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but mine is greater than theirs; for mine is *mixed with guilt and infamy."

"Have patience, my child,” cried I, "and I hope things will yet be better. Take fome "repofe to-night, and to-morrow I'll carry you "home to your mother, and the reft of the fami

ly, from whom you will receive a kind recep❝tion. Poor woman! this has gone to her heart: but she loves you still, Olivia, and will "forget it."

CHAP. XXII.

Offences are eafily pardoned, where there is love at

bottom.

'HE next morning, I took my daughter be

THE

hind me, and set out on my return home. As we travelled along, I ftrove, by every perfuafion, to calm her forrows and fears, and to arm her with refolution to bear the prefence of her offended mother. I took every opportunity, from the prospect of a fine country, through which we paffed, to obferve how much kinder Heaven was to us, than we to each other; and, that the misfortunes of Nature's making, were very few. I affured her, that she should never perceive any change in my affections; and that, during my life, which yet might be long, the might depend upon a guardian and an instructor. H 2

I armed

I armed her against the cenfures of the world; fhowed her, that books were fweet unreproaching companions to the miserable; and that, if they could not bring us to enjoy life, they would at leaft teach us to endure it.

The hired horse that we rode, was to be put up that night at an inn by the way, within about five miles from my houfe; and, as I was willing to prepare my family for my daughter's reception, I determined to leave her that night at the inn, and to return for her, accompanied by my daughter Sophia, early the next morning. It was night before we reached our appointed stage: however, after feeing her provided with a decent apartment, and having ordered the hostess to prepare proper refreshments, I kiffed her, and proceeded towards home. And now my heart caught new fenfations of pleasure, the nearer I approached that peaceful manfion. As a bird that had been frighted from its neft, my affections outwent my hafte, and hovered round my little fire-fide, with all the rapture of expectation. I called up the many fond things I had to fay, and anticipated the welcome I was to receive. I already felt my wife's tender embrace, and smiled at the joy of my little ones. As I walked but flowly, the night waned apace. The labourers of the day were all retired to reft; the lights were out in every cottage: no founds were heard, but of the fhrilling cock, and the deep-mouthed watch-dog, at hollow distance. I approached my little abode with pleafure, and, before I was within a furlong of the

place,

place, our honeft maftiff came running to welcome

me.

It was now near mid-night that I came to knock at my door: all was ftill and filent: my heart dilated with unutterable happiness, when, to my amazement, I faw the house burfling out in a blaze of fire, and every aperture red with conflagration! I gave a loud convulfive outcry, and fell upon the pavement infenfible. This alarmed my fon, who had till this been asleep; and he perceiving the flames, inftantly waked my wife and daughter, and all running out, naked, and wild with apprehenfion, recalled me to life with their anguifh: but it was only to objects of new terror; for the flames had, by this time, caught the roof of our dwelling, part after part continuing to fall in, while the family ftood, with filent agony, looking on as if they enjoyed the blaze. I gazed upon them and upon it by turns, and then looked round me for my two little ones; but they were not to be feen. "O misery! "where," cried I, "where are my little ones ?""They are burnt to death in the flames," fays my wife calmly, "and I will die with them." That moment I heard the cry of the babes within, who were just awaked by the fire, and nothing could have stopped me. "Where, where are

my children?" cried I, rufhing through the flames, and bursting the door of the chamber in which they were confined, "where are my little "ones?"" Here, dear Papa, here we are," cried they together, while the flames were juft catching

H3

catching the bed where they lay. I caught them both in my arms, and fnatched them through the fire as fast as poffible, while, juft as I was got out, the roof funk in. "Now," cried I, holding up my children, "now let the flames burn on, " and all my poffeffions perifh. Here they are; "I have faved my treafure. Here, my deareft, "here are our treafures, and we fhall yet be hap

py." We kiffed our little darlings a thoufand times; they clasped us round the neck, and seemed to share our tranfports, while their mother laughed and wept by turns.

I now ftood a calm fpectator of the flames; and, after some time, began to perceive that my arm, to the fhoulder, was fcorched in a terrible manner. It was, therefore, out of my power to give my fon any affiftance, either in attempting to fave our goods, or preventing the flames fpreading to our corn. By this time the neighbours were alarmed, and came running to our affiftance; but all they could do, was to ftand, like us, fpectators of the calamity. My goods, among which were the notes I had referved for my daughters fortunes, were entirely confumed, except a box, with fome papers, that ftood in the kitchen, and two or three things more, of little confequence, which my fon brought away in the beginning. The neighbours contributed, however, what they could to lighten our diftrefs. They brought us clothes, and furnished one of our out-houses with kitchen utensils; fo that, by day-. light, we had another, though a wretched dwell

ing, to retire to. My honeft next neighbour, and his children, were not the leaft affiduous in providing us with every thing neceffary, and offering whatever confolation untutored benevolence could fuggeft.

When the fears of my family had subsided, curiofity to know the caufe of my long stay, began to take place: having, therefore, informed them of every particular, I proceeded to prepare them for the reception of our loft one; and, though we had nothing but wretchedness now to impart, I was willing to procure her a welcome to what we had. This task would have been more difficult but for our recent calamity, which had humbled my wife's pride, and blunted it by more poignant afflictions. Being unable to go for my poor child myself, as my arm grew very painful, I fent my son and daughter, who fcon returned, fupporting the wretched delinquent, who had not the courage to look up at her mother, whom no inftructions of mine could perfuade to a perfect reconciliation; for women have a much stronger sense of female error than men. "Ah, Madam," cried her mother, "this is but

a poor place you are come to, after fo much "finery. My daughter Sophy and I can afford "but little entertainment to perfons who have "kept company only with people of distinction. "Yes, Mifs Livy, your poor father, and I, have "fuffered very much of late; but I hope heaven "will forgive you." During this reception, the unhappy victim ftood pale and trembling, unable

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to