kled brows, and foaming lips, roars forth | little hesitation, she again proceededtreason and nonsense in a political argument Do you remember a contest which hapwith some fair one, of a different principle. pened at an assembly, betwixt myself and Or, if the critic be a whig, and conse- Miss Johnson, about standing uppermost? quently dislikes such kind of similes, as being you was then my partner; and young Wiltoo favourable to Jacobitism, let him be liams danced with the other lady. The parcontented with the following story: ticulars are not now worth mentioning, though I suppose you have long since forgot them. Let it suffice that you supported my claim, and Williams very sneakingly gave up that of his partner, who was, with much difficulty, afterwards prevailed to dance with him. You said--I am sure I repeat the words exactly, that 'you would not for the world affront any lady there; but that you thought you might, without any such danger declare that there was no assembly in which that lady, meaning your humble servant, was not worthy of the uppermost place, nor will I, said you, suffer the first duke in England, when she is at the uppermost end of the room, and hath called her dance, to lead his partner above her.'

I happened in my youth to sit behind two ladies in a side-box at a play, where, in the balcony on the opposite side was placed the inimitable B- -y C- -s, in company with a young fellow of no very formal, or indeed sober, appearance. One of the ladies, I remember, said to the other- Did you ever see any thing look so modest and so innocent as that girl over the way? what pity it is such a creature should be in the way of ruin, as I am afraid she is, by her being alone with that young fellow! Now this lady was no bad physiognomist; for it was impossible to conceive a greater appearance of modesty, innocence, and simplicity, than what nature had displayed in the countenance of that girl; and yet, all appearances notwithstanding, I myself, (remember critic, it was in my youth,) had a few mornings before seen that very identical picture of all those engaging qualities, in bed with a rake at a bagnio, smoking tobacco, drinking punch, talking obscenity, and swearing and cursing with all the impudence and impiety of the lowest and most abandoned trull of a soldier.

"What made this the more pleasing to me was, that I secretly hated Miss Johnson. Will you have the reason? why, then, I will tell you honestly, she was my rival;that word perhaps astonishes you, as you never, I believe, heard of any one who made his addresses to me; and indeed my heart was, till that night, entirely indifferent to all mankind. I mean, then, that she was my rival for praise, for beauty, for dress, for fortune, and consequently for admiration. My triumph on this conquest is not to be expressed, any more than my delight in the person to In which Miss Matthews begins her history. whom I chiefly owed it. The former, I fancy, was visible to the whole company; MISS Matthews having barred the door and I desired it should be so; but the latter on the inside as securely as it was before was so well concealed, that no one, I am barred on the outside, proceeded as follows: confident, took any notice of it. And yet "You may imagine, I am going to begin you appeared to me that night to be an my history at the time when you left the angel. You looked, you danced, you spoke country; but I cannot help reminding you-every thing charmed me.'

CHAPTER VII.

'I assure you,' answered she, 'I did all I could to prevent you; and yet I almost hated you for not seeing through what I strove to hide. Why, Mr. Booth, was you not more quick-sighted?--I will answer for you-your affections were more happily disposed of to a much better woman than myself, whom you married soon afterwards. I should ask you for her, Mr. Booth; I should have asked you for her before; but I am unworthy of asking for her, or of calling her my acquaintance.'

of something which happened before. You "Good heavens!' cries Booth, 'is it possiwill soon recollect the incident; but I be-ble you should do me so much unmerited lieve you little know the consequence either honour, and I should be dunce enough not at that time or since. Alas! I could keep to perceive the least symptom !' a secret then! now I have no secrets; the world knows all; and it is not worth my while to conceal any thing. Well!--You will not wonder, I believe.-I protest I can hardly tell it you, even now. -But I am convinced you have too good an opinion of yourself to be surprised at any conquest you may have made. Few men want that good opinion-and perhaps very few had ever more reason for it. Indeed, Will, you was a charming fellow in those days; nay, you are not much altered for the worse now, at least in the opinion of some women: for your complexion and features are grown much more masculine than they were; Here Booth made her a low bow, most probably with a compliment; and after a

Booth stopt her short, as she was running into another fit of passion, and begged her to omit all former matters, and acquaint him with that part of her history to which he was an entire stranger.

came

'I was the farthest in the world from re

'Hebbers first put this emulation in my head. He took great pains to persuade me that I had much greater abilities of the musical kind than my sister; and that I might, with the greatest ease, if I pleased, excel her; offering me, at the same time, his assistance, if I would resolve to undertake it.

When he had sufficiently inflamed my ambition, in which, perhaps, he found too little difficulty, the continual praises of my sister, which before I had disregarded, became more and more nauseous in my ears; and the rather, as music being the favourite passion of my father, I became apprehensive, (not without frequent hints from Hebbers, of that nature,) that she might gain too great a preference in his favour.

She then renewed her discourse, as fol-1 'You have often, I believe, heard my lows: You know, Mr. Booth, I soon after-sister Betty play on the harpsichord; she wards left that town, upon the death of my was, indeed, reputed the best performer in grandmother, and returned home to my the whole country. father's house; where I had not been long arrived, before some troops of dragoons garding this perfection of her's with envy. to quarter in our neighbourhood. In reality, perhaps, I despised all perfection Among the officers, there was a cornet, of this kind; at least, as I had neither skill whose detested name was Hebbers, a name nor ambition to excel this way, I looked I could scarce repeat, had I not, at the same upon it as a matter of mere indifference. time, the pleasure to reflect that he is now no more. My father, you know, who is a hearty well-wisher to the present government, used always to invite the officers to his house; so did he these. Nor was it long before this cornet, in so particular a manner, recommended himself to the poor old gentleman, (I cannot think of him without tears,) that our house became his principal habitation; and he was rarely at his quarters, unless when his superior officers obliged him to be there. I shall say nothing of his person, nor could that be any recommendation to a man; it was such, however, as no woman could have made an objection to. Nature had certainly wrapt up her odious work in a most beautiful covering. To say the truth, he was the handsomest man, except one only, that I ever saw-I assure you, I have seen a handsomerbut-well-He had, besides, all the qualifications of a gentleman: was genteel, and extremely polite spoke French well, and danced to a miracle; but what chiefly recommended him to my father, was his skill Hebbers, at least, declared himself on in music, of which, you know, that dear my side, and nobody could doubt his judgman was the most violent lover. I wish he ment. He asserted openly, that I played in was not too susceptible of flattery on that the better manner of the two; and one day head; for I have heard Hebbers often great- when I was playing to him alone, he affected ly commend my father's performance, and to burst into a rapture of admiration, and have observed that the good man was won-squeezing me gently by the hand, said, derfully pleased with such commendations. There, madam, I now declare you excel To say the truth, it is the only way I can your sister as much in music, as, added he, account for the extraordinary friendship in a whispering sigh, you do her, and all the which my father conceived for his person; world, in every other charm. such a friendship, that he at last became a part of our family.

"This very circumstance, which, as I am convinced, strongly recommended him to my father, had the very contrary effect with me; I had never any delight in music, and it was not without much difficulty I was prevailed on to learn to play on the harpsichord, in which I had made a very slender progress. As this man, therefore, was frequently the occasion of my being importuned to play against my will, I began to entertain some dislike for him on that account; and as to his person, I assure you, I long continued to look on it with great indifference.

'How strange will the art of this man appear to you presently, who had sufficient address to convert that very circumstance, which had at first occasioned my dislike, into the first seeds of affection for him.

To my harpsichord, then, I applied myself, night and day, with such industry and attention, that I soon began to perform in a tolerable manner. I do not absolutely say I excelled my sister; for many were of a different opinion; but, indeed, there might be some partiality in all that.

'No woman can bear any superiority in whatever thing she desires to excel in. I now began to hate all the admirers of my sister, to be uneasy at every commendation bestowed on her skill in music, and consequently to love Hebbers for the preference which he gave to mine.

'It was now that I began to survey the handsome person of Hebbers with pleasure. And here, Mr. Booth, I will betray to you the grand secret of our sex.-Many women, I believe, do, with great innocence, and even with great indifference, converse with men of the finest persons: but this I am confident may be affirmed with truth, that, when once a woman comes to ask this question of herself; Is the man whom I like for some other reason, handsome? her fate, and his too, very strongly depend on her answering in the affirmative.

'Hebbers no sooner perceived that he had | Then starting, as if conscious of an error made an impression on my heart, of which, committed, he cried with a faltering voice, I am satisfied I gave him too undeniable to- What am I saying? pardon me, Miss Fankens, than he affected, on a sudden, to shunny, since I only beg your pity; I never will me in the most apparent manner. He ask for more.-At these words, hearing my wore the most melancholy air in my pre- father coming up, I betrayed myself entirely, sence, and, by his dejected looks and sighs, if, indeed, I had not done it before. I hastily firmly persuaded me, that there was some withdrew my hand, crying, Hush! for heasecret sorrow labouring in his bosom; nor ven's sake, my father is just coming in; will it be difficult for you to imagine to my blushes, my look, and my accent tellwhat cause I imputed it. ing him, I suppose, all which he wished to know.

Whilst I was wishing for his declaration of a passion in which I thought I could not be mistaken, and, at the same time trembling, whenever we met, with the apprehension of this very declaration, the widow Carey came froin London to make us a visit, intending to stay the whole suminer at our house.

The history of Miss Matthews continued. "THIS young lady had not been three days with us, before Hebbers grew so particular with her, that it was generally observed; and my poor father, who, I believe, loved the cornet as if he had been his son, began to jest on the occasion, as one who would not be displeased at throwing a good jointure into the arms of his friend.

'A few days now brought matters to an eclaircissement between us; the being undeceived in what had given me so much uneasiness now gave me a pleasure too sweet to be resisted. To triumph over the widow, for whom I had, in a very short time, contracted a most inveterate hatred, was a pride not to be described. Hebbers appeared to me to be the cause of all this happiness. I doubted not but that he had the most disinterested passion for me, and thought him every way worthy of its return. I did return it, and accepted him as my lover.

He declared the greatest apprehensions of my father's suspicion, though I am convinced these were causeless, had his designs been honourable. To blind these, I consented that he should carry on sham addresses to the widow, who was now a constant jest between us, and he pretended, from time to time, to acquaint me faithfully with every thing that passed at his interviews with her; nor was this faithless woman wanting in her part of the deceit. She carried herself to me all the while with a show of affection, and pretended to have the utmost friendship for me. But such are the friendships of women!'

At this remark, Booth, though enough affected at some parts of the story, had great difficulty to refrain from laughter; but, by good luck, he escaped being perceived; and the lady went on without in

'I am come now to a part of my narrative in which it is impossible to be particular, without being tedious; for as to the commerce between lovers, it is, I believe,. much the same in all cases; and there is, perhaps, scarce a single phrase that hath not been repeated ten millions of times.

You will easily guess, sir, the disposition of my mind on this occasion; but I was not permitted to suffer long under it; for one day, when Hebbers was alone with me, he took an opportunity of expressing his ab-terruption. horrence at the thoughts of marrying for interest, contrary to his inclinations. I was warm on the subject, and, I believe, went so far as to say, that none but fools and villains did so. He replied with a sigh, Yes, madam, but what would you think of a man whose heart is all the while bleeding for another woman, to whom he would willingly sacri- 'One thing, however, as I strongly refice the world; but, because he must sacri- marked it then, so I will repeat it to you fice her interest as well as his own, never now. In all our conversations, in moments durst even give her a hint of that passion when he fell into the warmest raptures and which was preying on his very vitals? Do expressed the greatest uneasiness at the you believe, Miss Fanny, there is such a delay of his joys, he seldom mentioned the wretch on earth? I answered with an as-word marriage; and never once solicited a sumed coldness, I did not believe there was. He then took me gently by the hand, and, with a look so tender, that I cannot describe it, he vowed he was himself that wretch.

day for that purpose. Indeed, women cannot. be cautioned too much against such lovers; for though I have heard, and perhaps truly, of some of our sex, of a virtue so exalted that

it is proof against every temptation; yet |
the generality, I am afraid, are too much in
the power of a man to whom they have
owned an affection. What is called being
upon a good footing, is, perhaps, being upon
a very dangerous one; and a woman who
hath given her consent to marry, can hardly
be said to be safe till she is married.

'O, sir,' answered she, 'I am at length reconciled to my fate; and I can now die with pleasure, since I die revenged. I am not one of those mean wretches who can sit down and lament their misfortunes. If I ever shed tears, they are the tears of indignation-but I will proceed.

'It was my fate now to solicit marriage; and I failed not to do it in the most earnest manner. He answered me at first with procrastinations, declaring, from time to time, he would mention it to my father; and still excusing himself for not doing it. At last, he thought on an expedient to obtain a longer reprieve. This was by pretending, that he should, in a very few weeks, be preferred to the command of a troop; and then, he said, he could, with some confidence, propose the match.

In this delay, I was persuaded to acquiesce; and was indeed pretty easy; for I had not yet the least mistrust of his honour; but what words can paint my sensations, when one morning he came into my room, with all the marks of dejection in his countenance, and throwing an open letter on the table, said, There is news, madam, in that letter, which I am unable to tell you; nor can it give you more concern than it hath

And now, sir, I hasten to the period of my ruin. We had a wedding in our family; my musical sister was married to a young fellow as musical as herself. Such a match, you may be sure, amongst other festivities, must have a ball. Oh! Mr. Booth, shall modesty forbid me to remark to you what passed on that occasion? But why do I mention modesty, who have no pretensions to it? Every thing was said and practised, on that occasion, as if the purpose had been to inflame the mind of every woman present. That effect, I freely own to you, it had with me. Music, dancing, wine, and the most luscious conversation, in which my poor dear father innocently joined, raised ideas in me of which I shall for ever repent; and I wished, (why should I deny it?) that it had been my wedding instead of my sister's. The villain Hebbers danced with me that night, and he lost no opportunity of improving the occasion. In short, the dread-given me. ful evening came. My father, though it was a very unusual thing with him, grew intoxicated with liquor; most of the men were in the same condition, nay, I myself drank more than I was accustomed to, enough to inflame, though not to disorder. I lost my former bed-fellow, my sister, and, you may, I think, guess the rest,-the villain found means to steal to my chamber, and I was undone.

This letter was from his captain, to acquaint him, that the rout, as they call it, was arrived, and that they were to march within two days. And this, I am since convinced, was what he expected, instead of the preferment which had been made the pretence of delaying our marriage.

The shock which I felt at reading this was inexpressible, occasioned indeed principally by the departure of a villain whom I loved. However, I soon acquired sufficient presence of mind to remember the main point; and I now insisted peremptorily on his making me immediately his wife, whatever might be the consequence.

'Two months I passed in this detested commerce, buying, even then, my guilty, half-tasted pleasures at too dear a rate, with continual horror and apprehension; but what have I paid since, what do I pay now, Mr. Booth? O, may my fate be a warning. 'He seemed thunderstruck at this propoto every woman to keep her innocence, to sal, being, I suppose, destitute of any exresist every temptation, since she is certain cuse: but I was too impatient to wait for to repent of the foolish bargain. May it be an answer, and cried out with much eagera warning to her to deal with mankind withness, sure you cannot hesitate a moment care and caution; to shun the least ap- upon this matter-Hesitate! madam! reproaches of dishonour, and never to confide plied he-what you ask is impossible-is too much in the honesty of a man, nor in this a time for me to mention a thing of her own strength, where she has so much this kind to your father -My eyes were at stake; let her remember she walks on a now opened all at once-I fell into a rage precipice, and the bottomless pit is to re-little short of madness. Tell not me, I ceive her, if she slips; nay, if she makes cried, of impossibilities, nor times, nor of but one false step. my father,my honour, my reputation, my all are at stake.-I will have no excuse, no delay-make me your wife this instant, or I will proclaim you over the face of the whole earth for the greatest of villains.-He answered, with a kind of sneer, what will you proclaim, madam?-whose honour will you injure? My tongue fal

'I ask your pardon, Mr. Booth, I might have spared these exhortations, since no woman hears me; but you will not wonder at seeing me affected on this occasion.'

Booth declared he was much more surprised at her being able so well to preserve her temper in recounting her story.