This I could not perfectly understand in the terms of art, which Mr. Sparkle made use of, and therefore defired he would express himself in plain language. My father means to fay, cries Billy, there are three girls want husbands, and but one man that wishes to be married. Hold your tongue, puppy, said old Sparkle, and proceeded. You fhall know, Sir, that to accommodate Mr. Drowsy in the article of a wife and fave him the trouble of looking out for himself, we fome time ago put an advertisement in the papers; I believe I have a copy of it about me: Aye, here it is!

"WANTED

"A young, healthy, unmarried woman, of a "difcreet character, as wife to a gentleman of "fortune, who loves his ease and does not care "to take upon himself the trouble of courtship: "fhe must be of a placid domeftic turn, and "not one that likes to hear herself talk. Any

qualified perfon, whom this may fuit, by ap"plying to Mr. Sparkle auctioneer, may be in"formed of particulars. A fhort trial will be ❝ expected,

"N. B. Maids of Honor need not apply, as "none fuch will be treated with."

No

I told Mr. Sparkle I thought his advertisement a very good one, and properly guarded and I wished to know the refult of it: He faid that very many applicants had presented themselves, but for want of full credentials he had difmiffed all but three, whom I will again describe, added he, not only for your information, but in hopes Mr. Drowfy will give fome attention to the catalogue, which I am forry to fay has not yet been the cafe.

He then drew a paper of minutes from his pocket-book and read as follows

"Katherine Cumming, spinster, aged twen"ty-five, lodges at Gravesend in the house of "Mr. Duffer, a reputable flop feller of that "place, can have an undeniable character from "two gentlemen of credit, now absent, but soon "expected in the next arrivals from China: « Her fortune, which she ingenuously owns is

not capital, is for the prefent invested in cer"tain commodities, which fhe has put into the "hands of the gentlemen above-mentioned, and

for which the expects profitable returns on "their arrival. This young lady appeared with "a florid blooming complexion, fine long ring"lets of dark hair in the fashionable difhevel, "eyes uncommonly sparkling, is tall of stature, "ftrait and in good cafe. She wore a locket of

“ plaited

"plaited hair flung in a gold chain round her "neck, and was remarkably neat and elegant "about the feet and ancles: Is impatient for a "fpeedy answer, as fhe has thoughts of going ❝out in the next ships to India."

Let her go! cried Ned, I'll have nothing to fay to Kitty Cumming.-I'll bet a wager she is one of us, exclaimed the city beau, for which his father gave him a look of rebuke and proceeded to the next.

cr

Agnes de Crapeau, daughter of a French "proteftant clergyman in the Isle of Jersey, a "comely young woman, but of a penfive air " and downcaft look; lived as a dependant 66 upon a certain rich trader's wife, with whom "her fituation was very unpleasant; flattered "herself fhe was well practifed in fubmiffion "and obedience, fhould conform to any hu

mours which the advertiser might have, and, "fhould he do her the honour to accept her as "his wife, fhe would do her poffible to please "him with all humble duty, gratitude and de ❝votion."

Ned Drowsy now turned himself in his chair, and with a figh whispered me in the ear, Poor thing! I pity her, but fhe won't do: Go on to the laft.

The lady I am next to describe, faid Sparkle,

is one of whom I can only fpeak by report, for as yet I have not fet eyes on her person, nor is fhe acquainted with a fyllable of thefe proceedings, being reprefented to me as a young woman, whofe delicacy would not fubmit to be the candidate of an advertisement. The account I have had of her is from a friend, who, though a man of a particular way of thinking, is a very honeft honourable perfon, and one whofe word will pass for thousands: He called at my office one day, when this advertisement was lying on my desk, and cafting his eye upon the paper afked me, if that filly jeft was of my inventing; I affured him it was no jeft, but a serious advertifement; that the party was a man of property and honor, a gentleman by birth and principle, and one every way qualified to make the married ftate happy. Hath he loft his understanding, faid my friend, that he takes this method of convening all the prostitutes about the town, or doth he confult his eafe fo much, as not trouble himself whether his wife be a modeft woman or not? Humph! cried Ned, what fignifies what he faid? go on with your ftory. To make fhort of it then, refumed Sparkle, my friend grew ferious upon the matter, and after a confi dering time addreffed himself to me as follows; If I were fatisfied your principal is a man, as

you describe him, qualified by temper and dif pofition to make an amiable and virtuous girl happy, I would say something to you on the subject; but as he chufes to be concealed, and as I cannot think of blindly facrificing my fair charge to any man, whom she does not know and approve, there is an end of the matter. And why fo? exclaimed Ned with more energy than I had ever obferved in him; I fhould be glad to fee the gentleman and lady both; I should be glad to fee them.

At this inftant a fervant entered the room and announced the arrival of a stranger, who wished to fpeak with the elder Mr. Sparkle.

N° CXIX,