Ch.14. AND now, Reader, as thou canst be in no Sufpence for the Fate of our GREAT MAN, fince we have returned him fafe to the principal Scene of his Glory, we will a little look back on the Fortunes of Mr. Heartfree, whom we left in no very pleafant Situation, especially as the Behaviour of this poor Wretch will confiderably serve to fet off the GREAT and exemplary Conduct of our Hero; but of this we fhall treat in the next Book. THE THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE of the late Mr. JONATHAN WILD the Great. BOOK III. CHAP. I. The low and pitiful Behaviour of Heartfree; and the foolish Conduct of his Apprentice. H IS Misfortunes did not entirely prevent Heartfree from clofing his Eyes. On the contrary, he flept feveral Hours the firft Night of his Confinement. However, he perhaps paid too feverely feverely dear both for his Repose, and for a sweet Dream which accompanied it, and represented his little Family in one of those tender Scenes, which had frequently past in the Days of his Happiness and Prosperity, when the Provision they were making for the future Fortunes of their Chil dren used to be one of the most agreeable Topics of Difcourfe, with which he and his Wife entertained themselves. The Pleafantnefs of this Vifion, therefore, ferved only, on his awakening, to fet forth his prefent Mifery with additional Horrour, and to heighten the dreadful Ideas which now crowded on his Mind. He had spent a confiderable Time after his first rifing from the Bed on which he had, without undreffing, thrown himself, and now began to wonder at Mrs. Heartfree's long Abfence; but as Men are apt (and perhaps wifely too) to draw comfortable Conclufions from malign Events; fo he hoped the longer her Stay was, the more certain was his Deliverance. At length his Impatience prevailed, and he was just going to dispatch a Meffenger to his own House House, when his Apprentice came to pay him a Vifit, and, on his Enquiry, informed him, that his Wife had departed in Company with Mr. Wild many Hours before, and had carried all his most valuable Effects with her; adding at the fame time, that she had acquainted him he had her Husband's Orders for fo doing. It is the Obfervation of many wife Men, who have studied the Anatomy of the human Soul with more Attention than our young Phyficians generally beftow on that of the Body; that great and violent Surprize hath a different Effect from that which is wrought in a good Housewife by perceiving any Disorders in her Kitchen; who, on fuch Occafions, commonly spreads the Disorder, not only over her whole Family, but the Neighbourhood. Now, these great Calamities, especially when fudden, tend to ftifle and deaden all the Faculties, instead of elevating them; and accordingly one Herodotus tells us a Story of Cræfus, King of Lydia, who, on beholding his Servants and Courtiers led captive, wept bitterly; but when he faw his Wife and Children in that Condition, stood ftupid and motionlefs; fo ftood poor Heartfree on this Relation of his Apprentice, nothing moving but his Colour, which entirely for fook his Countenance. THE Apprentice, who had not in the leaft doubted the Veracity of his Mistress, perceiving the Surprize which too visibly appeared in his Mafter, became fpeechless likewife, and both remained filent fome Minutes, gazing with Aftonishment and Horrour at each other. At laft Heartfree cry'd out in an Agony: "My Wife defert"ed me in my Misfortunes!" GOD forbid, Sir, answered the other. "And what is "become of my poor Children, replied Heartfree?" They are at home, Sir, faid the Apprentice. "GOD be praised, "the hath forfaken them too, cries Heartfree: Fetch them hither this Inftant. "Go, my dear Jack, bring hither my "little all which remains now: Fly, Child, "if thou doft not intend likewife to for"fake me in my Afflictions." The Youth anfwered he would die fooner than entertain fuch a Thought, and, begging his MaVOL. III. fter |