The next morning Mr. Thomas, then Lord Mansfield's clerk, came himself with the tipftaff, to conduct me over to the warden. Mr. Marsden very politely met me at the door of his house, and. conducted me into the parlour. My attorney having attended Mr. Woodward and Mr. Stacie there in the morning, to fettle for the Rules, the Marshal knew of my coming, and I found every thing usual for breakfast prepared against I arrived.

This grand point being fettled, I went to a little vile lodging, which had been taken for me, at the house belonging to the Windmill in St. George's Fields; a spot rendered famous by Shakfpere, from being noticed by Juftice Shallow, in the "Second Part of Henry the Fourth *." For this wretched place I was to pay two guineas a week; but the time to procure me a lodging had been fo fhort, that the first which offered was fixed upon.

Mr. Marsden attended me himself, with great complaifance, to my new apartments; and I was not a little furprised, upon our being feated, at his taking out a large purfe of gold, and presenting it to me, with a requeft, that I would make ufe of it for my prefent exigencies, and return it to him when convenient. As an inducement for my doing this, he observed, that my expences must

* A&. III. Scene V.

have

have been very great at the officer's houfe; for though the woman was remarkably civil,' the generally made her guests pay for that civility. I told him, that my refidence at the officer's house had indeed been expenfive, and related to him what had occafioned it; but I begged to decline his offer, affuring him that I was not at present in need of his kind: affiftance. Upon which he took his leave; entreating me, as he went out, to let him know, if I should at any time happen to be short of cash.

When Mr. Marfden was gone, I could not help expreffing my surprise to Miss Wordley, who had accompanied me in this confined tour, at his generous politeness. My companion instantly replied, "I am amazed at your fimplicity! You "may be affured it comes originally from Mr. "Woodward! As you have so often rejected his

66

pecuniary affiftance, I plainly fee he has taken "this method to ferve you, without being mor"tified by a refusal.”

In the evening that gentleman came to pay me a vifit; when he advifed me to write, as foon as poffible, to the Attorney-General, my much honoured friend Mr. Yorke, to confult him upon my cafe. By Mr. Woodward not making me an offer of his affiftance at this time, I was convinced that Mifs Wordley's fuppofition was well founded.

founded. Indeed, her fagacity and fuperior understanding enabled her to fee every event clearer, in all points of view, than most people.

The next day I defired her to take a letter to Mr. Yorke. My honourable (and now, alas! my much regretted) friend immediately wrote me an answer, wherein he informed me, in the kindeft terms, that he would pay every attention to the affair, and would do all in his power to extricate me from it. But as nothing could be done till November, he requested me to accept the inclosed bills, in lieu of what his loved fifter, Lady Anfon, had intended to bequeath me, had fhe not been taken away fuddenly. He then advised me, if my creditor could not be prevailed on to compromise the debt, to stand trial; when he was well affured, he said, a verdict would be given in my favour; but as his excellency, Comte Haflang, was advanced in years, it might continue pending over my head for fome time. In how pleafing a manner was this favour conferred the delicacy and politeness with which it was accompanied, gave it double value, and claimed my warmest acknowledgments.

Finding I must make up my mind to my prefent fituation, as nothing could be done for fo long a time, I fent Mifs Wordley to feek out another apartment; for though, by Mr. Yorke's bounty,

bounty, I found myself poffeffed of two hundred pounds, yet it was visible that the noble donor had fent me that fum, on purpofe to enable me to compromise the debt with Mrs. Ray, fhould fhe consent to it. Mifs Wordley accordingly fixed on two rooms adjoining to the Dog and Duck, at twelve shillings a week; which were more eligible, better furnished, and much airier, than thofe I was now in. There was, indeed, no convenient accommodation for my friend; but the agreed to put up with the beft we could make, those nights on which her engagement at Richmond would permit her to be with me.

I was in hopes, I fhould have been able to comprefs the whole of the tedious detail of this disagreeable affair into one letter; but as I find I have many circumftances yet to relate concerning it, I must be obliged to make it the subject of my next. You will readily perceive, that I carefully avoid making an addition to the prolixity, by the infertion of any of my ufual remarks or quotations.-In feveral places where my pen was about to take advantage of an opening, and set off, I have instantly checked it; left, whilst it should afford a relief to the fameness of the fubject, it fhould run it into too great a length.-This inveterate profecution, carried on against me because I would not conform to the abandoned withes of

the profecutrix, proved a fource of much unhappiness to me; I fhall therefore hurry through the relation of it as faft as poffible; at once to put an end to the corrofive reflections which torture my mind as I write it, and to carry you with all difpatch through a scene that can give you no great pleasure. For, whilft. I ftrive to preserve your friendship, and to regain the good opinion of the world, by a narrative of the most interesting events of my life, I should think myself undeferving of both, was I to fpare any pains to render it as pleafing and entertaining as it lies in my power to do.

G. A. B.

LETT TER

LXXXV.

October 23, 17

S

As foon as I was fettled in my new refidence, I sent to Counsellor Murphy, to request his advice and affistance. He undertook, with the greatest alacrity, to try to prevail on my opponent to receive the money, agreeable to the former fettlement. If he could not effect this, he affured me he would undertake my caufe, and exert his utmost abilities in my defence. Numerous were the prefents which I received whilft I continued H

VOL. IV.

in.