particular, as you fhall think requifite. My dear, dear Sir, faid I, 'tis impoffible for me to fay how greatly you oblige me. Abraham came and told us Supper was upon Table in another Parlour.Mr. B - ordered him to call Mr. Longman to keep us Company. Indeed, he never fails fending for the good Old Gentleman when no Strangers are at the House.

At Supper, I faid to Mr. Longman, I am heartily forry to hear the Misfortunes which have attended good Mr. Peters's Family.Ay, Madam, reply'd he, they are dreadful Calamities.---When I was told the Particulars, as the Child related them, I could not help reflecting on his Difcourfe with Doctor Williams. He finds Lewd, nefs is not confined to the Circle of the Gentry; that the lowest People can be as wicked as their Betters; and Servants bid Defiance to the Gal lows as well as their Mafters. What mean you, faid Mr. B, by bidding Defiance to the Gallows? I mean, reply'd the good Old Man, perpetrating Crimes, which the Laws punish with Death; as Violation of an innocent Virgin.--I was afraid this Subject fhould be carried farther, as I know Mr. Longman very often fpeaks his Mind with a Freedom which Mr. B could

not bear with in any other, and to turn the Dif courfe, I asked if it would be impertinent to de fire he would acquaint me with the Particulars of thefe Misfortunes?

Madam, faid he, the Story Mifs Peters tells is very fhort.----She was at the Boarding-School at Lincoln, from whence her Father fent his Chariot to bring her, and the Coachman, being on the Heath, and no Body in Sight, forced her. But this, the refufed to: make Oath of before the Juftice.

ን .

The Neice of this Reverend Gentleman has made Oath, that fhe has more than once catch'd her Coufin in the Coachman's Room; and fufpected that she had Thoughts of marrying him, but did not believe any thing criminal had paffed between them till it was now but too apparent that her Coufin had wanted Prudence, and then she suspected her Husband, the Coachman, was the Author of her Misfortune. That fhe taxed her with it, and fhe could not long deny, her Sufpicion being juft. That the the Niece, then reproached her Husband with his Ingratitude to her who had ftoop'd fo low to raise him to an eafy Fortune, and his Bafenefs to his Mafter. He anfwered, he was forry for what had pafs'd, which had never been if Mifs had not encouraged him. That as to what regarded her as his Wife, he acknowledged the Honour done him; but that this Commerce was begun before he had any Reafon to expect the Happiness he owed to her Generofity. That he was fo far from defiring to continue it, he would leave his Place to get rid of his. young Miftrefs, and defired her, Mr. Peters's Neice, to prepare to go off with him, and that they had defigned fo to do, when her Aunt difcovered, and her Coufin did not deny, that she was with Child. What, faid I, is become of the Coachman and young Lady who married him? As Mifs Peters, reply'd he, would not fwear this Story of a Rape, and could not deny what the Neice fwore and I have repeated, the Juftice could do no more than take Sureties of him. Nay, it was his private Opinion, that Mifs had rather tempted the Fellow, than the Fellow her. As to the Niece, fhe did not hefitate at declaring fhe loved her Uncle's Coachman, and as he could not live without him, fhe herself had propofed their Marriage.

Pray,

is the Fellow handfome?

Pray M B In my Eye, repr. Longman, he is the Reverfe He and the young Lady have left Mr. P stars, and taken a large Farm near Huntingdon, which is tocked with Part of her Fortune.

I went to my Chamber foon after Supper, continued this Letter, and wrote the following to my dear Parents,

WE
E left London on Monday, and got fafe and
well to Mr. B's Seat in Lincolnshire
on Thursday Evening. I blefs God he is the fame
tender indulgent dear Gentleman I found him the
first Day that he honoured me with the Title of
Mrs. B-- My conftant Prayers and Care
hall be to give him no Caufe to repent his Con
defcenfion and Goodness, or to alter bis Behaviour

to me.

The Almighty is infinitely merciful, but fuch Series of Profperity without any crofs Accident to ruffle it, makes me ever upon my Guard against and prepared to meet with Conftancy and humble Refignation to the Divine Will, whatever Miffortune may break in upon my present happy Tranquility. The greatest would be a Decay of my dear Mr. B's Affection; which gracious. Heaven avert, for I doubt my having Courage to support fa dreadful a Trial, in Comparison of which, the being reduced to my former Poverty and fervile Condition, I should hardly term a Misfortune.

But, my dear Parents, I have no Reafon given me to apprehend any Tempeft will ruffle my prefent Calm of Life; they are the common Viciffitudes of the World, to which I am liable, that alarm me.

Mr.

Mr. B----'s Tenderness promises me a Continuance of the Blessings I now enjoy, and O may the divine Affiftance make me worthy of them.

A very Terrible Misfortune has happened in the Family of the Reverend Mr. Peters, the reading the following Account will, I am fatisfied, excite your Compaffion. I pray Heaven comfort the unfortunate Couple, who are deprived of that they hoped, from an only and tenderly beloved Child.

[I here, my dear Jervis, gave them the Account you have, and concluded with begging their Prayers.]---Affure yourself you are never forgot in mine, and that to the utmoft of her Power you will find an unalterable Friend in

Saturday Evening.

P. B.

My dear Mrs. Jervis, this Morning my dear Mr. B got on Horseback, and took an Airing for a couple of Hours after Breakfaft; he had not been long returned, when Sir Simon Darnford came in, without our having any previous Notice; he had no Servant with him, rode directly into the Stables, where he himfelf put up his Horfe, and came, without meeting any body, through the Hall into the Parlour, where I was fitting on my dear Master's Knee, with one Arm round his Neck.

So fo, young Lady, have I catch'd you? faid he; these are pretty Familiarities indeed. Adad, 'tis no Wonder your fine taper Shape is fpoiled. My dear Mafter and I 'rofe up, the Gentlemen faluted each other like friendly Neighbours, and Sir Simon faluting me, I asked after the Health of his Family?

Thank Heavens, my pretty Neighbour, faid he, we are all well, and my Girls, in particular,

grown

grown more fprightly than ufual on your coming
down. If my very humble Service, and my Re-
Spects, and many more of thefe Meffages, and good
Wines and Congratulations, had been but as
weighty as fo many Corks, adad, I must have
either led or driven my Horfe before me, for the
poor Beaft would never have been able to have
brought them and me too. I am highly obliged,
anfwered I, for the Honour the Ladies of your
Family do me in their kind Remembrance and
good Wifhes.Adad, not a Whit, not a Whit,
my charming Neighbour, faid Sir Simon.
never faw any thing fo lovely, 'tis impoffible you
can ever flip out of our Memory; and as we
never met with any one fo deferving, 'tis as im-
poffible not to love you and we cannot help
wifhing well to what we love I find, Sir
Simon, faid I, you are refolved to put an End to
my converfing with you, by putting it out of my
Power to make an Anfwer.Adad, I fpeak

my

A

As we

Sentiments, and those of all who know you, and I am very fure thofe of my good Neighbour here. Indeed, Sir, reply'd Mr. B, my dear Pamela is every way good.

Well, Madam, I am come to fee if a Vifit from my old Woman and our Girls, will not be troublesome this Afternoon? Far from it, Sir Simon, my Lady and the young Ladies will do me Pleafure and Honour.- Well, Mr. B faid Sir Simon, have you forgot your old Custom of obliging your Neighbours, when you came down, with what new Pamphlets were publifhed at London?

My dear Mr. B answered, that his Bookfeller had fent him down a Pacquet, which he had not opened; but would fetch it out of his Library and lay in Sight in the Parlour, that C.c

one