have the fatisfaction of preferving my family, not*withstanding the headstrong folly of my brother, who in his own opinion, is the wifeft man in the world.' Nightingale, who well knew his uncle to be as headftrong as his father, fubmitted to attend him home, and then they both returned back into the room, where the old gentleman promised to carry himself with the fame decorum which he had before maintained.

CHA P. X.

A fhort chapter, which concludes the book.

THE

HE long abfence of the uncle and nephew had occafioned fome difquiet in the minds of all whom they had left behind them; and the more, as during the preceding dialogue, the uncle had more than once elevated his voice, so as to be heard down ftairs, which though they could not diftinguish what he faid, had caufed fome evil foreboding in Nancy and her mother, and indeed even in Jones himfelf.

When the good company therefore again affembled, there was a vifible alteration in all their faces; and the good humour which at their last meeting univerfally fhone forth in every countenance, was now changed into a much lefs agreeable afpect. It was a change indeed common enough to the weather in this climate, from sunshine to clouds, from June to December.

This alteration was not however greatly remarked by any prefent; for as they were all now endeavour, ing to conceal their own thoughts, and to act a part, they became all too bufily engaged in the fcene to be fpectators of it. Thus neither the uncle nor nephew faw any fymptoms of fufpicion in the mother or daughter; nor did the mother or daughter remark the over-acted complaifance of the old man, nor the counterfeit fatisfaction which grinned in the features of the young one.

Something like this, I believe frequently happens, where the whole attention of two friends being engaged in the part which each is to act, in order to impofe on the other, neither fees nor fufpects the art

practifed against himself; and thus the thruft of both (to borrow no improper metaphor on the occafion) alike takes place.

From the fame reason it is no unusual thing for both parties to be over-reached in a bargain, tho' the one must be always the greater lofer; as was he who fold a blind horse, and received a bad note in payment.

Our company in about half an hour broke up, and the uncle carried off his nephew; but not before the latter had affured Mifs Nancy, in a whisper, that he would attend her early in the morning, and fulfil all his engagements.

Jones, who was the least concerned in this fcene, faw the most. He did indeed fufpect the very fact; for befides obferving the great alteration in the behaviour of the uncle, the distance he affumed, and his overftrained civility to Mifs Nancy; the carrying off a bridegroom from his bride at that time of night, was fo extraordinary a proceeding, that it could be accounted for, only by imagining that young Nightingale had revealed the whole truth, which the apparent openness of his temper, and his being fluftered with liquor, made too probable.

While he was reasoning with himself, whether he fhould acquaint thefe poor people with his fufpicion, the maid of the house informed him, that a gentlewoman defired to fpeak to him. He went immediately out, and taking the candle from the maid, ufhered his vifitant up ftairs, who in the perfon of Mrs. Honour. acquainted him with fuch dreadful news concerning his Sophia, that he immediately loft all confideration for every other perfon; and his whole flock of compaffion was entirely fwallowed up in reflections on his own mifery, and on that of his unfor tunate angel.

What this dreadful matter was, the reader will be informed, after we have first related the many preceding fteps which produced it, and thofe will be the fubject of the following book.

END of the EIGHTH VOLUME.