and so the silly poet runs home to versify the "disaster."

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"That may be the mode," cried Moses, " in sub"limer compositions; but the Ranelagh songs that come down to us are perfectly familiar, and all "cast in the same mold: Colin meets Dolly, and they hold a dialogue together; he gives her a fairing to put in her hair, and she presents him "with a nosegay; and then they go together to "church, where they give good advice to young nymphs and swains to get married as fast as they

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can.

"And very good advice too," cried I," and I "am told there is not a place in the world where "advice can be given with so much propriety as "there; for, as it persuades us to marry, it also fur"nishes us with a wife; and surely that must be "an excellent market, my boy, where we are told "what we want, and supplied with it when wanting.'

Yes, Sir," returned Moses, " and I know but "of two such markets for wives in Europe, Ranelagh in England, and Fontarabia in Spain. The "Spanish market is open once a year, but our Eng"lish wives are saleable every night."

"You are right, my boy," cried his mother, "Old England is the only place in the world for "busbands to get wives."" And for wives to manage their husbands," interrupted I. "It is a

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proverb abroad, that if a bridge were built across "the sea, all the ladies of the Continent would "come over to take pattern from ours; for there "are no such wives in Europe as our own. "let us have one bottle more, Deborah, my life, "and Moses give us a good song. What thanks "do we not owe to heaven for thus bestowing tran "quillity, health and competence. I think my"self happier now than the greatest monarch upon

"earth.

"earth. He has no such fire-side, nor such plea"sant faces about it. Yes, Deborah, we are now "growing old; but the evening of our life is likely "to be happy. We are descended from ancestors "that knew no stain, and we shall leave a good "and virtuous race of children behind us. While "we live they will be our support and our pleasure "here, and when we die they will transmit our "honour untainted to posterity. Come, my son, "we wait for a song: let us have a chorus. But "where is my darling Olivia? That little cherub's "voice is always sweetest in the concert.". "Just as I spoke Dick came running in, “O papa, papa, "she is gone from us, she is gone from us, my sister Livy is gone from us for ever"-" Gone, child!" "Yes, she is gone off with two gentlemen in a post chaise, and one of them kissed her, and said he "would die for her; and she cried very much, and "was for coming back; but he persuaded her again, " and she went into the chaise, and said, O what "will my poor papa do when he knows I am un"done!" "Now then," cried I, "my chil"dren, go and be miserable; for we shall never enjoy one hour more. And O may heaven's ever"lasting fury light upon him and his! Thus to "rob me of my child! And sure it will, for taking "back my sweet innocent that I was leading up to "heaven. Such sincerity as my child was possessed "of. But all our earthly happiness is now over! "Go, my children, go, and be miserable and in"famous; for my heart is broken within me!"

Father," cried my son, "is this your fortitude?" "Fortitude, child! Yes, he shall see I have forti"tude! Bring me my pistols. I'll pursue the trai"tor. While he is on earth I'll pursue him. Old " as I am, he shall find I can sting him yet. The " villain! The perfidious villain!". I had by this time reached down my pistols, when my poor

wife, whose passions were not so strong as mine, caught me in her arms. "My dearest, dearest hus"band," cried she," the bible is the only weapon "that is fit for your old hands now. Open that,

my love, and read our anguish into patience, for "she has vilely deceived us."—“ Indeed, Sir,” resumed my son, after a pause, “your rage is too "violent and unbecoming. You should be my "mother's comforter, and you encrease her pain. "It ill suited you and your reverend character, thus "to curse your greatest enemy: you should not have ડેટ curst him, villain as he is."—"I did not curse "him, child, did I?"-" Indeed, Sir, you did; "you curst him twice." "Then may heaven

forgive me and him if I did. And now, my son, "I see it was more than human benevolence that "first taught us to bless our enemies! Blest be his "holy name for all the good he hath given, and for "all that he hath taken away. But it is not, it is "not a small distress that can wring tears from these "old eyes, that have not wept for so many years.

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My child!-To undo my darling! May confu"sion seize--Heaven forgive me, what am I about "to say! You may remember, my love, how good she was, and how charming; till this vile "moment all her care was to make us happy. Had "she but died! But she is gone, the honour of our "family contaminated, and I must look out for happiness in other worlds than here. But my "child, you saw them go off: perhaps he forced "her away ? If he forced her, she may yet be in"nocent."" Ah no, Sir!" cried the child; "he "only kissed her, and called her his angel, and she

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wept very much, and leaned upon his arm, and "they drove off very fast."--" She's an ungrate"ful creature," cried my wife, who could scarcely speak for weeping, "to use us thus. She never "had the least constraint put upon her affections.

"The

"The vile strumpet has basely deserted her parents "without any provocation, thus to bring your grey "hairs to the grave, and I must shortly follow.

In this manner that night, the first of our real misfortunes, was spent in the bitterness of complaint, and ill supported sallies of enthusiasm. I determined, however, to find out our betrayer, whereever he was, and reproach his baseness. The next morning we missed our wretched child at breakfast, where she used to give life and cheerfulness to us all. My wife, as before, attempted to ease her heart by reproaches. "Never," cried she, " shall that vilest "stain of our family again darken these harmless "doors. I will never call her daughter more. No, "let the strumpet live with her vile seducer: she "may bring us to shame, but she shall never more "deceive us."

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"Wife," said I, " do not talk thus hardly my "detestation of her guilt is as great as yours; ever shall this house and this heart be open to a poor returning repentant sinner. The sooner she "returns from her transgression, the more welcome "shall she be to me. For the first time the very best may err; art may persuade, and novelty spread out its charm. The first fault is the child "of simplicity; but every other the offspring of guilt. Yes, the wretched creature shall be wel"come to this heart and this house, though stained "with ten thousand vices. I will again hearken to "the music of her voice, again will I hang fondly "on her bosom, if I find but repentance there. My "son, bring hither my bible and my staff; I will pursue her, wherever she is, and though I cannot save her from shame, I may prevent the continuance of iniquity."

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6.

CHAP

CHAP. XVIII.

The pursuit of a father to reclaim a lost child to

virtue.

THOUGH the child could not describe the gentleman's person who handed his sister into the post chaise, yet my suspicions fell entirely upon our young landlord, whose character for such intrigues was but too well known. I therefore directed my steps towards Thornhill-castle, resolving to upbraid him, and, if possible, to bring back my daughter: but before I had reached his seat, I was met by one of my parishioners, who said he saw a young lady resembling my daughter, in a post chaise with a gen tleman, whom, by the description, I could only guess to be Mr. Burchell, and that they drove very fast. This information, however, did by no means satisfy me. I therefore went to the young 'Squire's, and though it was yet early, insisted upon seeing him immediately: he soon appeared with the most open familiar air, and seemed perfectly amazed at my daughter's elopement, protesting upon his honour that he was quite a stranger to it. I now there fore condemned my former suspicions, and could turn them only on Mr. Burchell, who I recollected had of late several private conferences with her: but the appearance of another witness left me no room to doubt his villainy, who averred, that he and my daughter were actually gone towards the Wells, about thirty miles off, where there was a great deal of company. Being driven to that state of mindin which we are more ready to act precipitately than to reason right, I never debated with myself, whe ther these accounts might not have been given by persons purposely placed in my way, to mislead me,

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