'I will ask you one question more, and I have done,' said the nobleman. Do you imagine, that if any minister was really as good as you would have him, that the people in general would believe that he was so?' "Truly, my lord,' said the doctor, I think they may be justified in not believing too hastily. But I beg leave to answer your lordship's question by another. Doth your lordship believe, that the people of Greenland, when they see the light of the sun, and feel his warmth, after so long a season of cold and darkness, will really be persuaded that he shines upon them?” this, as well as for some other phenomena that have appeared in this history, and which, perhaps, we shall be forgiven, for not having opened more largely before. Mr. Trent then was a gentleman, possibly of a good family; for it was not certain whence he sprung on the father's side. His mother, who was the only parent he ever knew or heard of, was a single gentlewoman, and for some time carried on the trade of a milliner in Covent-garden. She sent her son, at the age of eight years old, to a charity-school, where he remained till he was of the age of fourteen, without making any great proficiency in learning. Indeed, it is not very probable he should, for the master, who, in preference to a very learned and proper man, was chosen by a party into this school, the salary of which was upwards of a hundred pounds a year, had himself never travelled through the Latin grammar, and was, in truth, a most consummate blockhead. At the age of fifteen, Mr. Trent was put clerk to an attorney, where he remained a My lord smiled at the conceit; and then very short time before he took leave of his the doctor took an opportunity to renew his master; rather, indeed, departed without suit, to which his lordship answered, He taking leave; and having broke open his would promise nothing, and could give him mother's escrutoire, and carried off with no hopes of success; but you may be as him all the valuable effects he there found, sured,' said he, with a leering countenance, to the amount of about fifty pounds, he 'I shall do him all the service in my power.' marched off to sea, and went on board a A language which the doctor well under-merchantman, whence he was afterwards stood; and soon after took a civil, but not a very ceremonious, leave. CHAPTER III. The history of Mr. Trent. WE will now return to Mr. Booth and his wife. The former had spent his time very uneasily, ever since he had discovered what sort of a man he was indebted to; but lest he should forget it, Mr. Trent thought now proper to remind him, in the following letter, which he read the next morning, after he had put off the appointment: "SIR, "I am sorry the necessity of my affairs "Your most obedient, This letter a little surprised Booth, after the genteel, and, indeed, as it appeared, generous behaviour of Trent. But lest it should have the same effect upon the reader, we will now proceed to account for pressed into a man of war. In this service he continued above three years; during which time he behaved so ill in his moral character, that he twice underwent a very severe discipline for thefts in which he was detected; but at the same time, he behaved so well as a sailor in an engagement with some pirates, that he wiped off all former scores, and greatly recommended himself to his captain. At his return home, he being then about twenty years of age, he found that the attorney had in his absence married his mother, had buried her, and secured all her effects, to the amount, as he was informed, of about fifteen hundred pounds. Trent applied to his step-father, but to no purpose; the attorney utterly disowned him, nor Would he suffer him to come a second time within his doors. former wife, an only daughter, a great faIt happened that the attorney had, by a vourite, who was about the same age with Trent himself; and had, during his residence at her father's house, taken a very great liking to this young fellow, who was extremely handsome, and perfectly well made. This her liking was not, during his absence, so far extinguished, but that it immediately revived on his return. Of this she took care to give Mr. Trent proper intimation; for she was not one of those back ward and delicate ladies, who can die rather | a very great expense; for, besides the ordithan make the first overture. Trent was nary costs of avoiding the gallows, by the overjoyed at this, and with reason; for she help of the law, there was a very high arwas a very lovely girl in her person, the ticle, of no less than a thousand pounds, only child of a rich father; and the prospect paid down to remove out of the way a witof so complete a revenge on the attorney ness, against whom there was no legal excharmed him above all the rest. To be as ception. The poor gentleman had, besides, short in the matter as the parties, a mar- suffered some losses in business; so that, to riage was soon consummated between them. the surprise of all his acquaintance, when The attorney at first raged, and was im- his debts were paid, there remained no more placable; but at last, fondness for his daugh- than a small estate of fourscore pounds a ter so far overcame resentment, that he ad-year, which he settled upon his daughter, vanced a sum of money to buy his son-inlaw, (for now he acknowledged him as such,) an ensign's commission in a marching regiment, then ordered to Gibraltar; at which place, the attorney heartily hoped that Trent might be knocked on the head; for, in that case, he thought he might marry his daughter more agreeably to his own ambition, and to her advantage. The regiment into which Trent purchased, was the same with that in which Booth likewise served; the one being an ensign, and the other a lieutenant in the two additional companies. Trent had no blemish in his military capacity. Though he had but an indifferent education, he was naturally sensible and genteel, and nature, as we have said, had given him a very agreeable person. He was likewise a very bold fellow; and, as he really behaved himself every way well enough while he was at Gibraltar, there was some degree of intimacy between him and Booth. far out of the reach of her husband, and about two hundred pounds in money. The old gentleman had not been long in his grave, before Trent set himself to consider seriously of the state of his aflairs. He had lately begun to look on his wife with a much less degree of liking and desire than formerly; for he was one of those who think too much of one thing is good for nothing. Indeed, he had indulged these speculations so far, that, I believe, his wife, though one of the prettiest women in town, was the last subject that he would have chose for any amorous dalliance. Many other persons, however, greatly differed from him in this opinion. Amongst the rest, was the illustrious peer of amorous memory. This noble peer having therefore got a view of Mrs. Trent one day in the street, did, by means of an emissary then with him, make himself acquainted with her lodging, to which he immediately laid siege in form, setting himself down in a lodging directly opposite to her, from whence the battery of ogles began to play the very next morning. This siege had not continued long before the governor of the garrison became sufficiently apprised of all the works which were carrying on, and having well reconnoitred the enemy, and discovered who he was, notwithstanding a false name, and some disguise of his person, he called a council of When the siege was over, and the additional companies were again reduced, Trent returned to his wife, who received him with great joy and affection. Soon after this an accident happened, which proved the utter ruin of his father-in-law, and ended in breaking his heart. This was nothing but making a mistake pretty common at this day, of writing another man's name to a deed instead of his own. In truth, this mat-war within his own breast. In fact, to drop ter was no less than what the law calls forgery, and was just then made capital, by an act of parliament. From this offence, indeed, the attorney was acquitted, by not admitting the truth of the party, who was to avoid his own deed, by his evidence; and, therefore no witness, according to those excellent rules, called the law of evidence; a law very excellently calculated for the preservation of the lives of his majesty's roguish subjects, and most notably used for that purpose. But though by common law the attorney was honourably acquitted, yet as common sense manifested to every one that he was guilty, he unhappily lost his reputation, and of consequence his business; the chagrin of which latter soon put an end to his life. This prosecution had been attended with all allegory, he began to consider whether his wife was not really a more valuable possession than he had lately thought her. In short, as he had been disappointed in her fortune, he now conceived some hopes of turning her beauty itself into a fortune. Without communicating these views to her, he soon scraped an acquaintance with his opposite neighbour, by the name which he there usurped, and counterfeited an entire ignorance of his real name and title. On this occasion, Trent had his disguise likewise, for he affected the utmost simplicity; of which affectation, as he w a very artful fellow, he was extremely capable. The peer fell plump into this snare; and when, by the simplicity, as he imagined, of the husband, he became acquainted with the wife, he was so extravagantly charmed with her person, that he resolved, whatever | ness, as Trent and his lordship did soon af was the cost or the consequence, he would possess her. His lordship, however, preserved some caution in his management of this affair; more, perhaps, than was necesary. As for the husband, none was requisite, for he knew all he could; and with regard to the wife herself, as she had, for some time, perceived the decrease of her husband's affection, (for few women are, I believe, to be imposed upon in that matter,) she was not displeased to find the return of all that complaisance and endearment, of those looks and languishment, from another agreeable person, which she had formerly received from Trent, and which she now found she should receive from him no longer. My lord, therefore, having been indulged with as much opportunity as he could wish from Trent, and having received rather more encouragement than he could well have hoped from the lady, began to prepare all matters for a storm, when luckily Mr. Trent declaring he must go out of town for two days, he fixed on the first day of his departure as the time of carrying his design into execution. And now, after some debate with himself in what manner he should approach his love, he at last determined to do it in his own person; for he conceived, and perhaps very rightly, that the lady, like Semele, was not void of ambition, and would have preferred Jupiter, in all his glory, to the same deity in the disguise of an humble shepherd. He dressed himself, therefore, in the richest embroidery of which he was master, and appeared before his mistress arrayed in all the brightness of peerage. A sight, whose charms she had not the power to resist, and the consequences are only to be imagined. In short, the same scene which Jupiter acted with his above-mentioned mistress of old, was more than beginning, when Trent burst from the closet into which he had conveyed himself, and unkindly interrupted the action. His lordship presently ran to his sword; but Trent, with great calmness, answered, That as it was very well known he durst fight, he should not draw his sword on this occasion; for sure,' says he, my lord, it would be the highest imprudence in me to kill a man, who is now become so considerably my debtor.' At which words he fetched a person from the closet, who had been confined with him, telling him he had done his business, and might now, if he pleased, retire. It would be tedious here to amuse the reader with all that passed on the present occasion; the rage and confusion of the wife, or the perplexity in which my lord was involved. We will omit therefore all such matters, and proceed directly to busi ter; and, in the conclusion, my lord stipulated to pay a good round sum, and to provide Mr. Trent with a good place on the first opportunity. On the side of Mr. Trent, were stipulated absolute remission of all past, and indul gence for the time to come. Trent now immediately took a house at the polite end of the town, furnished it elegantly, and set up his equipage, rigged out both himself and his wife with very handsome clothes, frequented all public places where he could get admission, pushed himself into acquaintance, and his wife soon afterwards began to keep an assembly, or, in the fashionable phrase, to be at home once a week; when, by my lord's assistance, she was presently visited by most men of the first rank, and by all such women of fashion as are not very nice in their company. My lord's amour with this lady lasted not long; for, as we have before observed, he was the most inconstant of all the human race. Mrs. Trent's passion was not, however, of that kind which leads to any very deep resentment of such fickleness. Her passion, indeed, was principally founded upon interest; so that foundation served to support another superstructure; and she was easily prevailed upon, as well as her husband, to be useful to my lord in a capacity, which though very often exerted in the polite world, hath not as yet, to my great surprise, acquired any polite name, or, indeed, any which is not too coarse to be admitted in this history. After this preface, which we thought necessary to account for a character, of which some of my country and collegiate readers might possibly doubt the existence, I shall proceed to what more immediately regards Mrs. Booth. The reader may be pleased to remember, that Mr. Trent was present at the assembly, to which Booth and his wife were carried by Mrs. James, and where Amelia was met by the noble peer. His lordship seeing there that Booth and Trent were old acquaintance, failed not, to use the language of sportsmen, to put Trent on upon the scent of Amelia. For this purpose that gentleman visited Booth the very next day, and had pursued him close ever since. By his means, therefore, my lord learned that Amelia was to be at the masquerade, to which place she was dogged by Trent in a sailor's jacket, who, meeting my lord, according to agreement, at the entrance of the opera-house, like the four-legged gentleman of the same vocation, made a dead point, as it is called, at the game. My lord was so satisfied and delighted with his conversation at the masquerade with the supposed Amelia, and the encouragement which in reality she had given him, that, when he saw Trent the next morning, he embraced him with great fondness, gave him a bank note of a hundred pounds, and promised him both the Indies on his success, of which he began now to have no manner of doubt. The affair that happened at the gamingtable, was likewise a scheme of Trent's on a hint given by my lord to him, to endeavour to lead Booth into some scrape or distress; his lordship promising to pay whatever expense Trent might be led into by such means. Upon his lordship's credit, therefore, the money lent to Booth was really advanced. And hence arose all that seeming generosity and indifference as to the payment; Trent being satisfied with the obligations conferred on Booth, by means of which he hoped to effect his purpose. CHAPTER IV. Containing some distress. TRENT'S letter drove Booth almost to madness. To be indebted to such a fellow, at any rate, had stuck much in his stomach, and had given him very great uneasiness; but to answer this demand in any other manner, than by paying the money, was, absolutely, what he could not bear. Again, to pay this money, he very plainly saw there was but one way; and this was, by stripping his wife, not only of every farthing, but almost of every rag she had in the world; a thought so dreadful, that it chilled his very soul with horror; and yet pride, at last, seemed to represent this as the lesser evil of the two. But how to do this was still a question. But now the scene was totally changed; It was not sure, at least he feared it was not, for Mrs. Atkinson, the morning after the that Amelia herself would readily consent quarrel, beginning seriously to recollect, that to this; and so far from persuading her to she had carried the matter rather too far, such a measure, he could not bear even to and might really injure Amelia's reputation, propose it. At length his determination a thought to which the warm pursuit of her was to acquaint his wife with the whole afown interest had a good deal blinded her at fair, and to ask her consent, by way of askthe time, resolved to visit my lord himself, ing her advice; for he was well assured she and to let him into the whole story; for, as could find no other means of extricating she had succeeded already in her favourite him out of his dilemma. This he accordpoint, she thought she had no reason to fearingly did, representing the affair as bad as any consequence of the discovery. This resolution she immediately executed. Trent came to attend his lordship, just after Mrs. Atkinson had left him. He found the peer in a very ill humour, and brought no news to comfort or recruit his spirits; for he had himself just received a billet from Booth, with an excuse for himself and his wife, from accepting the invitation at Trent's house that evening, where matters had been previously concerted for their entertainment; and when his lordship was by accident to drop into the room where Amelia was, while Booth was to be engaged at play in another. And now after much debate, and after Trent had acquainted my lord with the wretched situation of Booth's circumstances, it was resolved, that Trent should immediately demand his money of Booth, and upon his not paying it, for they both concluded it impossible he should pay it, to put the note which Trent had for the money, in suit against him, by the genteel means of paying it away to a nominal third person; and this they both conceived must end immediately in the ruin of Booth, and, consequently, in the conquest of Amelia. In this project, and with this hope, both my lord and his setter, or, (if the sportsmen please,) setting-dog, both greatly exulted; and it was next morning executed, as we have already seen. he could; though indeed, it was impossible for him to aggravate the real truth. Amelia heard him patiently, without once interrupting him. When he had finished, she remained silent some time: indeed, the shock she received from this story almost deprived her of the power of speaking. At last she answered: Well, my dear, you ask my advice; I certainly can give you no other, than that the money must be paid.' But how must it be paid?' cries he. 'O Heavens! thou sweetest creature, what, not once upbraid me for bringing this ruin on thee!' Upbraid you, my dear!' says sheWould to Heaven I could prevent your upbraiding yourself. But do not despair. I will endeavour by some means or other to get you the money.' Alas! my dear love,' cries Booth, 'I know the only way by which you can raise it. How can I consent to that? do you forget the fears you so lately expressed, of what would be our wretched condition, when our little all was mouldered away? O, my Amelia! they cut my very heartstrings, when you spoke them; for I had then lost this little all. Indeed, I assure you, I have not played since, nor ever will more." 'Keep that resolution,' said she, 'my dear, and I hope we shall yet recover the past.'At which words, casting her eyes on the children, the tears burst from her eyes, and she cried,- Heaven will, I hope, provide for us.' With this comfortable news he acquainted his wife, who either was, or seemed to be, extremely well pleased with it. And now he set out, with the money in his pocket to pay his friend Trent, who unluckily for him happened not to be at home. On his return home, he met his old friend, the lieutenant, who thankfully paid him his crown, and insisted on his going with him and taking part of a bottle. This invitation was so eager and pressing, that poor Booth, who could not resist much importunity, complied. While they were over this bottle, Booth acquainted his friend with the promises he had received that afternoon at the coffeehouse, with which the old gentleman was very well pleased: For I have heard,' says he, that gentleman hath very powerful interest; but he informed him likewise, that he had heard that the great man must be touched; for that he never did any thing without touching. Of this, indeed, the great man himself had given some oblique hints, by saying, with great sagacity and slyness, that he knew where fifty pounds might be deposited to much advantage. A pathetic scene now ensued between | fee-house, and who had promised to do him the husband and wife, which could not, per- all the service in his power; which several haps, please many readers to see drawn at half-pay subaltern officers assured him was too full a length. It is sufficient to say, that very considerable. this excellent woman not only used her utmost endeavours to stifle and conceal her own concern, but said and did every thing in her power to allay that of her husband. Booth was at this time, to meet a person whom we have formerly mentioned in the course of our history. This gentleman had a place in the war office, and pretended to be a man of great interest and consequence; by which means he did not only receive great respect and court from the inferior officers, but actually bubbled several of their money, by undertaking to do them services, which, in reality, were not within his power. In truth, I have known few great men, who have not been beset with one or more such fellows as these, through whom the inferior part of mankind are obliged to make their court to the great men themselves: by which means, I believe, principally, persons of real merit have been often deterred from the attempt; for these subaltern coxcombs ever assume an equal state with their masters, and look for an equal degree of respect to be paid to them; to which men of spirit, who are in every light their betters, are not easily brought to submit. These fellows, indeed, themselves have a jealous eye towards all great abilities, and are sure, to the utmost of their power, to keep all who are so endowed, from the presence of their masters. They use their masters, as bad ministers have sometimes used a prince; they keep all men of merit from his ears, and daily sacrifice his true honour and interest It is very right, undoubtedly, to pay your to their own profit and their own vanity. debts,' says the old gentleman; but sure, As soon as Booth was gone to his ap-on such an occasion, any man but the rankpointment with this man, Amelia immediate- est usurer would be contented to stay a little ly betook herself to her business with the while for his money; and it will be only a highest resolution. She packed up, not little while I am convinced; for if you deonly her own little trinkets, and those of the posit this sum in the great man's hands, I children, but the greater part of her own make no doubt but you will succeed immepoor clothes, (for she was but barely pro-diately in getting your commission; and vided,) and then drove in a hackney-coach then I will help you to a method of taking to the same pawn-broker's who had before up such a sum as this. The old gentlebeen recommended to her by Mrs. Atkin-man persisted in this advice, and backed it son; who advanced her the money she had desired. Being now provided with her sum, she returned well pleased home; and her husband coming in soon after, she with much cheerfulness, delivered him all the money. Booth was so overjoyed with the prospect of discharging his debt to Trent, that he did not perfectly reflect on the distress to which his family was now reduced. The good-humour which appeared in the countenance of Amelia, was, perhaps, another help to stifle those reflections; but, above all, were the assurances he had received from the great man, whom he had met at a cof Booth answered, that he would very readily advance a small sum if he had it in his power, but that at present it was not so; for that he had no more in the world than the sum of fifty pounds, which he owed Trent, and which he intended to pay him the next morning. with every argument he could invent; declaring, as was indeed true, that he gave the same advice which he would pursue, was the case his own. Booth long rejected the opinion of his friend; till, as they had not argued with dry lips, he became heated with wine, and then at last the old gentleman succeeded. Indeed, such was his love, either for Booth, or for his own opinion, and perhaps for both, that he omitted nothing in his power. He even endeavoured to palliate the character of Trent, and unsaid half what he had before said of that gentleman. In the end, he undertook to make Trent easy, and to go to |