I

Coufin, cries the Man, who had now pretty well recovered himself; this is the Angel from Heaven whom I meant, This is he to whom before I faw you, • owed the Prefervation of my Peggy. He it was to whofe Generofity every Com fort, every Support which I have pro'cured for her was owing. He is indeed the worthiest, bravest, noblest of all human Beings. O, Coufin, I have Obli gations to this Gentleman of fuch a Na• ture!

• Mention nothing of Obligations,' cries Jones eagerly, not a Word, I infift upon it, not a Word. (Meaning, I fuppofe, that he would not have him betray the Affair of the Robbery to any Perfon)

If by the Trifle you have received from me, I have preferved a whole Family, fure Pleasure was never bought fo cheap.

O, Sir, cries the Man, I wish you could this Inftant fee my Houfe. If any Perfon had ever a Right to the Pleasure you mention, I am convinced it is yourself. My Coufin tells me, fhe acquainted you with the Distress in which he found us.

That,

:

•

That, Sir, is all greatly removed, and

• chiefly by your Goodness. My Chil dren have now a Bed to lie on,

• and they have

ger,

they have • eternal Bleffings reward you. for it, they have Bread to eat. My little Boy; is recovered; my Wife is out of Danand I am happy. All, all owing to you, Sir, and to my Coufin here, one of the beft of Women. Indeed, Sir, L • must fee you at my Houfe. Indeed my Wife muft fee you, and thank you. My 'Children too muft exprefs their Grati• tude. Indeed, Sir, they are not without a Senfe of their Obligation; but what is my Feeling when I reflect to whom I owe, that they are now capable of expreffing their Gratitude.

Oh, Sir! the little Hearts-which you have warmed had now been cold as Ice: ⚫ without your Afsistance.'

Here Jones attempted to prevent the poor Man from proceeding; but indeed the Overflowing of his own Heart would of itself have stopped his Words. And now Mrs. Miller likewife began to pour forth Thankf givings, as well in her own Name, as in that of her Coufin, and concluded with

faying,

faying, fhe doubted not but fuch Goodness would meet a glorious Reward.

Jones answered, He had been fufficiently rewarded already. Your Coufin's • Account, Madam, faid he, hath given me a Senfation more pleasing than I have ever known. He must be a Wretch who is unmoved at hearing fuch a Story; how transporting then must be the Thought of having happily acted a Part in this Scene. If there are Men who ⚫ cannot feel the Delight of giving Happiness to others, I fincerely pity them, as they are incapable of tafting what is, in my Opinion, a greater Honour, a higher Intereit, and a fweeter Pleasure, than the ambitious, the avaritious, or the voluptuous Man can ever obtain.

་

The Hour of Appointment being now come, Jones was forced to take a hafty Leave, but not before he had heartily fhaken his Friend by the Hand, and defired to fee him again as foon as poffible; promifing, that he would himfelf take the first Opportunity of vifiting him at his own House. He then ftept into his Chair, and proceeded to Lady Bellafton's, greatly exulting in the Happiness which he had procured to this

poor

poor Family; nor could he forbear reflecting without Horror on the dreadful Confequences which must have attended them, had he liftened rather to the Voice of strict Juftice, than to that of Mercy when he was attacked on the high Road.

Mrs. Miller fung forth the Praifes of Jones during the whole Evening, in which Mr. Enderfon, while he ftayed, so paffionately accompanied her, that he was often on the very Point of mentioning the Cir. cumstances of the Robbery. However, he luckily recollected himself, and avoided an Indifcretion which would have been fo much the greater, as he knew Mrs. Miller to be extremely strict and nice in her Principles. He was likewise well apprized of the Loquacity of this Lady; and yet fuch was his Gratitude, that it had almost got the better both of Difcretion and Shame, and made him publish that which would have defamed his own Character, rather than omit any Circumstances which might do the fulleft Honour to his Benefactor.

CHAP.

M'

R. Jones was rather earlier than the Time appointed, and earlier than the Lady, whofe Arrival was hindered not only by the Distance of the Place where she dined, but by fome other crofs Accidents, very vexatious to one in her Situation of Mind. He was accordingly fhewn into the Drawing Room, where he had not been many Minutes before the Door opened, and in cáme no other than Sophia herfelf, who had left the Play before the End of the firit Act; for this, as we have already faid, being a new Play, at which two lage Parties met, the one to damn, and the other to applaud, a violent Uproar, and an Engagement between the two Parties had fo terrified our Heroine, that he was glad to put herfelf under the Protection of a young Gentleman, who fafely conveyed her to her Chair.

As Lady Bellafton had acquainted her that the fhould not be at Home till late, Sophia expecting to find no one in the Room, came haftily in, and went directly to a Glass which almoft fronted her, with

out