the husband and wife having taken a tender leave of each other, the former was locked in, and the latter locked out by the hands of Mr. Snap himself.

As this vifit of Mr. Wild's to Heartfree may feem one of thofe paffages in hiftory, which writers, Drawcanfir like, introduce, only because they dare; indeed as it may feem fomewhat contradictory to the greatnefs of our hero, and may tend to blemish his character with an imputation of that kind of friendship, which favours too much of weaknefs and imprudence; it may be neceffary to account for this vifit, especially to our more fagacious readers, whofe fatisfaction we fhall always confult in the most efpecial manner. They are to know then, that at the firft interview with Mrs. Heart free, Mr. Wild had conceived that paffion, or affection, or friendfhip, or defire, for that handsome creature, which the gentlemen of this our age agree to call LOVE; and which is indeed no other than that kind of affection which, after the exercife of the dominical day is over, a lufty divine is apt to conceive for the well-drest firloin or handsome buttock, which the well-edified 'fquire in gratitude fets before him, and which, fo violent is his love, he devours in imagination the moment he fees it. Not lefs ardent was the hungry paffion of our hero, who, from the moment he had caft his eyes on that charming dish, had caft about in his mind by what method he might come at it. This, as he perceived, might moft eafily be effected after the ruin of Heartfree, which, for other confiderations, he had intended. So he poftponed all endeavours for this purpose, till he had firft effected what, by order of time, was regularly to precede this latter defign: with fuch regularity did this our hero conduct all his fchemes, and fo truly fuperior was he to all the efforts of paffion, which so often difconcert and difappoint the nobleft views of others.

СНАР.

CHA P. IX.

More GREATNESS in Wild. A low fcene between Mrs. Heartfree and her children, and a scheme of our hero,worthy the highest admiration, and even astonishment..

W

HEN firft Wild conducted his flame (or rather his dish, to continue our metaphor) from the proprietor, he had projected a defign of conveying her to one of thofe eating-houfes in Covent-Garden, where female flesh is delicioufly dreft, and ferved up to the greedy appetites of young gentlemen; but fearing left he should not come readily enough into his withes, and that, by too eager and hafty a purfuit, he fhould fruftrate his future expectations, and luckily at the fame time a noble hint fuggefting itself to him, by which he might almoft inevitably fecure his pleafure, together with his profit, he contented himself with waiting on Mrs. Heartfree home, and after many proteftations of friendship and fervice to her husband, took his leave, and promised to vifit her early in the morning, and to conduct her back to Mr. Snap's.

WILD now retired to a night-cellar, where he found feveral of his acquaintance, with whom he spent the remaining part of the night in revelling; nor did the leaft compaffion for Heartfree's misfortunes disturb the pleasure of his cups. So truly great was his foul, that it was abfolutely compofed, fave that an apprehenfion of Mifs Tifhy's making fome difcovery (as she was then in no good temper towards him) a little ruffled and difquieted the perfect ferenity he would otherwife have enjoyed. As he had, therefore, no op. portunity of seeing her that evening, he wrote her a letter full of ten thousand proteftations of honourable love, and (which he more depended on) containing as many promises, in order to bring the young lady inte good humour, without acquainting her in the least with his fufpicion, or giving her any caution: for it was his conftant maxim, never to put it into any one's head to do you a mischief, by acquainting him that it is in his own power.

We must now return to Mrs, Heartfree, who paffed a fleepless night in as great agonies and horror for the abfence of her hufband, 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 eldest asked, where dear Papa was? At which she could not refrain from bursting into tears. The child perceiving it, faid, Don't cry, Mamma, I am fure Papa would not ftay abroad if he could help it. At thefe 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 shall all the malice of hell keep us long afunder.

THESE are circumftances which we should 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, to which great minds are fo entirely ftrangers, that they have not even an idea of them; and, fecondly, by expofing the folly of this low creature, to fet off and elevate that greatnefs, of which we endeavour to draw a true portrait 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 difmifs the children and fervant, for that he had fomething of the greatest moment to impart to her.

SHE immediately complied with his request, and, the door being firut, afked him with great eagarnefs 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 instantly to remove with the most valuable jewels she had to Holland, before any ftatute of bankruptcy iffued to prevent her; that he would himself attend her thither, and place her in fafety, and then return to deliver her husband, who would be thus eafily able to fatisfy his creditors. He added, that he was that instant come from Mr. Snap's, where he had communicated the fcheme to Heartfree, who had greatly approved of it,

and

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 breaft; the only defired a moment's time to pay him a vifit, in order to take her leave. But Wild peremptorily refufed; he faid by every moment's delay fhe rifqued the ruin of her family; that fhe would be abfent only a few days from him, for that the moment he had lodged her safe in Holland, he would return, procure her husband his liberty, and bring him to her. I have been the unfortunate, the innocent cause of all my dear Tom's calamity, Madam, faid he; and I will perifh with him, or fee him out of it. Mrs. Heartfree overflowed with acknowledgments of his goodness; but ftill begged for the fhorteft interview with her husband. Wild declared, that a minute's delay might be fatal; and added, tho' with the voice of forrow rather than of anger, that if she 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 muft give up any farther meddling in his affairs.

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 husband to bring them. He at length absolutely 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 fervant. Then they called a hackney coach, 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 thefe paffions,, her whole foul was employed in reflecting on the condition of her husband and children. A fingle word

fcarce efcaped her lips, tho' many a tear gushed from her brilliant eyes, which, if I may ufe a coarse expreffion, ferved only as delicious fauce to heighten the appetite of Wild.

W

CHA P. X.

Sea-adventures very new and surprising.

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 fight of land, when a fudden and violent ftorm arofe, and drove them to the SouthWeft; infomuch that the captain apprehended it impoffible to avoid the Goodwin fands, and he and all his crew gave themselves for loft. Mrs. Heartfree, who had no other apprehenfions from death, but those of leaving her dear husband and children, fell on her knees to befeech the Almighty's favour, when Wild, with a contempt of danger truly great, took a refolution as worthy to be admired perhaps as any recorded of the braveft hero, ancient or modern; a refolution, which plainly proved him to have these two qualifications fo neceffary to a hero, to be fuperior to all the energies of fear or pity. He faw the tyrant Death ready to refcue from him his intended prey, which he had yet devoured only in imagination. He therefore fwore he would prevent him, and immediately attacked the poor wretch, who was in the utmost agonies of despair, firft with folicitation, and afterwards with force.

MRS. Heartfree, the moment fhe understood his meaning, which, in her prefent temper of mind, and in the opinion fhe held of him, fhe did not immedi-. ately, rejected him with all the repulfes which indignation and horror could animate: but when he attempted violence, fhe filled the cabbin with her shrieks, which were fo vehement, that they reached the ears of the captain, the ftorm at this time luckily abating. This man, who was a brute, rather. from his education, and the element he inhabited, than from nature,