Kershaw, a particular friend of my spouse's, and that he came to conduct me to my apartments. I told her, I hoped they were not in Edinburgh. She declared, they were not, but at Mifs Coulstone's, a person who was genteel as well as myfell, though she took in plain-work. She acquainted me, that the had ordered dinner at the inn where we were, particularly a very fine turbot, which fhe dwelt much upon. I had but little appetite at any time; and indifpofition, fatigue, and fretting, had not increafed it. But, to my great furprize, when the boafted dinner appeared, the very fine turbot proved to be a large piece of coarse thornback.

Between fix and feven o'clock in the evening, a coach came to convey me to my apartments. When we arrived, after having mounted three pair of stairs, the ground-floor of which was a chandler's fhop, I was introduced to the genteel Mifs Coulstone. This lady appeared to be an old maid of about fixty years of age, and looked as if fhe had been fmokedried. She was the very counter-part of the old woman in "Rule a Wife and have a "Wife."

The found of mufic now reached my ears. Upon my enquiring from whence it came, I was answered, from the theatre, which was directly oppofite. From this I learnt, that the Cannon Gate, where the chaife had fet me down, was the fuburbs to the city of Edinburgh,

Edinburgh, into which I had thus, through my ignorance of the country, been decoyed. I no fooner made the discovery than I took a pair of scillars, and cut my hair off, quite close to my head, to prevent my being folicited to appear in public.

The piece which was performing was the "Beggar's Opera," in which my gentleman acted Macheath, a part he was efteemed very capital in. After the opera, he haftened to me, when he informed me, that the English papers having announced my abfence, it was conjectured, that the new-comer at Mifs Coulftone's was the very fugitive that had lately deferted her fituation at Covent-Garden.

The next day, Mr. Bates, joint proprietor of the Edinburgh theatre with Mr. Dawson, and acting manager, acquainted Mr. Digges, that it would be ufelefs to open the doors, unless he could induce me to appear upon their stage. I could not poffibly conceive how my arrival could be fo foon difcovered. For, to prevent all fufpicion, it was not to be known that Mr. Digges had attended me down, and he was to refide at his own lodgings.

Our journey had been expenfive. I had but little money left, and Mr. Digges lefs; for the bills I had upon Holland, were of no use to me here. In this fituation, there was no other alternative but my conforming to Mr. Bates's wishes. The lofs of my hair was

the

the greatest bar to my appearance. However, for the first time, I had recourse to false; and, as I had not even neceffaries, I was obliged to have clothes made at a great expence. But my fuccefs was fo much beyond expectation, that I was very well enabled to do this. Curiofity induced families to come from all parts of the country.

The feafon being fo far advanced, eight nights were to be the limited number of my performing, and the laft was to be for my benefit. The morning of that day I was arrested by the creditor, who had been the occafion of my indifcreet flight from London. I was, however, foon fet at liberty, the caption being against the laws of Scotland, which allow fome days notice to debtors before they can be taken.

Upon this occafion, the first lawyers in the kingdom were volunteers in my caufe; particularly Mr. Montgomery, afterwards Chief Baron, and the Dean of the Faculty. It at length came to trial; and the letter I formerly mentioned, was produced, from which it plainly appeared, that the fecurity was fraudulently obtained. And the courts of justice in Scotland, being at the fame time courts of equity, a verdict was given in my favour. Having thus defeated the iniquitous defigns of my creditor, fhe confented to receive her debt by inftalments of two hundred pounds a year. After this my other creditors, particularly

Mr.

Mr. Alderman Cracroft and Doctor Baillie, to whom I was indebted in confiderable fums, joined in recommending me to that personal protection, which they knew was to be had in Scotland.

As good frequently fprings from evil, this misfortune feemed to be the means of procuring me the attention and civility I met with, in fo eminent a degree, during my refidence in this kingdom. In particular, it procured me the happinefs of being admitted into the family of Mr. Montgomery, upon the moft intimate footing, of which I fhall always have the most grateful fenfe. The moft attached patroneffes I had, besides those of the Montgomery family, which were numerous, were the Dutchefs of Douglas, and the Mifs Elphinstones. The latter were partial to me to a degree of enthusiasm. Lord Ruthven likewife honoured me with his fupport.

The enfuing feafon I was to have a third of the profits, with two benefits; and Mr. Digges a weekly falary. As Mr. Calcraft feemed to think that Scotland was abroad, he regularly paid my late granted annuity to Mr. Speediman, proprietor of the ftomachic pills in the Strand. Mr. Digges now took a house at Bonnington, a very pleasant village, near Edinburgh. Our fuccefs at the theatre was very great, and we could have faved money, had not the debts my gentle

man

man had contracted upon account of the perfon he formerly lived with, embarraffed him greatly.

About this time I was much furprized to receive a letter from Mr. Ballard, treasurer of Covent Garden theatre, containing a demand for a capital fum. He informed me, that Mr. Rich's executors had made him account for the falary, paid me three years before, during the fhutting of the house, upon account of the demife of one of the female branches of the Royal Family. My agreement was annual, and Mr. Rich had expressly ordered the treasurer not to make any deduction for that vacation. But as Mr. Ballard had not taken the order in writing, he was liable to pay it. As I had received the money, I could by no means confent that he fhould refund it. Common honefty required, in my idea, that he should not be the fufferer. I therefore wrote to Alderman Cracroft, defiring he would fettle it, as well as he could, to the fatisfaction of the treasurer.

At this period my mother, together with all my paraphernalia, which was returned from Holland, fent down to me a young gentlewoman, that, fhe imagined, would make fome figure upon the flage. name was Wordley. She had an uncommon flow of fpirits, and had received a more liberal education than is ufually bestowed on English women in the middle line of life.

Her

Her