-But I know not what I am saying.-Pray do, proceed in that story."

Booth so immediately complied with this request, that it is possible he was pleased with it. To say the truth, if all which unwittingly dropt from Miss Matthews was put together, some

conclusions might, it seems, be drawn from the whole, which could not convey a very agreeable idea to a constant husband. Booth therefore proceeded to relate what is written in the Third Book of this History.

CHAP. I.

In which Mr Booth resumes his Story.

"IF I am not mistaken, madam," continued Booth, "I was just going to acquaint you with the Doctor's opinion, when we were interrupted by the keeper.

"The Doctor having heard counsel on both sides, that is to say, Mrs Harris for my staying, and Miss Betty for my going, at last delivered his own sentiments. As for Amelia, she sat silent, drowned in her tears; nor was I myself in a much better situation.

"As the commissions are not signed,' said the Doctor, I think you may be said to remain in your former regiment; and therefore I think you ought to go on this expedition: your duty to your king and country, whose bread you have eaten, requires it; and this is a duty of too high a nature to admit the least deficiency. Regard to your character likewise requires you to go: for the world, which might justly blame your staying at home if the case was even fairly stated, will not deal so honestly by you: you must expect to have every circumstance against you heightened, and most of what makes for your de fence omitted: and thus you will be stigmatized as a coward, without any palliation. As the malicious disposition of mankind is too well known, and the cruel pleasure which they take in destroying the reputations of others, the use we are to make of this knowledge is to afford no handle to reproach; for, bad as the world is, it seldom falls on any man who hath not given some slight cause for censure, though this, perhaps, is often aggravated ten thousand fold; and when we blame the malice of the aggravation, we ought not to forget our own imprudence in giving the occasion. Remember, my boy, your honour is at stake; and you know how nice the honour of a soldier is in these cases. This is a treasure which he must be your enemy indeed

who would attempt to rob you of. Therefore you ought to consider every one as your enemy who, by desiring you to stay, would rob you of your honour.'

"Do you hear that, sister?' cries Miss Betty.

Yes, I do hear it,' answered Amelia, with more spirit than I ever saw her exert before, 'and would preserve his honour at the expence of my life. I will preserve it, if it should be at that expence; and since it is Dr Harrison's opinion that he ought to go, I give my consent. Go, my dear husband,' cried she, falling upon her knees, may every angel of heaven guard and preserve you.'-I cannot repeat her words without being affected," said he, wiping his eyes, "the excellence of that woman no words can paint. Miss Matthews, she hath every perfection in human nature.

"I will not tire you with the repetition of any more that past on that occasion, nor with the quarrel that ensued between Mrs Harris and the Doctor; for the old lady could not submit to my leaving her daughter in her present condition. She fell severely on the army, and cursed the day in which her daughter was married to a soldier, not sparing the Doctor for having had some share in the match. I will omit likewise the tender scene which passed between Amelia and myself previous to my departure.”

"Indeed I beg you would not," cries Miss Matthews; "nothing delights me more than scenes of tenderness. I should be glad to know, if possible, every syllable which was uttered on both sides."

"I will indulge you, then," cries Booth, "as far as is in my power. Indeed I believe I am able to recollect much the greatest part; for the impression is never to be effaced from my memory."

He then proceeded as Miss Matthews desired; but lest all our readers should not be of her opinion, we will, according to our usual custom, endeavour to accommodate ourselves to every taste, and shall therefore place this scene in a chapter by itself, which we desire all our readers who do

than words dropped from her; however, she seemed resolved to bear her affliction with resignation. But when the dreadful news arrived, that the horses were ready, and I, having taken my leave of all the rest, at last approached her; she was unable to support the conflict with nature any longer; and clinging round my neck, she cried, Farewell, farewell for ever: for I shall never, never see you more.' At which words the blood entirely forsook her lovely cheeks, and she became a lifeless corpse in my arms.

"Amelia continued so long motionless, that the Doctor, as well as Mrs Harris, began to be under the most terrible apprehensions: so they informed me afterwards; for at that time I was incapable of making any observation. I had indeed very little more use of my senses than the dear creature whom I supported. At length, however, we were all delivered from our fears; and life again visited the loveliest mansion that human nature ever afforded it.

"I had been, and yet was so terrified with what had happened, and Amelia continued yet so weak and ill, that I determined, whatever might be the consequence, not to leave her that day: which resolution she was no sooner acquainted with, than she fell on her knees, crying, 'Good Heaven, I thank thee for this reprieve at least. Oh! that every hour of my future life could be. crammed into this dear day!'

"Our good friend the Doctor remained with us. He said, he had intended to visit a family in some affliction; but I don't know,' says he, "why I should ride a dozen miles after affliction, when we have enough here.'-Of all mankind the Doctor is the best of comforters. As his excessive good-nature makes him take vast delight in the office; so his great penetration into the human mind, joined to his great experience, renders him the most wonderful proficient in it; and he so well knows when to sooth, when to reason, and when to ridicule, that he never applies any of those arts improperly, which is almost universally the case with the physicians of the mind, and which it requires very great judgment and dexterity to avoid.

"The Doctor principally applied himself to ridiculing the dangers of the siege, in which he succeeded so well, that he sometimes forced a smile even into the face of Amelia. But what most comforted her, were the arguments he used to convince her of the probability of my speedy, if not immediate return. He said, the general opinion was, that the place would be taken before our arrival there; in which case, we should have nothing more to do, than to make the best of our way home again.

"Amelia was so lull'd by these arts, that she passed the day much better than I expected. Though the Doctor could not make pride strong enough to conquer love, yet he exalted the former to make some stand against the latter; insomuch that my poor Amelia, I believe, more

than once, flattered herself, to speak the language of the world, that her reason had gained an entire victory over her passion; till love brought up a reinforcement, if I may use that term, of tender ideas, and bore down all before him.

"In the evening, the Doctor and I passed another half hour together, when he proposed to me to endeavour to leave Amelia asleep in the morning, and promised me to be at hand when she awaked, and to support her with all the assistance in his power. He added, that nothing was more foolish, than for friends to take leave of each other. It is true, indeed,' says he, in the common acquaintance and friendship of the world, this is a very harmless ceremony; but between two persons who really love each other, the church of Rome never invented a penance half so severe as this, which we absurdly impose on ourselves.'

"I greatly approved the Doctor's proposal; thanked him, and promised, if possible, to put it in execution. He then shook me by the hand, and heartily wished me well, saying, in his blunt way, Well, boy, I hope to see thee crowned with laurels at thy return; one comfort I have, at least, that stone walls and a sea will prevent thee from running away.'

"When I had left the Doctor, I repaired to my Amelia, whom I found in her chamber, employed in a very different manner from what she had been the preceding night; she was busy in packing up some trinkets in a casket, which she desired me to carry with me. This casket was her own work, and she had just fastened it as I came to her.

"Her eyes very plainly discovered what had passed while she was engaged in her work; however, her countenance was now serene, and she spoke, at least, with some chearfulness. But after some time, You must take care of this casket, Billy,' said she, You must, indeed, Billy; for'- -here passion almost choaked her, till a flood of tears gave her relief, and then she proceeded For I shall be the happiest woman that ever was born when I see it again.'-I told her, with the blessing of God, that day would soon come.- Soon !' answered she; 'No, Billy, not soon; a week is an age :- -but yet the happy day may come. It shall, it must, it will! -Yes, Billy, we shall meet, never to part again: -even in this world I hope.'-Pardon my weakness, Miss Matthews, but upon my soul I cannot help it," cried he, wiping his eyes.-" Well, I wonder at your patience, and I will try it no longer. Amelia, tired out with so long a struggle between a variety of passions, and having not closed her eyes during three successive nights, towards the morning fell into a profound sleep; in which sleep I left her; and, having dressed myself with all the expedition imaginable, singing, whistling, hurrying, attempting by every method to banish thought, I mounted my horse,

which I had over-night ordered to be ready, and galloped away from that house where all my treasure was deposited.

"Thus, madam, I have, in obedience to your commands, run through a scene, which, if it hath been tiresome to you, you must yet acquit me of having obtruded upon you. This I am convinced of, that no one is capable of tasting such a scene, who hath not a heart full of tenderness, and perhaps not even then, unless he hath been in the same situation."

CHAP. III.

In which Mr Booth sets forward on his Journey.

"WELL, madam, we have now taken our leave of Amelia. I rode a full mile before I once suffered myself to look back; but now being come to the top of a little hill, the last spot I knew which could give me a prospect of Mrs Harris's house, my resolution failed; I stopped, and cast my eyes backward. Shall I tell you what I felt at that instant? I do assure you I am not able. So many tender ideas crowded at once into my mind, that, if I may use the expression, they almost dissolved my heart. And now, madam, the most unfortunate accident came first into my head. This was, that I had, in the hurry and confusion, left the dear casket behind me. The thought of going back at first suggested itself; but the consequences of that were too apparent. I therefore resolved to send my man, and in the mean time to ride on softly on my road. He immediately executed my orders, and after some time, feeding my eyes with that delicious and yet heart-felt prospect, I at last turned my horse to descend the hill, and proceeded about a hundred yards, when, considering with myself, that I should lose no time by a second indulgence, I again turned back, and once more feasted my sight with the same painful pleasure, till my man returned, bringing me the casket, and an account that Amelia still continued in the sweet sleep I left her. I now suddenly turned my horse for the last time, and with the utmost resolution pursued my journey.

"I perceived my man at his return-but before I mention any thing of him, it may be proper, madam, to acquaint you who he was. He was the foster-brother of my Amelia. This young fellow had taken into his head to go into the army; and he was desirous to serve under my command. The Doctor consented to discharge him; his mother yielded at last to his importunities; and I was very easily prevailed on to list one of the handsomest young fellows in England.

"You will easily believe I had some little partiality to one whose milk Amelia had sucked; but as he had never seen the regiment, I had no opportunity to shew him any great mark of fa

vour. Indeed he waited on me as my servant; and I treated him with all the tenderness which can be used to one in that station.

"When I was about to change into the horseguards, the poor fellow began to droop, fearing that he should no longer be in the same corps with me, though certainly that would not have been the case. However, he had never mentioned one word of his dissatisfaction.-He is indeed a fellow of a noble spirit; but when he heard that I was to remain where I was, and that we were to go to Gibraltar together, he fell into transports of joy, little short of madness. In short, the poor fellow had imbibed a very strong affection for me; though this was what I knew nothing of till long after.

all

When he returned to me then, as I was saying, with the casket, I observed his eyes over blubbered with tears. I rebuked him a little too rashly on this occasion. Heyday!' says I, what is the meaning of this? I hope I have not a milk-sop with me. If I thought you would shew such a face to the enemy, I would leave you behind.'-'Your honour need not fear that,' answered he; ' I shall find nobody there that I shall love well enough to make me cry.' I was highly pleased with this answer, in which I thought I could discover both sense and spirit. I then asked him what had occasioned those tears since he had left me; (for he had no sign of any at that time;) and whether he had seen his mother at Mrs Harris's? He answered in the negative, and begged that I would ask him no more questions; adding, that he was not very apt to cry, and he hoped he should never give me such another opportunity of blaming him. I mention this only as an instance of his affection towards me; for I never could account for those tears, any otherwise than by placing them to the account of that distress in which he left me at that time. We travelled full forty miles that day without baiting; when arriving at the inn where I intended to rest that night, I retired immediately to my chamber, with my dear Amelia's casket, the opening of which was the nicest repast, and to which every other hunger gave way.

"It is impossible to mention to you all the little matters with which Amelia had furnished this casket. It contained medicines of all kinds, which her mother, who was the Lady Bountiful of that country, had supplied her with. The most valuble of all to me was a lock of her dear hair, which I have from that time to this worn in my bosom. What would I have then given for a little picture of my dear angel, which she had lost from her chamber about a month before? and which we had the highest reason in the world to imagine her sister had taken away; for the suspicion lay only between her and Amelia's maid, who was of all creatures the honestest, and whom her mistress had often trusted with things of much greater value: for the picture, which was set in gold, and had two or three little dia

monds round it, was worth about twelve guineas only; whereas Amelia left jewels in her care of much greater value."

"Sure," cries Miss Matthews," she could not be such a paltry pilferer."

"Not on account of the gold or the jewels," cries Booth. "We imputed it to mere spite, with which, I assure you, she abounds; and she knew that, next to Amelia herself, there was nothing which I valued so much as this little picture; for such a resemblance did it bear to the original, that Hogarth himself did never, I believe, draw a stronger likeness. Spite, therefore, was the only motive to this cruel depredation; and indeed her behaviour on the occasion sufficiently convinced us both of the justice of our suspicion, though we neither of us durst accuse her; and she herself had the assurance to insist very strongly (though she could not prevail) with Amelia to turn away her innocent maid, saying, she would not live in the house with a thief."

Miss Matthews now discharged some curses on Miss Betty, not much worth repeating, and then Mr Booth proceeded in his relation.

CHAP. IV.

A Sea Piece.

"THE next day we joined the regiment, which was soon after to embark. Nothing but mirth and jollity were in the countenance of every of ficer and soldier; and as I now met several friends whom I had not seen for above a year before, I passed several happy hours, in which poor Amelia's image seldom obtruded itself to interrupt my pleasure. To confess the truth, dear Miss Matthews, the tenderest of passions is capable of subsiding; nor is absence from our dearest friends so unsupportable as it may at first appear. Distance of time and place do really cure what they seem to aggravate; and taking leave of our friends resembles taking leave of the world; concerning which it hath been often said, that it is not death, but dying which is terrible."-Here Miss Matthews burst into a fit of laughter, and cried, "I sincerely ask your pardon, but I cannot help laughing at the gravity of your philosophy." Booth answered, that the doctrine of the passions had been always his favourite study; that he was convinced every man acted entirely from that passion which was uppermost: "Can I then think," said he, " without entertaining the utmost contempt for myself, that any pleasure upon earth could drive the thoughts of Amelia one instant from my mind?

"At length we embarked on board a transport, and sailed for Gibraltar; but the wind, which was at first fair, soon chopped about; so that we were obliged, for several days, to beat to windward, as the sea phrase is. During this time,

the taste which I had of a sea-faring life did not appear extremely agreeable. We rolled up and down in a little narrow cabin, in which were three officers, all of us extremely sea-sick; our sickness being much aggravated by the motion of the ship, by the view of each other, and by the stench of the men. But this was but a little taste indeed of the misery which was to follow: for we were got about six leagues to the westward of Scilly, when a violent storm arose at north-east, which soon raised the waves to the height of mountains. The horror of this is not to be adequately described to those who have never seen the like. The storm began in the evening, and as the clouds brought on the night apace, it was soon entirely dark; nor had we, during many hours, any other light than what was caused by the jarring elements, which frequently sent forth flashes, or rather streams of fire; and whilst these presented the most dreadful objects to our eyes, the roaring of the winds, the dashing of the waves against the ship and each other, formed a sound altogether as horrible for our ears; while our ship, sometimes lifted up, as it were, to the skies, and sometimes swept away at once as into the lowest abyss, seemed to be the sport of the winds and seas. The captain himself almost gave all for lost, and expressed his apprehension of being inevitably cast on the rocks of Scilly, and beat to pieces. And now, while some on board were addressing themselves to the Supreme Being, and others applying for comfort to strong liquors, my whole thoughts were entirely engaged by my Amelia. A thousand tender ideas crowded into my mind. I can truly say, that I had not a single consideration about myself, in which she was not concerned. Dying to me was leaving her; and the fear of never seeing her more, was a dagger stuck in my heart. Again, all the terrors with which this storm, if it reached her ears, must fill her gentle mind on my account, and the agonies which she must undergo, when she heard of my fate, gave me such intolerable pangs, that I now repented my resolution, and wished, I own I wished, that I had taken her advice, and preferred love and a cottage to all the dazzling charms of honour.

"While I was tormenting myself with these meditations, and had concluded myself as certainly lost, the master came into the cabin, and with a chearful voice assured us that we had escaped the danger, and that we had certainly passed to the westward of the rock. This was comfortable news to all present; and my captain, who had been sometine on his knees, leaped suddenly up, and testified his joy with a great oath.

"A person unused to the sea would have been astonished at the satisfaction which now discovered itself in the master or in any on board: for the storm still raged with great violence, and the day-light which now appeared, presented us