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'have enjoyed a few days with yourself and the children, 'with no other person but Mrs. Atkinson, for whom I ' have conceived a violent affection, and who would have 'given us but little interruption. However, if you have 'promised, I must undergo the penance.' 'Nay, child,' cried he, I am sure I would have refused, could I have guessed it had been in the least disagreeable to you; though I know your objection.'-' Objection!' cries Amelia, eagerly, 'I have no objection.' 'Nay, nay,' said he, come, be honest, I know your objection, though you are unwilling to own it.' 'Good Heavens!' cried Amelia, frightened, 'what do you mean? what 'objection?' 'Why,' answered he, 'to the company of 'Mrs. James; and I must confess she hath not behaved 'to you lately as you might have expected; but you ought to pass all that by for the sake of her husband, 'to whom we have both so many obligations; who is 'the worthiest, honest, and most generous fellow in the 'universe, and the best friend to me that ever man had.'

Amelia who had far other suspicions, and began to fear that her husband had discovered them, was highly pleased, when she saw him taking a wrong scent. She gave, therefore, a little into the deceit, and acknowledged the truth of what he had mentioned; but said that the pleasure she should have in complying with his desires, would highly recompense any dissatisfaction which might arise on any other account; and shortly after ended the conversation on this subject with her cheerfully promising to fulfil his promise.

In reality, poor Amelia had now a most unpleasant task to undertake; for she thought it absolutely necessary to conceal from her husband the opinion she had conceived of the colonel. For, as she knew the characters, as well of her husband as of his friend, or rather enemy (both being often synonymous in the language of

the world), she had the utmost reason to apprehend something very fatal might attend her husband's entertaining the same thought of James which filled and tormented her own breast.

And as she knew that nothing but these thoughts could justify the least unkind, or, indeed, the least reserved behaviour to James, who had, in all appearance, conferred the greatest obligations upon Booth and herself, she was reduced to a dilemma, the most dreadful that can attend a virtuous woman, as it often gives the highest triumph, and sometimes no little advantage, to the men of professed gallantry.

In short, to avoid giving any umbrage to her husband, Amelia was forced to act in a manner which she was conscious must give encouragement to the colonel; a situation which, perhaps, requires as great prudence and delicacy, as any in which the heroic part of the female character can be exerted.

CHAPTER III.

A conversation between doctor Harrison and others.

THE next day, Booth and his lady, with the doctor, met at colonel James's, where colonel Bath likewise made one of the company.

Nothing very remarkable passed at dinner, or till the ladies withdrew. During this time, however, the behaviour of colonel James was such as gave some uneasiness to Amelia, who well understood his meaning, though the particulars were too refined and subtle to be observed by any other present.

When the ladies were gone, which was as soon as

Amelia could prevail on Mrs. James to depart, colonel Bath, who had been pretty brisk with champagne at dinner, soon began to display his magnanimity. My 'brother tells me, young gentleman,' said he to Booth, 'that you have been used very ill lately by some rascals; ' and I have no doubt but you will do yourself justice.'

Booth answered, that. he did not know what he meant. 'Since I must mention it then,' cries the colonel, 'I 'hear you have been arrested; and I think you know 'what satisfaction is to be required by a man of honour.'

'I beg, Sir,' says the doctor, no more may be men'tioned of that matter. I am convinced, no satisfaction 'will be required of the captain, till he is able to 'give it.'

'I do not understand what you mean by able,' cries the colonel. To which the doctor answered, that it was of too tender a nature to speak more of.

'Give me your hand, doctor,' cries the colonel; 'I see you are a man of honour, though you wear a gown. It is, as you say, a matter of a tender nature. Nothing, indeed, is so tender as a man's honour. Curse my liver, 'if any man—I mean, that is, if any gentleman, was to 'arrest me I would as surely cut his throat as-' 'How, Sir!' said the doctor, would you compensate one breach of the law by a much greater, and pay your 'debts by committing murder?'

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'Why do you mention law between gentlemen?' says the colonel. A man of honour wears his law by his side; and can the resentment of an affront make a gentleman guilty of murder? and what greater affront can one man cast upon another, than by arresting him? I am convinced, that he who would put up an arrest, would put up a slap in the face.'

Here the colonel looked extremely fierce, and the divine stared with astonishment at this doctrine; when

Booth, who well knew the impossibility of opposing the colonel's humour with success, began to play with it; and having first conveyed a private wink to the doctor, he said, there might be cases undoubtedly where such an affront ought to be resented; but that there were others, where any resentment was impracticable: As for instance,' said he, where the man is arrested by a เ woman.'

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'I could not be supposed to mean that case,' cries the colonel; and you are convinced I did not mean it.'

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To put an end to this discourse at once, Sir,' said the doctor, I was the plaintiff, at whose suit this gen'tleman was arrested.'

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'Was you so, Sir!' cries the colonel; then I have no more to say. Women and the clergy are upon the 'same footing. The long-robed gentry are exempted

'from the laws of honour.'

'I do not thank you for that exemption, Sir,' cries the doctor; and if honour and fighting are, as they seem to 'be, synonymous words with you, I believe there are some clergymen, who, in defence of their religion, or 'their country, or their friend, the only justifiable causes 'of fighting, except bare self-defence, would fight as 'bravely as yourself, colonel; and that without being paid for it.'

Sir, you are privileged,' says the colonel, with great dignity; 'and you have my leave to say what you please.

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I respect your order, and you cannot offend me.'

'I will not offend you, colonel,' cries the doctor; and our order is very much obliged to you, since you profess 'so much respect to us, and pay none to our Master.'

'What master, Sir!' said the colonel.

'That Master,' answered the doctor, who hath expressly forbidden all that cutting of throats, to which discover so much inclination.'

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'O! your servant, Sir,' said the colonel; 'I see what you are driving at; but you shall not persuade me to 'think that religion forces me to be a coward.'

'I detest and despise the name as much as you can,' cries the doctor; but you have a wrong idea of the 'word, colonel. What were all the Greeks and 'Romans? were these cowards? and yet, did you ever 'hear of this butchery, which we call duelling, among 'them ?'

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'Yes, indeed, have I,' cries the colonel.

• What else 'is all Mr. Pope's Homer full of, but duels? Did not, 'what's his name, one of the Agamemnons fight with 'that paltry rascal Paris? and Diomede with, what d'ye 'call him there; and Hector with, I forget his name, he 'that was Achilles's bosom-friend; and afterwards with Achilles himself? Nay, and in Dryden's Virgil, is 'there any thing almost besides fighting ?'

'You are a man of learning, colonel,' cries the doctor; 'but-'

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'I thank you for that compliment,' said the colonel.— No, Sir, I do not pretend to learning; but I have some 'little reading, and I am not ashamed to own it.'

'But are you sure, colonel,' cries the doctor, 'that you 'have not made a small mistake? for I am apt to believe, both Mr. Pope and Mr. Dryden (though I cannot เ say I ever read a word of either of them), speak of 6 wars between nations, and not of private duels; for 'of the latter, I do not remember one single instance in 'all the Greek and Roman story. In short, it is a 'modern custom, introduced by barbarous nations since 'the times of Christianity; though it is a direct and 'audacious defiance of the Christian law, and is consequently much more sinful in us, than it would have been in the heathens.'

'Drink about, doctor,' cries the colonel; 'and let us