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the great change in the temper of her daughter, who from being, fhe faid, one of the livelieft, merrieft girls in the world, was, on a fudden, become all gloom and melancholy.

Sleep, however, at length got the better of all resistance; and now, as if he had already been a deity, as the ancients imagined, and an offended one too, he feemed to enjoy his dear-bought conqueft.-To speak fimply, and without any metaphor, Mr Jones flept till eleven the next morning, and would perhaps have continued in the fame quiet fituation much longer, had not a violent uproar a

wakened him.

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Partridge was now fummoned, who, being asked what was the matter, answered, that there was a dreadful hurricane below ftairs; that Mifs Nancy was in fits; and that the other fifter, and the mother, were both crying and lamenting over her. Jones expreffed much concern at this news, which Partridge endeavoured to relieve, by faying with a fmile, he fancied the young lady was in no danger of death; for that Sufan (which was the name of the maid) had given him to understand, it was nothing more than a common affair. In fhort,' faid he, Mifs Nancy hath had a mind to be as wife as her mother, that's all; fhe was a little hungry, it feems, and fo fat • down 'to dinner before grace was faid; and fo there is a child coming for the Foundling-Hofpital.'- Prithee leave thy ftupid jefting,' cries Jones; is the misery of thefe poor wretches a fubject of mirth? Go immediately to Mrs Miller, and tell her, I beg leave--Stay, you ⚫ will make fome blunder; I will go myfelf; for fhe defired me to breakfast with her." He then rofe, and dreffed himself as faft as he could: and while he was dreffing, Partridge, notwithstanding many fevere rebukes, could not avoid throwing forth certain pieces of brutali ty, commonly called jefts, on this occafion. Jones was no fooner dreffed, than he walked down ftairs, and knocking at the door, was presently admitted by the maid into the outward parlour, which was as empty of company as it was of any aparatus for eating. Mrs Miller was in the inner room with her daughter, whence the maid pre fently brought a meffage to Mr Jones, That her mistress hoped he would excufe the disappointment, but an acci

dent had happened, which made it impoffible for her to have the pleasure of his company at breakfast that day; and begged his pardon for not fending him up notice fooner. Jones defired fhe would give herfelf no trouble about any thing fo trifling as his difappointment; that he was heartily forrry for the occafion; and that if he could be of any fervice to her, fhe might command him.

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He had fcarce spoke these words, when Mrs Miller, who heard them all, fuddenly threw open the door, and coming out to him, in a flood of tears, faid, 'O Mr Jones, you are certainly one of the beft young men alive. I give you a thousand thanks for your kind offer of your fervice; but, alas! Sir, it is out of your power to preferve my poor girl.-O my child, my child! fhe is undone, fhe is ruined for ever!' I hope, Madam,' faid Jones, no villain,'-O Mr Jones,' faid fhe, that villain who yesterday left my lodgings, hath betrayed my poor girl; hath deftroyed her. I know you are a man of honour. You have a good-a noble heart, Mr Jones. The actions to which I have been myself a witness could proceed from no other. I will tell I will tell you all; nay, indeed, it is impoffible, after what hath happened, to keep it a ⚫ fecret. That Nightingale, that barbarous villaia, hath • undone my daughter. She is she is-oh! Mr Jones, 6 my girl is with child by him; and in that condition he hath deferted her. Here! here, Sir, is his cruel letter: read it, Mr Jones, and tell me if fuch another monster lives.'

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The letter was as follows.

· DEAR NANCY,

A

S I found it impoffible to mention to you what, I am afraid, will be no lefs fhocking to you than it is to me, I have taken this method to inform you, that my father infifts upon my immediately paying my addreffes to a young lady of fortune, whom he hath pro'vided for my-I need not write the detefted word. Your own good understanding will make you sensible, how entirely I am obliged to an obedience, by which I fhall be forever excluded from your dear arms. The • fondness of your mother may encourge you to truft her with the unhappy confequence of our love, which may

be easily kept a fecrét from the world, and for which I will take care to provide, as I will for you. I wish you may feel lefs on this account than I have fuffered : but fummon all your fortitude to your affistance, and 'forgive and forget the man, whom nothing but the profpect of certain ruin could have forced to write this letWhen I bid you to forget me, I mean only as a lover; but the best of friends you shall ever find in Your faithful, though unhappy,

• ter.

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J. N.'

When Jones had read this letter, they both ftood filent during a minute, looking at each other. At laft he began thus: I cannot express, Madam, how much I am shocked at what I have read; yet let me beg you, in one particular, to take the writer's advice. Confider the reputation of your daughter.' It is gone, it is loft, Mr Jones,' cried the, as well as her innocence. She received the let⚫ter in a room full of company, and immediately fwooning away upon opening it, the contents were known to every one present. But the lofs of her reputation, bad as it is, is not the worft; I fhall lofe my child; fhe hath attempted twice to deftroy herself already and though the hath been hitherto prevented, vows the will • not outlive it; nor could I myself outlive any accident of that nature.-What then will become of my little Betsy, a helpless infant orphan? And the poor little • wretch will, I believe, break her heart at the miferies with which fhe fees her fifter and myself distracted, while fhe is ignorant of the cause. O'tis the most senfible, and beft-natured little thing. The barbarous cruel-hath destroyed us all. O my poor children! Is this the reward of all my cares? Is this the fruit of all my profpects? Have I fo chearfully undergone all the labours and duties of a mother? Have I been fo • tender of their infancy, so careful of other education? Have I been toiling fo many years, denying myfelf even the conveniencies "of life, to provide fome little fuftenance for them, to lose one or both in fuch a man. ner Indeed, Madam,' faid Jones, with tears in his eyes, I pity you from my foul.'"O Mr Jones,' anfwered the even you, though I know the goodness of

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your heart, can have no idea of what I feel. The best, the kindeft, and moft dutiful of children! O my poor Nancy, the darling of my foul! the delight of my eyes; the pride of my heart: too much, indeed, my pride: for to thofe foolish, ambitious hopes, arifing from her beauty, I owe her ruin. Alas! I faw with pleasure the liking which this young man had for her. I thought it an honourable affection, and flattered my foolish vanity with the thoughts of feeing her married to one fo much her fuperior. And a thousand times in my prefence, nay, often in yours, he hath endeavoured to foothe and encourage thefe hopes by the moft generous expreffions of difinterefted love, which he hath always directed to my poor girl, and which I, as well as the, believed to be real. Could I have believed that thefe were only fnares laid to betray the innocence of my child, and for the ruin of us all!'-At these words little Betfy came running into the room, crying, ‹ Dear Mamma, for Heaven's fake come to my fifter; for fhe is in another fit, and my coufin can't hold her.' Mrs Miller immediately obeyed the fummons; but first ordered Betsy to stay with Mr Jones, and begged him to entertain her a few minutes, faying, in the most pathetic voice, Good Heaven! let me preserve one of my children at least.'

Jones, in compliance with this requeft, did all he could to comfort the little girl, though he was, in reality, himfelf very highly affected with Mrs Miller's ftory. He told her, her fifter would be foon very well again: that by taking on in that manner fhe would not only make her fifter worse, but make her mother ill too • Indeed, Sir,' fays fhe, I would not do any thing to hurt them for the world. I would burst my heart • rather than they fhould fee me cry.- But my poor fifter can't fee me cry.-I am afraid fhe will never be able to fee me cry any more. Indeed, I can't part with her; indeed I can't.-And then poor Mamma too, what will become of her?-She fays fhe will die too, and leave me but I am refolved I won't be left behind.' And are you not afraid to die, my little Betfy" faid Jones. Yes,' anfwered fhe, I was always afraid to die, because I must have left my Mamma, and my fifter; but I am not afraid to go any where with thofe I love."

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Jones was fo pleased with this anfwer, that he eagerly kiffed the child; and foon after Mrs Miller returned, faying, 'She thanked Heaven Nancy was now come to herfelf. And now, Betfy,' fays fhe, you may go in ;

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your fifter is better, and longs to fee you.' She then turned to Jones, and began to renew her apologies for having difappointed him of his breakfast. į

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I hope, Madam,' faid Jones, I fhall have a more ex quifite repaft than any you could have provided for me. This, I affure you, will be the cafe, if I can do any fer⚫vice to this little family of love. But whatever fuccefs may attend my endeavours, I am refolved to attempt it. I am very much deceived in Mr Nightingale, if, notwithstanding what hath happened, he hath not much goodnefs of heart at the bottom, as well as a very "violent affection for your daughter. If this be the • cafe, I think the picture which I fhall lay before him, will affect him. Endeavour, Madam, to comfort yourfelf, and Mifs Nancy, as well as you can. I will go inftantly in queft of Mr Nightingale; and I hope to bring you good news.'

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Mrs Miller fell upon her knees, and invoked all the bleffing of Heaven upon Mr Jones; to which the afterwards added the moit paffionate expreffions of gratitude.' He then departed to find Mr Nightingale, and the good woman returned to comfort her daughter, who was fomewhat cheared at what her mother told her; and both joined in refounding the praifes of Mr Jones.

CHA P. VII.

The interview between Mr Jones and Mr Nightingale.

T

HE good or evil we confer on others very often, I believe, recoils on ourselves. For as men of a benign difpofition enjoy their own acts of beneficence equally with those to whom they are done, fo there are scarce any natures fo entirely diabolical, as to be capable of doing injuries, without paying themfelves fome pangs for the ruin which they bring on their fellow-creatures.

Mr Nightingale, at leaft, was not fuch a perfon. On the contrary, Jones found him in his lodgings, fitting melancholy by the fire, and filently lamenting the unVOL. II.

H

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