confented to this propofal, and they went away together.

Mercator, in the mean time, was expected by Flavilla with the moft tender impatience. She had put her little boy to bed, and decorated a fmall room in which they had been used to fup by themfelves, and which he had fhut up in his abfence; fhe counted the moments as they paffed, and liftened to every carriage and every step that fhe heard. Supper now was ready: her impatience was increafed; terror was at length mingled with regret, and her fondness was only bufied to afflict her: fhe wifhed, fhe feared, fhe accused, she apologized, and fhe wept. In the height of thefe eager expectations and this tender diftrefs, fhe received a billet, which Mercator had been perfuaded by his uncle to write, in which he upbraided her in the ftrongeft terms with abufing his confidence, and difhonouring his bed: "of this," he faid, "he had now obtained "fufficient proof to 'do juftice to himself, and that " he was determined to fee her no more."

To thofe, whofe hearts have not already acquainted them with the agony which feized Flavilla upon the fight of this billet, all attempts to describe it would be not only ineffectual but abfurd. Having paffed the night without fleep, and the next day without food, difappointed in every attempt to dif

cover what was become of Mercator, and doubting, if she should have found him, whether it would be poffible to convince him of her innocence; the violent agitation of her mind produced a flow fever, which, before fhe confidered it as a disease, she communicated to the child while fhe cherished it at her bofom, and wept over it as an orphan, whose life fhe was fuftaining with her own.

After Mercator had been abfent about ten days, his uncle, having perfuaded him to accompany fome friends to a country-feat at the diftance of near fixty miles, went to his lodgings in order to discharge the rent, and try what terms he could make with Flavilla, whom he hoped to intimidate with threats of a profecution and divorce; but when he came, he found that Flavilla was finking very fast under her disease, and the child was dead already. The woman of the house, into whose hands she had just put her repeating watch and fome other ornaments as a fecurity for her rent, was fo touched with her diftrefs, and fo firmly perfuaded of her innocence by the manner in which fhe had addreffed her, and the calm folemnity with which fhe abfolved thofe by whom fhe had been traduced, that as foon as she had dif covered Fulvius' business, fhe threw herself on her knees, and intreated, that if he knew where Mercator was to be found, he would urge him to return;

that

that if poffible, the life of Flavilla might be preserved, and the happiness of both be restored by her juftification. Fulvius, who still suspected appearances, or at leaft was in doubt of the caufe that had produced them, would not discover his nephew; but after much intreaty and expoftulation at laft engaged upon his honour for the conveyance of a letter. The woman, as foon as fhe had obtained this promife, ran up and communicated it to Flavilla; who, when she had recovered from the furprife and tumult which it occafioned, was fupported in her bed, and in about half an hour, after many efforts and many intervals, wrote a fhort billet; which was fealed and put into the hands of Fulvius.

Fulvius immediately inclosed and dispatched it by the poft, refolving, that in a queftion fo doubtful and of fuch importance, he would no farther interpose. Mercator, who the moment he cast his eye ⚫ upon the letter, knew both the hand and the feal, after paufing a few moments in fufpense, at length tore it open, and read thefe words:

"Such has been my folly, that, perhaps, I should "not be acquitted of guilt in any circumstances, "but thofe in which I write. I do not, therefore, "but for your fake, wifh them other than they are. "The dear infant, whose birth has undone me, now "lies dead at my fide, a victim to my indifcretion " and

cr

"and your refentment. I am scarce able to guide "my pen. But I moft earnestly intreat to fee you, "that you may at least have the fatisfaction to hear "me attest my innocence with the laft figh, and feal " our reconciliation on my lips, while they are yet " fenfible of the impreffion."

Mercator, whom an earthquake would lefs have affected than this letter, felt all his tenderness revive in a moment, and reflected with unutterable anguish upon the rashness of his refentment. At the thought of his distance from London, he started as if he had felt a dagger in his heart: he lifted up his eyes to heaven, with a look that expreffed at once an accusation of himself, and a petition for her; and then rufhing out of the house, without taking leave of any, or ordering a fervant to attend him, he took post-horses at a neighbouring inn, and in lefs than fix hours was in Leicester-fields. But notwithstanding his speed, he arrived too late, Flavilla had fuffered the last agony, and her eyes could behold him no more. Grief and disappointment, remorfe and despair, now totally fubverted his reafon. It became neceffary to remove him by force from the body; and after a confinement of two years in a mad-house he died.

May every lady, on whofe memory compaffion fhall record thefe events, tremble to affume the

of

levity of Flavilla; for, perhaps it is in the power no man in Mercator's circumstances, to be less jealous than Mercator.

ANECDOTE

OF THE

DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

WH

HEN the amiable Duchefs of Northumberland was fome years ago on the continent, she stopped at an inn in French Flanders, called the Golden Goofe; but arriving late, and being fomewhat fatigued with her journey, fhe ordered but a flight repaft for herself and her suite, which confifted only of five fervants. In the morning when the landlord prefented his bill, her fecretary was much furprised at one general item of "Expences for the night, 14 louis d'ors." In vain did he remonftrate: the artful Fleming knew the generous character of the Duchefs, and was pofitive. The money was accordingly paid. When he was preparing to depart, the landlord, as ufual, attended her to the carriage; and after making many congé's, and expreffing many thanks, hoped he fhould have the honour of her Grace's company on her return.

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