'fee you any more at the ufual Place. I will, if poffible, contrive fome other • Place by To-morrow. In the mean Time, • Adieu.'

This Disappointment, perhaps, the Reader may conclude was not very great; but if it was, he was quickly relieved; for in lefs than an Hour afterwards another Note was brought him from the fame Hand, which contained as follows.

• I have altered my Mind fince I wrote, a Change, which if you are no Stranger. to the tendereft of all Paffions, you will not wonder at. I am now refolved to fee you this Evening, at my own House, • whatever may be the Confequence. Come' to me exactly at feven; I dine abroad, but will be at Home by that Time. A 'Day, I find, to thofe that fincerely love • feems longer than I imagined.

• If you fhould accidentally be a few ⚫ Moments before me, bid them fhew you into the Drawing-Room.'

To confefs the Truth, Jones was lefs pleased with this last Epistle, than he had been with the former, as he was prevented E 4

by

by it from complying with the earnest Entreaties of Mr. Nightingale, with whom he had now contracted much Intimacy and Friendship. These Entreaties were to go with that young Gentleman and his Company to a new Play, which was to be acted that Evening, and which a very large Par ty had agreed to damn, from fome Diflike they had taken to the Author, who was a Friend to one of Mr. Nightingale's Acquaintance. And this Sort of Funn, our Heroe, we are afhamed to confefs, would willingly have preferred to the above kind Appointment; but his Honour got the better of his Inclination.

Before we attend him to this intended Interview with the Lady, we think proper to account for both the preceding Notes, as the Reader may poffibly be not a little furprized at the Imprudence of Lady Bellafton in bringing her Lover to the very House where her Rival was lodged.

First then the Miftrefs of the House where thefe Lovers had hitherto mct, and who had been for fome Years a Penfioner to that Lady, was now become a Methodist, and had that very Morning waited upon her Ladyfhip, and after rebuking

her

her very feverely for her past Life, had pofitively declared, that he would, on no Account, be instrumental in carrying on any of her Affairs for the future.

The Hurry of Spirits into which this Accident threw the Lady, made her despair of poffibly finding any other Convenience to meet Jones that Evening; but as fhe be-gan a little to recover from her Uneafinefs at the Disappointment, she set her Thoughts to work, when luckily it came into her Head to propose to Sophia to go to the Play, which was immediately confented to, and a proper Lady provided for her Compani on. Mrs. Honour was likewife dispatched with Mrs. Etoff on the fame Errand of Pleasure; and thus her own Houfe was. left free for the fafe Reception of Mr. Jones with whom she promised herself two or three Hours of uninterrupted Converfation, after her Return from the Place where she dined, which was at a Friend's Houfe in a pretty diftant Part of the Town, near her old Place of Affignation, where he had engaged herself before fhe was well apprized of the Revolution that had happened in the Mind and Morals of her late Confidante..

A Chapter which, though fhort, may draw Tears from fome Eyes.

M

R. Jones was just dress'd to wait on Lady Bellafton, when Mrs. Miller rapp'd at his Door; and being admitted, very earnestly defired his Company below Stairs to drink Tea in the Parlour.

Upon his Entrance into the Room, she presently introduced a Person to him, saying, This, Sir, is my Coufin, who hath • been fo greatly beholden to your Goodnefs, for which he begs to return you fincereft Thanks.?

his

The Man had fcarce entered upon that Speech, which Mrs. Miller had fo kindly prefaced, when both Jones and he looking ftedfaftly at each other, fhowed at once the utmoft Tokens of Surprize, The Voice of the latter began inftantly to faulter; and, inftead of finishing his Speech, he funk down into a Chair, crying, It is fo, I am convinced it is fo!'

B'efs

Bless me, what's the Meaning of this, cries Mrs. Miller, you are not ill, I hope, Coufin? Some Water, a Dram this • Instant.

Be not frighted, Madam, cries Jones, I have almost as much Need of a Dram as your Coufin. We are equally furprized at this unexpected Meeting. Your Coufin is an Acquaintance of mine, Mrs. • Miller.

An Acquaintance! cries the Man, • Oh Heaven!

Ay, an Acquaintance, repeated Jones', and an honoured Acquaintance too. When I do not love and honour the 'Man who dares venture every thing to 'preferve his Wife and Children froin in• stant Destruction, may I have a Friend capable of difowning me in Adverfity.

O you are an excellent young Man, • cries Mrs. Miller, yes, indeed, poor • Creature! he hath ventured every thing -If he had not had one of the best of Constitutions it must have killed him.