is said to them: to whom Nature hath neither indulged the offensive nor defensive weapons of deceit, and who are constantly liable to be imposed upon by any one, who will only be at the expense of a little falsehood for that purpose. Mrs Western having drained Mrs Miller of all she knew, which indeed was but little, but which was sufficient to make the aunt suspect a great deal, dismissed her with assurances that Sophia would not see her, that she would send no answer to the letter, nor ever receive another; nor did she suffer her to depart without a handsome lecture on the merits of an office, to which she could afford no better name than that of procuress. This discovery had greatly discomposed her temper, when coming into the apartment next to that in which the lovers were, she overheard Sophia very warmly protesting against his lordship's addresses. At which the rage already kindled, burst forth, and she rushed in upon her niece in a most furious manner, as we have already described, together with what passed at that time till his lordship's departure.

No sooner was Lord Fellamar gone, than Mrs Western returned to Sophia, whom she upbraided in the most bitter terms, for the ill use she had made of the confidence reposed in her; and for her treachery in conversing with a man with whom she had offered but the day before to bind herself in the most solemn oath, never more to have any conversation. Sophia protested she had maintained no such conversation. "How, how! Miss Western," said the aunt, "will you deny your receiving a letter from him yesterday?"-" A letter, madam!" answered Sophia, somewhat surprised." It is not very well bred, miss," replies the aunt, "to repeat my words. I say a letter, and insist upon your shewing it me immediately."-" I scorn a lie, madam," said Sophia; "I did receive a letter, but it was without my desire, and indeed I may say against my consent."-" Indeed, indeed, miss," cries the aunt," you ought to be ashamed of owning you had received it at all; but where is the letter? for I will see it."

To this peremptory demand, Sophia paused some time before she returned an answer; and at last only excused herself by declaring she had not the letter in her pocket, which was indeed true; upon which her aunt, losing all manner of patience, asked her niece this short question, whether she would resolve to marry Lord Fellamar or no? to which she received the strongest negative. Mrs Western then replied with an oath, or something very like one, that she would early the next morning deliver her back into her father's hand.

Sophia then began to reason with her aunt in the following manner: "Why, madam, must I of necessity be forced to marry at all? Consider how cruel you would have thought it in your own case, and how much kinder your pa

VOL. I.

rents were in leaving you to your liberty. What have I done to forfeit this liberty? I will never marry contrary to my father's consent, nor without asking yours:-and when I ask the consent of either improperly, it will be then time enough to force some other marriage upon me."-" Can I bear to hear this," cries Mrs Western," from a girl who hath now a letter from a murderer in her pocket ?"—"I have no such letter I promise you," answered Sophia; " and if he be a murderer, he will soon be in no condition to give you any further disturbance."—" How, Miss Western," said the aunt, "have you the assurance to speak of him in this manner, to own your affection for such a villain to my face!"-" Sure, madam," said Sophia, "you put a very strange construction on my words."-" Indeed, Miss Western," cries the lady, "I shall not bear this usage; you have learnt of your father this manner of treating me; he hath taught you to give me the lie. He hath totally ruined you by his false system of education; and, please heaven, he shall have the comfort of its fruits: for once more I declare to you, that to-morrow morning I will carry you back. I will withdraw all my forces from the field, and remain henceforth, like the wise king of Prussia, in a state of perfect neutrality. You are both too wise to be regulated by my measures; so prepare yourself, for to-mor row morning you shall evacuate this house."

Sophia remonstrated all she could; but her aunt was deaf to all she said. In this resolu tion, therefore, we must at present leave her, as there seems to be no hopes of bringing her to change it.

CHAP. IX.

What happened to Mr Jones in the prison.

MRJONES passed above twenty-four melancholy hours by himself, unless when relieved by the company of Partridge, before Mr Nightingale returned: not that this worthy young man had deserted or forgot his friend; for, indeed, he had been much the greatest part of the time employed in his service.

He had heard, upon enquiry, that the only persons who had seen the beginning of the unfortunate rencounter, were a crew belonging to a man of war, which then lay at Deptford. To Deptford, therefore, he went in search of this crew, where he was informed, that the men he sought after were all gone ashore. He then traced them from place to place, till at last he found two of them drinking together with a third person, at a hedge-tavern, near Aldersgate.

Nightingale desired to speak with Jones by himself, (for Partridge was in the room when he came in). As soon as they were alone, Nightingale, taking Jones by the hand, cried, "Come, 2 G

my brave friend, be not too much dejected at what I am going to tell you.-I am sorry I am the messenger of bad news; but I think it my duty to tell you." "I guess already what that bad news is," cries Jones. "The poor gentleman, then, is dead." -"I hope not," answered Nightingale. "He was alive this morning: though I will not flatter you; I fear, from the accounts I could get, that his wound is mortal. But, if the affair be exactly as you told it, your own remorse would be all you have reason to apprehend, let what would happen; but forgive me, my dear Tom, if I entreat you to make the worst of your story to your friends. If you disguise any thing to us, you will only be an enemy to yourself."

"What reason, my dear Jack, have I ever given you," said Jones, " to stab me with so cruel a suspicion ?"-" Have patience," cries Nightingale," and I will tell you all. After the most diligent enquiry I could make, I at last met with two of the fellows who were present at this unhappy accident, and, I am sorry to say, they do not relate the story so much in your favour as you yourself have told it."-"Why, what do they say?" cries Jones.-"Indeed what I am sorry to repeat, as I am afraid of the consequence of it to you. They say, that they were at too great a distance to overhear any words that passed between you; but they both agree that the first blow was given by you."-" Then, upon my soul," answered Jones, "they injure me. He not only struck me first, but struck me with out the least provocation. What should induce those villains to accuse me falsely ?"-" Nay, that I cannot guess," said Nightingale ; "and if you yourself, and I, who am so heartily your friend, cannot conceive a reason why they should belie you, what reason will an indifferent court of justice be able to assign why they should not believe them? I repeated the question to them several times, and so did another gentleman who was present, who I believe is a sea-faring man, and who really acted a very friendly part by you; for he begged them often to consider, that there was the life of a man in the case, and asked them over and over if they were certain; to which they both answered, that they were, and would abide by their evidence upon oath. For heaven's sake, my dear friend, recollect yourself; for, if this should appear to be the fact, it will be your business to think in time of making the best of your interest. I would not shock you; but you know, I believe, the severity of the law, whatever verbal provocations may have been given you.""Alas! my friend," cries Jones," what interest hath such a wretch as I? Besides, do you think I would even wish to live with the reputation of a murderer? If I had any friends, (as, alas! I have none,) could I have the confidence to solicit them to speak in the behalf of a man condemned for the blackest crime in human nature? Believe me, I have no such hope; but

I have some reliance on a throne still greatly superior; which will, I am certain, afford me all the protection I merit."

He then concluded with many solemn and vehement protestations of the truth of what he had at first asserted.

The faith of Nightingale was now again staggered, and began to incline to credit his friend, when Mrs Miller appeared, and made a sorrowful report of the success of her embassy; which, when Jones had heard, he cried out most heroically, "Well, my friend, I am now indifferent as to what shall happen, at least with regard to my life; and, if it be the will of heaven that I shall make an atonement with that for the blood I have spilt, I hope the Divine Goodness will one day suffer my honour to be cleared, and that the words of a dying man, at least, will be believed, so far as to justify his character."

A very mournful scene now passed between the prisoner and his friends, at which, as few readers would have been pleased to be present, so few, I believe, will desire to hear it particularly related. We will, therefore, pass on to the entrance of the turnkey, who acquainted Jones that there was a lady without who desired to speak with him when he was at leisure.

Jones declared his surprise at this message. He said, he knew no lady in the world whom he could possibly expect to see there. However, as he saw no reason to decline seeing any person, Mrs Miller and Mr Nightingale presently took their leave, and he gave orders to have the lady admitted.

If Jones was surprised at the news of a visit from a lady, how greatly was he astonished when he discovered this lady to be no other than Mrs Waters! In this astonishment, then, we shall leave him a while, in order to cure the surprise of the reader, who will likewise, probably, not a little wonder at the arrival of this lady.

Who this Mrs Waters was, the reader pretty well knows; what she was, he must be perfectly satisfied. He will, therefore, be pleased to remember, that this lady departed from Uptou in the same coach with Mr Fitzpatrick and the other Irish gentleman, and in their company travelled to Bath.

Now there was a certain office, in the gift of Mr Fitzpatrick, at that time vacant, namely, that of a wife; for the lady who had lately filled that office had resigned, or at least deserted her duty. Mr Fitzpatrick having, therefore, tho roughly examined Mrs Waters on the road, found her extremely fit for the place, which, on her arrival at Bath, he presently conferred upon her, and she, without any scruple, accepted. As husband and wife this gentleman and lady continued together all the time they stayed at Bath, and as husband and wife they arrived together in town.

Whether Mr Fitzpatrick was so wise a man as not to part with one good thing till he had

secured another, which he had at present only a prospect of regaining; or whether Mrs Waters had so well discharged her office, that he intended still to retain her as principal, and to make his wife (as is often the case) only her deputy, I will not say; but certain it is, he never mentioned his wife to her, never communicated to her the letter given him by Mrs Western, nor ever once hinted his purpose of repossessing his wife; much less did he ever mention the name of Jones. For, though he intended to fight with him wherever he met him, he did not imitate those prudent persons who think a wife, a mother, a sister, or sometimes a whole family, the safest seconds on these occasions. The first account, therefore, which she had of all this, was delivered to her from his lips, after he was brought home from the tavern where his wound had been dressed.

As Mr Fitzpatrick, however, had not the clearest way of telling a story at any time, and was now, perhaps, a little more confused than usual, it was some time before she discovered that the gentleman who had given him this wound was the very same person from whom her heart had received a wound, which, though not of a mortal kind, was yet so deep that it had left a considerable scar behind it. But no sooner was she acquainted that Mr Jones himself was the man who had been committed to the Gatehouse for this supposed murder, than she took the first opportunity of committing Mr Fitzpatrick to the care of his nurse, and hastened away to visit the conqueror.

She now entered the room with an air of gaiety, which received an immediate check from the melancholy aspect of poor Jones, who started and blessed himself when he saw her. Upon which she said, "Nay, I do not wonder at your surprise; I believe you did not expect to see me; for few gentlemen are troubled here with visits from any lady, unless a wife. You see the power you have over me, Mr Jones. Indeed, I little thought, when we parted at Upton, that our next meeting would have been in such a place."-" Indeed, madam," says Jones, "I must look upon this visit as kind; few will follow the miserable, especially to such dismal habitations."-" I protest, Mr Jones," says she, "I can hardly persuade myself you are the same agreeable fellow I saw at Upton. Why, your face is more miserable than any dungeon in the universe. What can be the matter with you?" "I thought, madam," said Jones, "as you knew of my being here, you knew the unhappy reason."-" Pugh," says she, " you have pinked a man in a duel, that's all." Jones expressed some indignation at this levity, and spoke with the utmost contrition for what had happened. To which she answered, "Well then, sir, if you take it so much to heart, I will relieve you. The gentleman is not dead; and, I am pretty confident, is in no danger of dying. The surgeon,

indeed, who first dressed him, was a young fellow, and seemed desirous of representing his case to be as bad as possible, that he might have the more honour from curing him; but the king's surgeon hath seen him since, and says, unless from a fever, of which there are at present no symptoms, he apprehends not the least danger of life." Jones shewed great satisfaction in his countenance at this report; upon which she affirmed the truth of it, adding, "By the most extraordinary accident in the world I lodge at the same house, and have seen the gentleman; and, I promise you, he doth you justice, and says, whatever be the consequence, that he was entirely the aggressor, and that you was not in the least to blame."

Jones expressed the utmost satisfaction at the account which Mrs Waters brought him. He then informed her of many things which she well knew before, as, who Mr Fitzpatrick was, the occasion of his resentment, &c. He likewise told her several facts of which she was ignorant, as the adventure of the muff, and other particulars, concealing only the name of Sophia. He then lamented the follies and vices of which he had been guilty; every one of which, he said, had been attended with such ill consequences, that he should be unpardonable if he did not take warning, and quit those vicious courses for the future. He lastly concluded with assuring her of his resolution to sin no more, lest a worse thing should happen to him.

Mrs Waters, with great pleasantry, ridiculed all this, as the effects of low spirits and confinement. She repeated some witticisms about the devil when he was sick, and told him, she doubted not but shortly to see him at liberty, and as lively a fellow as ever; "and then," says she, "I don't question but your conscience will be safely delivered of all those qualms that it is now so sick in breeding."

Many more things of this kind she uttered, some of which it would do her no great honour, in the opinion of some readers, to remember; nor are we quite certain but that the answers made by Jones would be treated with ridicule by others. We shall, therefore, suppress the rest of this conversation, and only observe, that it ended at last with perfect innocence, and much more to the satisfaction of Jones than of the lady: for the former was greatly transported with the news she had brought him; but the latter was not altogether so pleased with the penitential behaviour of a man, whom she had, at her first interview, conceived a very different opinion of from what she now entertained of him.

Thus the melancholy, occasioned by the report of Mr Nightingale, was pretty well effaced; but the dejection into which Mrs Miller had thrown him still continued. The account she gave, so well tallied with the words of Sophia herself in her letter, that he made not the least

doubt but that she had disclosed his letter to her aunt, and had taken a fixed resolution to abandon him. The torments this thought gave him, were to be equalled only by a piece of news

which fortune had yet in store for him, and which we shall communicate in the second chapter of the ensuing Book.

CHAP. I.

A Farewell to the Reader.

WE are now, reader, arrived at the last stage of our long journey. As we have, therefore, travelled together through so many pages, let us behave to one another like fellow-travellers in a stage-coach, who have passed several days in the company of each other; and who, notwithstand ing any bickerings or little animosities which may have occurred on the road, generally make all up at last, and mount, for the last time, into their vehicle with chearfulness and good-humour; since, after this one stage, it may possibly happen to us, as it commonly happens to them, never to meet more.

As I have here taken up this simile, give me leave to carry it a little farther. I intend, then, in this last Book, to imitate the good company I have mentioned, in their last journey. Now, it is well known, that all jokes and raillery are at this time laid aside; whatever characters any of the passengers have, for the jest-sake, personated on the road, are now thrown off, and the conversation is usually plain and serious.

In the same manner, if I have now and then, in the course of this work, indulged any pleasantry for thy entertainment, I shall here lay it down. The variety of matter, indeed, which I shall be obliged to cram into this Book, will afford no room for any of those ludicrous observations which I have elsewhere made, and which may sometimes, perhaps, have prevented thee from taking a nap when it was beginning to steal upon thee. In this last Book thou wilt find nothing (or at most very little) of that nature. All will be plain narrative only ; and, indeed, when thou hast perused the many great events which this Book will produce, thou wilt think the number of pages contained in it, scarce sufficient to tell the story.

And now, my friend, I take this opportunity (as I shall have no other) of heartily wishing

thee well. If I have been an entertaining companion to thee, I promise thee it is what I have desired. If in any thing I have offended, it was really without any intention. Some things, per haps, here said, may have hit thee or thy friends; but I do most solemnly declare they were not pointed at thee or them. I question not but thou hast been told, among other stories of ine, that thou wast to travel with a very scurrilous fellow: but whoever told thee so, did me an injury. No man detests and despises scurrility more than myself; nor hath any man more reason; for none hath ever been treated with more: and, what is a very severe fate, I have had some of the abusive writings of those very men fathered upon me, who, in other of their works, have abused me themselves with the utmost viru

All these works, however, I am well convinced, will be dead long before this page will offer itself to thy perusal : for, however short the period may be of my own performances, they will most probably outlive their own infirm author, and the weakly productions of his abusive contemporaries.

CHAP. II.

Containing a very tragical incident.

WHILE Jones was employed in those unpleasant meditations, with which we left him tormenting himself, Partridge came stumbling into the room with his face paler than ashes, his eyes fixed in his head, his hair standing on end, and every limb trembling. In short, he looked as he would have done had he seen a spectre, or had he, indeed, been a spectre himself.

Jones, who was little subject to fear, could not avoid being somewhat shocked at this sudden appearance. He did, indeed, himself change colour, and his voice a little faultered, while he asked him what was the matter.

"I hope, sir," said Partridge, "you will not be angry with me. Indeed I did not listen, but

I was obliged to stay in the outward room. I am sure I wish I had been a hundred miles off, rather than have heard what I have heard.""Why, what is the matter?" said Jones." The matter, sir? O good Heaven!" answered Partridge; "was that woman, who is just gone out, the woman who was with you at Upton?" -"She was, Partridge," cries Jones." And did you really, sir, go to bed with that woman?" said he trembling." I am afraid what passed between us is no secret," said Jones.-"Nay, but pray, sir, for heaven's sake, sir, answer me," cries Partridge." You know I did," cries Jones."Why then, the Lord have mercy upon your soul, and forgive you," cries Partridge; "but, sure as I stand here alive, you have been a-bed with your own mother."

Upon these words, Jones became in a moment a greater picture of horror than Partridge himself. He was, indeed, for some time, struck dumb with amazement, and both stood staring wildly at each other. At last his words found way, and, in an interrupted voice, he said, "How! how! What's this you tell me?""Nay, sir," cries Partridge, "I have not breath left enough to tell you now,-but what I have said is most certainly true. That woman who now went out is your own mother. How unlucky was it for you, sir, that I did not happen to see her at that time, to have prevented it! Sure the devil himself must have contrived to bring about this wickedness."

"Sure," cries Jones, "fortune will never have done with me, till she hath driven me to distraction. But why do I blame fortune? I am myself the cause of all my misery. All the dreadful mischiefs which have befallen me, are the consequences only of my own folly and vice. What thou hast told me, Partridge, hath almost deprived me of my senses. And was Mrs Waters, then,-But why do I ask? for thou must certainly know her. If thou hast any affection for me, nay, if thou hast any pity, let me beseech thee to fetch this miserable woman back again O good Heavens! Incest-with a mother! To what am I reserved!" He then fell into the most violent and frantic agonies of grief and despair, in which Partridge declared he would not leave him: but at last, having vented the first torrent of passion, he came a little to himself; and then, having acquainted Partridge that he would find this wretched woman in the same house where the wounded gentleman was lodged, he dispatched him in quest of her.

to me.

If the reader will please to refresh his memory, by turning to the scene at Upton, in the Ninth Book, he will be apt to admire the many strange incidents which unfortunately prevented any interview between Partridge and Mrs Waters, when she spent a whole day there with Mr Jones. Instances of this kind we may frequently observe in life, where the greatest events are produced by a nice train of little circum

stances; and more than one example of this may be discovered by the accurate eye, in this our history.

After a fruitless search of two or three hours, Partridge returned back to his master, without having seen Mrs Waters. Jones, who was in a state of desperation at this delay, was almost raving mad when he brought him this account. He was not long, however, in this condition, before he received the following letter.

"SIR,

"Since I left you, I have seen a gentleman, from whom I have learnt something concerning you, which greatly surprises and affects me ; but as I have not at present leisure to communicate a matter of such high importance, you must suspend your curiosity till our next meeting, which shall be the first moment I am able to see you. O Mr Jones, little did I think, when I passed that happy day at Upton, the reflection upon which is like to embitter all my future life, who it was to whom I owed such perfect happiness. Believe me to be ever sincerely your unfortunate,

"J. WATERS."

"P. S.-I would have you comfort yourself as much as possible; for Mr Fitzpatrick is in no manner of danger; so that, whatever other grievous crimes you may have to repent of, the guilt of blood is not among the number."

Jones, having received the letter, let it drop; for he was unable to hold it, and, indeed, had scarce the use of any one of his faculties. Partridge took it up, and, having received consent by silence, read it likewise; nor had it upon him a less sensible effect. The pencil, and not the pen, should describe the horrors which appeared in both their countenances. While they both remained speechless, the turnkey entered the room, and, without taking any notice of what sufficiently discovered itself in the faces of them both, acquainted Jones that a man without desired to speak with him. This person was presently introduced, and was no other than Black George.

As sights of horror were not so usual to George as they were to the turnkey, he instantly saw the great disorder which appeared in the face of Jones. This he imputed to the accident that had happened, which was reported in the very worst light in Mr Western's family; he concluded, therefore, that the gentleman was dead, and that Mr Jones was in a fair way of coming to a shameful end. A thought which gave him much uneasiness; for George was of a compassionate disposition, and notwithstanding a small breach of friendship, which he had been overtempted to commit, was, in the main, not insensible of the obligations he had formerly received from Mr Jones.