This Alteration was not however greatly remarked by any prefent; for as every one was now endeavouring to conceal their own Thoughts, and to act a Part, they became all too bufily engaged in the Scene to be Spectators of it. Thus neither the Uncle nor Nephew faw any Symptoms of Sufpicion in the Mother or Daughter; nor did the Mother or Daughter remark the over-acted Complaifance of the old Man, nor the counterfeit Satisfaction. 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 Thrust 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, though the one must be always the greater Lofer; as was he who fold a blind 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 af. fured Mifs Nancy, in a Whisper, that he would attend her early in the Morning, and fulfil all his Engagements. Jones, who was the leaft concerned in this Scene, faw the moft. 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.. overstrained Civility to Mifs Nancy; the carrying off a Bridegroom from his Bride at that Time of Night, was fo extraordi nary a Proceeding, that it could be only accounted for, by imagining that young Nightingale had revealed the whole Truth, which the apparent Opennefs of his Temper, and his being flustered with Liquor, made too pro- : bable. While he was reasoning with himself, whether he should acquaint thefe poor People with his Sufpicion, the Maid of the House informed him, that a Gentlewoman defired to speak with him. He went VOL.V. K imme up immediately out, and taking the Candle from the Maid, ufhered his Vifitant Stairs, 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 Stock of Compaffion was entirely fwallowed up in Reflections on his own Mifery, and on that of his unfortunate Angel. What this dreadful Matter was, the Reader will be informed, after we have first related the many preceding Steps which produced it, and those will be the Subject of the following Book, THE THE HISTORY OF A FOUNDLING. BOOK XV. In which the History advances about two Days. T CHAP. I. Too short to need a Preface. HERE are a Set of Religious, or rather Moral Writers, who teach that Virtue is the certain Road to Happiness, and Vice to Mifery in this World. A very wholfome and comfortable K 2 Doctrine, Doctrine, and to which we have but one Indeed if by Virtue thefe Writers mean, the Exercife of thofe Cardinal Virtues, which like good Houfe-wives stay at home, and mind only the Business of their own Family, I fhall very readily concede the Point: For fo furely do all these contribute and lead to Happiness, that I would almost wish, in Violation of all the antient and modern Sages, to call them rather by the Name of Wisdom, than by that of Virtue: For with regard to this Life, no System, I conceive, was ever wiser than that of the antient Epicureans, who held this Wisdom to conftitute the chief Good; nor foolisher than that of their Oppofites, thofe modern Epicures, who place all Felicity in the abundant Gratification of every fenfual Appetite. But if by Virtue is meant (as I almost think it ought) a certain relative Quality, which is always bufying itself without Doors, and feems as much interested in pursuing the Good of others as its own; I cannot fo eafily agree that this is the fureft way to human Happiness; because I am afraid we must then include Poverty and Contempt, with 2 the |