Conceffion; and of giving the most convincing Satisfaction to her injured Husband, that his Refentment was juft; that her Detestation and Abhorrence of her paft Errors, were fincere; and her determin'd Reformation unfeign'd, and refolved. All this was fufficiently teftify'd by her fubfequent Proceeding. For,

Having now without the leaft Murmuring, attired herself in thofe Coarfe, home-made Trappings which were provided, and deliver❜d to her; fhe furvey'd her much changed Figuer, in the Face of her good and faithfull Monitor, the Glafs when, being now at her own Request, left alone, by her Maid; fhe made the following rational Obfervation.

What Stranger, faid fhe to herself, that view'd me fix Hours ago, would now take me to be the fame Woman? My meaneft Servant Maid, in her working Suit, hath as greatly the Ap-. pearance of a Lady, as myfelf. Their Complexions, and their Perfons, are as fine.. 'Tis Fortune, then, only that makes this mighty Difference and had Providence been no more bountifull to me, than to all these my poor Sifters in Nature, whofe real Character I now fo fully reprefent, I should also most certainly have been the fame houfe-hold Drudge; but good Heaven hath been more propitious and liberal to me, D 5

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in my better Birth and Provifion; which (I fhudder to think on't) I have moft infamously and most shamefully abused. The Sums I have lavishly, and heedlessly fquander'd away, to indulge and fatisfy a momentary Folly, would, doubtless, have purchafed a Number of happy Provifions, for fuch as I now feem, fufficient even for Life: and which too, would have render'd those worthy Creatures, perhaps more thankfull, and much more blefs'd, than I have hitherto been, in the Poffeffion of fuch Abundance. What an ungratefull Sinner have I been!

Thus fhe went on, feverely fcrutinizing all her paft Proceedings; and making most apt and beneficial Reflections on her prefent Condition; till she was interrupted by the Entrance of the Servant, to know, what she would please to have for Supper. When the return'd for Answer, whatever the Doctor pleafes. Here, the Servant withdrew, and in a few Minutes return'd with the Compliments of the Doctor and his Wife, entreating the Favour, that she would please to fup with them.-For the Doctor I wanted to obferve how the bore her Confinement. She return'd them a very genteel and obliging Anfwer, and that fhe would wait on. them. During all Supper-Time he behaved herself with fuch a compofed Appearance, and

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modest Reserve, as both deceiv'd and greatly aftonish'd the Doctor.

After Supper was over, fhe demanded of him, whether she was forbid the Confolation of Pen Ink and Paper: and being answer'd negatively, The farther enquired, if fhe could not by fome Means fend a Letter to her Husband. To which, he reply'd, whenever you please, Madam; I had no Directions to the Contrary: And when you think proper to write, I fhall take immediate Care to fend it as you may defire, and alfo by a special Meffenger; fo that you may be very fure of its being deliver'd accordingly. Here the inform'd him that she intended to do herself that Pleasure in the Morning, the first Thing fhe did: and wifh'd him to have a Meffenger in Readiness, Then,bidding them a good Night, fhe was reconducted to her own Appartment. Where the spent the whole Night in such cogitative Workings, as fhe had done before, when her Looking-Glafs firft convinced her, that fhe was no more than a real Woman.

Before she was out of her Bed, next Morning, fhe had pretty fufficiently digested her Thoughts; fo that just flipping on her Cloaths, the fat herself down, and without much Labour of Study, wrote the following Epiftle: and which feems indeed to flow from the honest and unaffected Dictates of her noble Mind.

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CHA P. III.

Containing the Lady's affecting Letter to her Hufband; the Confequence of that Letter, and the happy Conclufion of the prefent Story..

My deareft! beft beloved! and justly of

fended Life and Husband,

The iterated, tender indulgences, I have fo often unworthily received from your Goodness, fo ftaggars my Reflexions, when. I confider my own giddy Ingratitude, that, with all my beft Refolution and Endeavours, I have scarce Strength of Mind to bear the dreadfull Weight of their moft hatefull Remembrance. And methinks I have great Caufe to imagine, that I never truly examin'd my Mind or Perfon before; and, confequently, have been as heedlefs of the very many Bleffings I have receiv'd, both from Heaven and you. When the Doctor, who is a fenfible well-behaved Gentleman, inform'd me yesterday, of the irritated Step you had taken, fcarcely could I muster Strength enough to sustain the mighty Shock. But I thank the Almighty, I overcame it; and it was a fine preparative to alarm my future Thoughts.

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Thoughts. But the more I think, the more I am loft; and the more my Thoughts confound me. I am so astonish'd! and fo afhamed, when I call to Mind the repeated Injuries I have done you, by that most hatefull! provoking! and pernicious Practice! that I have no Room to expect, nor even to hope your least Forgivenefs. I know, my deareft Life! and have experienced the generous Goodness of your Temper; and am certain, that my own Refentment for my paft Errors, far furpasses the greateft that you are capable of. The Provision you have here made for me, is much better than I deserve; and I am fo fick of the difeafed Life I have led, that, could I be but fure of your free Forgiveness, I could be well contented to spend the Remainder of it, either here, or wherever elfe you might think more proper to place me.

But I cannot bear the Thought, my dearest Friend and Hufband! of enduring the irreparable Lofs of your bleft Love and Friendship. This is Daggers to my Heart! and the bittereft Miseries to my Soul! Oh! let me then receive the Cordial Pardon from your own dear Lips! and though I fhall fhudder to behold you, I will make fome future Attonement, by a ready and willing Refignation, and Obedience to your abfolute Difpofal and Defire.—I am all diffolving Anguish and Impatience, till I hear from you!

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