페이지 이미지
PDF
ePub

Joy,found that she had still preferved her Honour; as well as every Thing which she had taken away from her Parents. As a further Confirmation of this, Sir, faid the Gentleman, here is a Letter which your Spouse hath already perufed, from the aforefaid Landlord at Dover; fetting forth to the very fame Effect, as this which I have already told you. And the same worthy Gentleman, who purfued the fham-Marquifs to Dover, did alfo take Cognizance of your Daughter's Return to London: And who, for your further Satisfaction, and by your Daughter's particular Defire, took the Pains to enquire at every Place where they changed their PoftChaife, of every Thing that pafs'd, and how long they stay'd at each Place. By which Means he found that Mifs had dealt with them very faithfully in all fhe had related. So that, there was not the leaft Room to doubt, but that she was as free from Blemish as a Vestal.

This transporting Account, fo added to the good Man's Joy, that he broke out, in a sudden flood of Rapture, to the following Effect.

"Oh! my worthy Sir, faid he, to the Cap"tain, you are indeed my bleft Genius. How

66

many tedious and bitter Hours have I counted "over, before that happy Moment, wherein you firft pity'd my Misfortunes, and declared "yourself my Friend? but no fooner did I tafte

66

[ocr errors]

"of your kind and generous Bounty, but, as a "Mist before the Sun, the cloudy Darkness of "all my Mifery began to fly before your chear"full Beams. Even the very first Spark of "your unparallel'd Goodness, raised me to an higher Degree of Happiness, than I ever again. "expected to tafte of. And now I can per❝ceive, by thofe two Inftances of this Day's "Goodness, that I fhall foon reach the fummit “ of all I can Defire on this Side the Grave.”

Mr. Settee's Joy was fo elevated with a gratefull Senfe of the Captain's great Favours and Services, that he was pursuing of this Difcourfe with great Warmth and Feeling, when the generous Captain thought proper to interrupt him. I affure you, Sir, faid he, that the fortunate Efcape and happy Return of your Daughter, is a Thing of fo much Confequence, that I look upon it as a greater Benefit, and more fatisfactory, than the full Payment of all the Lord Blaze's Debt could be. And therefore I muft defire you to render this worthy Gentleman, your best Thanks for his good and comfortable News. And fo faying he took his Leave of Mr. Settee and departed.

[blocks in formation]

CHAP. XXII.

Wherein the Reader will find his Fatigue nearly approaching to an End.

TH

HE happy Succefs in this fudden and unexpected Turn of the Affairs of Mr. Settee, was News of the utmoft Satisfaction to the Ears of Mr. Greenland: who had also the tendereft Senfe of Humanity in all the Sufferings of her diftrefs'd Fellow Creatures. Nor were any of the Family lefs pleased with the Captain's agreeable Account of this joyfull Change. Even poor Willfull, who was now at Liberty, though under the Obligation of Bail, could hardly refrain his Tears of Gladness, when he heard the Captain's Story.

But, as it hath been frequently obferv'd, that, when the Emprefs, Fortune, hath been pleased to alter her Courfe of Proceedings, and to divert herself with her Subjects Viciffitudes, fhe feldom regards the midle Path; but turning every Thing to Extrames, fhe either pours forth Floods of Evils; or fhowers down Heaps of Favours, in mightier Quantities than we can fometimes eafily deal with.

So did it here happen to the fortunate Settee;. for the next Day, according to his Promife, the

Lord

Lord Blaze fent his Steward and Attorney to the Fleet, where the Captain being now also sent for, the three thousand Pounds were punctually paid him; the refidue of his Bill was promised in a Month, and all his Creditors being before fummon'd, they receiv'd, in the Steward's Prefence, the whole Money amongst them. This being done, he was again clear in the World: his Debts were all paid: his Perfon discharged from Prifon; reftored again to his House and Family, and an other Bleffing, yet, to be added to all the rest.

His Coufin Bubble, the Attorney, who had for feveral Years poffefs'd that very Estate, which his Father in Law intended him, was now, about this Time, reduced to a very dangerous State of Health, even to the very Margin of the Grave. And being accidentally inform'd of his Cousin Settee's heavy Misfortunes, it happily laid the Foundation of fome very deep Reflexions in him. He ftrove. indeed, for fome Time, to drive the fad Thought from his Mind; but the more he endeavour'd against it, the more it haunted him and the more it gather'd Strength, the more it difturb'd him; till at length, it had taken fuch deep Root, that he talk'd of it in his Sleep; dreamt of it, when he was awake; and rav'd about it, light-headed. His Diftemper fill increafing, his Strength declined, in courfe;

[blocks in formation]

Book XII: and now the knavifh Faculties of his Mind, being thereby relaxt, they gave him up a despairing Prey to his most perturbated Thoughts. So that, at laft, he refolv'd to attone for this black Crime, by an immediate Reftitution. This Expedient had no fooner taken Place in his Mind, than he imagined that it gave him Comfort; and therefore, to Non-fuit the Devil, if poffible, by this confciencious Device, he immediately made his Will; and that nobody else fhould play the like Trick by it, as he had done before, he declared the Intent and Purport of it, before above twenty living Witneffes. And whereby, he did devife and bequeath the aforefaid Estate, amounting to upwards of four hundred Pounds a Year, to defcend immediately, upon his Demife, to his beloved Kinfman, Abraham Settee; his Heirs and Affigns for ever. This important. Affair being fettled, his Soul fet forth to take Poffeffion in the unknown Regions, amongst those of his black Fraternity; who were gone before

him..

And the first Exprefs of this wonderfull Deed, that is to fay, from a Lawyer, and of his lucky Defunct, arrived to Mr. Settee, just at a Time when he had happily retriev'd his Body and Mind from the most heavy and wretched Bond-age. But how shall we express our Hero's great. Surprize, when upon a little Conversation with

Mr..

« 이전계속 »