it into any one's Head to do you a Mischief, by acquainting them that it is in their Power.

We must now return to Mrs. Heartfree, who past a fleepless Night in as great Agonies and Horrour for the Abfence of her Husband, as a fine well-bred Woman would feel at the Return of her's from a long Voyage or Journey. In the Morning the Children being brought to her, the eldeft afked where dear Papa was? At which he could not refrain from bursting into Tears. The Child perciving it, faid, Don't cry, Mamma, I am fure Papa would not stay abroad, if he could help it. At which Words fhe caught the Child in her Arms, and throwing herself into the Chair, in an Agony of Paffion, cried out, No, my Child, nor fhall all the Malice of Hell keep us long afunder.

THESE are Circumftances which we fhould not, for the Amusement of fix or feven Readers only, have inferted, had they not ferved to fhew, that there are Weakneffes in vulgar Life, which are com

monly

monly called Tenderness; to which GREAT MINDS are so entirely Strangers, that they have not even an Idea of them; and, secondly, by expofing the Folly of this low Creature, to fet off and elevate that GREATNESS, which we endeavour to draw a true Portrait of in this History.

WILD entering the Room, found the Mother with one Child in her Arms, and the other at her Knee. After paying her his Compliments, he defired her to dismiss the Children and Servant, for that he had fomething of GREAT Moment to impart to her.

SHE immediately complied with his Request, and, the Door being fhut, asked him with great Eagerness if he had fucceeded in his Intentions of procuring the Bail. He answered, he had not endeavoured at it yet; for a Scheme had entered into his Head, by which the might certainly preferve her Husband, herself, and her Family. In order to which he advised her inftantly to remove with the most valuable Jewels fhe had to Holland, before any Sta

tute

tute of Bankruptcy iffued to prevent her; that he would himself attend her thither, and place her in Safety, and then return to deliver her Husband, who would be easily able to fatisfy his Creditors. He added, that he was that Inftant come from Snap's, where he had communicated the Scheme to Heartfree, who had greatly approved it, and defired her to put it in Execution without Delay, concluding that a Moment was not to be loft.

THE Mention of her Husband's Approbation left no Doubt in this poor Woman's Breast, the only defired a Moment's Time to pay him a Vifit, in order to take her Leave. But Wild peremptorily refused; he faid by every Moment's Delay the risqued the Ruin of her Family; that she would be absent only a few Days from him; adding, that if he had not Refolution enough to execute the Commands he brought her from her Husband, his Ruin would lie at her Door, and, for his own Part, he must give up any farther meddling in his Affairs.

VOL. III.

M

SHE

SHE then propofed to take her Children with her; but Wild would not permit it, faying, they would only retard their Flight, and that it would be properer for her Hufband to bring them. He at length abfolutely prevailed on this poor Woman, who immediately packed up the most valuable Effects fhe could find, and, after taking a tender Leave of her Infants, earnestly commended them to the Care of a very faithful Servant. Then they called a HackneyCoach, which conveyed them to an Inn, where they were furnished with a Chariot and fix, in which they fet forward for Harwich.

WILD rode with an exulting Heart; fecure, as he now thought himself, of the Poffeffion of that lovely Woman, together with a rich Cargo. In fhort, he enjoyed in his Mind all the Happiness which unbridled Luft and rapacious Avarice could promife him. As to the poor Creature, who was to fatisfy these Paffions, her whole Soul was employed in reflecting on the Condition of her Hufband and Children.

3

dren. A fingle Word fcarce escaped her Lips; while a Flood of Tears gushed from her brilliant Eyes, which, if I may use a coarfe Expreffion, ferved only as delicious. Sauce to heighten the Appetite of Wild.

СНАР. Х..

Sea-Adventures very new and fur

WHE

prizing.

HEN they arrived at Harwich, they found a Veffel, which had put in there, just ready to depart for Rotterdam. So they went immediately on Board, and failed with a fair Wind; but they had hardly proceeded out of Sight of Land, when a fudden and violent Storm arofe, and drove them to the South Weft; fo that the Captain apprehended it impoffible to avoid the Goodwin Sands, and he and all his Crew gave themselves for lost. Mrs. Heartfree, who had no other Apprehenfions from Death, but those of leaving her dear Hufband and Children, fell on