for an hour. I am told that even in this very room

a debtor of his, no later than last year, died for 6 want. But though my fubmiffion and approbation ⚫ could transfer me from hence to the most beautiful apartment he is poffeffed of; yet I would grant neither, as fomething whifpers me, that it would be giving a fanction to adultery. While my daughter lives, no other marriage of his fhall ever be legal in my eye. Were the removed, indeed, I fhould be the bafeft of men, from any refentment of my own, to attempt putting afunder those who wish for an union. No, villain as he is, I fhould then wifh him married, to prevent the confequences of his fu<ture debaucheries. But now fhould I not be the moft cruel of all fathers, to fign an inftrument which muft fend my child to the grave, merely to avoid a prifon myfelf; and thus, to efcape one pang, break my child's heart with a thousand !’

He acquiefced in the justice of this answer, but could not avoid observing, that he feared my daughter's life was already too much wafted to keep me long a prifoner. However,' continued he, though you refufe to fubmit to the nephew, I hope you have no objections to laying your cafe before the uncle, who has the first character in the kingdom for every thing that is juft and good. I would advise you to fend < him a letter by the poft, intimating all his nephew's ill ufage, and my life for it, that in three days you fhall have an answer.' I thanked him for the hint, and inftantly fet about complying; but I wanted paper, and unluckily all our money had been laid out that morning in provifions; however, he fupplied

me.

For the three enfuing days I was in a state of anxiety, to know what reception my letter might meet with; but in the mean time was frequently folicited by my wife to fubmit to any conditions rather than remain here, and every hour received repeated accounts of the decline of my daughter's health. The third day and the fourth arrived, but I received no

anfwer

1

anfwer to my letter: the complaints of a stranger against a favourite nephew were no way likely to fucceed; fo that thefe hopes foon vanished like all my former. My mind, however, ftill fupported itself, though confinement and bad air began to make a vi fible alteration in my health, and my arm that had fuffered in the fire, grew worse. My children, however, fat by me, and while I was ftretched on my ftraw, read to me by turns, or liftened and wept at my inftructions. But my daughter's health declined fafter than mine; every meffage from her contributed to increase my apprehenfions and pain. The fifth morning after I had written the letter which was sent to Sir William Thornhill, I was alarmed with an account that she was speechless. Now it was that confinement was truly painful to me; my foul was bursting from its prifon to be near the pillow of my child, to comfort, to ftrengthen her, to receive her last wishes, and to teach her foul the way to heaven! Another account came: fhe was expiring; and yet I was debarred the fmall comfort of weeping by her. My fellow-prifoner, fome time after, came with the laft account. He bade me be patient: fhe was dead!

• and

-The next morning he returned, and found me with my two little ones, now my only companions, who were ufing all their innocent efforts to comfort me. They entreated to read to me, and bade me not to cry, for I was now too old to weep. And is not my fifter an angel now, papa,' cried the eldest, why then are you forry for her? I wish I were an angel out of this frightful place, if my papa were with me.'-'Yes,' added my youngest darling, 'Heaven, where my fifter is, is a finer place than this, and there are none but good people there, and the 'people here are very bad.'

<

Mr. Jenkinfon interrupted their harmless prattle, by obferving that now my daughter was no more, I fhould feriously think of the reft of my family, and attempt to fave my own life, which was every day declining for want of neceffaries and wholefome air.

He added, that it was now incumbent on me to facrifice any pride of refentment of my own, to the welfare of thofe who depended on me for fupport; and that I was now, both by reafon and juftice, obliged to try to reconcile my landlord.

I am

Heaven be praised,' replied I, there is no pride left me now. I should deteft my own heart, if I faw either pride or refentment lurking there. On the contrary, as my oppreffor has been once my parifhioner, I hope one day to prefent him up an unpolluted foul at the eternal tribunal. No, Sir, I have no refentment now, and though he has taken from me what I held dearer than all his treasures, though he has wrung my heart, for I am fick almoit to fainting, very fick, my fellow-prisoner, yet that shall never infpire me with vengeance. now willing to approve his marriage, and if this fubmiffion can do him any pleasure, let him know, that if I have done him any injury, I am forry for it.' Mr. Jenkinson took pen and ink, and wrote down my fubmiffion nearly as I have expreffed it, to which I figned my name. My fon was employed to carry the letter to Mr. Thornhill, who was then at his feat in the country. He went, and in about fix hours returned with a verbal answer. He had fome difficulty, he faid, to get a fight of his landlord, as the fervants were infolent and fufpicious; but he accidentally faw him as he was going out upon bufinefs, preparing for his marriage, which was to be in three days. He continued to inform us, that he stept up in the humbleft manner, and delivered the letter, which, when Mr. Thornhill had read, he faid that all fubmiffion was now too late and unneceflary; that he had heard of our application to his uncle, which met with the contempt it deferved; and as for the reft, that all future application would be directed to his attorney, not to him. He obferved, however, that as he had a very good opinion of the discretion of the two young ladies, they might have been the moft agreeable interceflors.

Well,

you

Well, Sir,' faid I to my fellow-prifoner, now difcover the temper of the man who oppreffes me. He can at once be facetious and cruel; but let him ufe me as he will, I fhall foon be free, in fpite of all his bolts to reftrain me. I am now drawing towards an abode that looks brighter as I approach it: this expectation cheers my afflictions, and though I leave an helplefs family of orphans. behind me, yet they will not be utterly forfaken; fome frien, perhaps, will be found to aflift them for the fake of their poor father, and fome may charitably relieve them for the fake of their heavenly Father.'

Just as I fpoke, my wife, whom I had not feen that day before, appeared with looks of terror, and making efforts, but unable to fpeak. Why, my love,' cried I, why will you thus increafe my afflictions by your own! what, though no fubmiffions can turn our fevere mafter, though he has doomed me to die in this place of wretchednefs, and though we have loft a darling child, yet ftill you will find comfort in your other children when I fhall be no more.' -We have indeed loft,' returned fhe, a darling child. My Sophia, my dearest, is gone, fnatched from us, carried off by ruffians !'

Mifs

How, madam,' cried my fellow-prifoner, Sophia carried off by villains, fure it cannot be !' She could only anfwer with a fixed look and a flood of tears. But one of the prifoner's wives who was prefent, and came in with her, gave us a more distinct account: fhe informed us that as my wife, my daughter, and herself, were taking a walk together on the great road a little way out of the village, a poft-chaife and pair drove up to them and inftantly ftopt. Upon which a well-dreffed man, but not Mr. Thornhill, ftepping out, clafped my daughter round the waift, and forcing her in, bid the poftillion drive on, fo that they were out of fight in a moment.

Now,' cried I, the fum of my miferies is made up, nor is it in the power of any thing on earth to

H 3

• give

give me another pang. What! not one left! not

next my

to leave me one! the monfter! the child that was heart! fhe had the beauty of an angel, and almost the wisdom of an angel. But fupport that woman, nor let her fall. Not to leave me one!' -Alas, my husband,' faid my wife, you feem

to want comfort even more than I. Our diftreffes

are great; but I could bear this and more, if I faw you but eafy. They may take away my children, and all the world, if they leave me but you.'

My fon, who was prefent, endeavoured to moderate our grief; he bade us take comfort, for he hoped that we might ftill have reafon to be thankful.

My child, cried I, look round the world, and fee if there be any happiness left me now. Is not every ray of comfort fhut out; while all our bright profpects only lie beyond the grave ? My dear father,' returned he, I hope there is still fomething that will give you an interval of fatisfaction; for I have a letter from my brother George.'- - What ◄ of him, child!' interrupted I, does he know our mifery; I hope my boy is exempt from any part of what his wretched family fuffers ?'- Yes, Sir,' returned he, he is perfectly gay, cheerful, and happy. His letter brings nothing but good news; he is the favourite of his colonel, who promises to procure him the very next lieutenancy that becomes va• cant !'

6

And are you fure of all this,' cried my wife, are you fure that nothing ill has befallen my boy ?'Nothing indeed, madam,' returned my fon 6 : you fhall fee the letter, which will give you the highest pleasure; and if any thing can procure you comfort, I am sure that will.' But are you fure,' ftill repeated fhe, that the letter is from himself, and that he is really fo happy?'Yes, madam,' replied he, it is certainly his, and he will one day be the credit and the fupport of our family !' I thank Providence,' cried fhe, that my laft letter to him has mifcarried.'- Yes, my dear,' continued

Then

ihe,