Jones: I fay luckily; for he would have died on the fpot rather than have parted with it.

Jones likewife, with his friend Partridge, fet forward the moment he had paid his reckoning, in queft of his lovely Sophia, whom he now refolved never more to abandon the pursuit of. Nor could he bring himself even to take leave of Mrs. Waters; of whom be detefted the very thoughts, as fhe had been, tho' not defignedly, the occafion of his miffing the happieft interview with Sophia, to whom he now vowed eternal conftancy.

As for Mrs. Waters, fhe took the opportunity of the coach which was going to Bath; for which place the fet out in company with the two Irith gentlemen, the landlady kindly lending her her clothes; in return for which the was contented only to receive about double their value, as a recompence for the loan. Upon the road fhe was perfectly reconciled to Mr. Fitzpatrick, who was a very handfome fellow, and indeed did all fhe could to confole him in the abfence of his wife.

Thus ended the many odd adventures which Mr. Jones encountered at his inn at Upton, where they talk, to this day, of the beauty and lovely behaviour of the charming Sophia, by the name of the Somerfetfhire angel.

B

CHAP. VIII.

In which the hiftory goes backward.

EFORE we proceed any farther in our hiftory, it may be proper to look a little back, in order to account for the extraordinary appearance of Sophia and her father at the inn at Upton.

The reader may be pleased to remember, that, in the ninth chapter of the feventh book of our history, we left Sophia, after a long debate between love and duty, deciding the caufe, as it ufually, I believe, happens, in favour of the former..

This debate had arifen, as we have there fhewn, from a vifit which her father had juft before made her,

1

in order to force her confent to a marriage with Blifil: and which he understood to be fully implied in her acknowledgment, " that the neither mult, nor could refufe any abfolute command of his."

Now from this vifit the 'fquite retired to his evening potation, overjoyed at the fuccets he had gained with his daughter; and as he was of a foçial difpofition, and willing to have partakers in his happiness, the beer was ordered to flow very liberally into the kitchen; fo that before eleven in the evening, there was not a fingle perfon fober in the house, except only Mrs. Weltern herfelf, and the charming Sophia.

Early in the morning a meilenger was dispatched to fummon Mr. Blifit: for though the Tquire imagined that young gentleman had been much leis acquainted than he really was, with the former averfion of his daughter; as he had not, however, yet received her content, he longed impatiently to communicate it to him, not doubting but that the intended bride herfelf would confirm it with her lips. As to the wedding, it had the evening before been fixed, by the male parties, to be celebrated on the next morning fave one.

Breakfast was now fet forth in the parlour, where · Mr. Blifil attended, and where the 'fquire and his tifter likewife were assembled ; and now Sophia was ordered to be called.

O, Shakespear, had I thy pen! O, Hogarth, had: I thy pencil! then would I draw the picture of the poor ferving man, who, with pale countenance, staring eyes, chattering teeth, faultering tongue, and i trembling limbs,

(E'en fuch a man, so faint, so spiritlefs,
So dull, fo dead in look, fo woe-be-gone,
Drew Priam's curtains in the dead of night,
And would have told him, half his Troy was
burn'd);

entered the room and declared, That Madam So-.phia was not to be found.

Not to be found!' cries the 'fquire, ftarting from his chair: Zounds and damnation! Blood and fury! Where, when, how, what,Not to be found! • Where?'

La! Brother,' faid Mrs. Western, with true political coldness, you are always throwing yourself into fuch violent paffions for nothing. My niece, I fuppofe, is only walked out into the garden. I protelt you are grown fo unreafonable, that it is impoffible to live in the houfe with you.'

• Nay, nay,' answered the 'fquire, returning as fuddenly to himself, as he had gone from himfelf; if that be all the matter, it fignifies not much; but, upon my fout, my mind mifgave me, when the fellow faid fhe was not to be found.' He then gave orders for the bell to be rung in the garden, and fat himself contentedly down.

No two things could be more the reverfe of each other than were the brother and fifter, in mostinftances, particularly in this, That as the brother never forefaw any thing at a distance. but was most fagacious in immediately feeing every thing the moment it had happened; fo the fifter eternally forefaw at a distance, but was not fo quick-fighted to objects before her eyes. Of both thefe the reader may have obferved examples: and, indeed, both their several talents were exceffive: for as the filter often forefaw what never came to pass, fo the brother often faw much more than was actually the truth.

This was not however the cafe at prefent. The fame report was brought from the garden, as before had been brought from the chamber, that Madam Sophia was not to be found.

The 'fquire himfelf now fallied forth, and began to roar forth the name of Sophia as loudly, and in as hoarie a voice as whilome did Hercules that of Hylas : and as the poet tells us, that the whole fhore echoed back the name of that beautiful youth; fo did the houfe, the garden, and all the neighbouring fields, refound nothing but the name of Sophia, in the hoarfe voices of the men. and in the fhrill pipes of the women; while echo feemed to pleased to repeat the be

loved found, that, if there is really fuch a perfon, I believe Ovid hath belied her fex.

Nothing reigned for a long time but confufion; till at lalt the 'fquire, having fufficiently fpent his breath, returned to the parlour, where he found Mrs. Western and Mr. Blifil, and threw himfelf, with the urmoft dejection in his countenance, into a great chair.

Here Mrs. Weltern began to apply the following

confolation:

"Brother, I am forry for what hath happened; " and that my niece thould have behaved herself in a manner fo unbecoming her family; but it is all your own doings, and you have nobody to thank "but yourself. You know the hath been educated

always in a manner directly contrary to my advice, " and now you fee the confequence. Have I not a "thousand times argued with you about giving my "niece her own will? But you know I never could

prevail upon you; and when I had taken fo much "pains to eradicate her headftrong opinions, and "to rectify your errors in policy, you know the was "taken out of my hands; fo that I have nothing to

anfwer for. Had I been trufted entirely with the

care of her education, no such accident as this "had ever befallen you: fo that you must comfort "yourself by thinking it was all your own doing; and indeed what else could be expected from fuch indulgence?".

"Zounds! fifter," answered he, " you are enough to make one mad. Have I indulged her? Have I "given her her will? - -It was no longer ago than "laft night that I threatened, if the difobeyed me, to confine her to her chamber, upon bread and water, as long as the lived.-You would provoke "the patience of Job."

"Did ever mortal hear the like?" replied the. "Brother, if I had not the patience of fifty Jobs, you would make me forget all decency and decocorum Why would you interfere? Did I not beg you, did I not intreat you, to leave the whole con"du&t to me? You have defeated all the operations

"of

Would any

of the campaign by one falfe ftep. "man in his fenfes have provoked a daughter by "fuch threats as thefe? How often have I told you, "that English women are not to be treated like Ciracaflian flaves. We have the protection of the world: we are to be won by gentle means only, and not to be hectored, and bullied, and beat into compliance. I thank Heaven, no Salique law governs here Brother, you have a roughness in your "manner which no woman but myfelf would bear. "I do not wonder my niece was frightened and ter"rified into taking this meafure; and, to speak ho

neftly, I think my niece will be juftified to the "world for what fhe hath done. I repeat it to you

again, brother, you must comfort yourfelf, by re"membering that it is all your own fault. How often "have 1 advifed-" Here Western rofe haftily from his chair, and, venting two or three horrid imprecations, ran out of the room.

When he was departed, his fifter expreffed more bitterness (if poffible) against him, than the had done while he was prefent; for the truth of which the appealed to Mr. Blifil, who, with great complacence, acquiefced entirely in all the faid; but excufed all the faults of Mr. Western, as they must be confidered,'he faid, to have proceeded from the too inordinate: • fondness of a father, which must be allowed the *name of an amiable weaknefs.' So much the more inexcufable,' answered the lady; for whom doth he ruin by his fondness, but his own child?' To which Blifil immediately agreed.

Mrs. Western then began to express great confufion › on the account of Mr. Blifil, and of the ufage which he had received from a family to which he intended. fo much honour. On this fubject the treated the folly of her piece with great feverity; but concluded with throwing the whole on her brother, who, fhe faid, was inexcufable to have proceeded fo far without better affurances of his daughter's confent: But he was,' fays fhe, always of a violent, headftrong temper; and

Polibly Circaffian.

I'