the Reflection, and the tedious Toil of acquiring, by going over again the flow Methods of Industry and Trade, what he had loft; and especially when Love intervenes, and points out every tedious Path to our Wishes, as an Injury done to the beloved Object, and to the Completion of our Hopes and Expectations; and therefore I could easily excuse, from my Friend's Youth, and fanguine Disposition, his Hazarding himself as he had done, feeing, that if a few Years, in the Employ he had embarked in, were fpent with the ufual Success thofe Gentlemen meet with, he would find himself in a better Situation than he could expect to be in, after having spent his whole Life in Traffic at Home. I even went fo far, as to say, that, fince some cruel Disappointments I had myself met with, I had much rather venture Abroad, than fettle in my Profeffion in England, where my Ambition would be conftantly checked by the Idea that I had loft every Thing in the World that could ferve as a Spur to me to undergo the neceffary Fatigues of Bufinefs; nor could I forbear fhedding Tears at this Conclufion, and the Prefence of two Perfons who revived in my Mind all the painfully pleafing Tranfactions of my difafterous and unfortunate Paffion. They were very much moved at this Apoftrophe of Grief, which naturally led them to condole with me on the Lofs of my Louifa, which they did in Terms that plainly fhewed me what an Intereft they took

in my Welfare. Ifhould, fays Mr. Archer, have been at a Lofs how to have brought this Subject on the Carpet, knowing the Senfibility you ftill have, when it is mentioned, if you had not put me thus upon it; but I am able to give you ́a better Account than you have yet received, I believe, of the Death of that young Lady, and what happened afterwards in her Family, which is fo much altered, by the Lofs of her, that you cannot help being amazed at the Relation of it. I endeavoured to reftrain my Tears, and befought him to proceed, which he did, in the following Manner: Sir Walter was not prefent at his Daughter's Death, but was at York with that Villain the 'Squire, in order to the Settlement of fome Affairs previous to the Marriage which he had refolved on between her and that Nephew, and which he had tyrannically endeavoured, but in vain, to procure her Confent to, and had left her, with Menaces of all that Difpleasure and Rage could dictate, if she did not comply, at his Return. His Sifter, in fending him the mournful Tidings, let him into fome Things in Relation to the 'Squire, that immediately induced him to discard him for ever; and he was fo touched with his Daughter's Lofs, that he could not bear to vifit the Place of her Interment, which was in the Family Vault, at Taunton, where her Mother was alfo depofited, for Sir Walter's Family, you know, was originally

of

of Somerfetfhire, and he has never attempted to go there fince; for his Sifter was fo much affected with the Lofs of her Niece, that she went foon after to France, with an Intent to refide there, the Remainder of her Days, after beftowing all the hard Epithets that Grief and Anger could fuggeft, against his Cruelty and Barbarity. He has been ever fince at his House in Yorkshire, and he is so altered, that he has quite forfaken his old Diverfions; and when I waited upon him to take my Leave, and told him of my defigned Rout to London, he fhed Tears, and faid, with a melancholy Gesture, That perhaps I might then fee poor Joe, to whom he defired I would give his Love, and tell him he was a fevere Sufferer for what he had acted against him and his Daughter, his dear Louifa; had I known, continued he, the Worth of that Youth, fo well as I do now, I believe I fhould have conquered my Averfion to his Alliance with my Daughter, whom I was foolishly endeavouring, nay, did facrifice, to the Views of one of the worft of Men, whom I have fince found out to be, in the lowest Degree, base. I can now, alas! make no other Recompence, than by affuring him I fhall ever efteem him as my own Child; and pray tell him, if I can be of any Ufe to him in his future Concerns, neither the Inclination, nor the Money, fhall be wanting. I was surprised, you may imagine, at fuch a Declaration; and more fo, when

he

he informed me, that Fidele, his Daughter's Waiting-maid, had yielded to his Perfuafions, and the Defires of your Mother, to quit Mrs. Goodwill, and fhe is now Sir Walter's Houfe-keeper; he does nothing without confulting her, and endeaVours all he can to compenfate her for the Los of her kind Lady. She gave me a Letter for you, when I left the Houfe, which I have here brought you. Upon this he delivered me the Letter, which I knew to be Fidele's Hand, and which I opened haftily, much astonished with what had been told I found it as follows:

me.

DEAR SIR,

I Hope you will excuse the Trouble I am going

to give you, when you know that my Obligations to you, and fome Matters I have to relate, of my late excellent Lady, are my Motives for Writing to you. In the firft Place, Sir, let me return you my unfeigned Thanks, for the kind and genteel Treatment I have received from Mr. Goodwill and his Lady, fince you placed me with them; and the Marks of your Favour and Remembrance I received, at several Times, when I was there, which will ever engage the most grateful Returns that shall be in my Power. You will be surprised when I acquaint you, that I am now with my Master, to whose preffing Sollicitations, and the Commands of your honoured Mother, which I VOL. II. C

old

more

more regarded, I, at laft, confented; and he has made me ample Amends, by placing me at the Head of his Family, where, however, I have the continual Pain of Reflecting, by all the Objects before me, upon our great and irreparable Lofs in the Death of my dear young Lady, which no body but yourself could feel fo tenderly as I did. Sir Walter has taken on very grievously for my Miftrefs's Lofs, and is fo changed, that, if any one were to fay an ill Thing of you in the Family, he would immediately lofe his Favour. I have gathered feveral Things from him, at Times, which I fhall acquaint you of, if ever I have the Happiness to fee you again; but two Things I cannot now difpenfe with myself from telling you: He has, with the utmoft Concern, told me that the 'Squire led him into a Scheme that was, in the End, fatal to Mifs Louifa, which was to propagate a Story in Somerfetfhire, that he had killed you in a Duel; and, after that Report, fhe never held up her Head again. He has likewife, fince that, been informed, by one of the 'Squire's Attendants, of his Ufage of you in the Road to Mr. Goodwill's, and his having attacked your Life by Ruffians, near his own Seat: All which confpired, with his Regard to my Lady's Memory, to render him fo diftafteful to his Uncle, that he has forbid him ever entering his Doors, or appearing any where where he is; and has refolved never to give him a Penny more than

he