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'Very far from it,' replied she, "in my opinion.'

Pray, what faults,' said he, 'can you find in her?' 'In the first place,' cries Mrs. James, 'her eyes are too large; and she hath a look with them that I don't know 'how to describe; but I know I don't like it. Then her eyebrows are too large; therefore, indeed, she doth all ' in her power to remedy this with her pincers; for if it was not for those her eyebrows would be preposterous. 'Then her nose, as well proportioned as it is, has a 'visible scar on one side. Her neck likewise is too pro'tuberant for the genteel size, especially as she laces her'self; for no woman, in my opinion, can be genteel who 'is not entirely flat before. And lastly, she is both too 'short and too tall.-Well, you may laugh, Mr. James, 'I know what I mean, though I cannot well express it,'I mean, that she is too tall for a pretty woman, and too 'short for a fine woman.-There is such a thing as a 'kind of insipid medium-a kind of something that is neither one thing or another. I know not how to express it more clearly; but when I say such a one is a pretty woman, a pretty thing, a pretty creature, you 'know very well I mean a little woman; and when I say such a one is a very fine woman, a very fine person เ of a woman, to be sure I must mean a tall woman. 'Now a woman that is between both is certainly neither 'the one nor the other.'

'Well, I own,' said he, 'you have explained yourself 'with great dexterity; but, with all these imperfections, 'I cannot help liking her.'

'That you need not tell me, Mr. James,' answered the lady; for that I knew before you desired me to invite 'her to your house. And nevertheless, did not I, like an obedient wife, comply with your desires? did I make any objection to the party you proposed for the masquerade, though I knew very well your motive? what

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can the best of wives do more? to procure you success is not in my power; and, if I may give you my opinion, 'I believe you never will succeed with her.'

'Is her virtue so very impregnable ?' said he, with a

sneer.

'Her virtue,' answered Mrs. James, 'hath the best 'guard in the world, which is a most violent love for 'her husband.'

'All pretence and affectation,' cries the colonel. It is 'impossible she should have so little taste, or indeed, so 'little delicacy, as to like such a fellow.'

'Nay, I do not much like him myself,' said she.-' He 'is not indeed at all such a man as I should like; but 'I thought he had been generally allowed to be handเ some.'

'He handsome!' cries James. What, with a nose 'like the proboscis of an elephant, with the shoulders of a porter, and the legs of a chairman? The fellow ' hath not the least look of a gentleman; and one would ' rather think he hath followed a plough than a camp 'all his life.'

'Nay, now I protest,' said she, 'I think you do him injustice. He is genteel enough, in my opinion. It 'is true, indeed, he is not quite of the most delicate make; but, whatever he is, I am convinced she thinks him the finest man in the world.'

'I cannot believe it,' answered he peevishly' will you invite her to dinner here to-morrow?'

But

you.

'With all my heart, and as often as you please,' answered she.' But I have some favours to ask of '-First, I must hear no more of going out of town till 'I please.'

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Very well,' cries he.

'In the next place,' said she, 'I must have two hundred 'guineas within these two or three days.'

Well, I agree to that too,' answered he.

'And when I do go out of town, I go to Tunbridge'I insist upon that; and from Tunbridge I go to Bath -positively to Bath. And I promise you faithfully I ' will do all in my power to carry Mrs. Booth with me.' 'On that condition,' answered he, 'I promise you you 'shall go wherever you please. And to shew you I will even prevent your wishes by my generosity, as soon ' as I receive the five thousand pounds, which I am going 'to take up on one of my estates, you shall have two 'hundred more.'

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She thanked him with a low curtesy; and he was in such good humour that he offered to kiss her. To this kiss she coldly turned her cheek-and then flirting her fan, said-- Mr. James, there is one thing I forgot to 'mention to you-I think you intended to get a com'mission in some regiment abroad for this young man.— Now, if you would take my advice, I know this will not oblige his wife; and besides, I am positive she resolves 'to go with him.—But if you can provide for him in 'some regiment at home, I know she will dearly love you for it; and when he is ordered to quarters she will be left behind-and Yorkshire or Scotland, I think, is 'as good a distance as either of the Indies.'

'Well, I will do what I can,' answered James; 'but 'I cannot ask any thing yet; for I got two places of a 'hundred a year each for two of my footmen within 'this fortnight.'

At this instant, a violent knock at the door signified the arrival of their company; upon which, both husband and wife put on their best looks to receive their guests; and, from their behaviour to each other during the rest of the day, a stranger might have concluded he had been in company with the fondest with the fondest couple in the universe.

CHAPTER II.

Matters political.

BEFORE we return to Booth, we will relate a scene in which Dr. Harrison was concerned.

This good man, while in the country, happened to be in the neighbourhood of a nobleman of his acquaintance, and whom he knew to have very considerable interest with the ministers at that time.

The doctor, who was very well known to this nobleman, took this opportunity of paying him a visit, in order to recommend poor Booth to his favour. Nor did he much doubt of his success, the favour he was to ask being a very small one, and to which he thought the service of Booth gave him so just a title.

anon.

The doctor's name soon gained him an admission to the presence of this great man, who, indeed, received him with much courtesy and politeness; not so much perhaps from any particular regard to the sacred function, nor from any respect to the doctor's personal merit, as from some considerations which the reader will perhaps guess After many ceremonials, and some previous discourse on different subjects, the doctor opened the business, and told the great man, that he was come to him to solicit a favour for a young gentleman who had been an officer in the army, and was now on half-pay. All the 'favour I ask, my lord,' said he, 'is, that this gentle( man may be again admitted ad eundem. I am con'vinced your lordship will do me the justice to think I 'would not ask for a worthless person; but, indeed, the young man I mean hath very extraordinary merit. He was at the siege of Gibraltar, in which he behaved with

distinguished bravery; and was dangerously wounded at two several times in the service of his country. I ' will add, that he is at present in great necessity, and hath a wife and several children, for whom he hath no ' other means of providing; and if it will recommend 'him farther to your lordship's favour, his wife, I believe, ' is one of the best and worthiest of all her sex.'

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As to that, my dear doctor,' cries the nobleman, 'I 'shall make no doubt. Indeed, any service I shall do 'the gentleman will be upon your account. As to necessity, it is the plea of so many, that it is impossible to serve them all. And with regard to the personal merit ' of these inferior officers, I believe, I need not tell you 'that it is very little regarded. But if you recommend 'him, let the person be what he will, I am convinced 'it will be done; for I know it is in your power at present to ask for a greater matter than this.'

'I depend entirely upon your lordship,' answered the doctor.

Indeed, my worthy friend,' replied the lord, 'I will 'not take a merit to myself, which will so little belong 'to me. You are to depend on yourself. It falls out very luckily too at this time, when you have it in your power so greatly to oblige us.'

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What, my lord, is in my power?' cries the doctor. 'You, certainly, know,' answered his lordship, 'how 'hard colonel Trompington is run at your town in the 'election of a mayor; they tell me t will be a very near thing, unless you join us. But we know it is in your power to do the business, and turn the scale. I heard your name mentioned the other day on that account; and I know you may have any thing in reason if you I will give us your interest.'

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'Sure, my lord,' cries the doctor, you are not in earnest in asking my interest for the colonel ?'

VOL. IX.

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