THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES O F JOE THOMPSON. CHA P. XXXIII, Mr. Diaper and his Family retire into the Country.-Thompson returns from thence, and takes a Lodging in London.-Almost conftantly at Mr. Bellair's.-The Manner of employing this leisure Time.-Hears from Archer.-Contracts an Averfion for Women.Vifits a fuburbian Club with Mr. Deacon. -Account of that abfurd Set of People, and their Converfation.—Receives a Letter from Mr. Diaper, dated Lisbon. S OON after I came to London, Mr. Diaper, having fettled all his Affairs, fet out for his Country-houfe, where he proposed to spend the Remainder of his Days, and where I could not be excufed from accompanying him. From thence VOL. II. B I wrote I wrote to my Father an Account of my prefent Situation, and prayed his Directions how to difpose of myself; at the fame Time giving him an Hint, that I should be glad to enter into another' Employ than that I had been engaged in, and, if he confented to it, had much rather follow the Example of my Friend, and spend two or three Years Abroad, which would in all Probability conduce to wear off the melancholy Gloom that oppreffed my Mind. The Solitude I indulged in this Recefs, tho' at firft it humoured my Disposition, and gave a Scope to my perpetual Ideas of my lovely, loft Louifa, and my abfent Friend and Partner in Affliction, yet it foon grew dangerous for me to stay there longer, for Fear of entirely unhinging myself for the Pursuits of Life, which were now become neceffary to me; and therefore I took Leave of my worthy Mafter and Mistress, who made me Promife to fee them every Week or Fortnight to confole them for the Lofs of their Son, and returned to London, where I took an Apartment in Red-Lion Street, Holborn, till I fhould otherwife difpofe of. myself. I almost every Day paid a Vifit at Mr. Bellair's, which was now the only Comfort I received, and was much edified by the Company of that worthy Family: Mifs Sukey lived quite reclufe, and feldom would Tee any Company but me, and then her Converfation ran wholly upon her dear Diaper, whofe Health we we were continually drinking. These amiable Perfons fo fincerely fympathifed with me in the Lofs of my Louifa, that my Melancholy was always dispelled in fome Measure by their Society; but, in a few Weeks, I loft even that Confolation, by their Departure into the Country, where they would fain have had me bear them Company. Now, my only Relief lay in the Converfation of Prig and Mr. Deacon, who entered into all my Concerns, and behaved in the kindest Manner, and once a Week I generally went over to fee Mr. and Mrs. Diaper. I employed myfelf fometimes in writing to my Friend, Mr. Goodwill, his Spoufe, and poor Fidele, who were all under great Concern at my Lofs; but Fidele was quite inconfolable, and had taken on fo much at the Death of her Miftrefs, that they feared fhe would fling herself into a Confumption. I wrote her Word, that I would for ever take Care of her, and defired Mr. Goodwill to let her have whatever Money fhe wanted, which I would repay him again. She frequently went over to fee my Mother, with whom alfo Mrs. Goodwill had commenced an Acquaintance. I received a Letter from Archer about this Time, informing me, that he was become a Dealer himself, and went on with great Succefs: As to poor Sharpley, I had heard nothing from him a confiderable Time, nor knew in what Part of the World he at prefent was. My Father B 2 Father wrote me Word, that I might stay where I was, and take a little Pleasure, till he came up to London, to talk with and fee me fettled, which he proposed to do in about three Months. In the Intervals of my other Avocations, I endeavoured to make myself Mafter of feveral Branches of Learning, I had not touched on before, and, merely by Way of Amusement, went thro' the Study of Navigation, which yielded me great Pleafure. Stil! the Image of my Louisa remained before my Eyes, and I every now and then fell into the moft cruel Defpondency, and called aloud for Death to relieve me from my Torments. I found it so dangerous to be alone, that I encouraged my Friend Prig, to call upon me as often as he had an Inclination, and forced myself to partake of all the Diverfions and Amusements he propofed; but thoroughly conceived an Averfion for the Company of Women, which at first was inspired by a certain Delicacy of never taking any Delight in the Sex fince my Louifa's Death, which was a Refolution I fo conftantly fupported, that at length I even grew morofe and unmannerly, and would abruptly leave any Company upon a Lady's Entrance. Mr. Deacon, tho’ an excellent Man, had one prevailing Foible; he loved his Bottle, and had a Club for every Night, where he often importuned me to accompany him, under the Notion of keeping up good Company and Fellowship. I was one Evening perfuaded to go |