with thankfulness to him who hath fuffered you to fee your errors, before they have brought on you that deftruction to which a perfiftance in even thofe errors must have led you. You have deferted them; and the profpect now before you is fuch, that happiness feems in your own power,'-At thefe words Jones fetched a deep figh; upon which, when Allworthy remonftrated, he faid, Sir, I will conceal nothing from you; I fear there is one confequence of my vices I fhall never be able to retrieve. O my dear · uncle, I have loft a treasure.'- - You need say no 'more,' anfwered Allworthy; I will be explicit with you; I know what you lament; I have feen the young lady, and have difcourfed with her concerning you. This I muft infift on, as an earnest of your fincerity in all you have faid, and of the ftcdaftness of your refolution, that you obey me in one inftance; to abide entirely by the determination of the young lady, whether it fhall be in your favour or no. She hath already fuffered enough from folicitations which I hate to think of; fhe fhall owe no further constraint to my family; I know her father will be as ready to torment her now on your account, as he hath formerly been on another's; but I am determined fhe fhall fuffer no more confinement, no more violence, no more uneafy hours.'-' O my dear uncle,' anfwered Jones, lay, I befeech you, fome command on me, in which I fhall have fome merit in obedience. Believe me, Sir, the only instance in which I could difobey you, would be to give an uneafy moment to my Sophia. No, Sir, if I am fo miferable to have incurred her difpleafure beyond all hope of forgivenefs, that alone, with the dreadful reflection of caufing her mifery, will be fufficient to overpower me. To call Sophia mine is the greatest, and now the only additional bleffing which Heaven can bestow; but it is a bleffing which I muft owe to her alone.' • I will not flatter you, child,' cries Allworthy; I fear your caufe is desperate: I never faw ftronger marks of an unalte

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rable refolution in any perfon, than appeared in her • vehement declarations against receiving your addresses ; for which, perhaps you can account better than myfelf. Oh, Sir! I can account too well,' answered Jones; I have finned against her beyond all hope of pardon; and, guilty as I am, my guilt unfortunately appears to her in ten times blacker than the real colours. 0 my dear uncle, I find my follies are irretrievable ; and all your goodnefs cannot fave me from perdition.” A fervant now acquainted them, that Mr Western was below ftairs; for. his eagerness to fee Jones could not wait till the afternoon. Upon which Jones, whofe eyes were full of tears, begged his uncle to entertain Western a few minutes, till he a little recovered himself: to which the good man confented; and having ordered Mr Western to be fhewn into the parlour, went down to him.

Mrs Miller no fooner heard that Jones was alone, (for fhe had not yet feen him fince his releafe from prifon), than fhe came eagerly into the room, and advancing towards Jones, wifhed him heartily joy of his new-found uncle, and his happy reconciliation; adding, I wish I could give you joy on another account, my dear child; but any thing fo inexorable I never faw.'

Jones, with fome appearance of furprise, asked her what fhe meant? Why then,' fays he, I have been with your young lady, and have explained all matters to her, as they were told me by my fon Nightingale. She can have no longer any doubt about the let ter, that I am certain; for I told her my fon Nightin gale was ready to take his oath, if the pleased, that it C was all his own invention, and the letter of his inditing. I told her the very reafon of fending the letter ought to recommend you to her the more, as it was all C upon her account, and a plain proof that you was refolved to quit your profligacy for the future; that you had never been guilty of a fingle inftance of infidelity to her fince your feeing her in town. I am afraid I went too far there, but Heaven forgive me; I hope your future behaviour will be my juftification. I am fure I have faid all I can; but all to no purpose. She remains inflexible. She fays, fhe had forgiven many faults on account of youth, but expreffed fuch deteftation of the