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"twice."-- "Then may Heaven forgive "me and him, if I did. And now, my fon, I "fee it was more than human benevolence that "first taught us to blefs our enemies! Bleffed be "his holy name for all the good he has given, and "for that he has taken away. But it is not, it is "not a small distress that can wring tears from "these old eyes, that have not wept for so many "years. My child !-To undo my darling! May "confufion feize-Heaven forgive me, what am "I about to fay! You may remember, my "love, how good fhe was, and how charming; "till this vile moment, all her care was, to make "us happy. Had the but died! But the is " gone, the honour of our family contaminated; "and I must look out for happiness in other "worlds than here. But, my child, you faw "them go off: perhaps he forced her away ? If "he forced her, she may yet be innocent."—"Ah,

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no, Sir," cried the child; "he only kiffed her, "and called her his angel, and the wept very "much, and leaned upon his arm, and they drove "off very faft."—"She's an ungrateful creature,” cried my wife, who could fcarce fpeak for weeping, "to ufe us thus. She never had the least "conftraint put upon her affections. The vile "ftrumpet has bafely deferted her parents with"out any provocation, thus to bring your grey "hairs to the grave, and I muft fhortly follow."

In this manner that night, the first of our real misfortunes, was spent in the bitterness of complaint, and ill-fupported fallies of enthufiafm.

I determined,

I determined, however, to find out our betrayer, wherever he was, and reproach his bafenefs. The next morning, we miffed our wretched child at breakfast, where the used to give life and cheerfulness to us all. My wife, as before, attempted to ease her heart by reproaches. "Never," cried fhe," shall that vileft ftain of our family again "darken those harmless doors. I will never call "her daughter more. No; let the ftrumpet

live with her vile feducer: fhe may bring us to “shame; but she shall never more deceive us." "Wife," faid I, "do not talk thus hardly: "my deteftation of her guilt is as great as yours; but ever shall this house, and this heart, be open "to a poor returning repentant finner. The "fooner the returns from her tranfgreffion, the 66 more welcome fhall fhe be to me. For the "first time, the very best may err; art may per"fuade, and novelty spread out its charm. The "firft fault is the child of fimplicity; but every "other, the offspring of guilt. Yes, the wretch❝ed creature shall be welcome to this heart, and "this house, though ftained with ten thoufand

vices. I will again hearken to the mufick of "her voice; again will I hang fondly on her bofom, if I find but repentance there. My fon, "bring hither my Bible and my flaff; I will "pursue her, wherever fhe is; and though I can"not fave her from fhame, I may prevent the continuance of iniquity."

CHAP.

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The purfuit of a father to reclaim a loft child to virtue.

THOUGH the child could not defcribe the gentleman's person who handed his fifter into the poft-chaife, yet my fufpicions fell entirely upon our young landlord, whofe character for fuch intrigues was but too well known. I therefore directed my fteps towards Thornhill-castle, refolving to upbraid him, and, if poffible, to bring back my daughter: but, before I had reached his feat, I was met by one of my parishioners, who faid, he faw a young Lady resembling my daughter, in a poft-chaife with a gentleman, whom, by the description, I could only guess to be Mr. Burchell, and that they drove very faft. This information, however, did by no means fatisfy me. I therefore went to the young Squire's, and, though it was yet early, infifted upon feeing him immediately he foon appeared, with the most open familiar air, and feemed perfectly amazed at my daughter's elopement, protesting, upon his honour, that he was quite a ftranger to it. I now, therefore, condemned my former fufpicions, and could turn them only on Mr. Burchell, who, I recollected, had, of late, feveral private conferences with her: but the appearance of another witness left me no room to doubt of his villany, who averred, that he and my daughter were ac

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tually gone towards the wells, about thirty miles off, where there was a great deal of company. Hearing this, I refolved to pursue them there. I walked along with earnestness, and enquired of feveral by the way; but received no accounts, till, entering the town, I was met by a perfon on horfeback, whom I remembered to have seen at the Squire's, and he affured me, that if I followed them to the races, which were but thirty miles farther, I might depend upon overtaking them; for he had feen them dance there the night before; and the whole affembly feemed charmed with my daughter's performance. Early the next day, I walked forward to the races, and about four in the afternoon I came upon the course.

The company made a very brilliant appear ance, all earneftly employed in one purfuit, that of pleasure; how different from mine, that of reclaiming a loft child to virtue! I thought I perceived Mr. Burchell at some distance from me: but, as if he dreaded an interview, upon my approaching him, he mixed among a crowd, and I faw him no more. I now reflected, that it would be to no purpose to continue my pursuit farther, and refolved to return home to an innocent family, who wanted my affiftance. But the agita tions of my mind, and the fatigues I had undergone, threw me into a fever, the fymptoms of which I perceived before I came off the course. This was another unexpected stroke, as I was more than seventy miles diftant from home: however, I retired to a little ale-houfe by the

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road fide; and in this place, the usual retreat of indigence and frugality, I laid me down, patiently to wait the iffue of my disorder. I languished here for near three weeks; but at laft my conftitution prevailed, though, I was unprovided with money to defray the expences of my entertainment. It is poffible the anxiety from this last circumftance alone, might have brought on a relapfe, had I not been fupplied by a traveller, who stopped to take a cursory refreshment. This person was no other than the philanthropick bookfeller in St. Paul's church-yard, who has written so many little books for children: he called himfelf their friend; but he was the friend of all mankind. He was no fooner alighted, but he was in hafte to be gone; for he was ever on bufiness of the utmost importance; and was, at that time, actually compiling materials for the hiftory of one Mr. Thomas Trip. I immediately recollected this good-natured man's red pimpled face; for he had published for me against the Deuterogamifts of the age, and from him I borrowed a few pieces, to be paid at my return. Leaving the inn, therefore, as I was yet but weak, I refolved to return home by eafy journies of ten miles a day. My health and usual tranquillity were almost restored; and I now condemned that pride which had made me refractory to the hand of correction. Man little knows what calamities are beyond his patience to bear, till he tries them; as, in afcending the heights of ambition, which look bright from below, every ftep we

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