Fielding Henry
Amelia
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Henry Fielding
Amelia
To Ralph Allen Esq
Sir
The following Book is sincerely designed to promote the Cause of Virtue and
to expose some of the most glaring Evils as well public as private which at
present infest the Country tho there is scarce as I remember a single Stroke
of Satire aimed at any one Person throughout the whole
The best Man is the properest Patron of such an Attempt This I believe
will be readily granted nor will the public Voice I think be more divided to
whom they shall give that Appellation Should a Letter indeed be thus inscribed
Detur Optimo there are few Persons who would think it wanted any other
Direction
I will not trouble you with a Preface concerning the Work nor endeavour to
obviate any Criticisms which can be made on it The goodnatured Reader if his
Heart should be here affected will be inclined to pardon many Faults for the
Pleasure he will receive from a tender Sensation and for Readers of a different
Stamp the more Faults they can discover the more I am convinced they will be
pleased
Nor will I assume the fulsome Stile of common Dedicators I have not their
usual Design in this Epistle nor will I borrow their Language Long very long
may it be before a most dreadful Circumstance shall make it possible for any Pen
to draw a just and true Character of yourself without incurring a Suspicion of
Flattery in the Bosoms of the Malignant This Task therefore I shall defer
till that Day if I should be so unfortunate as ever to see it when every good
Man shall pay a Tear for the Satisfaction of his Curiosity a Day which at
present I believe there is but one good Man in the World who can think of with
Unconcern
Accept then Sir this small Token of that Love that Gratitude and that
Respect with which I shall always esteem it my greatest Honour to be
SIR
Your most obliged
And most obedient
Humble Servant
Henry Fielding
Bow Street
Dec 12 1751
Book I
Chapter I
Containing the Exordium etc
The various Accidents which befel a very worthy Couple after their uniting in
the State of Matrimony will be the Subject of the following History The
Distresses which they waded through were some of them so exquisite and the
Incidents which produced these so extraordinary that they seemed to require not
only the utmost Malice but the utmost Invention which Superstition hath ever
attributed to Fortune Tho whether any such Being interfered in the case or
indeed whether there be any such Being in the Universe is a Matter which I by
no Means presume to determine in the Affirmative To speak a bold Truth I am
after much mature Deliberation inclined to suspect that the Public Voice hath
in all Ages done much Injustice to Fortune and hath convicted her of many Facts
in which she had not the least Concern I question much whether we may not by
natural Means account for the Success of Knaves the Calamities of Fools with
all the Miseries in which Men of Sense sometimes involve themselves by quitting
the Directions of Prudence and following the blind Guidance of a predominant
Passion in short for all the ordinary Phenomena which are imputed to Fortune
whom perhaps Men accuse with no less Absurdity in Life than a bad Player
complains of ill Luck at the Game of Chess
But if Men are sometimes guilty of laying improper Blame on this imaginary
Being they are altogether as apt to make her Amends by ascribing to her
Honours which she as little deserves To retrieve the ill Consequences of a
foolish Conduct and by struggling manfully with Distress to subdue it is one
of the noblest Efforts of Wisdom and Virtue Whoever therefore calls such a
Man fortunate is guilty of no less Impropriety in Speech than he would be who
should call the Statuary or the Poet fortunate who carved a Venus or who writ
an Iliad
Life may as properly be called an Art as any other and the great Incidents
in it are no more to be considered as mere Accidents than the several Members
of a fine Statue or a noble Poem The Critics in all these are not content with
seeing any Thing to be great without knowing why and how it came to be so By
examining carefully the several Gradations which conduce to bring every Model to
Perfection we learn truly to know that Science in which the Model is formed As
Histories of this Kind therefore may properly be called Models of HUMAN LIFE
so by observing minutely the several Incidents which tend to the Catastrophe or
Completion of the whole and the minute Causes whence those Incidents are
produced we shall best be instructed in this most useful of all Arts which I
call the ART of LIFE
Chapter II
The History sets out Observations on the Excellency of the English
Constitution and curious Examinations before a Justice of Peace
On the first of April in the Year the Watchmen of a certain Parish I know
not particularly which within the Liberty of Westminster brought several
Persons whom they had apprehended the preceding Night before Jonathan Thrasher
Esq one of the Justices of the Peace for that Liberty
But here Reader before we proceed to the Trials of these Offenders we
shall after our usual Manner premise some Things which it may be necessary for
thee to know
It hath been observed I think by many as well as the celebrated Writer of
three Letters that no human Institution is capable of consummate Perfection An
Observation which perhaps that Writer at least gathered from discovering some
Defects in the Polity even of this well regulated Nation And indeed if there
should be any such Defect in a Constitution which my Lord Coke long ago told us
the Wisdom of all the wise Men in the World if they had all met together at one
time could not have equalled which some of our wisest Men who were met
together long before said was too good to be altered in any Particular and
which nevertheless hath been mending ever since by a very great Number of the
said wise Men if I say this Constitution should be imperfect we may be
allowed I think to doubt whether any such faultless Model can be found among
the Institutions of Men
It will probably be objected that the small Imperfections which I am about
to produce do not lie in the Laws themselves but in the ill Execution of them
but with Submission this appears to me to be no less an Absurdity than to say
of any Machine that it is excellently made tho incapable of performing its
Functions Good Laws should execute themselves in a well regulated State at
least if the same Legislature which provides the Laws doth not provide for the
Execution of them they act as Graham would do if he should form all the Parts
of a Clock in the most exquisite Manner yet put them so together that the Clock
could not go In this Case surely we might say that there was a small Defect in
the Constitution of the Clock
To say the Truth Graham would soon see the Fault and would easily remedy
it The Fault indeed could be no other than that the Parts were improperly
disposed
Perhaps Reader I have another Illustration which will set my Intention in
still a clearer Light before you Figure to yourself then a Family the Master
of which should dispose of the several oeconomical Offices in the following
Manner viz should put his Butler in the Coachbox his Steward behind his
Coach his Coachman in the Butlery and his Footman in the Stewardship and in
the same ridiculous Manner should misemploy the Talents of every other Servant
it is easy to see what a Figure such a Family must make in the World
As ridiculous as this may seem I have often considered some of the lower
Offices in our civil Government to be disposed in this very Manner To begin I
think as low as I well can with the Watchmen in our Metropolis who being
appointed to guard our Streets by Night from Thieves and Robbers an Office
which at least requires Strength of Body are chosen out of those poor old
decrepit People who are from their Want of bodily Strength rendered incapable
of getting a Livelihood by Work These Men armed only with a Pole which some
of them are scarce able to lift are to secure the Persons and Houses of his
Majestys Subjects from the Attacks of Gangs of young bold stout desperate
and wellarmed Villains
Quæ non viribus istis
Munera conveniunt
If the poor old Fellows should run away from such Enemies no one I think can
wonder unless it be that they were able to make their Escape
The higher we proceed among our public Officers and Magistrates the less
Defects of this kind will perhaps be observable Mr Thrasher however the
Justice before whom the Prisoners abovementioned were now brought had some few
Imperfections in his magistratical Capacity I own I have been sometimes
inclined to think that this Office of a Justice of Peace requires some
Knowledge of the Law for this simple Reason because in every Case which comes
before him he is to judge and act according to Law Again as these Laws are
contained in a great Variety of Books the Statutes which relate to the Office
of a Justice of Peace making of themselves at least two large Volumes in Folio
and that Part of his Jurisdiction which is founded on the common Law being
dispersed in above a hundred Volumes I cannot conceive how this Knowledge
should be acquired without reading and yet certain it is Mr Thrasher never
read one Syllable of the Matter
This perhaps was a Defect but this was not all for where mere Ignorance is
to decide a Point between two Litigants it will always be an even Chance
whether it decides right or wrong but sorry am I to say Right was often in a
much worse Situation than this and Wrong hath often had Five hundred to one on
his Side before that Magistrate who if he was ignorant of the Law of England
was yet well versed in the Laws of Nature He perfectly well understood that
fundamental Principle so strongly laid down in the Institutes of the learned
Rochefoucault by which the Duty of Selflove is so strongly enforced and every
Man is taught to consider himself as the Centre of Gravity and to attract all
things thither To speak the Truth plainly the Justice was never indifferent in
a Cause but when he could get nothing on either Side
Such was the Justice to whose tremendous Bar Mr Gotobed the Constable on
the Day abovementioned brought several Delinquents who as we have said had
been apprehended by the Watch for diverse Outrages
The first who came upon his Trial was as bloody a Spectre as ever the
Imagination of a Murderer or a Tragic Poet conceived This poor Wretch was
charged with a Battery by a much stouter Man than himself indeed the accused
Person bore about him some Evidence that he had been in an Affray his Cloaths
being very bloody but certain open Sluices on his own Head sufficiently shewed
whence all the scarlet Stream had issued whereas the Accuser had not the least
Mark or Appearance of any Wound The Justice asked the Defendant What he meant
by breaking the Kings Peace To which he answered »Upon my Shoul I do love
the King very well and I have not been after breaking any Thing of his that I
do know but upon my Shoul this Man hath brake my Head and my Head did brake
his Stick that is all Gra« He then offered to produce several Witnesses
against this improbable Accusation but the Justice presently interrupted him
saying »Sirrah your Tongue betrays your Guilt You are an Irishman and that
is always sufficient Evidence with me«
The second Criminal was a poor Woman who was taken up by the Watch as a
Streetwalker It was alledged against her that she was found walking the
Streets after Twelve oClock and the Watchman declared he believed her to be a
common Strumpet She pleaded in her Defence as was really the Truth that she
was a Servant and was sent by her Mistress who was a little Shopkeeper and
upon the Point of Delivery to fetch a Midwife which she offered to prove by
several of the Neighbours if she was allowed to send for them The Justice
asked her why she had not done it before To which she answered she had no
Money and could get no Messenger The Justice then called her several
scurrilous Names and declaring she was guilty within the Statute of
Streetwalking ordered her to Bridewell for a Month
A genteel young Man and Woman were then set forward and a very grave
looking Person swore he caught them in a Situation which we cannot as
particularly describe here as he did before the Magistrate who having received
a Wink from his Clerk declared with much Warmth that the Fact was incredible
and impossible He presently discharged the accused Parties and was going
without any Evidence to commit the Accuser for Perjury but this the Clerk
dissuaded him from saying he doubted whether a Justice of Peace had any such
Power The Justice at first differed in Opinion and said »He had seen a Man
stand in the Pillory about Perjury nay he had known a Man in Goal for it too
and how came he there if he was not committed thither« »Why that is true
Sir« answered the Clerk »And yet I have been told by a very great Lawyer that
a Man cant be committed for Perjury before he is indicted and the Reason is I
believe because it is not against the Peace before the Indictment makes it so«
»Why that may be« cries the Justice »and indeed Perjury is but scandalous
Words and I know a Man cant have no Warrant for those unless you put for
rioting1 them into the Warrant«
The Witness was now about to be discharged when the Lady whom he had
accused declared she would swear the Peace against him for that he had called
her a Whore several times »Oho you will swear the Peace Madam will you«
cries the Justice »Give her the Peace presently and pray Mr Constable
secure the Prisoner now we have him while a Warrant is made to take him up«
All which was immediately performed and the poor Witness for want of Sureties
was sent to Prison
A young Fellow whose Name was Booth was now charged with beating the
Watchman in the Execution of his Office and breaking his Lanthorn This was
deposed by two Witnesses and the shattered Remains of a broken Lanthorn which
had been long preserved for the Sake of its Testimony were produced to
corroborate the Evidence The Justice perceiving the Criminal to be but
shabbily drest was going to commit him without asking any further Questions At
length however at the earnest Request of the Accused the worthy Magistrate
submitted to hear his Defence The young Man then alledged as was in Reality
the Case »That as he was walking home to his Lodging he saw two Men in the
Street cruelly beating a third upon which he had stopt and endeavoured to
assist the Person who was so unequally attacked that the Watch came up during
the Affray and took them all four into Custody that they were immediately
carried to the Roundhouse where the two original Assailants who appeared to
be Men of Fortune found Means to make up the Matter and were discharged by the
Constable a Favour which he himself having no Money in his Pocket was unable
to obtain He utterly denied having assaulted any of the Watchmen and solemnly
declared that he was offered his Liberty at the Price of Half a Crown«
Tho the bare Word of an Offender can never be taken against the Oath of his
Accuser yet the Matter of this Defence was so pertinent and delivered with
such an Air of Truth and Sincerity that had the Magistrate been endued with
much Sagacity or had he been very moderately gifted with another Quality very
necessary to all who are to administer Justice he would have employed some
Labour in crossexamining the Watchmen at least he would have given the
Defendant the Time he desired to send for the other Persons who were present at
the Affray neither of which he did In short the Magistrate had too great an
Honour for Truth to suspect that she ever appeared in sordid Apparel nor did he
ever sully his sublime Notions of that Virtue by uniting them with the mean
Ideas of Poverty and Distress
There remained now only one Prisoner and that was the poor Man himself in
whose Defence the last mentioned Culprit was engaged His Trial took but a very
short time A Cause of Battery and broken Lanthorn was instituted against him
and proved in the same Manner nor would the Justice hear one Word in Defence
but tho his Patience was exhausted his Breath was not for against this last
Wretch he poured forth a great many Vollies of Menaces and Abuse
The Delinquents were then all dispatched to Prison under a Guard of
Watchmen and the Justice and the Constable adjourned to a neighbouring
Alehouse to take their Morning Repast
Chapter III
Containing the Inside of a Prison
Mr Booth for we shall not trouble you with the rest was no sooner arrived in
the Prison than a Number of Persons gathered round him all demanding Garnish
to which Mr Booth not making a ready Answer as indeed he did not understand
the Word some were going to lay hold of him when a Person of apparent Dignity
came up and insisted that no one should affront the Gentleman This Person then
who was no less than the Master or Keeper of the Prison turning towards Mr
Booth acquainted him that it was the Custom of the Place for every Prisoner
upon his first Arrival there to give something to the former Prisoners to make
them drink This he said was what they called Garnish and concluded with
advising his new Customer to draw his Purse upon the present Occasion Mr Booth
answered that he would very readily comply with this laudable Custom was it in
his Power but that in reality he had not a Shilling in his Pocket and what was
worse he had not a Shilling in the World »Oho if that be the Case« cries
the Keeper »it is another Matter and I have nothing to say« Upon which he
immediately departed and left poor Booth to the Mercy of his Companions who
without loss of Time applied themselves to uncasing as they termd it and with
such Dexterity that his Coat was not only stript off but out of Sight in a
Minute
Mr Booth was too weak to resist and too wise to complain of this Usage As
soon therefore as he was at Liberty and declared free of the Place he summoned
his Philosophy of which he had no inconsiderable Share to his Assistance and
resolved to make himself as easy as possible under his present Circumstances
Could his own Thoughts indeed have suffered him a Moment to forget where he
was the Dispositions of the other Prisoners might have induced him to believe
that he had been in a happier Place For much the greater part of his
FellowSufferers instead of wailing and repining at their Condition were
laughing singing and diverting themselves with various kinds of Sports and
Gambols
The first Person who accosted him was called BlearEyed Moll a Woman of no
very comely Appearance Her Eye for she had but one whence she derived her
Nickname was such as that Nickname bespoke besides which it had two
remarkable Qualities for first as if Nature had been careful to provide for
her own Defect it constantly looked towards her blind Side and secondly the
Ball consisted almost entirely of white or rather yellow with a little grey
Spot in the Corner so small that it was scarce discernible Nose she had none
for Venus envious perhaps at her former Charms had carried off the gristly
Part and some earthly Damsel perhaps from the same Envy had levelled the Bone
with the rest of her Face Indeed it was far beneath the Bones of her Cheeks
which rose proportionally higher than is usual About half a dozen ebeny Teeth
fortified that large and long Canal which Nature had cut from Ear to Ear at
the Bottom of which was a Chin preposterously short Nature having turned up
the Bottom instead of suffering it to grow to its due Length
Her Body was well adapted to her Face she measured full as much round the
middle as from Head to Foot for besides the extreme Breadth of her Back her
vast Breasts had long since forsaken their native Home and had settled
themselves a little below the Girdle
I wish certain Actresses on the Stage when they are to perform Characters
of no amiable Cast would study to dress themselves with the Propriety with
which BlearEyed Moll was now arrayed For the Sake of our squeamish Reader we
shall not descend to Particulars Let it suffice to say nothing more ragged or
more dirty was ever emptied out of the Roundhouse at St Giless
We have taken the more Pains to describe this Person for two remarkable
Reasons the one is that this unlovely Creature was taken in the Fact with a
very pretty young Fellow the other which is more productive of moral Lesson
is that however wretched her Fortune may appear to the Reader she was one of
the merriest Persons in the whole Prison
BlearEyed Moll then came up to Mr Booth with a Smile or rather Grin on
her Countenance and asked him for a Dram of Gin and when Booth assured her
that he had not a Penny of Money she replied » Dn your Eyes I thought by
your Look you had been a clever Fellow and upon the snaffling Lay2 at least
but Dn your Body and Eyes I find you are some sneaking Budge3 Rascal« She
then launched forth a Volley of dreadful Oaths interlarded with some Language
not proper to be repeated here and was going to lay hold on poor Booth when a
tall Prisoner who had been very earnestly eyeing Booth for some Time came up
and taking her by the Shoulder flung her off at some Distance cursing her for
a Bh and bidding her let the Gentleman alone
This Person was not himself of the most inviting Aspect He was long
visaged and pale with a red Beard of above a Fortnights Growth He was
attired in a brownish black Coat which would have shewed more Holes than it
did had not the Linen which appeared through it been entirely of the same
Colour with the Cloth
This Gentleman whose Name was Robinson addressed himself very civilly to
Mr Booth and told him he was sorry to see one of his Appearance in that Place
»For as to your being without your Coat Sir« says he »I can easily account
for that and indeed Dress is the least Part which distinguishes a Gentleman«
At which Words he cast a significant Look on his own Coat as if he desired they
should be applied to himself He then proceeded in the following Manner
»I perceive Sir you are but just arrived in this dismal Place which is
indeed rendered more detestable by the Wretches who inhabit it than by any
other Circumstance but even these a wise Man will soon bring himself to bear
with Indifference For what is is and what must be must be The Knowledge of
this which simple as it appears is in truth the Highth of all Philosophy
renders a wise Man superior to every Evil which can befal him I hope Sir no
very dreadful Accident is the Cause of your coming hither but whatever it was
you may be assured it could not be otherwise For all Things happen by an
inevitable Fatality and a Man can no more resist the Impulse of Fate than a
Wheelbarrow can the Force of its Driver«
Besides the Obligation which Mr Robinson had conferred on Mr Booth in
delivering him from the Insults of BlearEyed Moll there was something in the
Manner of Robinson which notwithstanding the Meanness of his Dress seemed to
distinguish him from the Crowd of Wretches who swarmed in those Regions and
above all the Sentiments which he had just declared very nearly coincided with
those of Mr Booth This Gentleman was what they call a Freethinker that is to
say a Deist or perhaps an Atheist for tho he did not absolutely deny the
Existence of a God yet he entirely denied his Providence A Doctrine which if
it is not downright Atheism hath a direct Tendency towards it and as Dr
Clarke observes may soon be driven into it And as to Mr Booth tho he was in
his Heart an extreme Wellwisher to Religion for he was an honest Man yet his
Notions of it were very slight and uncertain To say Truth he was in the
wavering Condition so finely described by Claudian
labefacta cadebat
Religio causoeque viam non sponte sequebar
Alterius vacuo quoe currere semina motu
Affirmat magnumque novas per inane figuras
Fortuna non arte regi quoe numina sensu
Ambiguo vel nulla putat vel nescia nostri
This Way of thinking or rather of doubting he had contracted from the same
Reasons which Claudian assigns and which had induced Brutus in his latter Days
to doubt the Existence of that Virtue which he had all his Life cultivated In
short poor Booth imagined that a larger Share of Misfortunes had fallen to his
Lot than he had merited and this led him who tho a good classical Scholar
was not deeply learned in religious Matters into a disadvantageous Opinion of
Providence A dangerous Way of reasoning in which our Conclusions are not only
too hasty from an imperfect View of Things but we are likewise liable to much
Error from Partiality to ourselves viewing our Virtues and Vices as through a
Perspective in which we turn the Glass always to our own Advantage so as to
diminish the one and as greatly to magnify the other
From the above Reasons it can be no Wonder that Mr Booth did not decline
the Acquaintance of this Person in a Place which could not promise to afford
him any better He answered him therefore with great Courtesy as indeed he
was of a very good and gentle Disposition and after expressing a civil Surprize
at meeting him there declared himself to be of the same Opinion with regard to
the Necessity of human Actions adding however that he did not believe Men
were under any blind Impulse or Direction of Fate but that every Man acted
merely from the Force of that Passion which was uppermost in his Mind and could
do no otherwise
A Discourse now ensued between the two Gentlemen on the Necessity arising
from the Impulse of Fate and the Necessity arising from the Impulse of Passion
which as it will make a pretty Pamphlet of itself we shall reserve for some
future Opportunity When this was ended they set forward to survey the Goal
and the Prisoners with the several Cases of whom Mr Robinson who had been
some time under Confinement undertook to make Mr Booth acquainted
Chapter IV
Disclosing further Secrets of the PrisonHouse
The first Persons whom they past by were three Men in Fetters who were enjoying
themselves very merrily over a Bottle of Wine and a Pipe of Tobacco These Mr
Robinson informed his Friend were three Streetrobbers and were all certain of
being hanged the ensuing Sessions So inconsiderable an Object said he is
Misery to light Minds when it is at any Distance
A little farther they beheld a Man prostrate on the Ground whose heavy
Groans and frantic Actions plainly indicated the highest Disorder of Mind
This Person was it seems committed for a small Felony and his Wife who then
layin upon hearing the News had thrown herself from a Window two Pair of
Stairs high by which means he had in all Probability lost both her and his
Child
A very pretty Girl then advanced towards them whose Beauty Mr Booth could
not help admiring the Moment he saw her declaring at the same time he thought
she had great Innocence in her Countenance Robinson said she was committed
thither as an idle and disorderly Person and a common Streetwalker As she
past by Mr Booth she damnd his Eyes and discharged a Volley of Words every
one of which was too indecent to be repeated
They now beheld a little Creature sitting by herself in a Corner and crying
bitterly This Girl Mr Robinson said was committed because her
FatherinLaw who was in the Granadier Guards had sworn that he was afraid of
his Life or of some bodily Harm which she would do him and she could get no
Sureties for keeping the Peace for which Reason Justice Thrasher had committed
her to Prison
A great Noise now arose occasioned by the Prisoners all flocking to see a
Fellow whipt for petty Larceny to which he was condemned by the Court of
Quarter Sessions but this soon ended in the Disappointment of the Spectators
for the Fellow after being stript having advanced another Sixpence was
discharged untouched
This was immediately followed by another Bustle BlearEyed Moll and
several of her Companions having got Possession of a Man who was committed for
certain odious unmanlike Practices not fit to be named were giving him various
Kinds of Discipline and would probably have put an End to him had he not been
rescued out of their Hands by Authority
When this Bustle was a little allayed Mr Booth took Notice of a young
Woman in Rags sitting on the Ground and supporting the Head of an old Man in
her Lap who appeared to be giving up the Ghost These Mr Robinson informed
him were Father and Daughter that the latter was committed for stealing a
Loaf in order to support the former and the former for receiving it knowing it
to be stolen
A welldrest Man then walked surlily by them whom Mr Robinson reported to
have been committed on an Indictment found against him for a most horrid
Perjury »but« says he »we expect him to be bailed Today« »Good Heaven«
cries Booth »can such Villains find Bail and is no Person charitable enough to
bail that poor Father and Daughter« »Oh Sir« answered Robinson »the Offence
of the Daughter being Felony is held not to be bailable in Law whereas
Perjury is a Misdemeanor only and therefore Persons who are even indicted for
it are nevertheless capable of being bailed Nay of all Perjuries that of which
this Man is indicted is the worst for it was with an Intention of taking away
the Life of an innocent Person by Form of Law As to Perjuries in civil Matters
they are not so very criminal« »They are not« said Booth »and yet even these
are a most flagitious Offence and worthy the highest Punishment« »Surely they
ought to be distinguished« answered Robinson »from the others for what is
taking away a little Property from a Man compared to taking away his Life and
his Reputation and ruining his Family into the Bargain I hope there can be
no Comparison in the Crimes and I think there ought to be none in the
Punishment However at present the Punishment of all Perjury is only Pillory
and Transportation for seven Years and as it is a traversable and bailable
Offence Methods are often found to escape any Punishment at all«4
Booth exprest great Astonishment at this when his Attention was suddenly
diverted by the most miserable Object that he had yet seen This was a Wretch
almost naked and who bore in his Countenance joined to an Appearance of
Honesty the Marks of Poverty Hunger and Disease He had moreover a wooden
Leg and two or three Scars on his Forehead »The Case of this poor Man is
indeed unhappy enough« said Robinson »He hath served his Country lost his
Limb and received several Wounds at the Siege of Gibraltar When he was
discharged from the Hospital abroad he came over to get into that of Chelsea
but could not immediately as none of his Officers were then in England in the
mean time he was one Day apprehended and committed hither on Suspicion of
stealing three Herrings from a Fishmonger He was tried several Months ago for
this Offence and acquitted indeed his Innocence manifestly appeared at the
Trial but he was brought back again for his Fees and here he hath lain ever
since«
Booth exprest great Horror at this Account and declared if he had only so
much Money in his Pocket he would pay his Fees for him but added that he was
not possest of a single Farthing in the World
Robinson hesitated a Moment and then said with a Smile »I am going to
make you Sir a very odd Proposal after your last Declaration but what say you
to a Game at Cards it will serve to pass a tedious Hour and may divert your
Thoughts from more unpleasant Speculations«
I do not imagine Booth would have agreed to this for tho some Love of
Gaming had been formerly amongst his Faults yet he was not so egregiously
addicted to that Vice as to be tempted by the shabby Plight of Robinson who
had if I may so express myself no Charms for a Gamester If he had however
any such Inclinations he had no Opportunity to follow them for before he could
make any Answer to Robinsons Proposal a strapping Wench came up to Booth and
taking hold of his Arm asked him to walk aside with her saying »What a Pox
are you such a fresh Cull that you do not know this Fellow Why he is a
Gambler and committed for cheating at Play There is not such a Pickpocket in
the whole Quad«5
A Scene of Altercation now ensued between Robinson and the Lady which
ended in a Bout at Fisticuffs in which the Lady was greatly superior to the
Philosopher
While the two Combatants were engaged a grave looking Man rather better
drest than the Majority of the Company came up to Mr Booth and taking him
aside said »I am sorry Sir to see a Gentleman as you appear to be in such
Intimacy with that Rascal who makes no Scruple of disowning all revealed
Religion As for Crimes they are human Errors and signify but little nay
perhaps the worse a Man is by Nature the more Room there is for Grace The
Spirit is active and loves best to inhabit those Minds where it may meet with
the most Work Whatever your Crime be therefore I would not have you despair
but rather rejoice at it for perhaps it may be the Means of your being called«
He ran on for a considerable Time with this Cant without waiting for an Answer
and ended in declaring himself a Methodist
Just as the Methodist had finished his Discourse a beautiful young Woman
was ushered into the Goal She was genteel and well drest and did not in the
least resemble those Females whom Mr Booth had hitherto seen The Constable had
no sooner delivered her at the Gate than she asked with a commanding Voice
for the Keeper and when he arrived she said to him »Well Sir whither am I
to be conducted I hope I am not to take up my Lodging with these Creatures«
The Keeper answered with a Kind of surly Respect »Madam we have Rooms for
those that can afford to pay for them« At these Words she pulled a handsome
Purse from her Pocket in which many Guineas chinked saying with an Air of
Indignation »that she was not come thither on account of Poverty« The Keeper
no sooner viewed the Purse than his Features became all softned in an Instant
and with all the Courtesy of which he was Master he desired the Lady to walk
with him assuring her that she should have the best Apartment in his House
Mr Booth was now left alone for the Methodist had forsaken him having as
the Phrase of the Sect is searched him to the Bottom In fact he had
thoroughly examined every one of Mr Booths Pockets from which he had conveyed
away a Penknife and an Iron Snuffbox these being all the Moveables which were
to be found
Booth was standing near the Gate of the Prison when the young Lady
abovementioned was introduced into the Yard He viewed her Features very
attentively and was persuaded that he knew her She was indeed so remarkably
handsome that it was hardly possible for any who had ever seen her to forget
her He enquired of one of the Underkeepers if the Name of the Prisoner lately
arrived was not Mathews to which he was answered that her Name was not Mathews
but Vincent and that she was committed for Murder
The latter Part of this Information made Mr Booth suspect his Memory more
than the former for it was very possible that she might have changed her Name
but he hardly thought she could so far have changed her Nature as to be guilty
of a Crime so very incongruous with her former gentle Manners for Miss Mathews
had both the Birth and Education of a Gentlewoman He concluded therefore that
he was certainly mistaken and rested satisfied without any further Enquiry
Chapter V
Containing certain Adventures which befel Mr Booth in the Prison
The Remainder of the Day Mr Booth spent in melancholy Contemplation on his
present Condition He was destitute of the common Necessaries of Life and
consequently unable to subsist where he was nor was there a single Person in
Town to whom he could with any reasonable Hope apply for his Delivery Grief for
some time banished the Thoughts of Food from his Mind but in the Morning
Nature began to grow uneasy for want of her usual Nourishment for he had not
eat a Morsel during the last forty Hours A penny Loaf which is it seems the
ordinary Allowance to the Prisoners in Bridewell was now delivered him and
while he was eating this a Man brought him a little Packet sealed up informing
him that it came by a Messenger who said it required no Answer
Mr Booth now opened his Packet and after unfolding several Pieces of blank
Paper successively at last discovered a Guinea wrapt with great Care in the
innermost Paper He was vastly surprised at this Sight as he had few if any
Friends from whom he could expect such a Favour slight as it was and not one
of his Friends as he was apprized knew of his Confinement As there was no
Direction to the Packet nor a Word of Writing contained in it he began to
suspect that it was delivered to the wrong Person and being one of the most
untainted Honesty he found out the Man who gave it to him and again examined
him concerning the Person who brought it and the Message delivered with it The
Man assured Booth that he had made no Mistake saying »If your Name is Booth
Sir I am positive you are the Gentleman to whom the Parcel I gave you belongs«
The most scrupulous Honesty would perhaps in such a Situation have been
well enough satisfied in finding no Owner for the Guinea especially when
Proclamation had been made in the Prison that Mr Booth had received a Packet
without any Direction to which if any Person had any Claim and would discover
the Contents he was ready to deliver it to such Claimant No such Claimant
being found I mean none who knew the Contents for many swore that they
expected just such a Packet and believed it to be their Property Mr Booth
very calmly resolved to apply the Money to his own Use
The first Thing after Redemption of the Coat which Mr Booth hungry as he
was thought of was to supply himself with Snuff which he had long to his
great Sorrow been without On this Occasion he presently missed that Iron Box
which the Methodist had so dextrously conveyed out of his Pocket as we
mentioned in the last Chapter
He no sooner missed this Box than he immediately suspected that the Gambler
was the Person who had stolen it nay so well was he assured of this Mans
Guilt that it may perhaps be improper to say he barely suspected it Tho Mr
Booth was as we have hinted a Man of a very sweet Disposition yet was he
rather overwarm Having therefore no Doubt concerning the Person of the
Thief he eagerly sought him out and very bluntly charged him with the Fact
The Gambler whom I think we should now call the Philosopher received this
Charge without the least visible Emotion either of Mind or Muscle After a short
Pause of a few Moments he answered with great Solemnity as follows »Young Man
I am entirely unconcerned at your groundless Suspicion He that censures a
Stranger as I am to you without any Cause makes a worse Compliment to himself
than to the Stranger You know yourself Friend you know not me It is true
indeed you heard me accused of being a Cheat and a Gamester but who is my
Accuser Look at my Apparel Friend do Thieves and Gamesters wear such Cloaths
as these Play is my Folly not my Vice it is my Impulse and I have been a
Martyr to it Would a Gamester have asked another to play when he could have
lost Eighteen Pence and won nothing However if you are not satisfied you may
search my Pockets the Outside of all but one will serve your Turn and in that
one there is the Eighteen Pence I told you of« He then turned up his Cloaths
and his Pockets entirely resembled the Pitchers of the Belides
Booth was a little staggered at this Defence He said the real Value of
the Iron Box was too inconsiderable to mention but that he had a capricious
Value for it for the Sake of the Person who gave it him »for tho it is not«
said he »worth Sixpence I would willingly give a Crown to any one who would
bring it me again«
Robinson answered »if that be the Case you have nothing more to do but to
signify your Intention in the Prison and I am well convinced you will not be
long without regaining the Possession of your Snuffbox«
This Advice was immediately followed and with Success the Methodist
presently producing the Box which he said he had found and should have
returned it before had he known the Person to whom it belonged adding with
uplifted Eyes that the Spirit would not suffer him knowingly to detain the
Goods of another however inconsiderable the Value was »Why so Friend« said
Robinson »Have I not heard you often say the wickeder any Man was the better
provided he was what you call a Believer« »You mistake me« cries Cooper for
that was the Name of the Methodist »no Man can be wicked after he is possessed
by the Spirit There is a wide Difference between the Days of Sin and the Days
of Grace I have been a Sinner myself« »I believe thee« cries Robinson with a
Sneer »I care not« answered the other »what an Atheist believes I suppose
you would insinuate that I stole the Snuffbox but I value not your Malice the
Lord knows my Innocence« He then walked off with the Reward and Booth turning
to Robinson very earnestly asked Pardon for his groundless Suspicion which the
other without any Hesitation accorded him saying »You never accused Me Sir
you suspected some Gambler with whose Character I have no Concern I should be
angry with a Friend or Acquaintance who should give a hasty Credit to any
Allegation against me but I have no Reason to be offended with you for
believing what the Woman and the Rascal who is just gone and who is committed
here for a Pickpocket which you did not perhaps know told you to my
Disadvantage And if you thought me to be a Gambler you had just Reason to
suspect any Ill of me for I myself am confined here by the Perjury of one of
those Villains who having cheated me of my Money at Play and hearing that I
intended to apply to a Magistrate against him himself began the Attack and
obtained a Warrant against me of Justice Thrasher who without hearing one
Speech in my Defence committed me to this Place«
Booth testified great Compassion at this Account and he having invited
Robinson to Dinner they spent that Day together In the Afternoon Booth
indulged his Friend with a Game at Cards at first for Halfpence and afterwards
for Shillings when Fortune so favoured Robinson that he did not leave the
other a single Shilling in his Pocket
A surprising Run of Luck in a Gamester is often mistaken for somewhat else
by Persons who are not over zealous Believers in the Divinity of Fortune I have
known a Stranger at Bath who hath happened fortunately I might almost say
unfortunately to have four by Honours in his Hand almost every time he dealt
for a whole Evening shunned universally by the whole Company the next Day And
certain it is that Mr Booth tho of a Temper very little inclined to
Suspicion began to waver in his Opinion whether the Character given by Mr
Robinson of himself or that which the others gave of him was the truer
In the Morning Hunger paid him a second Visit and found him again in the
same Situation as before After some Deliberation therefore he resolved to ask
Robinson to lend him a Shilling or two of that Money which was lately his own
And this Experiment he thought would confirm him either in a good or evil
Opinion of that Gentleman
To this Demand Robinson answered with great Alacrity that he should very
gladly have complied had not Fortune played one of her Jade Tricks with him
»for since my winning of you« said he »I have been stript not only of your
Money but my own« He was going to harangue farther but Booth with great
Indignation turned from him
This poor Gentleman had very little time to reflect on his own Misery or
the Rascality as it appeared to him of the other when the same Person who
had the Day before delivered him the Guinea from the unknown Hand again
accosted him and told him a Lady in the House so he expressed himself desired
the Favour of his Company
Mr Booth immediately obeyed the Message and was conducted into a Room in
the Prison where he was presently convinced that Mrs Vincent was no other than
his old Acquaintance Miss Mathews
Chapter VI
Containing the extraordinary Behaviour of Miss Mathews on her meeting with
Booth and some Endeavours to prove by Reason and Authority that it is possible
for a Woman to appear to be what she really is not
Eight or nine Years had past since any Interview between Mr Booth and Miss
Mathews and their meeting now in so extraordinary a Place affected both of them
with an equal Surprize
After some immaterial Ceremonies the Lady acquainted Mr Booth that having
heard there was a Person in the Prison who knew her by the Name of Mathews she
had great Curiosity to enquire who he was whereupon he had been shewn to her
from the Window of the House that she immediately recollected him and being
informed of his distressful Situation for which she expressed great Concern
she had sent him that Guinea which he had received the Day before and then
proceeded to excuse herself for not having desired to see him at that time when
she was under the greatest Disorder and Hurry of Spirits
Booth made many handsome Acknowledgments of her Favour and added that he
very little wondered at the Disorder of her Spirits concluding that he was
heartily concerned at seeing her there »but I hope Madam« said he
Here he hesitated upon which bursting into an Agony of Tears she cried
out »O Captain Captain many extraordinary Things have past since last I saw
you O gracious Heaven did I ever expect that this would be the next Place of
our meeting«
She then flung herself into her Chair where she gave a Loose to her
Passion whilst he in the most affectionate and tender Manner endeavoured to
sooth and comfort her but Passion itself did probably more for its own Relief
than all his friendly Consolations Having vented this in a large Flood of
Tears she became pretty well composed but Booth unhappily mentioning her
Father she again relapsed into an Agony and cried out »Why why will you
repeat the Name of that dear Man I have disgraced him Mr Booth I am unworthy
the Name of his Daughter« Here Passion again stopped her Words and
discharged itself in Tears
After this second Vent of Sorrow or Shame or if the Reader pleases of
Rage she once more recovered from her Agonies To say the Truth these are I
believe as critical Discharges of Nature as any of those which are so called
by the Physicians and do more effectually relieve the Mind than any Remedies
with which the whole Materia Medica of Philosophy can supply it
When Mrs Vincent had recovered her Faculties she perceived Booth standing
silent with a Mixture of Concern and Astonishment in his Countenance then
addressing herself to him with an Air of most bewitching Softness of which she
was a perfect Mistress she said »I do not wonder at your Amazement Captain
Booth nor indeed at the Concern which you so plainly discover for me for I
well know the Goodness of your Nature but O Mr Booth believe me when you
know what hath happened since our last Meeting your Concern will be raised
however your Astonishment may cease O Sir you are a Stranger to the Cause of
my Sorrows«
»I hope I am Madam« answered he »for I cannot believe what I have heard
in the Prison surely Murder « At which Words she started from her Chair
repeating »Murder Oh tis Music in my Ears You have heard then the Cause
of my Commitment my Glory my Delight my Reparation Yes my old Friend
this is the Hand this is the Arm that drove the Penknife to his Heart Unkind
Fortune that not one Drop of his Blood reached my Hand Indeed Sir I would
never have washed it from it But tho I have not the Happiness to see it on
my Hand I have the glorious Satisfaction of remembring I saw it run in Rivers
on the Floor I saw it forsake his Cheeks I saw him fall a Martyr to my
Revenge And is the killing a Villain to be called Murder Perhaps the Law calls
it so Let it call it what it will or punish me as it pleases Punish me
no no That is not in the Power of Man not of that Monster Man Mr Booth I
am undone am revenged and have now no more Business for Life let them take it
from me when they will«
Our poor Gentleman turned pale with Horror at this Speech and the
Ejaculation of Good Heavens what do I hear burst spontaneously from his Lips
Nor can we wonder at this tho he was the bravest of Men for her Voice her
Looks her Gestures were properly adapted to the Sentiments she exprest Such
indeed was her Image that neither could Shakespeare describe nor Hogarth
paint nor Clive act a Fury in higher Perfection
»What do you hear« reiterated she »You hear the Resentment of the most
injured of Women You have heard you say of the Murder but do you know the
Cause Mr Booth Have you since your Return to England visited that Country
where we formerly knew one another Tell me do you know my wretched Story Tell
me that my Friend«
Booth hesitated for an Answer indeed he had heard some imperfect Stories
not much to her Advantage She waited not till he had formed a Speech but
cried »Whatever you may have heard you cannot be acquainted with all the
strange Accidents which have occasioned your seeing me in a Place which at our
last Parting was so unlikely that I should ever have been found in nor can you
know the Cause of all that I have uttered and which I am convinced you never
expected to have heard from my Mouth If these Circumstances raise your
Curiosity I will satisfy it«
He answered that Curiosity was too mean a Word to express his ardent Desire
of knowing her Story Upon which with very little previous Ceremony she began
to relate what is written in the following Chapter
But before we put an End to this it may be necessary to whisper a Word or
two to the Critics who have perhaps begun to express no less Astonishment than
Mr Booth that a Lady in whom we had remarked a most extraordinary Power of
displaying Softness should the very next Moment after the Words were out of our
Mouth express Sentiments becoming the Lips of a Dalila Jezebel Medea
Semiramis Parysatis Tanaquil Livilla Messalina Agrippina Brunichilde
Elfrida Lady Macbeth Joan of Naples Christina of Sweden Katharine Hays
Sarah Malcolm Con Philips6 or any other Heroine of the tender Sex which
History sacred or prophane antient or modern false or true hath recorded
We desire such Critics to remember that it is the same English Climate in
which on the lovely 10th of June under a serene Sky the amorous Jacobite
kissing the odoriferous Zephyrs Breath gathers a Nosegay of white Roses to
deck the whiter Breast of Celia and in which on the 11th of June the very
next Day the boisterous Boreas roused by the hollow Thunder rushes horrible
through the Air and driving the wet Tempest before him levels the Hope of the
Husbandman with the Earth dreadful Remembrance of the Consequences of the
Revolution
Again let it be remembered that it is the self same Celia all tender
soft and delicate who with a Voice the Sweetness of which the Sirens might
envy warbles the harmonious Song in Praise of the young Adventurer and again
the next Day or perhaps the next Hour with fiery Eyes wrinkled Brows and
foaming Lips roars forth Treason and Nonsense in a political Argument with some
Fair one of a different Principle
Or if the Critic be a Whig and consequently dislikes such kind of Similes
as being too favourable to Jacobitism let him be contented with the following
Story
I happened in my Youth to sit behind two Ladies in a SideBox at a Play
where in the Balcony on the opposite Side was placed the inimitable By Cs
in Company with a young Fellow of no very formal or indeed sober Appearance
One of the Ladies I remember said to the other »Did you ever see any thing
look so modest and so innocent as that Girl over the way What Pity it is such a
Creature should be in the Way of Ruin as I am afraid she is by her being alone
with that young Fellow« Now this Lady was no bad Physiognomist for it was
impossible to conceive a greater Appearance of Modesty Innocence and
Simplicity than what Nature had displayed in the Countenance of that Girl and
yet all Appearances notwithstanding I myself remember Critic it was in my
Youth had a few Mornings before seen that very identical Picture of all those
ingaging Qualities in Bed with a Rake at a Bagnio smoaking Tobacco drinking
Punch talking Obscenity and swearing and cursing with all the Impudence and
Impiety of the lowest and most abandoned Trull of a Soldier
Chapter VII
In which Miss Mathews begins her History
Miss Mathews having barred the Door on the Inside as securely as it was before
barred on the Outside proceeded as follows
»You may imagine I am going to begin my History at the Time when you left the
Country but I cannot help reminding you of something which happened before You
will soon recollect the Incident but I believe you little know the Consequence
either at that time or since Alas I could keep a Secret then now I have no
Secrets the World knows all and it is not worth my while to conceal any thing
Well You will not wonder I believe I protest I can hardly tell it you
even now But I am convinced you have too good an Opinion of yourself to be
surprised at any Conquest you may have made Few Men want that good Opinion
and perhaps very few had ever more Reason for it Indeed Will you was a
charming Fellow in those Days nay you are not much altered for the worse now
at least in the Opinion of some Women for your Complexion and Features are
grown much more masculine than they were« Here Booth made her a low Bow most
probably with a Compliment and after a little Hesitation she again proceeded
»Do you remember a Contest which happened at an Assembly betwixt myself and
Miss Johnson about standing uppermost You was then my Partner and young
Williams danced with the other Lady The Particulars are not now worth
mentioning tho I suppose you have long since forgot them Let it suffice that
you supported my Claim and Williams very sneakingly gave up that of his
Partner who was with much Difficulty afterwards prevailed on to dance with him
You said I am sure I repeat the Words exactly that you would not for the
World affront any Lady there but that you thought you might without any such
Danger declare that there was no Assembly in which that Lady meaning your
humble Servant was not worthy of the uppermost Place nor will I said you
suffer the first Duke in England when she is at the uppermost End of the Room
and hath called her Dance to lead his Partner above her
What made this the more pleasing to me was that I secretly hated Miss
Johnson Will you have the Reason Why then I will tell you honestly she was my
Rival that Word perhaps astonishes you as you never I believe heard of any
one who made his Addresses to me and indeed my Heart was till that Night
entirely indifferent to all Mankind I mean then that she was my Rival for
Praise for Beauty for Dress for Fortune and consequently for Admiration My
Triumph on this Conquest is not to be expressed any more than my Delight in the
Person to whom I chiefly owed it The former I fancy was visible to the whole
Company and I desired it should be so but the latter was so well concealed
that no one I am confident took any Notice of it And yet you appeared to me
that Night to be an Angel You looked you danced you spoke every Thing
charmed me«
»Good Heavens« cries Booth »is it possible you should do me so much
unmerited Honour and I should be Dunce enough not to perceive the least
Symptom«
»I assure you« answered she »I did all I could to prevent you and yet I
almost hated you for not seeing through what I strove to hide Why Mr Booth
was you not more quicksighted I will answer for you your Affections were
more happily disposed of to a much better Woman than myself whom you married
soon afterwards I should ask you for her Mr Booth I should have asked you
for her before but I am unworthy of asking for her or of calling her my
Acquaintance«
Booth stopt her short as she was running into another Fit of Passion and
begged her to omit all former Matters and acquaint him with that Part of her
History to which he was an entire Stranger
She then renewed her Discourse as follows »You know Mr Booth I soon
afterwards left that Town upon the Death of my Grandmother and returned home
to my Fathers House where I had not been long arrived before some Troops of
Dragoons came to quarter in our Neighbourhood Among the Officers there was a
Cornet whose detested Name was Hebbers a Name I could scarce repeat had I not
at the same time the Pleasure to reflect that he is now no more My Father you
know who is a hearty Wellwisher to the present Government« used always to
invite the Officers to his House so did he these Nor was it long before this
Cornet in so particular a Manner recommended himself to the poor old Gentleman
I cannot think of him without Tears that our House became his principal
Habitation and he was rarely at his Quarters unless when his superior Officers
obliged him to be there I shall say nothing of his Person nor could that be
any Recommendation to a Man it was such however as no Woman could have made
an Objection to Nature had certainly wrapt up her odious Work in a most
beautiful Covering To say the Truth he was the handsomest Man except one
only that I ever saw I assure you I have seen a handsomer but well He
had besides all the Qualifications of a Gentleman was genteel and extremely
polite spoke French well and danced to a Miracle but what chiefly recommended
him to my Father was his Skill in Music of which you know that dear Man was the
most violent Lover I wish he was not too susceptible of Flattery on that Head
for I have heard Hebbers often greatly commend my Fathers Performance and have
observed that the good Man was wonderfully pleased with such Commendations To
say the Truth it is the only Way I can account for the extraordinary Friendship
which my Father conceived for this Person such a Friendship that he at last
became a Part of our Family
»This very Circumstance which as I am convinced strongly recommended him
to my Father had the very contrary Effect with me I had never any Delight in
Music and it was not without much Difficulty I was prevailed on to learn to
play on the Harpsichord in which I had made a very slender Progress As this
Man therefore was frequently the Occasion of my being importuned to play
against my Will I began to entertain some Dislike for him on that Account and
as to his Person I assure you I long continued to look on it with great
Indifference
How strange will the Art of this Man appear to you presently who had
sufficient Address to convert that very Circumstance which had at first
occasioned my Dislike into the first Seeds of Affection for him
You have often I believe heard my Sister Betty play on the Harpsichord
she was indeed reputed the best Performer in the whole Country
I was the farthest in the World from regarding this Perfection of hers with
Envy In Reality perhaps I despised all Perfection of this Kind at least as
I had neither Skill nor Ambition to excel this Way I looked upon it as a Matter
of mere Indifference
Hebbers first put this Emulation in my Head He took great Pains to persuade
me that I had much greater Abilities of the musical Kind than my Sister and
that I might with the greatest Ease if I pleased excel her offering me at
the same time his Assistance if I would resolve to undertake it
When he had sufficiently inflamed my Ambition in which perhaps he found too
little Difficulty the continual Praises of my Sister which before I had
disregarded became more and more nauseous in my Ears and the rather as Music
being the favourite Passion of my Father I became apprehensive not without
frequent Hints from Hebbers of that Nature that she might gain too great a
Preference in his Favour
To my Harpsichord then I applied myself Night and Day with such Industry
and Attention that I soon began to perform in a tolerable Manner I do not
absolutely say I excelled my Sister for many were of a different Opinion but
indeed there might be some Partiality in all that
Hebbers at least declared himself on my Side and no Body could doubt his
Judgment He asserted openly that I played in the better Manner of the two and
one Day when I was playing to him alone he affected to burst into a Rapture of
Admiration and squeezing me gently by the Hand said There Madam I now
declare you excel your Sister as much in Music as added he in a whispering
Sigh you do her and all the World in every other Charm
No Woman can bear any Superiority in whatever thing she desires to excel in
I now began to hate all the Admirers of my Sister to be uneasy at every
Commendation bestowed on her Skill in Music and consequently to love Hebbers
for the Preference which he gave to mine
It was now that I began to survey the handsome Person of Hebbers with
Pleasure And here Mr Booth I will betray to you the grand Secret of our Sex
Many Women I believe do with great Innocence and even with great
Indifference converse with Men of the finest Persons but this I am confident
may be affirmed with Truth that when once a Woman comes to ask this Question of
herself Is the Man whom I like for some other Reason handsome Her Fate and
his too very strongly depend on her answering in the Affirmative
Hebbers no sooner perceived that he made an Impression on my Heart of
which I am satisfied I gave him too undeniable Tokens than he affected on a
sudden to shun me in the most apparent Manner He wore the most melancholy Air
in my Presence and by his dejected Looks and Sighs firmly persuaded me that
there was some secret Sorrow labouring in his Bosom nor will it be difficult
for you to imagine to what Cause I imputed it
Whilst I was wishing for his Declaration of a Passion in which I thought
I could not be mistaken and at the same Time trembling whenever we met with
the Apprehension of this very Declaration the Widow Cary came from London to
make us a Visit intending to stay the whole Summer at our House
Those who know Mrs Cary will scarce think I do her an Injury in saying
she is far from being handsome and yet she is as finished a Coquette as if she
had the highest Beauty to support that Character But perhaps you have seen
her and if you have I am convinced you will readily subscribe to my Opinion«
Booth answered he had not and then she proceeded as in the following
Chapter
Chapter VIII
The History of Miss Mathews continued
»This young Lady had not been three Days with us before Hebbers grew so
particular with her that it was generally observed and my poor Father who I
believe loved the Cornet as if he had been his Son began to jest on the
Occasion as one who would not be displeased at throwing a good Jointure into
the Arms of his Friend
You will easily guess Sir the Disposition of my Mind on this Occasion but
I was not permitted to suffer long under it for one Day when Hebbers was alone
with me he took an Opportunity of expressing his Abhorrence at the Thoughts of
marrying for Interest contrary to his Inclinations I was warm on the Subject
and I believe went so far as to say That none but Fools and Villains did so
He replied with a Sigh Yes Madam but what would you think of a Man whose
Heart is all the while bleeding for another Woman to whom he would willingly
sacrifice the World but because he must sacrifice her Interest as well as his
own never durst even give her a Hint of that Passion which was preying on his
very Vitals Do you believe Miss Fanny there is such a Wretch on Earth I
answered with an assumed Coldness I did not believe there was he then took me
gently by the Hand and with a Look so tender that I can not describe it vowed
he was himself that Wretch Then starting as if conscious of an Error
committed he cried with a faltering Voice What am I saying Pardon me Miss
Fanny since I beg only your Pity I never will ask for more At these Words
hearing my Father coming up I betrayed myself entirely if indeed I had not
done it before I hastily withdrew my Hand crying Hush for Heavens Sake my
Father is just coming in my Blushes my Look and my Accent telling him I
suppose all which he wished to know
A few Days now brought Matters to an Eclaircissement between us the being
undeceived in what had given me so much Uneasiness gave me a Pleasure too sweet
to be resisted To triumph over the Widow for whom I had in a very short Time
contracted a most inveterate Hatred was a Pride not to be described Hebbers
appeared to me to be the Cause of all this Happiness I doubted not but that he
had the most disinterested Passion for me and thought him every way worthy of
its Return I did return it and accepted him as my Lover
He declared the greatest Apprehensions of my Fathers Suspicion though I am
convinced these were causeless had his Designs been honourable To blind these
I consented that he should carry on sham Addresses to the Widow who was now a
constant Jest between us and he pretended from Time to Time to acquaint me
faithfully with every Thing that past at his Interviews with her nor was this
faithless Woman wanting in her Part of the Deceit She carried herself to me all
the while with a Shew of Affection and pretended to have the utmost Friendship
for me But such are the Friendships of Women«
At this Remark Booth though enough affected at some Parts of the Story
had great Difficulty to refrain from Laughter but by good Luck he escaped
being perceived and the Lady went on without Interruption
»I am come now to a Part of my Narrative in which it is impossible to be
particular without being tedious for as to the Commerce between Lovers it is
I believe much the same in all Cases and there is perhaps scarce a single
Phrase that hath not been repeated ten Millions of Times
One Thing however as I strongly remarked it then so I will repeat it to
you now In all our Conversations in Moments when he fell into the warmest
Raptures and exprest the greatest Uneasiness at the Delay of his Joys he
seldom mentioned the Word Marriage and never once solicited a Day for that
Purpose Indeed Women cannot be cautioned too much against such Lovers for
though I have heard and perhaps truly of some of our Sex of a Virtue so
exalted that it is Proof against every Temptation yet the Generality I am
afraid are too much in the Power of a Man to whom they have owned an Affection
What is called being upon a good Footing is perhaps being upon a very
dangerous one and a Woman who hath given her Consent to marry can hardly be
said to be safe till she is married
And now Sir I hasten to the Period of my Ruin We had a Wedding in our
Family my musical Sister was married to a young Fellow as musical as herself
Such a Match you may be sure amongst other Festivities must have a Ball Oh
Mr Booth shall Modesty forbid me to remark to you what past on that Occasion
But why do I mention Modesty who have no Pretensions to it Every Thing was
said and practised on that Occasion as if the Purpose had been to inflame the
Mind of every Woman present That Effect I freely own to you it had with me
Music Dancing Wine and the most luscious Conversation in which my poor dear
Father innocently joined raised Ideas in me of which I shall for ever repent
and I wished why should I deny it that it had been my Wedding instead of my
Sisters
The Villain Hebbers danced with me that Night and he lost no Opportunity of
improving the Occasion In short the dreadful Evening came My Father though
it was a very unusual Thing with him grew intoxicated with Liquor most of the
Men were in the same Condition nay I myself drank more than I was accustomed
to enough to inflame though not to disorder I lost my former Bedfellow my
Sister and you may I think guess the rest the Villain found Means to
steal to my Chamber and I was undone
Two Months I passed in this detested Commerce buying even then my guilty
halftasted Pleasures at too dear a Rate with continual Horror and
Apprehension but what have I paid since what do I pay now Mr Booth O may my
Fate be a Warning to every Woman to keep her Innocence to resist every
Temptation since she is certain to repent of the foolish Bargain May it be a
Warning to her to deal with Mankind with Care and Caution to shun the least
Approaches of Dishonour and never to confide too much in the Honesty of a Man
nor in her own Strength where she has so much at Stake let her remember she
walks on a Precipice and the bottomless Pit is to receive her if she slips
nay if she makes but one false Step
I ask your Pardon Mr Booth I might have spared these Exhortations since
no Woman hears me but you will not wonder at seeing me affected on this
Occasion«
Booth declared he was much more surprised at her being able so well to
preserve her Temper in recounting her Story
»O Sir« answered she »I am at length reconciled to my Fate and I can now
die with Pleasure since I die revenged I am not one of those mean Wretches who
can sit down and lament their Misfortunes If I ever shed Tears they are the
Tears of Indignation but I will proceed
It was my Fate now to solicit Marriage and I failed not to do it in the
most earnest Manner He answered me at first with Procrastinations declaring
from time to time he would mention it to my Father and still excusing himself
for not doing it At last he thought on an Expedient to obtain a longer
Reprieve This was by pretending that he should in a very few Weeks be preferred
to the Command of a Troop and then he said he could with some Confidence
propose the Match
In this Delay I was persuaded to acquiesce and was indeed pretty easy for
I had not yet the least Mistrust of his Honour but what Words can paint my
Sensations when one Morning he came into my Room with all the Marks of
Dejection in his Countenance and throwing an open Letter on the Table said
There is News Madam in that Letter which I am unable to tell you nor can it
give you more Concern than it hath given me
This Letter was from his Captain to acquaint him that the Rout as they
call it was arrived and that they were to march within two Days And this I am
since convinced was what he expected instead of the Preferment which had been
made the Pretence of delaying our Marriage
The Shock which I felt at reading this was inexpressible occasioned indeed
principally by the Departure of a Villain whom I loved However I soon acquired
sufficient Presence of Mind to remember the main Point and I now insisted
peremptorily on his making me immediately his Wife whatever might be the
Consequence
He seemed thunderstruck at this Proposal being I suppose destitute of any
Excuse But I was too impatient to wait for an Answer and cried out with much
Eagerness Sure you cannot hesitate a Moment upon this Matter Hesitate
Madam replied he What you ask is impossible Is this a Time for me to
mention a Thing of this kind to your Father My Eyes were now opened all at
once I fell into a Rage little short of Madness Tell not me I cried of
Impossibilities nor Times nor of my Father my Honour my Reputation my All
are at Stake I will have no Excuse no Delay make me your Wife this
instant or I will proclaim you over the Face of the whole Earth for the
greatest of Villains He answered with a kind of Sneer What will you
proclaim Madam Whose Honour will you injure My Tongue faltered when I
offered to reply and I fell into a violent Agony which ended in a Fit nor do
I remember any thing more that past till I found myself in the Arms of my poor
affrighted Father
O Mr Booth what was then my Situation I tremble even now from the
Reflection I must stop a Moment I can go no farther« Booth attempted all in
his Power to sooth her and she soon recovered her Powers and proceeded in her
Story
Chapter IX
In which Miss Mathews concludes her Relation
»Before I had recovered my Senses I had sufficiently betrayed myself to that
best of Men who instead of upbraiding me or exerting any Anger endeavoured to
comfort me all he could with Assurances that all should yet be well This
Goodness of his affected me with inexpressible Sensations I prostrated myself
before him embraced and kissed his Knees and almost dissolved in Tears and a
Degree of Tenderness hardly to be conceived But I am running into too minute
Descriptions
Hebbers seeing me in a Fit had left me and sent one of the Servants to take
Care of me He then ran away like a Thief from the House without taking his
Leave of my Father or once thanking him for all his Civilities He did not stop
at his Quarters but made directly to London apprehensive I believe either of
my Father or Brothers Resentment for I am convinced he is a Coward Indeed his
Fear of my Brother was utterly groundless for I believe he would rather have
thanked any Man who had destroyed me and I am sure I am not in the least behind
Hand with him in good Wishes
All his Inveteracy to me had however no Effect on my Father at least at
that time for though the good Man took sufficient Occasions to reprimand me for
my past Offence he could not be brought to abandon me A Treaty of Marriage was
now set on Foot in which my Father himself offered me to Hebbers with a
Fortune superior to that which had been given with my Sister nor could all my
Brothers Remonstrances against it as an Act of the highest Injustice avail
Hebbers entered into the Treaty tho not with much Warmth He had even the
Assurance to make additional Demands on my Father which being complied with
every thing was concluded and the Villain once more received into the House He
soon found Means to obtain my Forgiveness of his former Behaviour indeed he
convinced me so foolishly blind is female Love that he had never been to
blame
When every thing was ready for our Nuptials and the Day of the Ceremony was
to be appointed in the midst of my Happiness I received a Letter from an
unknown Hand acquainting me guess Mr Booth how I was shocked at receiving
it that Mr Hebbers was already married to a Woman in a distant Part of the
Kingdom
I will not tire you with all that past at our next Interview I communicated
the Letter to Hebbers who after some little Hesitation owned the Fact and
not only owned it but had the Address to improve it to his own Advantage to
make it the Means of satisfying me concerning all his former Delays which to
say the Truth I was not so much displeased at imputing to any Degree of
Villany as I should have been to impute it to the Want of a sufficient Warmth
of Affection and tho the Disappointment of all my Hopes at the very Instant
of their expected Fruition threw me into the most violent Disorders yet when I
came a little to myself he had no great Difficulty to persuade me that in every
Instance with regard to me Hebbers had acted from no other Motive than from
the most ardent and ungovernable Love And there is I believe no Crime which a
Woman will not forgive when she can derive it from that Fountain In short I
forgave him all and am willing to persuade myself I am not weaker than the rest
of my Sex Indeed Mr Booth he hath a bewitching Tongue and is Master of an
Address that no Woman could resist I do assure you the Charms of his Person are
his least Perfection at least in my Eye«
Here Booth smiled but happily without her perceiving it
»A fresh Difficulty continued she now arose This was to excuse the Delay
of the Ceremony to my Father who every Day very earnestly urged it This made
me so very uneasy that I at last listened to a Proposal which if any one in
the Days of my Innocence or even a few Days before had assured me I could have
submitted to have thought of I should have treated the Supposition with the
highest Contempt and Indignation nay I scarce reflect on it now with more
Horror than Astonishment In short I agreed to run away with him To leave my
Father my Reputation every thing which was or ought to have been dear to me
and to live with this Villain as a Mistress since I could not be his Wife
Was not this an Obligation of the highest and tenderest Kind and had I not
Reason to expect every Return in the Mans Power on whom I had conferred it
I will make short of the Remainder of my Story for what is there of a Woman
worth relating after what I have told you
Above a Year I lived with this Man in an obscure Court in London during
which time I had a Child by him whom Heaven I thank it hath been pleased to
take to itself
During many Months he behaved to me with all the apparent Tenderness and
even Fondness imaginable but alas how poor was my Enjoyment of this compared
to what it would have been in another Situation When he was present Life was
barely tolerable but when he was absent nothing could equal the Misery I
endured I past my Hours almost entirely alone for no Company but what I
despised would consort with me Abroad I scarce ever went lest I should meet
any of my former Acquaintance for their Sight would have plunged a thousand
Daggers in my Soul My only Diversion was going very seldom to a Play where I
hid myself in the Gallery with a Daughter of the Woman of the House A Girl
indeed of good Sense and many good Qualities but how much beneath me was it
to be the Companion of a Creature so low O Heavens When I have seen my Equals
glittering in a Sidebox how have the Thoughts of my lost Honour torn my Soul«
»Pardon me dear Madam« cries Booth »for interrupting you but I am under
the utmost Anxiety to know what became of your poor Father for whom I have so
great a Respect and who I am convinced must so bitterly feel your Loss«
»O Mr Booth« answered she »he was scarce ever out of my Thoughts His
dear Image still obtruded itself in my Mind and I believe would have broken my
Heart had I not taken a very preposterous Way to ease myself I am indeed
almost ashamed to tell you but Necessity put it in my Head You will think
the Matter too trifling to have been remembered and so it surely was nor
should I have remembered it on any other Occasion You must know then Sir that
my Brother was always my inveterate Enemy and altogether as fond of my Sister
He once prevailed with my Father to let him take my Sister with him in the
Chariot and by that Means I was disappointed of going to a Ball which I had set
my Heart on The Disappointment I assure you was great at the time but I had
long since forgotten it I must have been a very bad Woman if I had not for it
was the only Thing in which I can remember that my Father ever disobliged me
However I now revived this in my Mind which I artificially worked up into so
high an Injury that I assure you it afforded me no little Comfort When any
tender Idea intruded into my Bosom I immediately raised this Fantom of an
Injury in my Imagination and it considerably lessened the Fury of that Sorrow
which I should have otherwise felt for the Loss of so good a Father who died
within a few Months of my Departure from him
And now Sir to draw to a Conclusion One Night as I was in the Gallery at
DruryLane Playhouse I saw below me in a Sidebox she was once below me in
every Place that Widow whom I mentioned to you before I had scarce cast my
Eyes on this Woman before I was so shocked with the Sight that it almost
deprived me of my Senses for the Villain Hebbers came presently in and seated
himself behind her
He had been almost a Month from me and I believed him to be at his Quarters
in Yorkshire Guess what were my Sensations when I beheld him sitting by that
base Woman and talking to her with the utmost Familiarity I could not long
endure this Sight and having acquainted my Companion that I was taken suddenly
ill I forced her to go home with me at the End of the second Act
After a restless and sleepless Night when I rose the next Morning I had the
Comfort to receive a Visit from the Woman of the House who after a very short
Introduction asked me when I had heard from the Captain and when I expected to
see him I had not Strength or Spirits to make her any Answer and she proceeded
thus Indeed I did not think the Captain would have used me so My Husband was
an Officer of the Army as well as himself and if a Body is a little low in the
World I am sure that is no Reason for Folks to trample on a Body I defy the
World to say as I ever was guilty of an ill Thing For Heavens Sake Madam
says I what do you mean Mean cries she I am sure if I had not thought you
had been Captain Hebberss Lady his lawful Lady too you should never have set
Footing in my House I would have Captain Hebbers know that tho I am reduced
to let Lodgings I never have entertained any but Persons of Character In
this Manner Sir she ran on saying many shocking things not worth repeating
till my Anger at last got the better of my Patience as well as my Sorrow and I
pushed her out of the Room
She had not been long gone before her Daughter came to me and after many
Expressions of Tenderness and Pity acquainted me that her Mother had just found
out by Means of the Captains Servant that the Captain was married to another
Lady which if you did not know before Madam said she I am sorry to be the
Messenger of such ill News
Think Mr Booth what I must have endured to see myself humbled before such
a Creature as this the Daughter of a Woman who lets Lodgings However having
recollected myself a little I thought it would be in vain to deny any thing so
knowing this to be one of the best natured and most sensible Girls in the World
I resolved to tell her my whole Story and for the future to make her my
Confidente I answered her therefore with a good deal of Assurance that she
need not regret telling me this Piece of ill News for I had known it before I
came to her House
Pardon me Madam replied the Girl You cannot possibly have known it so
long for he hath not been married above a Week last Night was the first Time
of his appearing in public with his Wife at the Play Indeed I knew very well
the Cause of your Uneasiness there but would not mention
His Wife at the Play answered I eagerly What Wife whom do you mean
I mean the Widow Cary Madam replied she to whom the Captain was married
a few Days since His Servant was here last Night to pay for your Lodging and
he told it my Mother
I know not what Answer I made or whether I made any I presently fell dead
on the Floor and it was with great Difficulty I was brought back to Life by the
poor Girl for neither the Mother nor the Maid of the House would lend me any
Assistance both seeming to regard me rather as a Monster than a Woman
Scarce had I recovered the Use of my Senses when I received a Letter from
the Villain declaring he had not Assurance to see my Face and very kindly
advising me to endeavour to reconcile myself to my Family concluding with an
Offer in case I did not succeed to allow me twenty Pounds aYear to support me
in some remote Part of the Kingdom
I need not mention my Indignation at these Proposals In the highest Agony
of Rage I went in a Chair to the detested House where I easily got Access to
the Wretch I had devoted to Destruction whom I no sooner found within my Reach
than I plunged a drawn Penknife which I had prepared in my Pocket for the
Purpose into his accursed Heart For this Fact I was immediately seized and
soon after committed hither and for this Fact I am ready to die and shall with
Pleasure receive the Sentence of the Law
Thus Sir« said she »I have related to you my unhappy Story and if I have
tired your Patience by dwelling too long on those Parts which affected me the
most I ask your Pardon«
Booth made a proper Speech on this Occasion and having expressed much
Concern at her present Situation concluded that he hoped her Sentence would be
milder than she seemed to expect
Her Reply to this was full of so much Bitterness and Indignation that we do
not think proper to record the Speech at length in which having vented her
Passion she all at once put on a serene Countenance and with an Air of great
Complacency said »Well Mr Booth I think I have now a Right to satisfy my
Curiosity at the Expence of your Breath I may say it is not altogether a vain
Curiosity for perhaps I have had Inclination enough to interest myself in
whatever concerns you but no Matter for that Those Days added she with a
Sigh are now over«
Booth who was extremely goodnatured and well bred told her that she
should not command him twice whatever was in his Power and then after the
usual Apology was going to begin his History when the Keeper arrived and
acquainted the Lady that Dinner was ready at the same time saying »I suppose
Madam as the Gentleman is an Acquaintance of yours he must dine with us too«
Miss Mathews told the Keeper that she had only one Word to mention in
private to the Gentleman and that then they would both attend him She then
pulled her Purse from her Pocket in which were upwards of twenty Guineas being
the Remainder of the Money for which she had sold a gold repeating Watch her
Fathers Present with some other Trinkets and desired Mr Booth to take what
he should have Occasion for saying »You know I believe dear Will I never
valued Money and now I am sure I shall have very little Use for it« Booth
with much Difficulty accepted of Two Guineas and then they both together
attended the Keeper
Chapter X
Table Talk consisting of a facetious Discourse that passed in the Prison
There were assembled at the Table the Governor of these not improperly called
infernal Regions the Lieutenant Governor vulgarly named the first Turnkey
Miss Mathews Mr Booth Mr Robinson the Gambler several other Prisoners of
both Sexes and one Murphy an Attorney
The Governor took the first Opportunity to bring the Affair of Miss Mathews
upon the Carpet and then turning to Murphy he said »It is very lucky this
Gentleman happens to be present I do assure you Madam your Cause cannot be in
abler Hands He is I believe the best Man in England at a Defence I have
known him often succeed against the most positive Evidence«
»Fy Sir« answered Murphy »you know I hate all this but if the Lady will
trust me with her Cause I will do the best in my Power Come Madam dont be
discouraged a Bit of Manslaughter and cold Iron I hope will be the worst or
perhaps we may come off better with a Slice of ChanceMedley or se Defendendo
«
»I am very ignorant of the Law Sir« cries the Lady
»Yes Madam« answered Murphy »it cant be expected you should understand
it There are very few of us who profess it that understand the whole nor is
it necessary we should There is a great deal of Rubbish of little Use about
Indictments and Abatements and Bars and Ejectments and Trovers and such
Stuff with which People cram their Heads to little Purpose The Chapter of
Evidence is the main Business that is the SheetAnchor that is the Rudder
which brings the Vessel safe in Portum Evidence is indeed the Whole the Summa
totidis for de non apparentibus et non insistentibus eandem est ratio«
»If you address yourself to me Sir« said the Lady »you are much too
learned I assure you for my Understanding«
»Tace Madam« answered Murphy »is Latin for a Candle I commend your
Prudence I shall know the Particulars of your Case when we are alone«
»I hope the Lady« said Robinson »hath no Suspicion of any Person here I
hope we are all Persons of Honour at this Table«
»Dn my Eyes« answered a welldressed Woman »I can answer for myself and
the other Ladies though I never saw the Lady in my Life she need not be shy of
us dn my Eyes I scorn to rap7 against any Lady«
»Dn me Madam« cried another Female »I honour what you have done I once
put a Knife into a Cull myself so my Service to you Madam and I wish you may
come off with se Diffidendo with all my Heart«
»I beg good Woman« said Miss Mathews »you would talk on some other
Subject and give yourself no Concern about my Affairs«
»You see Ladies« cried Murphy »the Gentlewoman doth not care to talk on
this Matter before Company so pray do not press her«
»Nay I value the Ladys Acquaintance no more than she values mine« cries
the first Woman who spoke »I have kept as good Company as the Lady I believe
every Day in the Week Good Woman I dont use to be so treated If the Lady
says such another Word to me dn me Ill darken her Daylights Marry come
up good Woman the Ladys a Whore as well as myself and though I am sent
hither to Mill Doll dn my Eyes I have Money enough to buy it off as well as
the Lady herself«
Action might perhaps soon have ensued this Speech had not the Keeper
interposed his Authority and put an End to any further Dispute Soon after
which the Company broke up and none but himself Mr Murphy Captain Booth
and Miss Mathews remained together
Miss Mathews then at the Entreaty of the Keeper began to open her Case to
Mr Murphy whom she admitted to be her Solicitor though she still declared she
was indifferent as to the Event of the Trial
Mr Murphy having heard all the Particulars with which the Reader is already
acquainted as far as related to the Murder shook his Head and said »There is
but one Circumstance Madam which I wish was out of the Case and that we must
put out of it I mean the carrying the Penknife drawn into the Room with you
for that seems to imply Malice prepensive as we call it in the Law This
Circumstance therefore must not appear against you and if the Servant who was
in the Room observed this he must be bought off at all Hazards All here you
say are Friends therefore I tell you openly you must furnish me with Money
sufficient for this Purpose Malice is all we have to guard against«
»I would not presume Sir« cries Booth »to inform you in the Law but I
have heard in Case of stabbing a Man may be indicted upon the Statute and it
is capital though no Malice appears«
»You say true Sir« answered Murphy »a Man may be indicted contra Formam
Statutis and that Method I allow you requires no Malice I presume you are a
Lawyer Sir«
»No indeed Sir« answered Booth »I know nothing of the Law«
»Then Sir I will tell you If a Man be indicted contra Formam Statutis
as we say no Malice is necessary because the Form of the Statute makes Malice
and then what we have to guard against is having struck the first Blow Pox
ont it is unlucky this was done in a Room If it had been in the Street we
could have had five or six Witnesses to have proved the first Blow cheaper
than I am afraid we shall get this one for when a Man knows from the unhappy
Circumstances of the Case that you can procure no other Witness but himself he
is always dear It is so in all other Ways of Business I am very implicite
you see but we are all among Friends The safest Way is to furnish me with
Money enough to offer him a good round Sum at once and I think it is for
your Good I speak fifty Pounds is the least that can be offered him I do
assure you I would offer him no less was it my own Case«
»And do you think Sir« said she »that I would save my Life at the Expence
of hiring another to perjure himself«
»Ay surely do I« cries Murphy »for where is the Fault admitting there is
some Fault in Perjury as you call it and to be sure it is such a Matter as
every Man would rather wish to avoid than not And yet as it may be managed
there is not so much as some People are apt to imagine in it for he need not
kiss the Book and then pray wheres the Perjury But if the Crier is sharper
than ordinary what is it he kisses Is it any thing but a Bit of Calvesskin I
am sure a Man must be a very bad Christian himself who would not do so much as
that to save the Life of any Christian whatever much more of so pretty a Lady
Indeed Madam if we can make out but a tolerable Case so much Beauty will go a
great ways with the Judge and the Jury too«
The latter Part of this Speech notwithstanding the Mouth it came from
caused Miss Mathews to suppress much of the Indignation which began to arise at
the former and she answered with a Smile »Sir you are a great Casuist in
these Matters but we need argue no longer concerning them for if fifty Pounds
would save my Life I assure you I could not command that Sum The little Money
I have in my Pocket is all I can call my own and I apprehend in the Situation
I am in I shall have very little of that to spare«
»Come come Madam« cries Murphy »Life is sweet let me tell you and
never sweeter than when we are near losing it I have known many a Man very
brave and undaunted at his first Commitment who when Business began to thicken
a little upon him hath changed his Note It is no Time to be saving in your
Condition«
The Keeper who after the Liberality of Miss Mathews and on seeing a Purse
of Guineas in her Hand had conceived a great Opinion of her Wealth no sooner
heard that the Sum which he had in Intention intirely confiscated for his own
Use was attempted to be broke in upon thought it high time to be upon his
Guard »To be sure« cries he »Mr Murphy Life is sweet as you say that must
be acknowledged to be sure Life is sweet but sweet as it is no Persons can
advance more than they are worth to save it And indeed if the Lady can command
no more Money than that little she mentions she is to be commended for her
Unwillingness to part with any of it for to be sure as she says she will
want every Farthing of that to live like a Gentlewoman till she comes to her
Trial And to be sure as sweet as Life is People ought to take Care to be
able to live sweetly while they do live Besides I cant help saying the Lady
shews herself to be what she is by her Abhorrence of Perjury which is
certainly a very dreadful Crime And though the not kissing the Book doth as
you say make a great deal of Difference and if a Man had a great while to
live and repent perhaps he might swallow it well enough yet when People comes
to be near their End as who can venture to foretel what will be the Ladys
Case they ought to take care not to overburthen their Conscience I hope the
Ladys Case will not be found Murder for I am sure I always wish well to all my
Prisoners who shew themselves to be Gentlemen or Gentlewomen yet one should
always fear the worst«
»Indeed Sir you speak like an Oracle« answered the Lady »and one
Subornation of Perjury would sit heavier on my Conscience than twenty such
Murders as I am guilty of«
»Nay to be sure Madam« answered the Keeper »no body can pretend to tell
what Provocation you must have had and certainly it can never be imagined
that a Lady who behaves herself so handsomely as you have done ever since you
have been under my Keys should be guilty of killing a Man without being very
highly provoked to do it«
Mr Murphy was I believe going to answer when he was called out of the
Room after which nothing passed between the remaining Persons worth relating
till Booth and the Lady retired back again into the Ladys Apartment
Here they fell immediately to commenting on the foregoing Discourse but as
their Comments were I believe the same with what most Readers have made on the
same Occasion we shall omit them At last Miss Mathews reminding her Companion
of his Promise of relating to her what had befallen him since the Interruption
of their former Acquaintance he began as is written in the next Book of this
History
Book II
Chapter I
In which Captain Booth begins to relate his History
The Teatable being removed and Mr Booth and the Lady left alone he proceeded
as follows
»Since you desire Madam to know the Particulars of my Courtship to that
best and dearest of Women whom I afterwards married I will endeavour to
recollect them as well as I can at least all those Incidents which are most
worth relating to you
If the vulgar Opinion of the Fatality in Marriage had ever any Foundation
it surely appeared in my Marriage with my Amelia I knew her in the first Dawn
of her Beauty and I believe Madam she had as much as ever fell to the Share
of a Woman but though I always admired her it was long without any Spark of
Love Perhaps the general Admiration which at that Time pursued her the Respect
paid her by Persons of the highest Rank and the numberless Addresses which were
made her by Men of great Fortune prevented my aspiring at the Possession of
those Charms which seemed so absolutely out of my Reach However it was I
assure you the Accident which deprived her of the Admiration of others made
the first great Impression on my Heart in her Favour The Injury done to her
Beauty by the overturning of a Chaise by which as you may well remember her
lovely Nose was beat all to pieces gave me an Assurance that the Woman who had
been so much adored for the Charms of her Person deserved a much higher
Adoration to be paid to her Mind For that she was in the latter Respect
infinitely more superior to the rest of her Sex than she had ever been in the
former«
»I admire your Taste extremely« cried the Lady »I remember perfectly well
the great Heroism with which your Amelia bore that Misfortune«
»Good Heavens Madam« answered he »What a Magnanimity of Mind did her
Behaviour demonstrate If the World have extolled the Firmness of Soul in a Man
who can support the Loss of Fortune of a General who can be composed after the
Loss of a Victory or of a King who can be contented with the Loss of a Crown
with what Astonishment ought we to behold with what Praises to honour a young
Lady who can with Patience and Resignation submit to the Loss of exquisite
Beauty in other Words to the Loss of Fortune Power Glory every Thing which
human Nature is apt to court and rejoice in What must be the Mind which can
bear to be deprived of all these in a Moment and by an unfortunate trifling
Accident which could support all this together with the most exquisite
Torments of Body and with Dignity with Resignation without complaining
almost without a Tear undergo the most painful and dreadful Operations of
Surgery in such a Situation« Here he stopt and a Torrent of Tears gushed from
his Eyes such Tears as are apt to flow from a truly noble Heart at the hearing
of any Thing surprisingly great and glorious As soon as he was able he again
proceeded thus
»Would you think Miss Mathews that the Misfortune of my Amelia was capable
of any Aggravation I assure you she hath often told me it was aggravated with
a Circumstance which outweighed all the other Ingredients This was the cruel
Insults she received from some of her most intimate Acquaintance several of
whom after many Distortions and Grimaces have turned their Heads aside unable
to support their secret Triumph and burst into a loud Laugh in her hearing«
»Good Heaven« cryd Miss Mathews »What detestable Actions will this
contemptible Passion of Envy prevail on our Sex to commit«
»An Occasion of this kind as she hath since told me made the first
Impression on her gentle Heart in my Favour I was one Day in Company with
several young Ladies or rather young Devils where poor Amelias Accident was
the Subject of much Mirth and Pleasantry One of these said She hoped Miss
would not hold her Head so high for the future Another answered I dont know
Madam what she may do with her Head but I am convinced she will never more
turn up her Nose at her Betters Another cryd What a very proper Match might
now be made between Amelia and a certain Captain who had unfortunately received
an Injury in the same Part though from no shameful Cause Many other Sarcasms
were thrown out very unworthy to be repeated I was hurt with perceiving so
much Malice in human Shape and cryd out very bluntly Indeed Ladies you need
not express such Satisfaction at poor Miss Emilys Accident For she will still
be the handsomest Woman in England This speech of mine was afterwards variously
repeated by some to my Honour and by others represented in a contrary Light
indeed it was often reported to be much ruder than it was However it at Length
reached Amelias Ears She said she was very much obliged to me since I could
have so much Compassion for her as to be rude to a Lady on her Account
About a Month after the Accident when Amelia began to see Company in a
Mask I had the Honour to drink Tea with her We were alone together and I
begged her to indulge my Curiosity by shewing me her Face She answered in a
most obliging Manner Perhaps Mr Booth you will as little know me when my
Mask is off as when it is on and at the same instant unmasked The Surgeons
Skill was the least I considered A thousand tender Ideas rushed all at once on
my Mind I was unable to contain myself and eagerly kissing her Hand I cried
Upon my Soul Madam you never appeared to me so lovely as at this Instant
Nothing more remarkable passed at this Visit but I sincerely believe we were
neither of us hereafter indifferent to each other
Many Months however passed after this before I ever thought seriously of
making her my Wife Not that I wanted sufficient Love for Amelia Indeed it
arose from the vast Affection I bore her I considered my own as a desperate
Fortune hers as entirely dependent on her Mother who was a Woman you know of
violent Passions and very unlikely to consent to a Match so highly contrary to
the Interest of her Daughter The more I loved Amelia the more firmly I
resolved within myself never to propose Love to her seriously Such a Dupe was
my Understanding to my Heart and so foolishly did I imagine I could be Master
of a Flame to which I was every Day adding Fuel
O Miss Mathews we have heard of Men entirely Masters of their Passions and
of Hearts which can carry this Fire in them and conceal it at their Pleasure
Perhaps there may be such but if there are those Hearts may be compared I
believe to Damps in which it is more difficult to keep Fire alive than to
prevent its blazing In mine it was placed in the Midst of combustible Matter
After several Visits in which Looks and Sighs had been interchanged on both
Sides but without the least Mention of Passion in private one Day the
Discourse between us when alone happened to turn on Love I say happened for
I protest it was not designed on my Side and I am as firmly convinced not on
hers I was now no longer Master of myself I declared myself the most wretched
of all Martyrs to this tender Passion that I had long concealed it from its
Object At length after mentioning many Particulars suppressing however
those which must have necessarily brought it home to Amelia I concluded with
begging her to be the Confidente of my Amour and to give me her Advice on that
Occasion
Amelia O I shall never forget the dear Perturbation appeared all
Confusion at this Instant She trembled turned pale and discovered how well
she understood me by a thousand more Symptoms than I could take Notice of in a
State of Mind so very little different from her own At last with faltering
Accents she said I had made a very ill Choice of a Counsellor in a Matter in
which she was so ignorant Adding at last I believe Mr Booth you
Gentlemen want very little Advice in these Affairs which you all understand
better than we do
I will relate no more of our Conversation at present indeed I am afraid I
tire you with too many Particulars«
»O no« answered she »I should be glad to hear every Step of an Amour which
had so tender a Beginning Tell me every Thing you said or did if you can
remember it«
He then proceeded and so will we in the next Chapter
Chapter II
Mr Booth continues his Story In this Chapter there are some Passages that may
serve as a Kind of Touchstone by which a young Lady may examine the Heart of
her Lover I would advise therefore that every Lover be obliged to read it
over in the Presence of his Mistress and that she carefully watch his Emotions
while he is reading
»I was under the utmost Concern« cries Booth »when I retired from my Visit
and had reflected cooly on what I had said I now saw plainly that I had made
downright Love to Amelia and I feared such was my Vanity that I had already
gone too far and been too successful Feared do I say could I fear what I
hoped How shall I describe the Anxiety of my Mind«
»You need give yourself no great Pain« cried Miss Mathews »to describe
what I can so easily guess To be honest with you Mr Booth I do not agree
with your Ladys Opinion that the Men have a superior Understanding in the
Matters of Love Men are often blind to the Passions of Women but every Woman
is as quicksighted as a Hawk on these Occasions nor is there one Article in
the whole Science which is not understood by all our Sex«
»However Madam« said Mr Booth »I now undertook to deceive Amelia I
abstained three Days from seeing her to say the Truth I endeavoured to work
myself up to a Resolution of leaving her for ever but when I could not so far
subdue my Passion But why do I talk Nonsense of subduing Passion I should
say when no other Passion could surmount my Love I returned to visit her and
now I attempted the strangest Project which ever entered into the silly Head of
a Lover This was to persuade Amelia that I was really in Love in another Place
and had literally expressed my Meaning when I asked her Advice and desired her
to be my Confidente
I therefore forged a Meeting to have been between me and my imaginary
Mistress since I had last seen Amelia and related the Particulars as well as I
could invent them which had past at our Conversation
Poor Amelia presently swallowed this Bait and as she hath told me since
absolutely believed me to be in earnest Poor dear Love how should the
sincerest of Hearts have any Idea of Deceit for with all her Simplicity I
assure you she is the most sensible Woman in the World«
»It is highly generous and good in you« said Miss Mathews with a sly
sneer »to impute to Honesty what others would perhaps call Credulity«
»I protest Madam« answered he »I do her no more than Justice A good
Heart will at all times betray the best Head in the World Well Madam my
Angel was now if possible more confused than before She looked so silly you
can hardly believe it «
»Yes yes I can« answered the Lady with a Laugh »I can believe it
Well well go on« »After some Hesitation« cried he »my Amelia said faintly
to me Mr Booth you use me very ill you desire me to be your Confidente and
conceal from me the Name of your Mistress
Is it possible then Madam answered I that you cannot guess her when I
tell you she is one of your Acquaintance and lives in this Town
My Acquaintance said she La Mr Booth In this Town I I I thought
I could have guessed for once but I have an ill Talent that way I will never
attempt to guess any thing again Indeed I do her an Injury when I pretend to
represent her Manner Her Manner Look Voice every thing was inimitable such
Sweetness Softness Innocence Modesty Upon my Soul if ever Man could boast
of his Resolution I think I might now that I abstained from falling prostrate
at her Feet and adoring her However I triumphed Pride I believe triumphed
or perhaps Love got the better of Love We once more parted and I promised the
next time I saw her to reveal the Name of my Mistress
I now had I thought gained a complete Victory over myself and no small
Compliments did I pay to my own Resolution In short I triumphed as Cowards and
Niggards do when they flatter themselves with having given some supposed
Instance of Courage or Generosity and my Triumph lasted as long that is to
say till my ascendent Passion had a proper Opportunity of displaying itself in
its true and natural Colours
Having hitherto succeeded so well in my own Opinion and obtained this
mighty Selfconquest I now entertained a Design of exerting the most romantic
Generosity and of curing that unhappy Passion which I perceived I had raised in
Amelia
Among the Ladies who had expressed the greatest Satisfaction at my Amelias
Misfortune Miss Osborne had distinguished herself in a very eminent Degree she
was indeed the next in Beauty to my Angel nay she had disputed the Preference
and had some among her Admirers who were blind enough to give it in her
Favour«
»Well« cries the Lady »I will allow you to call them blind but Miss
Osborne was a charming Girl«
»She certainly was handsome« answered he »and a very considerable Fortune
so I thought my Amelia would have little Difficulty in believing me when I
fixed on her as my Mistress And I concluded that my thus placing my Affections
on her known Enemy would be the surest Method of eradicating every tender Idea
with which I had been ever honoured by Amelia
Well then to Amelia I went she received me with more than usual Coldness
and Reserve In which to confess the Truth there appeared to me more of Anger
than Indifference and more of Dejection than of either After some short
Introduction I revived the Discourse of my Amour and presently mentioned Miss
Osborne as the Lady whose Name I had concealed adding that the true Reason why
I did not mention her before was that I apprehended there was some little
Distance between them which I hoped to have the Happiness of accommodating
Amelia answered with much Gravity If you know Sir that there is any
Distance between us I suppose you know the Reason of that Distance and then I
think I could not have expected to be affronted by her Name I would not have
you think Mr Booth that I hate Miss Osborne No Heaven is my Witness I
despise her too much Indeed when I reflect how much I loved the Woman who
hath treated me so cruelly I own it gives me Pain When I lay as I then
imagined and as all about me believed on my Death in all the Agonies of Pain
and Misery to become the Object of Laughter to my dearest Friend O Mr
Booth it is a cruel Reflection And could I after this have expected from you
But why not from you to whom I am a Person entirely indifferent if such a
Friend could treat me so barbarously
During the greatest Part of this Speech the Tears streamed from her bright
Eyes I could endure it no longer I caught up the Word indifferent and
repeated it saying Do you think then Madam that Miss Emily is indifferent to
me
Yes surely I do answered she I know I am indeed why should I not be
indifferent to you
Have my Eyes said I then declared nothing
O there is no need of your Eyes answered she Your Tongue hath declared
that you have singled out of all Womankind my greatest I will say my basest
Enemy I own I once thought that Character would have been no Recommendation
to you But why did I think so I was born to deceive myself
I then fell on my Knees before her and forcing her Hand cried out O my
Amelia I can bear no longer You are the only Mistress of my Affections you
are the Deity I adore In this Stile I ran on for above two or three Minutes
what it is impossible to repeat till a Torrent of contending Passions together
with the Surprize overpowered her gentle Spirits and she fainted away in my
Arms
To describe my Sensation till she returned to herself is not in my Power«
»You need not« cried Miss Mathews »Oh happy Amelia why had I not been
blest with such a Passion« »I am convinced Madam« continued he »you cannot
expect all the Particulars of the tender Scene which ensued I was not enough in
my Senses to remember it all Let it suffice to say that That Behaviour with
which Amelia while ignorant of its Motive had been so much displeased when
she became sensible of that Motive proved the strongest Recommendation to her
Favour and she was pleased to call it generous«
»Generous« repeated the Lady »and so it was almost beyond the Reach of
Humanity I question whether you ever had an Equal«
Perhaps the critical Reader may have the same Doubt with Miss Mathews and
lest he should we will here make a Gap in our History to give him an
Opportunity of accurately considering whether this Conduct of Mr Booth was
natural or no and consequently whether we have in this Place maintained or
deviated from that strict Adherence to universal Truth which we profess above
all other Historians
Chapter III
The Narrative continued More of the Touchstone
»Booth made a proper Acknowledgment of Miss Mathewss Civility and then renewed
his Story
We were upon the Footing of Lovers and Amelia threw off her Reserve more
and more till at length I found all that Return of my Affection which the
tenderest Lover can require
My Situation would now have been a Paradise had not my Happiness been
interrupted with the same Reflexions I have already mentioned had I not in
short concluded that I must derive all my Joys from the almost certain Ruin of
that dear Creature to whom I should owe them
This Thought haunted me Night and Day till I at last grew unable to
support it I therefore resolved in the strongest Manner to lay it before
Amelia
One Evening then after the highest Professions of the most disinterested
Love in which Heaven knows my Sincerity I took an Occasion to speak to Amelia
in the following Manner
Too true is it I am afraid my dearest Creature that the highest human
Happiness is imperfect How rich would be my Cup was it not for one poisonous
Drop which imbitters the whole O Amelia what must be the Consequence of my
ever having the Honour to call you mine You know my Situation in Life and
you know your own I have nothing more than the poor Provision of an Ensigns
Commission to depend on your sole Dependance is on your Mother should any Act
of Disobedience defeat your Expectations how wretched must your Lot be with Me
O Amelia how ghastly an Object to my Mind is the Apprehension of your Distress
Can I bear to reflect a Moment on the Certainty of your foregoing all the
Conveniencies of Life on the Possibility of your suffering all its most
dreadful Inconveniencies What must be my Misery then to see you in such a
Situation and to upbraid myself with being the accursed Cause of bringing you
to it Suppose too in such a Season I should be summoned from you Could I
submit to see you encounter all the Hazards the Fatigues of War with me You
could not yourself however willing support them a single Campaign What then
must I leave you to starve alone deprived of the Tenderness of a Husband
deprived too of the Tenderness of the best of Mothers through my Means A Woman
most dear to me for being the Parent the Nurse and the Friend of my Amelia
But O my sweet Creature carry your Thoughts a little farther Think of the
tenderest Consequences the dearest Pledges of our Love Can I bear to think of
entailing Beggary on the Posterity of my Amelia On our O Heavens on our
Children On the other side is it possible even to mention the Word I will
not must not cannot cannot part with you What must we do Amelia it is
now I sincerely ask your Advice
What Advice can I give you said she in such an Alternative Would to
Heaven we had never met
These Words were accompanied with a Sigh and a Look inexpressibly tender
the Tears at the same Time overflowing all her lovely Cheeks I was endeavouring
to reply when I was interrupted by what soon put an End to the Scene
Our Amour had already been buzzed all over the Town and it came at last to
the Ears of Mrs Harris I had indeed observed of late a great Alteration in
that Ladys Behaviour towards me whenever I visited at the House nor could I
for a long Time before this Evening ever obtain a private Interview with
Amelia and now it seems I owed it to her Mothers Intention of overhearing
all that passed between us
At the Period then abovementioned Mrs Harris burst from the Closet where
she had hid herself and surprised her Daughter reclining on my Bosom in all
that tender Sorrow I have just described I will not attempt to paint the Rage
of the Mother or the Daughters Confusion or my own Here are very fine
Doings indeed cries Mrs Harris You have made a noble Use Amelia of my
Indulgence and the Trust I reposed in you As for you Mr Booth I will not
accuse you you have used my Child as I ought to have expected I may thank
myself for what hath happened with much more of the same kind before she would
suffer me to speak but at last I obtained a Hearing and offered to excuse my
poor Amelia who was ready to sink into the Earth under the Oppression of Grief
by taking as much Blame as I could on myself Mrs Harris answered No Sir I
must say you are innocent in Comparison of her nay I can say I have heard you
use dissuasive Arguments and I promise you they are of weight I have I thank
Heaven one dutiful Child and I shall henceforth think her my only one She
then forcd the poor trembling fainting Amelia out of the Room which when she
had done she began very cooly to reason with me on the Folly as well as
Iniquity which I had been guilty of and repeated to me almost every Word I had
before urged to her Daughter In fine she at last obtained of me a Promise
that I would soon go to my Regiment and submit to any Misery rather than that
of being the Ruin of Amelia
I now for many Days endured the greatest Torments which the human Mind is
I believe capable of feeling And I can honestly say I tryd all the Means and
applied every Argument which I could raise to cure me of my Love And to make
these the more effectual I spent every Night in walking backwards and forwards
in Sight of Mrs Harriss House where I never failed to find some Object or
other which raised some tender Idea of my lovely Amelia and almost drove me to
Distraction«
»And dont you think Sir« said Miss Mathews »you took a most
preposterous Method to cure yourself«
»Alas Madam« answered he »you cannot see it in a more absurd Light than I
do but those know little of real Love or Grief who do not know how much we
deceive ourselves when we pretend to aim at the Cure of either It is with these
as it is with some Distempers of the Body nothing is in the least agreeable
to us but what serves to heighten the Disease
At the End of a Fortnight when I was driven almost to the highest Degree of
Despair and could contrive no Method of conveying a Letter to Amelia how was I
surprised when Mrs Harriss Servant brought me a Card with an Invitation from
the Mother herself to drink Tea that Evening at her House
You will easily believe Madam that I did not fail so agreeable an
Appointment on my Arrival I was introduced into a large Company of Men and
Women Mrs Harris and my Amelia being part of the Company
Amelia seemed in my Eyes to look more beautiful than ever and behaved with
all the Gaiety imaginable The old Lady treated me with much Civility but the
young Lady took little Notice of me and addressed most of her Discourse to
another Gentleman present Indeed she now and then gave me a Look of no
discouraging Kind and I observed her Colour change more than once when her
Eyes met mine Circumstances which perhaps ought to have afforded me
sufficient Comfort but they could not allay the thousand Doubts and Fears with
which I was alarmed For my anxious Thoughts suggested no less to me than that
Amelia had made her Peace with her Mother at the Price of abandoning me for
ever and of giving her Ear to some other Lover All my Prudence now vanishd at
once and I would that Instant have gladly run away with Amelia and have
married her without the least Consideration of any Consequences
With such Thoughts I had tormented myself for near two Hours till most of
the Company had taken their Leave This I was myself incapable of doing nor do
I know when I should have put an End to my Visit had not Dr Harrison taken me
away almost by Force telling me in a Whisper that he had something to say to
me of great Consequence You know the Doctor Madam «
»Very well Sir« answered Miss Mathews »and one of the best Men in the
World he is and an Honour to the sacred Order to which he belongs«
»You will judge« replied Booth »by the Sequel whether I have reason to
think him so« He then proceeded as in the next Chapter
Chapter IV
The Story of Mr Booth continued In this Chapter the Reader will perceive a
Glimpse of the Character of a very good Divine with some Matters of a very
tender kind
»The Doctor conducted me into his Study and then desiring me to sit down
began as near as I can remember in these Words or at least to this Purpose
You cannot imagine young Gentleman that your Love for Miss Emily is any
Secret in this Place I have known it some Time and have been I assure you
very much your Enemy in this Affair
I answered that I was very much obliged to him
Why so you are replied he and so perhaps you will think yourself when you
know all I went about a Fortnight ago to Mrs Harris to acquaint her with my
Apprehensions on her Daughters Account for tho the Matter was much talked of
I thought it might possibly not have reached her Ears I will be very plain with
you I advised her to take all possible Care of the young Lady and even to send
her to some Place where she might be effectually kept out of your Reach while
you remained in the Town
And do you think Sir said I that this was acting a kind Part by me Or do
you expect that I should thank you on this Occasion
Young Man answered he I did not intend you any Kindness nor do I desire
any of your Thanks My Intention was to preserve a worthy Lady from a young
Fellow of whom I had heard no good Character and whom I imagined to have a
Design of stealing a human Creature for the Sake of her Fortune
It was very kind of you indeed answered I to entertain such an Opinion of
me
Why Sir replied the Doctor it is the Opinion which I believe most of
you young Gentlemen of the Order of the Rag deserve I have known some
Instances and have heard of more where such young Fellows have committed
Robbery under the name of Marriage
I was going to interrupt him with some Anger when he desired me to have a
little Patience and then informed me that he had visited Mrs Harris with the
abovementioned Design the Evening after the Discovery I have related that Mrs
Harris without waiting for his Information had recounted to him all which had
happened the Evening before and indeed she must have an excellent Memory for I
think she repeated every Word I said and added that she had confined her
Daughter to her Chamber where she kept her a close Prisoner and had not seen
her since
I cannot express nor would Modesty suffer me if I could all that now past
The Doctor took me by the Hand and burst forth into the warmest Commendations
of the Sense and Generosity which he was pleased to say discovered themselves in
my Speech You know Madam his strong and singular Way of expressing himself on
all Occasions especially when he is affected with any Thing Sir said he if I
knew half a Dozen such Instances in the Army the Painter should put red
Liveries upon all the Saints in my Closet
From this Instant the Doctor told me he had become my Friend and zealous
Advocate with Mrs Harris on whom he had at last prevailed though not without
the greatest Difficulty to consent to my marrying Amelia upon Condition that I
settled every Penny which the Mother should lay down and that she would retain
a certain Sum in her Hands which she would at any time deposite for my
Advancement in the Army
You will I hope Madam conceive that I made no Hesitation at these
Conditions nor need I mention the Joy which I felt on this Occasion or the
Acknowledgment I paid the Doctor who is indeed as you say one of the best of
Men
The next Morning I had Permission to visit Amelia who received me in such a
Manner that I now concluded my Happiness to be complete
Every thing was now agreed on all Sides and Lawyers employed to prepare the
Writings when an unexpected Cloud arose suddenly in our serene Sky and all our
Joys were obscured in a Moment
When Matters were as I apprehended drawing near a Conclusion I received
an Express that a Sister whom I tenderly loved was seized with a violent
Fever and earnestly desired me to come to her I immediately obeyed the
Summons and as it was then about Two in the Morning without staying even to
take Leave of Amelia for whom I left a short Billet acquainting her with the
Reason of my Absence
The Gentlemans House where my Sister then was stood at fifty Miles
distance and tho I used the utmost Expedition the unmerciful Distemper had
before my Arrival entirely deprived the poor Girl of her Senses as it soon
after did of her Life
Not all the Love I bore Amelia nor the tumultuous Delight with which the
approaching Hour of possessing her filled my Heart could for a while allay my
Grief at the Loss of my beloved Nancy Upon my Soul I cannot yet mention her
Name without Tears Never Brother and Sister had I believe a higher Friendship
for each other Poor dear Girl whilst I sat by her in her Lighthead Fits she
repeated scarce any other Name but mine And it plainly appeared that when her
dear Reason was ravishd away from her it had left my Image on her Fancy and
that the last Use she had made of it was to think on me Send for my dear
Billy immediately she cryd I know he will come to me in a Moment Will no
Body fetch him to me Pray dont kill me before I see him once more You durst
not use me so if he was here Every Accent still rings in my Ears Oh
Heavens to hear this and at the same Time to see the poor delirious Creature
deriving the greatest Horrors from my Sight and mistaking me for a Highwayman
who had a little before robbed her But I ask your Pardon the Sensations I
felt are to be known only from Experience and to you must appear dull and
insipid At last she seemed for a Moment to know me and cryd O Heavens my
dearest Brother upon which she fell into immediate Convulsions and died away
in my Arms«
Here Booth stopd a Moment and wipd his Eyes and Miss Mathews perhaps
out of Complaisance wipd hers
Chapter V
Containing strange Revolutions of Fortune
Booth proceeded thus
»This Loss perhaps Madam you will think had made me miserable enough but
Fortune did not think so for on the Day when my Nancy was to be buried a
Courier arrived from Dr Harrison with a Letter in which the Doctor acquainted
me that he was just come from Mrs Harris when he dispatched the Express and
earnestly desired me to return the very Instant I received his Letter as I
valued my Amelia Tho if the Daughter added he should take after her Mother
as most of them do it will be perhaps wiser in you to stay away
I presently sent for the Messenger into my Room and with much Difficulty
extorted from him that a great Squire in his Coach and Six was come to Mrs
Harriss and that the whole Town said he was shortly to be married to Amelia
I now soon perceived how much superior my Love for Amelia was to every other
Passion poor Nancys Idea disappeared in a Moment I quitted the dear lifeless
Corpse over which I had shed a thousand Tears left the Care of her Funeral to
others and posted I may almost say flew back to Amelia and alighted at the
Doctors House as he had desired me in his Letter
The good Man presently acquainted me with what had happened in my Absence
Mr Winckworth had it seems arrived the very Day of my Departure with a grand
Equipage and without Delay had made formal Proposals to Mrs Harris offering
to settle any Part of his vast Estate in whatever Manner she pleased on
Amelia These Proposals the old Lady had without any Deliberation accepted
and had insisted in the most violent Manner on her Daughters Compliance
which Amelia had as peremptorily refused to give insisting on her Part on the
Consent which her Mother had before given to our Marriage in which she was
heartily seconded by the Doctor who declared to her as he now did to me that
we ought as much to be esteemed Man and Wife as if the Ceremony had already
past between us
These Remonstrances the Doctor told me had worked no Effect on Mrs
Harris who still persisted in her avowed Resolution of marrying her Daughter to
Winckworth whom the Doctor had likewise attacked telling him that he was
paying his Addresses to another Mans Wife but all to no Purpose the young
Gentleman was too much in Love to hearken to any Dissuasives
We now entered into a Consultation what Means to employ The Doctor
earnestly protested against any Violence to be offered to the Person of
Winckworth which I believe I had rashly threatened declaring that if I made
any Attempt of that Kind he would for ever abandon my Cause I made him a
solemn Promise of Forbearance At last he determined to pay another Visit to
Mrs Harris and if he found her obdurate he said he thought himself at Liberty
to join us together without any further Consent of the Mother which every
Parent he said had a Right to refuse but not to retract when given unless
the Party himself by some Conduct of his gave a Reason
The Doctor having made his Visit with no better Success than before the
Matter now debated was how to get Possession of Amelia by Stratagem for she
was now a closer Prisoner than ever was her Mothers Bedfellow by Night and
never out of her Sight by Day
While we were deliberating on this Point a Wine Merchant of the Town came
to visit the Doctor to inform him that he had just bottled off a Hogshead of
excellent old Port of which he offered to spare him a Hamper saying that he
was that Day to send in twelve Dozen to Mrs Harris
The Doctor now smiled at a Conceit which came into his Head and taking me
aside asked me if I had Love enough for the young Lady to venture into the
House in a Hamper I joyfully leapt at the Proposal to which the Merchant at
the Doctors Intercession consented for I believe Madam you know the great
Authority which that worthy Man had over the whole Town The Doctor moreover
promised to procure a Licence and to perform the Office for us at his House if
I could find any Means of conveying Amelia thither
In this Hamper then I was carried to the House and deposited in the Entry
where I had not lain long before I was again removed and packed up in a Cart in
order to be sent five Miles into the Country for I heard the Orders given as I
lay in the Entry and there I likewise heard that Amelia and her Mother were to
follow me the next Morning
I was unloaded from my Cart and set down with the rest of the Lumber in a
great Hall Here I remained above three Hours impatiently waiting for the
Evening when I determined to quit a Posture which was become very uneasy and
break my Prison but Fortune contrived to release me sooner by the following
Means The House where I now was had been left in the Care of one Maidservant
This faithful Creature came into the Hall with the Footman who had driven the
Cart A Scene of the highest Fondness having past between them the Fellow
proposed and the Maid consented to open the Hamper and drink a Bottle
together which they agreed their Mistress would hardly miss in such a Quantity
They presently began to execute their Purpose They opened the Hamper and to
their great Surprize discovered the Contents
I took an immediate Advantage of the Consternation which appeared in the
Countenances of both the Servants and had sufficient Presence of Mind to
improve the Knowledge of those Secrets to which I was privy I told them that it
entirely depended on their Behaviour to me whether their Mistress should ever be
acquainted either with what they had done or with what they had intended to
do for that if they would keep my Secret I would reciprocally keep theirs I
then acquainted them with my Purpose of lying concealed in the House in order
to watch an Opportunity of obtaining a private Interview with Amelia
In the Situation in which these two Delinquents stood you may be assured it
was not difficult for me to seal up their Lips In short they agreed to whatever
I proposed I lay that Evening in my dear Amelias Bedchamber and was in the
Morning conveyed into an old lumber Garret where I was to wait till Amelia
whom the Maid promised on her Arrival to inform of my Place of Concealment
could find some Opportunity of seeing me«
»I ask Pardon for interrupting you« cries Miss Mathews »but you bring to
my Remembrance a foolish Story which I heard at that time tho at a great
Distance from you That an Officer had in Confederacy with Miss Harris broke
open her Mothers Cellar and stole away a great Quantity of her Wine I mention
it only to shew you what Sort of Foundations most Stories have«
Booth told her he had heard some such thing himself and then continued his
Story as in the next Chapter
Chapter VI
Containing many surprising Adventures
»Here« continued he »I remained the whole Day in Hopes of a Happiness the
expected Approach of which gave me such a Delight that I would not have
exchanged my poor Lodgings for the finest Palace in the Universe
A little after it was dark Mrs Harris arrived together with Amelia and her
Sister I cannot express how much my Heart now began to flutter for as my Hopes
every Moment encreased strange Fears which I had not felt before began now to
intermingle with them
When I had continued full two Hours in these Circumstances I heard a
Womans Step tripping up Stairs which I fondly hoped was my Amelia but all on
a sudden the Door flew open and Mrs Harris herself appeared at it with a
Countenance pale as Death her whole Body trembling I suppose with Anger she
fell upon me in the most bitter Language It is not necessary to repeat what she
said nor indeed can I I was so shocked and confounded on this Occasion In a
Word the Scene ended with my departing without seeing Amelia«
»And pray« cries Miss Mathews »how happened this unfortunate Discovery«
Booth answered »That the Lady at Supper ordered a Bottle of Wine which
neither myself« said he »nor the Servants had Presence of Mind to provide
Being told there was none in the House tho she had been before informed that
the things came all safe she had sent for the Maid who being unable to devise
any Excuse had fallen on her Knees and after confessing her Design of opening
a Bottle which she imputed to the Fellow betrayed poor me to her Mistress
Well Madam after a Lecture of about a Quarter of an Hours Duration from
Mrs Harris I suffered her to conduct me to the outward Gate of her Courtyard
whence I set forward in a disconsolate Condition of Mind towards my Lodgings I
had five Miles to walk in a dark and rainy Night but how can I mention these
trifling Circumstances as any Aggravation of my Disappointment«
»How was it possible« cried Miss Mathews »that you could be got out of the
House without seeing Miss Harris«
»I assure you Madam« answered Booth »I have often wondered at it myself
but my Spirits were so much sunk at the Sight of her Mother that no Man was
ever a greater Coward than I was at that Instant Indeed I believe my tender
Concern for the Terrors of Amelia were the principal Cause of my Submission
However it was I left the House and walked about a hundred Yards when at the
Corner of the Garden Wall a female Voice in a Whisper cried out Mr Booth
The Person was extremely near me but it was so dark I could scarce see her nor
did I in the Confusion I was in immediately recognize the Voice I answered in
a Line of Congreves which burst from my Lips spontaneously for I am sure I
had no Intention to quote Plays at that time
Who calls the wretched thing that was Alphonso
Upon which a Woman leapt into my Arms crying out O it is indeed my
Alphonso my only Alphonso O Miss Mathews guess what I felt when I found I
had my Amelia in my Arms I embraced her with an Extasy not to be described at
the same instant pouring a thousand Tendernesses into her Ears at least if I
could express so many to her in a Minute for in that time the Alarm began at
the House Mrs Harris had mist her Daughter and the Court was presently full
of Lights and Noises of all Kinds
I now lifted Amelia over a Gate and jumping after we crept along together
by the Side of a Hedge a different Way from what led to the Town as I imagined
that would be the Road through which they would pursue us In this Opinion I was
right for we heard them pass along that Road and the Voice of Mrs Harris
herself who ran with the rest notwithstanding the Darkness and the Rain By
these Means we luckily made our Escape and clambring over Hedge and Ditch my
Amelia performing the Part of a Heroine all the Way we at length arrived at a
little green Lane where stood a vast spreading Oak under which we sheltered
ourselves from a violent Storm
When this was over and the Moon began to appear Amelia declared she knew
very well where she was and a little farther striking into another Lane to
the Right she said that would lead us to a House where we should be both safe
and unsuspected I followed her Directions and we at length came to a little
Cottage about three Miles distant from Mrs Harriss House
As it now rained very violently we entered this Cottage in which we espied
a Light without any Ceremony Here we found an elderly Woman sitting by herself
at a little Fire who had no sooner viewed us than she instantly sprung from
her Seat and starting back gave the strongest Tokens of Amazement upon which
Amelia said Be not surprised Nurse tho you see me in a strange Pickle I own
The old Woman after having several times blessed herself and expressed the
most tender Concern for the Lady who stood dripping before her began to bestir
herself in making up the Fire at the same time entreating Amelia that she might
be permitted to furnish her with some Cloaths which she said tho not fine
were clean and wholesome and much dryer than her own I seconded this Motion so
vehemently that Amelia tho she declared herself under no Apprehension of
catching Cold she hath indeed the best Constitution in the World at last
consented and I retired without Doors under a Shed to give my Angel an
Opportunity of dressing herself in the only Room which the Cottage afforded
below Stairs
At my Return into the Room Amelia insisted on my exchanging my Coat for one
which belonged to the old Womans Son« »I am very glad« cried Miss Mathews
»to find she did not forget you I own I thought it somewhat cruel to turn you
out into the Rain« »O Miss Mathews« continued he taking no Notice of her
Observation »I had now an Opportunity of contemplating the vast Power of
exquisite Beauty which nothing almost can add to or diminish Amelia in the
poor Rags of her old Nurse looked scarce less beautiful than I have seen her
appear at a Ball or an Assembly« »Well well« cries Miss Mathews »to be
sure she did but pray go on with your Story«
»The old Woman« continued he »after having equipped us as well as she
could and placed our wet Cloaths before the Fire began to grow inquisitive
and after some Ejaculations she cried O my dear young Madam my Mind
misgives me hugeously and pray who is this fine young Gentleman Oh Miss Emmy
Miss Emmy I am afraid Madam knows nothing of all this Matter Suppose he should
be my Husband Nurse answered Amelia Oh good an if he be replies the
Nurse I hope he is some great Gentleman or other with a vast Estate and a
Coach and Six for to be sure if an he was the greatest Lord in the Land you
would deserve it all But why do I attempt to mimic the honest Creature In
short she discovered the greatest Affection for my Amelia with which I was much
more delighted than I was offended at the Suspicions she shewed of me or the
many bitter Curses which she denounced against me if I ever proved a bad
Husband to so sweet a young Lady
I so well improved the Hint given me by Amelia that the old Woman had no
Doubt of our being really married and comforting herself that if it was not as
well as it might have been yet Madam had enough for us both and that Happiness
did not always depend on great Riches she began to rail at the old Lady for
having turned us out of Doors which I scarce told an Untruth in asserting And
when Amelia said She hoped her Nurse would not betray her The good Woman
answered with much Warmth Betray you my dear young Madam no that I would
not if the King would give me all that he is worth No not if Madam herself
would give me the great House and the whole Farm belonging to it
The good Woman then went out and fetched a Chicken from the Roost which she
killed and began to pick without asking any Questions Then summoning her Son
who was in Bed to her Assistance she began to prepare this Chicken for our
Supper This she afterwards set before us in so neat I may almost say elegant a
Manner that whoever would have disdained it either doth not know the Sensation
of Hunger or doth not deserve to have it gratified Our Food was attended with
some Ale which our kind Hostess said she intended not to have tapd till
Christmas but added she I little thought ever to have the Honour of seeing my
dear honoured Lady in this poor Place
For my own Part no human Being was then an Object of Envy to me and even
Amelia seemed to be in pretty good Spirits she softly whispered to me that she
perceived there might be Happiness in a Cottage«
»A Cottage« cries Miss Mathews sighing »A Cottage with the Man one loves
is a Palace«
»When Supper was ended« continued Booth »the good Woman began to think of
our further Wants and very earnestly recommended her Bed to us saying it was a
very neat tho homely one and that she could furnish us with a Pair of clean
Sheets She added some Persuasives which painted my Angel all over with
Vermillion As for myself I behaved so aukwardly and foolishly and so readily
agreed to Amelias Resolution of sitting up all Night that if it did not give
the Nurse any Suspicion of our Marriage it ought to have inspired her with the
utmost Contempt for me
We both endeavoured to prevail with Nurse to retire to her own Bed but
found it utterly impossible to succeed she thanked Heaven she understood
Breeding better than that And so well bred was the good Woman that we could
scarce get her out of the Room the whole Night Luckily for us we both
understood French by means of which we consulted together even in her
Presence upon the Measures we were to take in our present Exigency At length
it was resolved that I should send a Letter by this young Lad whom I have just
before mentioned to our worthy Friend the Doctor desiring his Company at our
Hut since we thought it utterly unsafe to venture to the Town which we knew
would be in an Uproar on our Account before the Morning«
Here Booth made a full Stop smiled and then said he was going to mention
so ridiculous a Distress that he could scarce think of it without laughing
What this was the Reader shall know in the next Chapter
Chapter VII
The Story of Booth continued More surprising Adventures
»From what Trifles dear Miss Mathews« cried Booth »may some of our greatest
Distresses arise Do you not perceive I am going to tell you we had neither Pen
Ink nor Paper in our present Exigency
A verbal Message was now our only Resource however we contrived to deliver
it in such Terms that neither Nurse nor her Son could possibly conceive any
Suspicion from it of the present Situation of our Affairs Indeed Amelia
whisperd me I might safely place any Degree of Confidence in the Lad for he
had been her Foster Brother and she had a great Opinion of his Integrity He
was in Truth a Boy of very good natural Parts and Dr Harrison who had
received him into his Family at Amelias Recommendation had bred him up to
write and read very well and had taken some Pains to infuse into him the
Principles of Honesty and Religion He was not indeed even now discharged from
the Doctors Service but had been at home with his Mother for some time on
Account of the SmallPox from which he was lately recovered
I have said so much« continued Booth of the Boys Character that you may
not be surprised at some Stories which I shall tell you of him hereafter
»I am going now Madam to relate to you one of those strange Accidents
which are produced by such a Train of Circumstances that mere Chance hath been
thought incapable of bringing them together and which have therefore given
Birth in superstitious Minds to Fortune and to several other imaginary
Beings
We were now impatiently expecting the Arrival of the Doctor our Messenger
had been gone much more than a sufficient Time which to us you may be assured
appeared not at all shorter than it was when Nurse who had gone out of Doors
on some Errand came running hastily to us crying out O my dear young Madam
her Ladyships Coach is just at the Door Amelia turned pale as Death at these
Words indeed I feared she would have fainted if I could be said to fear who
had scarce any of my Senses left and was in a Condition little better than my
Angels
While we were both in this dreadful Situation Amelia fallen back in her
Chair with the Countenance in which Ghosts are painted myself at her Feet with
a Complexion of no very different Colour and Nurse screaming out and throwing
Water in Amelias Face Mrs Harris entered the Room At the Sight of this
Scene she threw herself likewise into a Chair and called immediately for a
Glass of Water which Miss Betty her Daughter supplied her with For as to
Nurse nothing was capable of making any Impression on her whilst she
apprehended her young Mistress to be in Danger
The Doctor had now entered the Room and coming immediately up to Amelia
after some Expressions of Surprize he took her by the Hand called her his
little Sugarplumb and assured her there were none but Friends present He then
led her tottering across the Room to Mrs Harris Amelia then fell upon her
Knees before her Mother but the Doctor caught her up saying Use that Posture
Child only to the Almighty but I need not mention this Singularity of his to
you who know him so well and must have heard him often dispute against
addressing ourselves to Man in the humblest Posture which we use towards the
Supreme Being
I will tire you with no more Particulars we were soon satisfied that the
Doctor had reconciled us and our Affairs to Mrs Harris and we now proceeded
directly to Church the Doctor having before provided a Licence for us«
»But where is the strange Accident« cries Miss Mathews »Sure you raised
more Curiosity than you have satisfied«
»Indeed Madam« answered he »your Reproof is just I had like to have
forgotten it but you cannot wonder at me when you reflect on that interesting
Part of my Story which I am now relating But before I mention this Accident
I must tell you what happened after Amelias Escape from her Mothers House
Mrs Harris at first ran out into the Lane among her Servants and pursued us
so she imagined along the Road leading to the Town but that being very dirty
and a violent Storm of Rain coming she took shelter in an Alehouse about half
a Mile from her own House whither she sent for her Coach She then drove
together with her Daughter to Town where soon after her Arrival she sent for
the Doctor her usual Privy Counsellor in all her Affairs They sat up all Night
together the Doctor endeavouring by Arguments and Persuasions to bring Mrs
Harris to Reason but all to no Purpose tho as he hath informed me Miss
Betty seconded him with the warmest Entreaties«
Here Miss Mathews laughed of which Booth begged to know the Reason she at
last after many Apologies said »It was the first good Thing she ever heard of
Miss Betty nay« said she »and asking your Pardon for my Opinion of your
Sister since you will have it I always conceived her to be the deepest of
Hypocrites«
Booth fetched a Sigh and said he was afraid she had not always acted so
kindly and then after a little Hesitation proceeded
»You will be pleased Madam to remember the Lad was sent with a verbal
Message to the Doctor which Message was no more than to acquaint him where we
were and to desire the Favour of his Company or that he would send a Coach to
bring us to whatever Place he would please to meet us at This Message was to be
delivered to the Doctor himself and the Messenger was ordered if he found him
not at home to go to him wherever he was He fulfilled his Orders and told it
to the Doctor in the Presence of Mrs Harris«
»Oh the Idiot« cries Miss Mathews »Not at all« answered Booth »He is a
very sensible Fellow as you will perhaps say hereafter He had not the least
Reason to suspect that any Secrecy was necessary For we took the utmost Care he
should not suspect it Well Madam this Accident which appeared so
unfortunate turned in the highest Degree to our Advantage Mrs Harris no
sooner heard the Message delivered than she fell into the most violent Passion
imaginable and accused the Doctor of being in the Plot and of having
confederated with me in the Design of carrying off her Daughter
The Doctor who had hitherto used only soothing Methods now talked in a
different Strain He confessed the Accusation and justified his Conduct He
said he was no Meddler in the Familyaffairs of others nor should he have
concerned himself with hers but at her own Request but that since Mrs Harris
herself had made him an Agent in this Matter he would take Care to acquit
himself with Honour and above all things to preserve a young Lady for whom he
had the highest Esteem for she is cries he and by Heavens he said true the
most worthy generous and noble of all human Beings You have yourself Madam
said he consented to the Match I have at your Request made the Match and
then he added some Particulars relating to his Opinion of me which my Modesty
forbids me to repeat« »Nay but« cries Miss Mathews »I insist on your
Conquest of that Modesty for once We Women do not love to hear one anothers
Praises and I will be made amends by hearing the Praises of a Man and of a
Man whom perhaps« added she with a Leer »I shall not think much the better of
upon that Account« »In Obedience to your Commands then Madam« continued he
»the Doctor was so kind to say he had enquired into my Character and had found
that I had been a dutiful Son and an affectionate Brother Relations said he
in which whoever discharges his Duty well gives us a wellgrounded Hope that
he will behave as properly in all the rest He concluded with saying that
Amelias Happiness her Heart nay her very Reputation were all concerned in
this Matter to which as he had been made instrumental he was resolved to
carry her thro it and then taking the Licence from his Pocket declared to
Mrs Harris that he would go that Instant and marry her Daughter wherever he
found her This Speech the Doctors Voice his Look and his Behaviour all
which are sufficiently calculated to inspire Awe and even Terror when he
pleases frightened poor Mrs Harris and wrought a more sensible Effect than it
was in his Power to produce by all his Arguments and Entreaties and I have
already related what followed
Thus the strange Accident of our wanting Pen Ink and Paper and our not
trusting the Boy with our Secret occasioned the Discovery to Mrs Harris that
Discovery put the Doctor upon his Metal and produced that blessed Event which I
have recounted to you and which as my Mother hath since confessed nothing but
the Spirit which he had exerted after the Discovery could have brought about
Well Madam you now see me married to Amelia in which Situation you will
perhaps think my Happiness incapable of Addition Perhaps it was so and yet I
can with Truth say that the Love which I then bore Amelia was not comparable to
what I bear her now« »Happy Amelia« cried Miss Mathews »If all Men were like
you all Women would be blessed nay the whole World would be so in a great
Measure for upon my Soul I believe that from the damned Inconstancy of your
Sex to ours proceeds half the Miseries of Mankind«
That we may give the Reader Leisure to consider well the foregoing
Sentiment we will here put an End to this Chapter
Chapter VIII
In which our Readers will probably be divided in their Opinion of Mr Booths
Conduct
»Booth proceeded as follows
The first Months of our Marriage produced nothing remarkable enough to
mention I am sure I need not tell Miss Mathews that I found in my Amelia every
Perfection of human Nature Mrs Harris at first gave us some little Uneasiness
She had rather yielded to the Doctor than given a willing Consent to the Match
however by Degrees she became more and more satisfied and at last seemed
perfectly reconciled This we ascribed a good deal to the kind Offices of Miss
Betty who had always appeared to be my Friend She had been greatly assisting
to Amelia in making her Escape which I had no Opportunity of mentioning to you
before and in all things behaved so well outwardly at least to myself as well
as her Sister that we regarded her as our sincerest Friend
About half aYear after our Marriage two additional Companies were added to
our Regiment in one of which I was preferred to the Command of a Lieutenant
Upon this Occasion Miss Betty gave the first Intimation of a Disposition which
we have since too severely experienced«
»Your Servant Sir« says Miss Mathews »then I find I was not mistaken in
my Opinion of the Lady No no shew me any Goodness in a censorious Prude and
«
As Miss Mathews hesitated for a Simile or an Execration Booth proceeded
»You will please to remember Madam there was formerly an Agreement between
myself and Mrs Harris that I should settle all my Amelias Fortune on her
except a certain Sum which was to be laid out in my Advancement in the Army
but as our Marriage was carried on in the Manner you have heard no such
Agreement was ever executed And since I was become Amelias Husband not a Word
of this Matter was ever mentioned by the old Lady and as for myself I declare
I had not yet awakened from that delicious Dream of Bliss in which the
Possession of Amelia had lulled me«
Here Miss Mathews sighed and cast the tenderest of Looks on Booth who thus
continued his Story
»Soon after my Promotion Mrs Harris one Morning took an Occasion to speak
to me on this Affair She said that as I had been promoted Gratis to a
Lieutenancy she would assist me with Money to carry me yet a Step higher and
if more was required than was formerly mentioned it should not be wanting
since she was so perfectly satisfied with my Behaviour to her Daughter Adding
that she hoped I had still the same Inclination to settle on my Wife the
Remainder of her Fortune
I answered with very warm Acknowledgments of my Mothers Goodness and
declared if I had the World I was ready to lay it at my Amelias Feet And
so Heaven knows I would ten thousand Worlds
Mrs Harris seemed pleased with the Warmth of my Sentiments and said she
would immediately send to her Lawyer and give him the necessary Orders and thus
ended our Conversation on this Subject
From this time there was a very visible Alteration in Miss Bettys
Behaviour She grew reserved to her Sister as well as to me She was fretful and
captious on the slightest Occasion nay she affected much to talk on the ill
Consequences of an imprudent Marriage especially before her Mother and if ever
any little Tenderness or Endearments escaped me in public towards Amelia she
never failed to make some malicious Remark on the short Duration of violent
Passions and when I have expressed a fond Sentiment for my Wife her Sister
would kindly wish she might hear as much seven Years hence
All these Matters have been since suggested to us by Reflection for while
they actually past both Amelia and myself had our Thoughts too happily engaged
to take Notice of what discovered itself in the Mind of any other Person
Unfortunately for us Mrs Harriss Lawyer happened at this time to be at
London where Business detained him upwards of a Month and as Mrs Harris would
on no Occasion employ any other our Affair was under an entire Suspension till
his Return
Amelia who was now big with Child had often expressed the deepest Concern
at her Apprehensions of my being sometime commanded abroad a Circumstance which
she declared if it should ever happen to her even tho she should not then be
in the same Situation as at present would infallibly break her Heart These
Remonstrances were made with such Tenderness and so much affected me that to
avoid any Probability of such an Event I endeavoured to get an Exchange into
the Horseguards a Body of Troops which very rarely goes abroad unless where
the King himself commands in Person I soon found an Officer for my Purpose the
Terms were agreed on and Mrs Harris had ordered the Money which I was to pay
to be ready notwithstanding the Opposition made by Miss Betty who openly
dissuaded her Mother from it alledging that the Exchange was highly to my
Disadvantage that I could never hope to rise in the Army after it not
forgetting at the same time some Insinuations very prejudicial to my
Reputation as a Soldier
When every thing was agreed on and the two Commissions were actually made
out but not signed by the King one Day at my Return from hunting Amelia flew
to me and eagerly embracing me cried out O Billy I have News for you which
delights my Soul Nothing sure was ever so fortunate as the Exchange you have
made The Regiment you was formerly in is ordered for Gibraltar
I received this News with far less Transport than it was delivered I
answered coldly since the Case was so I heartily hoped the Commissions might
be both signed What do you say replied Amelia eagerly Sure you told me
every thing was entirely settled That Look of yours frightens me to Death
But I am running into too minute Particulars In short I received a Letter by
that very Post from the Officer with whom I had exchanged insisting that tho
his Majesty had not signed the Commissions that still the Bargain was valid
partly urging it as a Right and partly desiring it as a Favour that he might
go to Gibraltar in my Room
This Letter convinced me in every Point I was now informed that the
Commissions were not signed and consequently that the Exchange was not
compleated Of Consequence the other could have no Right to insist on going and
as for granting him such a Favour I too clearly saw I must do it at the Expence
of my Honour I was now reduced to a Dilemma the most dreadful which I think
any Man can experience in which I am not ashamed to own I found Love was not
so overmatched by Honour as he ought to have been The Thoughts of leaving
Amelia in her present Condition to Misery perhaps to Death or Madness were
insupportable nor could any other Consideration but that which now tormented
me on the other Side have combated them a Moment«
»No Woman upon Earth« cries Miss Mathews »can despise Want of Spirit in a
Man more than myself and yet I cannot help thinking you was rather too nice on
this Occasion«
»You will allow Madam« answered Booth »that whoever offends against the
Laws of Honour in the least Instance is treated as the highest Delinquent Here
is no Excuse no Pardon and he doth nothing who leaves any thing undone But if
the Conflict was so terrible with myself alone what was my Situation in the
Presence of Amelia How could I support her Sighs her Tears her Agonies her
Despair Could I bear to think myself the cruel Cause of her Sufferings for so
I was Could I endure the Thought of having it in my Power to give her instant
Relief for so it was and refuse it her«
»Miss Betty was now again become my Friend She had scarce been civil to me
for a Fortnight last past yet now she commended me to the Skies and as
severely blamed her Sister whom she arraigned of the most contemptible
Weakness in preferring my Safety to my Honour« she said many illnatured
Things on the Occasion which I shall not now repeat
»In the Midst of this Hurricane the good Doctor came to dine with Mrs
Harris and at my Desire delivered his Opinion on the Matter«
Here Mr Booth was interrupted in his Narrative by the Arrival of a Person
whom we shall introduce in the next Chapter
Chapter IX
Containing a Scene of a different Kind from any of the preceding
The Gentleman who now arrived was the Keeper or if you please for so he
pleased to call himself the Governor of the Prison
He used so little Ceremony at his Approach that the Bolt which was very
slight on the Inside gave way and the Door immediately flew open He had no
sooner entered the Room than he acquainted Miss Mathews that he had brought her
very good News for which he demanded a Bottle of Wine as his Due
This Demand being complied with he acquainted Miss Mathews that the wounded
Gentleman was not dead nor was his Wound thought to be mortal That Loss of
Blood and perhaps his Fright had occasioned his fainting away »but I
believe Madam« said he »if you take the proper Measures you may be bailed
Tomorrow I expect the Lawyer here this Evening and if you put the Business
into his Hands I warrant it will be done Money to be sure must be parted with
thats to be sure People to be sure will expect to touch a little in such
Cases For my own Part I never desire to keep a Prisoner longer than the Law
allows not I I always inform them they can be bailed as soon as I know it I
never make any Bargain not I I always love to leave those Things to the
Gentlemen and Ladies themselves I never suspect Gentlemen and Ladies of wanting
Generosity«
Miss Mathews made a very slight Answer to all these friendly Professions
She said she had done nothing she repented of and was indifferent as to the
Event »All I can say« cries she »is that if the Wretch is alive there is no
greater Villain in Life than himself« and instead of mentioning any thing of
the Bail she begged the Keeper to leave her again alone with Mr Booth The
Keeper replied »Nay Madam perhaps it may be better to stay a little longer
here if you have not Bail ready than to buy them too dear Besides a Day or
two hence when the Gentleman is past all Danger of Recovery to be sure some
Folks that would expect an extraordinary Fee now cant expect to touch any
thing And to be sure you shall want nothing here The best of all things are to
be had here for Money both eatable and drinkable tho I say it I shant turn
my Back to any of the Taverns for either Eatables or Wind The Captain there
need not have been so shy of owning himself when he first came in we have had
Captains and other great Gentlemen here before now and no shame to them tho I
say it Many a great Gentleman is sometimes found in Places that dont become
them half so well let me tell them that Captain Booth let me tell them that«
»I see Sir« answered Booth a little discomposed »that you are acquainted
with my Title as well as my Name«
»Ay Sir« cries the Keeper »and I honour you the more for it I love the
Gentlemen of the Army I was in the Army myself formerly in the Lord of
Oxfords Horse It is true I rode private but I had Money enough to have bought
in QuarterMaster when I took it into my Head to marry and my Wife she did not
like that I should continue a Soldier she was all for a private Life and so I
came to this Business«
»Upon my Word Sir« answered Booth »you consulted your Wifes Inclinations
very notably but pray will you satisfy my Curiosity in telling me how you
became acquainted that I was in the Army For my Dress I think could not
betray me«
»Betray« replied the Keeper »There is no betraying here I hope I am not
a Person to betray People But you are so shy and peery you would almost make
one suspect there was more in the Matter And if there be I promise you you
need not be afraid of telling it me You will excuse me giving you a Hint but
the sooner the better thats all Others may be beforehand with you and first
come first servd on these Occasions thats all Informers are odious theres
no doubt of that and no one would care to be an Informer if he could help it
because of the ill Usage they always receive from the Mob yet it is dangerous
to trust too much and when Safety and a good Part of the Reward too are on one
Side and the Gallows on the other I know which a wise Man would chuse«
»What the Devil do you mean by all this« cries Booth
»No Offence I hope« answered the Keeper »I speak for your Good and if
you have been upon the snaffling Lay you understand me Im sure«
»Not I« answered Booth »upon my Honour«
»Nay nay« replied the Keeper with a contemptuous Sneer »if you are so
peery as that comes to you must take the Consequence But for my Part I know
I would not trust Robinson with TwoPence untold«
»What do you mean« cries Booth »Who is Robinson«
»And you dont know Robinson« answered the Keeper with great Emotion To
which Booth replying in the Negative the Keeper after some Tokens of
Amazement cried out »Well Captain I must say you are the best at it of all
the Gentlemen I ever saw However I will tell you this The Lawyer and Mr
Robinson have been laying their Heads together about you above half an Hour this
Afternoon I overheard them mention Captain Booth several Times and for my
Part I would not answer that Mr Murphy is not now gone about the Business but
if you will impeach any to me of the Road or any thing else I will step away
to his Worship Thrasher this Instant and I am sure I have Interest enough with
him to get you admitted an Evidence«
»And so« cries Booth »you really take me for a Highwayman«
»No Offence Captain I hope« said the Keeper »As Times go there are many
worse Men in the World than those Gentlemen may be driven to Distress and when
they are I know no more genteeler Way than the Road It hath been many a brave
Mans Case to my Knowledge and Men of as much Honour too as any in the World«
»Well Sir« said Booth »I assure you I am not that Gentleman of Honour you
imagine me«
Miss Mathews who had long understood the Keeper no better than Mr Booth
no sooner heard his Meaning explained than she was fired with greater
Indignation than the Gentleman had expressed »How dare you Sir« said she to
the Keeper »insult a Man of Fashion and who hath had the Honour to bear his
Majestys Commission in the Army as you yourself own you know If his
Misfortunes have sent him hither sure we have no Laws that will protect such a
Fellow as you in insulting him« »Fellow« mutterd the Keeper »I would not
advise you Madam to use such Language to me« »Do you dare threaten me«
replyd Miss Mathews in a Rage »Venture in the least Instance to exceed your
Authority with Regard to me and I will prosecute you with the utmost
Vengeance«
A Scene of very high Altercation now ensued till Booth interposed and
quieted the Keeper who was perhaps enough inclined to an Accommodation for
in Truth he waged unequal War He was besides unwilling to incense Miss
Mathews whom he expected to be bailed out the next Day and who had more Money
left than he intended she should carry out of the Prison with her and as for
any violent or unjustifiable Methods the Lady had discovered much too great a
Spirit to be in Danger of them The Governor therefore in a very gentle Tone
declared that if he had given any Offence to the Gentleman he heartily asked
his Pardon That if he had known him to be really a Captain he should not have
entertained any such Suspicions but that Captain was a very common Title in
that Place and belonged to several Gentlemen that had never been in the Army
or at most had rid private like himself »To be sure Captain« said he »as you
yourself own your Dress is not very military« for he had on a plain Fustian
Suit »and besides as the Lawyer says Noscitur a sosir is a very good Rule
And I dont believe there is a greater Rascal upon Earth than that same Robinson
that I was talking of Nay I assure you I wish there may be no Mischief
hatching against you But if there is I will do all I can with the Lawyer to
prevent it To be sure Mr Murphy is one of the cleverest Men in the World at
the Law That even his Enemies must own and as I recommend him to all the
Business I can and it is not a little to be sure that arises in this Place
why one good Turn deserves another And I may expect that he will not be
concerned in any Plot to ruin any Friend of mine at least when I desire him
not I am sure he could not be an honest Man if he would«
Booth was then satisfied that Mr Robinson whom he did not yet know by
Name was the Gamester who had won his Money at Play And now Miss Matheas who
had very impatiently borne this long Interruption prevailed on the Keeper to
withdraw As soon as he was gone Mr Booth began to felicitate her upon the
News of the wounded Gentleman being in a fair Likelihood of Recovery To which
after a short Silence she answered »There is something perhaps which you
will not easily guess that makes your Congratulations more agreeable to me than
the first Account I heard of the Villains having escaped the Fate he deserves
For I do assure you at first it did not make me Amends for the Interruption
of my Curiosity Now I hope we shall be disturbed no more till you have
finishd your whole Story You left off I think somewhere in the Struggle
about leaving Amelia the happy Amelia« »And can you call her happy at such a
Period« cries Booth »Happy ay happy in any Situation« answerd Miss
Mathews »with such a Husband I at least may well think so who have
experienced the very Reverse of her Fortune but I was not born to be happy I
may say with the Poet
The blackest Ink of Fate was sure my Lot
And when Fate writ my Name it made a Blot«
»Nay nay dear Miss Mathews« answered Booth »you must and shall banish such
gloomy Thoughts Fate hath I hope many happy Days in Store for you« »Do you
believe it Mr Booth« replied she »indeed you know the contrary You must
know For you cant have forgot No Amelia in the World can have quite
obliterated Forgetfulness is not in our own Power If it was indeed I have
Reason to think But I know not what I am saying Pray do proceed in that
Story«
Booth so immediately complied with this Request that it is possible he was
pleased with it To say the Truth if all which unwittingly dropt from Miss
Mathews was put together some Conclusions might it seems be drawn from the
whole which could not convey a very agreeable Idea to a constant Husband Booth
therefore proceeded to relate what is written in the Third Book of this History
Book III
Chapter I
In which Mr Booth resumes his Story
»If I am not mistaken Madam« continued Booth »I was just going to acquaint
you with the Doctors Opinion when we were interrupted by the Keeper
The Doctor having heard Counsel on both Sides that is to say Mrs Harris
for my staying and Miss Betty for my going at last delivered his own
Sentiments As for Amelia she sat silent drownd in her Tears nor was I
myself in a much better Situation
As the Commissions are not signed said the Doctor I think you may be said
to remain in your former Regiment and therefore I think you ought to go on this
Expedition your Duty to your King and Country whose Bread you have eaten
requires it and this is a Duty of too high a Nature to admit the least
Deficiency Regard to your Character likewise requires you to go For the World
which might justly blame your staying at home if the Case was even fairly
stated will not deal so honestly by you You must expect to have every
Circumstance against you heightened and most of what makes for your Defence
omitted and thus you will be stigmatizd as a Coward without any Palliation
As the malicious Disposition of Mankind is too well known and the cruel
Pleasure which they take in destroying the Reputations of others the Use we are
to make of this Knowledge is to afford no Handle to Reproach For bad as the
World is it seldom falls on any Man who hath not given some slight Cause for
Censure tho this perhaps is often aggravated Ten thousand Fold and when we
blame the Malice of the Aggravation we ought not to forget our own Imprudence
in giving the Occasion Remember my Boy your Honour is at stake and you know
how nice the Honour of a Soldier is in these Cases This is a Treasure which he
must be your Enemy indeed who would attempt to rob you of Therefore you ought
to consider every one as your Enemy who by desiring you to stay would rob you
of your Honour
Do you hear that Sister cries Miss Betty Yes I do hear it answered
Amelia with more Spirit than I ever saw her exert before and would preserve
his Honour at the Expence of my Life I will preserve it if it should be at
that Expence and since it is Dr Harrisons Opinion that he ought to go I give
my Consent Go my dear Husband cryd she falling upon her Knees may every
Angel of Heaven guard and preserve you I cannot repeat her Words without
being affected« said he wiping his Eyes »the Excellence of that Woman no
Words can paint Miss Mathews she hath every Perfection in Human Nature
I will not tire you with the Repetition of any more that past on that
Occasion nor with the Quarrel that ensued between Mrs Harris and the Doctor
for the old Lady could not submit to my leaving her Daughter in her present
Condition She fell severely on the Army and cursed the Day in which her
Daughter was married to a Soldier not sparing the Doctor for having had some
Share in the Match I will omit likewise the tender Scene which past between
Amelia and myself previous to my Departure«
»Indeed I beg you would not« cries Miss Mathews »nothing delights me more
than Scenes of Tenderness I should be glad to know if possible every Syllable
which was uttered on both Sides«
»I will indulge you then« cries Booth »as far as is in my Power Indeed I
believe I am able to recollect much the greatest Part for the Impression is
never to be effaced from my Memory«
He then proceeded as Miss Mathews desired but lest all our Readers should
not be of her Opinion we will according to our usual Custom endeavour to
accommodate ourselves to every Taste and shall therefore place this Scene in a
Chapter by itself which we desire all our Readers who do not love or who
perhaps do not know the Pleasure of Tenderness to pass over since they may do
this without any Prejudice to the Thread of the Narrative
Chapter II
Containing a Scene of the tender Kind
»The Doctor Madam« continued Booth »spent his Evening at Mrs Harriss House
where I sat with him whilst he smoakd his Pillow Pipe as his Phrase is Amelia
was retired above half an Hour to her Chamber before I went to her At my
Entrance I found her on her Knees a Posture in which I never disturbed her In
a few Minutes she arose came to me and embracing me said she had been
praying for Resolution to support the cruellest Moment she had ever undergone
or could possibly undergo I reminded her how much more bitter a Farewel would
be on a DeathBed when we never could meet in this World at least again I
then endeavourd to lessen all those Objects which alarmed her most and
particularly the Danger I was to encounter upon which Head I seemed a little to
comfort her but the probable Length of my Absence and the certain Length of
my Voyage were Circumstances which no Oratory of mine could even palliate Oh
Heavens said she bursting into Tears can I bear to think that Hundreds
Thousands for ought I know of Miles or Leagues that Lands and Seas are
between us What is the Prospect from that Mount in our Garden where I have sat
so many happy Hours with my Billy what is the Distance between that and the
farthest Hill which we see from thence compared to the Distance which will be
between us You cannot wonder at this Idea you must remember my Billy at this
Place this very Thought came formerly into my foreboding Mind I then begged
you to leave the Army Why would you not comply Did I not tell you then that
the smallest Cottage we could survey from the Mount would be with you a
Paradise to me it would be so still why cant my Billy think so Am I so much
his Superior in Love Where is the Dishonour Billy or if there be any will it
reach our Ears in our little Hutt Are Glory and Fame and not his Amelia the
Happiness of my Husband Go then purchase them at my Expence You will pay a
few Sighs perhaps a few Tears at parting and then new Scenes will drive away
the Thoughts of poor Amelia from your Bosom but what Assistance shall I have in
my Affliction Not that any Change of Scene could drive you one Moment from my
Remembrance yet here every Object I behold will place your lovd Idea in the
liveliest Manner before my Eyes This is the Bed in which you have reposed that
is the Chair on which you sat Upon these Boards you have stood These Books you
have read to me Can I walk among our Beds of Flowers without viewing your
Favourites nay those which you have planted with your own Hands Can I see one
Beauty from our beloved Mount which you have not pointed out to me Thus she
went on the Woman Madam you see still prevailing« »Since you mention it«
says Miss Mathews with a Smile »I own the same Observation occurred to me It
is too natural to us to consider ourselves only Mr Booth« »You shall hear«
he cryd »At last the Thoughts of her present Condition suggested
themselves But if said she my Situation even in Health will be so
intolerable how shall I in the Danger and Agonies of Childbirth support your
Absence Here she stopd and looking on me with all the Tenderness
imaginable cried out And am I then such a Wretch to wish for your Presence at
such a Season ought I not to rejoice that you are out of the Hearing of my
Cries or the Knowledge of my Pains If I die will you not have escaped the
Horrors of a Parting Ten thousand Times more dreadful than this Go go my
Billy the very Circumstance which made me most dread your Departure hath
perfectly reconciled me to it I perceive clearly now that I was only wishing to
support my own Weakness with your Strength and to relieve my own Pains at the
Price of yours Believe me my Love I am ashamed of myself I caught her in
my Arms with Raptures not to be exprest in Words called her my Heroine sure
none ever better deserved that Name after which we remained for sometime
speechless and lockd in each others Embraces« »I am convinced« said Miss
Mathews with a Sigh »there are Moments in Life worth purchasing with Worlds«
»At length the fatal Morning came I endeavoured to hide every Pang of my
Heart and to wear the utmost Gaiety in my Countenance Amelia acted the same
Part In these assumed Characters we met the Family at Breakfast at their
Breakfast I mean for we were both full already The Doctor had spent above an
Hour that Morning in Discourse with Mrs Harris and had in some Measure
reconciled her to my Departure He now made use of every Art to relieve the poor
distressed Amelia not by inveighing against the Folly of Grief or by seriously
advising her not to grieve both which were sufficiently performed by Miss
Betty The Doctor on the contrary had Recourse to every Means which might cast
a Veil over the Idea of Grief and raise comfortable Images in my Angels Mind
He endeavoured to lessen the supposed Length of my Absence by discoursing on
Matters which were more distant in Time He said he intended next Year to
rebuild a Part of his Parsonagehouse And you Captain says he shall lay
the Cornerstone I promise you with many other Instances of the like Nature
which produced I believe some good Effect on us both
Amelia spoke but little indeed more Tears than Words dropt from her
however she seemed resolved to bear her Affliction with Resignation But when
the dreadful News arrived that the Horses were ready and I having taken my
Leave of all the rest at last approached her she was unable to support the
Conflict with Nature any longer and clinging round my Neck she cried
Farewel farewel for ever for I shall never never see you more At which
Words the Blood entirely forsook her lovely Cheeks and she became a lifeless
Corps in my Arms
Amelia continued so long motionless that the Doctor as well as Mrs
Harris began to be under the most terrible Apprehensions so they informed me
afterwards for at that time I was incapable of making any Observation I had
indeed very little more Use of my Senses than the dear Creature whom I
supported At length however we were all delivered from our Fears and Life
again visited the loveliest Mansion that human Nature ever afforded it
I had been and yet was so terrified with what had happened and Amelia
continued yet so weak and ill that I determined whatever might be the
Consequence not to leave her that Day which Resolution she was no sooner
acquainted with than she fell on her Knees crying Good Heaven I thank thee
for this Reprieve at least Oh that every Hour of my future Life could be
crammed into this dear Day
Our good Friend the Doctor remained with us He said he had intended to
visit a Family in some Affliction but I dont know says he why I should ride
a dozen Miles after Affliction when we have enough here Of all Mankind the
Doctor is the best of Comforters As his excessive Goodnature makes him take
vast Delight in the Office so his great Penetration into the human Mind joined
to his great Experience renders him the most wonderful Proficient in it and he
so well knows when to sooth when to reason and when to ridicule that he never
applies any of those Arts improperly which is almost universally the Case with
the Physicians of the Mind and which it requires very great Judgment and
Dexterity to avoid
The Doctor principally applied himself to ridiculing the Dangers of the
Siege in which he succeeded so well that he sometimes forced a Smile even into
the Face of Amelia But what most comforted her were the Arguments he used to
convince her of the Probability of my speedy if not immediate Return He said
the general Opinion was that the Place would be taken before our Arrival there
In which Case we should have nothing more to do than to make the best of our
way Home again
Amelia was so lulled by these Arts that she passed the Day much better than
I expected Though the Doctor could not make Pride strong enough to conquer
Love yet he exalted the former to make some Stand against the latter insomuch
that my poor Amelia I believe more than once flattered herself to speak the
Language of the World that her Reason had gained an entire Victory over her
Passion till Love brought up a Reinforcement if I may use that Term of
tender Ideas and bore down all before him
In the Evening the Doctor and I passed another half Hour together when he
proposed to me to endeavour to leave Amelia asleep in the Morning and promised
me to be at Hand when she awaked and to support her with all the Assistance in
his Power He added That nothing was more foolish than for Friends to take
Leave of each other It is true indeed says he in the common Acquaintance and
Friendship of the World this is a very harmless Ceremony but between two
Persons who really love each other the Church of Rome never invented a Penance
half so severe as this which we absurdly impose on ourselves
I greatly approved the Doctors Proposal thanked him and promised if
possible to put it in Execution He then shook me by the Hand and heartily
wished me well saying in his blunt Way Well Boy I hope to see thee crowned
with Laurels at thy Return one Comfort I have at least that Stone Walls and a
Sea will prevent thee from running away
When I had left the Doctor I repaired to my Amelia whom I found in her
Chamber employed in a very different Manner from what she had been the
preceding Night she was busy in packing up some Trinkets in a Casket which she
desired me to carry with me This Casket was her own Work and she had just
fastened it as I came to her
Her Eyes very plainly discovered what had passed while she was ingaged in
her Work however her Countenance was now serene and she spoke at least with
some Chearfulness But after some time You must take Care of this Casket Billy
said she You must indeed Billy for Here Passion almost choaked her till
a Flood of Tears gave her Relief and then she proceeded For I shall be the
happiest Woman that ever was born when I see it again I told her with the
Blessing of God that Day would soon come Soon answered she No Billy not
soon a Week is an Age but yet the happy Day may come It shall it must it
will Yes Billy we shall meet never to part again even in this World I
hope Pardon my Weakness Miss Mathews but upon my Soul I cannot help it«
cried he wiping his Eyes »Well I wonder at your Patience and I will try it
no longer Amelia tired out with so long a Struggle between Variety of
Passions and having not closed her Eyes during three successive Nights towards
the Morning fell into a profound Sleep In which Sleep I left her and having
drest myself with all the Expedition imaginable singing whistling hurrying
attempting by every Method to banish Thought I mounted my Horse which I had
overnight ordered to be ready and galloped away from that House where all my
Treasure was deposited
Thus Madam I have in Obedience to your Commands run through a Scene
which if it hath been tiresome to you you must yet acquit me of having obtruded
upon you This I am convinced of that no one is capable of tasting such a
Scene who hath not a Heart full of Tenderness and perhaps not even then
unless he hath been in the same Situation«
Chapter III
In which Mr Booth sets forward on his Journey
»Well Madam we have now taken our Leave of Amelia I rode a full Mile before I
once suffered myself to look back but now being come to the Top of a little
Hill the last Spot I knew which could give me a Prospect of Mrs Harriss
House my Resolution failed I stopt and cast my Eyes backward Shall I tell you
what I felt at that Instant I do assure you I am not able So many tender Ideas
crowded at once into my Mind that if I may use the Expression they almost
dissolved my Heart And now Madam the most unfortunate Accident came first
into my Head This was that I had in the Hurry and Confusion left the dear
Casket behind me The Thought of going back at first suggested itself but the
Consequences of that were too apparent I therefore resolved to send my Man and
in the mean time to ride on softly on my Road He immediately executed my
Orders and after some time feeding my Eyes with that delicious and yet
Heartfelt Prospect I at last turned my Horse to descend the Hill and
proceeded about a hundred Yards when considering with myself that I should
lose no time by a second Indulgence I again turned back and once more feasted
my Sight with the same painful Pleasure till my Man returned bringing me the
Casket and an Account that Amelia still continued in the sweet Sleep I left
her I now suddenly turned my Horse for the last time and with the utmost
Resolution pursued my Journey
I perceived my Man at his Return But before I mention any thing of him it
may be proper Madam to acquaint you who he was He was the Fosterbrother of
my Amelia This young Fellow had taken it into his Head to go into the Army and
he was desirous to serve under my Command The Doctor consented to discharge
him his Mother at last yielded to his Importunities and I was very easily
prevailed on to list one of the handsomest young Fellows in England
You will easily believe I had some little Partiality to one whose Milk
Amelia had sucked but as he had never seen the Regiment I had no Opportunity
to shew him any great Mark of Favour Indeed he waited on me as my Servant and
I treated him with all the Tenderness which can be used to one in that Station
When I was about to change into the Horseguards the poor Fellow began to
droop fearing that he should no longer be in the same Corps with me tho
certainly that would not have been the Case However he had never mentioned one
Word of his Dissatisfaction He is indeed a Fellow of a noble Spirit but when
he heard that I was to remain where I was and that we were to go to Gibraltar
together he fell into Transports of Joy little short of Madness In short the
poor Fellow had imbibed a very strong Affection for me tho this was what I
knew nothing of till long after
When he returned to me then as I was saying with the Casket I observed
his Eyes all over blubbered with Tears I rebuked him a little too rashly on
this Occasion Heyday says I what is the Meaning of this I hope I have not a
Milksop with me If I thought you would shew such a Face to the Enemy I would
leave you behind Your Honour need not fear that answered he I shall find no
Body there that I shall love well enough to make me cry I was highly pleased
with this Answer in which I thought I could discover both Sense and Spirit I
then asked him what had occasioned those Tears since he had left me for he had
no Sign of any at that time and whether he had seen his Mother at Mrs
Harriss He answered in the Negative and begged that I would ask him no more
Questions adding that he was not very apt to cry and he hoped he should never
give me such another Opportunity of blaming him I mention this only as an
Instance of his Affection towards me for I never could account for those Tears
any otherwise than by placing them to the Account of that Distress in which he
left me at that time We travelled full forty Miles that Day without baiting
when arriving at the Inn where I intended to rest that Night I retired
immediately to my Chamber with my dear Amelias Casket the opening of which
was the nicest Repast and to which every other Hunger gave way
It is impossible to mention to you all the little Matters with which Amelia
had furnished this Casket It contained Medicines of all Kinds which her
Mother who was the Lady Bountiful of that Country had supplied her with The
most valuable of all to me was a Lock of her dear Hair which I have from that
time to this worn in my Bosom What would I have then given for a little Picture
of my dear Angel which she had lost from her Chamber about a Month before and
which we had the highest Reason in the World to imagine her Sister had taken
away for the Suspicion lay only between her and Amelias Maid who was of all
Creatures the honestest and whom her Mistress had often trusted with Things of
much greater Value for the Picture which was set in Gold and had two or three
little Diamonds round it was worth about twelve Guineas only whereas Amelia
left Jewels in her Care of much greater Value«
»Sure« cries Miss Mathews »she could not be such a paultry Pilferer«
»Not on account of the Gold or the Jewels« cries Booth »We imputed it to
mere Spite with which I assure you she abounds and she knew that next to
Amelia herself there was nothing which I valued so much as this little Picture
for such a Resemblance did it bear of the Original that Hogarth himself did
never I believe draw a stronger Likeness Spite therefore was the only Motive
to this cruel Depredation and indeed her Behaviour on the Occasion sufficiently
convinced us both of the Justice of our Suspicion tho we neither of us durst
accuse her and she herself had the Assurance to insist very strongly tho she
could not prevail with Amelia to turn away her innocent Maid saying she would
not live in the House with a Thief«
Miss Mathews now discharged some Curses on Miss Betty not much worth
repeating and then Mr Booth proceeded in his relation
Chapter IV
A Seapiece
»The next Day we joined the Regiment which was soon after to embark Nothing
but Mirth and Jollity were in the Countenance of every Officer and Soldier and
as I now met several Friends whom I had not seen for above a Year before I
passed several happy Hours in which poor Amelias Image seldom obtruded itself
to interrupt my Pleasure To confess the Truth dear Miss Mathews the tenderest
of Passions is capable of subsiding nor is Absence from our dearest Friends so
unsupportable as it may at first appear Distance of Time and Place do really
cure what they seem to aggravate and taking Leave of our Friends resembles
taking Leave of the World concerning which it hath been often said that it is
not Death but Dying which is terrible« Here Miss Mathews burst into a Fit of
Laughter and cried »I sincerely ask your Pardon but I cannot help laughing at
the Gravity of your Philosophy« Booth answered that the Doctrine of the
Passions had been always his favourite Study that he was convinced every Man
acted entirely from that Passion which was uppermost »Can I then think« said
he »without entertaining the utmost Contempt for myself that any Pleasure upon
Earth could drive the Thoughts of Amelia one Instant from my Mind
At length we embarked aboard a Transport and sailed for Gibraltar but the
Wind which was at first fair soon chopped about so that we were obliged for
several Days to beat to Windward as the Sea Phrase is During this time the
Taste which I had of a Seafaring Life did not appear extremely agreeable We
rolled up and down in a little narrow Cabbin in which were three Officers all
of us extremely Seasick our Sickness being much aggravated by the Motion of
the Ship by the View of each other and by the Stench of the Men But this was
but a little Taste indeed of the Misery which was to follow for we were got
about six Leagues to the Westward of Scilly when a violent Storm arose at
Northeast which soon raised the Waves to the Height of Mountains The Horror
of this is not to be adequately described to those who have never seen the like
The Storm began in the Evening and as the Clouds brought on the Night apace it
was soon entirely dark nor had we during many Hours any other Light than what
was caused by the jarring Elements which frequently sent forth Flashes or
rather Streams of Fire and whilst these presented the most dreadful Objects to
our Eyes the roaring of the Winds the dashing of the Waves against the Ship
and each other formed a Sound altogether as horrible for our Ears while our
Ship sometimes lifted up as it were to the Skies and sometimes swept away at
once as into the lowest Abyss seemed to be the Sport of the Winds and Seas The
Captain himself almost gave all for lost and exprest his Apprehension of being
inevitably cast on the Rocks of Scilly and beat to Pieces And now while some
on board were addressing themselves to the Supreme Being and others applying
for Comfort to strong Liquors my whole Thoughts were entirely engaged by my
Amelia A thousand tender Ideas crowded into my Mind I can truly say that I
had not a single Consideration about myself in which she was not concerned
Dying to me was leaving her and the Fear of never seeing her more was a Dagger
stuck in my Heart Again all the Terrors with which this Storm if it reached
her Ears must fill her gentle Mind on my Account and the Agonies which she
must undergo when she heard of my Fate gave me such intolerable Pangs that I
now repented my Resolution and wished I own I wished that I had taken her
Advice and preferred Love and a Cottage to all the dazzling Charms of Honour
While I was tormenting myself with those Meditations and had concluded
myself as certainly lost the Master came into the Cabbin and with a chearful
Voice assured us that we had escaped the Danger and that we had certainly past
to the Westward of the Rock This was comfortable News to all present and my
Captain who had been some time on his Knees leapt suddenly up and testified
his Joy with a great Oath
A Person unused to the Sea would have been astonished at the Satisfaction
which now discovered itself in the Master or in any on board for the Storm
still raged with great Violence and the Daylight which now appeared presented
us with Sights of Horror sufficient to terrify Minds which were not absolute
Slaves to the Passion of Fear but so great is the Force of Habit that what
inspires a Landman with the highest Apprehension of Danger gives not the least
Concern to a Sailor to whom Rocks and Quicksands are almost the only Objects
of Terror
The Master however was a little mistaken in the present Instance for he
had not left the Cabbin above an Hour before my Man came running to me and
acquainted me that the Ship was half full of Water that the Sailors were going
to hoist out the Boat and save themselves and begged me to come that Moment
along with him as I tendered my Preservation With this Account which was
conveyed to me in a Whisper I acquainted both the Captain and Ensign and we
all together immediately mounted the Deck where we found the Master making use
of all his Oratory to persuade the Sailors that the Ship was in no Danger and
at the same time employing all his Authority to set the Pumps agoing which he
assured them would keep the Water under and save his dear Lovely Peggy for
that was the Name of the Ship which he swore he loved as dearly as his own
Soul
Indeed this sufficiently appeared for the Leak was so great and the Water
flowed in so plentifully that his Lovely Peggy was half filled before he could
be brought to think of quitting her but now the Boat was brought alongside the
Ship and the Master himself notwithstanding all his Love for her quitted his
Ship and leapt into the Boat Every Man present attempted to follow his
Example when I heard the Voice of my Servant roaring forth my Name in a Kind of
Agony I made directly to the Ship Side but was too late for the Boat being
already over laden put directly off And now Madam I am going to relate to you
an Instance of heroic Affection in a poor Fellow towards his Master to which
Love itself even among Persons of superior Education can produce but
fewsimilar Instances My poor Man being unable to get me with him into the
Boat leapt suddenly into the Sea and swam back to the Ship and when I gently
rebuked him for his Rashness he answered he chose rather to die with me than
to live to carry the Account of my Death to my Amelia at the same time bursting
into a Flood of Tears he cried Good Heavens what will that poor Lady feel
when she hears of this This tender Concern for my dear Love endeared the poor
Fellow more to me than the gallant Instance which he had just before given of
his Affection towards myself
And now Madam my Eyes were shocked with a Sight the Horror of which can
scarce be imagined for the Boat had scarce got four hundred Yards from the
Ship when it was swallowed up by the merciless Waves which now ran so high
that out of the Number of Persons which were in the Boat none recovered the
Ship tho many of them we saw miserably perish before our Eyes some of them
very near us without any Possibility of giving them the least Assistance
But whatever we felt for them we felt I believe more for ourselves
expecting every Minute when we should share the same Fate Among the rest one of
our Officers appeared quite stupified with Fear I never indeed saw a more
miserable Example of the great Power of that Passion I must not however omit
doing him Justice by saying that I afterwards saw the same Man behave well in
an Engagement in which he was wounded Tho there likewise he was said to have
betrayed the same Passion of Fear in his Countenance
The other of our Officers was no less stupified if I may so express myself
with Foolhardiness and seemed almost insensible of his Danger To say the
Truth I have from this and some other Instances which I have seen been almost
inclined to think that the Courage as well as Cowardice of Fools proceeds from
not knowing what is or what is not the proper Object of Fear Indeed we may
account for the extreme Hardiness of some Men in the same Manner as for the
Terrors of Children at a Bugbear The Child knows not but that the Bugbear is
the proper Object of Fear the Blockhead knows not that a Cannon Ball is so
As to the remaining Part of the Ships Crew and the Soldiery most of them
were dead drunk and the rest were endeavouring as fast as they could to
prepare for Death in the same Manner
In this dreadful Situation we were taught that no human Condition should
inspire Men with absolute Despair for as the Storm had ceased for some time
the Swelling of the Sea began considerably to abate and we now perceived the
Man of War which convoyed us at no great Distance aStern Those aboard her
easily perceived our Distress and made towards us When they came pretty near
they hoisted out two Boats to our Assistance These no sooner approached the
Ship than they were instantaneously filled and I myself got a Place in one of
them chiefly by the Aid of my honest Servant of whose Fidelity to me on all
Occasions I cannot speak or think too highly Indeed I got into the Boat so much
the more easily as a great Number on board the Ship were rendered by Drink
incapable of taking any Care for themselves There was time however for the
Boat to pass and repass so that when we came to call over Names three only of
all that remained in the Ship after the Loss of her own Boat were missing
The Captain Ensign and myself were received with many Congratulations by
our Officers on board the Man of War The Sea Officers too all except the
Captain paid us their Compliments tho these were of the rougher Kind and not
without several Jokes on our Escape As for the Captain himself we scarce saw
him during many Hours and when he appeared he presented a View of Majesty
beyond any that I had ever seen The Dignity which he preserved did indeed give
me rather the Idea of a Mogul or a Turkish Emperor than of any of the Monarchs
of Christendom To say the Truth I could resemble his Walk on the Deck to
nothing but to the Image of Captain Gulliver strutting among the Lilliputians
he seemed to think himself a Being of an Order superior to all around him and
more especially to us of the Land Service Nay such was the Behaviour of all the
Sea Officers and Sailors to us and our Soldiers that instead of appearing to be
Subjects of the same Prince engaged in one Quarrel and joined to support one
Cause we LandMen rather seemed to be Captives on board an Enemys Vessel This
is a grievous Misfortune and often proves so fatal to the Service that it is
great Pity some Means could not be found of curing it«
Here Mr Booth stopt a while to take Breath We will therefore give the
same Refreshment to the Reader
Chapter V
The Arrival of Booth at Gibraltar with what there befel him
»The Adventures« continued Booth »which happened to me from this Day till my
Arrival at Gibraltar are not worth recounting to you After a Voyage the
Remainder of which was tolerably prosperous we arrived in that Garrison the
natural Strength of which is so well known to the whole World
About a Week after my Arrival it was my Fortune to be ordered on a
SallyParty in which my left Leg was broke with a Musket Ball and I should
most certainly have either perishd miserably or must have owed my Preservation
to some of the Enemy had not my faithful Servant carried me off on his
Shoulders and afterwards with the Assistance of one of his Comrades brought
me back into the Garrison
The Agony of my Wound was so great that it threw me into a Fever from
whence my Surgeon apprehended much Danger I now began again to feel for my
Amelia and for myself on her Account And the Disorder of my Mind occasioned by
such melancholy Contemplations very highly aggravated the Distemper of my Body
insomuch that it would probably have proved fatal had it not been for the
Friendship of one Captain James an Officer of our Regiment and an old
Acquaintance who is undoubtedly one of the pleasantest Companions and one of
the bestnatured Men in the World This worthy Man who had a Head and a Heart
perfectly adequate to every Office of Friendship stayd with me almost Day and
Night during my Illness and by strengthening my Hopes raising my Spirits and
cheering my Thoughts preserved me from Destruction
The Behaviour of this Man alone is a sufficient Proof of the Truth of my
Doctrine that all Men act entirely from their Passions for Bob James can never
be supposed to act from any Motive of Virtue or Religion since he constantly
laughs at both and yet his Conduct towards me alone demonstrates a Degree of
Goodness which perhaps few of the Votaries of either Virtue or Religion can
equal«
»You need not take much Pains« answered Miss Mathews with a Smile »to
convince me of your Doctrine I have been always an Advocate for the same I
look upon the two Words you mention to serve only as Cloaks under which
Hypocrisy may be the better enabled to cheat the World I have been of that
Opinion ever since I read that charming Fellow Mandevil«
»Pardon me Madam« answered Booth »I hope you do not agree with Mandevil
neither who hath represented human Nature in a Picture of the highest
Deformity He hath left out of his System the best Passion which the Mind can
possess and attempts to derive the Effects or Energies of that Passion from
the base Impulses of Pride or Fear Whereas it is as certain that Love exists
in the Mind of Man as that its opposite Hatred doth and the same Reasons will
equally prove the Existence of the one as the Existence of the other«
»I dont know indeed« replied the Lady »I never thought much about the
Matter This I know that when I read Mandevil I thought all he said was true
and I have been often told that he proves Religion and Virtue to be only mere
Names However if he denies there is any such Thing as Love that is most
certainly wrong I am afraid I can give him the Lye myself«
»I will join with you Madam in that« answered Booth »at any Time«
»Will you join with me« answered she looking eagerly at him »O Mr
Booth I know not what I was going to say What Where did you leave off I
would not interrupt you but I am impatient to know something«
»What Madam« cries Booth »if I can give you any Satisfaction «
»No no« said she »I must hear all I would not for the World break the
Thread of your Story Besides I am afraid to ask Pray pray Sir go on«
»Well Madam« cries Booth »I think I was mentioning the extraordinary Acts
of Friendship done me by Captain James nor can I help taking Notice of the
almost unparalleld Fidelity of poor Atkinson for that was my Mans Name who
was not only constant in the Assiduity of his Attendance but during the Time of
my Danger demonstrated a Concern for me which I can hardly account for as my
prevailing on his Captain to make him a Serjeant was the first Favour he ever
received at my Hands and this did not happen till I was almost perfectly
recovered of my broken Leg Poor Fellow I shall never forget the extravagant
Joy his Halbert gave him I remember it the more because it was one of the
happiest Days of my own Life for it was upon this Day that I received a Letter
from my dear Amelia after a long Silence acquainting me that she was out of
all Danger from her Lyingin
I was now once more able to perform my Duty when so unkind was the Fortune
of War the second Time I mounted the Guard I received a violent Contusion from
the bursting of a Bomb I was felled to the Ground where I lay breathless by
the Blow till honest Atkinson came to my Assistance and conveyed me to my
Room where a Surgeon immediately attended me
The Injury I had now received was much more dangerous in my Surgeons
Opinion than the former it caused me to spit Blood and was attended with a
Fever and other bad Symptoms so that very fatal Consequences were apprehended
In this Situation the Image of my Amelia haunted me Day and Night and the
Apprehensions of never seeing her more were so intolerable that I had Thoughts
of resigning my Commission and returning home weak as I was that I might
have at least the Satisfaction of dying in the Arms of my Love Captain James
however persisted in dissuading me from any such Resolution He told me my
Honour was too much concerned attempted to raise my Hopes of Recovery to the
utmost of his Power but chiefly he prevailed on me by suggesting that if the
worst which I apprehended should happen it was much better for Amelia that
she should be absent than present in so melancholy an Hour I know cryd he
the extreme Joy which must arise in you from meeting again with Amelia and the
Comfort of expiring in her Arms but consider what she herself must endure upon
the dreadful Occasion and you would not wish to purchase any Happiness at the
Price of so much Pain to her This Argument at length prevailed on me and it
was after many long Debates resolved that she should not even know my present
Condition till my Doom either for Life or Death was absolutely fixed«
»Oh Heavens how great how generous« cried Miss Mathews »Booth thou art
a noble Fellow and I scarce think there is a Woman upon Earth worthy so exalted
a Passion«
Booth made a modest Answer to the Compliment which Miss Mathews had paid
him This drew more Civilities from the Lady and these again more
Acknowledgments All which we shall pass by and proceed with our History
Chapter VI
Containing Matters which will please some Readers
»Two Months and more had I continued in a State of Incertainty sometimes with
more flattering and sometimes with more alarming Symptoms when one Afternoon
poor Atkinson came running into my Room all pale and out of Breath and begged
me not to be surprised at his News I asked him eagerly what was the Matter and
if it was any thing concerning Amelia I had scarce utterd the dear Name
when she herself rushed into the Room and ran hastily to me crying Yes it
is it is your Amelia herself
There is nothing so difficult to describe and generally so dull when
described as Scenes of excessive Tenderness«
»Can you think so« says Miss Mathews »surely there is nothing so charming
O Mr Booth our Sex is dnd by the Want of Tenderness in yours O were
they all like you certainly no Man was ever your Equal«
»Indeed Madam« cries Booth »you honour me too much But well when
the first Transports of our Meeting were over Amelia began gently to chide me
for having concealed my Illness from her for in three Letters which I had writ
her since the Accident had happened there was not the least Mention of it or
any Hint given by which she could possibly conclude I was otherwise than in
perfect Health And when I had excused myself by assigning the true Reason she
cryd O Mr Booth and do you know so little of your Amelia as to think I
could or would survive you Would it not be better for one dreadful Sight to
break my Heart all at once than to break it by Degrees O Billy can any
thing pay me for the Loss of this Embrace But I ask your Pardon how
ridiculous doth my Fondness appear in your Eyes«
»How often« answered she »shall I assert the contrary What would you
have me say Mr Booth Shall I tell you I envy Mrs Booth of all the Women in
the World Would you believe me if I did I hope you What am I saying Pray
make no farther Apology but go on«
»After a Scene« continued he »too tender to be conceived by many Amelia
informed me that she had received a Letter from an unknown Hand acquainting her
with my Misfortune and advising her if she ever desired to see me more to come
directly to Gibraltar She said she should not have delayed a Moment after
receiving this Letter had not the same Ship brought her one from me written
with rather more than usual Gaiety and in which there was not the least Mention
of my Indisposition This she said greatly puzzled her and her Mother and the
worthy Divine endeavoured to persuade her to give Credit to my Letter and to
impute the other to a Species of Wit with which the World greatly abounds This
consists entirely in doing various Kinds of Mischief to our Fellowcreatures by
belying one deceiving another exposing a third and drawing in a fourth to
expose himself in short by making some the Objects of Laughter others of
Contempt and indeed not seldom by subjecting them to very great
Inconveniences perhaps to Ruin for the Sake of a Jest
Mrs Harris and the Doctor derived the Letter from this Species of Wit Miss
Betty however was of a different Opinion and advised poor Amelia to apply to
an Officer whom the Governor had sent over in the same Ship by whom the Report
of my Illness was so strongly confirmed that Amelia immediately resolved on her
Voyage
I had a great Curiosity to know the Author of this Letter but not the least
Trace of it could be discovered The only Person with whom I lived in any great
Intimacy was Captain James and he Madam from what I have already told you
you will think to be the last Person I could suspect besides he declared upon
his Honour that he knew nothing of the Matter and no Mans Honour is I
believe more sacred There was indeed an Ensign of another Regiment who knew my
Wife and who had sometimes visited me in my Illness but he was a very unlikely
Man to interest himself much in any Affairs which did not concern him and he
too declared he knew nothing of it«
»And did you never discover this Secret« cried Miss Mathews
»Never to this Day« answered Booth
»I fancy« said she »I could give a shrewd Guess What so likely as that
Mrs Booth when you left her should have given her Fosterbrother Orders to
send her Word of whatever befel you Yet stay that could not be neither for
then she would not have doubted whether she should leave dear England on the
Receipt of the Letter No it must have been by some other Means yet that I
owned appeared extremely natural to me for if I had been left by such a
Husband I think I should have pursued the same Method«
»No Madam« cried Booth »it must have been conveyed by some other Channel
for my Amelia I am certain was entirely ignorant of the Manner and as for
poor Atkinson I am convinced he would not have ventured to take such a Step
without acquainting me Besides the poor Fellow had I believe such a Regard
for my Wife out of Gratitude for the Favours she hath done his Mother that I
make no Doubt he was highly rejoiced at her Absence from my melancholy Scene
Well whoever writ it is a Matter very immaterial yet as it seemed so odd and
unaccountable an Incident I could not help mentioning it
From the Time of Amelias Arrival nothing remarkable happened till my
perfect Recovery unless I should observe her remarkable Behaviour so full of
Care and Tenderness that it was perhaps without a Parallel«
»O no Mr Booth« cries the Lady »It is fully equalled I am sure by
your Gratitude There is nothing I believe so rare as Gratitude in your Sex
especially in Husbands So kind a Remembrance is indeed more than a Return to
such an Obligation for where is the mighty Obligation which a Woman confers
who being possessed of an inestimable Jewel is so kind to herself as to be
careful and tender of it I do not say this to lessen your Opinion of Mrs
Booth I have no Doubt but that she loves you as well as she is capable But I
would not have you think so meanly of our Sex as to imagine there are not a
thousand Women susceptible of true Tenderness towards a meritorious Man
Believe me Mr Booth if I had received such an Account of an Accident having
happened to such a Husband a Mother and a Parson would not have held me a
Moment I should have leapt into the first Fishingboat I could have found and
bid Defiance to the Winds and Waves O there is no true Tenderness but in a
Woman of Spirit I would not be understood all this while to reflect on Mrs
Booth I am only defending the Cause of my Sex for upon my Soul such
Compliments to a Wife are a Satire on all the rest of Womankind«
»Sure you jest Miss Mathews« answered Booth with a Smile »However if
you please I will proceed in my Story«
Chapter VII
The Captain continuing his Story recounts some Particulars which we doubt not
to many good People will appear unnatural
»I was scarce sooner recovered from my Indisposition than Amelia herself fell
ill This I am afraid was occasioned by the Fatigues which I could not prevent
her from undergoing on my Account for as my Disease went off with violent
Sweats during which the Surgeon strictly ordered that I should lie by myself
my Amelia could not be prevailed upon to spend many Hours in her own Bed During
my restless Fits she would sometimes read to me several Hours together indeed
it was not without Difficulty that she ever quitted my Bedside These Fatigues
added to the Uneasiness other Mind overpowered her weak Spirits and threw her
into one of the worst Disorders that can possibly attend a Woman A Disorder
very common among the Ladies and our Physicians have not agreed upon its Name
Some call it the Fever on the Spirits some a nervous Fever some the Vapours
and some the Hysterics«
»O say no more« cries Miss Mathews »I pity you I pity you from my Soul A
Man had better be plagued with all the Curses of Egypt than with a vapourish
Wife«
»Pity me Madam« answered Booth »Pity rather that dear Creature who from
her Love and Care of my unworthy Self contracted a Distemper the Horrors of
which are scarce to be imagined It is indeed a Sort of Complication of all
Diseases together with almost Madness added to them In this Situation the
Siege being at an End the Governor gave me Leave to attend my Wife to
Montpelier the Air of which was judged to be most likely to restore her to
Health Upon this Occasion she wrote to her Mother to desire a Remittance and
set forth the melancholy Condition of her Health and her Necessity for Money
in such Terms as would have touched any Bosom not void of Humanity tho a
Stranger to the unhappy Sufferer Her Sister answered it and I believe I have a
Copy of the Answer in my Pocket I keep it by me as a Curiosity and you would
think it more so could I shew you my Amelias Letter« He then searched his
Pocketbook and finding the Letter among many others he read it in the
following Words
»Dear Sister
My Mamma being much disordered hath commanded me to tell you she
is both shocked and surprised at your extraordinary Request or as she
chuses to call it Order for Money You know my Dear she says that
your Marriage with this Redcoat Man was entirely against her Consent
and the Opinion of all your Family I am sure I may here include myself
in that Number and yet after this fatal Act of Disobedience she was
prevailed on to receive you as her Child not however nor are you so
to understand it as the Favourite which you was before She forgave
you but this was as a Christian and a Parent still preserving in her
own Mind a just Sense of your Disobedience and a just Resentment on
that Account And yet notwithstanding this Resentment she desires you
to remember that when you a second time ventured to oppose her
Authority and nothing would serve you but taking a Ramble an indecent
one I cant help saying after your Fellow she thought fit to shew the
Excess of a Mothers Tenderness and furnished you with no less than
Fifty Pounds for your foolish Voyage How can she then be otherwise than
surprised at your present Demand Which should she be so weak to comply
with she must expect to be every Month repeated in order to supply the
Extravagance of a young rakish Officer You say she will compassionate
your Sufferings yes surely she doth greatly compassionate them and so
do I too tho you was neither so kind nor so civil as to suppose I
should But I forgive all your Slights to me as well now as formerly
Nay I not only forgive but I pray daily for you But dear Sister
what could you expect less than what hath happened You should have
believed your Friends who were wiser and older than you I do not here
mean myself tho I own I am eleven Months and some odd Weeks your
Superior tho had I been younger I might perhaps have been able to
advise you for Wisdom and what some may call Beauty do not always go
together You will not be offended at this for I know in your Heart you
have always held your Head above some People whom perhaps other People
have thought better of but why do I mention what I scorn so much No
my dear Sister Heaven forbid it should ever be said of me that I value
myself upon my Face not but if I could believe Men perhaps but I
hate and despise Men you know I do my Dear and I wish you had
despised them as much but jacta est alia as the Doctor says You are
to make the best of your Fortune What Fortune I mean my Mamma may
please to give you for you know all is in her Power Let me advise you
then to bring your Mind to your Circumstances and remember for I cant
help writing it as it is for your own Good the Vapours are a Distemper
which very ill become a Knapsack Remember my Dear what you have done
remember what my Mamma hath done remember we have something of yours to
keep and do not consider yourself as an only Child No nor as a
favourite Child but be pleased to remember
Dear Sister
Your most affectionate Sister
And most obedient humble Servant
E HARRIS«
»O brave Miss Betty« cried Miss Mathews »I always held her in high Esteem but
I protest she exceeds even what I could have expected from her«
»This Letter Madam« cries Booth »you will believe was an excellent
Cordial for my poor Wifes Spirits So dreadful indeed was the Effect it had
upon her that as she had read it in my Absence I found her at my Return home
in the most violent Fits and so long was it before she recovered her Senses
that I despaired of that blest Event ever happening and my own Senses very
narrowly escaped from being sacrificed to my Despair However she came at last
to herself and I began to consider of every Means of carrying her immediately
to Montpelier which was now become much more necessary than before
Tho I was greatly shocked at the Barbarity of the Letter yet I apprehended
no very ill Consequence from it for as it was believed all over the Army that I
had married a great Fortune I had received Offers of Money if I wanted it
from more than one Indeed I might have easily carried my Wife to Montpelier at
any time but she was extremely averse to the Voyage being desirous of our
returning to England as I had Leave to do and she grew daily so much better
that had it not been for the Receipt of that cursed which I have just read to
you I am persuaded she might have been able to return to England in the next
Ship
Among others there was a Colonel in the Garrison who had not only offered
but importuned me to receive Money of him I now therefore repaired to him and
as a Reason of altering my Resolution I produced the Letter and at the same
time acquainted him with the true State of my Affairs The Colonel read the
Letter shook his Head and after some Silence said he was sorry I had refused
to accept his Offer before but that he had now so ordered Matters and disposed
of his Money that he had not a Shilling left to spare from his own Occasions
Answers of the same Kind I had from several others but not one Penny could
I borrow of any for I have been since firmly persuaded that the honest Colonel
was not content with denying me himself but took effectual Means by spreading
the Secret I had so foolishly trusted him with to prevent me from succeeding
elsewhere for such is the Nature of Men that whoever denies himself to do you
a Favour is unwilling that it should be done to you by any other
This was the first time I had ever felt that Distress which arises from the
Want of Money a Distress very dreadful indeed in a married State for what can
be more miserable than to see any thing necessary to the Preservation of a
beloved Creature and not be able to supply it
Perhaps you may wonder Madam that I have not mentioned Captain James on
this Occasion but he was at that time laid up at Algiers whither he had been
sent by the Governor in a Fever However he returned time enough to supply me
which he did with the utmost Readiness on the very first Mention of my
Distress and the good Colonel notwithstanding his having disposed of his
Money discounted the Captains Draught You see Madam an Instance in the
generous Behaviour of my Friend James how false are all universal Satires
against human Kind He is indeed one of the worthiest Men the World ever
produced
But perhaps you will be more pleased still with the extravagant Generosity
of my Serjeant The Day before the Return of Mr James the poor Fellow came to
me with Tears in his Eyes and begged I would not be offended at what he was
going to mention He then pulled a Purse from his Pocket which contained he
said the Sum of Twelve Pounds and which he begged me to accept crying he was
sorry it was not in his Power to lend me whatever I wanted I was so struck with
this Instance of Generosity and Friendship in such a Person that I gave him an
Opportunity of pressing me a second Time before I made him an Answer Indeed I
was greatly surprised how he came to be worth that little Sum and no less at
his being acquainted with my own Wants In both which Points he presently
satisfied me As to the first it seems he had plundered a Spanish Officer of
fifteen Pistoles and as to the second he confessed he had it from my Wifes
Maid who had overheard some Discourse between her Mistress and me Indeed
People I believe always deceive themselves who imagine they can conceal
distrest Circumstances from their Servants for these are always extremely
quicksighted on such Occasions«
»Good Heaven« cries Miss Mathews »how astonishing is such Behaviour in so
low a Fellow«
»I thought so myself« answered Booth »and yet I know not on a more strict
Examination into the Matter why we should be more surprised to see Greatness of
Mind discover itself in one Degree or Rank of Life than in another Love
Benevolence or what you will please to call it may be the reigning Passion in
a Beggar as well as in a Prince and wherever it is its Energies will be the
same
To confess the Truth I am afraid we often compliment what we call upper
Life with too much Injustice at the Expence of the lower As it is no rare
thing to see Instances which degrade human Nature in Persons of the highest
Birth and Education so I apprehend that Examples of whatever is really great
and good have been sometimes found amongst those who have wanted all such
Advantages In Reality Palaces I make no Doubt do sometimes contain nothing
but Dreariness and Darkness and the Sun of Righteousness hath shone forth with
all its Glory in a Cottage«
Chapter VIII
The Story of Booth continued
Mr Booth thus went on
»We now took Leave of the Garrison and having landed at Marseilles arrived
at Montpelier without any thing happening to us worth Remembrance except the
extreme Seasickness of poor Amelia but I was afterwards well repaid for the
Terrors which it occasioned me by the good Consequences which attended it for
I believe it contributed even more than the Air of Montpelier to the perfect
Reestablishment of her Health«
»I ask your Pardon for interrupting you« cries Miss Mathews »but you never
satisfied me whether you took the Serjeants Money You have made me half in
Love with that charming Fellow«
»How can you imagine Madam« answered Booth »I should have taken from a
poor Fellow what was of so little Consequence to me and at the same time of so
much to him Perhaps now you will derive this from the Passion of Pride«
»Indeed« says she »I neither derive it from the Passion of Pride nor from
the Passion of Folly but methinks you should have accepted the Offer and I am
convinced you hurt him very much when you refused it But pray proceed in your
Story« Then Booth went on as follows
»As Amelia recovered her Health and Spirits daily we began to pass our Time
very pleasantly at Montpelier for the greatest Enemy to the French will
acknowledge that they are the best People in the World to live amongst for a
little while In some Countries it is almost as easy to get a good Estate as a
good Acquaintance In England particularly Acquaintance is of almost as slow
Growth as an Oak so that the Age of Man scarce suffices to bring it to any
Perfection and Families seldom contract any great Intimacy till the Third or
at least the Second Generation So shy indeed are we English of letting a
Stranger into our Houses that one would imagine we regarded all such as
Thieves Now the French are the very Reverse Being a Stranger among them
entitles you to the better Place and to the greater Degree of Civility and if
you wear but the Appearance of a Gentleman they never suspect you are not one
Their Friendship indeed seldom extends so far as their Purse nor is such
Friendship usual in other Countries To say the Truth Politeness carries
Friendship far enough in the ordinary Occasions of Life and those who want this
Accomplishment rarely make Amends for it by their Sincerity for Bluntness or
rather Rudeness as it commonly deserves to be called is not always so much a
Mark of Honesty as it is taken to be
The Day after our Arrival we became acquainted with Mons Bagillard He was
a Frenchman of great Wit and Vivacity with a greater Share of Learning than
Gentlemen are usually possessed of As he lodged in the same House with us we
were immediately acquainted and I liked his Conversation so well that I never
thought I had too much of his Company Indeed I spent so much of my Time with
him that Amelia I know not whether I ought to mention it grew uneasy at our
Familiarity and complained of my being too little with her from my violent
Fondness for my new Acquaintance for our Conversation turning chiefly upon
Books and principally Latin ones for we read several of the Classics together
she could have but little Entertainment by being with us When my Wife had once
taken it into her Head that she was deprived of my Company by Mr Bagillard it
was impossible to change her Opinion and tho I now spent more of my Time with
her than I had ever done before she still grew more and more dissatisfied
till at last she very earnestly desired me to quit my Lodgings and insisted
upon it with more Vehemence than I had ever known her express before To say the
Truth if that excellent Woman could ever be thought unreasonable I thought she
was so on this Occasion
But in what Light soever her Desires appeared to me as they manifestly
arose from an Affection of which I had daily the most endearing Proofs I
resolved to comply with her and accordingly removed to a distant Part of the
Town For it is my Opinion that we can have but little Love for the Person whom
we will never indulge in an unreasonable Demand Indeed I was under a
Difficulty with Regard to Mons Bagillard for as I could not possibly
communicate to him the true Reason for quitting my Lodgings so I found it as
difficult to deceive him by a counterfeit one besides I was apprehensive I
should have little less of his Company than before I could indeed have
avoided this Dilemma by leaving Montpelier for Amelia had perfectly recovered
her Health but I had faithfully promised Captain James to wait his Return from
Italy whither he was gone some Time before from Gibraltar nor was it proper
for Amelia to take any long Journey she being now near six Months gone with
Child
This Difficulty however proved to be less than I had imagined it for my
French Friend whether he suspected any thing from my Wifes Behaviour tho she
never as I observed shewd him the least Incivility became suddenly as cold
on his Side After our leaving the Lodgings he never made above two or three
formal Visits indeed his Time was soon after entirely taken up by an Intrigue
with a certain Countess which blazed all over Montpelier
We had not been long in our new Apartments before an English Officer arrived
at Montpelier and came to lodge in the same House with us This Gentleman
whose Name was Bath was of the Rank of a Major and had so much Singularity in
his Character that perhaps you never heard of any like him He was far from
having any of those bookish Qualifications which had before caused my Amelias
Disquiet It is true his Discourse generally turned on Matters of no feminine
Kind War and martial Exploits being the ordinary Topics of his Conversation
however as he had a Sister with whom Amelia was greatly pleased an Intimacy
presently grew between us and we four lived in one Family
The Major was a great Dealer in the Marvellous and was constantly the
little Hero of his own Tale This made him very entertaining to Amelia who of
all Persons in the World hath the truest Taste and Enjoyment of the Ridiculous
for whilst no one sooner discovers it in the Character of another no one so
well conceals her Knowledge of it from the ridiculous Person I cannot help
mentioning a Sentiment of hers on this Head as I think it doth her great
Honour If I had the same Neglect said she for ridiculous People with the
Generality of the World I should rather think them the Objects of Tears than
Laughter but in Reality I have known several who in some Parts of their
Characters have been extremely ridiculous in others have been altogether as
amiable For Instance said she here is the Major who tells us of many Things
which he hath never seen and of others which he hath never done and both in
the most extravagant Excess and yet how amiable is his Behaviour to his poor
Sister whom he hath not only brought over hither for her Health at his own
Expence but is come to bear her Company I believe Madam I repeat her very
Words for I am very apt to remember what she says
You will easily believe from a Circumstance I have just mentioned in the
Majors Favour especially when I have told you that his Sister was one of the
best of Girls that it was entirely necessary to hide from her all kind of
Laughter at any Part of her Brothers Behaviour To say the Truth this was easy
enough to do for the poor Girl was so blinded with Love and Gratitude and so
highly honoured and reverenced her Brother that she had not the least Suspicion
that there was a Person in the World capable of laughing at him
Indeed I am certain she never made the least Discovery of our Ridicule for
I am well convinced she would have resented it For besides the Love she bore
her Brother she had a little Family Pride which would sometimes appear To say
the Truth if she had any Fault it was that of Vanity but she was a very good
Girl upon the whole and none of us are entirely free from Faults«
»You are a goodnatured Fellow Will« answered Miss Mathews »but Vanity is
a Fault of the first Magnitude in a Woman and often the Occasion of many
others«
To this Booth made no Answer but continued his Story
»In this Company we passed two or three Months very agreeably till the Major
and I both betook ourselves to our several Nurseries my Wife being brought to
Bed of a Girl and Miss Bath confined to her Chamber by a Surfeit which had
like to have occasioned her Death«
Here Miss Mathews burst into a loud Laugh of which when Booth asked the
Reason she said she could not forbear at the Thoughts of two such Nurses »And
did you really« says she »make your Wifes Caudle yourself«
»Indeed Madam« said he »I did and do you think that so extraordinary«
»Indeed I do« answered she »I thought the best Husbands had looked on
their Wives lying in as a Time of Festival and Jollity What did you not even
get drunk in the Time of your Wifes Delivery Tell me honestly how you employd
yourself at this Time«
»Why then honestly« replied he »and in Defiance of your Laughter I lay
behind her Bolster and supported her in my Arms and upon my Soul I believe I
felt more Pain in my Mind than she underwent in her Body And now answer me as
honestly Do you really think it a proper Time of Mirth when the Creature one
loves to Distraction is undergoing the most racking Torments as well as in the
most imminent Danger And but I need not express any more tender
Circumstances«
»I am to answer honestly« cryd she »Yes and sincerely« cries Booth
»Why then honestly and sincerely« says she »may I never see Heaven if I dont
think you an Angel of a Man«
»Nay Madam« answered Booth »but indeed you do me too much Honour
there are many such Husbands Nay have we not an Example of the like
Tenderness in the Major Tho as to him I believe I shall make you laugh
While my Wife lay in Miss Bath being extremely ill I went one Day to the Door
of her Apartment to enquire after her Health as well as for the Major whom I
had not seen during a whole Week I knocked softly at the Door and being bid to
open it I found the Major in his Sisters Antichamber warming her Posset His
Dress was certainly whimsical enough having on a Womans BedGown and a very
dirty Flannel NightCap which being added to a very odd Person for he is a
very aukward thin Man near seven Feet high might have formed in the Opinion of
most Men a very proper Object of Laughter The Major started from his Seat at
my entring into the Room and with much Emotion and a great Oath cryd out Is
it you Sir I then enquired after his and his Sisters Health He answerd
that his Sister was better and he was very well Tho I did not expect Sir
cryd he with not a little Confusion to be seen by you in this Situation I
told him I thought it impossible he could appear in a Situation more becoming
his Character You do not answered he By G I am very much obliged to you for
that Opinion but I believe Sir however my Weakness may prevail on me to
descend from it no Man can be more conscious of his own Dignity than myself
His Sister then called to him from the inner Room upon which he rang the Bell
for her Servant and then after a Stride or two across the Room he said with an
elated Aspect I would not have you think Mr Booth because you have caught me
in this Dishabille by coming upon me a little too abruptly I cant help
saying a little too abruptly that I am my Sisters Nurse I know better what
is due to the Dignity of a Man and I have shewn it in a Line of Battle I
think I have made a Figure there Mr Booth and becoming my Character by G I
ought not to be despised too much if my Nature is not totally without its
Weaknesses He utterd this and some more of the same kind with great Majesty
or as he calld it Dignity Indeed he used some hard Words that I did not
understand for all his Words are not to be found in a Dictionary Upon the
whole I could not easily refrain from Laughter however I conquered myself
and soon after retired from him astonished that it was possible for a Man to
possess true Goodness and be at the same time ashamed of it
But if I was surprised at what had past at this Visit how much more was I
surprised the next Morning when he came very early to my Chamber and told me
he had not been able to sleep one Wink at what had past between us There were
some Words of yours says he which must be further explained before we part
You told me Sir when you found me in that Situation which I cannot bear to
recollect that you thought I could not appear in one more becoming my
Character these were the Words I shall never forget them Do you imagine that
there is any of the Dignity of a Man wanting in my Character Do you think that
I have during my Sisters Illness behaved with a Weakness that savours too
much of Effeminacy I know how much it is beneath a Man to whine and whimper
about a trifling Girl as well as you or any Man and if my Sister had died I
should have behaved like a Man on the Occasion I would not have you think I
confined myself from Company merely upon her Account I was very much disorderd
myself And when you surprised me in that Situation I repeat again in that
Situation her Nurse had not left the Room three Minutes and I was blowing the
Fire for fear it should have gone out In this Manner he ran on almost a
Quarter of an Hour before he would suffer me to speak At last looking
stedfastly in his Face I asked him if I must conclude that he was in earnest
In earnest says he repeating my Words Do you then take my Character for a
Jest Lookee Sir said I very gravely I think we know one another very well
and I have no Reason to suspect you should impute it to Fear when I tell you I
was so far from intending to affront you that I meant you one of the highest
Compliments Tenderness for Women is so far from lessening that it proves a
true manly Character The manly Brutus shewed the utmost Tenderness to his
Porcia and the great King of Sweden the bravest and even fiercest of Men
shut himself up three whole Days in the midst of a Campaign and would see no
Company on the Death of a favourite Sister At these Words I saw his Features
soften and he cryd out Dn me I admire the King of Sweden of all the Men in
the World and he is a Rascal that is ashamed of doing any thing which the King
of Sweden did And yet if any King of Sweden in France was to tell me that his
Sister had more Merit than mine by G Id knock his Brains about his Ears Poor
little Betsy she is the honestest worthiest Girl that ever was born Heaven be
praised she is recovered for if I had lost her I never should have enjoyed
another happy Moment In this Manner he ran on some time till the Tears began
to overflow which when he perceived he stopt perhaps he was unable to go on
for he seemed almost choaked after a short Silence however having wipd his
Eyes with his Handkerchief he fetched a deep Sigh and cryd I am ashamed you
should see this Mr Booth but dn me Nature will get the better of Dignity I
now comforted him with the Example of Xerxes as I had before done with that of
the King of Sweden and soon after we sat down to Breakfast together with much
cordial Friendship For I assure you with all his Oddity there is not a
betternatured Man in the World than the Major«
»Goodnatured indeed« cries Miss Mathews with great Scorn »A Fool How
can you mention such a Fellow with Commendation«
Booth spoke as much as he could in Defence of his Friend indeed he had
represented him in as favourable a Light as possible and had particularly left
out those hard Words with which as he hath observed a little before the Major
interlarded his Discourse Booth then proceeded as in the next Chapter
Chapter IX
Containing very extraordinary Matters
»Miss Bath« continued Booth »now recovered so fast that she was abroad as
soon as my Wife Our little Party Quarrée began to grow agreeable again and we
mixd with the Company of the Place more than we had done before Mons
Bagillard now again renewed his Intimacy for the Countess his Mistress was gone
to Paris At which my Wife at first shewed no Dissatisfaction and I imagined
that as she had a Friend and Companion of her own Sex for Miss Bath and she had
contracted the highest Fondness for each other she would the less miss my
Company However I was disappointed in this Expectation for she soon began to
express her former Uneasiness and her Impatience for the Arrival of Captain
James that we might entirely quit Montpelier
I could not avoid conceiving some little Displeasure at this Humour of my
Wife which I was forced to think a little unreasonable« »A little do you
call it« says Miss Mathews »Good Heavens what a Husband are you« »How
little worthy« answered he »as you will say hereafter of such a Wife as my
Amelia One Day as we were sitting together I heard a violent Scream upon
which my Wife starting up cryd out Sure thats Miss Baths Voice and
immediately ran towards the Chamber whence it proceeded I followed her and
when we arrived we there beheld the most shocking Sight imaginable Miss Bath
lying dead on the Floor and the Major all bloody kneeling by her and roaring
out for Assistance Amelia tho she was herself in little better Condition than
her Friend ran hastily to her bared her Neck and attempted to loosen her
Stays while I ran up and down scarce knowing what I did calling for Water and
Cordials and dispatching several Servants one after another for Doctors and
Surgeons
Water Cordials and all necessary Implements being brought Miss Bath was
at length recovered and placed in her Chair when the Major seated himself by
her And now the young Lady being restored to Life the Major who till then
had engaged as little of his own as of any other Persons Attention became the
Object of all our Considerations especially his poor Sisters who had no
sooner recovered sufficient Strength than she began to lament her Brother
crying out that he was killed and bitterly bewailing her Fate in having
revived from her Swoon to behold so dreadful a Spectacle While Amelia applied
herself to sooth the Agonies of her Friend I began to enquire into the
Condition of the Major In which I was assisted by a Surgeon who now arrived
The Major declared with great Chearfulness that he did not apprehend his Wound
to be in the least dangerous and therefore begged his Sister to be comforted
saying he was convinced the Surgeon would soon give her the same Assurance but
that good Man was not so liberal of Assurances as the Major had expected for as
soon as he had probed the Wound he afforded no more than Hopes declaring that
it was a very ugly Wound but added by Way of Consolation that he had cured
many much worse
When the Major was drest his Sister seemed to possess his whole Thoughts
and all his Care was to relieve her Grief He solemnly protested that it was no
more than a Flesh Wound and not very deep nor could as he apprehended be in
the least dangerous and as for the cold Expressions of the Surgeon he very
well accounted for them from a Motive too obvious to be mentioned From these
Declarations of her Brother and the Interposition of her Friends and above
all I believe from that vast Vent which she had given to her Fright Miss Bath
seemed a little pacifyd Amelia therefore at last prevailed and as Terror
abated Curiosity became the superior Passion I therefore now began to enquire
what had occasioned that Accident whence all the Uproar arose
The Major took me by the Hand and looking very kindly at me said My dear
Mr Booth I must begin by asking your Pardon for I have done you an Injury
for which nothing but the Height of Friendship in me can be an Excuse and
therefore nothing but the Height of Friendship in you can forgive This
Preamble Madam you will easily believe greatly alarmed all the Company but
especially me I answered dear Major I forgive you let it be what it will
but what is it possible you can have done to injure me That replied he which
I am convinced a Man of your Honour and Dignity of Nature by G must conclude
to be one of the highest Injuries I have taken out of your own Hands the doing
yourself Justice I am afraid I have killed the Man who hath injured your
Honour I mean that Villain Bagillard but I cannot proceed for you Madam
said he to my Wife are concerned and I know what is due to the Dignity of your
Sex Amelia I observed turnd pale at these Words but eagerly beggd him to
proceed Nay Madam answered he if I am commanded by a Lady it is a part of
my Dignity to obey He then proceeded to tell us that Bagillard had rallied him
upon a Supposition that he was pursuing my Wife with a View of Gallantry
telling him that he could never succeed giving Hints that if it had been
possible he should have succeeded himself and ending with calling my poor
Amelia an accomplished Prude upon which the Major gave Bagillard a Box in the
Ear and both immediately drew their Swords
The Major had scarce ended his Speech when a Servant came into the Room
and told me there was a Friar below who desired to speak with me in great Haste
I shook the Major by the Hand and told him I not only forgave him but was
extremely obliged to his Friendship and then going to the Fryar I found that
he was Bagillards Confessor from whom he came to me with an earnest Desire of
seeing me that he might ask my Pardon and receive my Forgiveness before he
dyd for the Injury he had intended me My Wife at first opposed my going from
some sudden Fears on my Account but when she was convinced they were
groundless she consented
I found Bagillard in his Bed for the Majors Sword had passed up to the
very Hilt through his Body After having very earnestly asked my Pardon he made
me many Compliments on the Possession of a Woman who joined to the most
exquisite Beauty was Mistress of the most impregnable Virtue as a Proof of
which he acknowledged the Vehemence as well as ill Success of his Attempts and
to make Amelias Virtue appear the brighter his Vanity was so predominant he
could not forbear running over the Names of several Women of Fashion who had
yielded to his Passion which he said had never raged so violently for any
other as for my poor Amelia and that this Violence which he had found wholly
unconquerable he hoped would procure his Pardon at my Hands It is unnecessary
to mention what I said on the Occasion I assured him of my entire Forgiveness
and so we parted To say the Truth I afterwards thought myself almost obliged
to him for a Meeting with Amelia the most luxuriously delicate that can be
imagined
I now ran to my Wife whom I embraced with Raptures of Love and Tenderness
When the first Torrent of these was a little abated Confess to me my Dear
said she could your Goodness prevent you from thinking me a little unreasonable
in expressing so much Uneasiness at the Loss of your Company while I ought to
have rejoiced in the Thoughts of your being so well entertained I know you
must and then consider what I must have felt while I knew I was daily
lessening myself in your Esteem and forced into a Conduct which I was sensible
must appear to you who was ignorant of my Motive to be mean vulgar and
selfish And yet what other Course had I to take with a Man whom no Denial no
Scorn could abash But if this was a cruel Task how much more wretched still
was the Constraint I was obliged to wear in his Presence before you to shew
outward Civility to the Man whom my Soul detested for fear of any fatal
Consequence from your Suspicion and this too while I was afraid he would
construe it to be an Encouragement Do you not pity your poor Amelia when you
reflect on her Situation Pity cryd I my Love is Pity an adequate
Expression for Esteem for Adoration But how my Love could he carry this on
so secretly by Letters O no he offered me many but I never would receive
but one and that I returnd him Good G I would not have such a Letter in my
Possession for the Universe I thought my Eyes contaminated with reading it«
»O brave« cryd Miss Mathews »Heroic I protest
Had I a Wish that did not bear
The Stamp and Image of my Dear
Id pierce my Heart through every Vein
And die to let it out again«
»And can you really« cryd he »laugh at so much Tenderness« »I laugh at
Tenderness O Mr Booth« answered she »Thou knowest but little of Calista« »I
thought formerly« cryd he »I knew a great deal and thought you of all Women
in the World to have the greatest of all Women« »Take Care Mr Booth«
said she »By Heaven if you thought so you thought truly But what is the
Object of my Tenderness such an Object as « »Well Madam« says he »I hope
you will find one« »I thank you for that Hope however« says she »cold as
it is but pray go on with your Story« which Command he immediately obeyed
Chapter X
Containing a Letter of a very curious Kind
»The Majors Wound« continued Booth »was really as slight as he believed it
so that in a very few Days he was perfectly well nor was Bagillard tho run
through the Body long apprehending to be in any Danger of his Life The Major
then took me aside and wishing me heartily joy of Bagillards Recovery told me
I should now by the Gift as it were of Heaven have an Opportunity of doing
myself Justice I answered I could not think of any such Thing For that when I
imagined he was on his Deathbed I had heartily and sincerely forgiven him
Very right replied the Major and consistent with your Honour when he was on
his DeathBed but that Forgiveness was only conditional and is revoked by his
Recovery I told him I could not possibly revoke it for that my Anger was
really gone What hath Anger cryd he to do with the Matter The Dignity of
my Nature hath been always my Reason for drawing my Sword and when that is
concerned I can as readily fight with the Man I love as with the Man I hate
I will not tire you with the Repetition of the whole Argument in which the
Major did not prevail and I really believe I sunk a little in his Esteem upon
that Account till Captain James who arrived soon after again perfectly
reinstated me in his Favour
When the Captain was come there remained no Cause of our longer Stay at
Montpelier for as to my Wife she was in a better State of Health than I had
ever known her and Miss Bath had not only recovered her Health but her Bloom
and from a pale Skeleton was become a plump handsome young Woman James was
again my Cashier for far from receiving any Remittance it was now a long time
since I had received any Letter from England tho both myself and my dear
Amelia had written several both to my Mother and Sister and now at our
Departure from Montpelier I bethought myself of writing to my good Friend the
Doctor acquainting him with our Journey to Paris whither I desired he would
direct his Answer
At Paris we all arrived without encountring any Adventure on the Road worth
relating nor did any thing of Consequence happen here during the first
Fortnight for as you know neither Captain James nor Miss Bath it is scarce
worth telling you that an Affection which afterwards ended in a Marriage
began now to appear between them in which it may appear odd to you that I made
the first Discovery of the Ladys Flame and my Wife of the Captains
The seventeenth Day after our Arrival at Paris I received a Letter from the
Doctor which I have in my Pocketbook and if you please I will read it you
for I would not willingly do any Injury to his Words«
The Lady you may easily believe desired to hear the Letter and Booth read
it as follows
»My dear Children
For I will now call you so as you have neither of you now any other
Parent in this World Of this melancholy News I should have sent you
earlier Notice if I had thought you ignorant of it or indeed if I had
known whither to have writ If your Sister hath received any Letters
from you she hath kept them a Secret and perhaps out of Affection to
you hath reposited them in the same Place where she keeps her Goodness
and what I am afraid is much dearer to her her Money The Reports
concerning you have been various so is always the Case in Matters where
Men are ignorant for when no Man knows what the Truth is every Man
thinks himself at Liberty to report what he pleases Those who wish you
well Son Booth say simply that you are dead others that you ran away
from the Siege and was cashiered As for my Daughter all agree that
she is a Saint above and there are not wanting those who hint that her
Husband sent her thither From this Beginning you will expect I
suppose better News than I am going to tell you but pray my dear
Children why may not I who have always laughed at my own Afflictions
laugh at yours without the Censure of much Malevolence I wish you
could learn this Temper from me for take my Word for it nothing truer
ever came from the Mouth of a Heathen than that Sentence
Leve fit quod bene fertur Onus8
And tho I must confess I never thought Aristotle whom I do not take
for so great a Blockhead as some who have never read him doth not very
well resolve the Doubt which he hath raised in his Ethics viz How a
Man in the Midst of King Priams Misfortunes can be called happy yet
I have long thought that there is no Calamity so great that a Christian
Philosopher may not reasonably laugh at it If the Heathen Cicero
doubting of Immortality for so wise a Man must have doubted of that
which had such slender Arguments to support it could assert it as the
Office of Wisdom Humanas res despicere atque infra se positas
arbitrari9
Which Passage with much more to the same Purpose you will find in
the Third Book of his Tusculan Questions
With how much greater Confidence may a good Christian despise and
even deride all temporary and short transitory Evils If the poor
Wretch who is trudging on to his miserable Cottage can laugh at the
Storms and Tempests the Rain and Whirlwinds which surround him while
his richest Hope is only that of Rest how much more chearfully must a
Man pass through such transient Evils whose Spirits are buoyed up with
the certain Expectation of finding a noble Palace and the most
sumptuous Entertainment ready to receive him I do not much like the
Simile but I cannot think of a better And yet inadequate as the
Simile is we may I think from the Actions of Mankind conclude that
they will consider it as much too strong for in the Case I have put of
the Entertainment is there any Man so tender or poorspirited as not to
despise and often to deride the fiercest of those Inclemencies which I
have mentioned but in our Journey to the glorious Mansions of
everlasting Bliss how severely is every little Rub every trifling
Accident lamented and if Fortune showers down any of her heavier Storms
upon us how wretched do we presently appear to ourselves and to others
The Reason of this can be no other than that we are not in Earnest in
our Faith at the best we think with too little Attention on this our
great Concern While the most paultry Matters of this World even those
pitiful Trifles those childish Gewgaws Riches and Honours are
transacted with the utmost Earnestness and most serious Application
the grand and weighty Affair of Immortality is postponed and
disregarded nor ever brought into the least Competition with our
Affairs here If one of my Cloth should begin a Discourse of Heaven in
the Scenes of Business or Pleasure in the Court of Requests at
Garaways or at Whites would he gain a Hearing unless perhaps of some
sorry Jester who would desire to ridicule him Would he not presently
acquire the Name of the mad Parson and be thought by all Men worthy of
Bedlam Or would he not be treated as the Romans treated their
Aretalogi10 and considered in the Light of a Buffoon But why should I
mention those Places of Hurry and worldly Pursuit What Attention do
we engage even in the Pulpit Here if a Sermon be prolonged a little
beyond the usual Hour doth it not set half the Audience asleep as I
question not I have by this Time both my Children Well then like a
goodnatured Surgeon who prepares his Patient for a painful Operation
by endeavouring as much as he can to deaden his Sensation I will now
communicate to you in your slumbring Condition the News with which I
threatened you Your good Mother you are to know is dead at last and
hath left her whole Fortune to her elder Daughter This is all the ill
News I have to tell you Confess now if you are awake did you not
expect it was much worse Did not you apprehend that your charming Child
was dead Far from it he is in perfect Health and the Admiration of
every Body what is more he will be taken Care of with the Tenderness
of a Parent till your Return What Pleasure must this give you If
indeed any thing can add to the Happiness of a married Couple who are
extremely and deservedly fond of each other and as you write me in
perfect Health A superstitious Heathen would have dreaded the Malice of
Nemesis in your Situation but as I am a Christian I shall venture to
add another Circumstance to your Felicity by assuring you that you have
besides your Wife a faithful and zealous Friend Do not therefore my
dear Children fall into that Fault which the excellent Thucydides
observes is too common in human Nature to bear heavily the being
deprived of the smaller Good without conceiving at the same time any
Gratitude for the much greater Blessings which we are suffered to enjoy
I have only farther to tell you my Son that when you call at Mr
Morands Rue Dauphine you will find yourself worth a hundred Pounds
Good Heaven how much richer are you than Millions of People who are in
want of nothing Farewel and know me for
Your sincere and affectionate Friend«
»There Madam« cries Booth »how do you like the Letter«
»Oh extremely« answered she »the Doctor is a charming Man I always loved
dearly to hear him preach I remember to have heard of Mrs Harriss Death above
a Year before I left the Country but never knew the Particulars of her Will
before I am extremely sorry for it upon my Honour«
»Oh fy Madam« cries Booth »have you so soon forgot the chief Purport of
the Doctors Letter«
»Ay ay« cried she »these are very pretty Things to read I acknowledge
but the Loss of Fortune is a serious Matter and I am sure a Man of Mr Booths
Understanding must think so« »One Consideration I must own Madam« answered
he »a good deal baffled all the Doctors Arguments This was the Concern for my
little growing Family who must one Day feel the Loss nor was I so easy upon
Amelias Account as upon my own tho she herself put on the utmost
Chearfulness and stretched her Invention to the utmost to comfort me But
sure Madam there is something in the Doctors Letter to admire beyond the
Philosophy of it what think you of that easy generous friendly Manner in
which he sent me the hundred Pounds«
»Very noble and great indeed« replied she »but pray go on with your Story
for I long to hear the whole«
Chapter XI
In which Mr Booth relates his Return to England
»Nothing remarkable as I remember happened during our Stay at Paris which we
left soon after and came to London Here we rested only two Days and then
taking Leave of our Fellowtravellers we set out for Wiltshire my Wife being
so impatient to see the Child which she had left behind her that the Child she
carried with her was almost killed with the Fatigue of the Journey
We arrived at our Inn late in the Evening Amelia tho she had no great
Reason to be pleased with any Part of her Sisters Behaviour resolved to behave
to her as if nothing wrong had ever happened She therefore sent a kind Note to
her the Moment of our Arrival giving her her Option whether she would come to
us at the Inn or whether we should that Evening wait on her The Servant after
waiting an Hour brought us an Answer excusing her from coming to us so late
as she was disordered with a Cold and desiring my Wife by no Means to think of
venturing out after the Fatigue of her Journey saying she would on that
Account defer the great Pleasure of seeing her till the Morning without taking
any more Notice of your humble Servant than if no such Person had been in the
World tho I had very civilly sent my Compliments to her I should not mention
this Trifle if it was not to shew you the Nature of the Woman and that it will
be a kind of Key to her future Conduct
When the Servant returned the good Doctor who had been with us almost all
the time of his Absence hurried us away to his House where we presently found
a Supper and a Bed prepared for us My Wife was eagerly desirous to see her
Child that Night but the Doctor would not suffer it and as he was at Nurse at
a distant Part of the Town and the Doctor assured her he had seen him in
perfect Health that Evening she suffered herself at last to be dissuaded
We spent that Evening in the most agreeable Manner for the Doctors Wit and
Humour joined to the highest Chearfulness and Goodnature made him the most
agreeable Companion in the World and he was now in the highest Spirits which
he was pleased to place to our Account We sat together to a very late Hour for
so excellent is my Wifes Constitution that she declared she was scarce
sensible of any Fatigue from her late Journies
Amelia slept not a Wink all Night and in the Morning early the Doctor
accompanied us to the little Infant The Transports we felt on this Occasion
were really enchanting nor can any but a fond Parent conceive I am certain
the least Idea of them Our Imaginations suggested a hundred agreeable
Circumstances none of which had perhaps any Foundation We made Words and
Meaning out of every Sound and in every Feature found out some Resemblance to
my Amelia as she did to me
But I ask your Pardon for dwelling on such Incidents and will proceed to
Scenes which to most Persons will be more entertaining
We went hence to pay a Visit to Miss Harris whose Reception of us was I
think truly ridiculous and as you know the Lady I will endeavour to describe
it particularly At our first Arrival we were ushered into a Parlour where we
were suffered to wait almost an Hour At length the Lady of the House appeared
in deep Mourning with a Face if possible more dismal than her Dress in
which however there was every Appearance of Art Her Features were indeed
skrewed up to the very Height of Grief With this Face and in the most solemn
Gait she approached Amelia and coldly saluted her After which she made me a
very distant formal Courtesy and we all sat down A short Silence now ensued
which Miss Harris at length broke with a deep Sigh and said Sister here is a
great Alteration in this Place since you saw it last Heaven hath been pleased
to take my poor Mother to itself Here she wiped her Eyes and then
continued I hope I know my Duty and have learned a proper Resignation to the
divine Will but something is to be allowed to Grief for the best of Mothers
for so she was to us both and if at last she made any Distinction she must
have had her Reasons for so doing I am sure I can truly say I never wished
much less desired it The Tears now stood in poor Amelias Eyes indeed she had
paid too many already for the Memory of so unnatural a Parent She answered with
the Sweetness of an Angel that she was far from blaming her Sisters Emotions
on so tender an Occasion that she heartily joined with her in her Grief for
that nothing which her Mother had done in the latter Part of her Life could
efface the Remembrance of that Tenderness which she had formerly shewn her Her
Sister caught hold of the Word Efface and rung the Changes upon it Efface
cried she O Miss Emily for you must not expect me to repeat Names that will be
for ever odious I wish indeed every thing could be effaced Effaced O that
that was possible we might then have still enjoyed my poor Mother for I am
convinced she never recovered her Grief on a certain Occasion Thus she ran
on and after many bitter Strokes upon her Sister at last directly charged her
Mothers Death on my Marriage with Amelia I could be silent then no longer I
reminded her of the perfect Reconciliation between us before my Departure and
the great Fondness which she expressed for me nor could I help saying in very
plain Terms that if she had ever changed her Opinion of me as I was not
conscious of having deserved such a Change by my own Behaviour I was well
convinced to whose good Offices I owed it Guilt hath very quick Ears to an
Accusation Miss Harris immediately answered to the Charge She said such
Suspicions were no more than she expected that they were of a Piece with every
other Part of my Conduct and gave her one Consolation that they served to
account for her Sister Emilys Unkindness as well to herself as to her poor
deceased Mother and in some Measure lessened the Guilt of it with Regard to
her since it was not easy to know how far a Woman is in the Power of her
Husband My dear Amelia reddened at this Reflexion on me and begged her Sister
to name any single Instance of Unkindness or Disrespect in which she had ever
offended To this the other answered I am sure I repeat her Words tho I
cannot mimic either the Voice or Air with which they were spoken Pray Miss
Emily which is to be the Judge yourself or that Gentleman I remember the time
when I could have trusted to your Judgment in any Affair but you are now no
longer Mistress of yourself and are not answerable for your Actions Indeed it
is my constant Prayer that your Actions may not be imputed to you It was the
constant Prayer of that blessed Woman my dear Mother who is now a Saint above
a Saint whose Name I can never mention without a Tear tho I find you can hear
it without one I cannot help observing some Concern on so melancholy an
Occasion it seems due to Decency but perhaps for I always wish to excuse you
you are forbid to cry The Idea of being bid or forbid to cry struck so strongly
on my Fancy that Indignation only could have prevented me from laughing But my
Narrative I am afraid begins to grow tedious In short after hearing for
near an Hour every malicious Insinuation which a fertile Genius could invent
we took our Leave and separated as Persons who would never willingly meet
again
The next Morning after this Interview Amelia received a long Letter from
Miss Harris in which after many bitter Invectives against me she excused her
Mother alledging that she had been driven to do as she did in order to prevent
Amelias Ruin if her Fortune had fallen into my Hands She likewise very
remotely hinted that she would be only a Trustee for her Sisters Children and
told her that on one Condition only she would consent to live with her as a
Sister This was if she could by any Means be separated from that Man as she
was pleased to call me who had caused so much Mischief in the Family
I was so enraged at this Usage that had not Amelia intervened I believe I
should have applied to a Magistrate for a Searchwarrant for that Picture which
there was so much Reason to suspect she had stolen and which I am convinced
upon a Search we should have found in her Possession«
»Nay it is possible enough« cries Miss Mathews »for I believe there is no
Wickedness of which the Lady is not capable«
»This agreeable Letter was succeeded by another of the like comfortable
kind which informed me that the Company in which I was being an additional one
raised in the Beginning of the War was reduced so that I was now a Lieutenant
on Halfpay
Whilst we were meditating on our present Situation the good Doctor came to
us When we related to him the Manner in which my Sister had treated us he
cried out Poor Soul I pity her heartily for this is the severest Resentment
he ever expresses indeed I have often heard him say that a wicked Soul is the
greatest Object of Compassion in the World« A Sentiment which we shall leave
the Reader a little time to digest
Chapter XII
In which Mr Booth concludes his Story
»The next Day the Doctor set out for his Parsonage which was about thirty Miles
distant whither Amelia and myself accompanied him and where we stayed with him
all the Time of his Residence there being almost three Months
The Situation of the Parish under my good Friends Care is very pleasant It
is placed among Meadows washed by a clear Trout Stream and flanked on both
Sides with Downs His House indeed would not much attract the Admiration of the
Virtuoso He built it himself and it is remarkable only for its Plainness with
which the Furniture so well agrees that there is no one thing in it that may
not be absolutely necessary except Books and the Prints of Mr Hogarth whom
he calls a moral Satirist
Nothing however can be imagined more agreeable than the Life that the
Doctor leads in this homely House which he calls his earthly Paradise All his
Parishioners whom he treats as his Children regard him as their common Father
Once in a Week he constantly visits every House in the Parish examines
commends and rebukes as he finds Occasion This is practised likewise by his
Curate in his Absence and so good an Effect is produced by this their Care
that no Quarrels ever proceed either to Blows or Lawsuits no Beggar is to be
found in the whole Parish nor did I ever hear a very profane Oath all the Time
I lived in it
But to return from so agreeable a Digression to my own Affairs that are
much less worth your Attention In the midst of all the Pleasures I tasted in
this sweet Place and in the most delightful Company the Woman and Man whom I
loved above all Things melancholy Reflexions concerning my unhappy
Circumstances would often steal into my Thoughts My Fortune was now reduced to
less than Forty Pounds a Year I had already two Children and my dear Amelia
was again with Child
One Day the Doctor found me sitting by my self and employed in melancholy
Contemplations on this Subject He told me he had observed me growing of late
very serious that he knew the Occasion and neither wondered at nor blamed me
He then asked me if I had any Prospect of going again into the Army if not
what Scheme of Life I proposed to myself
I told him that as I had no powerful Friends I could have but little
Expectations in a military Way that I was as incapable of thinking of any other
Scheme as all Business required some Knowledge or Experience and likewise
Money to set up with of all which I was destitute
You must know then Child said the Doctor that I have been thinking on
this Subject as well as you for I can think I promise you with a pleasant
Countenance These were his Words As to the Army perhaps Means might be found
of getting you another Commission but my Daughter seems to have a violent
Objection to it and to be plain I fancy you yourself will find no Glory make
you amends for your Absence from her And for my Part said he I never think
those Men wise who for any worldly Interest forego the greatest Happiness of
their Lives If I mistake not said he a Country Life where you could be
always together would make you both much happier People
I answered that of all Things I preferred it most and I believed Amelia
was of the same Opinion
The Doctor after a little Hesitation proposed to me to turn Farmer and
offered to let me his Parsonage which was then become vacant He said it was a
Farm which required but little Stock and that little should not be wanting
I embraced this Offer very eagerly and with great Thankfulness and
immediately repaired to Amelia to communicate it to her and to know her
Sentiments
Amelia received the News with the highest Transports of Joy she said that
her greatest Fear had always been of my entring again into the Army She was so
kind as to say that all Stations of Life were equal to her unless as one
afforded her more of my Company than another And as to our Children said she
let us breed them up to an humble Fortune and they will be contented with it
For none added my Angel deserve Happiness or indeed are capable of it who
make any particular Station a necessary Ingredient
Thus Madam you see me degraded from my former Rank in Life no longer
Captain Booth but Farmer Booth at your Service
During my first Years Continuance in this new Scene of Life nothing I
think remarkable happened the History of one Day would indeed be the History
of the whole Year«
»Well pray then« said Miss Mathews »do let us hear the History of that
Day I have a strange Curiosity to know how you could kill your Time and do if
possible find out the very best Day you can«
»If you command me Madam« answered Booth »you must yourself be
accountable for the Dulness of the Narrative Nay I believe you have imposed a
very difficult Task on me for the greatest Happiness is incapable of
Description
I rose then Madam «
»O the Moment you waked undoubtedly« said Miss Mathews
»Usually« said he »between Five and Six«
»I will have no usually« cryd Miss Mathews »you are confined to a Day
and it is to be the best and happiest in the Year«
»Nay Madam« cries Booth »then I must tell you the Day in which Amelia was
brought to Bed after a painful and dangerous Labour for that I think was the
happiest Day of my Life«
»I protest« said she »you are become Farmer Booth indeed What a
Happiness have you painted to my Imagination You put me in Mind of a
NewsPaper where my Lady suchaone is delivered of a Son to the great Joy of
some illustrious Family«
»Why then I do assure you Miss Mathews« cries Booth »I scarce know a
Circumstance that distinguished one Day from another The whole was one
continued Series of Love Health and Tranquillity Our Lives resembled a calm
Sea«
»The dullest of all Ideas« cries the Lady
»I know« said he »it must appear dull in Description for who can describe
the Pleasures which the Morning Air gives to one in perfect Health the Flow of
Spirits which springs up from Exercise the Delights which Parents feel from the
Prattle and innocent Follies of their Children the Joy with which the tender
Smile of a Wife inspires a Husband or lastly the chearful solid Comfort which
a fond Couple enjoy in each others Conversation All these Pleasures and
every other of which our Situation was capable we tasted in the highest Degree
Our Happiness was perhaps too great for Fortune seemed to grow envious of it
and interposed one of the most cruel Accidents that could have befallen us by
robbing us of our dear Friend the Doctor«
»I am sorry for it« said Miss Mathews »He was indeed a valuable Man and I
never heard of his Death before«
»Long may it be before any one hears of it« cries Booth »He is indeed
dead to us but will I hope enjoy many happy Years of Life You know Madam
the Obligations he had to his Patron the Earl indeed it was impossible to be
once in his Company without hearing of them I am sure you will neither wonder
that he was chosen to attend the young Lord in his Travels as his Tutor nor
that the good Man however disagreeable it might be as in Fact it was to his
Inclination should comply with the earnest Request of his Friend and Patron
By this Means I was bereft not only of the best Companion in the World but
of the best Counsellor a Loss of which I have since felt the bitter
Consequence For no greater Advantage I am convinced can arrive to a young Man
who hath any Degree of Understanding than an intimate Converse with one of
riper Years who is not only able to advise but who knows the Manner of
advising By this means alone Youth can enjoy the Benefit of the Experience of
Age and that at a Time of Life when such Experience will be of more Service to
a Man than when he hath lived long enough to acquire it of himself
From Want of my sage Counsellor I now fell into many Errors The first of
these was in enlarging my Business by adding a Farm of 100l a Year to the
Parsonage in renting which I had also as bad a Bargain as the Doctor had before
given me a good one The Consequence of which was that whereas at the End of
the first Year I was worth upwards of Fourscore Pounds at the End of the
Second I was near half that Sum worse as the Phrase is than nothing
A second Folly I was guilty of in uniting Families with the Curate of the
Parish who had just married as my Wife and I thought a very good Sort of a
Woman We had not however lived one Month together before I plainly perceived
this good Sort of Woman had taken a great Prejudice against my Amelia for
which if I had not known something of the human Passions and that high Place
which Envy holds among them I should not have been able to account For so far
was my Angel from having given her any Cause of Dislike that she had treated
her not only with Civility but Kindness
Besides Superiority in Beauty which I believe all the World would have
allowed to Amelia there was another Cause of this Envy which I am almost
ashamed to mention as it may well be called my greatest Folly You are to know
then Madam that from a Boy I had been always fond of driving a Coach in which
I valued myself on having some Skill This perhaps was an innocent but I
allow it to have been a childish Vanity As I had an Opportunity therefore of
buying an old Coach and Harness very cheap indeed they cost me but Twelve
Pound and as I considered that the same Horses which drew my Waggons would
likewise draw my Coach I resolved on indulging myself in the Purchase
The Consequence of setting up this poor old Coach is inconceivable Before
this as my Wife and myself had very little distinguished ourselves from the
other Farmers and their Wives either in our Dress or our Way of Living they
treated us as their Equals but now they began to consider us as elevating
ourselves into a State of Superiority and immediately began to envy hate and
declare War against us The neighbouring little Squires too were uneasy to see a
poor Renter become their Equal in a Matter in which they placed so much Dignity
and not doubting but it arose in me from the same Ostentation they began to
hate me likewise and to turn my Equipage into Ridicule asserting that my
Horses which were as well matched as any in the Kingdom were of different
Colours and Sizes with much more of that Kind of Wit the only Basis of which
is lying
But what will appear most surprising to you Madam was that the Curates
Wife who being lame had more Use of the Coach than my Amelia indeed she
seldom went to Church in any other Manner was one of my bitterest Enemies on
the Occasion If she had ever any Dispute with Amelia which all the Sweetness
of my poor Girl could not sometimes avoid she was sure to introduce with a
malicious Sneer Tho my Husband doth not keep a Coach Madam Nay she took
this Opportunity to upbraid my Wife with the Loss of her Fortune alledging
That some Folks might have had as good Pretensions to a Coach as other Folks
and a better too as they brought a better Fortune to their Husbands But that
all People had not the Art of making Brick without Straw
You will wonder perhaps Madam how I can remember such Stuff which
indeed was a long time only Matter of Amusement to both Amelia and myself but
we at last experienced the mischievous Nature of Envy and that it tends
rather to produce tragical than comical Events My Neighbours now began to
conspire against me They nicknamed me in Derision THE SQUIRE FARMER Whatever
I bought I was sure to buy dearer and when I sold I was obliged to sell
cheaper than any other In fact they were all united and while they every Day
committed Trespasses on my Lands with Impunity if any of my Cattle escaped into
their Fields I was either forced to enter into a Lawsuit or to make amends
fourfold for the Damage sustained
The Consequences of all this could be no other than that Ruin which ensued
Without tiring you with Particulars before the End of four Years I became
involved in Debt near 300l more than the Value of all my Effects My Landlord
seized my Stock for Rent and to avoid immediate Confinement in Prison I was
forced to leave the Country with all that I hold dear in the World my Wife
and my poor little Family
In this Condition I arrived in Town five or six Days ago I had just taken
a Lodging in the Verge of the Court and had writ my dear Amelia word where she
might find me when she had settled her Affairs in the best Manner she could
That very Evening as I was returning Home from a Coffeehouse a Fray happening
in the Street I endeavourd to assist the injured Party when I was seized by
the Watch and after being confined all Night in the RoundHouse was conveyed
in the Morning before a Justice of Peace who committed me hither where I
should probably have starved had I not from your Hands found a most
unaccountable Preservation And here give me leave to assure you my dear
Miss Mathews that whatever Advantage I may have reaped from your Misfortune I
sincerely lament it nor would I have purchased any Relief to myself at the
Price of seeing you in this dreadful Place«
He spake these last Words with great Tenderness For he was a Man of
consummate Goodnature and had formerly had much Affection for this young Lady
indeed more than the Generality of People are capable of entertaining for any
Person whatsoever
Book IV
Chapter I
Containing very mysterious Matter
Miss Mathews did not in the least fall short of Mr Booth in Expressions of
Tenderness Her Eyes the most eloquent Orators on such Occasions exerted their
utmost Force and at the Conclusion of his Speech she cast a Look as
languishingly sweet as ever Cleopatra gave to Anthony In real fact this Mr
Booth had been her first Love and had made those Impressions on her young
Heart which the Learned in this Branch of Philosophy affirm and perhaps truly
are never to be eradicated
When Booth had finished his Story a Silence ensued of some Minutes an
Interval which the Painter would describe much better than the Writer Some
Readers may however be able to make pretty pertinent Conjectures by what I have
said above especially when they are told that Miss Mathews broke the Silence by
a Sigh and cried »why is Mr Booth unwilling to allow me the Happiness of
thinking my Misfortunes have been of some little Advantage to him Sure the
happy Amelia would not be so selfish to envy me that Pleasure No not if she
was as much the fondest as she is the happiest of Women« »Good Heavens Madam«
said he »do you call my poor Amelia the happiest of Women« »Indeed I do«
answered she briskly »O Mr Booth there is a Speck of White in her Fortune
which when it falls to the Lot of a sensible Woman makes her full Amends for
all the Crosses which can attend her Perhaps she may not be sensible of it
but if it had been my blest Fate O Mr Booth could I have thought when we
were first acquainted that the most agreeable Man in the World had been capable
of making the kind the tender the affectionate Husband the happy Amelia in
those Days was unknown Heaven had not then given her a Prospect of the
Happiness it intended her but yet it did intend it her For sure there is a
Fatality in the Affairs of Love and the more I reflect on my own Life the more
I am convinced of it O Heavens how a thousand little Circumstances crowd into
my Mind When you first marched into our Town you had then the Colours in your
Hand as you passed under the Window where I stood my Glove by accident dropt
into the Street you stoopt took up my Glove and putting it upon the Spike
belonging to your Colours lifted it up to the Window Upon this a young Lady
who stood by said So Miss the young Officer hath accepted your Challenge I
blushd then and I blush now when I confess to you I thought you the
prettiest young Fellow I had ever seen and upon my Soul I believe you was
then the prettiest Fellow in the World« Booth here made a low Bow and cried
»O dear Madam how ignorant was I of my own Happiness« »Would you really have
thought so« answered she »however there is some Politeness if there be no
Sincerity in what you say« Here the Governor of the enchanted Castle
interrupted them and entering the Room without any Ceremony acquainted the
Lady and Gentleman that it was lockingup time and addressing Booth by the
Name of Captain asked him if he would not please to have a Bed adding that he
might have one in the next Room to the Lady but that it would come dear for
that he never let a Bed in that Room under a Guinea nor could he afford it
cheaper to his Father
No Answer was made to this Proposal but Miss Mathews who had already
learnt some of the Ways of the House said she believed Mr Booth would like to
drink a Glass of something upon which the Governor immediately trumpeted forth
the Praises of his RackPunch and without waiting for any farther Commands
presently produced a large Bowl of that Liquor
The Governor having recommended the Goodness of his Punch by a hearty
Draught began to revive the other Matter saying that he was just going to Bed
and must first lock up »But suppose« said Miss Mathews with a Smile »the
Captain and I should have a Mind to sit up all Night« »With all my Heart«
said the Governor »but I expect a Consideration for those Matters For my Part
I dont enquire into what doth not concern me but single and double are two
things If I lock up double I expect half a Guinea and Im sure the Captain
cannot think thats out of the way It is but the Price of a Bagnio«
Miss Mathewss Face became of the Colour of Scarlet at those Words
However she mustered up her Spirits and turning to Booth said »what say you
Captain for my own Part I had never less Inclination to Sleep which hath the
greater Charms for you the Punch or the Pillow« »I hope Madam« answered
Booth »you have a better Opinion of me than to doubt my preferring Miss
Mathews Conversation to either« »I assure you« replied she »it is no
Compliment to you to say I prefer yours to Sleep at this Time«
The Governor then having received his Fee departed and turning the Key
left the Gentleman and the Lady to themselves
In Imitation of him we will lock up likewise a Scene which we do not think
proper to expose to the Eyes of the Public If any over curious Readers should
be disappointed on this Occasion we will recommend such Readers to the
Apologies with which certain gay Ladies have lately been pleased to oblige the
World where they will possibly find every thing recorded that past at this
Interval
But tho we decline painting the Scene it is not our Intention to conceal
from the World the Frailty of Mr Booth or of his fair Partner who certainly
past that Evening in a Manner inconsistent with the strict Rules of Virtue and
Chastity
To say the Truth we are much more concerned for the Behaviour of the
Gentleman than of the Lady not only for his Sake but for the Sake of the best
Woman in the World whom we should be sorry to consider as yoked to a Man of no
Worth nor Honour
We desire therefore the goodnatured and candid Reader will be pleased to
weigh attentively the several unlucky Circumstances which concurred so
critically that Fortune seemed to have used her utmost Endeavours to ensnare
poor Booths Constancy Let the Reader set before his Eyes a fine young Woman
in a manner a first Love conferring Obligations and using every Art to soften
to allure to win and to enflame let him consider the Time and Place let him
remember that Mr Booth was a young Fellow in the highest Vigour of Life and
lastly let him add one single Circumstance that the Parties were alone
together and then if he will not acquit the Defendant he must be convicted
for I have nothing more to say in his Defence
Chapter II
The latter Part of which we expect will please our Reader better than the
former
A Whole Week did our Lady and Gentleman live in this criminal Conversation in
which the Happiness of the former was much more perfect than that of the latter
for tho the Charms of Miss Mathews and her excessive Endearments sometimes
lulled every Thought in the sweet Lethargy of Pleasure yet in the Intervals of
his Fits his Virtue alarmed and roused him and brought the Image of poor
injured Amelia to haunt and torment him In fact if we regard this World only
it is the Interest of every Man to be either perfectly good or completely bad
He had better destroy his Conscience than gently wound it The many bitter
Reflections which every bad Action costs a Mind in which there are any Remains
of Goodness are not to be compensated by the highest Pleasures which such an
Action can produce
So it happened to Mr Booth Repentance never failed to follow his
Transgressions and yet so perverse is our Judgment and so slippery is the
Descent of Vice when once we are entered into it the same Crime which he now
repented of became a Reason for doing that which was to cause his future
Repentance and he continued to sin on because he had begun His Repentance
however returned still heavier and heavier till at last it flung him into a
Melancholy which Miss Mathews plainly perceived and at which she could not
avoid expressing some Resentment in obscure Hints and ironical Compliments on
Amelias Superiority to her whole Sex who could not cloy a gay young Fellow by
many Years Possession She would then repeat the Compliments which others had
made to her own Beauty and could not forbear once crying out »Upon my Soul
my dear Billy I believe the chief Disadvantage on my Side is in my superior
Fondness for Love in the Minds of Men hath one Quality at least of a Fever
which is to prefer Coldness in the Object Confess dear Will is there not
something vastly refreshing in the cool Air of a Prude« Booth fetched a deep
Sigh and begged her never more to mention Amelias Name »O Will« cries she
»did that Request proceed from the Motive I could wish I should be the happiest
of Womankind« »You would not sure Madam« said Booth »desire a Sacrifice
which I must be a Villain to make to any« »Desire« answered she »are there
any Bounds to the Desires of Love Have not I been sacrificed Hath not my first
Love been torn from my bleeding Heart I claim a prior Right As for
Sacrifices I can make them too and would sacrifice the whole World at the
least Call of my Love«
Here she delivered a Letter to Booth which she had received within an Hour
the Contents of which were these
»Dearest Madam
Those only who truly know what Love is can have any Conception of
the Horrors I felt at hearing of your Confinement at my Arrival in Town
which was this Morning I immediately sent my Lawyer to enquire into the
Particulars who brought me the agreeable News that the Man whose
Hearts Blood ought not to be valued at the Rate of a single Hair of
yours is entirely out of all Danger and that you might be admitted to
Bail I presently ordered him to go with two of my Tradesmen who are to
be bound in any Sum for your Appearance if he should be mean enough to
prosecute you Tho you may expect my Attorney with you soon I would
not delay sending this as I hope the News will be agreeable to you My
Chariot will attend at the same time to carry you whereever you please
You may easily guess what a Violence I have done to myself in not
waiting on you in Person but I who know your Delicacy feared it might
offend and that you might think me ungenerous enough to hope from your
Distresses that Happiness which I am resolved to owe to your free Gift
alone when your Goodnature shall induce you to bestow on me what no
Man living can merit I beg you will pardon all the Contents of this
hasty Letter and do me the Honour of believing me
Dearest Madam
Your most passionate Admirer
and most obedient humble Servant
Damon«
Booth thought he had somewhere before seen the same Hand but in his present
Hurry of Spirits could not recollect whose it was nor did the Lady give him any
Time for Reflection for he had scarce read the Letter when she produced a
little Bit of Paper and cried out »here Sir here are the Contents which he
fears will offend me« She then put a BankBill of 100l into Mr Booths Hands
and asked him with a Smile if he did not think she had Reason to be offended
with so much Insolence
Before Booth could return any Answer the Governor arrived and introduced Mr
Rogers the Attorney who acquainted the Lady that he had brought her Discharge
from her Confinement and that a Chariot waited at the Door to attend her
whereever she pleased
She received the Discharge from Mr Rogers and said she was very much
obliged to the Gentleman who employed him but that she would not make use of
the Chariot as she had no Notion of leaving that wretched Place in a triumphant
Manner in which Resolution when the Attorney found her obstinate he withdrew
as did the Governor with many Bows and as many Ladyships
They were no sooner gone than Booth asked the Lady why she would refuse the
Chariot of a Gentleman who had behaved with such excessive Respect She looked
earnestly upon him and cryd »How unkind is that Question Do you imagine I
would go and leave you in such a Situation Thou knowest but little of Calista
Why do you think I would accept this hundred Pound from a Man I dislike unless
it was to be serviceable to the Man I love I insist on your taking it as your
own and using whatever you want of it«
Booth protested in the solemnest Manner that he would not touch a Shilling
of it saying he had already received too many Obligations at her Hands and
more than ever he should be able he feared to repay »How unkind« answered
she »is every Word you say Why will you mention Obligations Love never
confers any It doth every thing for its own sake I am not therefore obliged to
the Man whose Passion makes him generous for I feel how inconsiderable the
whole World would appear to me if I could throw it after my Heart«
Much more of this Kind past she still pressing the Banknote upon him and
he as absolutely refusing till Booth left the Lady to dress herself and went
to walk in the Area of the Prison
Miss Mathews now applied to the Governor to know by what Means she might
procure the Captain his Liberty The Governor answered »as he cannot get Bail
it will be a difficult Matter and Money to be sure there must be for People no
doubt expect to touch on these Occasions When Prisoners have not wherewithal as
the Law requires to entitle themselves to Justice why they must be beholden to
other People to give them their Liberty and People will not to be sure suffer
others to be beholden to them for nothing whereof there is good Reason for how
should we all live if it was not for these things« »Well well« said she
»and how much will it cost« »How much« answered he »How much why let
me see« Here he hesitated some time and then answered »that for five
Guineas he would undertake to procure the Captain his Discharge« That being the
Sum which he computed to remain in the Ladys Pocket for as to the Gentlemans
he had long been acquainted with the Emptiness of it
Miss Mathews to whom Money was as Dirt indeed she may be thought not to
have known the Value of it delivered him the BankBill and bid him get it
changed »for if the whole« says she »will procure him his Liberty he shall
have it this Evening«
»The whole Madam« answered the Governor as soon as he had recovered his
Breath for it almost forsook him at the Sight of the black Word Hundred »No
no There might be People indeed but I am not one of those A hundred no
nor nothing like it As for myself as I said I will be content with five
Guineas and I am sure thats little enough What other People will expect I
cant exactly say To be sure his Worships Clerk will expect to touch pretty
handsomely as for his Worship himself he never touches any thing that is not
to speak of but then the Constable will expect something and the Watchmen must
have something and the Lawyers on both Sides they must have their Fees for
finishing« »Well« said she »I leave all to you If it costs me 20l I will
have him discharged this Afternoon But you must give his Discharge into my
Hands without letting the Captain know any thing of the Matter«
The Governor promised to obey her Commands in every Particular nay he was
so very industrious that tho Dinner was just then coming upon the Table at
her earnest Request he set out immediately on the Purpose and went as he
said in Pursuit of the Lawyer
All the other Company assembled at Table as usual where poor Booth was the
only Person out of Spirits This was imputed by all present to a wrong Cause
nay Miss Mathews herself either could not or would not suspect that there was
any thing deeper than the Despair of being speedily discharged that lay heavy
on his Mind
However the Mirth of the rest and a pretty liberal Quantity of Punch
which he swallowed after Dinner for Miss Mathews had ordered a very large Bowl
at her own Expence to entertain the good Company at her Farewell so far
exhilarated his Spirits that when the young Lady and he retired to their Tea
he had all the Marks of Gayety in his Countenance and his Eyes sparkled with
good Humour
The Gentleman and Lady had spent about two Hours in Tea and Conversation
when the Governor returned and privately delivered to the Lady the Discharge
for her Friend and the Sum of eightytwo Pounds five Shillings the rest having
been he said disbursed in the Business of which he was ready at any Time to
render an exact Account
Miss Mathews being again alone with Mr Booth she put the Discharge into
his Hands desiring him to ask her no Questions and adding »I think Sir we
have neither of us now any thing more to do at this Place« She then summoned
the Governor and ordered a Bill of that Days Expence for long Scores were not
usual there and at the same time ordered a Hackney Coach without having yet
determined whither she would go but fully determined she was wherever she went
to take Mr Booth with her
The Governor was now approaching with a long Roll of Paper when a faint
Voice was heard to cry out hastily »where is he« and presently a female
Spectre all pale and breathless rushed into the Room and fell into Mr
Booths Arms where she immediately fainted away
Booth made a shift to support his lovely Burthen tho he was himself in a
Condition very little different from hers Miss Mathews likewise who presently
recollected the Face of Amelia was struck motionless with the Surprize nay
the Governor himself tho not easily moved at Sights of Horrour stood aghast
and neither offered to speak nor stir
Happily for Amelia the Governess of the Mansions had out of Curiosity
followed her into the Room and was the only useful Person present on this
Occasion she immediately called for Water and ran to the Ladys Assistance
fell to loosening her Stays and performed all the Offices proper at such a
Season which had so good an Effect that Amelia soon recovered the Disorder
which the violent Agitation of her Spirits had caused and found herself alive
and awake in her Husbands Arms
Some tender Caresses and a soft Whisper or two past privately between Booth
and his Lady nor was it without great Difficulty that poor Amelia put some
Restraint on her Fondness in a Place so improper for a tender Interview She
now cast her Eyes round the Room and fixing them on Miss Mathews who stood
like a Statue she soon recollected her and addressing her by her Name said
»sure Madam I cannot be mistaken in those Features tho meeting you here
might almost make me suspect my Memory«
Miss Mathewss Face was now all covered with Scarlet The Reader may easily
believe she was on no account pleased with Amelias Presence indeed she
expected from her some of those Insults of which virtuous Women are generally
so liberal to a frail Sister but she was mistaken Amelia was not one
Who thought the Nation neer would thrive
Till all the Whores were burnt alive
Her Virtue could support itself with its own intrinsic Worth without borrowing
any Assistance from the Vices of other Women and she considered their natural
Infirmities as the Objects of Pity not of Contempt or Abhorrence
When Amelia therefore perceived the visible Confusion in Miss Mathews she
presently called to Remembrance some Stories which she had imperfectly heard
for as she was not naturally attentive to Scandal and had kept very little
Company since her Return to England she was far from being a Mistress of the
Ladys whole History However she had heard enough to impute her Confusion to
the right Cause she advanced to her and told her she was extremely sorry to
meet her in such a Place but hoped that no very great Misfortune was the
Occasion of it
Miss Mathews began by degrees to recover her Spirits She answered with a
reserved Air »I am much obliged to you Madam for your Concern we are all
liable to Misfortunes in this World Indeed I know not why I should be much
ashamed of being in any Place where I am in such good Company«
Here Booth interposed He had before acquainted Amelia in a Whisper that
his Confinement was at an end »The unfortunate Accident my Dear« said he
»which brought this young Lady to this melancholy Place is entirely determined
and she is now as absolutely at her Liberty as myself«
Amelia imputing the extreme Coldness and Reserve of the Lady to the Cause
already mentioned advanced still more and more in proportion as she drew back
till the Governor who had withdrawn some time returned and acquainted Miss
Mathews that her Coach was at the Door upon which the Company soon separated
Amelia and Booth went together in Amelias Coach and poor Miss Mathews was
obliged to retire alone after having satisfied the Demands of the Governor
which in one Day only had amounted to a pretty considerable Sum for he with
great Dexterity proportioned his Bills to the Abilities of his Guests
It may seem perhaps wonderful to some Readers that Miss Mathews should have
maintained that cold Reserve towards Amelia so as barely to keep within the
Rules of Civility instead of embracing an Opportunity which seemed to offer of
gaining some Degree of Intimacy with a Wife whose Husband she was so fond of
but besides that her Spirits were entirely disconcerted by so sudden and
unexpected a Disappointment and besides the extreme Horrors which she conceived
at the Presence of her Rival there is I believe something so outrageously
suspicious in the Nature of all Vice especially when joined with any great
Degree of Pride that the Eyes of those whom we imagine privy to our Failings
are intolerable to us and we are apt to aggravate their Opinions to our
Disadvantage far beyond the Reality
Chapter III
Containing wise Observations of the Author and other Matters
There is nothing more difficult than to lay down any fixed and certain Rules for
Happiness or indeed to judge with any Precision of the Happiness of others
from the Knowledge of external Circumstances There is sometimes a little Speck
of Black in the brightest and gayest Colours of Fortune which contaminates and
deadens the whole On the contrary when all without looks dark and dismal
there is often a secret Ray of Light within the Mind which turns every thing to
real Joy and Gladness
I have in the Course of my Life seen many Occasions to make this
Observation and Mr Booth was at present a very pregnant Instance of its Truth
He was just delivered from a Prison and in the Possession of his beloved Wife
and Children and which might be imagined greatly to augment his Joy Fortune
had done all this for him within an Hour without giving him the least Warning
or reasonable Expectation of this strange Reverse in his Circumstances and yet
it is certain that there were very few Men in the World more seriously
miserable than he was at this Instant A deep Melancholy seized his Mind and
cold damp Sweats overspread his Person so that he was scarce animated and
poor Amelia instead of a fond warm Husband bestowed her Caresses on a dull
lifeless Lump of Clay He endeavoured however at first as much as possible to
conceal what he felt and attempted what is the hardest of all Tasks to act the
Part of a happy Man but he found no Supply of Spirits to carry on this Deceit
and would have probably sunk under his Attempt had not poor Amelias Simplicity
helped him to another Fallacy in which he had much better Success
This worthy Woman very plainly perceived the Disorder in her Husbands Mind
and having no Doubt of the Cause of it especially when she saw the Tears stand
in his Eyes at the Sight of his Children threw her Arms round his Neck and
embracing him with rapturous Fondness cried out »my dear Billy let nothing
make you uneasy Heaven will I doubt not provide for us and these poor Babes
Great Fortunes are not necessary to Happiness For my own Part I can level my
Mind with any State and for those poor little Things whatever Condition of
Life we breed them to that will be sufficient to maintain them in How many
Thousands abound in Affluence whose Fortunes are much lower than ours for it
is not from Nature but from Education and Habit that our Wants are chiefly
derived Make yourself easy therefore my dear Love for you have a Wife who
will think herself happy with you and endeavour to make you so in any
Situation Fear nothing Billy Industry will always provide us a wholesome
Meal and I will take care that Neatness and Cheerfulness shall make it a
pleasant one«
Booth presently took the Cue which she had given him He fixed his Eyes on
her for a Minute with great Earnestness and inexpressible Tenderness and then
cried »O my Amelia how much are you my Superior in every Perfection How wise
how great how noble are your Sentiments Why can I not imitate what I so much
admire Why can I not look with your Constancy on those dear little Pledges of
our Loves All my Philosophy is baffled with the Thought that my Amelias
Children are to struggle with a cruel hard unfeeling World and to buffet those
Waves of Fortune which have overwhelmed their Father Here I own I want your
Firmness and am not without an Excuse for wanting it for am I not the cruel
Cause of all your Wretchedness Have I not stept between you and Fortune and
been the cursed Obstacle to all your Greatness and Happiness«
»Say not so my Love« answered she »Great I might have been but never
happy with any other Man Indeed dear Billy I laugh at the Fears you formerly
raised in me what seemed so terrible at a Distance now it approaches nearer
appears to have been a mere Bugbear and let this comfort you that I look on
myself at this Day as the happiest of Women nor have I done any thing which I
do not rejoice in and would if I had the Gift of Prescience do again«
Booth was so overcome with this Behaviour that he had no Words to answer
To say the Truth it was difficult to find any worthy of the Occasion He threw
himself prostrate at her Feet whence poor Amelia was forced to use all her
Strength as well as Entreaties to raise and place him in his Chair
Such is ever the Fortitude of perfect Innocence and such the Depression of
Guilt in Minds not utterly abandoned Booth was naturally of a sanguine Temper
nor would any such Apprehensions as he mentioned have been sufficient to have
restrained his Joy at meeting with his Amelia In fact a Reflection on the
Injury he had done her was the sole Cause of his Grief This it was that
enervated his Heart and threw him into Agonies which all that Profusion of
heroic Tenderness that the most excellent of Women intended for his Comfort
served only to heighten and aggravate as the more she rose in his Admiration
the more she quickened his Sense of his own Unworthiness
After a disagreeable Evening the first of that Kind that he had ever past
with his Amelia in which he had the utmost Difficulty to force a little
Cheerfulness and in which her Spirits were at length overpowered by discerning
the Oppression on his they retired to Rest or rather to Misery which need not
be described
The next Morning at Breakfast Booth began to recover a little from his
Melancholy and to taste the Company of his Children He now first thought of
enquiring of Amelia by what Means she had discovered the Place of his
Confinement Amelia after gently rebuking him for not having himself acquainted
her with it informed him that it was known all over the Country and that she
had traced the Original of it to her Sister who had spread the News with a
malicious Joy and added a Circumstance which would have frightned her to
Death had not her Knowledge of him made her give little Credit to it which
was that he was committed for Murder But tho she had discredited this Part
she said the not hearing from him during several successive Posts made her too
apprehensive of the rest That she got a Conveyance therefore for herself and
Children to Salisbury from whence the StageCoach had brought them to Town and
having deposited the Children at his Lodging of which he had sent her an
Account on his first Arrival in Town she took a Hack and came directly to the
Prison where she heard he was and where she found him
Booth excused himself and with Truth as to his not having writ For in
fact he had writ twice from the Prison tho he had mentioned nothing of his
Confinement but as he sent away his Letters after Nine at Night the Fellow to
whom they were entrusted had burnt them both for the Sake of putting the two
Pence in his own Pocket or rather in the Pocket of the Keeper of the next
GinShop
As to the Account which Amelia gave him it served rather to raise than to
satisfy his Curiosity He began to suspect that some Person had seen both him
and Miss Mathews together in the Prison and had confounded her Case with his
and this the Circumstance of Murder made the more probable But who this Person
should be he could not guess After giving himself therefore some Pains in
forming Conjectures to no Purpose he was forced to rest contented with his
Ignorance of the real Truth
Two or three Days now past without producing any thing remarkable unless it
were that Booth more and more recovered his Spirits and had now almost
regained his former Degree of Cheerfulness when the following Letter arrived
again to torment him
»Dear Billy
To convince you I am the most reasonable of Women I have given you
up three whole Days to the unmolested Possession of my fortunate Rival
I can refrain no longer from letting you know that I lodge in
DeanStreet not far from the Church at the Sign of the Pelican and
Trumpet where I expect this Evening to see you Believe me I am with
more Affection than any other Woman in the World can be
My dear Billy
Your affectionate fond doating
F MATHEWS«
Booth tore the Letter with Rage and threw it into the Fire resolving never to
visit the Lady more unless it was to pay her the Money she had lent him which
he was determined to do the very first Opportunity for it was not at present in
his Power
This Letter threw him back into his Fit of Dejection in which he had not
continued long when a Packet from the Country brought him the following from
his Friend Dr Harrison
»Sir
Lyons January 21 NS
Tho I am now on my Return home I have taken up my Pen to
communicate to you some News I have heard from England which gives me
much Uneasiness and concerning which I can indeed deliver my Sentiments
with much more Ease this way than any other In my Answer to your last I
very freely gave you my Opinion in which it was my Misfortune to
disapprove of every Step you had taken but those were all pardonable
Errors Can you be so partial to yourself upon cool and sober
Reflexion to think what I am going to mention is so I promise you it
appears to me a Folly of so monstrous a Kind that had I heard it from
any but a Person of the highest Honour I should have rejected it as
utterly incredible I hope you already guess what I am about to name
since Heaven forbid your Conduct should afford you any Choice of such
gross Instances of Weakness In a word then you have set up an Equipage
What shall I invent in your Excuse either to others or to myself In
truth I can find no Excuse for you and what is more I am certain you
can find none for yourself I must deal therefore very plainly and
sincerely with you Vanity is always contemptible but when joined with
Dishonesty it becomes odious and detestable At whose Expence are you
to support this Equipage Is it not entirely at the Expence of others
and will it not finally end in that of your poor Wife and Children You
know you are two Years in Arrears to me If I could impute this to any
extraordinary or common Accident I think I should never have mentioned
it but I will not suffer my Money to support the ridiculous and I must
say criminal Vanity of any one I expect therefore to find at my
Return that you have either discharged my whole Debt or your Equipage
Let me beg you seriously to consider your Circumstances and Condition in
Life and to remember that your Situation will not justify any the least
unnecessary Expence Simply to be poor says my favourite Greek
Historian was not held scandalous by the wise Athenians but highly so
to owe that Poverty to our own Indiscretion Present my Affections to
Mrs Booth and be assured that I shall not without great Reason and
great Pain too ever cease to be
Your most faithful Friend
R HARRISON«
Had this Letter come at any other time it would have given Booth the most
sensible Affliction but so totally had the Affair of Miss Mathews possessed his
Mind that like a Man in a most raging Fit of the Gout he was scarce capable of
any additional Torture nay he even made a use of this latter Epistle as it
served to account to Amelia for that Concern which he really felt on another
Account The poor deceived Lady therefore applied herself to give him Comfort
where he least wanted it She said he might easily perceive that the Matter had
been misrepresented to the Doctor who would not she was sure retain the least
Anger against him when he knew the real Truth
After a short Conversation on this Subject in which Booth appeared to be
greatly consoled by the Arguments of his Wife they parted He went to take a
Walk in the Park and she remained at home to prepare him his Dinner
He was no sooner departed than his little Boy not quite six Years old said
to Amelia »La Mamma what is the Matter with poor Papa what makes him look so
as if he was going to cry He is not half so merry as he used to be in the
Country« Amelia answered »Oh my dear your Papa is only a little thoughtful
he will be merry again soon« Then looking fondly on her Children she burst
into an Agony of Tears and cried »Oh Heavens what have these poor little
Infants done why will the barbarous World endeavour to starve them by
depriving us of our only Friend O my dear your Father is ruined and we are
undone« The Children presently accompanied their Mothers Tears and the
Daughter cried »Why will any body hurt poor Papa Hath he done any harm to
any body« »No my dear Child« said the Mother »he is the best Man in the
World and therefore they hate him« Upon which the Boy who was extremely
sensible at his Years answered »Nay Mamma how can that be Have not you
often told me that if I was good every body would love me« »All good People
will« answered she »Why dont they love Papa then« replied the Child »for I
am sure he is very good« »So they do my dear« said the Mother »but there are
more bad People in the World and they will hate you for your Goodness« »Why
then bad People« cries the Child »are loved by more than the Good« »No
Matter for that my Dear« said she »the Love of one good Person is more worth
having than that of a thousand wicked ones nay if there was no such Person in
the World still you must be a good Boy for there is one in Heaven who will
love you and his Love is better for you than that of all Mankind«
This little Dialogue we are apprehensive will be read with Contempt by many
indeed we should not have thought it worth recording was it not for the
excellent Example which Amelia here gives to all Mothers This admirable Woman
never let a Day pass without instructing her Children in some Lesson of
Religion and Morality By which Means she had in their tender Minds so strongly
annexed the Ideas of Fear and Shame to every Idea of Evil of which they were
susceptible that it must require great Pains and Length of Habit to separate
them Tho she was the tenderest of Mothers she never suffered any Symptom of
Malevolence to shew itself in their most trifling Actions without
Discouragement without Rebuke and if it broke forth with any Rancour without
Punishment In which she had such Success that not the least Marks of Pride
Envy Malice or Spite discovered itself in any of their little Words or Deeds
Chapter IV
In which Amelia appears in no unamiable Light
Amelia with the Assistance of a little Girl who was their only Servant had
drest her Dinner and she had likewise drest herself as neat as any Lady who had
a regular Set of Servants could have done when Booth returned and brought with
him his Friend James whom he had met with in the Park and who as Booth
absolutely refused to dine away from his Wife to whom he had promised to
return had invited himself to dine with him Amelia had none of that paultry
Pride which possesses so many of her Sex and which disconcerts their Tempers
and gives them the Air and Looks of Furies if their Husbands bring in an
unexpected Guest without giving them timely Warning to provide a Sacrifice to
their own Vanity Amelia received her Husbands Friend with the utmost
Complaisance and good Humour She made indeed some Apology for the Homeliness of
her Dinner but it was politely turned as a Compliment to Mr Jamess
Friendship which could carry him where he was sure of being so ill entertained
and gave not the least Hint how magnificently she would have provided had she
expected the Favour of so much good Company A Phrase which is generally meant
to contain not only an Apology for the Lady of the House but a tacit Satir on
her Guests for their Intrusion and is at least a strong Insinuation that they
are not welcome
Amelia failed not to enquire very earnestly after her old Friend Mrs James
formerly Miss Bath and was very sorry to find that she was not in Town The
Truth was as James had married out of a violent Liking of or Appetite to her
Person Possession had surfeited him and he was now grown so heartily tired of
his Wife that she had very little of his Company she was forced therefore to
content herself with being the Mistress of a large House and Equipage in the
Country ten Months in the Year by herself The other two he indulged her with
the Diversions of the Town but then tho they lodged under the same Roof she
had little more of her Husbands Society than if they had been one hundred
Miles apart With all this as she was a Woman of calm Passions she made
herself contented for she had never had any violent Affection for James the
Match was of the prudent Kind and to her Advantage for his Fortune by the
Death of an Uncle was become very considerable and she had gained every thing
by the Bargain but a Husband which her Constitution suffered her to be very
well satisfied without
When Amelia after Dinner retired to her Children James began to talk to his
Friend concerning his Affairs He advised Booth very earnestly to think of
getting again into the Army in which he himself had met with such Success that
he had obtained the Command of a Regiment to which his BrotherinLaw was
LieutenantColonel These Preferments they both owed to the Favour of Fortune
only for tho there was no Objection to either of their military Characters
yet neither of them had any extraordinary Desert and if Merit in the Service
was a sufficient Recommendation Booth who had been twice wounded in the Siege
seemed to have the fairest Pretensions but he remained a poor halfpay
Lieutenant and the others were as we have said one of them a
LieutenantColonel and the other had a Regiment Such Rises we often see in
Life without being able to give any satisfactory Account of the Means and
therefore ascribe them to the good Fortune of the Person
Both Colonel James and his BrotherinLaw were Members of Parliament for as
the Uncle of the former had left him together with his Estate an almost
certain Interest in a Borough so he chose to confer this Favour on Colonel
Bath a Circumstance which would have been highly immaterial to mention here
but as it serves to set forth the Goodness of James who endeavoured to make up
in Kindness to the Family what he wanted in Fondness for his Wife
Colonel James then endeavoured all in his Power to persuade Booth to think
again of a military Life and very kindly offered him his Interest towards
obtaining him a Company in the Regiment under his Command Booth must have been
a Madman in his present Circumstances to have hesitated one Moment at accepting
such an Offer and he well knew Amelia notwithstanding her Aversion to the
Army was much too wise to make the least Scruple of giving her Consent Nor was
he as it appeared afterwards mistaken in his Opinion of his Wifes
Understanding for she made not the least Objection when it was communicated to
her but contented herself with an express Stipulation that wherever he was
commanded to go for the Regiment was now abroad she would accompany him
Booth therefore accepted his Friends Proposal with a Profusion of
Acknowledgments and it was agreed that Booth should draw up a Memorial of his
Pretensions which Colonel James undertook to present to some Man of Power and
to back it with all the Force he had
Nor did the Friendship of the Colonel stop here »You will excuse me dear
Booth« said he »if after what you have told me« for he had been very
explicite in revealing his Affairs to him »I suspect you must want Money at
this Time If that be the Case as I am certain it must be I have fifty Pieces
at your Service« This Generosity brought the Tears into Booths Eyes and he at
length confest that he had not five Guineas in the House upon which James gave
him a Bankbill for 20l and said he would give him thirty more the next Time he
saw him
Thus did this generous Colonel for generous he really was to the highest
Degree restore Peace and Comfort to this little Family and by this Act of
Beneficence make two of the worthiest People two of the happiest that Evening
Here Reader give me leave to stop a minute to lament that so few are to
be found of this benign Disposition that while Wantonness Vanity Avarice and
Ambition are every Day rioting and triumphing in the Follies and Weakness the
Ruin and Desolation of Mankind scarce one Man in a thousand is capable of
tasting the Happiness of others Nay give me leave to wonder that Pride which
is constantly struggling and often imposing on itself to gain some little
Preeminence should so seldom hint to us the only certain as well as laudable
way of setting ourselves above another Man and that is by becoming his
Benefactor
Chapter V
Containing an Eulogium upon Innocence and other grave Matters
Booth past that Evening and all the succeeding Day with his Amelia without the
Interruption of almost a single Thought concerning Miss Mathews after having
determined to go on the Sunday the only Day he could venture without the Verge
in the present State of his Affairs and pay her what she had advanced for him
in the Prison But she had not so long Patience for the third Day while he was
sitting with Amelia a Letter was brought to him As he knew the Hand he
immediately put it in his Pocket unopened not without such an Alteration in his
Countenance that had Amelia who was then playing with one of the Children
cast her Eyes towards him she must have remarked it This Accident however
luckily gave him Time to recover himself for Amelia was so deeply engaged with
the little one that she did not even remark the Delivery of the Letter The
Maid soon after returned into the Room saying the Chairman desired to know if
there was any Answer to the Letter »What Letter« cries Booth »The Letter
I gave you just now« answered the Girl »Sure« cries Booth »the Child is
mad you gave me no Letter« »Yes indeed I did Sir« said the poor Girl
»Why then as sure as Fate« cries Booth »I threw it into the Fire in my
Reverèe why Child why did you not tell me it was a Letter Bid the Chairman
come up stay I will go down myself for he will otherwise dirt the Stairs
with his Feet«
Amelia was gently chiding the Girl for her Carelessness when Booth
returned saying it was very true that she had delivered him a Letter from
Colonel James and that perhaps it might be of Consequence »However« says he
»I will step to the Coffeehouse and send him an Account of this strange
Accident which I know he will pardon in my present Situation«
Booth was overjoyed at this Escape which poor Amelias total Want of all
Jealousy and Suspicion made it very easy for him to accomplish but his
Pleasure was considerably abated when upon opening the Letter he found it to
contain mixed with several very strong Expressions of Love some pretty warm
ones of the upbraiding Kind but what most alarmed him was a Hint that it was
in her Power Miss Mathewss Power to make Amelia as miserable as herself
Besides the general Knowledge of
Furens quid Foemina possit
he had more particular Reasons to apprehend the Rage of a Lady who had given so
strong an Instance how far she could carry her Revenge She had already sent a
Chairman to his Lodgings with a positive Command not to return without an
Answer to her Letter This might of itself have possibly occasioned a Discovery
and he thought he had great Reason to fear that if she did not carry Matters so
far as purposely and avowedly to reveal the Secret to Amelia her Indiscretion
would at least effect the Discovery of that which he would at any Price have
concealed Under these Terrours he might I believe be considered as the most
wretched of human Beings
O Innocence how glorious and happy a Portion art thou to the Breast that
possesses thee Thou fearest neither the Eyes nor the Tongues of Men Truth the
most powerful of all things is thy strongest Friend and the brighter the Light
is in which thou art displayed the more it discovers thy transcendent Beauties
Guilt on the contrary like a base Thief suspects every Eye that beholds him
to be privy to his Transgressons and every Tongue that mentions his Name to be
proclaiming them Fraud and Falshood are his weak and treacherous Allies and he
lurks trembling in the Dark dreading every Ray of Light lest it should
discover him and give him up to Shame and Punishment
While Booth was walking in the Park with all these Horrors in his Mind he
again met his Friend Colonel James who soon took notice of that deep Concern
which the other was incapable of hiding After some little Conversation Booth
said »my dear Colonel I am sure I must be the most insensible of Men if I did
not look on you as the best and the truest Friend I will therefore without
Scruple repose a Confidence in you of the highest Kind I have often made you
privy to my Necessities I will now acquaint you with my Shame provided you
have Leisure enough to give me a Hearing for I must open to you a long History
since I will not reveal my Fault without informing you at the same time of
those Circumstances which I hope will in some measure excuse it«
The Colonel very readily agreed to give his Friend a patient Hearing So
they walked directly to a Coffeehouse at the Corner of SpringGarden where
being in a Room by themselves Booth opened his whole Heart and acquainted the
Colonel with his Amour with Miss Mathews from the very Beginning to his
receiving that Letter which had caused all his present Uneasiness and which he
now delivered into his Friends Hand
The Colonel read the Letter very attentively twice over he was silent
indeed long enough to have read it oftener and then turning to Booth said
»Well Sir and is it so grievous a Calamity to be the Object of a young Ladys
Affection especially of one whom you allow to be so extremely handsome« »Nay
but my dear Friend« cries Booth »do not jest with me you who know my Amelia«
»Well my dear Friend« answered James »and you know Amelia and this Lady too
But what would you have me do for you« »I would have you give me your
Advice« says Booth »by what Method I shall get rid of this dreadful Woman
without a Discovery« »And do you really« cries the other »desire to get rid
of her« »Can you doubt it« said Booth »after what I have communicated to you
and after what you yourself have seen in my Family for I hope notwithstanding
this fatal Slip I do not appear to you in the Light of a Profligate« »Well«
answered James »and whatever Light I may appear to you in if you are really
tired of the Lady and if she be really what you have represented her Ill
endeavour to take her off your Hands but I insist upon it that you do not
deceive me in any Particular« Booth protested in the most solemn manner that
every Word which he had spoken was strictly true and being asked whether he
would give his Honour never more to visit the Lady he assured James that he
never would He then at his Friends Request delivered him Miss Mathewss
Letter in which was a second Direction to her Lodgings and declared to him
that if he could bring him safely out of this terrible Affair he should think
himself to have a still higher Obligation to his Friendship than any which he
had already received from it
Booth pressed the Colonel to go home with him to Dinner but he excused
himself being as he said already engaged However he undertook in the
Afternoon to do all in his Power that Booth should receive no more Alarms from
the Quarter of Miss Mathews whom the Colonel undertook to pay all the Demands
she had on his Friend They then separated The Colonel went to Dinner at the
Kings Arms and Booth returned in high Spirits to meet his Amelia
The next Day early in the Morning the Colonel came to the Coffeehouse and
sent for his Friend who lodged but at a little Distance The Colonel told him
he had a little exaggerated the Ladys Beauty however he said he excused
that »for you might think perhaps« cries he »that your Inconstancy to the
finest Woman in the World might want some Excuse Be that as it will« said he
»you may make yourself easy as it will be I am convinced your own Fault if
you have ever any further Molestation from Miss Mathews«
Booth poured forth very warmly a great Profusion of Gratitude on this
Occasion and nothing more anywise material past at this Interview which was
very short the Colonel being in a great Hurry as he had he said some
Business of very great Importance to transact that Morning
The Colonel had now seen Booth twice without remembring to give him the
thirty Pound This the latter imputed intirely to Forgetfulness for he had
always found the Promises of the former to be equal in Value with the Notes or
Bonds of other People He was more surprized at what happened the next Day when
meeting his Friend in the Park he received only a cold Salute from him and
tho he past him five or six times and the Colonel was walking with a single
Officer of no great Rank and with whom he seemed in no earnest Conversation
yet could not Booth who was alone obtain any further Notice from him
This gave the poor Man some Alarm tho he could scarce persuade himself
there was any Design in all this Coldness or Forgetfulness Once he imagined
that he had lessened himself in the Colonels Opinion by having discovered his
Inconstancy to Amelia but the known Character of the other presently cured him
of this Suspicion for he was a perfect Libertine with regard to Women that
being indeed the principal Blemish in his Character which otherwise might have
deserved much Commendation for Goodnature Generosity and Friendship But he
carried this one to a most unpardonable Height and made no Scruple of openly
declaring that if he ever liked a Woman well enough to be uneasy on her
account he would cure himself if he could by enjoying her whatever might be
the Consequence
Booth could not therefore be persuaded that the Colonel would so highly
resent in another a Fault of which he was himself most notoriously guilty
After much Consideration he could derive this Behaviour from nothing better
than a Capriciousness in his Friends Temper from a kind of Inconstancy of
Mind which makes Men grow weary of their Friends with no more Reason than they
often are of their Mistresses To say the Truth there are Jilts in Friendship
as well as in Love and by the Behaviour of some Men in both one would almost
imagine that they industriously sought to gain the Affections of others with a
View only of making the Parties miserable
This was the Consequence of the Colonels Behaviour to Booth Former
Calamities had afflicted him but this almost distracted him and the more so
as he was not able well to account for such Conduct nor to conceive the Reason
of it
Amelia at his Return presently perceived the Disturbance in his Mind tho
he endeavoured with his utmost Power to hide it and he was at length prevailed
upon by her Entreaties to discover to her the Cause of it which she no sooner
heard than she applied as judicious a Remedy to his disordered Spirits as
either of those great mental Physicians Tully or Aristotle could have thought
of She used many Arguments to persuade him that he was in an Error and had
mistaken Forgetfulness and Carelessness for a designd Neglect
But as this Physic was only eventually good and as its Efficacy depended on
her being in the right a Point in which she was not apt to be too positive she
thought fit to add some Consolation of a more certain and positive kind
»Admit« said she »my Dear that Mr James should prove the unaccountable
Person you have suspected and should without being able to alledge any Cause
withdraw his Friendship from you for surely the Accident of burning his Letter
is too trifling and ridiculous to mention why should this grieve you The
Obligations he hath conferd on you I allow ought to make his Misfortunes
almost your own but they should not I think make you see his Faults so very
sensibly especially when by one of the greatest Faults in the World committed
against yourself he hath considerably lessened all Obligations For sure if
the same Person who hath contributed to my Happiness at one time doth every
thing in his Power maliciously and wantonly to make me miserable at another I
am very little obliged to such a Person And let it be a Comfort to my dear
Billy that however other Friends may prove false and fickle to him he hath one
Friend whom no Inconstancy of her own nor any Change of his Fortune nor Time
nor Age nor Sickness nor any Accident can ever alter but who will esteem
will love and doat on him for ever« So saying she flung her snowy Arms about
his Neck and gave him a Caress so tender that it seemed almost to balance all
the Malice of his Fate
And indeed the Behaviour of Amelia would have made him completely happy
in defiance of all adverse Circumstances had it not been for those bitter
Ingredients which he himself had thrown into his Cup and which prevented him
from truly relishing his Amelias Sweetness by cruelly reminding him how
unworthy he was of this excellent Creature
Booth did not long remain in the dark as to the Conduct of James which at
first appeared to him to be so great a Mystery for this very Afternoon he
received a Letter from Miss Mathews which unravelled the whole Affair By this
Letter which was full of Bitterness and Upbraiding he discovered that James
was his Rival with that Lady and was indeed the identical Person who had sent
the 100l Note to Miss Mathews when in the Prison He had Reason to believe
likewise as well by the Letter as by other Circumstances that James had
hitherto been an unsuccessful Lover for the Lady tho she had forfeited all
Title to Virtue had not yet so far forfeited all Pretensions to Delicacy as to
be like the Dirt in the Street indifferently common to all She distributed
her Favours only to those she liked in which Number that Gentleman had not the
Happiness of being included
When Booth had made this Discovery he was not so little versed in human
Nature as any longer to hesitate at the true Motive to the Colonels Conduct
for he well knew how odious a Sight a happy Rival is to an unfortunate Lover I
believe he was in reality glad to assign the cold Treatment he had received from
his Friend to a Cause which however injustifiable is at the same time highly
natural and to acquit him of a Levity Fickleness and Caprice which he must
have been unwillingly obliged to have seen in a much worse Light
He now resolved to take the first Opportunity of accosting the Colonel and
of coming to a perfect Explanation upon the whole Matter He debated likewise
with himself whether he should not throw himself at Amelias Feet and confess
a Crime to her which he found so little Hopes of concealing and which he
foresaw would occasion him so many Difficulties and Terrors to endeavour to
conceal Happy had it been for him had he wisely pursued this Step since in
great Probability he would have received immediate Forgiveness from that best of
Women but he had not sufficient Resolution or to speak perhaps more truly
he had too much Pride to confess his Guilt and preferred the Danger of the
highest Inconveniences to the Certainty of being put to the Blush
Chapter VI
In which may appear that Violence is sometimes done to the Name of Love
When that happy Day came in which unhallowed Hands are forbidden to contaminate
the Shoulders of the unfortunate Booth went early to the Colonels House and
being admitted to his Presence began with great Freedom though with great
Gentleness to complain of his not having dealt with him with more Openness
»Why my dear Colonel« said he »would you not acquaint me with that Secret
which this Letter hath disclosed« James read the Letter at which his
Countenance changed more than once and then after a short Silence said »Mr
Booth I have been to blame I own it and you upbraid me with Justice The true
Reason was that I was ashamed of my own Folly Dn me Booth if I have not
been a most consummate Fool a very Dupe to this Woman and she hath a
particular Pleasure in making me so I know what the Impertinence of Virtue is
and I can submit to it but to be treated thus by a Whore You must forgive
me dear Booth but your Success was a Kind of Triumph over me which I could not
bear I own I have not the least Reason to conceive any Anger against you and
yet curse me if I should not have been less displeased at your lying with my
own Wife nay I could almost have parted with half my Fortune to you more
willingly than have suffered you to receive that Trifle of my Money which you
received at her Hands However I ask your Pardon and I promise you I will
never more think of you with the least Illwill on the account of this Woman
but as for her dn me if I do not enjoy her by some means or other whatever
it costs me for I am already above 200l out of Pocket without having scarce
had a Smile in return«
Booth exprest much Astonishment at this Declaration he said he could not
conceive how it was possible to have such an Affection for a Woman who did not
shew the least Inclination to return it James gave her a hearty Curse and
said »Pox of her Inclination I want only the Possession other Person and that
you will allow is a very fine one But besides my Passion for her she hath now
piqued my Pride for how can a Man of my Fortune brook being refused by a
Whore« »Since you are so set on the Business« cries Booth »you will excuse my
saying so I fancy you had better change your Method of applying to her for as
she is perhaps the vainest Woman upon Earth your Bounty may probably do you
little Service nay may rather actually disoblige her Vanity is plainly her
predominant Passion and if you will administer to that it will infallibly
throw her into your Arms To this I attribute my own unfortunate Success While
she relieved my Wants and Distresses she was daily feeding her own Vanity
whereas as every Gift of yours asserted your Superiority it rather offended
than pleased her Indeed Women generally love to be of the obliging Side and if
we examine their Favourites we shall find them to be much oftner such as they
have conferred Obligations on than such as they have received them from«
There was something in this Speech which pleased the Colonel and he said
with a Smile »I dont know how it is Will but you know Women better than I«
»Perhaps Colonel« answered Booth »I have studied their Minds more« »I dont
however much envy you your Knowledge« replyd the other »for I never think
their Minds worth considering However I hope I shall profit a little by your
Experience with Miss Mathews Damnation seize the proud insolent Harlot The
Devil take me if I dont love her more than I ever loved a Woman«
The Rest of their Conversation turned on Booths Affairs The Colonel again
reassumed the Part of a Friend gave him the Remainder of the Money and
promised to take the first Opportunity of laying his Memorial before a great
Man
Booth was greatly overjoyed at this Success Nothing now lay on his Mind
but to conceal his Frailty from Amelia to whom he was afraid Miss Mathews in
the Rage of her Resentment would communicate it This Apprehension made him stay
almost constantly at home and he trembled at every Knock at the Door His Fear
moreover betrayed him into a Meanness which he would have heartily despised on
any other Occasion This was to order the Maid to deliver him any Letter
directed to Amelia at the same time strictly charging her not to acquaint her
Mistress with her having received any such Orders
A Servant of any Acuteness would have formed strange Conjectures from such
an Injunction but this poor Girl was of perfect Simplicity so great indeed was
her Simplicity that had not Amelia been void of all Suspicion of her Husband
the Maid would have soon after betrayed her Master
One Afternoon while they were drinking Tea little Betty so was the Maid
called came into the Room and calling her Master forth delivered him a Card
which was directed to Amelia Booth having read the Card on his Return into the
Room chid the Girl for calling him saying »if you can read Child you must
see it was directed to your Mistress« To this the Girl answered pertly
enough »I am sure Sir you ordered me to bring every Letter first to you«
This Hint with many Women would have been sufficient to have blown up the whole
Affair but Amelia who heard what the Girl said through the Medium of Love and
Confidence saw the Matter in a much better Light than it deserved and looking
tenderly on her Husband said »Indeed my Love I must blame you for a Conduct
which perhaps I ought rather to praise as it proceeds only from the extreme
Tenderness of your Affection But why will you endeavour to keep any Secrets
from me Believe me for my own sake you ought not for as you cannot hide the
Consequences you make me always suspect ten times worse than the Reality While
I have you and my Children well before my Eyes I am capable of facing any News
which can arrive for what ill News can come unless indeed it concerns my
little Babe in the Country which doth not relate to the Badness of our
Circumstances and those I thank Heaven we have now a fair Prospect of
retrieving Besides dear Billy though my Understanding be much inferiour to
yours I have sometimes had the Happiness of luckily hitting on some Argument
which hath afforded you Comfort This you know my dear was the Case with
regard to Colonel James whom I persuaded you to think you had mistaken and you
see the Event proved me in the right« So happily both for herself and Mr
Booth did the Excellence of this good Womans Disposition deceive her and
force her to see every thing in the most advantageous Light to her Husband
The Card being now inspected was found to contain the Compliments of Mrs
James to Mrs Booth with an Account of her being arrived in Town and having
brought with her a very great Cold Amelia was overjoyed at the News of her
Arrival and having drest herself in the utmost Hurry left her Children to the
Care of her Husband and ran away to pay her Respects to her Friend whom she
loved with a most sincere Affection But how was she disappointed when eager
with the utmost Impatience and exulting with the Thoughts of presently seeing
her beloved Friend she was answered at the Door that the Lady was not at home
nor could she upon telling her Name obtain any Admission This considering
the Account she had received of the Ladys Cold greatly surprized her and she
returned home very much vexed at her Disappointment
Amelia who had no Suspicion that Mrs James was really at home and as the
Phrase is was denied would have made a second Visit the next Morning had she
not been prevented by a Cold which she herself now got and which was attended
with a slight Fever This confined her several Days to her House during which
Booth officiated as her Nurse and never stirred from her
In all this Time she heard not a Word from Mrs James which gave her some
Uneasiness but more Astonishment The tenth Day when she was perfectly
recovered about nine in the Evening when she and her Husband were just going
to Supper she heard a most violent Thundering at the Door and presently after
a Rustling of Silk upon her StairCase at the same time a female Voice cried
out pretty loud »Bless me what am I to climb up another Pair of Stairs« Upon
which Amelia who well knew the Voice presently ran to the Door and ushered
in Mrs James most splendidly drest who put on as formal a Countenance and
made as formal a Courtesie to her old Friend as if she had been her very
distant Acquaintance
Poor Amelia who was going to rush into her Friends Arms was struck
motionless by this Behaviour but recollecting her Spirits as she had an
excellent Presence of Mind she presently understood what the Lady meant and
resolved to treat her in her own way Down therefore the Company sat and
Silence prevailed for some time during which Mrs James surveyed the Room with
more Attention than she would have bestowed on one much finer At length the
Conversation began in which the Weather and the Diversions of the Town were
well canvassed Amelia who was a Woman of great Humour performed her Part to
Admiration so that a Bystander would have doubted in every other Article than
Dress which of the two was the most accomplished fine Lady
After a Visit of twenty Minutes during which not a Word of any former
Occurrences was mentioned nor indeed any Subject of Discourse started except
only those two abovementioned Mrs James rose from her Chair and retired in
the same formal Manner in which she had approached We will pursue her for the
sake of the Contrast during the rest of the Evening She went from Amelia
directly to a Rout where she spent two Hours in a Croud of Company talked
again and again over the Diversions and News of the Town played two Rubbers at
Whiske and then retired to her own Apartment where having past another Hour in
undressing herself she went to her own Bed
Booth and his Wife the Moment their Companion was gone sat down to Supper
on a Piece of cold Meat the Remains of their Dinner After which over a Pint
of Wine they entertained themselves for a while with the ridiculous Behaviour
of their Visitant But Amelia declaring she rather saw her as the Object of Pity
than Anger turned the Discourse to pleasanter Topics The little Actions of
their Children the former Scenes and future Prospects of their Life furnished
them with many pleasant Ideas and the Contemplation of Amelias Recovery threw
Booth into Raptures At length they retired happy in each other
It is possible some Readers may be no less surprized at the Behaviour of
Mrs James than was Amelia herself since they may have perhaps received so
favourable an Impression of that Lady from the Account given of her by Mr
Booth that her present Demeanour may seem unnatural and inconsistent with her
former Character But they will be pleased to consider the great Alteration in
her Circumstances from a State of Dependency on a Brother who was himself no
better than a Soldier of Fortune to that of being Wife to a Man of a very large
Estate and considerable Rank in Life And what was her present Behaviour more
than that of a fine Lady who considered Form and Show as essential Ingredients
of human Happiness and imagined all Friendship to consist in Ceremony
Curtsies Messages and Visits In which Opinion she hath the Honour to think
with much the larger Part of one Sex and no small Number of the other
Chapter VII
Containing a very extraordinary and pleasant Incident
The next Evening Booth and Amelia went to walk in the Park with their Children
They were now on the Verge of the Parade and Booth was describing to his Wife
the several Buildings round it when on a sudden Amelia missing her little Boy
cried out »wheres little Billy« upon which Booth casting his Eyes over the
Grass saw a FootSoldier shaking the Boy at a little Distance At this Sight
without making any Answer to his Wife he leapt over the Rails and running
directly up to the Fellow who had a Firelock with a Bayonet fixed in his Hand
he seized him by the Collar and tript up his Heels and at the same time
wrested his Arms from him A Serjeant upon Duty seeing the Affray at some
Distance ran presently up and being told what had happened gave the Centinel a
hearty Curse and told him he deserved to be hanged A Bystander gave this
Information for Booth was returned with his little Boy to meet Amelia who
staggered towards him as fast as she could all pale and breathless and scarce
able to support her tottering Limbs The Serjeant now came up to Booth to make
an Apology for the Behaviour of the Soldier when of a sudden he turned almost
as pale as Amelia herself He stood silent whilst Booth was employed in
comforting and recovering his Wife and then addressing himself to him said
»bless me Lieutenant could I imagine it had been your Honour and was it my
little Master that the Rascal used so I am glad I did not know it for I
should certainly have run my Halbert into him«
Booth presently recognized his old faithful Servant Atkinson and gave him a
hearty Greeting saying he was very glad to see him in his present Situation
»Whatever I am« answered the Serjeant »I shall always think I owe it to your
Honour« Then taking the little Boy by the Hand he cried »what a vast fine
young Gentleman Master is grown« and cursing the Soldiers Inhumanity swore
heartily he would make him pay for it
As Amelia was much disordered with her Fright she did not recollect her
FosterBrother till he was introduced to her by Booth but she no sooner knew
him than she bestowed a most obliging Smile on him and calling him by the Name
of honest Joe said she was heartily glad to see him in England »See my
Dear« cries Booth »what Preferment your old Friend is come to You would
scarce know him I believe in his present State of Finery« »I am very well
pleased to see it« answered Amelia »and I wish him Joy of being made an
Officer with all my Heart« In fact from what Mr Booth said joined to the
Serjeants laced Coat she believed that he had obtained a Commission So weak
and absurd is human Vanity that this Mistake of Amelias possibly put poor
Atkinson out of Countenance for he looked at this Instant more silly than he
had ever done in his Life and making her a most respectful Bow muttered
something about Obligations in a scarce articulate or intelligible manner
The Serjeant had indeed among many other Qualities that Modesty which a
Latin Author honours by the Name of ingenuous Nature had given him this
notwithstanding the Meanness of his Birth and six Years Conversation in the
Army had not taken it away To say the Truth he was a noble Fellow and Amelia
by supposing he had a Commission in the Guards had been guilty of no Affront to
that honourable Body
Booth had a real Affection for Atkinson tho in fact he knew not half his
Merit He acquainted him with his Lodgings where he earnestly desired to see
him
Amelia who was far from being recovered from the Terrors into which the
seeing her Husband engaged with the Soldier had thrown her desired to go home
nor was she well able to walk without some Assistance While she supported
herself therefore on her Husbands Arm she told Atkinson she should be obliged
to him if he would take care of the Children He readily accepted the Office
but upon offering his Hand to Miss she refused and burst into Tears Upon
which the tender Mother resigned Booth to her Children and put herself under
the Serjeants Protection who conducted her safe home tho she often declared
she feared she should drop down by the way The Fear of which so affected the
Serjeant for besides the Honour which he himself had for the Lady he knew how
tenderly his Friend loved her that he was unable to speak and had not his
Nerves been so strongly braced that nothing could shake them he had enough in
his Mind to have set him a trembling equally with the Lady
When they arrived at the Lodgings the Mistress of the House opened the
Door who seeing Amelias Condition threw open the Parlour and begged her to
walk in upon which she immediately flung herself into a Chair and all present
thought she would have fainted away However she escaped that Misery and
having drank a Glass of Water with a little white Wine mixed in it she began in
a little time to regain her Complexion and at length assured Booth that she was
perfectly recovered but declared she had never undergone so much and earnestly
begged him never to be so rash for the future She then called her little Boy
and gently chid him saying »you must never do so more Billy you see what
Mischief you might have brought upon your Father and what you have made me
suffer« »La Mamma« said the Child »what Harm did I do I did not know that
People might not walk in the green Fields in London I am sure if I did a Fault
the Man punished me enough for it for he pinched me almost through my slender
Arm« He then bared his little Arm which was greatly discoloured by the Injury
it had received Booth uttered a most dreadful Execration at this Sight and
the Serjeant who was now present did the like
Atkinson now returned to his Guard and went directly to the Officer to
acquaint him with the Soldiers Inhumanity but he who was about fifteen Years
of Age gave the Serjeant a great Curse and said the Soldier had done very
well for that idle Boys ought to be corrected This however did not satisfy
poor Atkinson who the next Day as soon as the Guard was relieved beat the
Fellow most unmercifully and told him he would remember him as long as he
stayed in the Regiment
Thus ended this trifling Adventure which some Readers will perhaps be
pleased with seeing related at full Length None I think can fail drawing one
Observation from it namely how capable the most insignificant Accident is of
disturbing human Happiness and of producing the most unexpected and dreadful
Events A Reflection which may serve to many moral and religious Uses
This Accident produced the first Acquaintance between the Mistress of the
House and her Lodgers for hitherto they had scarce exchanged a Word together
But the great Concern which the good Woman had shewn on Amelias account at this
Time was not likely to pass unobserved or unthanked either by the Husband or
Wife Amelia therefore as soon as she was able to go up Stairs invited Mrs
Ellison for that was her Name to her Apartment and desired the Favour of her
to stay to Supper She readily complied and they past a very agreeable Evening
together in which the two Women seemed to have conceived a most extraordinary
Liking to each other
Tho Beauty in general doth not greatly recommend one Woman to another as
it is too apt to create Envy yet in Cases where this Passion doth not
interfere a fine Woman is often a pleasing Object even to some of her own Sex
especially when her Beauty is attended with a certain Air of Affability as was
that of Amelia in the highest Degree She was indeed a most charming Woman
and I know not whether the little Scar on her Nose did not rather add to than
diminish her Beauty
Mrs Ellison therefore was as much charmed with the Loveliness of her fair
Lodger as with all her other engaging Qualities She was indeed so taken with
Amelias Beauty that she could not refrain from crying out in a kind of
Transport of Admiration »upon my Word Captain Booth you are the happiest Man
in the World Your Lady is so extremely handsome that one cannot look at her
without Pleasure«
This good Woman herself had none of these attractive Charms to the Eye Her
Person was short and immoderately fat her Features were none of the most
regular and her Complexion if indeed she ever had a good one had considerably
suffered by Time
Her good Humour and Complaisance however were highly pleasing to Amelia
Nay why should we conceal the secret Satisfaction which that Lady felt from the
Compliments paid to her Person since such of my Readers as like her best will
not be sorry to find that she was a Woman
Chapter VIII
Containing various Matters
A Fortnight had now past since Booth had seen or heard from the Colonel which
did not a little surprize him as they had parted so good Friends and as he had
so cordially undertaken his Cause concerning the Memorial on which all his
Hopes depended
The Uneasiness which this gave him farther encreased on finding that his
Friend refused to see him for he had paid the Colonel a Visit at Nine in the
Morning and was told he was not stirring and at his Return back an Hour
afterwards the Servant said his Master was gone out of which Booth was certain
of the Falsehood for he had during that whole Hour walked backwards and
forwards within Sight of the Colonels Door and must have seen him if he had
gone out within that Time
The good Colonel however did not long suffer his Friend to continue in the
deplorable State of Anxiety for the very next Morning Booth received his
Memorial inclosed in a Letter acquainting him that Mr James had mentioned his
Affair to the Person he proposed but that the great Man had so many Engagements
on his Hands that it was impossible for him to make any further Promises at
this Time
The cold and distant Stile of this Letter and indeed the whole Behaviour of
James so different from what it had been formerly had something so mysterious
in it that it greatly puzzled and perplexed poor Booth and it was so long
before he was able to solve it that the Readers Curiosity will perhaps be
obliged to us for not leaving him so long in the dark as to this Matter The
true Reason then of the Colonels Conduct was this His unbounded Generosity
together with the unbounded Extravagance and consequently the great Necessity
of Miss Mathews had at length overcome the Cruelty of that Lady with whom he
likewise had luckily no Rival Above all the Desire of being revenged on Booth
with whom she was to the highest Degree enraged had perhaps contributed not a
little to his Success for she had no sooner condescended to a Familiarity with
her new Lover and discovered that Captain James of whom she had heard so much
from Booth was no other than the identical Colonel than she employed every Art
of which she was Mistress to make an utter Breach of Friendship between these
two For this Purpose she did not scruple to insinuate that the Colonel was not
at all obliged to the Character given of him by his Friend and to the Account
of this latter she placed most of the Cruelty which she had shewn to the former
Had the Colonel made a proper Use of his Reason and fairly examined the
Probability of the Fact he could scarce have been imposed upon to believe a
Matter so inconsistent with all he knew of Booth and in which that Gentleman
must have sinned against all the Laws of Honour without any visible Temptation
But in solemn fact the Colonel was so intoxicated with his Love that it was in
the Power of his Mistress to have persuaded him of any thing besides he had an
Interest in giving her Credit for he was not a little pleased with finding a
Reason for hating the Man whom he could not help hating without any Reason at
least without any which he durst fairly assign even to himself Henceforth
therefore he abandoned all Friendship for Booth and was more inclined to put
him out of the World than to endeavour any longer at supporting him in it
Booth communicated this Letter to his Wife who endeavoured as usual to
the utmost of her Power to console him under one of the greatest Afflictions
which I think can befal a Man namely the Unkindness of a Friend but he had
luckily at the same time the greatest Blessing in his Possession the Kindness
of a faithful and beloved Wife A Blessing however which tho it compensates
most of the Evils of Life rather serves to aggravate the Misfortune of
distresssd Circumstances from the Consideration of the Share which she is to
bear in them
This Afternoon Amelia received a second Visit from Mrs Ellison who
acquainted her that she had a Present of a Ticket for the Oratorio which would
carry two Persons into the Gallery and therefore begged the Favour of her
Company thither
Amelia with many Thanks acknowledged the Civility of Mrs Ellison but
declined accepting her Offer upon which Booth very strenuously insisted on her
going and said to her »my Dear if you knew the Satisfaction I have in any of
your Pleasures I am convinced you would not refuse the Favour Mrs Ellison is
so kind to offer you for as you are a Lover of Music you who have never been
at an Oratorio cannot conceive how you will be delighted« »I well know your
Goodness my Dear« answered Amelia »but I cannot think of leaving my Children
without some Person more proper to take care of them than this poor Girl« Mrs
Ellison removed this Objection by offering her own Servant a very discreet
Matron to attend them but notwithstanding this and all she could say with the
Assistance of Booth and of the Children themselves Amelia still persisted in
her Refusal and the Mistress of the House who knew how far good Breeding
allows Persons to be pressing on these Occasions took her Leave
She was no sooner departed than Amelia looking tenderly on her Husband
said »how can you my dear Creature think that Music hath any Charms for me at
this Time Or indeed do you believe that I am capable of any Sensation worthy
the Name of Pleasure when neither you nor my Children are present or bear any
part of it«
An Officer of the Regiment to which Booth had formerly belonged hearing
from Atkinson where he lodged now came to pay him a Visit He told him that
several of their old Acquaintance were to meet the next Wednesday at a Tavern
and very strongly pressed him to be one of the Company Booth was in truth what
is called a hearty Fellow and loved now and then to take a chearful Glass with
his Friends but he excused himself at this Time His Friend declared he would
take no Denial and he growing very importunate Amelia at length seconded him
Upon this Booth answered »well my Dear since you desire me I will comply
but on one Condition that you go at the same time to the Oratorio« Amelia
thought this Request reasonable enough and gave her Consent of which Mrs
Ellison presently received the News and with great Satisfaction
It may perhaps be asked why Booth could go to the Tavern and not to the
Oratorio with his Wife In truth then the Tavern was within hallowed Ground
that is to say in the Verge of the Court for of five Officers that were to
meet there three besides Booth were confined to that Air which hath been
always found extremely wholesome to a broken military Constitution And here if
the good Reader will pardon the Pun he will scarce be offended at the
Observation since how is it possible that without running in Debt any Persons
should maintain the Dress and Appearance of a Gentleman whose Income is not
half so good as that of a Porter It is true that this Allowance small as it
is is a great Expence to the Public but if several more unnecessary Charges
were spared the Public might perhaps bear a little Encrease of this without
much feeling it They would not I am sure have equal Reason to complain at
contributing to the Maintenance of a Set of brave Fellows who at the Hazard of
their Health their Limbs and their Lives have maintained the Safety and Honour
of their Country as when they find themselves taxed to the Support of a Set of
Drones who have not the least Merit or Claim to their Favour and who without
contributing in any manner to the Good of the Hive live luxuriously on the
Labours of the industrious Bee
Chapter IX
In which Amelia with her Friend goes to the Oratorio
Nothing happened between the Monday and the Wednesday worthy a Place in this
History Upon the Evening of the latter the two Ladies went to the Oratorio and
were there time enough to get a first Row in the Galery Indeed there was only
one Person in the House when they came for Amelias Inclinations when she gave
a Loose to them were pretty eager for this Diversion she being a great Lover
of Music and particularly of Mr Handels Compositions Mrs Ellison was I
suppose a great Lover likewise of Music for she was the more impatient of the
two which was rather the more extraordinary as these Entertainments were not
such Novelties to her as they were to poor Amelia
Tho our Ladies arrived full two Hours before they saw the Back of Mr
Handel yet this Time of Expectation did not hang extremely heavy on their
Hands for besides their own Chat they had the Company of the Gentleman whom
they found at their first Arrival in the Galery and who though plainly or
rather roughly dressed very luckily for the Women happened to be not only
wellbred but a Person of very lively Conversation The Gentleman on his part
seemed highly charmed with Amelia and in fact was so for though he restrained
himself entirely within the Rules of GoodBreeding yet was he in the highest
Degree officious to catch at every Opportunity of shewing his Respect and doing
her little Services He procured her a Book and WaxCandle and held the Candle
for her himself during the whole Entertainment
At the End of the Oratorio he declared he would not leave the Ladies till
he had seen them safe into thei Chairs or Coach and at the same time very
earnestly entreated that he might have the Honour of waiting on them Upon which
Mrs Ellison who was a very goodhumoured Woman answered »Ay sure Sir if
you please you have been very obliging to us and a Dish of Tea shall be at
your Service at any time« and then told him where she lived
The Ladies were no sooner seated in their Hackneycoach than Mrs Ellison
burst into a loud Laughter and cried »Ill be hanged Madam if you have not
made a Conquest to night and what is very pleasant I believe the poor
Gentleman takes you for a single Lady« »Nay« answered Amelia very gravely »I
protest I began to think at last he was rather too particular though he did not
venture at a Word that I could be offended at but if you fancy any such thing
I am sorry you invited him to drink Tea« »Why so« replied Mrs Ellison »Are
you angry with a Man for liking you If you are you will be angry with almost
every Man that sees you If I was a Man myself I declare I should be in the
Number of your Admirers Poor Gentleman I pity him heartily he little knows
that you have not a Heart to dispose of For my own part I should not be
surprized at seeing a serious Proposal of Marriage for I am convinced he is a
Man of Fortune not only by the Politeness of his Address but by the Fineness
of his Linen and that valuable DiamondRing on his Finger But you will see
more of him when he comes to Tea« »Indeed I shall not« answered Amelia »tho
I believe you only rally me I hope you have a better Opinion of me than to
think I would go willingly into the Company of a Man who had an improper Liking
for me« Mrs Ellison who was one of the gayest Women in the World repeated
the Words improper Liking with a Laugh and cried »My dear Mrs Booth
believe me you are too handsome and too goodhumourd for a Prude How can you
affect being offended at what I am convinced is the greatest Pleasure of
Womankind and chiefly I believe of us virtuous Women for I assure you
notwithstanding my Gaiety I am as virtuous as any Prude in Europe« »Far be it
from me Madam« said Amelia »to suspect the contrary of abundance of Women
who indulge themselves in much greater Freedoms than I should take or have any
Pleasure in taking for I solemnly protest if I know my own Heart the liking
of all Men but of one is a Matter quite indifferent to me or rather would be
highly disagreeable«
This Discourse brought them home where Amelia finding her Children asleep
and her Husband not returned invited her Companion to partake of her homely
Fare and down they sat to Supper together The Clock struck twelve and no News
being arrived of Booth Mrs Ellison began to express some Astonishment at his
Stay whence she launched into a general Reflexion on Husbands and soon past to
some particular Invectives on her own »Ah my dear Madam« says she »I know
the present State of your Mind by what I have myself often felt formerly I am
no Stranger to the melancholy Tone of a midnight Clock It was my Misfortune to
drag on a heavy Chain above fifteen Years with a sottish Yokefellow But how
can I wonder at my Fate since I see even your superiour Charms cant confine a
Husband from the bewitching Pleasures of a Bottle« »Indeed Madam« says
Amelia »I have no Reason to complain Mr Booth is one of the soberest of Men
but now and then to spend a late Hour with his Friend is I think highly
excusable« »O no doubt« cries Mrs Ellison »if he can excuse himself but if
I was a Man « Here Booth came in and interrupted the Discourse Amelias Eyes
flashed with Joy the Moment he appeared and he discovered no less Pleasure in
seeing her His Spirits were indeed a little elevated with Wine so as to
heighten his Goodhumour without in the least disordering his Understanding
and made him such delightful Company that though it was past one in the
Morning neither his Wife nor Mrs Ellison thought of their Beds during a
whole Hour
Early the next Morning the Serjeant came to Mr Booths Lodgings and with a
melancholy Countenance acquainted him that he had been the Night before at an
Alehouse where he heard one Mr Murphy an Attorney declare that he would get
a Warrant backed against one Captain Booth at the next Board of GreenCloth »I
hope Sir« said he »your Honour will pardon me but by what he said I was
afraid he meant your Honour and therefore I thought it my Duty to tell you for
I knew the same thing happen to a Gentleman here tother Day«
Booth gave Mr Atkinson many Thanks for his Information »I doubt not« said
he »but I am the Person meant for it would be foolish in me to deny that I am
liable to Apprehensions of that sort« »I hope Sir« said the Serjeant »your
Honour will soon have Reason to fear no Man living but in the mean time if any
Accident should happen my Bail is at your Service as far as it will go and I
am a Housekeeper and can swear myself worth 100l« Which hearty and friendly
Declaration received all those Acknowledgments from Booth which it really
deserved
The poor Gentleman was greatly alarmed at this News but he was altogether
as much surprized at Murphys being the Attorney employed against him as all
his Debts except only to Captain James arose in the Country where he did not
know that Mr Murphy had any Acquaintance However he made no doubt that he was
the Person intended and resolved to remain a close Prisoner in his own
Lodgings till he saw the Event of a Proposal which had been made him the
Evening before at the Tavern where an honest Gentleman who had a Post under
the Government and who was one of the Company had promised to serve him with
the Secretary at War telling him that he made no doubt of procuring him whole
Pay in a Regiment abroad which in his present Circumstances was very highly
worth his Acceptance when indeed that and a Goal seemed to be the only
Alternatives that offered themselves to his Choice
Mr Booth and his Lady spent that Afternoon with Mrs Ellison An Incident
which we should scarce have mentioned had it not been that Amelia gave on this
Occasion an Instance of that Prudence which should never be off its Guard in
married Women of Delicacy for before she would consent to drink Tea with Mrs
Ellison she made Conditions that the Gentleman who had met them at the
Oratorio should not be let in Indeed this Circumspection proved unnecessary in
the present Instance for no such Visitor ever came a Circumstance which gave
great Content to Amelia for that Lady had been a little uneasy at the Raillery
of Mrs Ellison and had upon Reflexion magnified every little Compliment made
her and every little Civility shewn her by the unknown Gentleman far beyond
the Truth These Imaginations now all subsided again and she imputed all that
Mrs Ellison had said either to Raillery or Mistake
A young Lady made a fourth with them at Whisk and likewise stayed the whole
Evening Her Name was Bennet She was about the Age of five and twenty but
Sickness had given her an older Look and had a good deal diminished her Beauty
of which young as she was she plainly appeared to have only the Remains in her
present Possession She was in one particular the very Reverse of Mrs Ellison
being altogether as remarkably grave as the other was gay This Gravity was not
however attended with any Sourness of Temper On the contrary she had much
Sweetness in her Countenance and was perfectly wellbred In short Amelia
imputed her grave Deportment to her ill Health and began to entertain a
Compassion for her which in good Minds that is to say in Minds capable of
Compassion is certain to introduce some little Degree of Love or Friendship
Amelia was in short so pleased with the Conversation of this Lady that
though a Woman of no impertinent Curiosity she could not help taking the first
Opportunity of enquiring who she was Mrs Ellison said that she was an unhappy
Lady who had married a young Clergyman for Love who dying of a Consumption
had left her a Widow in very indifferent Circumstances This Account made Amelia
still pity her more and consequently added to the Liking which she had already
conceived for her Amelia therefore desired Mrs Ellison to bring her acquainted
with Mistress Bennet and said she would go any Day with her to make that Lady a
Visit »There need be no Ceremony« cried Mrs Ellison »she is a Woman of no
Form and as I saw plainly she was extremely pleased with Mrs Booth I am
convinced I can bring her to drink Tea with you any Afternoon you please«
The two next Days Booth continued at home highly to the Satisfaction of his
Amelia who really knew no Happiness out of his Company nor scarce any Misery
in it She had indeed at all times so much of his Company when in his Power
that she had no occasion to assign any particular Reason for his staying with
her and consequently it could give her no Cause of Suspicion The Saturday one
of her Children was a little disordered with a feverish Complaint which
confined her to her Room and prevented her drinking Tea in the Afternoon with
her Husband in Mrs Ellisons Apartment where a noble Lord a Cousin of Mrs
Ellisons happened to be present for though that Lady was reduced in her
Circumstances and obliged to let out Part of her House in Lodgings she was
born of a good Family and had some considerable Relations
His Lordship was not himself in any Office of State but his Fortune gave
him great Authority with those who were Mrs Ellison therefore very bluntly
took an Opportunity of recommending Booth to his Consideration She took the
first Hint from my Lords calling the Gentleman Captain To which she answered
»Ay I wish your Lordship would make him so It would be but an Act of
Justice and I know it is in your Power to do much greater things« She then
mentioned Booths Services and the Wounds he had received at the Siege of
which she had heard a faithful Account from Amelia Booth blushed and was as
silent as a young Virgin at the hearing her own Praises His Lordship answered
»Cousin Ellison you know you may command my Interest nay I shall have a
Pleasure in serving one of Mr Booths Character for my part I think Merit in
all Capacities ought to be encouraged but I know the Ministry are greatly
pestered with Solicitations at this time However Mr Booth may be assured I
will take the first Opportunity and in the mean time I shall be glad of seeing
him any Morning he pleases« For all these Declarations Booth was not wanting
in Acknowledgments to the generous Peer any more than he was in secret
Gratitude to the Lady who had shewn so friendly and uncommon a Zeal in his
Favour
The Reader when he knows the Character of this Nobleman may perhaps
conclude that his seeing Booth alone was a lucky Circumstance for he was so
passionate an Admirer of Women that he could scarce have escaped the Attraction
of Amelias Beauty And few Men as I have observed have such disinterested
Generosity as to serve a Husband the better because they are in Love with his
Wife unless she will condescend to pay a Price beyond the Reach of a virtuous
Woman
Book V
Chapter I
In which the Reader will meet with an old Acquaintance
Booths Affairs were put on a better Aspect than they had ever worn before and
he was willing to make use of the Opportunity of one Day in seven to taste the
fresh Air
At Nine in the Morning he went to pay a Visit to his old Friend Colonel
James resolving if possible to have a full Explanation of that Behaviour
which appeared to him so mysterious but the Colonel was as inaccessible as the
best defended Fortress and it was as impossible for Booth to pass beyond his
Entry as the Spaniards found it to take Gibraltar He received the usual
Answers first that the Colonel was not stirring and an Hour after that he was
gone out All that he got by asking further Questions was only to receive still
ruder and ruder Answers by which if he had been very sagacious he might have
been satisfied how little worth his while it was to desire to go in for the
Porter at a great Mans Door is a kind of Thermometer by which you may discover
the Warmth or Coldness of his Masters Friendship Nay in the highest Stations
of all as the great Man himself hath his different kinds of Salutation from an
hearty Embrace with a Kiss and my dear Lord or dear Sir Charles down to well
Mr what would you have me do So the Porter to some bows with Respect to
others with a Smile to some he bows more to others less low to others not at
all Some he just lets in and others he just shuts out And in all this they so
well correspond that one would be inclined to think that the great Man and his
Porter had compared their Lists together and like two Actors concerned to act
different Parts in the same Scene had rehearsed their Parts privately together
before they ventured to perform in Public
Tho Booth did not perhaps see the whole Matter in this just Light for that
in reality it is yet he was discerning enough to conclude from the Behaviour
of the Servant especially when he considered that of the Master likewise that
he had entirely lost the Friendship of James and this Conviction gave him a
Concern that not only the flattering Prospect of his Lordships Favour was not
able to compensate but which even obliterated and made him for a while forget
the Situation in which he had left his Amelia and he wandered about almost two
Hours scarce knowing where he went till at last he dropt into a Coffeehouse
near St Jamess where he sat himself down
He had scarce drank his Dish of Coffee before he heard a young Officer of
the Guards cry to another »Od dm me Jack here he comes heres old Honour
and Dignity faith« Upon which he saw a Chair open and out issued a most erect
and stately Figure indeed with a vast Perriwig on his Head and a vast Hat
under his Arm This august Personage having entered the Room walked directly up
to the upper End where having paid his Respects to all present of any Note to
each according to Seniority he at last cast his Eyes on Booth and very
civilly tho somewhat coldly asked him how he did
Booth who had long recognized the Features of his old Acquaintance Major
Bath returned the Compliment with a very low Bow but did not venture to make
the first Advance to Familiarity as he was truly possessed of that Quality
which the Greeks considered in the highest Light of Honour and which we term
Modesty tho indeed neither ours nor the Latin Language hath any Word adequate
to the Idea of the Original
The Colonel after having discharged himself of two or three Articles of
News and made his Comments upon them when the next Chair to him became vacant
called upon Booth to fill it He then asked him several Questions relating to
his Affairs and when he heard he was out of the Army advised him earnestly to
use all means to get in again saying that he was a pretty Lad and they must
not lose him
Booth told him in a Whisper that he had a great deal to say to him on that
Subject if they were in a more private Place upon this the Colonel proposed a
Walk in the Park which the other readily accepted
During their Walk Booth opened his Heart and among other Matters
acquainted Colonel Bath that he feared he had lost the Friendship of Colonel
James »though I am not« said he »conscious of having done the least thing to
deserve it«
Bath answered »You are certainly mistaken Mr Booth I have indeed scarce
seen my Brother since my coming to Town for I have been here but two Days
however I am convinced he is a Man of too nice Honour to do any thing
inconsistent with the true Dignity of a Gentleman« Booth answered »he was far
from accusing him of any thing dishonourable« »Dn me« said Bath »if there
is a Man alive can or dare accuse him If you have the least Reason to take any
thing ill why dont you go to him you are a Gentleman and his Rank doth not
protect him from giving you Satisfaction« »The Affair is not of any such kind«
says Booth »I have great Obligations to the Colonel and have more reason to
lament than complain and if I could but see him I am convinced I should have
no cause for either but I cannot get within his House it was but an Hour ago
a Servant of his turned me rudely from the Door« »Did a Servant of my Brother
use you rudely« said the Colonel with the utmost Gravity »I do not know Sir
in what Light you see such things but to me the Affront of a Servant is the
Affront of the Master and if he doth not immediately punish it by all the
Dignity of Man I would see the Masters Nose between my Fingers« Booth offered
to explain but to no Purpose the Colonel was got into his Stilts and it was
impossible to take him down nay it was as much as Booth could possibly do to
part with him without an actual Quarrel nor would he perhaps have been able to
have accomplished it had not the Colonel by Accident turned at last to take
Booths Side of the Question and before they separated he swore many Oaths
that James should give him proper Satisfaction
Such was the End of this present Interview so little to the Content of
Booth that he was heartily concerned he had ever mentioned a Syllable of the
Matter to his honourable Friend
Chapter II
In which Booth pays a Visit to the noble Lord
When that Day of the Week returned in which Mr Booth chose to walk abroad he
went to wait on the noble Peer according to his kind Invitation
Booth now found a very different Reception with this great Mans Porter
from what he had met with at his Friend the Colonels He no sooner told his
Name than the Porter with a Bow told him his Lordship was at home the Door
immediately flew wide open and he was conducted to an Antichamber where a
Servant told him he would acquaint his Lordship with his Arrival Nor did he
wait many Minutes before the same Servant returned and ushered him to his
Lordships Apartment
He found my Lord alone and was received by him in the most courteous Manner
imaginable After the first Ceremonials were over his Lordship began in the
following Words »Mr Booth I do assure you you are very much obliged to my
Cousin Ellison She hath given you such a Character that I shall have a Pleasure
in doing any thing in my Power to serve you But it will be very difficult I
am afraid to get you a Rank at home In the WestIndies perhaps or in some
Regiment abroad it may be more easy and when I consider your Reputation as a
Soldier I make no doubt of your Readiness to go to any Place where the Service
of your Country shall call you« Booth answered »that he was highly obliged to
his Lordship and assured him he would with great Chearfulness attend his Duty
in any Part of the World The only thing grievous in the Exchange of Countries«
said he »in my Opinion is to leave those I love behind me and I am sure I
shall never have a second Trial equal to my first It was very hard my Lord to
leave a young Wife big with her first Child and so affected with my Absence
that I had the utmost Reason to despair of ever seeing her more After such a
Demonstration of my Resolution to sacrifice every other Consideration to my
Duty I hope your Lordship will honour me with some Confidence that I shall
make no Objection to serve in any Country« »My dear Mr Booth« answered the
Lord »you speak like a Soldier and I greatly honour your Sentiments Indeed I
own the Justice of your Inference from the Example you have given For to quit
a Wife as you say in the very Infancy of Marriage is I acknowledge some
Trial of Resolution« Booth answered with a low Bow and then after some
immaterial Conversation his Lordship promised to speak immediately to the
Minister and appointed Mr Booth to come to him again on the Wednesday Morning
that he might be acquainted with his Patrons Success The poor Man now blushed
and looked silly till after some time he summoned up all his Courage to his
Assistance and relying on the others Friendship he opened the whole Affair of
his Circumstances and confessed that he did not dare stir from his Lodgings
above one Day in Seven His Lordship expressed great Concern at this Account
and very kindly promised to take some Opportunity of calling on him at his
Cousin Ellisons when he hoped he said to bring him comfortable Tidings
Booth soon afterwards took his Leave with the most profuse Acknowledgments
for so much Goodness and hastened Home to acquaint his Amelia with what had so
greatly overjoyed him She highly congratulated him on his having found so
generous and powerful a Friend towards whom both their Bosoms burnt with the
warmest Sentiments of Gratitude She was not however contented till she had
made Booth renew his Promise in the most solemn Manner of taking her with him
After which they sat down with their little Children to a Scrag of Mutton and
Broth with the highest Satisfaction and very heartily drank his Lordships
Health in a Pot of Porter
In the Afternoon this happy Couple if the Reader will allow me to call poor
People happy drank Tea with Mrs Ellison where his Lordships Praises being
again repeated by both the Husband and Wife were very loudly echoed by Mrs
Ellison While they were here the young Lady whom we have mentioned at the End
of the last Book to have made a Fourth at Whist and with whom Amelia seemed so
much pleased came in she was just returned to Town from a short Visit in the
Country and her present Visit was unexpected It was however very agreeable to
Amelia who liked her still better upon a second Interview and was resolved to
solicit her further Acquaintance
Mrs Bennet still maintained some little Reserve but was much more familiar
and communicative than before She appeared moreover to be as little ceremonious
as Mrs Ellison had reported her and very readily accepted Amelias Apology for
not paying her the first Visit and agreed to drink Tea with her the very next
Afternoon
Whilst the abovementioned Company were sitting in Mrs Ellisons Parlour
Serjeant Atkinson passed by the Window and knocked at the Door Mrs Ellison no
sooner saw him than she said »pray Mr Booth who is that genteel young
Serjeant He was here every Day last Week to enquire after you« This was
indeed a Fact the Serjeant was apprehensive of the Design of Murphy but as the
poor Fellow had received all his Answers from the Maid or Mrs Ellison Booth
had never heard a word of the Matter He was however greatly pleased with what
he was now told and burst forth into great Praises of the Serjeant which were
seconded by Amelia who added that he was her FosterBrother and she believed
one of the honestest Fellows in the World
»And Ill swear« cries Mrs Ellison »he is one of the prettiest Do Mr
Booth desire him to walk in A Serjeant of the Guards is a Gentleman and I had
rather give such a Man as you describe a Dish of Tea than any Beau Fribble of
them all«
Booth wanted no great Solicitation to shew any kind of Regard to Atkinson
and accordingly the Serjeant was ushered in tho not without some Reluctance on
his Side There is perhaps nothing more uneasy than those Sensations which the
French call the mauvaise Honte nor any more difficult to conquer and poor
Atkinson would I am persuaded have mounted a Breach with less Concern than he
shewed in walking cross a Room before three Ladies two of whom were his avowed
well Wishers
Tho I do not entirely agree with the late learned Mr Essex the celebrated
DancingMasters Opinion that Dancing is the Rudiment of polite Education as
he would I apprehend exclude every other Art and Science yet is it certain
that Persons whose Feet have never been under the Hands of the Professors of
that Art are apt to discover this Want in their Education in every Motion nay
even when they stand or sit still They seem indeed to be overburthened with
Limbs which they know not how to use as if when Nature hath finished her Work
the DancingMaster still is necessary to put it in Motion
Atkinson was at present an Example of this Observation which doth so much
Honour to a Profession for which I have a very high Regard He was handsome and
exquisitely well made and yet as he had never learnt to dance he made so
awkward an Appearance in Mrs Ellisons Parlour that the good Lady herself who
had invited him in could at first scarce refrain from Laughter at his
Behaviour
He had not however been long in the Room before Admiration of his Person
got the better of such risible Ideas So great is the Advantage of Beauty in Men
as well as Women and so sure is this Quality in either Sex of procuring some
Regard from the Beholder
The exceeding courteous Behaviour of Mrs Ellison joined to that of Amelia
and Booth at length dissipated the Uneasiness of Atkinson and he gained
sufficient Confidence to tell the Company some entertaining Stories of
Accidents that had happened in the Army within his Knowledge which tho they
greatly pleased all present are not however of Consequence enough to have a
Place in this History
Mrs Ellison was so very importunate with her Company to stay Supper that
they all consented As for the Serjeant he seemed to be none of the least
welcome Guests She was indeed so pleased with what she had heard of him and
what she saw of him that when a little warmed with Wine for she was no
Flincher at the Bottle she began to indulge some Freedoms in her Discourse
towards him that a little offended Amelias Delicacy nay they did not seem to
be highly relished by the other Lady Tho I am far from insinuating that these
exceeded the Bounds of Decorum or were indeed greater Liberties than Ladies of
the middle Age and especially Widows do frequently allow to themselves
Chapter III
Relating principally to the Affairs of Serjeant Atkinson
The next Day when all the same Company Atkinson only excepted assembled in
Amelias Apartment Mrs Ellison presently began to discourse of him and that
in Terms not only of Approbation but even of Affection She called him her
clever Serjeant and her dear Serjeant repeated often that he was the prettiest
Fellow in the Army and said it was a thousand Pities he had not a Commission
for that if he had she was sure he would become a General
»I am of your Opinion Madam« answered Booth »and he hath got 100l of his
own already if he could find a Wife now to help him to two or three hundred
more I think he might easily get a Commission in a Marching Regiment for I am
convinced there is no Colonel in the Army would refuse him«
»Refuse him indeed« said Mrs Ellison »no He would be a very pretty
Colonel that did And upon my Honour I believe there are very few Ladies who
would refuse him if he had but a proper Opportunity of soliciting them The
Colonel and the Lady both would be better off than with one of those pretty
Masters that I see walking about and dragging their long Swords after them
when they should rather drag their LeadingStrings«
»Well said« cries Booth »and spoken like a Woman of Spirit Indeed I
believe they would be both better served«
»True Captain« answered Mrs Ellison »I would rather leave the two first
Syllables out of the Word Gentleman than the last«
»Nay I assure you« replied Booth »there is not a quieter Creature in the
World Tho the Fellow hath the Bravery of a Lion he hath the Meekness of a
Lamb I can tell you Stories enow of that Kind and so can my dear Amelia when
he was a Boy«
»O if the Match sticks there« cries Amelia »I positively will not spoil
his Fortune by my Silence I can answer for him from his Infancy that he was
one of the best natured Lads in the World I will tell you a Story or two of
him the Truth of which I can testify from my own Knowledge When he was but six
Years old he was at Play with me at my Mothers House and a great Pointingdog
bit him through the Leg The poor Lad in the Midst of the Anguish of his Wound
declared he was overjoyed it had not happened to Miss for the same Dog had
just before snapt at me and my Petticoats had been my Defence Another
Instance of his Goodness which greatly recommended him to my Father and which I
have loved him for ever since was this My Father was a great Lover of Birds
and strictly forbad the spoiling of their Nests Poor Joe was one Day caught
upon a Tree and being concluded guilty was severely lashed for it but it was
afterwards discovered that another Boy a Friend of Joes had robbed the Nest
of its young ones and poor Joe had climbed the Tree in order to restore them
notwithstanding which he submitted to the Punishment rather than he would
impeach his Companion But if these Stories appear childish and trifling the
Duty and Kindness he hath shewn to his Mother must recommend him to every one
Ever since he hath been fifteen Years old he hath more than half supported her
and when my Brother died I remember particularly Joe at his Desire for he was
much his Favourite had one of his Suits given him but instead of his becoming
finer on that Occasion another young Fellow came to Church in my Brothers
Cloaths and my old Nurse appeared the same Sunday in a new Gown which her Son
had purchased for her with the Sale of his Legacy«
»Well I protest he is a very worthy Creature« said Mrs Bennet
»He is a charming Fellow« cries Mrs Ellison »but then the Name of
Serjeant Captain Booth there as the Play says my Pride brings me off again
And whatsoever the Sages charge on Pride
The Angels Fall and twenty other good Faults beside
On Earth Im sure Im sure something calling
Pride saves Man and our Sex too from falling«
Here a Footmans Rap at the Door shook the Room Upon which Mrs Ellison running
to the Window cryd out »let me die if it is not my Lord what shall I do I
must be at home to him but suppose he should enquire for you Captain what
shall I say or will you go down with me«
The Company were in some Confusion at this Instant and before they had
agreed on any thing Booths little Girl came running into the Room and said
»there was a prodigious great Gentleman coming up Stairs« She was immediately
followed by his Lordship who as he knew Booth must be at home made very
little or no Enquiry at the Door
Amelia was taken somewhat at a Surprize but she was too polite to shew much
Confusion for though she knew nothing of the Town she had had a genteel
Education and kept the best Company the Country afforded The Ceremonies
therefore past as usual and they all sat down
His Lordship soon addressed himself to Booth saying »As I have what I
think good News for you Sir I could not delay giving myself the Pleasure of
communicating it to you I have mentioned your Affair where I promised you and
I have no doubt of my Success One may easily perceive you know from the
Manner of Peoples behaving upon such Occasions and indeed when I related your
Case I found there was much Inclination to serve you Great Men Mr Booth must
do things in their own Time but I think you may depend on having something done
very soon«
Booth made many Acknowledgments for his Lordships Goodness and now a
second time paid all the Thanks which would have been due even had the Favour
been obtained This Art of promising is the Oeconomy of a great Mans Pride a
sort of good Husbandry in conferring Favours by which they receive tenfold in
Acknowledgments for every Obligation I mean among those who really intend the
Service for there are others who cheat poor Men of their Thanks without ever
designing to deserve them at all
This Matter being sufficiently discussed the Conversation took a gayer
Turn and my Lord began to entertain the Ladies with some of that elegant
Discourse which tho most delightful to hear it is impossible should ever be
read
His Lordship was so highly pleased with Amelia that he could not help being
somewhat particular to her but this Particularity distinguished itself only in
a higher Degree of Respect and was so very polite and so very distant that she
herself was pleased and at his Departure which was not till he had far
exceeded the Length of a common Visit declared he was the finest Gentleman she
had ever seen with which Sentiment her Husband and Mrs Ellison both entirely
concurred
Mrs Bennet on the contrary exprest some little Dislike to my Lords
Complaisance which she called excessive »For my own Part« said she »I have
not the least Relish for those very fine Gentlemen what the World generally
calls Politeness I term Insincerity and I am more charmed with the Stories
which Mrs Booth told us of the honest Serjeant than with all that the finest
Gentlemen in the World ever said in their Lives«
»O to be sure« cries Mrs Ellison »All for Love or the World well Lost
is a Motto very proper for some Folks to wear in their Coat of Arms but the
Generality of the World will I believe agree with that Ladys Opinion of my
Cousin rather than with Mrs Bennet«
Mrs Bennet seeing Mrs Ellison took Offence at what she said thought
proper to make some Apology which was very readily accepted and so ended the
Visit
We cannot however put an End to the Chapter without observing that such is
the ambitious Temper of Beauty that it may always apply to itself that
celebrated Passage in Lucan
Nec quenquam jam ferre potest Cæsarve priorem
Pompeiusve parem
Indeed I believe it may be laid down as a general Rule that no Woman who hath
any great Pretensions to Admiration is ever well pleased in a Company where
she perceives herself to fill only the second Place This Observation however I
humbly submit to the Judgment of the Ladies and hope it will be considered as
retracted by me if they shall dissent from my Opinon
Chapter IV
Containing Matters that require no Preface
When Booth and his Wife were left alone together they both extremely exulted in
their good Fortune in having found so good a Friend as his Lordship nor were
they wanting in very warm Expressions of their Gratitude towards Mrs Ellison
After which they began to lay down Schemes of Living when Booth should have his
Commission of Captain and after the exactest Computation concluded that with
OEconomy they should be able to save at least fifty Pounds a Year out of
their Income in order to pay their Debts
These Matters being well settled Amelia asked Booth what he thought of Mrs
Bennet »I think my Dear« answered Booth »that she hath been formerly a very
pretty Woman« »I am mistaken« replied she »if she be not a very good
Creature I dont know I ever took such a Liking to any one on so short an
Acquaintance I fancy she hath been a very spritely Woman For if you observe
she discovers by starts a great Vivacity in her Countenance« »I made the same
Observation« cries Booth »sure some strange Misfortune hath befallen her« »A
Misfortune indeed« answered Amelia »sure Child you forget what Mrs Ellison
told us that she had lost a beloved Husband A Misfortune which I have often
wondered at any Womans surviving« at which Words she cast a tender Look at
Booth and presently afterwards throwing herself upon his Neck cried »O
Heavens what a happy Creature am I when I consider the Dangers you have gone
through how I exult in my Bliss« The good natured Reader will suppose that
Booth was not deficient in returning such Tenderness after which the
Conversation became too fond to be here related
The next Morning Mrs Ellison addressed herself to Booth as follows »I
shall make no Apology Sir for what I am going to say as it proceeds from my
Friendship to yourself and your dear Lady I am convinced then Sir there is
something more than Accident in your going Abroad only one Day in the Week Now
Sir if as I am afraid Matters are not altogether as well as I wish them I
beg since I do not believe you are provided with a Lawyer that you will suffer
me to recommend one to you The Person I shall mention is I assure you of much
Ability in his Profession and I have known him do great Services to Gentlemen
under a Cloud Do not be ashamed of your Circumstances my dear Friend They are
a much greater Scandal to those who have left so much Merit unprovided for«
Booth gave Mrs Ellison abundance of Thanks for her Kindness and
explicitely confest to her that her Conjectures were right and without
Hesitation accepted the Offer of her Friends Assistance
Mrs Ellison then acquainted him with her Apprehensions on his Account She
said she had both Yesterday and this Morning seen two or three very ugly
suspicious Fellows pass several times by her Window »Upon all Accounts« said
she »my dear Sir I advise you to keep yourself close confined till the Lawyer
hath been with you I am sure he will get you your Liberty at least of walking
about within the Verge Theres something to be done with the Board of Green
Cloth I dont know what but this I know that several Gentlemen have lived
here a long Time very comfortably and have defied all the Vengance of their
Creditors However in the mean time you must be a close Prisoner with your
Lady and I believe there is no Man in England but would exchange his Liberty
for the same Goal«
She then departed in order to send for the Attorney and presently
afterwards the Serjeant arrived with News of the like Kind He said he had
scraped an Acquaintance with Murphy »I hope your Honour will pardon me« cries
Atkinson »but I pretended to have a small Demand upon your Honour myself and
offered to employ him in the Business Upon which he told me that if I would go
with him to the Marshals Court and make Affidavit of my Debt he should be
able very shortly to get it me for I shall have the Captain in Hold cries he
within a Day or two I wish« said the Serjeant »I could do your Honour any
Service Shall I walk about all Day before the Door or shall I be Porter and
watch it in the Inside till your Honour can find some means of securing
yourself I hope you will not be offended at me but I beg you would take care
of falling into Murphys Hands for he hath the Character of the greatest
Villain upon Earth I am afraid you will think me too bold Sir but I have a
little Money if it can be of any Service do pray your Honour command it It
can never do me so much Good any other way Consider Sir I owe all I have to
yourself and my dear Mistress«
Booth stood a Moment as if he had been Thunderstruck and then the Tears
bursting from his Eyes he said »Upon my Soul Atkinson you overcome me I
scarce ever heard of so much Goodness nor do I know how to express my
Sentiments of it But be assured as for your Money I will not accept it and
let it satisfy you that in my present Circumstances it would do me no essential
Service but this be assured of likewise that whilst I live I shall never
forget the Kindness of the Offer However as I apprehend I may be in some
Danger of Fellows getting into the House for a Day or two as I have no Guard
but a poor little Girl I will not refuse the Goodness you offer to shew in my
Protection And I make no doubt but Mrs Ellison will let you sit in her Parlour
for that Purpose«
Atkinson with the utmost Readiness undertook the Office of Porter and Mrs
Ellison as readily allotted him a Place in her Backparlour where he continued
three Days together from Eight in the Morning till Twelve at Night during
which Time he had sometimes the Company of Mrs Ellison and sometimes of Booth
Amelia and Mrs Bennet too for this last had taken as great a Fancy to Amelia
as Amelia had to her and therefore as Mr Booths Affairs were now no Secret in
the Neighbourhood made her frequent Visits during the Confinement of her
Husband and consequently her own
Nothing as I remember happened in this Interval of Time more worthy
Notice than the following Card which Amelia received from her old Acquaintance
Mrs James »Mrs James sends her Compliments to Mrs Booth and desires to know
how she does for as she hath not had the Favour of seeing her at her own House
or of meeting her in any public Place in so long Time fears it may be owing to
ill Health«
Amelia had long given over all Thoughts of her Friend and doubted not but
that she was as entirely given over by her she was very much surprized at this
Message and under some Doubt whether it was not meant as an Insult especially
from the mention of public Places which she thought so inconsistent with her
present Circumstances of which she supposed Mrs James was well apprized
However at the Entreaty of her Husband who languished for nothing more than to
be again reconciled to his Friend James Amelia undertook to pay the Lady a
Visit and to examine into the Mystery of this Conduct which appeared to her so
unaccountable
Mrs James received her with a Degree of Civility that amazed Amelia no
less than her Coldness had done before She resolved to come to an
Eclaircissement and having sat out some Company that came in when they were
alone together Amelia after some Silence and many Offers to speak at last
said »my dear Jenny if you will now suffer me to call you by so familiar a
Name have you entirely forgot a certain young Lady who had the Pleasure of
being your intimate Acquaintance at Montpelier« »Whom do you mean dear
Madam« cries Mrs James with great Concern »I mean myself« answered Amelia
»You surprize me Madam« replied Mrs James »How can you ask me that
Question« »Nay my Dear I do not intend to offend you« cries Amelia »but I
am really desirous to solve to myself the Reason of that Coldness which you
shewed me when you did me the Favour of a Visit Can you think my Dear I was
not disappointed when I expected to meet an intimate Friend to receive a cold
formal Visitant I desire you to examine your own Heart and answer me honestly
if you do not think I had some little Reason to be dissatisfied with your
Behaviour« »Indeed Mrs Booth« answered the other Lady »you surprize me very
much if there was any thing displeasing to you in my Behaviour I am extremely
concerned at it I did not know I had been defective in any of the Rules of
Civility but if I was Madam I ask your Pardon« »Is Civility then my Dear«
replied Amelia »a synonymous Term with Friendship Could I have expected when I
parted the last Time with Miss Jenny Bath to have met her the next Time in the
Shape of a fine Lady complaining of the Hardship of climbing up two Pair of
Stairs to visit me and then approaching me with the distant Air of a new or a
slight Acquaintance Do you think my dear Mrs James if the Tables had been
turned if my Fortune had been as high in the World as yours and you in my
Distress and abject Condition that I would not have climbed as high as the
Monument to visit you« »Sure Madam« cries Mrs James »I mistake you or you
have greatly mistaken me Can you complain of my not visiting you who have owed
me a Visit almost these three Weeks Nay did I not even then send you a Card
which sure was doing more than all the Friendship and good Breeding in the World
required but indeed as I had met you in no public Place I really thought you
was ill« »How can you mention public Places to me« said Amelia »when you can
hardly be a Stranger to my present Situation Did you not know Madam that I
was ruined« »No indeed Madam did I not« replied Mrs James »I am sure I
should have been highly concerned if I had« »Why sure my Dear« cries Amelia
»you could not imagine that we were in affluent Circumstances when you found us
in such a Place and in such a Condition« »Nay my Dear« answered Mrs James
»since you are pleased to mention it first yourself I own I was a little
surprized to see you in no better Lodgings but I concluded you had your own
Reasons for liking them and for my own part I have laid it down as a positive
Rule never to enquire into the private Affairs of any one especially of my
Friends I am not of the Humour of some Ladies who confine the Circle of their
Acquaintance to one Part of the Town and would not be known to visit in the
City for the World For my part I never dropt an Acquaintance with any one
while it was reputable to keep it up and I can solemnly declare I have not a
Friend in the World for whom I have a greater Esteem than I have for Mrs Booth
«
At this Instant the Arrival of a new Visitant put an end to the Discourse
and Amelia soon after took her Leave without the least Anger but with some
little unavoidable Contempt for a Lady in whose Opinion as we have hinted
before outward Form and Ceremony constituted the whole Essence of Friendship
who valued all her Acquaintance alike as each Individual served equally to fill
up a Place in her visiting Roll and who in reality had not the least Concern
for the good Qualities or Wellbeing of any of them
Chapter V
Containing much heroic Matter
At the End of three Days Mrs Ellisons Friend had so far purchased Mr Booths
Liberty that he could walk again abroad within the Verge without any Danger of
having a Warrant backed against him by the Board before he had Notice As for
the illlooked Persons that had given the Alarm it was now discovered that
another unhappy Gentleman and not Booth was the Object of their Pursuit
Mr Booth now being delivered from his Fears went as he had formerly done
to take his Morningwalk in the Park Here he met Colonel Bath in Company with
some other Officers and very civilly paid his Respects to him But instead of
returning the Salute the Colonel looked him full in the Face with a very stern
Countenance and if he could be said to take any Notice of him it was in such a
Manner as to inform him he would take no Notice of him
Booth was not more hurt than surprized at this Behaviour and resolved to
know the Reason of it He therefore watched an Opportunity till the Colonel was
alone and then walked boldly up to him and desired to know if he had given him
any Offence the Colonel answered hastily »Sir I am above being offended
with you nor do I think it consistent with my Dignity to make you any Answer«
Booth replied »I dont know Sir that I have done any thing to deserve this
Treatment« »Lookee Sir« cries the Colonel »if I had not formerly had some
Respect for you I should not think you worth my Resentment However as you are
a Gentleman born and an Officer and as I have had an Esteem for you I will
give you some Marks of it by putting it in your Power to do yourself Justice I
will tell you therefore Sir that you have acted like a Scoundrel« »If we
were not in the Park« answered Booth warmly »I would thank you very properly
for that Compliment« »O Sir« cries the Colonel »we can be soon in a
convenient Place« Upon which Booth answered he would attend him wherever he
pleased The Colonel then bid him come along and strutted forward directly up
ConstitutionHill to HydePark Booth following him at first and afterwards
walking before him till they came to that Place which may be properly called
the Field of Blood being that Part a little to the Left of the Ring which
Heroes have chosen for the Scene of their Exit out of this World
Booth reached the Ring some Time before the Colonel for he mended not his
Pace any more than a Spaniard To say Truth I believe it was not in his Power
for he had so long accustomed himself to one and the same Strut that as a Horse
used always to Trotting can scarce be forced into a Gallop so could no Passion
force the Colonel to alter his Pace
At length however both Parties arrived at the Lists where the Colonel
very deliberately took off his Wig and Coat and laid them on the Grass and
then drawing his Sword advanced to Booth who had likewise his drawn Weapon in
his Hand but had made no other Preparation for the Combat
The Combatants now engaged with great Fury and after two or three Passes
Booth run the Colonel through the Body and threw him on the Ground at the same
Time possessing himself of the Colonels Sword
As soon as the Colonel was become Master of his Speech he called out to
Booth in a very kind Voice and said »you have done my Business and satisfied
me that you are a Man of Honour and that my Brother James must have been
mistaken For I am convinced that no Man who will draw his Sword in so gallant
a Manner is capable of being a Rascal dn me give me a Buss my dear Boy I
ask your Pardon for that infamous Appellation I dishonoured your Dignity with
but dn me if it was not purely out of Love and to give you an Opportunity of
doing yourself Justice which I own you have done like a Man of Honour What may
be the Consequence I know not but I hope at least I shall live to reconcile
you with my Brother«
Booth shewed great Concern and even Horror in his Countenance »Why my dear
Colonel« said he »would you force me to this For Heavens Sake tell me what
I have ever done to offend you«
»Me« cried the Colonel »Indeed my dear Child you never did any Thing to
offend me Nay I have acted the Part of a Friend to you in the whole Affair I
maintained your Cause with my Brother as long as Decency would permit I could
not flatly contradict him tho indeed I scarce believed him But what could I
do if I had not fought with you I must have been obliged to have fought with
him However I hope what is done will be sufficient and that Matters may be
discomodated without your being put to the Necessity of Fighting any more on
this Occasion«
»Never regard me« cried Booth eagerly »for Heavens Sake think of your own
Preservation Let me put you into a Chair and get you a Surgeon«
»Thou art a noble Lad« cries the Colonel who was now got on his Legs »and
I am glad the Business is so well over For tho your Sword went quite through
it slanted so that I apprehend there is little Danger of Life However I think
there is enough done to put an honourable End to the Affair especially as you
was so hasty to disarm me I bleed a little but I can walk to the House by the
Water and if you will send me a Chair thither I shall be obliged to you«
As the Colonel refused any Assistance indeed he was very able to walk
without it tho with somewhat less Dignity than usual Booth set forward to
GrovesnorGate in order to procure the Chair and soon after returned with one
to his Friend whom having conveyed into it he attended himself on Foot into
Bondstreet where then lived a very eminent Surgeon
The Surgeon having probed the Wound turned towards Booth who was apparently
the guilty Person and said with a Smile »Upon my Word Sir you have performed
the Business with great Dexterity«
»Sir« cries the Colonel to the Surgeon »I would not have you imagine I am
afraid to die I think I know more what belongs to the Dignity of a Man and I
believe I have shewn it at the Head of a Line of Battle Do not impute my
Concern to that Fear when I ask you whether there is or is not any Danger«
»Really Colonel« answered the Surgeon who well knew the Complexion of the
Gentleman then under his Hands »it would appear like Presumption to say that a
Man who hath been just run through the Body is in no manner of Danger But
this I think I may assure you that I yet perceive no very bad Symptoms and
unless something worse should appear or a Fever be the Consequence I hope you
may live to be again with all your Dignity at the Head of a Line of Battle«
»I am glad to hear that is your Opinion« quoth the Colonel »for I am not
desirous of dying tho I am not afraid of it But if any thing worse than you
apprehend should happen I desire you will be a Witness of my Declaration that
this young Gentleman is entirely innocent I forced him to do what he did My
dear Booth I am pleased Matters are as they are You are the first Man that
ever gained an Advantage over me but it was very lucky for you that you
disarmed me and I doubt not but you have the Equannanimity to think so If the
Business therefore hath ended without doing any thing to the Purpose it was
Fortunes Pleasure and neither of our Faults«
Booth heartily embraced the Colonel and assured him of the great
Satisfaction he had received from the Surgeons Opinion and soon after the two
Combatants took their Leave of each other The Colonel after he was drest went
in a Chair to his Lodgings and Booth walked on Foot to his where he luckily
arrived without meeting any of Mr Murphys Gang a Danger which never once
occurred to his Imagination till he was out of it
The Affair he had been about had indeed so entirely occupied his Mind that
it had obliterated every other Idea among the rest it caused him so absolutely
to forget the Time of the Day that tho he had exceeded the Time of Dining
above two Hours he had not the least Suspicion of being at home later than
usual
Chapter VI
In which the Reader will find Matter worthy his Consideration
Amelia having waited above an Hour for her Husband concluded as he was the most
punctual Man alive that he had met with some Engagement abroad and sat down to
her Meal with her Children which as it was always uncomfortable in the Absence
of her Husband was very short so that before his Return all the Apparatus of
dining was entirely removed
Booth sat some time with his Wife expecting every Minute when the little
Maid would make her Appearance at last Curiosity I believe rather than
Appetite made him ask how long it was to Dinner »To Dinner my dear«
answered Amelia »sure you have dined I hope« Booth replied in the Negative
upon which his Wife started from her Chair and bestirred herself as nimbly to
provide him a Repast as the most industrious Hostess in the Kingdom doth when
some unexpected Guest of extraordinary Quality arrives at her House
The Reader hath not I think from any Passages hitherto recorded in this
History had much Reason to accuse Amelia of a blameable Curiosity he will not
I hope conclude that she gave an Instance of any such Fault when upon Booths
having so long overstaid his Time and so greatly mistaken the Hour of the Day
and upon some other Circumstances of his Behaviour for he was too honest to be
good at concealing any of his Thoughts she said to him after he had done
eating »My Dear I am sure something more than ordinary hath happened today
and I beg you will tell me what it is«
Booth answered that nothing of any Consequence had happened that he had
been detained by a Friend whom he met accidentally longer than he expected In
short he made many shuffling and evasive Answers not boldly lying out which
perhaps would have succeeded but poorly and vainly endeavouring to reconcile
Falshood with Truth An Attempt which seldom fails to betray the most practised
Deceiver
How impossible was it therefore for poor Booth to succeed in an Art for
which Nature had so entirely disqualified him His Countenance indeed confessed
faster than his Tongue denied and the whole of his Behaviour gave Amelia an
Alarm and made her suspect something very bad had happened and as her Thoughts
turned presently on the Badness of their Circumstances she feared some Mischief
from his Creditors had befallen him for she was too ignorant of such Matters to
know that if he had fallen into the Hands of the Philistines which is the
Name given by the Faithful to Bailiffs he would hardly have been able so soon
to recover his Liberty Booth at last perceived her to be so uneasy that as he
saw no Hopes of contriving any Fiction to satisfy her he thought himself
obliged to tell her the Truth or at least Part of the Truth and confessed that
he had had a little Skirmish with Colonel Bath in which he said the Colonel had
received a slight Wound not at all dangerous and this says he is all the
whole Matter »If it be so« cries Amelia »I thank Heaven no worse hath
happened but why my dear will you ever converse with that Madman who can
embrace a Friend one Moment and fight with him the next« »Nay my dear«
answered Booth »you yourself must confess though he be a little too much on
the Qui vive he is a Man of great Honour and Goodnature« »Tell me not«
replied she »of such Goodnature and Honour as would sacrifice a Friend and a
whole Family to a ridiculous Whim O Heaven« cried she falling upon her Knees
»from what Misery have I escaped from what have these poor Babes escaped thro
your gracious Providence this Day« Then turning to her Husband she cryd
»But are you sure the Monsters Wound is no more dangerous than you say A
Monster surely I may call him who can quarrel with a Man that could not that I
am convinced would not offend him«
Upon this Question Booth repeated the Assurances which the Surgeon had given
them perhaps with a little Enlargement which pretty well satisfied Amelia and
instead of blaming her Husband for what he had done she tenderly embraced him
and again returned Thanks to Heaven for his Safety
In the Evening Booth insisted on paying a short Visit to the Colonel highly
against the Inclination of Amelia who by many Arguments and Entreaties
endeavoured to dissuade her Husband from continuing an Acquaintance in which
she said she should always foresee much Danger for the future However she was
at last prevailed upon to acquiesce and Booth went to the Colonel whose
Lodgings happened to be in the Verge as well as his own
He found the Colonel in his Nightgown and his great Chair engaged with
another Officer at a Game at Chess He rose immediately and having heartily
embraced Booth presented him to his Friend saying he had the Honour to
introduce to him as brave and as fortitudinous a Man as any in the Kings
Dominions He then took Booth with him into the next Room and desired him not
to mention a Word of what had happened in the Morning saying »I am very well
satisfied that no more hath happened however as it ended in nothing I could
wish it might remain a Secret« Booth told him he was heartily glad to find him
so well and promised never to mention it more to any one
The Game at Chess being but just begun and neither of the Parties having
gained any considerable Advantage they neither of them insisted on continuing
it and now the Colonels Antagonist took his leave and left the Colonel and
Booth together
As soon as they were alone the latter earnestly entreated the former to
acquaint him with the real Cause of his Anger »for may I perish« cries Booth
»if I can even guess what I have ever done to offend either you or your Brother
Colonel James«
»Lookee Child« cries the Colonel »I tell you I am for my own Part
satisfied for I am convinced that a Man who will fight can never be a Rascal
and therefore why should you enquire any more of me at present When I see my
Brother James I hope to reconcile all Matters and perhaps no more Swords need
be drawn on this Occasion« But Booth still persisting in his Desire the
Colonel after some Hesitation with a tremendous Oath cryd out »I do not
think myself at liberty to refuse you after the Indignity I offered you so
since you demand it of me I will inform you My Brother told me you had used
him dishonourably and had divellicated his Character behind his Back He gave
me his Word too that he was well assured of what he said What could I have
done though I own to you I did not believe him and your Behaviour since hath
convinced me I was in the right I must either have given him the Lye and
fought with him or else I was obliged to behave as I did and fight with you
And now my Lad I leave it to you to do as you please but if you are laid
under any Necessity to do yourself further Justice it is your own Fault«
»Alas Colonel« answered Booth »besides the Obligations I have to the
Colonel I have really so much Love for him that I think of nothing less than
Resentment All I wish is to have this Affair brought to an Eclaircissement and
to satisfy him that he is in an Error for though his Assertions are cruelly
injurious and I have never deserved them yet I am convinced he would not say
what he did not himself think Some Rascal envious of his Friendship for me hath
belyed me to him and the only Resentment I desire is to convince him of his
Mistake«
At these Words the Colonel grinned horribly a ghastly Smile or rather
Sneer and answered »Young Gentleman you may do as you please but by the
eternal Dignity of Man if any Man breathing had taken a Liberty with my
Character here here Mr Booth shewing his Fingers here dn me should
be his Nostrils he should breathe through my Hands and breathe his last dn
me«
Booth answered »I think Colonel I may appeal to your Testimony that I dare
do myself Justice since he who dare draw his Sword against you can hardly be
supposed to fear any other Person but I repeat to you again that I love Colonel
James so well and am so greatly obliged to him that it would be almost
indifferent to me whether I directed my Sword against his Breast or my own«
The Colonels Muscles were considerably softened by Booths last Speech but
he again contracted them into a vast Degree of Fierceness before he cryed out
»Boy thou hast Reason enough to be vain for thou art the first Person that
ever could proudly say he gained an Advantage over me in Combat I believe
indeed thou art not afraid of any Man breathing and as I know thou hast some
Obligations to my Brother I do not discommend thee for nothing more becomes
the Dignity of a Man than Gratitude Besides as I am satisfied my Brother can
produce the Author of the Slander I say I am satisfied of that dn me if
any Man alive dares assert the contrary for that would be to make my Brother
himself a Liar I will make him produce his Author and then my dear Boy your
doing yourself proper Justice there will bring you finely out of the whole
Affair As soon as my Surgeon gives me Leave to go abroad which I hope will
be in a few Days I will bring my Brother James to a Tavern where you shall
meet us and I will engage my Honour my whole Dignity to you to make you
Friends«
This Assurance of the Colonel gave Booth great Pleasure for few Persons
ever loved a Friend better than he did James and as for doing military Justice
on the Author of that scandalous Report which had incensed his Friend against
him not Bath himself was ever more ready on such an Occasion than Booth to
execute it He soon after took his Leave and returned home in high Spirits to
his Amelia whom he found in Mrs Ellisons Apartment engaged in a Party at
Ombre with that Lady and her right honourable Cousin
His Lordship had it seems had a second Interview with the great Man and
having obtained further Hopes for I think there was not yet an absolute
Promise of Success in Mr Booths Affairs his usual good Nature brought him
immediately to acquaint Mr Booth with it As he did not therefore find him at
home and as he met with the two Ladies together he resolved to stay till his
Friends Return which he was assured would not be long especially as he was so
lucky he said to have no particular Engagement that whole Evening
We remarked before that his Lordship at the first Interview with Amelia
had distinguished her by a more particular Address from the other Ladies but
that now appeared to be rather owing to his perfect good Breeding as she was
then to be considered as the Mistress of the House than from any other
Preference His present Behaviour made this still more manifest for as he was
now in Mrs Ellisons Apartment tho she was his Relation and old Acquaintance
he applied his Conversation rather more to her than to Amelia His Eyes indeed
were now and then guilty of the contrary Distinction but this was only by
Stealth for they constantly withdrew the Moment they were discovered In short
he treated Amelia with the greatest Distance and at the same time with the most
profound and awful Respect his Conversation was so general so lively and so
obliging that Amelia when she added to his Agreeableness the Obligations she
had to him for his Friendship to Booth was certainly as much pleased with his
Lordship as any virtuous Woman can possibly be with any Man besides her own
Husband
Chapter VII
Containing various Matters
We have already mentioned the good Humour in which Booth returned home and the
Reader will easily believe it was not a little encreased by the good Humour in
which he found his Company My Lord received him with the utmost Marks of
Friendship and Affection and told him that his Affairs went on as well almost
as he himself could desire and that he doubted not very soon to wish him Joy of
a Company
When Booth had made a proper Return to all his Lordships unparallelled
Goodness he whispered Amelia that the Colonel was entirely out of Danger and
almost as well as himself This made her Satisfaction complete threw her into
such Spirits and gave such a Lustre to her Eyes that her Face as Horace says
was too dazzling to be looked at it was certainly too handsome to be looked at
without the highest Admiration
His Lordship departed about ten oClock and left the Company in Raptures
with him especially the two Ladies of whom it is difficult to say which
exceeded the other in his Commendations Mrs Ellison swore she believed he was
the best of all Humankind and Amelia without making any Exception declared he
was the finest Gentleman and most agreeable Man she had ever seen in her Life
adding it was great pity he should remain single »Thats true indeed« cries
Mrs Ellison »and I have often lamented it nay I am astonished at it
considering the great Liking he always shews for our Sex and he may certainly
have the Choice of all The real Reason I believe is his Fondness for his
Sisters Children I declare Madam if you was to see his Behaviour to them
you would think they were his own Indeed he is vastly fond of all manner of
Children« »Good Creature« cries Amelia »if ever he doth me the Honour of
another Visit I am resolved I will shew him my little Things I think Mrs
Ellison as you say my Lord loves Children I may say without Vanity he will
not see many such« »No indeed will he not« answered Mrs Ellison »and now I
think ont Madam I wonder at my own Stupidity in never making the Offer
before but since you put it into my Head if you will give me Leave Ill take
Master and Miss to wait on my Lords Nephew and Niece They are very pretty
behaved Children and little Master and Miss will be I dare swear very happy
in their Acquaintance besides if my Lord himself should see them I know what
will happen for he is the most generous of all human Beings«
Amelia very readily accepted the Favour which Mrs Ellison offered her but
Booth exprest some Reluctance »Upon my word my Dear« said he with a Smile
»this Behaviour of ours puts me in mind of the common Conduct of Beggars who
whenever they receive a Favour are sure to send other Objects to the same
Fountain of Charity Dont we my Dear repay our Obligations to my Lord in the
same manner by sending our Children a begging to him«
»O beastly« cries Mrs Ellison »how could such a Thought enter your
Brains I protest Madam I begin to grow ashamed of this Husband of yours How
can you have so vulgar a way of thinking Begging indeed the poor little dear
Things a begging If my Lord was capable of such a Thought tho he was my own
Brother instead of my Cousin I should scorn him too much ever to enter his
Doors« »O dear Madam« answered Amelia »you take Mr Booth too seriously
when he was only in jest and the Children shall wait upon you whenever you
please«
Tho Booth had been a little more in earnest than Amelia had represented
him and was not perhaps quite so much in the wrong as he was considered by Mrs
Ellison yet seeing there were two to one against him he wisely thought proper
to recede and let his Simile go off with that Air of a Jest which his Wife had
given it
Mrs Ellison however could not let it pass without paying some Compliments
to Amelias Understanding nor without some obscure Reflexions upon Booth with
whom she was more offended than the Matter required She was indeed a Woman of
most profuse Generosity and could not bear a Thought which she deemed vulgar or
sneaking She afterwards launced forth the most profuse Encomiums of his
Lordships Liberality and concluded the Evening with some Instances which he
had given of that Virtue which if not the noblest is perhaps one of the most
useful to Society with which great and rich Men can be endowed
The next Morning early Serjeant Atkinson came to wait on Lieutenant Booth
and desired to speak with his Honour in private Upon which the Lieutenant and
Serjeant took a Walk together in the Park Booth expected every Minute when the
Serjeant would open his Mouth under which Expectation he continued till he came
to the End of the Mall and so he might have continued till he came to the End
of the World For tho several Words stood at the End of the Serjeants Lips
there they were likely to remain for ever He was indeed in the Condition of a
Miser whom a charitable Impulse hath impelled to draw a few Pence to the Edge
of his Pocket where they are altogether as secure as if they were in the
Bottom For as the one hath not the Heart to part with a Farthing so neither
had the other the Heart to speak a Word
Booth at length wondering that the Serjeant did not speak asked him what
his Business was when the latter with a stammering Voice began the following
Apology »I hope Sir your Honour will not be angry nor take any thing amiss
of me I do assure you it was not of my Seeking nay I dare not proceed in the
Matter without first asking your Leave Indeed if I had taken any Liberties
from the Goodness you have been pleased to shew me I should look upon myself as
one of the most worthless and despicable of Wretches but nothing is farther
from my Thoughts I know the Distance which is between us and because your
Honour hath been so kind and good as to treat me with more Familiarity than any
other Officer ever did if I had been base enough to take any Freedoms or to
encroach upon your Honours Goodness I should deserve to be whipt through the
Regiment I hope therefore Sir you will not suspect me of any such Attempt«
»What can all this mean Atkinson« cries Booth »what mighty Matter would
you introduce with all this previous Apology«
»I am almost ashamed and afraid to mention it« answered the Serjeant »and
yet I am sure your Honour will believe what I have said and not think any
thing owing to my own Presumption and at the same time I have no Reason to
think you would do any thing to spoil my Fortune in an honest Way when it is
dropt into my Lap without my own seeking For may I perish if it is not all the
Ladys own Goodness and I hope in Heaven with your Honours Leave I shall live
to make her amends for it« In a Word that we may not detain the Readers
Curiosity quite so long as he did Booths he acquainted that Gentleman that he
had had an Offer of Marriage from a Lady of his Acquaintance to whose Company
he had introduced him and desired his Permission to accept of it
Booth must have been very dull indeed if after what the Serjeant had said
and after what he had heard Mrs Ellison say he had wanted any Information
concerning the Lady He answered him briskly and chearfully that he had his
free Consent to marry any Woman whatever »and the greater and richer she is«
added he »the more I shall be pleased with the Match I dont enquire who the
Lady is« said he smiling »but I hope she will make as good a Wife as I am
convinced her Husband will deserve«
»Your Honour hath been always too good to me« cries Atkinson »but this I
promise you I will do all in my Power to merit the Kindness she is pleased to
shew me I will be bold to say she will marry an honest Man tho he is but a
poor one and she shall never want any thing which I can give her or do for her
while my Name is Joseph Atkinson«
»And so her Name is a Secret Joe is it« cries Booth
»Why Sir« answered the Serjeant »I hope your Honour will not insist upon
knowing that as I think it would be dishonourable in me to mention it«
»Not at all« replied Booth »I am the farthest in the World from any such
Desire I know thee better than to imagine thou wouldst disclose the Name of a
fair Lady« Booth then shook Atkinson heartily by the Hand and assured him
earnestly of the Joy he had in his good Fortune for which the good Serjeant
failed not of making all proper Acknowledgments After which they parted and
Booth returned home
As Mrs Ellison opened the Door Booth hastily rushed by for he had the
utmost Difficulty to prevent laughing in her Face He ran directly up Stairs
and throwing himself into a Chair discharged such a Fit of Laughter as greatly
surprized and at first almost frightned his Wife
Amelia it will be supposed presently enquired into the Cause of this
Phænomenon with which Booth as soon as he was able for that was not within a
few Minutes acquainted her The News did not affect her in the same Manner it
had affected her Husband On the contrary she cried »I protest I cannot guess
what makes you see it in so ridiculous a Light I really think Mrs Ellison hath
chosen very well I am convinced Joe will make her one of the best of Husbands
and in my Opinion that is the greatest Blessing a Woman can be possessed of«
However when Mrs Ellison came into her Room a little while afterwards to
fetch the Children Amelia became of a more risible Disposition especially when
the former turning to Booth who was then present said »So Captain my jantee
Serjeant was very early here this Morning I scolded my Maid heartily for
letting him wait so long in the Entry like a Lacquais when she might have shewn
him into my inner Apartment« At which Words Booth burst out into a very loud
Laugh and Amelia herself could no more prevent laughing than she could
blushing
»Heyday« cries Mrs Ellison »what have I said to cause all this Mirth«
and at the same Time blushed and looked very silly as is always the Case with
Persons who suspect themselves to be the Objects of Laughter without absolutely
taking what it is which makes them ridiculous
Booth still continued laughing but Amelia composing her Muscles said »I
ask your Pardon dear Mrs Ellison but Mr Booth hath been in a strange gigling
Humour all this Morning and I really think it is infectious«
»I ask your Pardon too Madam« cries Booth »but one is sometimes
unaccountably foolish«
»Nay but seriously« said she »what is the Matter Something I said
about the Serjeant I believe but you may laugh as much as you please I am not
ashamed of owning I think him one of the prettiest Fellows I ever saw in my
Life and I own I scolded my Maid at suffering him to wait in my Entry and
where is the mighty ridiculous Matter pray«
»None at all« answered Booth »and I hope the next Time he will be
ushered into your inner Apartment«
»Why should he not Sir« replied she »For wherever he is ushered I am
convinced he will behave himself as a Gentleman should«
Here Amelia put an end to the Discourse or it might have proceeded to very
great Lengths for Booth was of a waggish Inclination and Mrs Ellison was not
a Lady of the nicest Delicacy
Chapter VIII
The heroic Behaviour of Colonel Bath
Booth went this Morning to pay a second Visit to the Colonel where he found
Colonel James Both the Colonel and the Lieutenant appeared a little shocked at
their first Meeting but Matters were soon cleared up for the former presently
advanced to the latter shook him heartily by the Hand and said »Mr Booth I
am ashamed to see you for I have injured you and I heartily ask your Pardon I
am now perfectly convinced that what I hinted to my Brother and which I find
had like to have produced such fatal Consequences was entirely groundless If
you will be contented with my asking your Pardon and spare me the disagreeable
Remembrance of what led me into my Error I shall esteem it as the highest
Obligation«
Booth answered »As to what regards yourself my dear Colonel I am
abundantly satisfied but as I am convinced some Rascal hath been my Enemy
with you in the cruellest Manner I hope you will not deny me the Opportunity
of kicking him through the World«
»By all the Dignity of Man« cries Colonel Bath »the Boy speaks with
Spirit and his Request is reasonable«
Colonel James hesitated a Moment and then whispered Booth that he would
give him all the Satisfaction imaginable concerning the whole Affair when they
were alone together upon which Booth addressing himself to Colonel Bath the
Discourse turned on other Matters during the Remainder of the Visit which was
but short and then both went away together leaving Colonel Bath as well as it
was possible to expect more to the Satisfaction of Booth than of Colonel James
who would not have been displeased if his Wound had been more dangerous for he
was grown somewhat weary of a Disposition that he rather called captious than
heroic and which as he every Day more and more hated his Wife he apprehended
might some time or other give him some Trouble For Bath was the most
affectionate of Brothers and had often swore in the Presence of James that he
would eat any Man alive who should use his Sister ill
Colonel Bath was well satisfied that his Brother and the Lieutenant were
gone out with a Design of Tilting from which he offered not a Syllable to
dissuade them as he was convinced it was right and that Booth could not in
Honour take nor the Colonel give any less Satisfaction When they had been gone
therefore about half an Hour he rang his Bell to enquire if there was any News
of his Brother a Question which he repeated every ten Minutes for the Space of
two Hours when having heard nothing of him he began to conclude that both were
killed on the Spot
While he was in this State of Anxiety his Sister came to see him for
notwithstanding his Desire of keeping it a Secret the Duel had blazed all over
the Town After receiving some kind Congratulations on his Safety and some
unkind Hints concerning the Warmth of his Temper the Colonel asked her when she
had seen her Husband she answered not that Morning He then communicated to
her his Suspicion told her he was convinced his Brother had drawn his Sword
that Day and that as neither of them had heard any thing from him he began to
apprehend the worst that could happen
Neither Miss Bellamy nor Mrs Cibber were ever in a greater Consternation
on the Stage than now appeared in the Countenance of Mrs James »Good Heavens
Brother« cries she »what do you tell me you have frightened me to Death
Let your Man get me a Glass of Water immediately if you have not a Mind to see
me die before your Face When where how was this Quarrel why did you not
prevent it if you knew of it Is it not enough to be every Day tormenting me
with hazarding your own Life but must you bring the Life of one who you know
must be and ought to be so much the dearest of all to me into Danger Take your
Sword Brother take your Sword and plunge it into my Bosom it would be kinder
of you than to fill it with such Dreads and Terrours« Here she swallowed the
Glass of Water and then threw herself back in her Chair as if she had intended
to faint away
Perhaps if she had so the Colonel would have lent her no Assistance for
she had hurt him more than by ten thousand Stabs He sat erect in his Chair
with his Eyebrows knit his Forehead wrinkled his Eyes flashing Fire his
Teeth grating against each other and breathing Horrour all around him In this
Posture he sat for some time silent casting disdainful Looks at his Sister At
last his Voice found its Way through a Passion which had almost choaked him
and he cried out »Sister what have I done to deserve the Opinion you express
of me Which of my Actions hath made you conclude that I am a Rascal and a
Coward Look at that poor Sword which never Woman yet saw but in its Sheath
what hath that done to merit your Desire that it should be contaminated with the
Blood of a Woman«
»Alas Brother« cried she »I know not what you say you are desirous I
believe to terrify me out of the little Senses I have left What can I have
said in the Agonies of Grief into which you threw me to deserve this Passion«
»What have you said« answered the Colonel »you have said that which if a
Man had spoken nay dn me if he had but hinted that he durst even think I
would have made him eat my Sword by all the Dignity of Man I would have
crumbled his Soul into Powder But I consider that the Words were spoken by a
Woman and I am calm again Consider my Dear that you are my Sister and
behave yourself with more Spirit I have only mentioned to you my Surmise It
may not have happened as I suspect but let what will have happened you will
have the Comfort that your Husband hath behaved himself with becoming Dignity
and lies in the Bed of Honour«
»Talk not to me of such Comfort« replied the Lady »it is a Loss I cannot
survive but why do I sit here lamenting myself I will go this Instant and know
the worst of my Fate if my trembling Limbs will carry me to my Coach Good
morrow dear Brother whatever becomes of me I am glad to find you out of
Danger« The Colonel paid her his proper Compliments and she then left the
Room but returned instantly back saying »Brother I must beg the Favour of
you to let your Footman step to my Mantuamaker I am sure it is a Miracle in my
present distracted Condition how it came into my Head« The Footman was
presently summoned and Mrs James delivered him his Message which was to
countermand the Orders which she had given that very Morning to make her up a
new Suit of Brocade »Heaven knows« says she »now when I can wear Brocade or
whether ever I shall wear it« And now having repeated her Message with great
Exactness lest there should be any Mistake she again lamented her wretched
Situation and then departed leaving the Colonel in full Expectation of hearing
speedy News of the fatal Issue of the Battle
But tho the Reader should entertain the same Curiosity we must be excused
from satisfying it till we have first accounted for an Incident which we have
related in this very Chapter and which we think deserves some Solution The
Critic I am convinced already is apprized that I mean the friendly Behaviour
of James to Booth which from what we had before recorded seemed so little to
be expected
It must be remembred that the Anger which the former of these Gentlemen had
conceived against the latter arose entirely from the false Account given by
Miss Mathews of Booth whom that Lady had accused to Colonel James of having as
basely as wickedly traduced his Character
Now of all the Ministers of Vengeance there are none with whom the Devil
deals so treacherously as with those whom he employs in executing the
mischievous Purposes of an angry Mistress for no sooner is Revenge executed on
an offending Lover than it is sure to be repented and all the Anger which
before raged against the beloved Object returns with double Fury on the Head of
his Assassin
Miss Mathews therefore no sooner heard that Booth was killed for so was
the Report at first and by a Colonel of the Army than she immediately
concluded it to be James She was extremely shockd with the News and her Heart
instantly began to relent All the Reasons on which she had founded her Love
recurred in the strongest and liveliest Colours to her Mind and all the Causes
of her Hatred sunk down and disappeared or if the least Remembrance of any
thing which had disobliged her remained her Heart became his zealous Advocate
and soon satisfied her that her own Fates were more to be blamed than he and
that without being a Villain he could have acted no otherwise than he had done
In this Temper of Mind she looked on herself as the Murderer of an innocent
Man and what to her was much worse of the Man she had loved and still did
love with all the Violence imaginable She looked on James as the Tool with
which she had done this Murder and as it is usual for People who have rashly or
inadvertently made any animate or inanimate thing the Instrument of Mischief to
hate the innocent Means by which the Mischief was effected for this is a
subtle Method which the Mind invents to excuse ourselves the last Objects on
whom we would willingly wreak our Vengeance so Miss Mathews now hated and
cursed James as the efficient Cause of that Act which she herself had contrived
and laboured to carry into Execution
She sat down therefore in a furious Agitation little short of Madness and
wrote the following Letter
»I hope this will find you in the Hands of Justice for the Murder of
one of the best Friends that ever Man was blest with In one sense
indeed he may seem to have deserved his Fate by chusing a Fool for a
Friend for who but a Fool would have believed what the Anger and Rage
of an injured Woman suggested a Story so improbable that I could
scarce be thought in earnest when I mentioned it
Know then cruel Wretch that poor Booth loved you of all Men
breathing and was I believe in your Commendation guilty of as much
Falsehood as I was in what I told you concerning him
If this Knowledge makes you miserable it is no more than you have
made
The unhappy
F MATHEWS«
Chapter IX
Being the last Chapter of the Fifth Book
We shall now return to Colonel James and Mr Booth who walked together from
Colonel Baths Lodging with much more peaceable Intention that that Gentleman
had conjectured who dreamt of nothing but Swords and Guns and Implements of
Wars
The BirdcageWalk in the Park was the Scene appointed by James for
unburthening his Mind Thither they came and there James acquainted Booth with
all that which the Reader knows already and gave him the Letter which we have
inserted at the End of the last Chapter
Booth exprest great Astonishment at this Relation not without venting some
Detestation of the Wickedness of Miss Mathews upon which James took him up
saying he ought not to speak with such Abhorrence of Faults which Love for him
had occasioned
»Can you mention Love my dear Colonel« cried Booth »and such a Woman in
the same Breath«
»Yes faith can I« says James »for the Devil take me if I know a more
lovely Woman in the World« Here he began to describe her whole Person but as
we cannot insert all the Description so we shall omit it all and concluded
with saying »curse me if I dont think her the finest Creature in the
Universe I would give half my Estate Booth she loved me as well as she doth
you Tho on second Consideration I believe I should repent that Bargain for
then very possibly I should not care a Farthing for her«
»You will pardon me dear Colonel« answered Booth »but to me there appears
somewhat very singular in your way of thinking Beauty is indeed the Object of
Liking great Qualities of Admiration good ones of Esteem but the Devil take
me if I think any thing but Love to be the Object of Love«
»Is there not something too selfish« replied James »in that Opinion but
without considering it in that Light is it not of all things the most insipid
All Oil all Sugar Zounds it is enough to cloy the sharpset Appetite of a
Parson Acids surely are the most likely to quicken«
»I do not love reasoning in Allegories« cries Booth »but with regard to
Love I declare I never found any thing cloying in it I have lived almost alone
with my Wife near three Years together was never tired with her Company nor
ever wished for any other and I am sure I never tasted any of the Acid you
mention to quicken my Appetite«
»This is all very extraordinary and romantic to me« answered the Colonel
»If I was to be shut up three Years with the same Woman which Heaven forbid
nothing I think could keep me alive but a Temper as violent as that of Miss
Mathews As to Love it would make me sick to Death in the twentieth Part of
that Time If I was so condemned let me see what would I wish the Woman to be
I think no one Virtue would be sufficient With the Spirit of a Tigress I would
have her be a Prude a Scold a Scholar a Critic a Wit a Politician and a
Jacobite and then perhaps eternal Opposition would keep up our Spirits and
wishing one another daily at the Devil we should make a shift to drag on a
damnable State of Life without much Spleen or Vapours«
»And so you do not intend« cries Booth »to break with this Woman«
»Not more than I have already if I can help it« answered the Colonel
»And you will be reconciled to her« said Booth
»Yes faith will I if I can« answered the Colonel »I hope you have no
Objection«
»None my dear Friend« said Booth »unless on your Account«
»I do believe you« said the Colonel »and yet let me tell you you are a
very extraordinary Man not to desire me to quit her on your own Account Upon
my Soul I begin to pity the Woman who hath placed her Affection perhaps on the
only Man in England of your Age who would not return it But for my part I
promise you I like her beyond all other Women and whilst that is the Case my
Boy if her Mind was as full of Iniquity as Pandoras Box was of Diseases Id
hug her close in my Arms and only take as much Care as possible to keep the Lid
down for fear of Mischief But come dear Booth« said he »let us consider
your Affairs for I am ashamed of having neglected them so long and the only
Anger I have against this Wench is that she was the Occasion of it«
Booth then acquainted the Colonel with the Promises he had receivd from the
noble Lord upon which James shook him by the Hand and heartily wishd him Joy
crying »I do assure you if you have his Interest you will need no other I did
not know you was acquainted with him«
To which Mr Booth answered that he was but a new Acquaintance and that he
was recommended to him by a Lady
»A Lady« cries the Colonel »well I dont ask her Name You are a happy
Man Booth amongst the Women and I assure you you could have no stronger
Recommendation The Peer loves the Ladies I believe as well as ever Mark
Antony did and it is not his Fault if he hath not spent as much upon them If
he once fixes his Eye upon a Woman he will stick at nothing to get her«
»Ay indeed« cries Booth »Is that his Character«
»Ay faith« answered the Colonel »and the Character of most Men beside
him Few of them I mean will stick at any thing beside their Money Jusque a
la Bourse is sometimes the Boundary of Love as well as Friendship And indeed
I never knew any other Man part with his Money so very freely on these
Occasions You see dear Booth the Confidence I have in your Honour«
»I hope indeed you have« cries Booth »but I dont see what Instance you
now give me of that Confidence«
»Have not I shewn you« answered James »where you may carry your Goods to
Market I can assure you my Friend that is a Secret I would not impart to
every Man in your Situation and all Circumstances considered«
»I am very sorry Sir« cries Booth very gravely and turning as pale as
Death »you should entertain a Thought of this Kind A Thought which hath almost
frozen up my Blood I am unwilling to believe there are such Villains in the
World but there is none of them whom I should detest half so much as myself if
my own Mind had ever suggested to me a Hint of that Kind I have tasted of some
Distresses of Life and I know not to what greater I may be driven but my
Honour I thank Heaven is in my own Power and I can boldly say to Fortune she
shall not rob me of it«
»Have I not exprest that Confidence my dear Booth« answered the Colonel
»And what you say now well justifies my Opinion for I do agree with you that
considering all things it would be the highest Instance of Dishonour«
»Dishonour indeed« returned Booth »What to prostitute my Wife Can I
think there is such a Wretch breathing«
»I dont know that« said the Colonel »but I am sure it was very far from
my Intention to insinuate the least Hint of any such Matter to you Nor can I
imagine how you yourself could conceive such a Thought The Goods I meant were
no other than the charming Person of Miss Mathews for whom I am convinced my
Lord would bid a swinging Price against me«
Booths Countenance greatly cleared up at this Declaration and he answered
with a Smile that he hoped he need not give the Colonel any Assurances on that
Head However tho he was satisfied with regard to the Colonels Suspicions
yet some Chimeras now arose in his Brain which gave him no very agreeable
Sensations What these were the sagacious Reader may probably suspect but if he
should not we may perhaps have Occasion to open them in the Sequel Here we
will put an End to this Dialogue and to the fifth Book of this History
Book VI
Chapter I
Panegyrics on Beauty with other grave Matters
The Colonel and Booth walked together to the latters Lodging for as it was not
that Day in the Week in which all Parts of the Town are indifferent Booth could
not wait on the Colonel
When they arrived in SpringGarden Booth to his great Surprize found no one
at home but the Maid In truth Amelia had accompanied Mrs Ellison and her
Children to his Lordships for as her little Girl shewed a great Unwillingness
to go without her the fond Mother was easily persuaded to make one of the
Company
Booth had scarce ushered the Colonel up to his Apartment when a Servant
from Mrs James knocked hastily at the Door The Lady not meeting with her
Husband at her Return home began to despair of him and performed every thing
which was decent on the Occasion An Apothecary was presently called with
Hartshorn and Sal Volatile a Doctor was sent for and Messengers were
dispatched every way amongst the rest one was sent to enquire at the Lodgings
of his supposed Antagonist
The Servant hearing that his Master was alive and well above Stairs ran up
eagerly to acquaint him with the dreadful Situation in which he left his
miserable Lady at home and likewise with the Occasion of all her Distress
saying that his Lady had been at her Brothers and had there heard that his
Honour was killed in a Duel by Captain Booth
The Colonel smiled at this Account and bid the Servant make haste back to
contradict it And then turning to Booth he said »Was there ever such another
Fellow as this Brother of mine I thought indeed his Behaviour was somewhat odd
at the time I suppose he overheard me whisper that I would give you
Satisfaction and thence concluded we went together with a Design of Tilting
Dn the Fellow I begin to grow heartily sick of him and wish I could get well
rid of him without cutting his Throat which I sometimes apprehend he will
insist on my doing as a Return for my getting him made a LieutenantColonel«
Whilst these two Gentlemen were commenting on the Character of the third
Amelia and her Company returned and all presently came up Stairs not only the
Children but the two Ladies laden with Trinkets as if they had been come from
a Fair Amelia who had been highly delighted all the Morning with the excessive
Pleasure which her Children enjoyed when she saw Colonel James with her
Husband and perceived the most manifest Marks of that Reconciliation which she
knew had been so long and so earnestly wished by Booth became so transported
with Joy that her Happiness was scarce capable of Addition Exercise had painted
her Face with Vermilion and the highest Goodhumour had so sweetened every
Feature and a vast Flow of Spirits had so lightened up her bright Eyes that
she was all a Blaze of Beauty She seemed indeed as Milton sublimely describes
Eve
adorned
With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow
To make her amiable
Again
Grace was in all her Steps Heaven in her Eye
In evry Gesture Dignity and Love
Or as Waller sweetly though less sublimely sings
Sweetness Truth and every Grace
Which Time and Use are wont to teach
The Eye may in a Moment reach
Add read distinctly in her Face
Or to mention one Poet more and him of all the sweetest she seemed to be the
very Person of whom Suckling wrote the following Lines where speaking of
Cupid he says
All his lovely Looks his pleasing Fires
All his sweet Motions all his taking Smiles
All that awakes all that inflames Desires
All that sweetly commands all that beguiles
He does into one Pair of Eyes convey
And there begs Leave that he himself may stay
Such was Amelia at this time when she entered the Room and having paid her
Respects to the Colonel she went up to her Husband and cried »O my dear
never were any Creatures so happy as your little Things have been this whole
Morning and all owing to my Lords Goodness sure never was any thing so
goodnaturd and so generous« She then made the Children produce their
Presents the Value of which amounted to a pretty large Sum for there was a
Gold Watch amongst the Trinkets that cost above twenty Guineas
Instead of discovering so much Satisfaction on this Occasion as Amelia
expected Booth very gravely answered »And pray my dear how are we to repay
all these Obligations to his Lordship« »How can you ask so strange a Question«
cries Mrs Ellison »how little do you know of the Soul of Generosity for sure
my Cousin deserves that Name when you call a few little Trinkets given to
Children an Obligation« »Indeed my dear« cries Amelia »I would have stopped
his Hand if it had been possible nay I was forced at last absolutely to
refuse or I believe he would have laid a hundred Pound out on the Children for
I never saw any one so fond of Children which convinces me he is one of the
best of Men but I ask your Pardon Colonel« said she turning to him »I
should not entertain you with these Subjects yet I know you have Goodness
enough to excuse the Folly of a Mother«
The Colonel made a very low assenting Bow and soon after they all sat down
to a small Repast for the Colonel had promised Booth to dine with him when they
first came home together and what he had since heard from his own House gave
him still less Inclination than ever to repair thither
But beside both these there was a third and stronger Inducement to him to
pass the Day with his Friend and this was the Desire of passing it with his
Friends Wife When the Colonel had first seen Amelia in France she was but
just recovered from a consumptive Habit and looked pale and thin besides his
Engagements with Miss Bath at that time took total Possession of him and
guarded his Heart from the Impressions of another Woman and when he had dined
with her in Town the Vexations through which she had lately passed had somewhat
deadned her Beauty besides he was then engaged as we have seen in a very
warm Pursuit of a new Mistress but now he had no such Impediment for though
the Reader hath just before seen his warm Declarations of a Passion for Miss
Mathews yet it may be rememberd that he had been in Possession of her for
above a Fortnight and one of the happy Properties of this kind of Passion is
that it can with equal Violence love half a Dozen or half a Score different
Objects at one and the same time
But indeed such were the Charms now displayed by Amelia of which we
endeavoured above to draw some faint Resemblance that perhaps no other Beauty
could have secured him from their Influence and here to confess a Truth in his
Favour however the grave or rather the hypocritical Part of Mankind may
censure it I am firmly persuaded that to withdraw Admiration from exquisite
Beauty or to feel no Delight in gazing at it is as impossible as to feel no
Warmth from the most scorching Rays of the Sun To run away is all that is in
our Power and yet in the former Case if it must be allowed we have the Power of
running away it must be allowed also that it requires the strongest Resolution
to execute it for when as Dryden says
All Paradise is opened in a Face
how natural is the Desire of going thither and how difficult to quit the lovely
Prospect
And yet however difficult this may be my young Readers it is absolutely
necessary and that immediately too flatter not yourselves that Fire will not
scorch as well as warm and the longer we stay within its Reach the more we
shall burn The Admiration of a beautiful Woman though the Wife of our dearest
Friend may at first perhaps be innocent but let us not flatter ourselves it
will always remain so Desire is sure to succeed and Wishes Hopes Designs
with a long Train of Mischiefs tread close at our Heels In Affairs of this
Kind we may most properly apply the wellknown Remark of nemo repente fuit
turpissimus It fares indeed with us on this Occasion as with the unwary
Traveller in some Parts of Arabia the Desart whom the treacherous Sands
imperceptibly betray till he is overwhelmed and lost In both Cases the only
Safety is by withdrawing our Feet the very first Moment we perceive them
sliding
This Digression may appear impertinent to some Readers we could not however
avoid the Opportunity of offering the above Hints since of all Passions there
is none against which we should so strongly fortify ourselves as this which is
generally called Love for no other lays before us especially in the tumultuous
Days of Youth such sweet such strong and almost irresistible Temptations
none hath produced in private Life such fatal and lamentable Tragedies and what
is worst of all there is none to whose Poison and Infatuation the best of Minds
are so liable Ambition scarce ever produces any Evil but when it reigns in
cruel and savage Bosoms and Avarice seldom flourishes at all but in the basest
and poorest Soil Love on the contrary sprouts usually up in the richest and
noblest Minds but there unless nicely watched pruned and cultivated and
carefully kept clear of those vicious Weeds which are too apt to surround it it
branches forth into Wildness and Disorder produces nothing desirable but
choaks up and kills whatever is good and noble in the Mind where it so abounds
In short to drop the Allegory not only Tenderness and Goodnature but
Bravery Generosity and every Virtue are often made the Instruments of
effecting the most atrocious Purposes of this allsubduing Tyrant
Chapter II
Which will not appear we presume unnatural to all married Readers
If the Table of poor Booth afforded but an indifferent Repast to the Colonels
Hunger here was most excellent Entertainment of a much higher kind The Colonel
began now to wonder within himself at his not having before discovered such
incomparable Beauty and Excellence This Wonder was indeed so natural that lest
it should arise likewise in the Reader we thought proper to give the Solution
of it in the preceding Chapter
During the first two Hours the Colonel scarce ever had his Eyes off from
Amelia for he was taken by Surprize and his Heart was gone before he suspected
himself to be in any Danger His Mind however no sooner suggested a certain
Secret to him than it suggested some Degree of Prudence to him at the same
time and the Knowledge that he had Thoughts to conceal and the Care of
concealing them had Birth at one and the same Instant During the Residue of
the Day therefore he grew more circumspect and contented himself with now and
then stealing a Look by chance especially as the more than ordinary Gravity of
Booth made him fear that his former Behaviour had betrayed to Booths
Observation the great and sudden Liking he had conceived for his Wife even
before he had observed it in himself
Amelia continued the whole Day in the highest Spirits and highest good
Humour imaginable never once remarking that Appearance of Discontent in her
Husband of which the Colonel had taken Notice so much more quicksighted as
we have somewhere else hinted is Guilt than Innocence Whether Booth had in
reality made any such Observations on the Colonels Behaviour as he had
suspected we will not undertake to determine yet so far may be material to
say as we can with sufficient Certainty that the Change in Booths Behaviour
that Day from what was usual with him was remarkable enough None of his
former Vivacity appeared in his Conversation and his Countenance was altered
from being the Picture of Sweetness and good Humour not indeed to Sourness or
Moroseness but to Gravity and Melancholy
Tho the Colonels Suspicion had the Effect which we have mentioned on his
Behaviour yet it could not persuade him to depart In short he sat in his
Chair as if confined to it by Enchantment stealing Looks now and then and
humouring his growing Passion without having Command enough over his Limbs to
carry him out of the Room till Decency at last forced him to put an end to his
preposterous Visit When the Husband and Wife were left alone together the
latter resumed the Subject of her Children and gave Booth a particular
Narrative of all that had past at his Lordships which he tho something had
certainly disconcerted him affected to receive with all the Pleasure he could
and this Affectation however aukwardly he acted his Part passed very well on
Amelia for she could not well conceive a Displeasure of which she had not the
least Hint of any Cause and indeed at a time when from his Reconciliation with
James she imagined her Husband to be entirely and perfectly happy
The greatest Part of that Night Booth past awake and if during the Residue
he might be said to sleep he could scarce be said to enjoy Repose his Eyes
were no sooner closed than he was pursued and haunted by the most frightful and
terrifying Dreams which threw him into so restless a Condition that he soon
disturbed his Amelia and greatly alarmed her with Apprehensions that he had
been seized by some dreadful Disease tho he had not the least Symptoms of a
Fever by any extraordinary Heat or any other Indication but was rather colder
than usual
As Booth assured his Wife that he was very well but found no Inclination to
sleep she likewise bid adieu to her Slumbers and attempted to entertain him
with her Conversation Upon which his Lordship occurred as the first Topic and
she repeated to him all the Stories which she had heard from Mrs Ellison of the
Peers Goodness to his Sister and his Nephew and Niece »It is impossible my
dear« says she »to describe their Fondness for their Uncle which is to me an
incontestable Sign of a Parents Goodness« In this Manner she ran on for
several Minutes concluding at last that it was pity so very few had such
generous Minds joined to immense Fortunes
Booth instead of making a direct Answer to what Amelia had said cried
coldly »But do you think my dear it was right to accept all those expensive
Toys which the Children brought home And I ask you again what Return we are to
make for these Obligations«
»Indeed my dear« cries Amelia »you see this Matter in too serious a
Light Though I am the last Person in the World who would lessen his Lordships
Goodness indeed I shall always think we are both infinitely obliged to him
yet sure you must allow the Expence to be a mere Trifle to such a vast Fortune
As for Return his own Benevolence in the Satisfaction it receives more than
repays itself and I am convinced he expects no other«
»Very well my Dear« cries Booth »you shall have it your way I must
confess I never yet saw any Reason to blame your Discernment and perhaps I
have been in the wrong to give myself so much Uneasiness on this Account«
»Uneasiness Child« said Amelia eagerly »Good Heavens hath this made you
uneasy«
»I do own it hath« answered Booth »and it hath been the only Cause of
breaking my Repose«
»Why then I wish« cries Amelia »all the Things had been at the Devil
before ever the Children had seen them and whatever I may think myself I
promise you they shall never more accept the Value of a Farthing If upon this
Occasion I have been the Cause of your Uneasiness you will do me the Justice
to believe that I was totally innocent«
At those Words Booth caught her in his Arms and with the tenderest Embrace
emphatically repeating the Word Innocent cried »Heaven forbid I should think
otherwise O thou art the best of Creatures that ever blessed a Man«
»Well but« said she smiling »Do confess my Dear the Truth I promise
you I wont blame you nor disesteem you for it but is not Pride really at the
Bottom of this Fear of an Obligation«
»Perhaps it may« answered he »or if you will you may call it Fear I own
I am afraid of Obligations as the worst kind of Debts for I have generally
observed those who confer them expect to be repaid ten thousand fold«
Here ended all that is material of their Discourse and a little time
afterwards they both fell fast asleep in one anothers Arms from which Time
Booth had no more Restlessness nor any further Perturbation in his Dreams
Their Repose however had been so much disturbed in the former Part of the
Night that as it was very late before they enjoyed that sweet Sleep I have
just mentioned they lay abed the next Day till Noon when they both rose with
the utmost Chearfulness and while Amelia bestirred herself in the Affairs of
her Family Booth went to visit the wounded Colonel
He found that Gentleman still proceeding very fast in his Recovery with
which he was more pleased than he had Reason to be with his Reception for the
Colonel received him very coldly indeed and when Booth told him he had received
perfect Satisfaction from his Brother Bath erected his Head and answered with
a Sneer »Very well Sir if you think these Matters can be so made up dn me
if it is any Business of mine My Dignity hath not been injured«
»No one I believe« cries Booth »dare injure it«
»You believe so« said the Colonel »I think Sir you might be assured of
it but this at least you may be assured of that if any Man did I would
tumble him down the Precipice of Hell dn me that you may be assured of«
As Booth found the Colonel in this Disposition he had no great Inclination
to lengthen out his Visit nor did the Colonel himself seem to desire it so he
soon returned back to his Amelia whom he found performing the Office of a Cook
with as much Pleasure as a fine Lady generally enjoys in dressing herself out
for a Ball
Chapter III
In which the History looks a little backwards
Before we proceed farther in our History we shall recount a short Scene to our
Reader which passed between Amelia and Mrs Ellison whilst Booth was on his
Visit to Colonel Bath We have already observed that Amelia had conceived an
extraordinary Affection for Mrs Bennet which had still encreased every time
she saw her she thought she discovered something wonderfully good and gentle in
her Countenance and Disposition and was very desirous of knowing her whole
History
She had a very short Interview with that Lady this Morning in Mrs Ellisons
Apartment As soon therefore as Mrs Bennet was gone Amelia acquainted Mrs
Ellison with the good Opinion she had conceived of her Friend and likewise with
her Curiosity to know her Story »For there must be something uncommonly good«
said she »in one who can so truly mourn for a Husband above three Years after
his Death«
»O« cries Mrs Ellison »to be sure the World must allow her to have been
one of the best of Wives And indeed upon the whole she is a good Sort of
Woman and what I like her the best for is a strong Resemblance that she bears
to yourself in the Form of her Person and still more in her Voice But for my
own Part I know nothing remarkable in her Fortune unless what I have told you
that she was the Daughter of a Clergyman had little or no Fortune and married
a poor Parson for Love who left her in the utmost Distress If you please I
will shew you a Letter which she writ to me at that time tho I insist upon
your Promise never to mention it to her indeed you will be the first Person I
ever shewed it to« She then opened her Scrutore and taking out the Letter
delivered it to Amelia saying »There Madam is I believe as fine a Picture
of Distress as can well be drawn«
»Dear Madam
As I have no other Friend on Earth but yourself I hope you will
pardon my writing to you at this Season tho I do not know that you can
relieve my Distresses or if you can have I any Pretence to expect that
you should My poor dear O Heavens my lies dead in the House and
after I had procured sufficient to bury him a set of Ruffians have
entered my House seized all I have have seized his dear dear Corpse
and threaten to deny it Burial For Heavens Sake send me at least
some Advice little Tommy stands now by me crying for Bread which I
have not to give him I can say no more than that I am
Your most distressed humble Servant
M BENNET«
Amelia read the Letter over twice and then returning it with Tears in her
Eyes asked how the poor Creature could possibly get through such Distress
»You may depend upon it Madam« said Mrs Ellison »the Moment I read this
Account I posted away immediately to the Lady As to the seizing the Body that
I found was a mere Bugbear but all the rest was literally true I sent
immediately for the same Gentleman that I recommended to Mr Booth left the
Care of burying the Corpse to him and brought my Friend and her little Boy
immediately away to my own House where she remained some Months in the most
miserable Condition I then prevailed with her to retire into the Country and
procured her a Lodging with a Friend at St Edmundsbury the Air and Gayety of
which Place by degrees recovered her and she returned in about a Twelvemonth to
Town as well I think as she is at present«
»I am almost afraid to ask« cries Amelia »and yet I long methinks to know
what is become of the poor little Boy«
»He hath been dead« said Mrs Ellison »a little more than half a Year and
the Mother lamented him at first almost as much as she did her Husband but I
found it indeed rather an easier Matter to comfort her tho I sat up with her
near a Fortnight upon the latter Occasion«
»You are a good Creature« said Amelia »and I love you dearly«
»Alas Madam« cries she »what could I have done if it had not been for
the Goodness of that best of Men my noble Cousin His Lordship no sooner heard
of the Widows Distress from me than he immediately settled 150l a Year upon
her during her Life«
»Well how noble how generous was that« said Amelia »I declare I begin to
love your Cousin Mrs Ellison«
»And I declare if you do« answered she »there is no Love lost I verily
believe if you had heard what I heard him say Yesterday behind your Back «
»Why what did he say Mrs Ellison« cries Amelia
»He said« answered the other »that you was the finest Woman his Eyes ever
beheld Ah it is in vain to wish and yet I cannot help wishing too O
Mrs Booth if you had been a single Woman I firmly believe I could have made
you the happiest in the World And I sincerely think I never saw a Woman who
deserved it more«
»I am obliged to you Madam« cries Amelia »for your good Opinion but I
really look on myself already as the happiest Woman in the World Our
Circumstances it is true might have been a little more fortunate but O my dear
Mrs Ellison what Fortune can be put in the Balance with such a Husband as
mine«
»I am afraid dear Madam« answered Mrs Ellison »you would not hold the
Scale fairly I acknowledge indeed Mr Booth is a very pretty Gentleman
Heaven forbid I should endeavour to lessen him in your Opinion yet if I was to
be brought to Confession I could not help saying I see where the Superiority
lies and that the Men have more Reason to envy Mr Booth than the Women have
to envy his Lady«
»Nay I will not bear this« replied Amelia »You will forfeit all my Love
if you have the least disrespectful Opinion of my Husband You do not know him
Mrs Ellison he is the best the kindest the worthiest of all his Sex I have
observed indeed once or twice before that you have taken some Dislike to him I
cant conceive for what Reason If he hath said or done any thing to disoblige
you I am sure I can justly acquit him of Design His extreme Vivacity makes him
sometimes a little too heedless but I am convinced a more innocent Heart or
one more void of Offence was never in a human Bosom«
»Nay if you grow serious« cries Mrs Ellison »I have done How is it
possible you should suspect I had taken any Dislike to a Man to whom I have
always shewn so perfect a Regard But to say I think him or almost any other
Man in the World worthy of yourself is not within my Power with Truth And
since you force the Confession from me I declare I think such Beauty such
Sense and such Goodness united might aspire without Vanity to the Arms of any
Monarch in Europe«
»Alas my dear Mrs Ellison« answered Amelia »do you think Happiness and a
Crown so closely united How many miserable Women have lain in the Arms of
Kings Indeed Mrs Ellison if I had all the Merit you compliment me with I
should think it all fully rewarded with such a Man as I thank Heaven hath fallen
to my Lot nor would I upon my Soul exchange that Lot with any Queen in the
Universe«
»Well there are enow of our Sex« said Mrs Ellison »to keep you in
Countenance but I shall never forget the Beginning of a Song of Mr Congreves
that my Husband was so fond of that he was always singing it
Loves but a Frailty of the Mind
When tis not with Ambition joind
Love without Interest makes but an unsavory Dish in my Opinion«
»And pray how long hath this been your Opinion« said Amelia smiling
»Ever since I was born« answered Mrs Ellison »at least ever since I can
remember«
»And have you never« said Amelia »deviated from this generous way of
thinking«
»Never once« answered the other »in the whole Course of my Life«
»O Mrs Ellison Mrs Ellison« cries Amelia »why do we ever blame those
who are disingenuous in confessing their Faults when we are so often ashamed to
own ourselves in the Right Some Women now in my Situation would be angry that
you had not made Confidantes of them but I never desire to know more of the
Secrets of others than they are pleased to entrust me with You must believe
however that I should not have given you these Hints of my knowing all if I
had disapproved your Choice On the contrary I assure you I highly approve it
The Gentility he wants it will be easily in your Power to procure for him and
as for his good Qualities I will myself be bound for them and I make not the
least Doubt as you have owned to me yourself that you have placed your
Affections on him you will be one of the happiest Women in the World«
»Upon my Honour« cries Mrs Ellison very gravely »I do not understand one
Word of what you mean«
»Upon my Honour you astonish me« said Amelia »but I have done«
»Nay then« said the other »I insist upon knowing what you mean«
»Why what can I mean« answered Amelia »but your Marriage with Serjeant
Atkinson«
»With Serjeant Atkinson« cries Mrs Ellison eagerly »my Marriage with a
Serjeant«
»Well with Mr Atkinson then Captain Atkinson if you please for so I
hope to see him«
»And have you really no better Opinion of me« said Mrs Ellison »than to
imagine me capable of such Condescension What have I done dear Mrs Booth to
deserve so low a Place in your Esteem I find indeed as Solomon says Women
ought to watch the Door of their Lips How little did I imagine that a little
harmless Freedom in Discourse could persuade any one that I could entertain a
serious Intention of disgracing my Family for of a very good Family am I come
I assure you Madam tho I now let Lodgings Few of my Lodgers I believe ever
came of a better«
»If I have offended you Madam« said Amelia »I am very sorry and ask your
Pardon but besides what I heard from yourself Mr Booth told me«
»O yes« answered Mrs Ellison »Mr Booth I know is a very good Friend of
mine Indeed I know you better than to think it could be your own Suspicion
I am very much obliged to Mr Booth truly«
»Nay« cries Amelia »the Serjeant himself is in fault for Mr Booth I am
positive only repeated what he had from him«
»Impudent Coxcomb« cries Mrs Ellison »I shall know how to keep such
Fellows at a proper Distance for the future I will tell you dear Madam all
that happened When I rose in the Morning I found the Fellow waiting in the
Entry and as you had exprest some Regard for him as your FosterBrother nay
he is a very genteel Fellow that I must own I scolded my Maid for not shewing
him into my little BackRoom and I then asked him to walk into the Parlour
Could I have imagined he would have construed such little Civility into an
Encouragement«
»Nay I will have Justice done to my poor Brother too« said Amelia »I
myself have seen you give him much greater Encouragement than that«
»Well perhaps I have« said Mrs Ellison »I have been always too unguarded
in my Speech and cant answer for all I have said« She then began to change
her Note and with an affected Laugh turned all into Ridicule and soon
afterwards the two Ladies separated both in apparent good Humour and Amelia
went about those domestic Offices in which Mr Booth found her engaged at the
End of the preceding Chapter
Chapter IV
Containing a very extraordinary Incident
In the Afternoon Mr Booth with Amelia and her Children went to refresh
themselves in the Park The Conversation now turned on what past in the Morning
with Mrs Ellison the latter Part of the Dialogue I mean recorded in the last
Chapter Amelia told her Husband that Mrs Ellison so strongly denied all
Intentions to marry the Serjeant that she had convinced her the poor Fellow was
under an Error and had mistaken a little too much Levity for serious
Encouragement and concluded by desiring Booth not to jest with her any more on
that Subject
Booth burst into a Laugh at what his Wife said »My dear Creature« said
he »how easy is thy Honesty and Simplicity to be imposed on how little dost
thou guess at the Art and Falsehood of Women I knew a young Lady who against
her Fathers Consent was married to a Brother Officer of mine And as I often
used to walk with her for I knew her Father intimately well she would of her
own Accord take frequent Occasions to ridicule and vilify her Husband for so he
was at the time and express great Wonder and Indignation at the Report which
she allowed to prevail that she should condescend ever to look at such a
Fellow with any other Design than of laughing at and despising him The
Marriage afterwards became publicly owned and the Lady was reputably brought to
Bed Since which I have often seen her nor hath she ever appeared to be in the
least ashamed of what she had formerly said tho indeed I believe she hates me
heartily for having heard it«
»But for what Reason« cries Amelia »should she deny a Fact when she must
be so certain of our discovering it and that immediately«
»I cant answer what End she may propose« said Booth »Sometimes one would
be almost persuaded that there was a Pleasure in Lying itself But this I am
certain that I would believe the honest Serjeant on his bare Word sooner than
I would fifty Mrs Ellisons on Oath I am convinced he would not have said what
he did to me without the strongest Encouragement and I think after what we
have been both Witnesses to it requires no great Confidence in his Veracity to
give him an unlimited Credit with regard to the Ladys Behaviour«
To this Amelia made no Reply and they discoursed of other Matters during
the Remainder of a very pleasant Walk
When they returned home Amelia was surprized to find an Appearance of
Disorder in her Apartment Several of the Trinkets which his Lordship had given
the Children lay about the Room and a Suit of her own Cloaths which she had
left in her Drawers was now displayed upon the Bed
She immediately summoned her little Girl up Stairs who as she plainly
perceived the Moment she came up with a Candle had half cried her Eyes out for
though the Girl had opened the Door to them as it was almost dark she had not
taken any Notice of this Phænomenon in her Countenance
The Girl now fell down upon her Knees and cryd »For Heavens sake
Madam do not be angry with me Indeed I was left alone in the House and
hearing somebody knock at the Door I opened it I am sure thinking no harm I
did not know but it might have been you or my Master or Madam Ellison and
immediately as I did the Rogue burst in and ran directly up Stairs and what he
hath robbed you of I cant tell but I am sure I could not help it for he was a
great swinging Man with a Pistol in each Hand and if I had dared to call out
to be sure he would have killed me I am sure I was never in such a Fright in my
born Days whereof I am hardly come to myself yet I believe he is somewhere
about the House yet for I never saw him go out«
Amelia discovered some little Alarm at this Narrative but much less than
many other Ladies would have shewn for a Fright is I believe some time laid
hold of as an Opportunity of disclosing several Charms peculiar to that
Occasion And which as Mr Addison says of certain Virtues
shun the Day and lie concealed
In the smooth Seasons and the Calms of Life
Booth having opened the Window and summoned in two Chairmen to his Assistance
proceeded to search the House but all to no purpose the Thief was flown
though the poor Girl in her State of Terror had not seen him escape
But now a Circumstance appeared which greatly surprized both Booth and
Amelia indeed I believe it will have the same Effect on the Reader and this
was that the Thief had taken nothing with him He had indeed tumbled over all
Booth and Amelias Clothes and the Childrens Toys but had left all behind him
Amelia was scarce more pleased than astonished at this Discovery and
reexamined the Girl assuring her of an absolute Pardon if she confessed the
Truth but grievously threatning her if she was found guilty of the least
Falshood »As for a Thief Child« says she »that is certainly not true you
have had somebody with you to whom you have been shewing the things therefore
tell me plainly who it was«
The Girl protested in the solemnest Manner that she knew not the Person but
as to some Circumstances she began to vary a little from her first Account
particularly as to the Pistols concerning which being strictly examined by
Booth she at last cried »To be sure Sir he must have had Pistols about
him« And instead of persisting in his having rushed in upon her she now
confessed that he had asked at the Door for her Master and Mistress and that
at his Desire she had shewn him up Stairs where he at first said he would stay
till their Return home »but indeed« cryd she »I thought no harm for he
looked like a Gentlemanlike sort of Man And indeed so I thought he was for a
good while whereof he sat down and behaved himself very civilly till he saw
some of Masters and Misss Things upon the Chest of Drawers whereof he cryd
heyday whats here and then he fell to tumbling about the things like any mad
Then I thinks thinks I to myself to be sure hes a Highwayman whereof I did
not dare speak to him for I knew Madam Ellison and her Maid was gone out and
what could such a poor Girl as I do against a great strong Man And besides
thinks I to be sure he hath got Pistols about him though I cant indeed that
I will not do for the World take my BibleOath that I saw any yet to be sure
he would have soon pulled them out and shot me dead if I had ventured to have
said any thing to offend him«
»I know not what to make of this« cries Booth »The poor Girl I verily
believe speaks to the best of her Knowledge A Thief it could not be for he
hath not taken the least thing and it is plain he had the Girls Watch in his
Hand If it had been a Bailiff surely he would have staid till our Return I
can conceive no other from the Girls Account than that it must have been some
Madman«
»O good Sir« said the Girl »now you mention it if he was not a Thief to
be sure he must have been a Madman for indeed he looked and behaved himself
too very much like a Madman For now I remember it he talked to himself and
said many strange kind of Words that I did not understand Indeed he looked
altogether as I have seen People in Bedlam besides if he was not a Madman
what good could it do him to throw the Things all about the Room in such a
Manner And he said something too about my Master just before he went down
Stairs I was in such a Fright I cant remember particularly but I am sure
they were very ill Words he said he would do for him I am sure he said that
and other wicked bad Words too if I could but think of them«
»Upon my word« said Booth »this is the most probable Conjecture but still
I am puzzled to conceive who it should be For I have no Madman to my Knowledge
of my Acquaintance and it seems as the Girl says he asked for me« He then
turned to the Child and asked her if she was certain of that Circumstance
The poor Maid after a little Hesitation answered »Indeed Sir I cannot be
very positive for the Fright he threw me into afterwards drove every thing
almost out of my Mind«
»Well whatever he was« cries Amelia »I am glad the Consequence is no
worse but let this be a Warning to you little Betty and teach you to take
more Care for the future If ever you should be left alone in the House again
be sure to let no Persons in without first looking out at the Window and
seeing who they are I promised not to chide you any more on this Occasion and
I will keep my Word but it is very plain you desired this Person to walk up
into our Apartment which was very wrong in our Absence«
Betty was going to answer but Amelia would not let her saying »dont
attempt to excuse yourself for I mortally hate a Liar and can forgive any
Fault sooner than Falsehood«
The poor Girl then submitted and now Amelia with her Assistance began to
replace all things in their Order and little Emily hugging her Watch with great
Fondness declared she would never part with it any more
Thus ended this odd Adventure not entirely to the Satisfaction of Booth
for besides his Curiosity which when thoroughly roused is a very troublesome
Passion he had as is I believe usual with all Persons in his Circumstances
several Doubts and Apprehensions of he knew not what Indeed Fear is never more
uneasy than when it doth not certainly know its Object for on such Occasions
the Mind is ever employed in raising a thousand Bugbears and Fantoms much more
dreadful than any Realities and like Children when they tell Tales of
Hobgoblins seems industrious in terrifying itself
Chapter V
Containing some Matters not very unnatural
Matters were scarce sooner reduced into Order and Decency than a violent
Knocking was heard at the Door such indeed as would have persuaded any one not
accustomed to the Sound that the Madman was returned in the highest SpringTide
of his Fury
Instead however of so disagreeable an Appearance a very fine Lady
presently came into the Room no other indeed than Mrs James herself for she
was resolved to shew Amelia by the speedy Return of her Visit how unjust all
her Accusation had been of any Failure in the Duties of Friendship she had
moreover another Reason to accelerate this Visit and that was to congratulate
her Friend on the Event of the Duel between Colonel Bath and Mr Booth
The Lady had so well profited by Mrs Booths Remonstrance that she had now
no more of that Stiffness and Formality which she had worn on a former Occasion
On the contrary she now behaved with the utmost Freedom and GoodHumour and
made herself so very agreeable that Amelia was highly pleased and delighted
with her Company
An Incident happened during this Visit that may appear to some too
inconsiderable in itself to be recorded and yet as it certainly produced a
very strong Consequence in the Mind of Mr Booth we cannot prevail on ourselves
to pass it by
Little Emily who was present in the Room while Mrs James was there as she
stood near that Lady happened to be playing with her Watch which she was so
greatly overjoyed had escaped safe from the Madman Mrs James who exprest
great Fondness for the Child desired to see the Watch which she commended as
the prettiest of the Kind she had ever seen
Amelia caught eager hold of this Opportunity to spread the Praises of her
Benefactor She presently acquainted Mrs James with the Donors Name and ran
on with great Encomiums on his Lordships Goodness and particularly on his
Generosity To which Mrs James answered »O certainly Madam his Lordship hath
universally the Character of being extremely generous where he likes«
In uttering these Words she laid a very strong Emphasis on the three last
Monosyllables accompanying them at the same time with a very sagacious Look a
very significant Leer and a great Flirt with her Fan
The greatest Genius the World hath ever produced observes in one of his
most excellent Plays that
Trifles light as Air
Are to the jealous Confirmations strong
As Proofs of holy Writ
That Mr Booth began to be possessed by this worst of Fiends admits I think no
longer doubt for at this Speech of Mrs James he immediately turned pale and
from a high Degree of Chearfulness was all on a sudden struck dumb so that he
spoke not another Word till Mrs James left the Room
The Moment that Lady drove from the Door Mrs Ellison came up Stairs She
entered the Room with a Laugh and very plentifully rallied both Booth and
Amelia concerning the Madman of which she had received a full Account below
Stairs and at last asked Amelia if she could not guess who it was but without
receiving an Answer went on saying »for my own part I fancy it must be some
Lover of yours some Person that hath seen you and so is run mad with Love
Indeed I should not wonder if all Mankind were to do the same La Mr Booth
what makes you grave why you are as melancholy as if you had been robbed in
earnest Upon my word tho to be serious it is a strange Story and as the
Girl tells it I know not what to make of it Perhaps it might be some Rogue
that intended to rob the House and his Heart failed him yet even that would be
very extraordinary What did you lose nothing Madam«
»Nothing at all« answered Amelia »He did not even take the Childs Watch«
»Well Captain« cries Mrs Ellison »I hope you will take more Care of the
House tomorrow for your Lady and I shall leave you alone to the Care of it
Here Madam« said she »here is a Present from my Lord to us here are two
Tickets for the Masquerade at Ranelagh You will be so charmed with it It is
the sweetest of all Diversions«
»May I be damned Madam« cries Booth »if my Wife shall go thither«
Mrs Ellison stared at these Words and indeed so did Amelia for they were
spoke with great Vehemence At length the former cried out with an Air of
Astonishment »Not let your Lady go to Ranelagh Sir«
»No Madam« cries Booth »I will not let my Wife go to Ranelagh«
»You surprize me« cries Mrs Ellison »Sure you are not in earnest«
»Indeed Madam« returned he »I am seriously in earnest And what is more
I am convinced she would of her own accord refuse to go«
»Now Madam« said Mrs Ellison »you are to answer for yourself and I will
for your Husband that if you have a Desire to go he will not refuse you«
»I hope Madam« answered Amelia with great Gravity »I shall never desire
to go to any Place contrary to Mr Booths Inclinations«
»Did ever Mortal hear the like« said Mrs Ellison »you are enough to spoil
the best Husband in the Universe Inclinations What is a Woman to be governed
then by her Husbands Inclinations tho they are never so unreasonable«
»Pardon me Madam« said Amelia »I will not suppose Mr Booths
Inclinations ever can be unreasonable I am very much obliged to you for the
Offer you have made me but I beg you will not mention it any more for after
what Mr Booth hath declared if Ranelagh was a Heaven upon Earth I would
refuse to go to it«
»I thank you my dear« cries Booth »I do assure you you oblige me beyond
my Power of Expression by what you say but I will endeavour to shew you both my
Sensibility of such Goodness and my lasting Gratitude to it«
»And pray Sir« cries Mrs Ellison »what can be your Objection to your
Ladys going to a Place which I will venture to say is as reputable as any
about Town and which is frequented by the best Company«
»Pardon me good Mrs Ellison« said Booth »As my Wife is so good to
acquiesce without knowing my Reasons I am not I think obliged to assign them
to any other Person«
»Well« cries Mrs Ellison »if I had been told this I would not have
believed it What refuse your Lady an innocent Diversion and that too when you
have not the Pretence to say it would cost you a Farthing«
»Why will you say any more on this Subject dear Madam« cries Amelia »All
Diversions are to me Matters of such Indifference that the bare Inclinations of
any one for whom I have the least Value would at all times turn the Balance of
mine I am sure then after what Mr Booth hath said «
»My dear« cries he taking her up hastily »I sincerely ask your Pardon I
spoke inadvertently and in a Passion I never once thought of controuling you
nor ever would Nay I said in the same Breath you would not go and upon my
Honour I meant nothing more«
»My dear« said she »you have no need of making any Apology I am not in
the least offended and am convinced you will never deny me what I shall
desire«
»Try him try him Madam« cries Mrs Ellison »I will be judged by all the
Women in Town if it is possible for a Wife to ask her Husband any thing more
reasonable You cant conceive what a sweet charming elegant delicious Place
it is Paradise itself can hardly be equal to it«
»I beg you will excuse me Madam« said Amelia »nay I intreat you will ask
me no more for be assured I must and will refuse Do let me desire you to give
the Ticket to poor Mrs Bennet I believe it would greatly oblige her«
»Pardon me Madam« said Mrs Ellison »If you will not accept of it I am
not so distressed for want of Company as to go to such a public Place with all
sort of People neither I am always very glad to see Mrs Bennet at my own
House because I look upon her as a very good sort of Woman but I dont chuse
to be seen with such People in public Places«
Amelia exprest some little Indignation at this last Speech which she
declared to be entirely beyond her Comprehension and soon after Mrs Ellison
finding all her Efforts to prevail on Amelia were ineffectual took her Leave
giving Mr Booth two or three sarcastical Words and a much more sarcastical
Look at her Departure
Chapter VI
A Scene in which some Ladies will possibly think Amelias Conduct
exceptionable
Booth and his Wife being left alone a solemn Silence prevailed during a few
Minutes At last Amelia who though a good was yet a human Creature said to
her Husband »Pray my dear do inform me what could put you into so great a
Passion when Mrs Ellison first offered me the Tickets for this Masquerade«
»I had rather you would not ask me« said Booth »You have obliged me
greatly in your ready Acquiescence with my Desire and you will add greatly to
the Obligation by not enquiring the Reason of it This you may depend upon
Amelia that your Good and Happiness are the great Objects of all my Wishes and
the End I propose in all my Actions This View alone could tempt me to refuse
you any thing or to conceal any thing from you«
»I will appeal to yourself« answered she »whether this be not using me too
much like a Child and whether I can possibly help being a little offended at
it«
»Not in the least« replied he »I use you only with the Tenderness of a
Friend I would only endeavour to conceal that from you which I think would
give you Uneasiness if you knew These are called the pious Frauds of
Friendship«
»I detest all Fraud« says she »and pious is too good an Epithet to be
joined to so odious a Word You have often you know tried these Frauds with no
better Effect than to teize and torment me You cannot imagine my Dear but
that I must have a violent Desire to know the Reason of Words which I own I
never expected to have heard And the more you have shewn a Reluctance to tell
me the more eagerly I have longed to know Nor can this be called a vain
Curiosity since I seem so much interested in this Affair If after all this
you still insist on keeping the Secret I will convince you I am not ignorant
of the Duty of a Wife by my Obedience but I cannot help telling you at the
same time you will make me one of the most miserable of Women«
»That is« cries he »in other Words my dear Emily to say I will be
contented without the Secret but I am resolved to know it nevertheless«
»Nay if you say so« cries she »I am convinced you will tell me
Positively dear Billy I must and will know«
»Why then positively« says Booth »I will tell you And I think I shall
then shew you that however well you may know the Duty of a Wife I am not
always able to behave like a Husband In a word then my Dear the Secret is no
more than this I am unwilling you should receive any more Presents from my
Lord«
»Mercy upon me« cries she with all the Marks of Astonishment »what a
Masquerade Ticket«
»Yes my Dear« cries he »that is perhaps the very worst and most dangerous
of all Few Men make Presents of those Tickets to Ladies without intending to
meet them at the Place And what do we know of your Companion To be sincere
with you I have not liked her Behaviour for some Time What might be the
Consequence of going with such a Woman to such a Place to meet such a Person I
tremble to think And now my Dear I have told you my Reason of refusing her
Offer with some little Vehemence and I think I need explain myself no
farther«
»You need not indeed Sir« answered she »Good Heavens did I ever expect
to hear this I can appeal to Heaven nay I will apeal to yourself Mr Booth
if I have ever done any thing to deserve such a Suspicion If ever any Action of
mine nay if ever any Thought had stained the Innocence of my Soul I could be
contented«
»How cruelly do you mistake me« said Booth »what Suspicion have I ever
shewn«
»Can you ask it« answered she »after what you have just now declared«
»If I have declared any Suspicion of you« replied he »or if ever I
entertained a Thought leading that way may the worst of Evils that ever
afflicted human Nature attend me I know the pure Innocence of that tender
Bosom I do know it my lovely Angel and adore it The Snares which might be
laid for that Innocence were alone the Cause of my Apprehension I feared what
a wicked and voluptuous Man resolved to sacrifice every thing to the
Gratification of a sensual Appetite with the most delicious Repast might
attempt If ever I injured the unspotted Whiteness of thy Virtue in my
Imagination may Hell «
»Do not terrify me« cries she interrupting him »with such Imprecations O
Mr Booth Mr Booth you must well know that a Womans Virtue is always her
sufficient Guard No Husband without suspecting that can suspect any Danger from
those Snares you mention And why if you are liable to take such things into
your Head may not your Suspicions fall on me as well as on any other for sure
nothing was ever more unjust I will not say ungrateful than the Suspicions
which you have bestowed on his Lordship I do solemnly declare in all the times
I have seen the poor Man he hath never once offered the least Forwardness His
Behaviour hath been polite indeed but rather remarkably distant than otherwise
Particularly when we played at Cards together I dont remember he spoke ten
Words to me all the Evening and when I was at his House tho he shewed the
greatest Fondness imaginable to the Children he took so little Notice of me
that a vain Woman would have been very little pleased with him And if he gave
them many Presents he never offered me one The first indeed which he ever
offered me was that which you in that kind manner forced me to refuse«
»All this may be only the Effect of Art« said Booth »I am convinced he
doth nay I am convinced he must like you and my good Friend James who
perfectly well knows the World told me that his Lordships Character was that
of the most profuse in his Pleasures with Women nay what said Mrs James this
very Evening his Lordship is extremely generous where he likes I shall never
forget the Sneer with which she spoke those last Words«
»I am convinced they injure him« cries Amelia »As for Mrs James she was
always given to be censorious I remarked it in her long ago as her greatest
Fault And for the Colonel I believe he may find Faults enow of this kind in
his own Bosom without searching after them among his Neighbours I am sure he
hath the most impudent Look of all the Men I know and I solemnly declare the
very last time he was here he put me out of Countenance more than once«
»Colonel James« answered Booth »may have his Faults very probably I do
not look upon him as a Saint nor do I believe he desires I should but what
Interest could he have in abusing this Lords Character to me or why should I
question his Truth when he assured me that my Lord had never done an Act of
Beneficence in his Life but for the Sake of some Woman whom he lusted after«
»Then I myself can confute him« replied Amelia »for besides his Services
to you which for the future I shall wish to forget and his Kindness to my
little Babes how inconsistent is the Character which James gives of him with
his Lordships Behaviour to his own Nephew and Niece whose extreme Fondness of
their Uncle sufficiently proclaims his Goodness to them I need not mention
all that I have heard from Mrs Ellison every Word of which I believe for I
have great Reason to think notwithstanding some little Levity which to give
her her due she sees and condemns in herself she is a very good Sort of Woman«
»Well my dear« cries Booth »I may have been deceived and I heartily hope
I am so but in Cases of this Nature it is always good to be on the surest Side
For as Congreve says
The wise too jealous are Fools too secure«
Here Amelia burst into Tears upon which Booth immediately caught her in his
Arms and endeavoured to comfort her Passion however for a while obstructed
her Speech and at last she cried »O Mr Booth can I bear to hear the word
Jealousy from your Mouth«
»Why my Love« said Booth »will you so fatally misunderstand my Meaning
How often shall I protest that it is not of you but of him that I was jealous
If you could look into my Breast and there read all the most secret Thoughts of
my Heart you would not see one faint Idea to your Dishonour«
»I dont misunderstand you my Dear« said she »so much as I am afraid you
misunderstand yourself What is it you fear you mention not Force but Snares
Is not this to confess at least that you have some doubt of my Understanding
Do you then really imagine me so weak as to be cheated of my Virtue Am I to be
deceived into an Affection for a Man before I perceive the least inward Hint of
my Danger No Mr Booth believe me a Woman must be a Fool indeed who can have
in earnest such an Excuse for her Actions I have not I think any very high
Opinion of my Judgment but so far I shall rely upon it that no Man breathing
could have any such Designs as you have apprehended without my immediately
seeing them and how I should then act I hope my whole Conduct to you hath
sufficiently declared«
»Well my dear« cries Booth »I beg you will mention it no more if
possible forget it I hope nay I believe I have been in the Wrong pray
forgive me «
»I will I do forgive you my dear« said she »If Forgiveness be a proper
Word for one whom you have rather made miserable than angry but let me entreat
you to banish for ever all such Suspicions from your Mind I hope Mrs Ellison
hath not discovered the real Cause of your Passion but poor Woman if she had
I am convinced it would go no farther Oh Heavens I would not for the World it
should reach his Lordships Ears You would lose the best Friend that ever Man
had Nay I would not for his own Sake poor Man for I really believe it would
affect him greatly and I must I cannot help having an Esteem for so much
Goodness An Esteem which by this dear Hand« said she taking Booths Hand and
kissing it »no Man alive shall ever obtain by making Love to me«
Booth caught her in his Arms and tenderly embraced her After which the
Reconciliation soon became complete and Booth in the Contemplation of his
Happiness entirely buried all his jealous Thoughts
Chapter VII
A Chapter in which there is much Learning
The next Morning whilst Booth was gone to take his Morningwalk Amelia went
down into Mrs Ellisons Apartment where though she was received with great
Civility yet she found that Lady was not at all pleased with Mr Booth and by
some Hints which dropt from her in Conversation Amelia very greatly apprehended
that Mrs Ellison had too much Suspicion of her Husbands real Uneasiness For
that Lady declared very openly she could not help perceiving what sort of Man
Mr Booth was »and though I have the greatest Regard for you Madam in the
World« said she »yet I think myself in Honour obliged not to impose on his
Lordship who I know very well hath conceived his greatest Liking to the
Captain on my telling him that he was the best Husband in the World«
Amelias Fears gave her much Disturbance and when her Husband returned she
acquainted him with them upon which Occasion as it was natural she resumed a
little the Topic of their former Discourse nor could she help casting tho in
very gentle Terms some slight Blame on Booth for having entertained a
Suspicion which she said might in its Consequence very possibly prove their
Ruin and occasion the Loss of his Lordships Friendship
Booth became highly affected with what his Wife said and the more as he had
just received a Note from Colonel James informing him that the Colonel had
heard of a vacant Company in the Regiment which Booth had mentioned to him and
that he had been with his Lordship about it who had promised to use his utmost
Interest to obtain him the Command
The poor Man now exprest the utmost Concern for his Yesterdays Behaviour
said »he believed the Devil had taken Possession of him« and concluded with
crying out »sure I was born my dearest Creature to be your Torment«
Amelia no sooner saw her Husbands Distress than she instantly forebore
whatever might seem likely to aggravate it and applied herself with all her
Power to comfort him »If you will give me leave to offer my Advice my dearest
Soul« said she »I think all might yet be remedied I think you know me too
well to suspect that the Desire of Diversion should induce me to mention what
I am now going to propose And in that Confidence I will ask you to let me
accept my Lords and Mrs Ellisons Offer and go to the Masquerade No matter
how little while I stay there if you desire it I will not be an Hour from you
I can make a hundred Excuses to come home or tell a real Truth and say I am
tired with the Place The bare going will cure every Thing«
Amelia had no sooner done speaking than Booth immediately approved her
Advice and readily gave his Consent He could not however help saying »that
the shorter her Stay was there the more agreeable it would be to him For you
know my dear« said he »I would never willingly be a Moment out of your
Sight«
In the Afternoon Amelia sent to invite Mrs Ellison to a Dish of Tea and
Booth undertook to laugh off all that had past Yesterday in which Attempt the
abundant good Humour of that Lady gave him great Hopes of Success
Mrs Bennet came that Afternoon to make a Visit and was almost an Hour with
Booth and Amelia before the Entry of Mrs Ellison
Mr Booth had hitherto rather disliked this young Lady and had wondered at
the Pleasure which Amelia declared she took in her Company This Afternoon
however he changed his Opinion and liked her almost as much as his Wife had
done She did indeed behave at this Time with more than ordinary Gaiety and
Goodhumour gave a Glow to her Countenance that set off her Features which were
very pretty to the best Advantage and lessened the Deadness that had usually
appeared in her Complexion
But if Booth was now pleased with Mrs Bennet Amelia was still more pleased
with her than ever For when their Discourse turned on Love Amelia discovered
that her new Friend had all the same Sentiments on that Subject with herself In
the Course of their Conversation Booth gave Mrs Bennet a Hint of wishing her a
good Husband upon which both the Ladies declaimed against second Marriages
with equal Vehemence
Upon this Occasion Booth and his Wife discovered a Talent in their
Visitant to which they had been before entirely Strangers and for which they
both greatly admired her and this was that the Lady was a good Scholar in
which indeed she had the Advantage of poor Amelia whose Reading was confined to
English Plays and Poetry besides which I think she had conversed only with
the Divinity of the great and learned Dr Barrow and with the Histories of the
excellent Bishop Burnet
Amelia delivered herself on the Subject of second Marriages with much
Eloquence and great good Sense but when Mrs Bennet came to give her Opinion
she spoke in the following Manner »I shall not enter into the Question
concerning the Legality of Bigamy Our Laws certainly allow it and so I think
doth our Religion We are now debating only on the Decency of it and in this
Light I own myself as strenuous an Advocate against it as any Roman Matron
would have been in those Ages of the Commonwealth when it was held to be
infamous For my own part how great a Paradox soever my Opinion may seem I
solemnly declare I see but little Difference between having two Husbands at one
time and at several times and of this I am very confident that the same
Degree of Love for a first Husband which preserves a Woman in the one Case
will preserve her in the other There is one Argument which I scarce know how
to deliver before you Sir but if a Woman hath lived with her first Husband
without having Children I think it unpardonable in her to carry Barrenness into
a second Family On the contrary if she hath Children by her first Husband to
give them a second Father is still more unpardonable«
»But suppose Madam« cries Booth interrupting her with a Smile »she
should have had Children by her first Husband and have lost them«
»That is a Case« answered she with a Sigh »which I did not desire to
think of and I must own it the most favourable Light in which a second
Marriage can be seen But the Scriptures as Petrarch observes rather suffer
them than commend them and St Jerom speaks against them with the utmost
Bitterness« »I remember« cries Booth who was willing either to shew his
Learning or to draw out the Ladys »a very wise Law of Charondas the famous
Lawgiver of Thurium by which Men who married a second time were removed from
all public Councils for it was scarce reasonable to suppose that he who was so
great a Fool in his own Family should be wise in public Affairs And tho
second Marriages were permitted among the Romans yet they were at the same time
discouraged and those Roman Widows who refused them were held in high Esteem
and honoured with what Valerius Maximus calls the Corona Pudicitiæ In the noble
Family of Camilli there was not in many Ages a single Instance of this which
Martial calls Adultery
Quæ toties nubit non nubit Adultera Lege est«
»True Sir« says Mrs Bennet »and Virgil calls this a Violation of Chastity
and makes Dido speak of it with the utmost Detestation
Sed mihi vel Tellus optem prius ima dehiscat
Vel Pater omnipotens adigat me Fulmine ad umbras
Pallentes umbras Erebi noctemque profundam
Ante pudor quam te violo aut tua Jura resolvo
Ille meos primum qui me sibi junxit amores
Ille habeat semper secum servetque Sepulchre«
She repeated these Lines with so strong an Emphasis that she almost frightned
Amelia out of her Wits and not a little staggered Booth who was himself no
contemptible Scholar He expressed great Admiration of the Ladys Learning
upon which she said it was all the Fortune given her by her Father and all the
Dower left her by her Husband »and sometimes« said she »I am inclined to
think I enjoy more Pleasure from it than if they had bestowed on me what the
World would in general call more valuable« She then took Occasion from the
Surprize which Booth had affected to conceive at her repeating Latin with so
good a Grace to comment on that great Absurdity for so she termed it of
excluding Women from Learning for which they were equally qualified with the
Men and in which so many had made so notable a Proficiency for a Proof of
which she mentioned Madam Dacier and many others
Tho both Booth and Amelia outwardly concurred with her Sentiments it may
be a Question whether they did not assent rather out of Complaisance than from
their real Judgment
Chapter VIII
Containing some unaccountable Behaviour in Mrs Ellison
Mrs Ellison made her Entrance at the End of the preceding Discourse At her
first Appearance she put on an unusual Degree of Formality and Reserve but when
Amelia had acquainted her that she designed to accept the Favour intended her
she soon began to alter the Gravity of her Muscles and presently fell in with
that Ridicule which Booth thought proper to throw on his Yesterdays Behaviour
The Conversation now became very lively and pleasant in which Booth having
mentioned the Discourse that passed in the last Chapter and having greatly
complimented Mrs Bennets Speech on that Occasion Mrs Ellison who was as
strenuous an Advocate on the other Side began to rally that Lady extremely
declaring it was a certain Sign she intended to marry again soon »Married
Ladies« cries she »I believe sometimes think themselves in earnest in such
Declarations tho they are oftner perhaps meant as Compliments to their
Husbands but when Widows exclaim loudly against second Marriages I would
always lay a Wager that the Man if not the Weddingday is absolutely fixed
on«
Mrs Bennet made very little Answer to this Sarcasm Indeed she had scarce
opened her Lips from the Time of Mrs Ellisons coming into the Room and had
grown particularly grave at the Mention of the Masquerade Amelia imputed this
to her being left out of the Party a Matter which is often no small
Mortification to human Pride and in a Whisper asked Mrs Ellison if she could
not procure a third Ticket to which she received an absolute Negative
During the whole Time of Mrs Bennets Stay which was above an Hour
afterwards she remained perfectly silent and looked extremely melancholy This
made Amelia very uneasy as she concluded she had guest the Cause of her
Vexation In which Opinion she was the more confirmed from certain Looks of no
very pleasant Kind which Mrs Bennet now and then cast on Mrs Ellison and the
more than ordinary Concern that appeared in the former Ladys Countenance
whenever the Masquerade was mentioned and which unfortunately was the principal
Topic of their Discourse For Mrs Ellison gave a very elaborate Description of
the extreme Beauty of the Place and Elegance of the Diversion
When Mrs Bennet was departed Amelia could not help again solliciting Mrs
Ellison for another Ticket declaring she was certain Mrs Bennet had a great
Inclination to go with them but Mrs Ellison again excused herself from asking
it of his Lordship »Besides Madam« says she »if I would go thither with Mrs
Bennet which I own to you I dont chuse as she is a Person whom no Body
knows I very much doubt whether she herself would like it For she is a Woman
of a very unaccountable Turn All her Delight lies in Books and as for public
Diversions I have heard her often declare her Abhorrence of them«
»What then« said Amelia »could occasion all that Gravity from the Moment
the Masquerade was mentioned«
»As to that« answered the other »there is no guessing You have seen her
altogether as grave before now She hath had these Fits of Gravity at times ever
since the Death of her Husband«
»Poor Creature« cries Amelia »I heartily pity her For she must certainly
suffer a great deal on these Occasions I declare I have taken a strange Fancy
to her«
»Perhaps you would not like her so well if you knew her thoroughly«
answered Mrs Ellison »She is upon the whole but of a whimsical Temper and if
you will take my Opinion you should not cultivate too much Intimacy with her I
know you will never mention what I say but she is like some Pictures which
please best at a Distance«
Amelia did not seem to agree with these Sentiments and she greatly
importuned Mrs Ellison to be more explicit but to no purpose she continued to
give only dark Hints to Mrs Bennets Disadvantage and if ever she let drop
something a little too harsh she failed not immediately to contradict herself
by throwing some gentle Commendations into the other Scale so that her Conduct
appeared utterly unaccountable to Amelia and upon the whole she knew not
whether to conclude Mrs Ellison to be a Friend or Enemy to Mrs Bennet
During this latter Conversation Booth was not in the Room For he had been
summoned down stairs by the Serjeant who came to him with News from Murphy whom
he had met that Evening and who assured the Serjeant that if he was desirous
of recovering the Debt which he had before pretended to have on Booth he might
shortly have an Opportunity for that there was to be a very strong Petition to
the Board the next Time they sat Murphy said further that he need not fear
having his Money For that to his certain Knowledge the Captain had several
Things of great Value and even his Children had GoldWatches
This greatly alarmed Booth and still more when the Serjeant reported to
him from Murphy that all these Things had been seen in his Possession within a
Day last past He now plainly perceived as he thought that Murphy himself or
one of his Emissaries had been the supposed Madman and he now very well
accounted to himself in his own Mind for all that had happened conceiving that
the Design was to examine into the State of his Effects and to try whether it
was worth his Creditors while to plunder him by Law
At his Return to his Apartment he communicated what he had heard to Amelia
and Mrs Ellison not disguising his Apprehensions of the Enemys Intentions
but Mrs Ellison endeavoured to laugh him out of his Fears calling him
fainthearted and assuring him he might depend on her Lawyer »Till you hear
from him« said she »you may rest entirely contented For take my Word for it
no Danger can happen to you of which you will not be timely apprized by him
And as for the Fellow that had the Impudence to come into your Room if he was
sent on such an Errand as you mention I heartily wish I had been at home I
would have secured him safe with a Constable and have carried him directly
before Justice Thresher I know the Justice is an Enemy to Bailiffs on his own
account«
This heartening Speech a little roused the Courage of Booth and somewhat
comforted Amelia tho the Spirits of both had been too much hurried to suffer
them either to give or receive much Entertainment that Evening which Mrs
Ellison perceiving soon took her Leave and left this unhappy Couple to seek
Relief from Sleep that powerful Friend to the Distressed tho like other
powerful Friends he is not always ready to give his Assistance to those who
want it most
Chapter IX
Containing a very strange Incident
When the Husband and Wife were alone they again talked over the News which the
Serjeant had brought on which Occasion Amelia did all she could to conceal her
own Fears and to quiet those of her Husband At last she turned the
Conversation to another Subject and poor Mrs Bennet was brought on the Carpet
»I should be sorry« cries Amelia »to find I had conceived an Affection for a
bad Woman and yet I begin to fear Mrs Ellison knows something of her more than
she cares to discover why else should she be unwilling to be seen with her in
Public Besides I have observed that Mrs Ellison hath been always backward to
introduce her to me nor would ever bring her to my Apartment though I have
often desired her Nay she hath given me frequent Hints not to cultivate the
Acquaintance What do you think my dear I should be very sorry to contract
an Intimacy with a wicked Person«
»Nay my dear« cries Booth »I know no more of her nor indeed hardly so
much as yourself But this I think that if Mrs Ellison knows any Reason why
she should not have introduced Mrs Bennet into your Company she was very much
in the wrong in introducing her into it«
In Discourses of this kind they past the Remainder of the Evening In the
Morning Booth rose early and going down Stairs received from little Betty a
sealed Note which contained the following Words
Beware beware beware
For I apprehend a dreadful Snare
Is laid for virtuous Innocence
Under a Friends false Pretence
Booth immediately enquired of the Girl who brought this Note and was told it
came by a Chairman who having delivered it departed without saying a Word
He was extremely staggered at what he read and presently referred the
Advice to the same Affair on which he had received those Hints from Atkinson the
preceding Evening but when he came to consider the Words more maturely he
could not so well reconcile the two last Lines of this poetical Epistle if it
may be so called with any Danger which the Law gave him Reason to apprehend
Mr Murphy and his Gang could not well be said to attack either his Innocence or
Virtue nor did they attack him under any Colour or Pretence of Friendship
After much Deliberation on this Matter a very strange Suspicion came into
his Head and this was that he was betrayed by Mrs Ellison He had for some
time conceived no very high Opinion of that good Gentlewoman and he now began
to suspect that she was bribed to betray him By this means he thought he could
best account for the strange Appearance of the supposed Madman And when this
Conceit once had Birth in his Mind several Circumstances nourished and improved
it Among these were her jocose Behaviour and Raillery on that Occasion and her
Attempt to ridicule his Fears from the Message which the Serjeant had brought
him
This Suspicion was indeed preposterous and not at all warranted by or even
consistent with the Character and whole Behaviour of Mrs Ellison but it was
the only one which at that time suggested itself to his Mind and however
blameable it might be it was certainly not unnatural in him to entertain it
for so great a Torment is Anxiety to the human Mind that we always endeavour to
relieve ourselves from it by Guesses however doubtful or uncertain on all
which Occasions Dislike and Hatred are the surest Guides to lead our Suspicion
to its Object
When Amelia rose to Breakfast Booth produced the Note which he had
received saying »my Dear you have so often blamed me for keeping Secrets from
you and I have so often indeed endeavoured to conceal Secrets of this Kind from
you with such ill Success that I think I shall never more attempt it« Amelia
read the Letter hastily and seemed not a little discomposed then turning to
Booth with a very disconsolate Countenance she said »sure Fortune takes a
Delight in terrifying us what can be the Meaning of this« Then fixing her
Eyes attentively on the Paper she perused it for some time till Booth cried
»How is it possible my Emily you can read such Stuff patiently The Verses are
certainly as bad as ever were written« »I was trying my Dear« answered she
»to recollect the Hand for I will take my Oath I have seen it before and that
very lately« and suddenly she cried out with great Emotion »I remember it
perfectly now It is Mrs Bennets Hand Mrs Ellison shewed me a Letter from
her but a Day or two ago It is a very remarkable Hand and I am positive it is
hers«
»If it be hers« cries Booth »what can she possibly mean by the latter Part
of her Caution Sure Mrs Ellison hath no Intention to betray us«
»I know not what she means« answered Amelia »but I am resolved to know
immediately for I am certain of the Hand By the greatest Luck in the World
she told me Yesterday where her Lodgings were when she pressed me exceedingly
to come and see her She lives but a very few Doors from us and I will go to
her this Moment«
Booth made not the least Objection to his Wifes Design His Curiosity was
indeed as great as hers and so was his Impatience to satisfy it tho he
mentioned not this his Impatience to Amelia and perhaps it had been well for
him if he had
Amelia therefore presently equipped herself in her walking Dress and
leaving her Children to the Care of her Husband made all possible Haste to Mrs
Bennets Lodgings
Amelia waited near five Minutes at Mrs Bennets Door before any one came
to open it at length a MaidServant appeared who being asked if Mrs Bennet
was at home answered with some Confusion in her Countenance that she did not
know »but Madam« said she »if you will send up your Name I will go and
see« Amelia then told her Name and the Wench after staying a considerable
Time returned and acquainted her that Mrs Bennet was at home She was then
ushered into a Parlour and told that the Lady would wait on her presently
In this Parlour Amelia cooled her Heels as the Phrase is near a Quarter
of an Hour She seemed indeed at this Time in the miserable Situation of one of
those poor Wretches who make their Morning Visits to the Great to solicit
Favours or perhaps to solicit the Payment of a Debt for both are alike treated
as Beggars and the latter sometimes considered as the more troublesome Beggars
of the two
During her Stay here Amelia observed the House to be in great Confusion a
great Bustle was heard above Stairs and the Maid ran up and down several Times
in a great Hurry
At length Mrs Bennet herself came in She was greatly disordered in her
Looks and had as the Women call it huddled on her Cloaths in much Haste for
in truth she was in Bed when Amelia first came Of this Fact she informed her
as the only Apology she could make for having caused her to wait so long for her
Company
Amelia very readily accepted her Apology but asked her with a Smile if
these early Hours were usual with her Mrs Bennet turned as red as Scarlet at
the Question and answered »no indeed dear Madam I am for the most part a
very early Riser but I happened accidentally to sit up very late last Night I
am sure I had little Expectation of your intending me such a Favour this
Morning«
Amelia looking very stedfastly at her said »Is it possible Madam you
should think such a Note as this would raise no Curiosity in me« She then gave
her the Note asking her if she did not know the Hand
Mrs Bennet appeared in the utmost Surprize and Confusion at this Instant
Indeed if Amelia had conceived but the slightest Suspicion before the Behaviour
of the Lady would have been a sufficient Confirmation to her of the Truth She
waited not therefore for an Answer which indeed the other seemed in no haste to
give but conjured her in the most earnest Manner to explain to her the Meaning
of so extraordinary an Act of Friendship »For so« said she »I esteem it
being convinced you must have sufficient Reason for the Warning you have given
me«
Mrs Bennet after some Hesitation answered »I need not I believe tell
you how much I am surprized at what you have shewn me and the chief Reason of
my Surprize is how you came to discover my Hand Sure Madam you have not
shewn it to Mrs Ellison«
Amelia declared she had not but desired she would question her no farther
»What signifies how I discovered it since your Hand it certainly is«
»I own it is« cries Mrs Bennet recovering her Spirits »and since you
have not shewn it to that Woman I am satisfied I begin to guess now whence you
might have your Information but no matter I wish I had never done any thing of
which I ought to be more ashamed No one can I think justly accuse me of a
Crime on that account and I thank Heaven my Shame will never be directed by
the false Opinion of the World Perhaps it was wrong to shew my Letter but
when I consider all Circumstances I can forgive it«
»Since you have guessed the Truth« said Amelia »I am not obliged to deny
it She indeed shewed me your Letter but I am sure you have not the least
Reason to be ashamed of it On the contrary your Behaviour on so melancholy an
Occasion was highly Praiseworthy and your bearing up under such Afflictions
as the Loss of a Husband in so dreadful a Situation was truly great and
heroical«
»So Mrs Ellison then hath shewn you my Letter« cries Mrs Bennet eagerly
»Why did not you guess it yourself« answered Amelia »otherwise I am sure
I have betrayed my Honour in mentioning it I hope you have not drawn me
inadvertent into any Breach of my Promise Did you not assert and that with an
absolute Certainty that you knew she had shewn me your Letter and that you was
not angry with her for so doing«
»I am so confused« replied Mrs Bennet »that I scarce know what I say
yes yes I remember I did say so I wish I had no greater Reason to be angry
with her than that«
»For Heavens sake« cries Amelia »do not delay my Request any longer What
you say now greatly increases my Curiosity and my Mind will be on the Rack till
you discover your whole Meaning for I am more and more convinced that
something of the utmost Importance was the Purport of your Message«
»Of the utmost Importance indeed« cries Mrs Bennet »at least you will own
my Apprehensions were sufficiently well founded O gracious Heaven how happy
shall I think myself if I should have proved your Preservation I will indeed
explain my Meaning but in order to disclose all my Fears in their just Colours
I must unfold my whole History to you Can you have Patience Madam to listen
to the Story of the most unfortunate of Women«
Amelia assured her of the highest Attention and Mrs Bennet soon after
began to relate what is written in the Seventh Book of this History
Book VII
Chapter I
A very short Chapter and consequently requiring no Preface
Mrs Bennet having fastened the Door and both the Ladies having taken their
Places she once or twice offered to speak when Passion stopt her Utterance
and after a Minutes Silence she burst into a Flood of Tears Upon which Amelia
expressing the utmost Tenderness for her as well by her Look as by her Accent
cryd »What can be the Reason dear Madam of all this Emotion« »O Mrs
Booth« answered she »I find I have undertaken what I am not able to perform
You would not wonder at my Emotion if you knew you had an Adulteress and a
Murderer now standing before you«
Amelia turned pale as Death at these Words which Mrs Bennet observing
collected all the Force she was able and a little composing her Countenance
cryd »I see Madam I have terrified you with such dreadful Words but I hope
you will not think me guilty of these Crimes in the blackest Degree«
»Guilty« cries Amelia »Oh Heavens« »I believe indeed your Candour« continued
Mrs Bennet »will be readier to acquit me than I am to acquit myself
Indiscretion at least the highest most unpardonable Indiscretion I shall
always lay to my own Charge and when I reflect on the fatal Consequences I can
never never forgive myself« Here she again began to lament in so bitter a
manner that Amelia endeavoured as much as she could for she was herself
greatly shocked to sooth and comfort her telling her that if Indiscretion was
her highest Crime the unhappy Consequences made her rather an unfortunate than
a guilty Person and concluded by saying »Indeed Madam you have raised my
Curiosity to the highest Pitch and I beg you will proceed with your Story«
Mrs Bennet then seemed a second time going to begin her Relation when she
cried out »I would if possible tire you with no more of my unfortunate Life
than just with that Part which leads to a Catastrophe in which I think you may
yourself be interested but I protest I am at a Loss where to begin«
»Begin wherever you please dear Madam« cries Amelia »but I beg you will
consider my Impatience« »I do consider it« answered Mrs Bennet »And
therefore would begin with that Part of my Story which leads directly to what
concerns yourself For how indeed should my Life produce any thing worthy your
Notice« »Do not say so Madam« cries Amelia »I assure you I have long
suspected there were some very remarkable Incidents in your Life and have only
wanted an Opportunity to impart to you my Desire of hearing them I beg
therefore you would make no more Apologies« »I will not Madam« cries Mrs
Bennet »And yet I would avoid any thing trivial tho indeed in Stories of
Distress especially where Love is concerned many little Incidents may appear
trivial to those who have never felt the Passion which to delicate Minds are
the most interesting Part of the Whole« »Nay but dear Madam« cries Amelia
»This is all Preface«
»Well Madam« answered Mrs Bennet »I will consider your Impatience« She
then rallied all her Spirits in the best Manner she could and began as is
written in the next Chapter
And here possibly the Reader will blame Mrs Bennet for taking her Story so
far back and relating so much of her Life in which Amelia had no Concern but
in Truth she was desirous of inculcating a good Opinion of herself from
recounting those Transactions where her Conduct was unexceptionable before she
came to the more dangerous and suspicious Part of her Character This I really
suppose to have been her Intention For to sacrifice the Time and Patience of
Amelia at such a Season to the mere Love of Talking of herself would have been
as unpardonable in her as the bearing it was in Amelia a Proof of the most
perfect good Breeding
Chapter II
The Beginning of Mrs Bennets History
»I was the younger of two Daughters of a Clergyman in Essex of one in whose
Praise if I should indulge my fond Heart in speaking I think my Invention could
not outgo the Reality He was indeed well worthy of the Cloth he wore and that
I think is the highest Character a Man can obtain
During the first Part of my Life even till I reached my Sixteenth Year I
can recollect nothing to relate to you All was one long serene Day in looking
back upon which as when we cast our Eyes on a calm Sea no Object arises to my
View All appears one Scene of Happiness and Tranquillity
On the Day then when I became sixteen Years old must I begin my History
for on that Day I first tasted the Bitterness of Sorrow
My Father besides those prescribed by our Religion kept five Festivals
every Year These were on his WeddingDay and on the BirthDay of each of his
little Family On these Occasions he used to invite two or three Neighbours to
his House and to indulge himself as he said in great Excess For so he called
drinking a Pint of very small Punch and indeed it might appear Excess to one
who on other Days rarely tasted any Liquor stronger than small Beer
Upon my unfortunate BirthDay then when we were all in a high Degree of
Mirth my Mother having left the Room after Dinner and staying away pretty
long my Father sent me to see for her I went according to his Orders but tho
I searched the whole House and called after her without Doors I could neither
see nor hear her I was a little alarmed at this tho far from suspecting any
great Mischief had befallen her and ran back to acquaint my Father who
answered coolly for he was a Man of the calmest Temper Very well my Dear I
suppose she is not gone far and will be here immediately Half an Hour or more
past after this when she not returning my Father himself expressed some
Surprize at her Stay declaring it must be some Matter of Importance which
could detain her at that time from her Company His Surprize now encreased every
Minute and he began to grow uneasy and to shew sufficient Symptoms in his
Countenance of what he felt within He then dispatched the Servant Maid to
enquire after her Mistress in the Parish but waited not her Return for she was
scarce gone out of Doors before he begged Leave of his Guests to go himself on
the same Errand The Company now all broke up and attended my Father all
endeavouring to give him Hopes that no Mischief had happened They searched the
whole Parish but in vain They could neither see my Mother nor hear any News of
her My Father returned home in a State little short of Distraction His Friends
in vain attempted to administer either Advice or Comfort he threw himself on
the Floor in the most bitter Agonies of Despair
Whilst he lay in this Condition my Sister and myself lying by him all
equally I believe and completely miserable our old Servant Maid came into the
Room and cried out her Mind misgave her that she knew where her Mistress was
Upon these Words my Father sprung from the Floor and asked her eagerly where
But oh Mrs Booth how can I describe the Particulars of a Scene to you the
Remembrance of which chills my Blood with Horror and which the Agonies of my
Mind when it past made all a Scene of Confusion The Fact then in short was
this my Mother who was a most indulgent Mistress to one Servant which was all
we kept was unwilling I suppose to disturb her at her Dinner and therefore
went herself to fill her TeaKettle at a Well into which stretching herself too
far as we imagine the Water then being very low she fell with the TeaKettle
in her Hand The missing this gave the poor old Wretch the first Hint of her
Suspicion which upon Examination was found to be too well grounded
What we all suffered on this Occasion may more easily be felt than
described« »It may indeed« answered Amelia »and I am so sensible of it
that unless you have a Mind to see me faint before your Face I beg you will
order me something a Glass of Water if you please« Mrs Bennet immediately
complied with her Friends Request a Glass of Water was brought and some
Hartshorn Drops infused into it Which Amelia having drank off declared she
found herself much better and then Mrs Bennet proceeded thus
»I will not dwell on a Scene which I see hath already so much affected your
tender Heart and which is as disagreeable to me to relate as it can be to you
to hear I will therefore only mention to you the Behaviour of my Father on this
Occasion which was indeed becoming a Philosopher and a Christian Divine On the
Day after my Mothers Funeral he sent for my Sister and myself into his Room
where after many Caresses and every Demonstration of Fatherly Tenderness as
well in Silence as in Words he began to exhort us to bear with Patience the
great Calamity that had befallen us saying That as every human Accident how
terrible soever must happen to us by Divine Permission at least a due Sense of
our Duty to our great Creator must teach us an absolute Submission to his Will
Not only Religion but Common Sense must teach us this For Oh my dear
Children cries he How vain is all Resistance all Repining Could Tears wash
back again my Angel from the Grave I should drain all the Juices of my Body
through my Eyes but oh could we fill up that cursed Well with our Tears how
fruitless would be all our Sorrow I think I repeat you his very Words For
the Impression they made on me is never to be obliterated He then proceeded
to comfort us with the chearful Thought that the Loss was entirely our own and
that my Mother was greatly a Gainer by the Accident which we lamented I have a
Wife cries he my Children and you have a Mother now amongst the Heavenly
Choir How selfish therefore is all our Grief How cruel to her are all our
Wishes In this Manner he talked to us near half an Hour tho I must frankly
own to you his Arguments had not the immediate good Effect on us which they
deserved For we retired from him very little the better for his Exhortations
however they became every Day more and more forcible upon our Recollection
indeed they were greatly strengthened by his Example For in this as in all
other Instances he practised the Doctrines which he taught From this Day he
never mentioned my Mother more and soon after recovered his usual Cheerfulness
in Public tho I have Reason to think he paid many a bitter Sigh in private to
that Remembrance which neither Philosophy nor Christianity could expunge
My Fathers Advice enforced by his Example together with the Kindness of
some of our Friends assisted by that ablest of all the mental Physicians Time
in a few Months pretty well restored my Tranquillity when Fortune made a second
Attack on my Quiet My Sister whom I dearly loved and who as warmly returned
my Affection had fallen into an ill State of Health some time before the fatal
Accident which I have related She was indeed at that Time so much better that
we had great Hopes of her perfect Recovery but the Disorders of her Mind on
that dreadful Occasion so affected her Body that she presently relapsed to her
former declining State and thence grew continually worse and worse till after
a Decay of near seven Months she followed my poor Mother to the Grave
I will not tire you dear Madam with Repetitions of Grief I will only
mention two Observations which have occurred to me from Reflections on the two
Losses I have mentioned The first is that a Mind once violently hurt grows as
it were callous to any future Impressions of Grief and is never capable of
feeling the same Pangs a second Time The other Observation is that the Arrows
of Fortune as well as all others derive their Force from the Velocity with
which they are discharged For when they approach you by slow and perceptible
Degrees they have but very little Power to do you Mischief
The Truth of these Observations I experienced not only in my own Heart but
in the Behaviour of my Father whose Philosophy seemed to gain a complete
Triumph over this latter Calamity
Our Family was now reduced to two and my Father grew extremely fond of me
as if he had now conferred an entire Stock of Affection on me that had before
been divided His Words indeed testified no less For he daily called me his
only Darling his whole Comfort his All He committed the whole Charge of his
House to my Care and gave me the Name of his little Housekeeper an
Appellation of which I was then as proud as any Minister of State can be of his
Titles But tho I was very industrious in the Discharge of my Occupation I did
not however neglect my Studies in which I had made so great a Proficiency
that I was become a pretty good Mistress of the Latin Language and had made
some Progress in the Greek I believe Madam I have formerly acquainted you
that Learning was the chief Estate I inherited of my Father in which he had
instructed me from my earliest Youth
The Kindness of this good Man had at length wiped off the Remembrance of all
Losses and I during two Years led a Life of great Tranquillity I think I
might almost say of perfect Happiness
I was now in the nineteenth Year of my Age when my Fathers good Fortune
removed us from the County of Essex into Hampshire where a Living was conferred
on him by one of his old Schoolfellows of twice the Value of what he was
before possessed of
His Predecessor in this new Living had died in very indifferent
Circumstances and had left behind him a Widow with two small Children My
Father therefore who with great OEconomy had a most generous Soul bought the
whole Furniture of the Parsonagehouse at a very high Price some of it indeed
he would have wanted For tho our little Habitation in Essex was most
completely furnished yet it bore no Proportion to the Largeness of that House
in which he was now to dwell
His Motive however to the Purchase was I am convinced solely Generosity
which appeared sufficiently by the Price he gave and may be farther inforced by
the Kindness he shewed the Widow in another Instance For he assigned her an
Apartment for the Use of herself and her little Family which he told her she
was welcome to enjoy as long as it suited her Conveniency
As this Widow was very young and generally thought to be tolerably pretty
tho I own she had a Cast with her Eyes which I never liked my Father you may
suppose acted from a less noble Principle than I have hinted But I must in
Justice acquit him for these kind Offers were made her before ever he had seen
her Face and I have the greatest Reason to think that for a long Time after he
had seen her he beheld her with much Indifference
This Act of my Fathers gave me when I first heard it great Satisfaction
For I may at least with the Modesty of the ancient Philosophers call myself a
Lover of Generosity but when I became acquainted with the Widow I was still
more delighted with what my Father had done For tho I could not agree with
those who thought her a consummate Beauty I must allow that she was very fully
possessed of the Power of making herself agreeable and this Power she exerted
with so much Success with such indefatigable Industry to oblige that within
three Months I became in the highest Manner pleased with my new Acquaintance
and had contracted the most sincere Friendship for her
But if I was so pleased with the Widow my Father was by this Time enamoured
of her She had indeed by the most artful Conduct in the World so insinuated
herself into his Favour so entirely infatuated him that he never shewed the
least Marks of Cheerfulness in her Absence and could in Truth scarce bear
that she should be out of his Sight
She had managed this Matter so well O she is the most artful of Women
that my Fathers Heart was gone before I ever suspected it was in Danger The
Discovery you may easily believe Madam was not pleasing The Name of a
Motherinlaw sounded dreadful in my Ears nor could I bear the Thought of
parting again with a Share in those dear Affections of which I had purchased
the Whole by the Loss of a beloved Mother and Sister
In the first Hurry and Disorder of my Mind on this Occasion I committed a
Crime of the highest Kind against all the Laws of Prudence and Discretion I
took the young Lady herself very roundly to Task treated her Designs on my
Father as little better than a Design to commit a Theft and in my Passion I
believe said she might be ashamed to think of marrying a Man old enough to be
her Grandfather For so in Reality he almost was
The Lady on this Occasion acted finely the Part of a Hypocrite She affected
to be highly affronted at my unjust Suspicions as she called them and
proceeded to such Asseverations of her Innocence that she almost brought me to
discredit the Evidence of my own Eyes and Ears
My Father however acted much more honestly For he fell the next Day into
a more violent Passion with me than I had ever seen him in before and asked me
whether I intended to return his paternal Fondness by assuming the Right of
controlling his Inclinations with more of the like Kind which fully convinced
me what had passed between him and the Lady and how little I had injured her in
my Suspicions
Hitherto I frankly own my Aversion to this Match had been principally on my
own Account For I had no ill Opinion of the Woman tho I thought neither her
Circumstances nor my Fathers Age promised any Kind of Felicity from such an
Union but now I learnt some Particulars which had not our Quarrel become
public in the Parish I should perhaps have never known In short I was
informed that this gentle obliging Creature as she had at first appeared to
me had the Spirit of a Tigress and was by many believed to have broken the
Heart of her first Husband
The Truth of this Matter being confirmed to me upon Examination I resolved
not to suppress it On this Occasion Fortune seemed to favour me by giving me a
speedy Opportunity of seeing my Father alone and in good Humour He now first
began to open his intended Marriage telling me that he had formerly had some
religious Objections to Bigamy but he had very fully considered the Matter and
had satisfied himself of its Legality He then faithfully promised me that no
second Marriage should in the least impair his Affection for me and concluded
with the highest Elogiums on the Goodness of the Widow protesting that it was
her Virtues and not her Person with which he was enamoured
I now fell upon my Knees before him and bathing his Hand in my Tears which
flowed very plentifully from my Eyes acquainted him with all I had heard and
was so very imprudent I might almost say so cruel to disclose the Author of my
Information
My Father heard me without any Indication of Passion and answered coldly
that if there was any Proof of such Facts he should decline any further
Thoughts of his Match But Child said he tho I am far from suspecting the
Truth of what you tell me as far as regards your Knowledge yet you know the
Inclination of the World to Slander However before we parted he promised to
make a proper Enquiry into what I had told him But I ask your Pardon dear
Madam I am running minutely into those Particulars of my Life in which you
have not the least Concern«
Amelia stopt her Friend short in her Apology and tho perhaps she thought
her impertinent enough yet such was her good Breeding she gave her many
Assurances of a Curiosity to know every Incident of her Life which she could
remember after which Mrs Bennet proceeded as in the next Chapter
Chapter III
Continuation of Mrs Bennets Story
»I think Madam« said Mrs Bennet »I told you my Father promised me to enquire
farther into the Affair but he had hardly Time to keep his Word For we
separated pretty late in the Evening and early the next Morning he was married
to the Widow
But tho he gave no Credit to my Information I had sufficient Reason to
think he did not forget it by the Resentment which he soon discovered to both
the Persons whom I had named as my Informers
Nor was it long before I had good Cause to believe that my Fathers new
Wife was perfectly well acquainted with the good Opinion I had of her not only
from her Usage of me but from certain Hints which she threw forth with an Air
of Triumph One Day particularly I remember she said to my Father upon his
mentioning his Age O my Dear I hope you have many Years yet to live unless
indeed I should be so cruel as to break your Heart She spoke these Words
looking me full in the Face and accompanied them with a Sneer in which the
highest Malice was visible under a thin Covering of affected Pleasantry
I will not entertain you Madam with any Thing so common as the cruel Usage
of a Stepmother nor of what affected me much more the unkind Behaviour of a
Father under such an Influence It shall suffice only to tell you that I had
the Mortification to perceive the gradual and daily Decrease of my Fathers
Affection His Smiles were converted into Frowns the tender Appellations of
Child and Dear were exchanged for plain Molly that Girl that Creature and
sometimes much harder Names I was at first turned all at once into a Cypher
and at last seemed to be considered as a Nusance in the Family
Thus altered was the Man of whom I gave you such a Character at the Entrance
on my Story but alas he no longer acted from his own excellent Disposition
but was in every thing governed and directed by my MotherinLaw In Fact
whenever there is great Disparity of Years between Husband and Wife the Younger
is I believe always possessed of absolute Power over the Elder For
Superstition itself is a less firm Support of absolute Power than Dotage
But tho his Wife was so entirely Mistress of my Fathers Will that she
could make him use me ill she could not so perfectly subdue his Understanding
as to prevent him from being conscious of such ill Usage and from this
Consciousness he began inveterately to hate me Of this Hatred he gave me
numberless Instances and I protest to you I know not any other Reason for it
than what I have assigned and the Cause as Experience hath convinced me is
adequate to the Effect
While I was in this wretched Situation my Fathers Unkindness having almost
broken my Heart he came one Day into my Room with more Anger in his Countenance
than I had ever seen and after bitterly upbraiding me with my undutiful
Behaviour both to himself and his worthy Consort he bid me pack up my Alls and
immediately prepare to quit his House at the same time gave me a Letter and
told me that would acquaint me where I might find a Home adding that he
doubted not but I expected and had indeed solicited the Invitation and left me
with a Declaration that he would have no Spies in his Family
The Letter I found on opening it was from my Fathers own Sister but
before I mention the Contents I will give you a short Sketch of her Character
as it was somewhat particular Her personal Charms were not great for she was
very tall very thin and very homely Of the Defect of her Beauty she was
perhaps sensible her Vanity therefore retreated into her Mind where there is
no LookingGlass and consequently where we can flatter ourselves with
discovering almost whatever Beauties we please This is an encouraging
Circumstance and yet I have observed dear Mrs Booth that few Women ever seek
these Comforts from within till they are driven to it by Despair of finding any
Food for their Vanity from without Indeed I believe the first Wish of our
whole Sex is to be handsome«
Here both the Ladies fixed their Eyes on the Glass and both smiled
»My Aunt however« continued Mrs Bennet »from Despair of gaining any
Applause this Way had applied herself entirely to the Contemplation of her
Understanding and had improved this to such a Pitch that at the Age of Fifty
at which she was now arrived she had contracted a hearty Contempt for much the
greater Part of both Sexes for the Women as being Idiots and for the Men as
the Admirers of Idiots That Word and Fool were almost constantly in her Mouth
and were bestowed with great Liberality among all her Acquaintance
This Lady had spent one Day only at my Fathers House in near two Years It
was about a Month before his second Marriage At her Departure she took Occasion
to whisper me her Opinion of the Widow whom she called a pretty Idiot and
wondered how her Brother could bear such Company under his Roof for neither she
nor I had at that Time any Suspicion of what afterwards happened
The Letter which my Father had just received and which was the first she
had sent him since his Marriage was of such a Nature that I should be unjust
if I blamed him for being offended Fool and Idiot were both plentifully
bestowed in it as well on himself as on his Wife But what perhaps had
principally offended him was that Part which related to me For after much
Panegyric on my Understanding and saying he was unworthy of such a Daughter
she considered his Match not only as the highest Indiscretion as it related to
himself but as a downright Act of Injustice to me One Expression in it I shall
never forget You have placed said she a Woman above your Daughter who in
Understanding the only valuable Gift of Nature is the lowest in the whole
Class of pretty Idiots After much more of this Kind it concluded with inviting
me to her House
I can truly say that when I had read the Letter I entirely forgave my
Fathers Suspicion that I had made some Complaints to my Aunt of his Behaviour
For tho I was indeed innocent there was surely Colour enough to suspect the
contrary
Tho I had never been greatly attached to my Aunt nor indeed had she
formerly given me any Reason for such an Attachment yet I was well enough
pleased with her present Invitation To say the Truth I led so wretched a Life
where I then was that it was impossible not to be a Gainer by any Exchange
I could not however bear the Thoughts of leaving my Father with an
Impression on his Mind against me which I did not deserve I endeavoured
therefore to remove all his Suspicion of my having complained to my Aunt by the
most earnest Asseverations of my Innocence but they were all to no Purpose All
my Tears all my Vows and all my Entreaties were fruitless My new Mother
indeed appeared to be my Advocate but she acted her Part very poorly and far
from counterfeiting any Desire of succeeding in my Suit she could not conceal
the excessive Joy which she felt on the Occasion
Well Madam the next Day I departed for my Aunts where after a long
Journey of forty Miles I arrived without having once broke my Fast on the Road
For Grief is as capable as Food of filling the Stomach and I had too much of
the former to admit any of the latter The Fatigue of my Journey and the
Agitation of my Mind joined to my Fasting so overpowered my Spirits that when
I was taken from my Horse I immediately fainted away in the Arms of the Man
who helped me from my Saddle My Aunt expressd great Astonishment at seeing me
in this Condition with my Eyes almost swollen out of my Head with Tears but my
Fathers Letter which I delivered her soon after I came to myself pretty well
I believed cured her Surprize She often smiled with a Mixture of Contempt and
Anger while she was reading it and having pronounced her Brother to be a Fool
she turned to me and with as much Affability as possible for she is no great
Mistress of Affability said Dont be uneasy dear Molly for you are come to
the House of a Friend of one who hath Sense enough to discern the Author of all
the Mischief depend upon it Child I will ere long make some People ashamed of
their Folly This kind Reception gave me some Comfort my Aunt assuring me that
she would convince him how unjustly he had accused me of having made any
Complaints to her A Paper War was now begun between these two which not only
fixed an irreconcileable Hatred between them but confirmed my Fathers
Displeasure against me and in the End I believe did me no Service with my
Aunt For I was considered by both as the Cause of their Dissension tho in
Fact my StepMother who very well knew the Affection my Aunt had for her had
long since done her Business with my Father and as for my Aunts Affection
towards him it had been abating several Years from an Apprehension that he did
not pay sufficient Deference to her Understanding
I had lived about half a Year with my Aunt when I heard of my StepMothers
being delivered of a Boy and the great Joy my Father expressed on that
Occasion but poor Man he lived not long to enjoy his Happiness for within a
Month afterwards I had the melancholy News of his Death
Notwithstanding all the Disobligations I had lately received from him I was
sincerely afflicted at my Loss of him All his Kindness to me in my Infancy all
his Kindness to me while I was growing up recurred to my Memory raised a
thousand tender melancholy Ideas and totally obliterated all Thoughts of his
latter Behaviour for which I made also every Allowance and every Excuse in my
Power
But what may perhaps appear more extraordinary my Aunt began soon to speak
of him with Concern She said he had some Understanding formerly tho his
Passion for that vile Woman had in a great Measure obscured it and one Day
when she was in an ill Humour with me she had the Cruelty to throw out a Hint
that she had never quarrelled with her Brother if it had not been on my
Account
My Father during his Life had allowed my Aunt very handsomely for my Board
for Generosity was too deeply rivetted in his Nature to be plucked out by all
the Power of his Wife So far however she prevailed that tho he died
possessed of upwards of 2000l he left me no more than 100l which as he
expressed in his Will was to set me up in some Business if I had the Grace to
take to any
Hitherto my Aunt had in general treated me with some Degree of Affection
but her Behaviour began now to be changed She soon took an Opportunity of
giving me to understand that her Fortune was insufficient to keep me and as I
could not live on the Interest of my own it was high time for me to consider
about going into the World She added That her Brother having mentioned my
setting up in some Business in his Will was very foolish that I had been bred
to nothing and besides that the Sum was too trifling to set me up in any Way
of Reputation she desired me therefore to think of immediately going into
Service
This Advice was perhaps right enough and I told her I was very ready to do
as she directed me but I was at that time in an ill State of Health I desired
her therefore to let me stay with her till my Legacy which was not to be paid
till a Year after my Fathers Death was due and I then promised to satisfy her
for my Board to which she readily consented
And now Madam« said Mrs Bennet sighing »I am going to open to you those
Matters which lead directly to that great Catastrophe of my Life which hath
occasioned my giving you this Trouble and of trying your Patience in this
Manner«
Amelia notwithstanding her Impatience made a very civil Answer to this
and then Mrs Bennet proceeded to relate what is written in the next Chapter
Chapter IV
Further Continuation
»The Curate of the Parish where my Aunt dwelt was a young Fellow of about four
and twenty He had been left an Orphan in his Infancy and entirely unprovided
for when an Uncle had the Goodness to take Care of his Education both at
School and at the University As the young Gentleman was intended for the
Church his Uncle tho he had two Daughters of his own and no very large
Fortune purchased for him the next Presentation of a Living of near 200l a
Year The Incumbent at the Time of the Purchase was under the Age of Sixty
and in apparent good Health notwithstanding which he died soon after the
Bargain and long before the Nephew was capable of Orders so that the Uncle was
obliged to give the Living to a Clergyman to hold it till the young Man came of
proper Age
The young Gentleman had not attained his proper Age of taking Orders when
he had the Misfortune to lose his Uncle and only Friend who thinking he had
sufficiently provided for his Nephew by the Purchase of the Living considered
him no farther in his Will but divided all the Fortune of which he died
possessed between his two Daughters recommending it to them however on his
Deathbed to assist their Cousin with Money sufficient to keep him at the
University till he should be capable of Ordination
But as no Appointment of this Kind was in the Will the young Ladies who
received about 2000l each thought proper to disregard the last Words of their
Father For besides that both of them were extremely tenacious of their Money
they were great Enemies to their Cousin on Account of their Fathers Kindness
to him and thought proper to let him know that they thought he had robbed them
of too much already
The poor young Fellow was now greatly distrest For he had yet above a Year
to stay at the University without any visible Means of sustaining himself
there
In this Distress however he met with a Friend who had the Goodnature to
lend him the Sum of twenty Pounds for which he only accepted his Bond for
forty and which was to be paid within a Year after his being possessed of his
Living that is within a Year after his becoming qualified to hold it
With this small Sum thus hardly obtained the poor Gentleman made a Shift to
struggle with all Difficulties till he became of due Age to take upon himself
the Character of a Deacon He then repaired to that Clergyman to whom his Uncle
had given the Living upon the Conditions abovementioned to procure a Title to
Ordination but this to his great Surprize and Mortification was absolutely
refused him
The immediate Disappointment did not hurt him so much as the Conclusion he
drew from it For he could have but little Hopes that the Man who could have
the Cruelty to refuse him a Title would vouchsafe afterwards to deliver up to
him a Living of so considerable a Value nor was it long before this worthy
Incumbent told him plainly that he valued his Uncles Favours at too high a
Rate to part with them to any one nay he pretended Scruples of Conscience and
said that if he had made any slight Promises which he did not now well
remember they were wicked and void that he looked upon himself as married to
his Parish and he could no more give it up than he could give up his Wife
without Sin
The poor young Fellow was now obliged to seek farther for a Title which at
length he obtained from the Rector of the Parish where my Aunt lived
He had not long been settled in the Curacy before an intimate Acquaintance
grew between him and my Aunt For she was a great Admirer of the Clergy and
used frequently to say they were the only conversable Creatures in the Country
The first Time she was in this Gentlemans Company was at a Neighbours
Christning where she stood Godmother Here she displayed her whole little
Stock of Knowledge in order to captivate Mr Bennet I suppose Madam you
already guess that to have been his Name and before they parted gave him a very
strong Invitation to her House
Not a Word passed at this Christning between Mr Bennet and myself but our
Eyes were not unemployed Here Madam I first felt a pleasing Kind of
Confusion which I know not how to describe I felt a Kind of Uneasiness yet
did not wish to be without it I longed to be alone yet dreaded the Hour of
Parting I could not keep my Eyes off from the Object which caused my Confusion
and which I was at once afraid of and enamoured with But why do I attempt to
describe my Situation to one who must I am sure have felt the same«
Amelia smiled and Mrs Bennet went on thus »O Mrs Booth had you seen
the Person of whom I am now speaking you would not condemn the Suddenness of my
Love Nay indeed I had seen him there before tho this was the first Time I
had ever heard the Music of his Voice O it was the sweetest that was ever
heard
Mr Bennet came to visit my Aunt the very next Day She imputed this
respectful Haste to the powerful Charms of her Understanding and resolved to
lose no Opportunity in improving the Opinion which she imagined he had conceived
of her She became by this Desire quite ridiculous and ran into Absurdities and
a Gallimatia scarce credible
Mr Bennet as I afterwards found saw her in the same Light with myself
but as he was a very sensible and wellbred Man he so well concealed his
Opinion from us both that I was almost angry and she was pleased even to
Raptures declaring herself charmed with his Understanding tho indeed he had
said very little but I believe he heard himself into her good Opinion while he
gazed himself into Love
The two first Visits which Mr Bennet made to my Aunt tho I was in the
Room all the Time I never spoke a Word but on the third on some Argument
which arose between them Mr Bennet referred himself to me I took his Side of
the Question as indeed I must to have done Justice and repeated two or three
Words of Latin My Aunt reddened at this and exprest great Disdain of my
Opinion declaring she was astonished that a Man of Mr Bennets Understanding
could appeal to the Judgment of a silly Girl Is she said my Aunt bridling
herself fit to decide between us Mr Bennet spoke very favourably of what I
had said upon which my Aunt burst almost into a Rage treated me with downright
Scurrility called me conceited Fool abused my poor Father for having taught me
Latin which she said had made me a downright Coxcomb and made me prefer
myself to those who were a hundred Times my Superiors in Knowledge She then
fell foul on the learned Languages declared they were totally useless and
concluded that she had read all that was worth reading tho she thanked Heaven
she understood no Language but her own
Before the End of his Visit Mr Bennet reconciled himself very well to my
Aunt which indeed was no difficult Task for him to accomplish but from that
Hour she conceived a Hatred and Rancour towards me which I could never appease
My Aunt had from my first Coming into her House expressed great Dislike to
my Learning In plain Truth she envied me that Advantage This Envy I had long
ago discovered and had taken great Pains to smother it carefully avoiding ever
to mention a Latin Word in her Presence and always submitting to her Authority
for indeed I despised her Ignorance too much to dispute with her By these Means
I had pretty well succeeded and we lived tolerably together But the Affront
paid to her Understanding by Mr Bennet in my Favour was an Injury never to be
forgiven to me She took me severely to Task that very Evening and reminded me
of going to Service in such earnest Terms as almost amounted to literally
turning me out of Doors advising me in the most insulting Manner to keep my
Latin to myself which she said was useless to any one but ridiculous when
pretended to by a Servant
The next Visit Mr Bennet made at our House I was not suffered to be
present This was much the shortest of all his Visits and when he went away he
left my Aunt in a worse Humour than ever I had seen her The Whole was
discharged on me in the usual Manner by upbraiding me with my Learning
Conceit and Poverty reminding me of Obligations and insisting on my going
immediately to Service With all this I was greatly pleased as it assured me
that Mr Bennet had said something to her in my Favour and I would have
purchased a kind Expression of his at almost any Price
I should scarce however have been so sanguine as to draw this Conclusion
had I not received some Hints that I had not unhappily placed my Affections on
a Man who made me no Return For tho he had scarce addressed a dozen Sentences
to me for indeed he had no Opportunity yet his Eyes had revealed certain
Secrets to mine with which I was not displeased
I remained however in a State of Anxiety near a Month sometimes pleasing
myself with thinking Mr Bennets Heart was in the same Situation with my own
sometimes doubting that my Wishes had flattered and deceived me and not in the
least questioning that my Aunt was my Rival For I thought no Woman could be
Proof against the Charms that had subdued me Indeed Mrs Booth he was a
charming young Fellow I must I must pay this Tribute to his Memory O
gracious Heaven why why did I ever see him why was I doomd to such Misery«
Here she burst into a Flood of Tears and remained incapable of Speech for
some Time during which the gentle Amelia endeavoured all she could to soothe
her and gave sufficient Marks of sympathizing in the tender Affliction of her
Friend
Mrs Bennet at length recovered her Spirits and proceeded as in the next
Chapter
Chapter V
The Story of Mrs Bennet continued
»I scarce know where I left off Oh I was I think telling you that I
esteemed my Aunt as my Rival and it is not easy to conceive a greater Degree of
Detestation than I had for her and what may perhaps appear strange as she
daily grew more and more civil to me my Hatred encreased with her Civility For
I imputed it all to her Triumph over me and to her having secured beyond all
Apprehension the Heart I longed for
How was I surprised when one Day with as much good Humour as she was
Mistress of for her Countenance was not very pleasing she asked me how I
liked Mr Bennet The Question you will believe Madam threw me into great
Confusion which she plainly perceived and without waiting for my Answer told
me she was very well satisfied for that it did not require her Discernment to
read my Thoughts in my Countenance Well Child said she I have suspected this
a great while and I believe it will please you to know that I Yesterday made
the same Discovery in your Lover This I confess to you was more than I could
well bear and I begged her to say no more to me at that Time on that Subject
Nay Child answered she I must tell you all or I should not act a friendly
Part Mr Bennet I am convinced hath a Passion for you but it is a Passion
which I think you should not encourage For to be plain with you I fear he is
in Love with your Person only Now this is a Love Child which cannot produce
that rational Happiness which a Woman of Sense ought to expect In short she
ran on with a great Deal of Stuff about rational Happiness and Women of Sense
and concluded with assuring me that after the strictest Scrutiny she could
not find that Mr Bennet had an adequate Opinion of my Understanding upon which
she vouchsafed to make me many Compliments but mixed with several Sarcasms
concerning my Learning
I hope Madam however« said she to Amelia »you have not so bad an Opinion
of my Capacity as to imagine me dull enough to be offended with Mr Bennets
Sentiments for which I presently knew so well to account I was indeed
charmed with his Ingenuity who had discovered perhaps the only Way of
reconciling my Aunt to those Inclinations which I now assured myself he had for
me
I was not long left to support my Hopes by my Sagacity He soon found an
Opportunity of declaring his Passion He did this in so forcible tho gentle a
Manner with such a Profusion of Fervency and Tenderness at once that his Love
like a Torrent bore every Thing before it and I am almost ashamed to own to
you how very soon he prevailed upon me to to in short to be an honest
Woman and to confess to him the plain Truth
When we were upon a good Footing together he gave me a long Relation of
what had past at several Interviews with my Aunt at which I had not been
present He said he had discovered that as she valued herself chiefly on her
Understanding so she was extremely jealous of mine and hated me on Account of
my Learning That as he had loved me passionately from his first seeing me and
had thought of Nothing from that Time but of throwing himself at my Feet he
saw no Way so open to propitiate my Aunt as that which he had taken by
commending my Beauty a Perfection to which she had long resigned all Claim at
the Expence of my Understanding in which he lamented my Deficiency to a Degree
almost of Ridicule This he imputed chiefly to my Learning on this Occasion he
advanced a Sentiment which so pleased my Aunt that she thought proper to make
it her own For I heard it afterwards more than once from her own Mouth
Learning he said had the same Effect on the Mind that strong Liquors have on
the Constitution both tending to eradicate all our natural Fire and Energy His
Flattery had made such a Dupe of my Aunt that she assented without the least
Suspicion of his Sincerity to all he said so sure is Vanity to weaken every
Fortress of the Understanding, and to betray us to every Attack of the Enemy
You will believe Madam that I readily forgave him all he had said not
only from that Motive which I have mentioned but as I was assured he had spoke
the Reverse of his real Sentiments I was not however quite so well pleased
with my Aunt who began to treat me as if I was really an Ideot Her Contempt I
own a little piqued me and I could not help often expressing my Resentment
when we were alone together to Mr Bennet who never failed to gratify me by
making her Conceit the Subject of his Wit a Talent which he possessed in the
most extraordinary Degree
This proved of very fatal Consequence For one Day while we were enjoying
my Aunt in a very thick Arbour in the Garden she stole upon us unobserved and
overheard our whole Conversation I wish my Dear you understood Latin that I
might repeat you a Sentence in which the Rage of a Tigress that hath lost her
young is described No English Poet as I remember hath come up to it nor am
I myself equal to the Undertaking She burst in upon us open and after
discharging every abusive Word almost in the only Language she understood on
poor Mr Bennet turned us both out of Doors declaring she would send my Rags
after me but would never more permit me to set my Foot within her Threshold
Consider dear Madam to what a wretched Condition we were now reduced I
had not yet received the small Legacy left me by my Father nor was Mr Bennet
Master of five Pounds in the whole World
In this Situation the Man I doated on to Distraction had but little
Difficulty to persuade me to a Proposal which indeed I thought generous in
him to make as it seemed to proceed from that Tenderness for my Reputation to
which he ascribed it indeed it could proceed from no Motive with which I
should have been displeased In a Word within two Days we were Man and Wife
Mr Bennet now declared himself the happiest of Men and for my Part I
sincerely declare I envied no Woman upon Earth How little alas did I then
know or suspect the Price I was to pay for all my Joys A Match of real Love
is indeed truly Paradise and such perfect Happiness seems to be the forbidden
Fruit to Mortals which we are to lament having tasted during the rest of our
Lives
The first Uneasiness which attacked us after our Marriage was on my Aunts
Account It was very disagreeable to live under the Nose of so near a Relation
who did not acknowledge us but on the contrary was ever doing us all the ill
Turns in her Power and making a Party against us in the Parish which is always
easy enough to do amongst the Vulgar against Persons who are their Superiors in
Rank and at the same Time their Inferiors in Fortune This made Mr Bennet
think of procuring an Exchange in which Intention he was soon after confirmed
by the Arrival of the Rector It was the Rectors Custom to spend three Months
every Year at his Living for which Purpose he reserved an Apartment in his
ParsonageHouse which was full large enough for two such little Families as
then occupied it We at first promised ourselves some little Convenience from
his boarding with us and Mr Bennet began to lay aside his Thoughts of leaving
his Curacy at least for some Time But these golden Ideas presently vanished
For tho we both used our utmost Endeavours to please him we soon found the
Impossibility of succeeding He was indeed to give you his Character in a
Word the most peevish of Mortals This Temper notwithstanding that he was both
a good and a pious Man made his Company so insufferable that nothing could
compensate it If his Breakfast was not ready to a Moment if a Dish of Meat was
too much or too little done in short if any thing failed of exactly hitting
his Taste he was sure to be out of Humour all that Day so that indeed he was
scarce ever in a good Temper a whole Day together For Fortune seems to take a
Delight in thwarting this Kind of Disposition to which Human Life with its
many Crosses and Accidents is in Truth by no Means fitted
Mr Bennet was now by my Desire as well as his own determined to quit the
Parish but when he attempted to get an Exchange he found it a Matter of more
Difficulty than he had apprehended For the Rectors Temper was so well known
among the neighbouring Clergy that none of them could be brought to think of
spending three Months in a Year with him
After many fruitless Enquiries Mr Bennet thought best to remove to London
the great Mart of all Affairs ecclesiastical and civil This Project greatly
pleased him and he resolved without more Delay to take his Leave of the
Rector which he did in the most friendly Manner possible and preached his
farewel Sermon nor was there a dry Eye in the Church except among the few whom
my Aunt who remained still inexorable had prevailed upon to hate us without
any Cause
To London we came and took up our Lodging the first Night at the Inn where
the Stage Coach set us down the next Morning my Husband went out early on his
Business and returned with the good News of having heard of a Curacy and of
having equipped himself with a Lodging in the Neighbourhood of a worthy Peer
who said he was my Fellow Collegiate and what is more I have a Direction to
a Person who will advance your Legacy at a very reasonable Rate
This last Particular was extremely agreeable to me for our last Guinea was
now broached and the Rector had lent my Husband ten Pounds to pay his Debts in
the Country For with all his Peevishness he was a good and a generous Man and
had indeed so many valuable Qualities that I lamented his Temper after I knew
him thoroughly as much on his Account as on my own
We now quitted the Inn and went to our Lodgings where my Husband having
placed me in Safety as he said he went about the Business of the Legacy with
good Assurance of Success
My Husband returned elated with his Success the Person to whom he applied
having undertaken to advance the Legacy which he fulfilled as soon as the
proper Enquiries could be made and proper Instruments prepared for that
Purpose
This however took up so much Time that as our Fund was so very low we
were reduced to some Distress and obliged to live extremely penurious nor
would all do without my taking a most disagreeable Way of procuring Money by
pawning one of my Gowns
Mr Bennet was now settled in a Curacy in Town greatly to his Satisfaction
and our Affairs seemed to have a prosperous Aspect when he came home to me one
Morning in much apparent Disorder looking as pale as Death and begged me by
some Means or other to get him a Dram for that he was taken with a sudden
Faintness and Lowness of Spirits
Frighted as I was I immediately ran down Stairs and procured some Rum of
the Mistress of the House the first Time indeed I ever knew him drink any When
he came to himself he begged me not to be alarmed for it was no Distemper but
something that had vexed him which had caused his Disorder which he had now
perfectly recovered
He then told me the whole Affair He had hitherto deferred paying a Visit to
the Lord whom I mentioned to have been formerly his Fellow Collegiate and was
now his Neighbour till he could put himself in decent Rigging He had now
purchased a new Cassock Hat and Wig and went to pay his Respects to his old
Acquaintance who had received from him many Civilities and Assistances in his
Learning at the University and had promised to return them fourfold hereafter
It was not without some Difficulty that Mr Bennet got into the Antichamber
Here he waited or as the Phrase is cooled his Heels for above an Hour before
he saw his Lordship nor had he seen him then but by an Accident For my Lord
was going out when he casually intercepted him in his Passage to his Chariot
He approached to salute him with some Familiarity tho with Respect depending
on his former Intimacy when my Lord stepping short very gravely told him he
had not the Pleasure of knowing him How my Lord said he can you have so soon
forgot your old Acquaintance Tom Bennet O Mr Bennet cries his Lordship with
much Reserve is it you You will pardon my Memory I am glad to see you Mr
Bennet but you must excuse me at present For I am in very great Haste He then
broke from him and without more Ceremony or any further Invitation went
directly into his Chariot
This cold Reception from a Person for whom my Husband had a real Friendship
and from whom he had great Reason to expect a very warm Return of Affection so
affected the poor Man that it caused all those Symptoms which I have mentioned
before
Tho this Incident produced no material Consequence I could not pass it
over in Silence as of all the Misfortunes which ever befel him it affected my
Husband the most I need not however to a Woman of your Delicacy make any
Comments on a Behaviour which tho I believe it is very common is
nevertheless cruel and base beyond Description and is diametrically opposite to
true Honour as well as to Goodness
To relieve the Uneasiness which my Husband felt on Account of his false
Friend I prevailed with him to go every Night almost for a Fortnight together
to the Play a Diversion of which he was greatly fond and from which he did not
think his being a Clergyman excluded him indeed it is very well if those
austere Persons who would be inclined to censure him on this Head have
themselves no greater Sins to answer for
From this Time during three Months we past our Time very agreeably a
little too agreeably perhaps for our Circumstances For however innocent
Diversions may be in other Respects they must be owned to be expensive When
you consider then Madam that our Income from the Curacy was less than Forty
Pounds a Year and that after Payment of the Debt to the Rector and another to
my Aunt with the Costs in Law which she had occasioned by suing for it my
Legacy was reduced to less than Seventy Pounds you will not wonder that in
Diversions Cloaths and the common Expences of Life we had almost consumed our
whole Stock
The inconsiderate Manner in which we had lived for some Time will I doubt
not appear to you to want some Excuse but I have none to make for it Two
Things however now happened which occasioned much serious Reflexion to Mr
Bennet the one was that I grew near my Time the other that he now received a
Letter from Oxford demanding the Debt of Forty Pounds which I mentioned to you
before The former of these he made a Pretence of obtaining a Delay for the
Payment of the latter promising in two Months to pay off half the Debt by
which Means he obtained a Forbearance during that Time
I was now delivered of a Son a Matter which should in Reality have
encreased our Concern but on the contrary it gave us great Pleasure greater
indeed could not have been conceived at the Birth of an Heir to the most
plentiful Estate So entirely thoughtless were we and so little Forecast had we
of those many Evils and Distresses to which we had rendered a Human Creature
and one so dear to us liable The Day of a Christening is in all Families I
believe a Day of Jubilee and Rejoicing and yet if we consider the Interest of
that little Wretch who is the Occasion how very little Reason would the most
sanguine Persons have for their Joy
But tho our Eyes were too weak to look forward for the Sake of our Child
we could not be blinded to those Dangers that immediately threatned ourselves
Mr Bennet at the Expiration of the two Months received a second Letter from
Oxford in a very peremptory Stile and threatning a Suit without any farther
Delay This alarmed us in the strongest Manner and my Husband to secure his
Liberty was advised for a while to shelter himself in the Verge of the Court
And now Madam I am entring on that Scene which directly leads to all my
Misery« Here she stopped and wiped her Eyes and then begging Amelia to
excuse her for a few Minutes ran hastily out of the Room leaving Amelia by
herself while she refreshed her Spirits with a Cordial to enable her to relate
what follows in the next Chapter
Chapter VI
Farther Continued
Mrs Bennet returning into the Room made a short Apology for her Abscence and
then proceeded in these Words
»We now left our Lodging and took a second Floor in that very House where
you now are to which we were recommended by the Woman where we had before
lodged For the Mistresses of both Houses were acquainted and indeed we had
been all at the Play together To this new Lodging then such was our wretched
Destiny we immediately repaired and were received by Mrs Ellison how can I
bear the Sound of that detested Name with much Civility she took care
however during the first Fortnight of our Residence to wait upon us every
Monday Morning for her Rent Such being it seems the Custom of this Place which
as it was inhabited chiefly by Persons in Debt is not the Region of Credit
My Husband by the singular Goodness of the Rector who greatly
compassionated his Case was enabled to continue in his Curacy tho he could
only do the Duty on Sundays He was however sometimes obliged to furnish a
Person to officiate at his Expence so that our Income was very scanty and the
poor little Remainder of the Legacy being almost spent we were reduced to some
Difficulties and what was worse saw still a Prospect of greater before our
Eyes
Under these Circumstances how agreeable to poor Mr Bennet must have been
the Behaviour of Mrs Ellison who when he carried her her Rent on the usual
Day told him with a benevolent Smile that he needed not to give himself the
Trouble of such exact Punctuality She added that if it was at any time
inconvenient to him he might pay her when he pleased To say the Truth says
she I never was so much pleased with any Lodgers in my Life I am convinced
Mr Bennet you are a very worthy Man and you are a very happy one too for you
have the prettiest Wife and the prettiest Child I ever saw These dear Madam
were the Words she was pleased to make use of and I am sure she behaved to me
with such an Appearance of Friendship and Affection that as I could not
perceive any possible Views of Interest which she could have in her Professions
I easily believed them real
There lodged in the same House O Mrs Booth the Blood runs cold to my
Heart and should run cold to yours when I name him There lodged in the same
House a Lord The Lord indeed whom I have since seen in your Company This
Lord Mrs Ellison told me had taken a great Fancy to my little Charly Fool
that I was and blinded by my own Passion which made me conceive that an
Infant not three Months old could be really the Object of Affection to any
besides a Parent and more especially to a gay young Fellow But if I was silly
in being deceived how wicked was the Wretch who deceived me who used such Art
and employed such Pains such incredible Pains to deceive me He acted the Part
of a Nurse to my little Infant he danced it he lulled it he kissed it
declared it was the very Picture of a Nephew of his his favourite Sisters
Child and said so many kind and fond Things of its Beauty that I myself tho
I believe one of the tenderest and fondest of Mothers scarce carried my own
Ideas of my little Darlings Perfection beyond the Compliments which he paid
it
My Lord however perhaps from Modesty before my Face fell far short of
what Mrs Ellison reported from him And now when she found the Impression
which was made on me by these Means she took every Opportunity of insinuating
to me his Lordships many Virtues his great Goodness to his Sisters Children
in particular nor did she fail to drop some Hints which gave me the most
simple and groundless Hopes of strange Consequences from his Fondness to my
Charly
When by these Means which simple as they may appear were perhaps the
most artful my Lord had gained something more I think than my Esteem he took
the surest Method to confirm himself in my Affection This was by professing
the highest Friendship for my Husband For as to myself I do assure you he
never shewed me more than common Respect and I hope you will believe I should
have immediately startled and flown off if he had Poor I accounted for all the
Friendship which he expressed for my Husband and all the Fondness which he
shewed to my Boy from the great Prettiness of the one and the great Merit of
the other foolishly conceiving that others saw with my Eyes and felt with my
Heart Little did I dream that my own unfortunate Person was the Fountain of
all this Lords Goodness and was the intended Price of it
One Evening as I was drinking Tea with Mrs Ellison by my Lords Fire a
Liberty which she never scrupled taking when he was gone out my little Charly
now about half a Year old sitting in her Lap my Lord accidentally no Doubt
indeed I then thought it so came in I was confounded and offered to go but
my Lord declared if he disturbed Mrs Ellisons Company as he phrased it he
would himself leave the Room When I was thus prevailed on to keep my Seat my
Lord immediately took my little Baby into his Lap and gave it some Tea there
not a little at the Expence of his Embroidery For he was very richly drest
indeed he was as fine a Figure as perhaps ever was seen His Behaviour on
this Occasion gave me many Ideas in his Favour I thought he discovered good
Sense Goodnature Condescension and other good Qualities by the Fondness he
shewed to my Child and the Contempt he seemed to express for his Finery which
so greatly became him For I cannot deny but that he was the handsomest and
genteelest Person in the World tho such Considerations advanced him not a Step
in my Favour
My Husband now returned from Church for this happened on a Sunday and
was by my Lords particular Desire ushered into the Room My Lord received him
with the utmost Politeness and with many Professions of Esteem which he said
he had conceived from Mrs Ellison s Representations of his Merit He then
proceeded to mention the Living which was detained from my Husband of which
Mrs Ellison had likewise informed him and said he thought it would be no
difficult Matter to obtain a Restoration of it by the Authority of the Bishop
who was his particular Friend and to whom he would take an immediate
Opportunity of mentioning it This at last he determined to do the very next
Day when he invited us both to Dinner where we were to be acquainted with his
Lordships Success
My Lord now insisted on my Husbands staying Supper with him without taking
any Notice of me but Mrs Ellison declared he should not part Man and Wife
and that she herself would stay with me The Motion was too agreeable to me to
be rejected and except the little Time I retired to put my Child to Bed we
spent together the most agreeable Evening imaginable nor was it I believe
easy to decide whether Mr Bennet or myself were most delighted with his
Lordship and Mrs Ellison but this I assure you the Generosity of the one and
the extreme Civility and Kindness of the other were the Subjects of our
Conversation all the ensuing Night during which we neither of us closed our
Eyes
The next Day at Dinner my Lord acquainted us that he had prevailed with
the Bishop to write to the Clergyman in the Country indeed he told us that he
had engaged the Bishop to be very warm in our Interest and had not the least
Doubt of Success This threw us both into a Flow of Spirits and in the
Afternoon Mr Bennet at Mrs Ellisons Request which was seconded by his
Lordship related the History of our Lives from our first Acquaintance My Lord
seemed much affected with some tender Scenes which as no Man could better
feel so none could better describe than my Husband When he had finished my
Lord begged Pardon for mentioning an Occurrence which gave him such a particular
Concern as it had disturbed that delicious State of Happiness in which we had
lived at our former Lodging It would be ungenerous said he to rejoice at an
Accident which tho it brought me fortunately acquainted with two of the most
agreeable People in the World was yet at the Expence of your mutual Felicity
The Circumstance I mean is your Debt at Oxford pray how doth that stand I am
resolved it shall never disturb your Happiness hereafter At these Words the
Tears burst from my poor Husbands Eyes and in an Ecstasy of Gratitude he
cried out Your Lordship overcomes me with Generosity If you go on in this
Manner both my Wifes Gratitude and mine must be bankrupt He then acquainted
my Lord with the exact State of the Case and received Assurances from him that
the Debt should never trouble him My Husband was again breaking out into the
warmest Expressions of Gratitude but my Lord stopt him short saying if you
have any Obligation it is to my little Charly here from whose little innocent
Smiles I have received more than the Value of this trifling Debt in Pleasure I
forgot to tell you that when I offered to leave the Room after Dinner upon my
Childs Account my Lord would not suffer me but ordered the Child to be
brought to me He now took it out of my Arms placed it upon his own Knee and
fed it with some Fruit from the Dessert In short it would be more tedious to
you than to myself to relate the thousand little Tendernesses he shewed to the
Child He gave it many Baubles amongst the rest was a Coral worth at least
three Pounds and when my Husband was confined near a Fortnight to his Chamber
with a Cold he visited the Child every Day for to this Infants Account were
all the Visits placed and seldom failed of accompanying his Visit with a
Present to the little Thing
Here Mrs Booth I cannot help mentioning a Doubt which hath often arisen
in my Mind since I have been enough Mistress of myself to reflect on this
horrid Train which was laid to blow up my Innocence Wicked and barbarous it
was to the highest Degree without any Question but my Doubt is whether the
Art or Folly of it be the more conspicuous For however delicate and refined the
Art must be allowed to have been the Folly I think must upon a fair
Examination appear no less astonishing For to lay all Considerations of
Cruelty and Crime out of the Case what a foolish Bargain doth the Man make for
himself who purchases so poor a Pleasure at so high a Price
We had lived near three Weeks with as much Freedom as if we had been all of
the same Family when one Afternoon my Lord proposed to my Husband to ride down
himself to solicite the Surrender For he said the Bishop had received an
unsatisfactory Answer from the Parson and had writ a second Letter more
pressing which his Lordship now promised us to strengthen by one of his own
that my Husband was to carry with him Mr Bennet agreed to this Proposal with
great Thankfulness and the next Day was appointed for his Journey The Distance
was near seventy Miles
My Husband set out on his Journey and he had scarce left me before Mrs
Ellison came into my Room and endeavoured to comfort me in his Absence to say
the Truth tho he was to be from me but a few Days and the Purpose of his
going was to fix our Happiness on a sound Foundation for all our future Days I
could scarce support my Spirits under this first Separation But tho I then
thought Mrs Ellisons Intentions to be most kind and friendly yet the Means
she used were utterly ineffectual and appeared to me injudicious Instead of
soothing my Uneasiness which is always the first Physic to be given to Grief
she rallied me upon it and began to talk in a very unusual Stile of Gaiety in
which she treated conjugal Love with much Ridicule
I gave her to understand that she displeased me by this Discourse but she
soon found Means to give such a Turn to it as made a Merit of all she had said
And now when she had worked me into a good Humour she made a Proposal to me
which I at first rejected but at last fatally too fatally suffered myself to
be overpersuaded This was to go to a Masquerade at Ranelagh for which my Lord
had furnished her with Tickets«
At these Words Amelia turned pale as Death and hastily begged her Friend to
give her a Glass of Water some Air or any Thing Mrs Bennet having thrown
open the Window and procured the Water which prevented Amelia from fainting
looked at her with much Tenderness and cried »I do not wonder my dear Madam
that you are affected with my mentioning that fatal Masquerade since I firmly
believe the same Ruin was intended for you at the same Place The Apprehension
of which occasioned the Letter I sent you this Morning and all the Trial of
your Patience which I have made since«
Amelia gave her a tender Embrace with many Expressions of the warmest
Gratitude assured her she had pretty well recovered her Spirits and begged
her to continue her Story which Mrs Bennet then did However as our Readers
may likewise be glad to recover their Spirits also we shall here put an End to
this Chapter
Chapter VII
The Story farther continued
Mrs Bennet proceeded thus
»I was at length prevailed on to accompany Mrs Ellison to the Masquerade
Here I must confess the Pleasantness of the Place the Variety of the Dresses
and the Novelty of the Thing gave me much Delight and raised my Fancy to the
highest Pitch As I was entirely void of all Suspicion my Mind threw off all
Reserve and Pleasure only filled my Thoughts Innocence it is true possessed
my Heart but it was Innocence unguarded intoxicated with foolish Desires and
liable to every Temptation During the first two Hours we had many trifling
Adventures not worth remembering At length my Lord joined us and continued
with me all the Evening and we danced several Dances together
I need not I believe tell you Madam how engaging his Conversation is I
wish I could with Truth say I was not pleased with it or at least that I had
a Right to be pleased with it But I will disguise Nothing from you I now began
to discover that he had some Affection for me but he had already too firm a
Footing in my Esteem to make the Discovery shocking I will I will own the
Truth I was delighted with perceiving a Passion in him which I was not
unwilling to think he had had from the Beginning and to derive his having
concealed it so long from his Awe of my Virtue and his Respect to my
Understanding I assure you Madam at the same Time my Intentions were never
to exceed the Bounds of Innocence I was charmed with the Delicacy of his
Passion and in the foolish thoughtless Turn of Mind in which I then was I
fancied I might give some very distant Encouragement to such a Passion in such a
Man with the utmost Safety that I might indulge my Vanity and Interest at
once without being guilty of the least Injury
I know Mrs Booth will condemn all these Thoughts and I condemn them no
less myself for it is now my stedfast Opinion that the Woman who gives up the
least Outwork of her Virtue doth in that very Moment betray the Citadel
About two oClock we returned home and found a very handsome Collation
provided for us I was asked to partake of it and I did not I could not
refuse I was not however entirely void of all Suspicion and I made many
Resolutions one of which was not to drink a Drop more than my usual Stint
This was at the utmost little more than Half a Pint of Small Punch
I adhered strictly to my Quantity but in the Quality I am convinced I was
deceived For before I left the Room I found my Head giddy What the Villain
gave me I know not but besides being intoxicated I perceived Effects from it
which are not to be described
Here Madam I must draw a Curtain over the Residue of that fatal Night Let
it suffice that it involved me in the most dreadful Ruin a Ruin to which I
can truly say I never consented and of which I was scarce conscious when the
villanous Man avowed it to my Face in the Morning
Thus I have deduced my Story to the most horrid Period happy had I been
had this been the Period of my Life but I was reserved for greater Miseries
But before I enter on them I will mention something very remarkable with which
I was now acquainted and that will shew there was Nothing of Accident which had
befallen me but that all was the Effect of a long regular premeditated
Design
You may remember Madam I told you that we were recommended to Mrs
Ellison by the Woman at whose House we had before lodged This Woman it seems
was one of my Lords Pimps and had before introduced me to his Lordships
Notice
You are to know then Madam that this Villain this Lord now confest to
me that he had first seen me in the Galery at the Oratorio whither I had gone
with Tickets with which the Woman where I first lodged had presented me and
which were it seems purchased by my Lord Here I first met the vile Betrayer
who was disguised in a Rugcoat and a Patch upon his Face«
At these Words Amelia cried »O gracious Heavens« and fell back in her
Chair Mrs Bennet with proper Applications brought her back to Life and then
Amelia acquainted her that she herself had first seen the same Person in the
same Place and in the same Disguise »O Mrs Bennet« cried she »how am I
indebted to you What Words what Thanks what Actions can demonstrate the
Gratitude of my Sentiments I look upon you and always shall look upon you as
my Preserver from the Brink of a Precipice from which I was falling into the
same Ruin which you have so generously so kindly and so nobly disclosed for
my Sake«
Here the two Ladies compared Notes and it appeared that his Lordships
Behaviour at the Oratorio had been alike to both That he had made Use of the
very same Words the very same Actions to Amelia which he had practised over
before on poor unfortunate Mrs Bennet It may perhaps be thought strange
that neither of them could afterwards recollect him but so it was And indeed
if we consider the Force of Disguise the very short Time that either of them
was with him at this first Interview and the very little Curiosity that must
have been supposed in the Minds of the Ladies together with the Amusement in
which they were then engaged all Wonder will I apprehend cease Amelia
however now declared she remembered his Voice and Features perfectly well and
was thoroughly satisfied he was the same Person She then accounted for his not
having visited in the Afternoon according to his Promise from her declared
Resolutions to Mrs Ellison not to see him She now burst forth into some very
satirical Invectives against that Lady and declared she had the Art as well as
the Wickedness of the Devil himself
Many Congratulations now past from Mrs Bennet to Amelia which were
returned with the most hearty Acknowledgments from that Lady But instead of
filling our Paper with these we shall pursue Mrs Bennets Story which she
resumed as we shall find in the next Chapter
Chapter VIII
Further Continuation
»No sooner« said Mrs Bennet continuing her Story »was my Lord departed than
Mrs Ellison came to me She behaved in such a Manner when she became
acquainted with what had past that tho« I was at first satisfied of her Guilt
she began to stagger my Opinion and at length prevailed upon me entirely to
acquit her She raved like a Madwoman against my Lord swore he should not stay
a Moment in her House and that she would never speak to him more In short had
she been the most innocent Woman in the World she could not have spoke nor
acted any otherwise nor could she have vented more Wrath and Indignation
against the Betrayer
»That Part of her Denunciation of Vengeance which concerned my Lords
leaving the House she vowed should be executed immediately but then seeming
to recollect herself she said Consider my dear Child it is for your Sake
alone I speak will not such a Proceeding give some Suspicion to your Husband I
answered that I valued not that that I was resolved to inform my Husband of
all the Moment I saw him with many Expressions of Detestation of myself and
an Indifference for Life and for every Thing else
Mrs Ellison however found Means to soothe me and to satisfy me with my
own Innocence a Point in which I believe we are all easily convinced In
short I was persuaded to acquit both myself and her to lay the whole Guilt
upon my Lord and to resolve to conceal it from my Husband
That whole Day I confined myself to my Chamber and saw no Person but Mrs
Ellison I was indeed ashamed to look any one in the Face Happily for me my
Lord went into the Country without attempting to come near me for I believe his
Sight would have driven me to Madness
The next Day I told Mrs Ellison that I was resolved to leave her Lodgings
the Moment my Lord came to Town not on her Account For I really inclined to
think her innocent but on my Lords whose Face I was resolved if possible
never more to behold She told me I had no Reason to quit her House on that
Score For that my Lord himself had left her Lodgings that Morning in
Resentment she believed of the Abuses which she had cast on him the Day
before
This confirmed me in the Opinion of her Innocence nor hath she from that
Day to this till my Acquaintance with you Madam done any thing to forfeit my
Opinion On the contrary I owe her many good Offices amongst the rest I have
an Annuity of 150l a Year from my Lord which I know was owing to her
Solicitations For she is not void of Generosity or Goodnature tho by what I
have lately seen I am convinced she was the Cause of my Ruin and hath
endeavoured to lay the same Snares for you
But to return to my melancholy Story My Husband returned at the appointed
Time and I met him with an Agitation of Mind not to be described Perhaps the
Fatigue which he had undergone in his Journey and his Dissatisfaction at his
ill Success prevented his taking Notice of what I feared was too visible All
his Hopes were entirely frustrated the Clergyman had not received the Bishops
Letter and as to my Lords he treated it with Derision and Contempt Tired as
he was Mr Bennet would not sit down till he had enquired for my Lord
intending to go and pay his Compliments Poor Man he little suspected that he
had deceived him as I have since known concerning the Bishop much less did he
suspect any other Injury But the Lord the Villain was gone out of Town so
that he was forced to postpone all his Gratitude
Mr Bennet returned to Town late on the Saturday Night nevertheless he
performed his Duty at Church the next Day but I refused to go with him This I
think was the first Refusal I was guilty of since our Marriage but I was
become so miserable that his Presence which had been the Source of all my
Happiness was become my Bane I will not say I hated to see him but I can say
I was ashamed indeed afraid to look him in the Face I was conscious of I knew
not what Guilt I hope it cannot be called«
»I hope not nay I think not« cries Amelia
»My Husband« continued Mrs Bennet »perceived my Dissatisfaction and
imputed it to his ill Success in the Country I was pleased with this
SelfDelusion and yet when I fairly compute the Agonies I suffered at his
Endeavours to comfort me on that Head I paid most severely for it O my dear
Mrs Booth happy is the deceived Party between true Lovers and wretched indeed
is the Author of the Deceit
In this wretched Condition I past a whole Week the most miserable I think
of my whole Life endeavouring to humour my Husbands Delusion and to conceal
my own Tortures but I had Reason to fear I could not succeed long for on the
Saturday Night I perceived a visible Alteration in his Behaviour to me He went
to Bed in an apparent ill Humour turned sullenly from me and if I offered at
any Endearments he gave me only peevish Answers
After a restless turbulent Night he rose early on Sunday Morning and walked
down Stairs I expected his Return to Breakfast but was soon informed by the
Maid that he was gone forth and that it was no more than seven oClock All
this you may believe Madam alarmed me I saw plainly he had discovered the
fatal Secret tho by what Means I could not divine The State of my Mind was
very little short of Madness Sometimes I thought of running away from my
injured Husband and sometimes of putting an End to my Life
In the midst of such Perturbations I spent the Day My Husband returned in
the Evening O Heavens can I describe what followed It is impossible I
shall sink under the Relation He entered the Room with a Face as white as a
Sheet his Lips trembling and his Eyes red as Coals of Fire and starting as it
were from his Head Molly cries he throwing himself into his Chair are you
well Good Heavens says I whats the Matter Indeed I cant say I am
well No says he starting from his Chair false Monster you have betrayed
me destroyed me you have ruined your Husband Then looking like a Fury he
snatched off a large Book from the Table and with the Malice of a Madman threw
it at my Head and knocked me down backwards He then caught me up in his Arms
and kissed me with most extravagant Tenderness then looking me stedfast in the
Face for several Moments the Tears gushed in a Torrent from his Eyes and with
his utmost Violence he threw me again on the Floor Kicked me stamped upon me
I believe indeed his Intent was to kill me and I believe he thought he had
accomplished it
I lay on the Ground for some Minutes I believe deprived of my Senses When
I recovered myself I found my Husband lying by my Side on his Face and the
Blood running from him It seems when he thought he had dispatched me he ran
his Head with all his Force against a Chest of Drawers which stood in the Room
and gave himself a dreadful Wound in his Head
I can truly say I felt not the least Resentment for the Usage I had
received I thought I deserved it all tho indeed I little guessed what he had
suffered from me I now used the most earnest Entreaties to him to compose
himself and endeavoured with my feeble Arms to raise him from the Ground At
length he broke from me and springing from the Ground flung himself into a
Chair when looking wildly at me he cried Go from me Molly I beseech you
leave me I would not kill you He then discovered to me O Mrs Booth can
you not guess it I was indeed polluted by the Villain I had infected my
Husband O Heaven why do I live to relate any thing so horrid I will not I
cannot yet survive it I cannot forgive myself Heaven cannot forgive me «
Here she became inarticulate with the Violence of her Grief and fell
presently into such Agonies that the frighted Amelia began to call aloud for
some Assistance Upon this a Maid Servant came up who seeing her Mistress in a
violent Convulsion Fit presently screamed out she was dead Upon which one of
the other Sex made his Appearance and who should this be but the honest
Serjeant whose Countenance soon made it evident that tho a Soldier and a
brave one too he was not the least concerned of all the Company on this
Occasion
The Reader if he hath been acquainted with Scenes of this Kind very well
knows that Mrs Bennet in the usual Time returned again to the Possession of her
Voice the first Use of which she made was to express her Astonishment at the
Presence of the Serjeant and with a frantic Air to enquire who he was
The Maid concluding that her Mistress was not yet returned to her Senses
answered »Why tis my Master Madam Heaven preserve your Senses Madam Lord
Sir my Mistress must be very bad not to know you«
What Atkinson thought at this Instant I will not say but certain it is he
looked not over wise He attempted twice to take hold of Mrs Bennets Hand but
she withdrew it hastily and presently after rising up from her Chair she
declared herself pretty well again and desired Atkinson and the Maid to
withdraw Both of whom presently obeyed the Serjeant appearing by his
Countenance to want Comfort almost as much as the Lady did to whose Assistance
he had been summoned
It is a good Maxim to trust a Person entirely or not at all For a Secret is
often innocently blabbed out by those who know but half of it Certain it is
that the Maids Speech communicated a Suspicion to the Mind of Amelia which the
Behaviour of the Serjeant did not tend to remove what that is the sagacious
Readers may likewise probably suggest to themselves if not they must wait our
Time for disclosing it We shall now resume the History of Mrs Bennet who
after many Apologies proceeded to the Matters in the next Chapter
Chapter IX
The Conclusion of Mrs Bennets History
»When I became sensible« cries Mrs Bennet »of the Injury I had done my
Husband I threw myself at his Feet and embracing his Knees while I bathed
them with my Tears I begged a patient Hearing declaring if he was not
satisfied with what I should say I would become a willing Victim of his
Resentment I said and I said truly that if I owed my Death that Instant to
his Hands I should have no other Terrour but of the fatal Consequence which it
might produce to himself
He seemed a little pacified and bid me say whatever I pleased
I then gave him a faithful Relation of all that had happened He heard me
with great Attention and at the Conclusion cried with a deep Sigh O Molly
I believe it all You must have been betrayed as you tell me you could not be
guilty of such Baseness such Cruelty such Ingratitude He then O tis
impossible to describe his Behaviour he exprest such Kindness such
Tenderness such Concern for the Manner in which he had used me I cannot
dwell on this Scene I shall relapse You must excuse me«
Amelia begged her to omit any thing which so affected her and she proceeded
thus
»My Husband who was more convinced than I was of Mrs Ellisons Guilt
declared he would not sleep that Night in her House He then went out to see for
a Lodging he gave me all the Money he had and left me to pay her Bill and put
up the Cloaths telling me if I had not Money enough I might leave the Cloaths
as a Pledge but he vowed he could not answer for himself if he saw the Face of
Mrs Ellison
Words cannot scarce express the Behaviour of that artful Woman it was so
kind and so generous She said she did not blame my Husbands Resentment nor
could she expect any other but that he and all the World should censure her
That she hated her House almost as much as we did and detested her Cousin if
possible more In fine she said I might leave my Cloaths there that Evening
but that she would send them to us the next Morning That she scorned the
Thought of detaining them and as for the paultry Debt we might pay her
whenever we pleased For to do her Justice with all her Vices she hath some
Good in her«
»Some Good in her indeed« cried Amelia with great Indignation
»We were scarce settled in our new Lodgings« continued Mrs Bennet »when
my Husband began to complain of a Pain in his Inside He told me he feared he
had done himself some Injury in his Rage and had burst something within him As
to the odious I cannot bear the Thought the great Skill of his Surgeon soon
entirely cured him but his other Complaint instead of yielding to any
Application grew still worse and worse nor ever ended till it brought him to
his Grave
O Mrs Booth could I have been certain that I had occasioned this however
innocently I had occasioned it I could never have survived it but the Surgeon
who opened him after his Death assured me that he died of what they called a
Polypus in his Heart and that nothing which had happened on Account of me was
in the least the Occasion of it
I have however related the Affair truly to you The first Complaint I ever
heard of the Kind was within a Day or two after we left Mrs Ellisons and
this Complaint remained till his Death which might induce him perhaps to
attribute his Death to another Cause but the Surgeon who is a Man of the
highest Eminence hath always declared the contrary to me with the most
positive Certainty and this Opinion hath been my only Comfort
When my Husband died which was about ten Weeks after we quitted Mrs
Ellisons of whom I had then a different Opinion from what I have now I was
left in the most wretched Condition imaginable I believe Madam she shewed you
my Letter Indeed she did every thing for me at that Time which I could have
expected from the best of Friends She supplied me with Money from her own
Pocket by which Means I was preserved from a Distress in which I must have
otherwise inevitably perished
Her Kindness to me in this Season of Distress prevailed on me to return
again to her House Why indeed should I have refused an Offer so very
convenient for me to accept and which seemed so generous in her to make Here I
lived a very retired Life with my little Babe seeing no Company but Mrs
Ellison herself for a full Quarter of a Year At last Mrs Ellison brought me a
Parchment from my Lord in which he had settled upon me at her Instance as she
told me and as I believe it was an Annuity of 150l a Year This was I think
the very first time she had mentioned his hateful Name to me since my Return to
her House And she now prevailed upon me tho I assure you not without much
Difficulty to suffer him to execute the Deed in my Presence
I will not describe our Interview I am not able to describe it and I
have often wondered how I found Spirits to support it This I will say for him
that if he was not a real Penitent no Man alive could act the Part better
Beside Resentment I had another Motive of my Backwardness to agree to such
a Meeting And this was Fear I apprehended and surely not without Reason that
the Annuity was rather meant as a Bribe than a Recompence and that further
Designs were laid against my Innocence But in this I found myself happily
deceived for neither then nor at any time since have I ever had the least
Solicitation of that Kind Nor indeed have I seen the least Occasion to think my
Lord had any such Desires
Good Heavens what are these Men What is this Appetite which must have
Novelty and Resistance for its Provocatives and which is delighted with us no
longer than while we may be considered in the Light of Enemies«
»I thank you Madam« cries Amelia »for relieving me from my Fears on your
Account I trembled at the Consequence of this second Acquaintance with such a
Man and in such a Situation«
»I assure you Madam I was in no Danger« returned Mrs Bennet »For
besides that I think I could have pretty well relied on my own Resolution I
have heard since at St Edmundsbury from an intimate Acquaintance of my
Lords who was an entire Stranger to my Affairs that the highest Degree of
Inconstancy is his Character and that few of his numberless Mistresses have
ever received a second Visit from him
Well Madam« continued she »I think I have little more to trouble you
with unless I should relate to you my long ill State of Health from which I
am lately I thank Heaven recovered Or unless I should mention to you the
most grievous Accident that ever befel me the Loss of my poor dear Charly«
Here she made a full Stop and the Tears ran down into her Bosom
Amelia was silent a few Minutes while she gave the Lady Time to vent her
Passion after which she began to pour forth a vast Profusion of
Acknowledgements for the Trouble she had taken in relating her History but
chiefly for the Motive which had induced her to it and for the kind Warning
which she had given her by the little Note which Mrs Bennet had sent her that
Morning
»Yes Madam« cries Mrs Bennet »I am convinced by what I have lately
seen that you are the destined Sacrifice to this wicked Lord and that Mrs
Ellison whom I no longer doubt to have been the Instrument of my Ruin intended
to betray you in the same Manner The Day I met my Lord in your Apartment I
began to entertain some Suspicions and I took Mrs Ellison very roundly to Task
upon them Her Behaviour notwithstanding many Asseverations to the contrary
convinced me I was right and I intended more than once to speak to you but
could not till last Night the Mention of the Masquerade determined me to delay
it no longer I therefore sent you that Note this Morning and am glad you so
luckily discovered the Writer as it hath given me this Opportunity of easing my
Mind and of honestly shewing you how unworthy I am of your Friendship at the
same Time that I so earnestly desire it«
Chapter X
Being the last Chapter of the Seventh Book
Amelia did not fail to make proper Compliments to Mrs Bennet on the Conclusion
of her Speech in the last Chapter She told her that from the first Moment of
her Acquaintance she had the strongest Inclination to her Friendship and that
her Desires of that Kind were much increased by hearing her Story »Indeed
Madam« says she »you are much too severe a Judge on yourself For they must
have very little Candour in my Opinion who look upon your Case with any severe
Eye To me I assure you you appear highly the Object of Compassion and I
shall always esteem you as an innocent and an unfortunate Woman«
Amelia would then have taken her Leave but Mrs Bennet so strongly pressed
her to stay to Breakfast that at length she complied Indeed she had fasted so
long and her gentle Spirits had been so agitated with Variety of Passions that
Nature very strongly seconded Mrs Bennets Motion
Whilst the Maid was preparing the Teaequipage Amelia with a little
Slyness in her Countenance asked Mrs Bennet if Serjeant Atkinson did not
lodge in the same House with her The other reddened so extremely at the
Question repeated the Serjeants Name with such Hesitation and behaved so
aukwardly that Amelia wanted no further Confirmation of her Suspicions She
would not however declare them abruptly to the other but began a Dissertation
on the Serjeants Virtues and after observing the great Concern which he had
manifested when Mrs Bennet was in her Fit concluded with saying she believed
the Serjeant would make the best Husband in the World For that he had great
Tenderness of Heart and a Gentleness of Manners not often to be found in any
Man and much seldomer in Persons of his Rank
»And why not in his Rank« said Mrs Bennet »Indeed Mrs Booth we rob the
lower Order of Mankind of their Due I do not deny the Force and Power of
Education but when we consider how very injudicious is the Education of the
better Sort in general how little they are instructed in the Practice of
Virtue we shall not expect to find the Heart much improved by it And even as
to the Head how very slightly do we commonly find it improved by what is
called a genteel Education I have myself I think seen Instances of as great
Goodness and as great Understanding too among the lower Sort of People as
among the higher Let us compare your Serjeant now with the Lord who hath been
the Subject of Conversation on which Side would an impartial Judge decide the
Balance to incline«
»How monstrous then« cries Amelia »is the Opinion of those who consider
our matching ourselves the least below us in Degree as a Kind of
Contamination«
»A most absurd and preposterous Sentiment« answered Mrs Bennet warmly
»how abhorrent from Justice from common Sense and from Humanity but how
extremely incongruous with a Religion which professes to know no Difference of
Degree but ranks all Mankind on the Footing of Brethren Of all Kinds of Pride
there is none so unchristian as that of Station in reality there is none so
contemptible Contempt indeed may be said to be its own Object For my own
Part I know none so despicable as those who despise others«
»I do assure you« said Amelia »you speak my own Sentiments I give you my
Word I should not be ashamed of being the Wife of an honest Man in any Station
Nor if I had been much higher than I was should I have thought myself
degraded by calling our honest Serjeant my Husband«
»Since you have made this Declaration« cries Mrs Bennet »I am sure you
will not be offended at a Secret I am going to mention to you«
»Indeed my Dear« answered Amelia smiling »I wonder rather you have
concealed it so long especially after the many Hints I have given you«
»Nay pardon me Madam« replied the other »I do not remember any such
Hints and perhaps you do not even guess what I am going to say My Secret is
this that no Woman ever had so sincere so passionate a Lover as you have had
in the Serjeant«
»I a Lover in the Serjeant I« cries Amelia a little surprized
»Have Patience« answered the other »I say you my Dear As much
surprized as you appear I tell you no more than the Truth and yet it is a
Truth you could hardly expect to hear from me especially with so much good
Humour since I will honestly confess to you But what need have I to confess
what I know you guess already Tell me now sincerely dont you guess«
»I guess indeed and hope« said she »that he is your Husband«
»He is indeed my Husband« cries the other »and I am most happy in your
Approbation In honest Truth you ought to approve my Choice since you was
every Way the Occasion of my making it What you said of him very greatly
recommended him to my Opinion but he endeared himself to me most by what he
said of you In short I have discovered that he hath always loved you with
such a faithful honest noble generous Passion that I was consequently
convinced his Mind must possess all the Ingredients of such a Passion and what
are these but true Honour Goodness Modesty Bravery Tenderness and in a
Word every human Virtue Forgive me my Dear but I was uneasy till I became
myself the Object of such a Passion«
»And do you really think« said Amelia smiling »that I shall forgive you
robbing me of such a Lover Or supposing what you banter me with was true do
you really imagine you could change such a Passion«
»No my Dear« answered the other »I only hope I have changed the Object
For be assured there is no greater vulgar Error than that it is impossible for
a Man who loves one Woman ever to love another On the contrary it is certain
that a Man who can love one Woman so well at a Distance will love another
better that is nearer to him Indeed I have heard one of the best Husbands in
the World declare in the Presence of his Wife that he had always loved a
Princess with Adoration These Passions which reside only in very amorous and
very delicate Minds feed only on the Delicacies there growing and leave all
the substantial Food and enough of the Delicacy too for the Wife«
The Tea being now ready Mrs Bennet or if you please for the future Mrs
Atkinson proposed to call in her Husband but Amelia objected She said she
should be glad to see him any other Time but was then in the utmost Hurry as
she had been three Hours absent from all she most loved However she had scarce
drank a Dish of Tea before she changed her Mind and saying she would not part
Man and Wife desired Mr Atkinson might apear
The Maid answered that her Master was not at home which Words she had
scarce spoken when he knocked hastily at the Door and immediately came runing
into the Room all pale and breathless and addressing himself to Amelia cried
out »I am sorry my dear Lady to bring you ill News but Captain Booth«
»What what« cries Amelia dropping the Teacup from her Hand »is any Thing
the Matter with him« »Dont be frightened my dear Lady« said the Serjeant
»He is in very good Health but a Misfortune hath happened« »Are my Children
well« said Amelia »O very well« answered the Serjeant »Pray Madam
dont be frightened I hope it will signify Nothing he is arrested but I
hope to get him out of their damned Hands immediately« »Where is he« cries
Amelia »I will go to him this Instant« »He begs you will not« answered the
Serjeant »I have sent his Lawyer to him and am going back with Mrs Ellison
this Moment but I beg your Ladyship for his Sake and for your own Sake not
to go« »Mrs Ellison what is Mrs Ellison to do« cries Amelia »I must and
will go« Mrs Atkinson then interposed and begged that she would not hurry her
Spirits but compose herself and go home to her Children whither she would
attend her She comforted her with the Thoughts that the Captain was in no
immediate Danger that she could go to him when she would and desired her to
let the Serjeant return with Mrs Ellison saying she might be of Service and
that there was much Wisdom and no Kind of Shame in making Use of bad People on
certain Occasions
»And who« cries Amelia a little come to herself »hath done this barbarous
Action«
»One I am ashamed to name« cries the Serjeant »indeed I had always a very
different Opinion of him I could not have believed any Thing but my own Ears
and Eyes but Dr Harrison is the Man who hath done the Deed«
»Dr Harrison« cries Amelia »Well then there is an End of all Goodness
in the World I will never have a good Opinion of any human Being more«
The Serjeant begged that he might not be detained from the Captain and
that if Amelia pleased to go home he would wait upon her But she did not chuse
to see Mrs Ellison at this Time and after a little Consideration she resolved
to stay where she was and Mrs Atkinson agreed to go and fetch her Children to
her it being not many Doors distant
The Serjeant then departed Amelia in her Confusion never having once
thought of wishing him Joy on his Marriage
Book VIII
Chapter I
Being the first Chapter of the eighth Book
The History must now look a little backwards to those Circumstances which led
to the Catastrophe mentioned at the End of the last Book
When Amelia went out in the Morning she left her Children to the Care of
her Husband In this amiable Office he had been engaged near an Hour and was at
that very Time lying along on the Floor and his little Things crawling and
playing about him when a most violent Knock was heard at the Door and
immediately a Footman running up Stairs acquainted him that his Lady was taken
violently ill and carried into Mrs Chenevixs Toyshop
Booth no sooner heard this Account which was delivered with great
Appearance of Haste and Earnestness than he leapt suddenly from the Floor and
leaving his Children roaring at the News of their Mothers Illness in strict
Charge with his Maid he ran as fast as his Legs could carry him to the Place
or towards the Place rather For before he arrived at the Shop a Gentleman
stopt him full Butt crying »Captain whither so fast« Booth answered
eagerly »Whoever you are Friend dont ask me any Questions now« »You must
pardon me Captain« answered the Gentleman »but I have a little Business with
your Honour In short Captain I have a small Warrant here in my Pocket
against your Honour at the Suit of one Dr Harrison« »You are a Bailiff then«
says Booth »I am an Officer Sir« answered the other »Well Sir it is in
vain to contend« cries Booth »but let me beg you will permit me only to step
to Mrs Chenevixs I will attend you upon my Honour wherever you please but
my Wife lies violently ill there« »O for that Matter« answered the Bailiff
»you may set your Heart at Ease Your Lady I hope is very well I assure you
she is not there you will excuse me Captain these are only Stratagems of War
Bolus and Virtus quis in a Hostess equirit« »Sir I honour your Learning«
cries Booth »and could almost kiss you for what you tell me I assure you I
would forgive you five hundred Arrests for such a Piece of News Well Sir and
whither am I to go with you« »O any where where your Honour pleases« cries
the Bailiff »Then suppose we go to Browns Coffeehouse« said the Prisoner
»No« answered the Bailiff »that will not do thats in the Verge of the
Court« »Why then to the nearest Tavern« said Booth »No not to a Tavern«
cries the other »that is not a Place of Security and you know Captain your
Honour is a shy Cock I have been after your Honour these three Months Come
Sir you must go to my House if you please« »With all my Heart« answered
Booth »if it be any where hereabouts« »O it is but a little Ways off«
replied the Bailiff »it is only in GraysInnLane just by almost« He then
called a Coach and desired his Prisoner to walk in
Booth entered the Coach without any Resistance which had he been inclined
to make he must have plainly perceived would have been ineffectual as the
Bailiff appeared to have several Followers at Hand two of whom beside the
Commander in Chief mounted with him into the Coach As Booth was a
sweettempered Man as well as somewhat of a Philosopher he behaved with all
the Good Humour imaginable and indeed with more than his Companions who
however shewed him what they call Civility that is they neither struck him
nor spit in his Face
Notwithstanding the Pleasantry which Booth endeavoured to preserve he in
Reality envied every Labourer whom he saw pass by him in his Way The Charms of
Liberty against his Will rushed on his Mind and he could not avoid suggesting
to himself how much more happy was the poorest Wretch who without Controul
could repair to his homely Habitation and to his Family compared to him who
was thus violently and yet lawfully torn away from the Company of his Wife and
Children And their Condition especially that of his Amelia gave his Heart
many a severe and bitter Pang
At length he arrived at the Bailiffs Mansion and was ushered into a Room
in which were several Persons Booth desired to be alone upon which the Bailiff
waited on him up Stairs into an Apartment the Windows of which were well
fortified with Iron Bars but the Walls had not the least Outwork raised before
them they were indeed what is generally called naked the Bricks having been
only covered with a thin Plaister which in many Places was mouldered away
The first Demand made upon Booth was for Coachhire which amounted to two
Shillings according to the Bailiffs Account that being just double the legal
Fare He was then asked if he did not chuse a Bowl of Punch to which he having
answered in the Negative the Bailiff replied »Nay Sir just as you please I
dont ask you to drink if you dont chuse it but certainly you know the
Custom the House is full of Prisoners and I cant afford Gentlemen a Room to
themselves for nothing«
Booth presently took this Hint indeed it was a pretty broad one and told
the Bailiff he should not scruple to pay him his Price but in Fact he never
drank unless at his Meals »As to that Sir« cries the Bailiff »it is just as
your Honour pleases I scorn to impose upon any Gentleman in Misfortunes I wish
you well out of them for my Part Your Honour can take nothing amiss of me I
only does my Duty what I am bound to do and as you says you dont care to
drink any thing what will you be pleased to have for Dinner«
Booth then complied in bespeaking a Dish of Meat and told the Bailiff he
would drink a Bottle with him after Dinner He then desired the Favour of Pen
Ink and Paper and a Messenger all which were immediately procured him the
Bailiff telling him he might send wherever he pleased and repeating his Concern
for Booths Misfortunes and a hearty Desire to see the End of them
The Messenger was just dispatched with the Letter when who should arrive
but honest Atkinson A Soldier of the Guards belonging to the same Company with
the Serjeant and who had known Booth at Gibraltar had seen the Arrest and
heard the Orders given to the Coachman This Fellow accidentally meeting
Atkinson had acquainted him with the whole Affair
At the Appearance of Atkinson Joy immediately overspread the Countenance of
Booth The Ceremonials which past between them are unnecessary to be repeated
Atkinson was soon dispatched to the Attorney and to Mrs Ellison as the Reader
hath before heard from his own Mouth
Booth now greatly lamented that he had writ to his Wife He thought she
might have been acquainted with the Affair better by the Serjeant Booth begged
him however to do every thing in his Power to comfort her to assure her that
he was in perfect Health and good Spirits and to lessen as much as possible the
Concern which he knew she would have at the reading his Letter
The Serjeant however as the Reader hath seen brought himself the first
Account of the Arrest Indeed the other Messenger did not arrive till a full
Hour afterwards This was not owing to any Slowness of his but to many previous
Errands which he was to execute before the Delivery of the Letter For
notwithstanding the earnest Desire which the Bailiff had declared to see Booth
out of his Troubles he had ordered the Porter who was his Follower to call
upon two or three other Bailiffs and as many Attornies to try to load his
Prisoner with as many Actions as possible
Here the Reader may be apt to conclude that the Bailiff instead of being a
Friend was really an Enemy to poor Booth but in Fact he was not so His
Desire was no more than to accumulate Bail Bonds for the Bailiff was reckoned
an honest and good Sort of Man in his Way and had no more Malice against the
Bodies in his Custody than a Butcher hath to those in his and as the latter
when he takes his Knife in Hand hath no Idea but of the Joints into which he is
to cut the Carcase so the former when he handles his Writ hath no other Design
but to cut out the Body into as many Bail Bonds as possible As to the Life of
the Animal or the Liberty of the Man they are Thoughts which never obtrude
themselves on either
Chapter II
Containing an Account of Mr Booths Fellow Sufferers
Before we return to Amelia we must detain our Reader a little longer with Mr
Booth in the Custody of Mr Bondum the Bailiff who now informed his Prisoner
that he was welcome to the Liberty of the House with the other Gentlemen
Booth asked who those Gentlemen were »One of them Sir« says Mr Bondum
»is a very great Writer or Author as they call him He hath been here these
five Weeks at the Suit of a Bookseller for Eleven Pound odd Money but he
expects to be discharged in a Day or two For he hath writ out the Debt He is
now writing for Five or Six Booksellers and he will get you sometimes when he
sits to it a Matter of fifteen Shillings a Day For he is a very good Pen they
say but is apt to be idle Some Days he wont write above five Hours but at
other times I have known him at it above Sixteen« »Ay« cries Booth »Pray
what are his Productions What doth he write« »Why sometimes« answered
Bondum »He writes your History Books for your Numbers and sometimes your
Verses your Poems what do you call them And then again he writes News for
your News Papers« »Ay indeed he is a most extraordinary Man truly How doth
he get his News here« »Why he makes it as he doth your Parliament Speeches
for your Magazines He reads them to us sometimes over a Bowl of Punch To be
sure it is all one as if one was in the Parliament House It is about Liberty
and Freedom and about the Constitution of England I say nothing for my Part
For I will keep my Neck out of a Halter but faith he makes it out plainly to
me that all Matters are not as they should be I am for Liberty for my Part«
»Is that so consistent with your Calling« cries Booth »I thought my Friend
you had lived by depriving Men of their Liberty« »Thats another Matter« cries
the Bailiff »thats all according to Law and in the Way of Business To be
sure Men must be obliged to pay their Debts or else there would be an End of
every Thing« Booth desired the Bailiff to give him his Opinion of Liberty Upon
which he hesitated a Moment and then cried out »O tis a fine Thing tis a
very fine Thing and the Constitution of England« Booth told him that by the
old Constitution of England he had heard that Men could not be arrested for
Debt to which the Bailiff answered that must have been in very bad Times
»Because as why« says he »would it not be the hardest Thing in the World if a
Man could not arrest another for a just and lawful Debt Besides Sir you must
be mistaken For how could that ever be is not Liberty the Constitution of
England Well and is not the Constitution as a Man may say whereby the
Constitution that is the Law and Liberty and all that «
Booth had a little Mercy upon the poor Bailiff when he found him rounding
in this Manner and told him he had made the Matter very clear Booth then
proceeded to enquire after the other Gentlemen his Fellows in Affliction upon
which Bondum acquainted him that one of the Prisoners was a poor Fellow »He
calls himself a Gentleman« said Bondum »but I am sure I never saw any thing
genteel by him In a Week that he hath been in my House he hath drank only part
of one Bottle of Wine I intend to carry him to Newgate within a Day or two if
he cant find Bail which I suppose he will not be able to do For every Body
says he is an undone Man He hath run out all he hath by Losses in Business and
one way or other and he hath a Wife and seven Children Here was the whole
Family here the other Day all howling together I never saw such a beggarly
Crew I was almost ashamed to see them in my House I thought they seemed fitter
for Bridewell than any other Place To be sure I do not reckon him as proper
Company for such as you Sir but there is another Prisoner in the House that I
dare say you will like very much He is indeed very much of a Gentleman and
spends his Money like one I have had him only three Days and I am afraid he
wont stay much longer They say indeed he is a Gamester but what is that to
me or any one as long as a Man appears as a Gentleman I always love to speak
by People as I find And in my Opinion he is fit Company for the greatest Lord
in the Land for he hath very good Cloaths and Money enough He is not here for
Debt but upon a Judges Warrant for an Assault and Battery for the Tipstaff
locks up here«
The Bailiff was thus haranguing when he was interrupted by the Arrival of
the Attorney whom the trusty Serjeant had with the utmost Expedition found
out and dispatched to the Relief of his distressed Friend but before we
proceed any further with the Captain we will return to poor Amelia for whom
considering the Situation in which we left her the goodnatured Reader may be
perhaps in no small Degree sollicitous
Chapter III
Containing some extraordinary Behaviour in Mrs Ellison
The Serjeant being departed to convey Mrs Ellison to the Captain his Wife went
to fetch Amelias Children to their Mother
Amelias Concern for the Distresses of her Husband was aggravated at the
Sight of her Children »Good Heavens« she cryd »what will what can become of
these poor little Wretches Why have I produced these little Creatures only to
give them a Share of Poverty and Misery« At which Words she embraced them
eagerly in her Arms and bedewd them both with her Tears
The Childrens Eyes soon overflowed as fast as their Mothers tho neither
of them knew the Cause of her Affliction The little Boy who was the elder and
much the sharper of the two imputed the Agonies of his Mother to her Illness
according to the Account brought to his Father in his Presence
When Amelia became acquainted with the Childs Apprehensions she soon
satisfied him that she was in a perfect State of Health at which the little
Thing expressd great Satisfaction and said he was glad she was well again
Amelia told him she had not been in the least disordered Upon which the
Innocent cryd out »La how can People tell such Fibs A great tall Man told my
Papa you was taken very ill at Mrs Somebodys Shop and my poor Papa presently
ran down Stairs I was afraid he would have broke his Neck to come to you«
»O the Villains« cries Mrs Atkinson »what a Stratagem was here to take
away your Husband«
»Take away« answered the Child »What hath any Body taken away Papa
Sure that naughty fibbing Man hath not taken away Papa«
Amelia begged Mrs Atkinson to say something to her Children for that her
Spirits were overpowered She then threw herself into a Chair and gave a full
Vent to a Passion almost too strong for her delicate Constitution
The Scene that followed during some Minutes is beyond my Power of
Description I must beg the Readers Hearts to suggest it to themselves The
Children hung on their Mother whom they endeavourd in vain to comfort as Mrs
Atkinson did in vain attempt to pacify them telling them all would be well
and they would soon see their Papa again
At length partly by the Persuasions of Mrs Atkinson partly from
Consideration of her little ones and more perhaps from the Relief which she
had acquired by her Tears Amelia became a little composed
Nothing worth Notice past in this miserable Company from this Time till the
Return of Mrs Ellison from the Bailiffs House and to draw out Scenes of
Wretchedness to too great a Length is a Task very uneasy to the Writer and for
which none but Readers of a most gloomy Complexion will think themselves ever
obliged to his Labours
At length Mrs Ellison arrived and entered the Room with an Air of Gaiety
rather misbecoming the Occasion When she had seated herself in a Chair she
told Amelia that the Captain was very well and in good Spirits and that he
earnestly desired her to keep up hers »Come Madam« said she »dont be
disconsolate I hope we shall soon be able to get him out of his Troubles The
Debts indeed amount to more than I expected however Ways may be found to
redeem him He must own himself guilty of some Rashness in going out of the
Verge when he knew to what he was liable but that is now not to be remedied
If he had followed my Advice this had not happened but Men will be
headstrong«
»I cannot bear this« cries Amelia »shall I hear that best of Creatures
blamed for his Tenderness to me«
»Well I will not blame him« answered Mrs Ellison »I am sure I propose
nothing but to serve him And if you will do as much to serve him yourself he
will not long be a Prisoner«
»I do« cries Amelia »Oh Heavens is there a Thing upon Earth «
»Yes there is a Thing upon Earth« said Mrs Ellison »and a very easy
Thing too And yet I will venture my Life you start when I propose it And
yet when I consider that you are a Woman of Understanding I know not why I
should think so for sure you must have too much good Sense to imagine that you
can cry your Husband out of Prison If this would have done I see you have
almost cried your Eyes out already And yet you may do the Business by a much
pleasanter Way than by crying and bawling«
»What do you mean Madam« cries Amelia »For my Part I cannot guess your
Meaning«
»Before I tell you then Madam« answered Mrs Ellison »I must inform you
if you do not already know it that the Captain is charged with Actions to the
Amount of near 500l I am sure I would willingly be his Bail but I know my Bail
would not be taken for that Sum You must consider therefore Madam what
Chance you have of redeeming him unless you chuse as perhaps some Wives would
that he should lie all his Life in Prison«
At these Words Amelia discharged a Shower of Tears and gave every Mark of
the most frantic Grief
»Why there now« cries Mrs Ellison »while you will indulge these
extravagant Passions how can you be capable of listening to the Voice of
Reason I know I am a Fool in concerning myself thus with the Affairs of others
I know the thankless Office I undertake and yet I love you so my dear Mrs
Booth that I cannot bear to see you afflicted and I would comfort you if you
would suffer me Let me beg you to make your Mind easy and within these two
Days I will engage to set your Husband at Liberty
Harkee Child only behave like a Woman of Spirit this Evening and keep
your Appointment notwithstanding what hath happened and I am convinced there
is one who hath the Power and the Will to serve you«
Mrs Ellison spoke the latter Part of her Speech in a Whisper so that Mrs
Atkinson who was then engaged with the Children might not hear her but Amelia
answered aloud and said »What Appointment would you have me keep this
Evening«
»Nay nay if you have forgot« cries Mrs Ellison »I will tell you more
another time but come will you go home my Dinner is ready by this Time and
you shall dine with me«
»Talk not to me of Dinners« cries Amelia »My Stomach is too full already«
»Nay but dear Madam« answered Mrs Ellison »let me beseech you to go
home with me I do not care« says she whispering »to speak before some
Folks«
»I have no Secret Madam in the World« replyd Amelia aloud »which I
would not communicate to this Lady For I shall always acknowledge the highest
Obligations to her for the Secrets she hath imparted to me«
»Madam« said Mrs Ellison »I do not interfere with Obligations I am glad
the Lady hath obliged you so much and I wish all People were equally mindful of
Obligations I hope I have omitted no Opportunity of endeavouring to oblige Mrs
Booth as well as I have some other Folks«
»If by other Folks Madam you mean me« cries Mrs Atkinson »I confess I
sincerely believe you intended the same Obligation to us both and I have the
Pleasure to think it is owing to me that this Lady is not as much obliged to you
as I am«
»I protest Madam I can hardly guess your Meaning« said Mrs Ellison
»Do you really intend to affront me Madam«
»I intend to preserve Innocence and Virtue if it be in my Power Madam«
answered the other »And sure nothing but the most eager Resolution to destroy
it could induce you to mention such an Appointment at such a Time«
»I did not expect this Treatment from you Madam« cries Mrs Ellison »Such
Ingratitude I could not have believed had it been reported to me by any other«
»Such Impudence« answered Mrs Atkinson »must exceed I think all Belief
but when Women once abandon that Modesty which is the Characteristic of their
Sex they seldom set any Bounds to their Assurance«
»I could not have believed this to have been in Human Nature« cries Mrs
Ellison »Is this the Woman whom I have fed have cloathed have supported Who
owes to my Charity and my Intercessions that she is not at this Day destitute
of all the Necessaries of Life«
»I own it all« answered Mrs Atkinson »And I add the Favour of a
Masquerade Ticket to the Number Could I have thought Madam that you would
before my Face have asked another Lady to go to the same Place with the same
Man But I ask your Pardon I impute rather more Assurance to you than you are
Mistress of You have endeavoured to keep the Assignation a Secret from me and
it was by mere Accident only that I discovered it unless there are some
Guardian Angels that in general protect Innocence and Virtue tho I may say I
have not always found them so watchful«
»Indeed Madam« said Mrs Ellison »you are not worth my Answer nor will I
stay a Moment longer with such a Person So Mrs Booth you have your Choice
Madam whether you will go with me or remain in the Company of this Lady«
»If so Madam« answered Mrs Booth »I shall not be long in determining to
stay where I am«
Mrs Ellison then casting a Look of great Indignation at both the Ladies
made a short Speech full of Invectives against Mrs Atkinson and not without
oblique Hints of Ingratitude against poor Amelia after which she burst out of
the Room and out of the House and made Haste to her own Home in a Condition
of Mind to which Fortune without Guilt cannot I believe reduce any one
Indeed how much the Superiority of Misery is on the Side of Wickedness may
appear to every Reader who will compare the present Situation of Amelia with
that of Mrs Ellison Fortune had attackd the former with almost the highest
Degree of her Malice She was involved in a Scene of most exquisite Distress
and her Husband her principal Comfort torn violently from her Arms yet her
Sorrow however exquisite was all soft and tender nor was she without many
Consolations Her Case however hard was not absolutely desperate for scarce
any Condition of Fortune can be so Art and Industry Chance and Friends have
often relieved the most distrest Circumstances and converted them into
Opulence In all these she had Hopes on this Side the Grave and perfect Virtue
and Innocence gave her the strongest Assurances on the other Whereas in the
Bosom of Mrs Ellison all was Storm and Tempest Anger Revenge Fear and
Pride like so many raging Furies possessed her Mind and tortured her with
Disappointment and Shame Loss of Reputation which is generally irreparable
was to be her Lot Loss of Friends is of this the certain Consequence all on
this Side the Grave appeared dreary and comfortless and endless Misery on the
other closed the gloomy Prospect
Hence my worthy Reader console thyself that however few of the other good
Things of Life are thy Lot the best of all Things which is Innocence is
always within thy own Power and tho Fortune may make thee often unhappy she
can never make thee completely and irreparably miserable without thy own
Consent
Chapter IV
Containing among many Matters the exemplary Behaviour of Colonel James
When Mrs Ellison was departed Mrs Atkinson began to apply all her Art to
soothe and comfort Amelia but was presently prevented by her »I am ashamed
dear Madam« said Amelia »of having indulged my Affliction so much at your
Expence The Suddenness of the Occasion is my only Excuse for had I had Time to
summon my Resolution to my Assistance I hope I am Mistress of more Patience
than you have hitherto seen me exert I know Madam in my unwarrantable
Excesses I have been guilty of many Transgressions First against that Divine
Will and Pleasure without whose Permission at least no Human Accident can
happen in the next Place Madam if any thing can aggravate such a Fault I
have transgressed the Laws of Friendship as well as Decency in throwing upon
you some Part of the Load of my Grief and again I have sinned against Common
Sense which should teach me instead of weakly and heavily lamenting my
Misfortunes to rouse all my Spirits to remove them In this Light I am shocked
at my own Folly and am resolved to leave my Children under your Care and go
directly to my Husband I may comfort him I may assist him I may relieve him
There is nothing now too difficult for me to undertake«
Mrs Atkinson greatly approved and complimented her Friend on all the former
Part of her Speech except what related to herself on which she spoke very
civilly and I believe with great Truth but as to her Determination of going to
her Husband she endeavoured to dissuade her at least she begged her to defer
it for the present and till the Serjeant returned home She then reminded
Amelia that it was now past Five in the Afternoon and that she had not taken
any Refreshment but a Dish of Tea the whole Day and desired she would give her
Leave to procure her a Chick or any thing she liked better for her Dinner
Amelia thanked her Friend and said she would sit down with her to whatever
she pleased »but if I do not eat« said she »I would not have you impute it to
any thing but want of Appetite For I assure you all things are equally
indifferent to me I am more solicitous about these poor little Things who have
not been used to fast so long Heaven knows what may hereafter be their Fate«
Mrs Atkinson bid her hope the best and then recommended the Children to
the Care of her Maid
And now arrived a Servant from Mrs James with an Invitation to Captain
Booth and his Lady to dine with the Colonel the Day after the next This a
little perplexed Amelia but after a short Consideration she dispatched an
Answer to Mrs James in which she concisely informed her of what had happened
The honest Serjeant who had been on his Legs almost the whole Day now
returned and brought Amelia a short Letter from her Husband in which he gave
her the most solemn Assurances of his Health and Spirits and begged her with
great Earnestness to take Care to preserve her own which if she did he said he
had no doubt but that they should shortly be happy He added something of Hopes
from my Lord with which Mrs Ellison had amused him and which served only to
destroy the Comfort that Amelia received from the rest of his Letter
Whilst Amelia the Serjeant and his Lady were engaged in a cold Collation
for which Purpose a cold Chicken was procured from the Tavern for the Ladies
and two Pound of cold Beef for the Serjeant a violent knocking was heard at the
Door and presently afterwards Colonel James entered the Room After proper
Compliments had past the Colonel told Amelia that her Letter was brought to
Mrs James while they were at Table and that on her shewing it him he had
immediately rose up made an Apology to his Company and took a Chair to her He
spoke to her with great Tenderness on the Occasion and desired her to make
herself easy assuring her that he would leave nothing in his Power undone to
serve her Husband He then gave her an Invitation in his Wifes Name to his
own House in the most pressing Manner
Amelia returned him very hearty Thanks for all his kind Offers but begged
to decline that of an Apartment in his House She said as she could not leave
her Children so neither could she think of bringing such a Trouble with her
into his Family and tho the Colonel gave her many Assurances that her Children
as well as herself would be very welcome to Mrs James and even betook himself
to Entreaties she still persisted obstinately in her Refusal
In real Truth Amelia had taken a vast Affection for Mrs Atkinson of the
Comfort of whose Company she could not bear to be deprived in her Distress nor
to exchange it for that of Mrs James to whom she had lately conceived no
little Dislike
The Colonel when he found he could not prevail with Amelia to accept his
Invitation desisted from any further Solicitations He then took a Bankbill of
fifty Pounds from his PocketBook and said »You will pardon me dear Madam
if I chuse to impute your Refusal of my House rather to a Dislike of my Wife
who I will not pretend to be the most agreeable of Women all Men« said he
sighing »have not Captain Booths Fortune than to any Aversion or Anger to me
I must insist upon it therefore to make your present Habitation as easy to you
as possible I hope Madam you will not deny me this Happiness I beg you
will honour me with the Acceptance of this Trifle He then put the Note into her
Hand and declared that the Honour of touching it was worth a hundred times that
Sum«
»I protest Colonel James« cried Amelia blushing »I know not what to do or
say your Goodness so greatly confounds me Can I who am so well acquainted
with the many great Obligations Mr Booth already hath to your Generosity
consent that you should add more to a Debt we never can pay «
The Colonel stopt her short protesting that she misplaced the Obligation
For that if to confer the highest Happiness was to oblige he was obliged to her
Acceptance »And I do assure you Madam« said he »if this trifling Sum or a
much larger can contribute to your Ease I shall consider myself as the
happiest Man upon Earth in being able to supply it and you Madam my greatest
Benefactor in receiving it«
Amelia then put the Note in her Pocket and they entered into a
Conversation in which many civil Things were said on both Sides but what was
chiefly worth Remark was that Amelia had almost her Husband constantly in her
Mouth and the Colonel never mentioned him the former seemed desirous to lay
all Obligations as much as possible to the Account of her Husband and the
latter endeavoured with the utmost Delicacy to insinuate that her Happiness was
the main and indeed only Point which he had in View
Amelia had made no Doubt at the Colonels first Appearance but that he
intended to go directly to her Husband When he dropt therefore a Hint of his
Intention to visit him next Morning she appeared visibly shocked at the Delay
The Colonel perceiving this said »However inconvenient it may be yet Madam
if it will oblige you or if you desire it I will even go Tonight« Amelia
answered »My Husband would be far from desiring to derive any Good from your
Inconvenience but if you put it to me I must be excused for saying I desire
nothing more in the World than to send him so great a Comfort as I know he will
receive from the Presence of such a Friend« »Then to shew you Madam« cries
the Colonel »that I desire nothing more in the World than to give you Pleasure
I will go to him immediately«
Amelia then bethought herself of the Serjeant and told the Colonel his old
Acquaintance Atkinson whom he had known at Gibraltar was then in the House and
would conduct him to the Place The Serjeant was immediately called in paid his
Respects to the Colonel and was acknowledged by him They both immediately set
forward Amelia to the utmost of her Power pressing their Departure
Mrs Atkinson now returned to Amelia and was by her acquainted with the
Colonels late Generosity For her Heart so boiled over with Gratitude that she
could not conceal the Ebullition Amelia likewise gave her Friend a full
Narrative of the Colonels former Behaviour and Friendship to her Husband as
well Abroad as in England and ended with declaring that she believed him to be
the most generous Man upon Earth
Mrs Atkinson agreed with Amelias Conclusion and said she was glad to hear
there was any such Man They then proceeded with the Children to the Tea Table
where Panegyric and not Scandal was the Topic of their Conversation and of
this Panegyric the Colonel was the Subject both the Ladies seeming to vie with
each other in celebrating the Praises of his Goodness
Chapter V
Comments upon Authors
Having left Amelia in as comfortable a Situation as could possibly be expected
her immediate Distresses relieved and her Heart filled with great Hopes from
the Friendship of the Colonel we will now return to Booth who when the
Attorney and Serjeant had left him received a Visit from that great Author of
whom honourable Mention is made in our second Chapter
Booth as the Reader may be pleased to remember was a pretty good Master of
the Classics For his Father tho he designed his Son for the Army did not
think it necessary to breed him up a Blockhead He did not perhaps imagine that
a competent Share of Latin and Creek would make his Son either a Pedant or a
Coward He considered likewise probably that the Life of a Soldier is in
general a Life of Idleness and might think that the spare Hours of an Officer
in Country Quarters would be as well employed with a Book as in sauntring about
the Streets loitering in a Coffee House sotting in a Tavern or in laying
Schemes to debauch and ruin a Set of harmless ignorant Country Girls
As Booth was therefore what might well be called in this Age at least a
Man of Learning he began to discourse our Author on Subjects of Literature »I
think Sir« says he »that Doctor Swift hath been generally allowed by the
Critics in this Kingdom to be the greatest Master of Humour that ever wrote
Indeed I allow him to have possessed most admirable Talents of this Kind and
if Rabelais was his Master I think he proves the Truth of the common Greek
Proverb That the Scholar is often superior to the Master As to Cervantes I
do not think we can make any just Comparison for tho Mr Pope compliments him
with sometimes taking Cervantes serious Air « »I remember the Passage« cries
the Author
»Oh thou whatever Title please thy Ear
Dean Drapier Bickerstaff or Gulliver
Whether you take Cervantes serious Air
Or laugh and shake in Rabelais easy Chair«
»You are right Sir« said Booth »but tho I should agree that the Doctor hath
sometimes condescended to imitate Rabelais I do not remember to have seen in
his Works the least Attempt in the Manner of Cervantes But there is one in his
own Way and whom I am convinced he studied above all others You guess I
believe I am going to name Lucian This Author I say I am convinced he
followed but I think he followed him at a Distance as to say the Truth every
other Writer of this Kind hath done in my Opinion For none I think hath yet
equalled him I agree indeed entirely with Mr Moyle in his Discourse on the
Age of the Philopatris when he gives him the Epithet of the incomparable
Lucian and incomparable I believe he will remain as long as the Language in
which he wrote shall endure What an inimitable Piece of Humour is his Cock«
»I remember it very well« cries the Author »his Story of a Cock and a Bull is
excellent« Booth stared at this and asked the Author what he meant by the
Bull »Nay« answered he »I dont know very well upon my Soul It is a long
time since I read him I learnt him all over at School I have not read him much
since And pray Sir« said he »how do you like his Pharsalia Dont you think
Mr Rowes Translation a very fine one« Booth replied »I believe we are
talking of different Authors The Pharsalia which Mr Rowe translated was
written by Lucan but I have been speaking of Lucian a Greek Writer and in my
Opinion the greatest in the Humorous Way that ever the World produced« »Ay«
cries the Author »he was indeed so a very excellent Writer indeed I fancy a
Translation of him would sell very well« »I do not know indeed« cries Booth
»A good Translation of him would be a valuable Book I have seen a wretched one
published by Mr Dryden but translated by others who in many Places have
misunderstood Lucians Meaning and have no where preserved the Spirit of the
Original« »That is great Pity« says the Author »Pray Sir is he well
translated into French« Booth answered he could not tell but that he doubted
it very much having never seen a good Version into that Language out of the
Greek »To confess the Truth I believe« said he »the French Translators have
generally consulted the Latin only which in some of the few Greek Writers I
have read is intolerably bad And as the English Translators for the most
Part pursue the French we may easily guess what Spirit those Copies of bad
Copies must preserve of the Original«
»Egad you are a shrewd Guesser« cries the Author »I am glad the
Booksellers have not your Sagacity But how should it be otherwise considering
the Price they pay by the Sheet The Greek you will allow is a hard Language
and there are few Gentlemen that write who can read it without a good Lexicon
Now Sir if we were to afford Time to find out the true Meaning of Words a
Gentleman would not get Bread and Cheese by his Work If one was to be paid
indeed as Mr Pope was for his Homer Pray Sir dont you think That the
best Translation in the World«
»Indeed Sir« cries Booth »I think tho it is certainly a noble
Paraphrase and of itself a fine Poem yet in some Places it is no Translation
at all In the very Beginning for Instance he hath not rendered the true Force
of the Author Homer invokes his Muse in the five first Lines of the Iliad and
at the End of the fifth he gives his Reason
Dios dA eteleieto boyln
For all these Things« says he »were brought about by the Decree of Jupiter
and therefore he supposes their true Sources are known only to the Deities
Now the Translation takes no more Notice of the DE than if no such Word had
been there«
»Very possibly« answered the Author »it is a long Time since I read the
Original Perhaps then he followed the French Translations I observe indeed
he talks much in the Notes of Madam Dacier and Monsieur Eustathius«
Booth had now received Conviction enough of his Friends Knowledge of the
Greek Language without attempting therefore to set him right he made a
sudden Transition to the Latin »Pray Sir« said he »as you have mentioned
Rowes Translation of the Pharsalia do you remember how he hath rendered that
Passage in the Character of Cato
Venerisque huic maximus Usus
Progenies urbi Pater est urbique Maritus
For I apprehend that Passage is generally misunderstood«
»I really do not remember« answered the Author »Pray Sir what do you
take to be the Meaning«
»I apprehend Sir« replied Booth »that by these Words Urbi Pater est
Urbique Maritus Cato is represented as the Father and Husband to the City of
Rome«
»Very true Sir« cries the Author »very fine indeed Not only the
Father of his Country but the Husband too very noble truly«
»Pardon me Sir« cries Booth »I do not conceive that to have been Lucans
Meaning If you please to observe the Context Lucan having commended the
Temperance of Cato in the Instances of Diet and Clothes proceeds to venereal
Pleasures of which says the Poet his principal Use was Procreation Then he
adds Urbi Pater est Urbique Maritus That he became a Father and a Husband
for the Sake only of the City«
»Upon my Word thats true« cries the Author »I did not think of it It is
much finer than the other Urbis Pater est what is the other ay Urbis
Maritus It is certainly as you say Sir«
Booth was by this pretty well satisfied of the Authors profound Learning
however he was willing to try him a little further He asked him therefore
what was his Opinion of Lucan in general and in what Class of Writers he ranked
him
The Author stared a little at this Question and after some Hesitation
answered »Certainly Sir I think he is a fine Writer and a very great Poet«
»I am very much of the same Opinion« cries Booth »but where do you class
him next to what Poet do you place him«
»Let me see« cries the Author »where do I class him next to whom do I
place him Ay why why pray where do you yourself place him«
»Why surely« cries Booth »if he is not to be placed in the first Rank
with Homer and Virgil and Milton I think clearly he is at the Head of the
second before either Statius or Silius Italicus Tho I allow to each of
these their Merits but perhaps an Epic Poem was beyond the Genius of either
I own I have often thought if Statius had ventured no farther than Ovid or
Claudian he would have succeeded better For his Sylvoe are in my Opinion
much better than his Thebaïs«
»I believe I was of the same Opinion formerly« said the Author
»And for what Reason have you altered it« cries Booth
»I have not altered it« answered the Author »but to tell you the Truth I
have not any Opinion at all about these Matters at present I do not trouble my
Head much with Poetry For there is no Encouragement to such Studies in this
Age It is true indeed I have now and then wrote a Poem or two for the
Magazines but I never intend to write any more For a Gentleman is not paid for
his Time A Sheet is a Sheet with the Booksellers and whether it be in Prose
or Verse they make no Difference tho certainly there is as much Difference to
a Gentleman in the Work as there is to a Taylor between making a plain and a
laced Suit Rhimes are difficult Things they are stubborn Things Sir I have
been sometimes longer in tagging a Couplet than I have been in writing a Speech
on the Side of the Opposition which hath been read with great Applause all over
the Kingdom«
»I am glad you are pleased to confirm that« cries Booth »For I protest it
was an entire Secret to me till this Day I was so perfectly ignorant that I
thought the Speeches published in the Magazines were really made by the
Members themselves«
»Some of them and I believe I may without Vanity say the best« cries
the Author »are all the Production of my own Pen but I believe I shall leave
it off soon unless a Sheet of Speech will fetch more than it does at present
In Truth the Romance Writing is the only Branch of our Business now that is
worth following Goods of that Sort have had so much Success lately in the
Market that a Bookseller scarce cares what he bids for them And it is
certainly the easiest Work in the World you may write it almost as fast as you
can set Pen to Paper and if you interlard it with a little Scandal a little
Abuse on some living Characters of Note you cannot fail of Success«
»Upon my Word Sir« cries Booth »you have greatly instructed me I could
not have imagined there had been so much Regularity in the Trade of Writing as
you are pleased to mention by what I can perceive the Pen and Ink is likely to
become the Staple Commodity of the Kingdom«
»Alas Sir« answered the Author »it is overstocked The Market is
overstocked There is no Encouragement to Merit no Patrons I have been these
five Years soliciting a Subscription for my new Translation of Ovids
Metamorphoses with Notes explanatory historical and critical and I have
scarce collected five hundred Names yet«
The Mention of this Translation a little surprised Booth not only as the
Author had just declared his Intentions to forsake the tuneful Muses but for
some other Reasons which he had collected from his Conversation with our
Author he little expected to hear of a Proposal to translate any of the Latin
Poets He proceeded therefore to catechise him a little farther and by his
Answers was fully satisfied that he had the very same Acquaintance with Ovid
that he had appeared to have with Lucan
The Author then pulled out a Bundle of Papers containing Proposals for his
Subscription and Receipts and addressing himself to Booth said »Tho the
Place in which we meet Sir is an improper Place to solicit Favours of this
Kind yet perhaps it may be in your Power to serve me if you will charge your
Pockets with some of these« Booth was just offering at an Excuse when the
Bailiff introduced Colonel James and the Serjeant
The unexpected Visit of a beloved Friend to a Man in Affliction especially
in Mr Booths Situation is a Comfort which can scarce be equalled not barely
from the Hopes of Relief or Redress by his Assistance but as it is an
Evidence of sincere Friendship which scarce admits of any Doubt or Suspicion
Such an Instance doth indeed make a Man amends for all ordinary Troubles and
Distresses and we ought to think ourselves Gainers by having had such an
Opportunity of discovering that we are possessed of one of the most valuable of
all human Possessions
Booth was so transported at the Sight of the Colonel that he dropt the
Proposals which the Author had put into his Hand and burst forth into the
highest Professions of Gratitude to his Friend who behaved very properly on his
Side and said every Thing which became the Mouth of a Friend on the Occasion
It is true indeed he seemed not moved equally either with Booth or the
Serjeant both whose Eyes watered at the Scene In Truth the Colonel tho a
very generous Man had not the least Grain of Tenderness in his Disposition His
Mind was formed of those firm Materials of which Nature formerly hammered out
the Stoic and upon which the Sorrows of no Man living could make an Impression
A Man of this Temper who doth not much value Danger will fight for the Person
he calls his Friend and the Man that hath but little Value for his Money will
give it him but such Friendship is never to be absolutely depended on For
whenever the favourite Passion interposes with it it is sure to subside and
vanish into Air Whereas the Man whose tender Disposition really feels the
Miseries of another will endeavour to relieve them for his own Sake and in
such a Mind Friendship will often get the Superiority over every other Passion
But from whatever Motive it sprung the Colonels Behaviour to Booth seemed
truly amiable and so it appeared to the Author who took the first Occasion to
applaud it in a very florid Oration which the Reader when he recollects that
he was a Speechmaker by Profession will not be surprised at nor perhaps
will be much more surprised that he soon after took an Occasion of clapping a
Proposal into the Colonels Hands holding at the same Time a Receipt very
visible in his own
The Colonel received both and gave the Author a Guinea in Exchange which
was double the Sum mentioned in the Receipt for which the Author made a low
Bow and very politely took his Leave saying »I suppose Gentlemen you may
have some private Business together I heartily wish a speedy End to your
Confinement and I congratulate you on the possessing so great so noble and so
generous a Friend«
Chapter VI
Which inclines rather to Satir than Panegyric
The Colonel had the Curiosity to ask Booth the Name of the Gentleman who in
the vulgar Language had struck or taken him in for a Guinea with so much Ease
and Dexterity Booth answered he did not know his Name all that he knew of him
was that he was the most impudent and illiterate Fellow he had ever seen and
that by his own Account he was the Author of most of the wonderful Productions
of the Age »Perhaps« said he »it may look uncharitable in me to blame you
for your Generosity but I am convinced the Fellow hath not the least Merit or
Capacity and you have subscribed to the most horrid Trash that ever was
published«
»I care not a Farthing what he publishes« cries the Colonel »Heaven
forbid I should be obliged to read half the Nonsense I have subscribed to«
»But dont you think« said Booth »that by such indiscriminate
Encouragement of Authors you do a real Mischief to the Society By propagating
the Subscriptions of such Fellows People are tired out and withhold their
Contributions to Men of real Merit and at the same Time you are contributing
to fill the World not only with Nonsense but with all the Scurrility
Indecency and Profaneness with which the Age abounds and with which all bad
Writers supply the Defect of Genius«
»Pugh« cries the Colonel »I never consider these Matters Good or bad it
is all one to me but theres an Acquaintance of mine and a Man of great Wit
too that thinks the worst the best as they are the surest to make him laugh«
»I ask Pardon Sir« says the Serjeant »but I wish your Honour would
consider your own Affairs a little for it grows late in the Evening«
»The Serjeant says true« answered the Colonel »What is it you intend to
do«
»Faith Colonel I know not what I shall do My Affairs seem so irreparable
that I have been driving them as much as possibly I could from my Mind If I
was to suffer alone I think I could bear them with some Philosophy but when I
consider who are to be the Sharers in my Fortune the dearest of Children and
the best the worthiest and the noblest of Women Pardon me my dear Friend
these Sensations are above me they convert me into a Woman they drive me to
Despair to Madness«
The Colonel advised him to command himself and told him this was not the
Way to retrieve his Fortune »As to me my dear Booth« said he »you know you
may command me as far as is really within my Power«
Booth answered eagerly that he was so far from expecting any more Favours
from the Colonel that he had resolved not to let him know any Thing of his
Misfortune »No my dear Friend« cries he »I am too much obliged to you
already« and then burst into many fervent Expressions of Gratitude till the
Colonel himself stopt him and begged him to give an Account of the Debt or
Debts for which he was detained in that horrid Place
Booth answered he could not be very exact but he feared it was upwards of
four hundred Pounds
»It is but three hundred Pounds indeed Sir« cries the Serjeant »if you
can raise three hundred Pounds you are a free Man this Moment«
Booth who did not apprehend the generous Meaning of the Serjeant as well
as I believe the Reader will answered he was mistaken that he had computed
his Debts and they amounted to upwards of four hundred Pounds Nay that the
Bailiff had shewn him Writs for above that Sum
»Whether your Debts are three or four hundred« cries the Colonel »the
present Business is to give Bail only and then you will have some time to try
your Friends I think you might get a Company abroad and then I would advance
the Money on the Security of half your Pay And in the mean Time I will be one
of your Bail with all my Heart«
Whilst Booth poured forth his Gratitude for all this Kindness the Serjeant
ran down Stairs for the Bailiff and shortly after returned with him into the
Room
The Bailiff being informed that the Colonel offered to be Bail for his
Prisoner answered a little surlily »Well Sir and who will be the other You
know I suppose there must be two and I must have Time to enquire after them«
The Colonel replied »I believe Sir I am well known to be responsible for
a much larger Sum than your Demand on this Gentleman but if your Forms require
two I suppose the Serjeant here will do for the other«
»I dont know the Serjeant nor you either Sir« cries Bondum »and if you
propose yourselves Bail for the Gentleman I must have Time to enquire after
you«
»You need very little Time to enquire after me« says the Colonel »for I
can send for several of the Law whom I suppose you know to satisfy you but
consider it is very late«
»Yes Sir« answered Bondum »I do consider it is too late for the Captain
to be bailed Tonight«
»What do you mean by too late« cries the Colonel
»I mean Sir that I must search the Office and that is now shut up For if
my Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen would be bound for him I would not
discharge him till I had searched the Office«
»How Sir« cries the Colonel »hath the Law of England no more Regard for
the Liberty of the Subject than to suffer such Fellows as you to detain a Man
in Custody for Debt when he can give undeniable Security«
»Dont Fellow me« said the Bailiff »I am as good a Fellow as yourself I
believe tho you have that Ribbond in your Hat there«
»Do you know who you are speaking to« said the Serjeant »Do you know you
are talking to a Colonel of the Army«
»Whats a Colonel of the Army to me« cries the Bailiff »I have had as
good as he in my Custody before now«
»And a Member of Parliament« cries the Serjeant
»Is the Gentleman a Member of Parliament Well and what Harm have I said
I am sure I meant no Harm and if his Honour is offended I ask his Pardon to
be sure his Honour must know that the Sheriff is answerable for all the Writs in
the Office tho they were never so many and I am answerable to the Sheriff I
am sure the Captain cant say that I have shewn him any Manner of Incivility
since he hath been here And I hope honourable Sir« cries he turning to the
Colonel »you dont take any thing amiss that I said or meant by way of
Disrespect or any such Matter I did not indeed as the Gentleman here says
know who I was speaking to but I did not say any thing uncivil as I know of
and I hope no Offence«
The Colonel was more easily pacified than might have been expected and told
the Bailiff that if it was against the Rules of Law to discharge Mr Booth that
Evening he must be contented He then addressed himself to his Friend and
began to prescribe Comfort and Patience to him saying he must rest satisfied
with his Confinement that Night and the next Morning he promised to visit him
again
Booth answered that as for himself the lying one Night in any Place was
very little worth his Regard »You and I my dear Friend have both spent our
Evening in a worse Situation than I shall in this House All my Concern is for
my poor Amelia whose Sufferings on Account of my Absence I know and I feel
with unspeakable Tenderness Could I be assured she was tolerably easy I could
be contented in Chains or in a Dungeon«
»Give yourself no Concern on her Account« said the Colonel »I will wait on
her myself tho I break an Engagement for that Purpose and will give her such
Assurances as I am convinced will make her perfectly easy«
Booth embraced his Friend and weeping over him paid his Acknowledgment with
Tears for all his Goodness In Words indeed he was not able to thank him for
Gratitude joining with his other Passions almost choaked him and stopt his
Utterance
After a short Scene in which nothing past worth recounting the Colonel bid
his Friend GoodNight and leaving the Serjeant with him made the best of his
Way back to Amelia
Chapter VII
Worthy a very serious Perusal
The Colonel found Amelia sitting very disconsolate with Mrs Atkinson He
entered the Room with an Air of great Gaiety assured Amelia that her Husband
was perfectly well and that he hoped the next Day he would again be with her
Amelia was a little comforted at this Account and vented many grateful
Expressions to the Colonel for his unparallelled Friendship as she was pleased
to call it She could not however help giving Way soon after to a Sigh at the
Thoughts of her Husbands Bondage and declared that Night would be the longest
she had ever known
»This Lady Madam« cries the Colonel »must endeavour to make it shorter
And if you will give me Leave I will join in the same Endeavour« Then after
some more consolatory Speeches the Colonel attempted to give a gay Turn to the
Discourse and said »I was engaged to have spent this Evening disagreeably at
Ranelagh with a Set of Company I did not like How vastly am I obliged to you
dear Mrs Booth that I pass it so infinitely more to my Satisfaction«
»Indeed Colonel« said Amelia »I am convinced that to a Mind so rightly
turned as yours there must be a much sweeter Relish in the highest Offices of
Friendship than in any Pleasures which the gayest public Places can afford«
»Upon my Word Madam« said the Colonel »You now do me more than Justice I
have and always had the utmost Indifference for such Pleasures Indeed I
hardly allow them worthy of that Name or if they are so at all it is in a very
low Degree In my Opinion the highest Friendship must always lead us to the
highest Pleasure«
Here Amelia entered into a long Dissertation on Friendship in which she
pointed several Times directly at the Colonel as the Hero of her Tale
The Colonel highly applauded all her Sentiments and when he could not avoid
taking the Compliment to himself he received it with a most respectful Bow He
then tried his Hand likewise at Description in which he found Means to repay
all Amelias Panegyric in Kind This tho he did with all possible Delicacy yet
a curious Observer might have been apt to suspect that it was chiefly on her
Account that the Colonel had avoided the Masquerade
In Discourses of this Kind they past the Evening till it was very late the
Colonel never offering to stir from his Chair before the Clock had struck one
when he thought perhaps that Decency obliged him to take his Leave
As soon as he was gone Mrs Atkinson said to Mrs Booth »I think Madam
you told me this Afternoon that the Colonel was married«
Amelia answered she did so
»I think likewise Madam« said Mrs Atkinson »you was acquainted with the
Colonels Lady«
Amelia answered that she had been extremely intimate with her Abroad
»Is she young and handsome« said Mrs Atkinson »In short pray was it a
Match of Love or Convenience«
Amelia answered entirely of Love she believed on his Side For that the
Lady had little or no Fortune
»I am very glad to hear it« said Mrs Atkinson »For I am sure the Colonel
is in Love with somebody I think I never saw a more luscious Picture of Love
drawn than that which he was pleased to give us as the Portraiture of
Friendship I have read indeed of Pylades and Orestes Damon and Pythias and
other great Friends of old nay I sometimes flatter myself that I am capable of
being a Friend myself but as for that fine soft tender delicate Passion
which he was pleased to describe I am convinced there must go a He and a She to
the Composition«
»Upon my Word my Dear you are mistaken« cries Amelia »If you had known
the Friendship which hath always subsisted between the Colonel and my Husband
you would not imagine it possible for any Description to exceed it Nay I think
his Behaviour this very Day is sufficient to convince you«
»I own what he hath done Today hath great Merit« said Mrs Atkinson »and
yet from what he hath said Tonight You will pardon me dear Madam perhaps I
am too quicksighted in my Observations nay I am afraid I am even
impertinent«
»Fie upon it« cries Amelia »how can you talk in that Strain Do you
imagine I expect Ceremony Pray speak what you think with the utmost Freedom«
»Did he not then« said Mrs Atkinson repeat the Words the finest Woman in
the World more than once Did he not make use of an Expression which might have
become the Mouth of Oroondates himself If I remember the Words were these
»That had he been Alexander the Great he should have thought it more Glory to
have wiped off a Tear from the bright Eyes of Statira than to have conquered
Fifty Worlds«
»Did he say so« cries Amelia »I think he did say something like it but
my Thoughts were so full of my Husband that I took little Notice But what would
you infer from what he said I hope you dont think he is in Love with me«
»I hope he doth not think so himself« answered Mrs Atkinson »tho when he
mentioned the bright Eyes of Statira he fixed his own Eyes on yours with the
most languishing Air I ever beheld«
Amelia was going to answer when the Serjeant arrived and then she
immediately fell to enquiring after her Husband and received such satisfactory
Answers to all her many Questions concerning him that she expressed great
Pleasure These Ideas so possessed her Mind that without once casting her
Thoughts on any other Matters she took her Leave of the Serjeant and his Lady
and repaired to bed to her Children in a Room which Mrs Atkinson had provided
her in the same House where we will at present wish her a good Night
Chapter VIII
Consisting of grave Matters
While Innocence and chearful Hope in spite of the Malice of Fortune closed the
Eyes of the gentle Amelia on her homely Bed and she enjoyed a sweet and
profound Sleep the Colonel lay restless all Night on his Down His Mind was
affected with a kind of Ague Fit sometimes scorched up with flaming Desires
and again chilled with the coldest Despair
There is a Time I think according to one of our Poets When Lust and Envy
sleep This I suppose is when they are well gorged with the Food they most
delight in but while either of these are hungry
Nor Poppy nor Mandragora
Nor all the drousy Syrups of the East
Will ever medicine them to Slumber
The Colonel was at present unhappily tormented by both these Fiends His last
Evenings Conversation with Amelia had done his Business effectually The many
kind Words she had spoken to him the many kind Looks she had given him as
being she conceived the Friend and Preserver of her Husband had made an
entire Conquest of his Heart Thus the very Love which she bore him as the
Person to whom her little Family were to owe their Preservation and Happiness
inspired him with Thoughts of sinking them all in the lowest Abyss of Ruin and
Misery and while she smiled with all her Sweetness on the supposed Friend of
her Husband she was converting that Friend into his most bitter Enemy
Friendship take heed if Woman interfere
Be sure the Hour of thy Destructions near
These are the Lines of Vanbrugh and the Sentiment is better than the Poetry To
say the Truth as a handsome Wife is the Cause and Cement of many false
Friendships she is often too liable to destroy the real ones
Thus the Object of the Colonels Lust very plainly appears but the Object
of his Envy may be more difficult to discover Nature and Fortune had seemed to
strive with a kind of Rivalship which should bestow most on the Colonel The
former had given him Person Parts and Constitution in all which he was
superior to almost every other Man The latter had given him Rank in Life and
Riches both in a very eminent Degree Whom then should this happy Man envy
Here lest Ambition should mislead the Reader to search the Palaces of the
Great we will direct him at once to GraysInnLane where in a miserable Bed
in a miserable Room he will see a miserable broken Lieutenant in a miserable
Condition with several heavy Debts on his Back and without a Penny in his
Pocket This and no other was the Object of the Colonels Envy And why
because this Wretch was possessed of the Affections of a poor little Lamb which
all the vast Flocks that were within the Power and Reach of the Colonel could
not prevent that Gluttons longing for And sure this Image of the Lamb is not
improperly adduced on this Occasion For what was the Colonels Desire but to
lead this poor Lamb as it were to the Slaughter in order to purchase a Feast
of a few Days by her final Destruction and to tear her away from the Arms of
one where she was sure of being fondled and caressed all the Days of her Life
While the Colonel was agitated with these Thoughts his greatest Comfort
was that Amelia and Booth were now separated and his greatest Terror was of
their coming again together From Wishes therefore he began to meditate Designs
and so far was he from any Intention of procuring the Liberty of his Friend
that he began to form Schemes of prolonging his Confinement till he could
procure some Means of sending him away far from her in which Case he doubted
not but of succeeding in all he desired
He was forming this Plan in his Mind when a Servant informed him that one
Serjeant Atkinson desired to speak with his Honour The Serjeant was immediately
admitted and acquainted the Colonel that if he pleased to go and become Bail
for Mr Booth another unexceptionable Housekeeper would be there to join with
him This Person the Serjeant had procured that Morning and had by Leave of
his Wife given him a Bond of Indemnification for the Purpose
The Colonel did not seem so elated with this News as Atkinson expected On
the contrary instead of making a direct Answer to what Atkinson said the
Colonel began thus »I think Serjeant Mr Booth hath told me that you was
FosterBrother to his Lady She is really a charming Woman and it is a thousand
Pities she should ever have been placed in the dreadful Situation she is now in
There is nothing so silly as for Subaltern Officers of the Army to marry unless
where they meet with Women of very great Fortunes indeed What can be the Event
of their marrying otherwise but entailing Misery and Beggary on their Wives and
their Posterity«
»Ah Sir« cries the Serjeant »it is too late to think of those Matters
now To be sure my Lady might have married one of the top Gentlemen in the
Country For she is certainly one of the best as well as one of the handsomest
Women in the Kingdom and if she had been fairly dealt by would have had a very
great Fortune into the Bargain Indeed she is worthy of the greatest Prince in
the World and if I had been the greatest Prince in the World I should have
thought myself happy with such a Wife but she was pleased to like the
Lieutenant and certainly there can be no Happiness in Marriage without Liking«
»Lookee Serjeant« said the Colonel »you know very well that I am the
Lieutenants Friend I think I have shewn myself so«
»Indeed your Honour hath« quoth the Serjeant »more than once to my
Knowledge«
»But I am angry with him for his Imprudence greatly angry with him for his
Imprudence and the more so as it affects a Lady of so much Worth«
»She is indeed a Lady of the highest Worth« cries the Serjeant »Poor
dear Lady I knew her ant please your Honour from her Infancy and the
sweetesttemperd bestnatured Lady she is that ever trod on English Ground I
have always loved her as if she was my own Sister Nay she hath very often
called me Brother and I have taken it to be a greater Honour than if I was to
be called a General Officer«
»What Pity it is« said the Colonel »that this worthy Creature should be
exposed to so much Misery by the thoughtless Behaviour of a Man who though I
am his Friend I cannot help saying hath been guilty of Imprudence at least
Why could he not live upon his Halfpay What had he to do to run himself into
Debt in this outrageous Manner«
»I wish indeed« cries the Serjeant »he had been a little more
considerative but I hope this will be a Warning to him«
»How am I sure of that« answered the Colonel »or what Reason is there to
expect it Extravagance is a Vice of which Men are not so easily cured I have
thought a great deal of this Matter Mr Serjeant and upon the most mature
Deliberation I am of Opinion that it will be better both for him and his poor
Lady that he should smart a little more«
»Your Honour Sir to be sure is in the Right« replyd the Serjeant »but
yet Sir if you will pardon me for speaking I hope you will be pleased to
consider my poor Ladys Case She suffers all this while as much or more than
the Lieutenant for I know her so well that I am certain she will never have a
Moments Ease till her Husband is out of Confinement«
»I know Women better than you Serjeant« cries the Colonel »They sometimes
place their Affections on a Husband as Children do on their Nurse but they are
both to be weaned I know you Serjeant to be a Fellow of Sense as well as
Spirit or I should not speak so freely to you but I took a Fancy to you a long
time ago and I intend to serve you but first I ask you this Question is your
Attachment to Mr Booth or to his Lady«
»Certainly Sir« said the Serjeant »I must love my Lady best Not but I
have a great Affection for the Lieutenant too because I know my Lady hath the
same and indeed he hath been always very good to me as far as was in his
Power A Lieutenant your Honour knows cant do a great deal but I have always
found him my Friend upon all Occasions«
»You say true« cries the Colonel »a Lieutenant can do but little but I
can do much to serve you and will too But let me ask you one Question Who
was the Lady whom I saw last Night with Mrs Booth at her Lodgings«
Here the Serjeant blushed and repeated »The Lady Sir«
»Ay a Lady a Woman« cries the Colonel »who supped with us last Night
She looked rather too much like a Gentlewoman for the Mistress of a Lodging
House«
The Serjeants Cheeks glowed at this Compliment to his Wife and he was just
going to own her when the Colonel proceeded »I think I never saw in my Life so
illlooking sly demure a B I would give something methinks to know who
she was«
»I dont know indeed« cries the Serjeant in great Confusion »I know
nothing about her«
»I wish you would enquire« said the Colonel »and let me know her Name and
likewise what she is I have a strange Curiosity to know and let me see you
again this Evening exactly at Seven«
»And will not your Honour then go to the Lieutenant this Morning« said
Atkinson
»It is not in my Power« answered the Colonel »I am engaged another Way
Besides there is no Haste in this Affair If Men will be imprudent they must
suffer the Consequences Come to me at Seven and bring me all the Particulars
you can concerning that illlookd Jade I mentioned to you for I am resolved
to know who she is And so Goodmorrow to you Serjeant be assured I will take
an Opportunity to do something for you«
Tho some Readers may perhaps think the Serjeant not unworthy of the
Freedom with which the Colonel treated him yet that haughty Officer would have
been very backward to have condescended to such Familiarity with one of his
Rank had he not proposed some Design from it In Truth he began to conceive
Hopes of making the Serjeant instrumental to his Design on Amelia in other
Words to convert him into a Pimp an Office in which the Colonel had been
served by Atkinsons Betters and which as he knew it was in his Power very
well to reward him he had no Apprehension that the Serjeant would decline An
Opinion which the Serjeant might have pardond though he had never given the
least Grounds for it since the Colonel borrowed it from the Knowledge of his
own Heart This dictated to him that he from a bad Motive was capable of
desiring to debauch his Friends Wife and the same Heart inspired him to hope
that another from another bad Motive might be guilty of the same Breach of
Friendship in assisting him Few Men I believe think better of others than of
themselves nor do they easily allow the Existence of any Virtue of which they
perceive no Traces in their own Minds For which Reason I have observed that it
is extremely difficult to persuade a Rogue that you are an honest Man nor would
you ever succeed in the Attempt by the strongest Evidence was it not for the
comfortable Conclusion which the Rogue draws that he who proves himself to be
honest proves himself to be a Fool at the same time
Chapter IX
A curious Chapter from which a curious Reader may draw sundry Observations
The Serjeant retired from the Colonel in a very dejected State of Mind in
which however we must leave him awhile and return to Amelia who as soon as
she was up had dispatched Mrs Atkinson to pay off her former Lodgings and to
bring off all Cloaths and other Moveables
The trusty Messenger returned without performing her Errand For Mrs
Ellison had locked up all her Rooms and was gone out very early that Morning
and the Servant knew not whither she was gone
The two Ladies now sat down to Breakfast together with Amelias two
Children after which Amelia declared she would take a Coach and visit her
Husband To this Motion Mrs Atkinson soon agreed and offered to be her
Companion To say Truth I think it was reasonable enough and the great
Abhorrence which Booth had of seeing his Wife in a Bailiffs House was
perhaps rather too nice and delicate
When the Ladies were both drest and just going to send for their Vehicle a
great Knocking was heard at the Door and presently Mrs James was usherd into
the Room
This Visit was disagreeable enough to Amelia as it detained her from the
Sight of her Husband for which she so eagerly longed However as she had no
Doubt but that the Visit would be reasonably short she resolved to receive the
Lady with all the Complaisance in her Power
Mrs James now behaved herself so very unlike the Person that she lately
appeared that it might have surprised any one who doth not know that besides
that of a fine Lady which is all mere Art and Mummery every such Woman hath
some real Character at the Bottom in which whenever Nature gets the better of
her she acts Thus the finest Ladies in the World will sometimes love and
sometimes scratch according to their different natural Dispositions with great
Fury and Violence tho both of these are equally inconsistent with a fine
Ladys artificial Character
Mrs James then was at the Bottom a very goodnatured Woman and the Moment
she heard of Amelias Misfortune was sincerely grieved at it She had
acquiesced on the very first Motion with the Colonels Design of inviting her to
her House and this Morning at Breakfast when he had acquainted her that Amelia
made some Difficulty in accepting the Offer very readily undertook to go
herself and persuade her Friend to accept the Invitation
She now pressed this Matter with such Earnestness that Amelia who was not
extremely versed in the Art of denying was hardly able to refuse her
Importunity nothing indeed but her Affection to Mrs Atkinson could have
prevailed on her to refuse that Point however she would not give up and Mrs
James at last was contented with a Promise that as soon as their Affairs were
settled Amelia with her Husband and Family would make her a Visit and stay
some time with her in the Country whither she was soon to retire
Having obtained this Promise Mrs James after many very friendly
Professions took her Leave and stepping into her Coach reassumed the fine
Lady and drove away to join her Company at an Auction
The Moment she was gone Mrs Atkinson who had left the Room upon the
Approach of Mrs James returned into it and was informed by Amelia of all that
had past
»Pray Madam« said Mrs Atkinson »do this Colonel and his Lady live as it
is called well together«
»If you mean to ask« cries Amelia »whether they are a very fond Couple I
must answer that I believe they are not«
»I have been told« says Mrs Atkinson »that there have been Instances of
Women who have become Bawds to their own Husbands and the Husbands Pimps for
them«
»Fie upon it« cries Amelia »I hope there are no such People Indeed my
Dear this is being a little too censorious«
»Call it what you please« answered Mrs Atkinson »It arises from my Love
to you and my Fears for your Danger You know the Proverb of a burnt Child and
if such a one hath any Goodnature it will dread the Fire on the Account of
others as well as on its own And if I may speak my Sentiments freely I cannot
think you will be in Safety at this Colonels House«
»I cannot but believe your Apprehensions to be sincere« replied Amelia
»and I must think myself obliged to you for them but I am convinced you are
entirely in an Error I look on Colonel James as the most generous and best of
Men He was a Friend and an excellent Friend too to my Husband long before I
was acquainted with him and he hath done him a thousand good Offices What do
you say of his Behaviour Yesterday«
»I wish« cries Mrs Atkinson »that his Behaviour Today had been equal
What I am now going to undertake is the most disagreeable Office of Friendship
but it is a necessary one I must tell you therefore what past this Morning
between the Colonel and Mr Atkinson for tho it will hurt you you ought on
many Accounts to know it« Here she related the whole which we have recorded in
the preceding Chapter and with which the Serjeant had acquainted her while
Mrs James was paying her Visit to Amelia And as the Serjeant had painted the
Matter rather in stronger Colours than the Colonel so Mrs Atkinson again a
little improved on the Serjeant Neither of these good People perhaps intended
to aggravate any Circumstance but such is I believe the unavoidable
Consequence of all Reports Mrs Atkinson indeed may be supposed not to see
what related to James in the most favourable Light as the Serjeant with more
Honesty than Prudence had suggested to his Wife that the Colonel had not the
kindest Opinion of her and had called her a sly and demure it is true he
omitted illlooking B two Words which are perhaps superior to the Patience
of any Job in Petticoats that ever lived He made amends however by
substituting some other Phrases in their Stead not extremely agreeable to a
female Ear
It appeared to Amelia from Mrs Atkinsons Relation that the Colonel had
grossly abused Booth to the Serjeant and had absolutely refused to become his
Bail Poor Amelia became a pale and motionless Statue at this Account At
length she cryd »If this be true I and mine are all indeed undone We have
no Comfort no Hope no Friend left I cannot disbelieve you I know you
would not deceive me Why should you indeed deceive me But what can have
caused this Alteration since last Night Did I say or do any thing to offend
him«
»You said and did rather I believe a great deal too much to please him«
answered Mrs Atkinson »Besides he is not in the least offended with you On
the contrary he said many kind Things«
»What can my poor Love have done« said Amelia »He hath not seen the
Colonel since last Night Some Villain hath set him against my Husband he was
once before suspicious of such a Person Some cruel Monster hath belied his
Innocence«
»Pardon me dear Madam« said Mrs Atkinson »I believe the Person who hath
injured the Captain with this Friend of his is one of the worthiest and best of
Creatures Nay do not be surprised the Person I mean is even your fair Self
Sure you would not be so dull in any other Case but in this Gratitude
Humility Modesty every Virtue shuts your Eyes
Mortales hebetant visus
as Virgil says What in the World can be more consistent than his Desire to
have you at his own House and to keep your Husband confined in another All
that he said and all that he did Yesterday and what is more convincing to me
than both all that he looked last Night are very consistent with both these
Designs«
»O Heavens« cries Amelia »you chill my Blood with Horror The Idea freezes
me to Death I can not must not will not think it Nothing but Conviction
Heaven forbid I should ever have more Conviction And did he abuse my Husband
What did he abuse a poor unhappy distrest Creature opprest ruined torn
from his Children torn away from his wretched Wife the honestest worthiest
noblest tenderest fondest best« Here she burst into an Agony of Grief
which exceeds the Power of Description
In this Situation Mrs Atkinson was doing her utmost to support her when a
most violent Knocking was heard at the Door and immediately the Serjeant ran
hastily into the Room bringing with him a Cordial which presently relieved
Amelia What this Cordial was we shall inform the Reader in due Time In the
mean while he must suspend his Curiosity and the Gentlemen at Whites may lay
Wagers whether it was Wards Pill or Dr Jamess Powder
But before we close this Chapter and return back to the Bailiffs House we
must do our best to rescue the Character of our Heroine from the Dulness of
Apprehension which several of our quicksighted Readers may lay more heavily to
her Charge than was done by her Friend Mrs Atkinson
I must inform therefore all such Readers that it is not because
Innocence is more blind than Guilt that the former often overlooks and tumbles
into the Pit which the latter foresees and avoids The Truth is that it is
almost impossible Guilt should miss the discovering of all the Snares in its
Way as it is constantly prying closely into every Corner in order to lay
Snares for others Whereas Innocence having no such Purpose walks fearlessly
and carelessly through Life and is consequently liable to tread on the Gins
which Cunning hath laid to entrap it To speak plainly and without Allegory or
Figure it is not Want of Sense but Want of Suspicion by which Innocence is
often betrayed Again we often admire at the Folly of the Dupe when we should
transfer our whole Surprize to the astonishing Guilt of the Betrayer In a Word
many an innocent Person hath owed his Ruin to this Circumstance alone that the
Degree of Villany was such as must have exceeded the Faith of every Man who was
not himself a Villain
Chapter X
In which are many profound Secrets of Philosophy
Booth having had enough of the Authors Company the preceding Day chose now
another Companion Indeed the Author was not very solicitous of a second
Interview For as he could have no Hope from Booths Pocket so he was not
likely to receive much Increase to his Vanity from Booths Conversation For
low as this Wretch was in Virtue Sense Learning Birth and Fortune he was by
no Means low in his Vanity This Passion indeed was so high in him and at the
same Time so blinded him to his own Demerits that he hated every Man who did
not either flatter him or give him Money In short he claimed a strange Kind of
Right either to cheat all his Acquaintance of their Praise or to Pick their
Pockets of their Pence in which latter Case he himself repaid very liberally
with Panegyric
A very little Specimen of such a Fellow must have satisfied a Man of Mr
Booths Temper He chose therefore now to associate himself with that
Gentleman of whom Bondum had given so shabby a Character In short Mr Booths
Opinion of the Bailiff was such that he recommended a Man most where he least
intended it Nay the Bailiff in the present Instance tho he had drawn a
malicious Conclusion honestly avowed that this was drawn only from the Poverty
of the Person which is never I believe any forcible Disrecommendation to a
good Mind But he must have had a very bad Mind indeed who in Mr Booths
Circumstances could have disliked or dispised another Man because that other
Man was poor
Some previous Conversation having past between this Gentleman and Booth in
which they had both opened their several Situations to each other the former
casting an affectionate Look on the latter exprest great Compassion for his
Circumstances for which Booth thanking him said »You must have a great Deal of
Compassion and be a very good Man in such a terrible Situation as you describe
yourself to have any Pity to spare for other People«
»My Affairs Sir« answered the Gentleman »are very bad it is true and
yet there is one Circumstance which makes you appear to me more the Object of
Pity than I am to myself and it is this that you must from your Years be a
Novice in Affliction whereas I have served a long Apprenticeship to Misery and
ought by this Time to be a pretty good Master of my Trade To say the Truth I
believe Habit teaches Men to bear the Burthens of the Mind as it enures them
to bear heavy Burthens on their Shoulders Without Use and Experience the
strongest Minds and Bodies both will stagger under a Weight which Habit might
render easy and even contemptible«
»There is great Justice« cries Booth »in the Comparison and I think I
have myself experienced the Truth of it For I am not that Tyro in Affliction
which you seem to apprehend me And perhaps it is from the very Habit you
mention that I am able to support my present Misfortunes a little like a Man«
The Gentleman smiled at this and cried »Indeed Captain you are a young
Philosopher«
»I think« cries Booth »I have some Pretensions to that Philosophy which is
taught by Misfortunes and you seem to be of Opinion Sir that is one of the
best Schools of Philosophy«
»I mean no more Sir« said the Gentleman »than that in the Days of our
Affliction we are inclined to think more seriously than in those Seasons of
Life when we are engaged in the hurrying Pursuits of Business or Pleasure when
we have neither Leisure nor Inclination to sift and examine Things to the
Bottom Now there are two Considerations which from my having long fixed my
Thoughts upon them have greatly supported me under all my Afflictions The one
is the Brevity of Life even at its longest Duration which the wisest of Men
hath compared to the short Dimension of a Span One of the Roman Poets compares
it to the Duration of a Race and another to the much shorter Transition of a
Wave
The second Consideration is the Uncertainty of it Short as its utmost
Limits are it is far from being assured of reaching those Limits The next Day
the next Hour the next Moment may be the End of our Course Now of what Value
is so uncertain so precarious a Station This Consideration indeed however
lightly it is passed over in our Conception doth in a great Measure level all
Fortunes and Conditions and gives no Man a Right to triumph in the happiest
State or any Reason to repine in the most miserable Would the most worldly Men
see this in the Light in which they examine all other Matters they would soon
feel and acknowledge the Force of this Way of reasoning For which of them would
give any Price for an Estate from which they were liable to be immediately
ejected or would they not laugh at him as a Madman who accounted himself rich
from such an uncertain Possession This is the Fountain Sir from which I have
drawn my Philosophy Hence it is that I have learnt to look on all those
Things which are esteemed the Blessings of Life and those which are dreaded as
its Evils with such a Degree of Indifference that as I should not be elated
with possessing the former so neither am I greatly dejected and depressed by
suffering the latter Is the Actor esteemed happier to whose Lot it falls to
play the principal Part than he who plays the lowest And yet the Drama may run
twenty Nights together and by Consequence may outlast our Lives but at the
best Life is only a little longer Drama and the Business of the great Stage is
consequently a little more serious than that which is performed at the Theatre
Royal But even here the Catastrophes and Calamities which are represented are
capable of affecting us The wisest Men can deceive themselves into feeling the
Distresses of a Tragedy tho they know them to be merely imaginary and
Children will often lament them as Realities What Wonder then if these
tragical Scenes which I allow to be a little more serious should a little more
affect us Where then is the Remedy but in the Philosophy I have mentioned
which when once by a long Course of Meditation it is reduced to a Habit
teaches us to set a just Value on every Thing and cures at once all eager
Wishes and abject Fears all violent Joy and Grief concerning Objects which
cannot endure long and may not exist a Moment«
»You have exprest yourself extremely well« cries Booth »and I entirely
agree with the Justice of your Sentiments but however true all this may be in
Theory I still doubt its Efficacy in Practice And the Cause of the Difference
between these two is this that we reason from our Heads but act from our
Hearts
Video meliora proboque
Deteriora sequor
Nothing can differ more widely than Wisemen and Fools in their Estimation of
Things but as both act from their uppermost Passion they both often act alike
What Comfort then can your Philosophy give to an avaricious Man who is deprived
of his Riches or to an ambitious Man who is stript of his Power To the fond
Lover who is torn from his Mistress or to the tender Husband who is dragged
from his Wife Do you really think that any Meditations on the Shortness of
Life will soothe them in their Afflictions Is not this very Shortness itself
one of their Afflictions And if the Evil they suffer be a temporary Deprivation
of what they love will they not think their Fate the harder and lament the
more that they are to lose any Part of an Enjoyment to which there is so short
and so uncertain a Period«
»I beg Leave Sir« said the Gentleman »to distinguish here By Philosophy
I do not mean the bare Knowledge of Right and Wrong but an Energy a Habit as
Aristotle calls it and this I do firmly believe with him and with the Stoics
is superior to all the Attacks of Fortune«
He was proceeding when the Bailiff came in and in a surly Tone bad them
both Goodmorrow after which he asked the Philosopher if he was prepared to go
to Newgate for that he must carry him thither that Afternoon
The poor Man seemed very much shocked with this News »I hope« cries he
»you will give me a little longer Time if not till the Return of the Writ But
I beg you particularly not to carry me thither Today For I expect my Wife and
Children here in the Evening«
»I have nothing to do with Wives and Children« cried the Bailiff »I never
desire to see any Wives and Children here I like no such Company«
»I intreat you« said the Prisoner »give me another Day I shall take it as
a great Obligation and you will disappoint me in the cruellest Manner in the
World if you refuse me«
»I cant help Peoples Disappointments« cries the Bailiff »I must consider
myself and my own Family I know not where I shall be paid the Money thats due
already I cant afford to keep Prisoners at my own Expence«
»I dont intend it shall be at your Expence« cries the Philosopher »my
Wife is gone to raise Money this Morning and I hope to pay you all I owe you at
her Arrival But we intend to sup together Tonight at your House and if you
should remove me now it would be the most barbarous Disappointment to us both
and will make me the most miserable Man alive«
»Nay for my Part« said the Bailiff »I dont desire to do any Thing
barbarous I know how to treat Gentlemen with Civility as well as another And
when People pay as they go and spend their Money like Gentlemen I am sure no
Body can accuse me of any Incivility since I have been in the Office And if you
intend to be merry Tonight I am not the Man that will prevent it Tho I say
it you may have as good a Supper drest here as at any Tavern in Town«
»Since Mr Bondum is so kind Captain« said the Philosopher »I hope for
the Favour of your Company I assure you if it ever be my Fortune to go abroad
into the World I shall be proud of the Honour of your Acquaintance«
»Indeed Sir« cries Booth »it is an Honour I shall be very ready to
accept but as for this Evening I cannot help saying I hope to be engaged in
another Place«
»I promise you Sir« answered the other »I shall rejoice at your Liberty
tho I am a Loser by it«
»Why as to that Matter« cries Bondum with a Sneer »I fancy Captain you
may engage yourself to the Gentleman without any Fear of breaking your Word For
I am very much mistaken if we part Today«
»Pardon me my good Friend« said Booth »but I expect my Bail every
Minute«
»Lookee Sir« cries Bondum »I dont love to see Gentlemen in an Error I
shall not take the Serjeants Bail and as for the Colonel I have been with him
myself this Morning for to be sure I love to do all I can for Gentlemen and
he told me he could not possibly be here Today Besides why should I mince
the Matter there is more Stuff in the Office«
»What do you mean by Stuff« cries Booth
»I mean that there is another Writ« answered the Bailiff »at the Suit of
Mrs Ellison the Gentlewoman that was here Yesterday and the Attorney that was
with her is concerned against you Some Officers would not tell you all this
but I loves to shew Civility to Gentlemen while they behave themselves as such
And I loves the Gentlemen of the Army in particular I had like to have been in
the Army myself once but I liked the Commission I have better Come Captain
let not your noble Courage be cast down what say you to a Glass of white Wine
or a Tiff of Punch by Way of Whet«
»I have told you Sir I never drink in a Morning« cries Booth a little
peevishly
»No Offence I hope Sir« said the Bailiff »I hope I have not treated you
with any Incivility I dont ask any Gentleman to call for Liquor in my House
if he doth not chuse it nor I dont desire any Body to stay here longer than
they have a Mind to Newgate to be sure is the Place for all Debtors that
cant find Bail I knows what Civility is and I scorn to behave myself
unbecoming a Gentleman but Id have you consider that the twentyfour Hours
appointed by Act of Parliament are almost out and so it is time to think of
removing As to Bail I would not have you flatter yourself For I knows very
well there are other things coming against you Besides the Sum you are already
charged with is very large and I must see you in a Place of Safety My House is
no Prison tho I lock up for a little time in it Indeed when Gentlemen are
Gentlemen and likely to find Bail I dont stand for a Day or two but I have a
good Nose at a Bit of Carrion Captain I have not carried so much Carrion to
Newgate without knowing the Smell of it«
»I understand not your Cant« cries Booth »but I did not think to have
offended you so much by refusing to drink in a Morning«
»Offended me Sir« cries the Bailiff »Who told you so Do you think Sir
if I want a Glass of Wine I am under any Necessity of asking my Prisoners for
it Damn it Sir Ill shew you I scorn your Words I can afford to treat you
with a Glass of the best Wine in England if you comes to that« He then
pulled out a Handful of Guineas saying »There Sir they are all my own I owe
no Body a Shilling I am no Beggar nor no Debtor I am the Kings Officer as
well as you and I will spend Guinea for Guinea as long as you please«
»Harkee Rascal« cries Booth laying hold of the Bailiffs Collar »How
dare you treat me with this Insolence Doth the Law give you any Authority to
insult me in my Misfortunes« At which Words he gave the Bailiff a good Shove
and threw him from him
»Very well Sir« cries the Bailiff »I will swear both an Assault and an
Attempt to a Rescue If Officers are to be used in this Manner there is an End
of all Law and Justice But tho I am not a Match for you myself I have those
below that are« He then ran to the Door and called up two illlooking Fellows
his Followers whom as soon as they entered the Room he ordered to seize on
Booth declaring he would immediately carry him to Newgate at the same time
pouring out a vast Quantity of Abuse below the Dignity of History to record
Booth desired the two dirty Fellows to stand off and declared he would make
no Resistance at the same time bidding the Bailiff carry him wherever he durst
»Ill shew you what I dare« cries the Bailiff and again ordered the
Followers to lay hold of their Prisoner saying »He hath assaulted me already
and endeavoured a Rescue I shant trust such a Fellow to walk at Liberty A
Gentleman indeed Ay ay Newgate is the properest Place for such Gentry as
arrant Carrion as ever was carried thither«
The Fellows then both laid violent Hands on Booth and the Bailiff stept to
the Door to order a Coach when on a sudden the whole Scene was changed in an
Instant For now the Serjeant came running out of Breath into the Room and
seeing his Friend the Captain roughly handled by two illlooking Fellows
without asking any Questions stept briskly up to his Assistance and instantly
gave one of the Assailants so violent a Salute with his Fist that he directly
measured his Length on the Floor
Booth having by this Means his right Arm at Liberty was unwilling to be
idle or entirely to owe his Rescue from both the Ruffians to the Serjeant he
therefore imitated the Example which his Friend had set him and with a lusty
Blow levelled the other Follower with his Companion on the Ground
The Bailiff roared out »A Rescue a Rescue« to which the Serjeant
answered there was no Rescue intended »The Captain« said he »wants no
Rescue Here are some Friends coming who will deliver him in a better manner«
The Bailiff swore heartily he would carry him to Newgate in spite of all
the Friends in the World
»You carry him to Newgate« cried the Serjeant with the highest
Indignation »Offer but to lay your Hands on him and I will knock your Teeth
down your ugly Jaws« Then turning to Booth he cried »They will be all
here within a Minute Sir we had much ado to keep my Lady from coming herself
but she is at Home in good Health longing to see your Honour and I hope you
will be with her within this half Hour«
And now three Gentlemen entered the Room these were an Attorney the Person
whom the Serjeant had procured in the Morning to be his Bail with Colonel James
and lastly Doctor Harrison himself
The Bailiff no sooner saw the Attorney with whom he was well acquainted
for the others he knew not than he began as the Phrase is to pull in his
Horns and ordered the two Followers who were now got again on their Legs to
walk down Stairs
»So Captain« says the Doctor »when last we parted I believe we neither
of us expected to meet in such a Place as this«
»Indeed Doctor« cries Booth »I did not expect to have been sent hither by
the Gentleman who did me that Favour«
»How so Sir« said the Doctor »you was sent hither by some Person I
suppose to whom you was indebted This is the usual Place I apprehend for
Creditors to send their Debtors to But you ought to be more surprised that the
Gentleman who sent you hither is come to release you Mr Murphy you will
perform all the necessary Ceremonials«
The Attorney then asked the Bailiff with how many Actions Booth was charged
and was informed there were five besides the Doctors which was much the
heaviest of all Proper Bonds were presently provided and the Doctor and the
Serjeants Friend signed them the Bailiff at the Instance of the Attorney
making no Objection to the Bail
Booth we may be assured made a handsome Speech to the Doctor for such
extraordinary Friendship with which however we do not think proper to trouble
the Reader and now every thing being ended and the Company ready to depart
the Bailiff stepped up to Booth and told him he hoped he would remember
Civility Money
»I believe« cries Booth »you mean Incivility Money if there are any Fees
due for Rudeness I must own you have a very just Claim«
»I am sure Sir« cries the Bailiff »I have treated your Honour with all
the Respect in the World No Man I am sure can charge me with using a
Gentleman rudely I knows what belongs to a Gentleman better but you cant deny
that two of my Men have been knocked down and I doubt not but as you are a
Gentleman you will give them something to drink«
Booth was about to answer with some Passion when the Attorney interfered
and whispered in his Ear that it was usual to make a Compliment to the Officer
and that he had better comply with the Custom
»If the Fellow had treated me civilly« answered Booth »I should have had
no Objection to comply with a bad Custom in his Favour but I am resolved I
will never reward a Man for using me ill and I will not agree to give him a
single Farthing«
»Tis very well Sir« said the Bailiff »I am rightly served for my
Goodnature but if it had been to do again I would have taken Care you should
not have been bailed this Day«
Doctor Harrison to whom Booth referred the Cause after giving him a
succinct Account of what had past declared the Captain to be in the Right He
said it was a most horrid Imposition that such Fellows were ever suffered to
prey on the Necessitous but that the Example would be much worse to reward them
where they had behaved themselves ill »And I think« says he »the Bailiff is
worthy of great Rebuke for what he hath just now said in which I hope he hath
boasted of more Power than is in him We do indeed with great Justice and
Propriety value ourselves on our Freedom if the Liberty of the Subject depends
on the Pleasure of such Fellows as these«
»It is not so neither altogether« cries the Lawyer »But Custom hath
established a Present or Fee to them at the Delivery of a Prisoner which they
call Civility Money and expect as in a Manner their Due tho in Reality they
have no Right«
»But will any Man« cries Doctor Harrison »after what the Captain hath told
us say that the Bailiff hath behaved himself as he ought and if he had is he
to be rewarded for not acting in an unchristian and inhuman Manner It is Pity
that instead of a Custom of feeing them out of the Pockets of the Poor and
Wretched when they do not behave themselves ill there was not both a Law and a
Practice to punish them severely when they do In the present Case I am so far
from agreeing to give the Bailiff a Shilling that if there be any Method of
punishing him for his Rudeness I shall be heartily glad to see it put in
Execution For there are none whose Conduct should be so strictly watched as
that of these necessary Evils in the Society as their Office concerns for the
most Part those poor Creatures who cannot do themselves Justice and as they are
generally the worst of Men who undertake it«
The Bailiff then quitted the Room muttering that he should know better what
to do another time and shortly after Booth and his Friends left the House but
as they were going out the Author took Doctor Harrison aside and slipt a
Receipt into his Hand which the Doctor returned saying he never subscribed
when he neither knew the Work nor the Author but that if he would call at his
Lodgings he would be very willing to give all the Encouragement to Merit which
was in his Power
The Author took down the Doctors Name and Direction and made him as many
Bows as he would have done had he carried off the Half Guinea for which he had
been fishing
Mr Booth then took his Leave of the Philosopher and departed with the rest
of his Friends
Book IX
Chapter I
In which the History looks backwards
Before we proceed farther with our History it may be proper to look back a
little in order to account for the late Conduct of Doctor Harrison which
however inconsistent it may have hitherto appeared when examined to the Bottom
will be found I apprehend to be truly congruous with all the Rules of the most
perfect Prudence as well as with the most consummate Goodness
We have already partly seen in what Light Booth had been represented to the
Doctor abroad Indeed the Accounts which were sent of the Captain as well by
the Curate as by a Gentleman of the Neighbourhood were much grosser and more to
his Disadvantage than the Doctor was pleased to set them forth in his Letter to
the Person accused What Sense he had of Booths Conduct was however manifest
by that Letter Nevertheless he resolved to suspend his final Judgment till his
Return and tho he censured him would not absolutely condemn him without
ocular Demonstration
The Doctor on his Return to his Parish found all the Accusations which had
been transmitted to him confirmed by many Witnesses of which the Curates
Wife who had been formerly a Friend to Amelia and still preserved the outward
Appearance of Friendship was the strongest She introduced all with I am sorry
to say it and it is Friendship which bids me speak and it is for their Good it
should be told you after which Beginnings she never concluded a single Speech
without some horrid Slander and bitter Invective
Besides the malicious Turn which was given to these Affairs in the Country
which were owing a good deal to Misfortune and some little perhaps to
Imprudence the whole Neighbourhood rung with several gross and scandalous Lies
which were merely the Inventions of his Enemies and of which the Scene was laid
in London since his Absence
Poisoned with all this Malice the Doctor came to Town and learning where
Booth lodged went to make him a Visit Indeed it was the Doctor and no other
who had been at his Lodgings that Evening when Booth and Amelia were walking in
the Park and concerning which the Reader may be pleased to remember so many
strange and odd Conjectures
Here the Doctor saw the little Gold Watch and all those fine Trinkets with
which the noble Lord had presented the Children and which from the Answers
given him by the poor ignorant innocent Girl he could have no Doubt had been
purchased within a few Days by Amelia
This Account tallied so well with the Ideas he had imbibed of Booths
Extravagance in the Country that he firmly believed both the Husband and Wife
to be the vainest silliest and most unjust People alive It was indeed
almost incredible that two rational Beings should be guilty of such Absurdity
but monstrous and absurd as it was ocular Demonstration appeared to be the
Evidence against them
The Doctor departed from their Lodgings enraged at this supposed Discovery
and unhappily for Booth was engaged to Supper that very Evening with the
Country Gentleman of whom Booth had rented a Farm As the poor Captain happened
to be the Subject of Conversation and occasioned their comparing Notes the
Account which the Doctor gave of what he had seen that Evening so incensed the
Gentleman to whom Booth was likewise a Debtor that he vowed he would take a
Writ out against him the next Morning and have his Body alive or dead And the
Doctor was at last persuaded to do the same Mr Murphy was thereupon
immediately sent for and the Doctor in his Presence repeated again what he had
seen at his Lodgings as the Foundation of his suing him which the Attorney as
we have before seen had blabbed to Atkinson
But no sooner did the Doctor hear that Booth was arrested than the wretched
Condition of his Wife and Family began to affect his Mind The Children who
were to be utterly undone with their Father were intirely innocent and as for
Amelia herself though he thought he had most convincing Proofs of very
blameable Levity yet his former Friendship and Affection to her were busy to
invent every Excuse till by very heavily loading the Husband they lightened
the Suspicion against the Wife
In this Temper of Mind he resolved to pay Amelia a second Visit and was on
his Way to Mrs Ellison when the Serjeant met him and made himself known to
him The Doctor took his old Servant into a Coffeehouse where he received from
him such an Account of Booth and his Family that he desired the Serjeant to
shew him presently to Amelia and this was the Cordial which we mentioned at the
End of the Ninth Chapter of the preceding Book
The Doctor became soon satisfied concerning the Trinkets which had given him
so much Uneasiness and which had brought so much Mischief on the Head of poor
Booth Amelia likewise gave the Doctor some Satisfaction as to what he had heard
of her Husbands Behaviour in the Country and assured him upon her Honour
that Booth could so well answer every Complaint against his Conduct that she
had no Doubt but that a Man of the Doctors Justice and Candour would entirely
acquit him and would consider him as an innocent unfortunate Man who was the
Object of a good Mans Compassion not of his Anger or Resentment
This worthy Clergyman who was not desirous of finding Proofs to condemn the
Captain or to justify his own vindictive Proceedings but on the contrary
rejoiced heartily in every Piece of Evidence which tended to clear up the
Character of his Friend gave a ready Ear to all which Amelia said To this
indeed he was induced by the Love he always had for that Lady by the good
Opinion he entertained of her as well as by Pity for her present Condition
than which nothing appeared more miserable for he found her in the highest
Agonies of Grief and Despair with her two little Children crying over their
wretched Mother These are indeed to a well disposed Mind the most tragical
Sights that human Nature can furnish and afford a juster Motive to Grief and
Tears in the Beholder than it would be to see all the Heroes who have ever
infested the Earth hanged all together in a String
The Doctor felt this Sight as he ought He immediately endeavoured to
comfort the Afflicted in which he so well succeeded that he restored to Amelia
sufficient Spirits to give him the Satisfaction we have mentioned After which
he declared he would go and release her Husband which he accordingly did in
the Manner we have above related
Chapter II
In which the History goes forward
We now return to that Period of our History to which we had brought it at the
End of our last Book
Booth and his Friends arrived from the Bailiffs at the Serjeants
Lodgings where Booth immediately ran up Stairs to his Amelia between whom I
shall not attempt to describe the Meeting Nothing certainly was ever more
tender or more joyful This however I will observe that a very few of these
exquisite Moments of which the best Minds only are capable do in Reality
overbalance the longest Enjoyments which can ever fall to the Lot of the worst
Whilst Booth and his Wife were feasting their Souls with the most delicious
mutual Endearments the Doctor was fallen to play with the two little Children
below Stairs While he was thus engaged the little Boy did somewhat amiss upon
which the Doctor said »If you do so any more I will take your Papa away from
you again« »Again Sir« said the Child »why was it you then that took away
my Papa before« »Suppose it was« said the Doctor »would not you forgive me«
»Yes« cries the Child »I would forgive you because a Christian must forgive
every Body but I should hate you as long as I live«
The Doctor was so pleased with the Boys Answer that he caught him in his
Arms and kissd him at which Time Booth and his Wife returned The Doctor
asked which of them was their Sons Instructor in his Religion Booth answered
that he must confess Amelia had all the Merit of that Kind »I should have
rather thought he had learnt of his Father« cries the Doctor »for he seems a
good Soldierlike Christian and professes to hate his Enemies with a very good
Grace«
»How Billy« cries Amelia »I am sure I did not teach you so«
»I did not say I would hate my Enemies Madam« cries the Boy »I only said
I would hate Papas Enemies sure Mamma there is no Harm in that nay I am
sure there is no Harm in it for I have heard you say the same thing a thousand
Times«
The Doctor smiled on the Child and chucking him under the Chin told him he
must hate no Body And now Mrs Atkinson who had provided a Dinner for them
all desired them to walk up and partake of it
And now it was that Booth was first made acquainted with the Serjeants
Marriage as was Dr Harrison both of whom greatly felicitated him upon it
Mrs Atkinson who was perhaps a little more confounded than she would
have been had she married a Colonel said »If I have done wrong Mrs Booth is
to answer for it for she made the Match Indeed Mr Atkinson you are greatly
obliged to the Character which this Lady gives of you« »I hope he will deserve
it« said the Doctor »and if the Army hath not corrupted a good Boy I believe
I may answer for him«
While our little Company were enjoying that Happines which never fails to
attend Conversation where all present are pleased with each other a Visitant
arrived who was perhaps not very welcome to any of them This was no other
than Colonel James who entering the Room with much Gaiety went directly up to
Booth embraced him and expressed great Satisfaction at finding him there he
then made an Apology for not attending him in the Morning which he said had
been impossible and that he had with the utmost Difficulty put off some
Business of great Consequence in order to serve him this Afternoon »but I am
glad on your Account« cried he to Booth »that my Presence was not necessary«
Booth himself was extremely satisfied with this Declaration and failed not
to return him as many Thanks as he would have deserved had he performed his
Promise but the two Ladies were not quite so well satisfied As for the
Serjeant he had slipt out of the Room when the Colonel entered not entirely
out of that Bashfulness which we have remarked him to be tainted with but
indeed from what had past in the Morning he hated the Sight of the Colonel as
well on the Account of his Wife as on that of his Friend
The Doctor on the contrary on what he had formerly heard from both Amelia
and her Husband of the Colonels Generosity and Friendship had built so good an
Opinion of him that he was very much pleased with seeing him and took the
first Opportunity of telling him so »Colonel« said the Doctor »I have not the
Happiness of being known to you but I have long been desirous of an
Acquaintance with a Gentleman in whose Commendation I have heard so much from
some present« The Colonel made a proper Answer to this Compliment and they
soon entered into a familiar Conversation together For the Doctor was not
difficult of Access indeed he held the strange Reserve which is usually
practised in this Nation between People who are in any Degree Strangers to each
other to be very unbecoming the Christian Character
The two Ladies soon left the Room and the Remainder of the Visit which was
not very long past in Discourse on various common Subjects not worth
recording In the Conclusion the Colonel invited Booth and his Lady and the
Doctor to dine with him the next Day
To give Colonel James his due Commendation he had shewn a great Command of
himself and great Presence of Mind on this Occasion For to speak the plain
Truth the Visit was intended to Amelia alone nor did he expect or perhaps
desire any thing less than to find the Captain at Home The great Joy which he
suddenly conveyed into his Countenance at the unexpected Sight of his Friend is
to be attributed to that noble Art which is taught in those excellent Schools
called the several Courts of Europe By this Men are enabled to dress out their
Countenances as much at their own Pleasure as they do their Bodies and to put
on Friendship with as much Ease as they can a laced Coat
When the Colonel and Doctor were gone Booth acquainted Amelia with the
Invitation he had received She was so struck with the News and betrayed such
visible Marks of Confusion and Uneasiness that they could not have escaped
Booths Observation had Suspicion given him the least Hint to remark But this
indeed is the great Optic Glass helping us to discern plainly almost all that
passes in the Minds of others without some Use of which nothing is more
purblind than human Nature
Amelia having recovered from her first Perturbation answered »My Dear I
will dine with you wherever you please to lay your Commands on me« »I am
obliged to you my dear Soul« cries Booth »your Obedience shall be very easy
for my Command will be that you shall always follow your own Inclinations« »My
Inclinations« answered she »would I am afraid be too unreasonable a
Confinement to you for they would always lead me to be with you and your
Children with at most a single Friend or two now and then« »O my Dear«
replied he »large Companies give us a greater Relish for our own Society when
we return to it and we shall be extremely merry for Dr Harrison dines with
us« »I hope you will my Dear« cries she »but I own I should have been better
pleased to have enjoyed a few Days with yourself and the Children with no other
Person but Mrs Atkinson for whom I have conceived a violent Affection and who
would have given us but little Interruption However if you have promised I
must undergo the Penance« »Nay Child« cryd he »I am sure I would have
refused could I have guessed it had been in the least disagreeable to you tho
I know your Objection« »Objection« cries Amelia eagerly »I have no
Objection« »Nay nay« said he »come be honest I know your Objection tho
you are unwilling to own it« »Good Heavens« cryd Amelia frightend »what do
you mean what Objection« »Why« answered he »to the Company of Mrs James
and I must confess she hath not behaved to you lately as you might have
expected but you ought to pass all that by for the Sake of her Husband to whom
we have both so many Obligations who is the worthiest honestest and most
generous Fellow in the Universe and the best Friend to me that ever Man had«
Amelia who had far other Suspicions and began to fear that her Husband had
discovered them was highly pleased when she saw him taking a wrong Scent She
gave therefore a little into the Deceit and acknowledged the Truth of what he
had mentioned but said that the Pleasure she should have in complying with his
Desires would highly recompense any Dissatisfaction which might arise on any
other Account and shortly after ended the Conversation on this Subject with
her chearfully promising to fulfil his Promise
In reality poor Amelia had now a most unpleasant Task to undertake for she
thought it absolutely necessary to conceal from her Husband the Opinion she had
conceived of the Colonel For as she knew the Characters as well of her Husband
as of his Friend or rather Enemy both being often synonymous in the Language
of the World she had the utmost Reason to apprehend something very fatal might
attend her Husbands entertaining the same Thought of James which filled and
tormented her own Breast
And as she knew that nothing but these Thoughts could justify the least
unkind or indeed the least reserved Behaviour to James who had in all
Appearance conferred the greatest Obligations upon Booth and herself she was
reduced to a Dilemma the most dreadful that can attend a virtuous Woman as it
often gives the highest Triumph and sometimes no little Advantage to the Men of
professed Gallantry
In short to avoid giving any Umbrage to her Husband Amelia was forced to
act in a Manner which she was conscious must give Encouragement to the Colonel
A Situation which perhaps requires as great Prudence and Delicacy as any in
which the Heroic Part of the female Character can be exerted
Chapter III
A Conversation between Dr Harrison and others
The next Day Booth and his Lady with the Doctor met at Colonel Jamess where
Colonel Bath likewise made one of the Company
Nothing very remarkable past at Dinner or till the Ladies withdrew During
this Time however the Behaviour of Colonel James was such as gave some
Uneasiness to Amelia who well understood his Meaning tho the Particulars were
too refined and subtle to be observed by any other present
When the Ladies were gone which was as soon as Amelia could prevail on Mrs
James to depart Colonel Bath who had been pretty brisk with Champagne at
Dinner soon began to display his Magnanimity »My Brother tells me young
Gentleman« said he to Booth »that you have been used very ill lately by some
Rascals and I have no Doubt but you will do yourself Justice«
Booth answered that he did not know what he meant »Since I must mention it
then« cries the Colonel »I hear you have been arrested and I think you know
what Satisfaction is to be required by a Man of Honour«
»I beg Sir« says the Doctor »no more may be mentioned of that Matter I
am convinced no Satisfaction will be required of the Captain till he is able
to give it«
»I do not understand what you mean by able« cries the Colonel To which
the Doctor answered that it was of too tender a Nature to speak more of
»Give me your Hand Doctor« cries the Colonel »I see you are a Man of
Honour tho you wear a Gown It is as you say a Matter of a tender Nature
Nothing indeed is so tender as a Mans Honour Curse my Liver if any Man I
mean that is if any Gentleman was to arrest me I would as surely cut his
Throat as «
»How Sir« said the Doctor »Would you compensate one Breach of the Law by
a much greater and pay your Debts by committing Murder«
»Why do you mention Law between Gentlemen« says the Colonel »A Man of
Honour wears his Law by his Side And can the Resentment of an Affront make a
Gentleman guilty of Murder and what greater Affront can one Man cast upon
another than by arresting him I am convinced that he who would put up an
Arrest would put up a Slap in the Face«
Here the Colonel looked extremely fierce and the Divine stared with
Astonishment at this Doctrine when Booth who well knew the Impossibility of
opposing the Colonels Humour with Success began to play with it and having
first conveyed a private Wink to the Doctor he said there might be Cases
undoubtedly where such an Affront ought to be resented but that there were
others where any Resentment was impracticable »As for Instance« said he
»where the Man is arrested by a Woman«
»I could not be supposed to mean that Case« cries the Colonel »and you are
convinced I did not mean it«
»To put an End to this Discourse at once Sir« said the Doctor »I was the
Plaintiff at whose Suit this Gentleman was arrested«
»Was you so Sir« cries the Colonel »then I have no more to say Women and
the Clergy are upon the same Footing The longrobed Gentry are exempted from
the Laws of Honour«
»I do not thank you for that Exemption Sir« cries the Doctor »and if
Honour and Fighting are as they seem to be synonymous Words with you I
believe there are some Clergymen who in Defence of their Religion or their
Country or their Friend the only justifiable Causes of fighting except bare
Selfdefence would fight as bravely as yourself Colonel and that without
being paid for it«
»Sir you are privileged« says the Colonel with great Dignity »and you
have my Leave to say what you please I respect your Order and you cannot
offend me«
»I will not offend you Colonel« cries the Doctor »and our Order is very
much obliged to you since you profess so much Respect to us and pay none to
our Master«
»What Master Sir« said the Colonel
»That Master« answered the Doctor »who hath expressly forbidden all that
cutting of Throats to which you discover so much Inclination«
»O your Servant Sir« said the Colonel »I see what you are driving at
but you shall not persuade me to think that Religion forces me to be a Coward«
»I detest and despise the Name as much as you can« cries the Doctor »but
you have a wrong Idea of the Word Colonel What were all the Greeks and Romans
Were these Cowards and yet did you ever hear of this Butchery which we call
Duelling among them«
»Yes indeed have I« cries the Colonel »What else is all Mr Popes Homer
full of but Duels Did not whats his Name one of the Agamemnons fight with
that paultry Rascal Paris and Diomede with what dye call him there and
Hector with I forget his Name he that was Achilless Bosomfriend and
afterwards with Achilles himself Nay and in Drydens Virgil is there any
Thing almost besides fighting«
»You are a Man of Learning Colonel« cries the Doctor »but «
»I thank you for that Compliment« said the Colonel »No Sir I do not
pretend to Learning but I have some little Reading and I am not ashamed to own
it«
»But are you sure Colonel« cries the Doctor »that you have not made a
small Mistake For I am apt to believe both Mr Pope and Mr Dryden tho I
cannot say I ever read a Word of either of them speak of Wars between Nations
and not of private Duels For of the latter I do not remember one single
Instance in all the Greek or Roman Story In short it is a modern Custom
introduced by barbarous Nations since the Times of Christianity tho it is a
direct and audacious Defiance of the Christian Law and is consequently much
more sinful in us than it would have been in the Heathens«
»Drink about Doctor« cries the Colonel »and let us call a new Cause For
I perceive we shall never agree on this You are a Churchman and I dont expect
you to speak your Mind«
»We are both of the same Church I hope« cries the Doctor
»I am of the Church of England Sir« answered the Colonel »and will fight
for it to the last Drop of my Blood«
»It is very generous in you Colonel« cries the Doctor »to fight so
zealously for a Religion by which you are to be damned«
»It is well for you Doctor« cries the Colonel »that you wear a Gown For
by all the Dignity of a Man if any other Person had said the Words you have
just uttered I would have made him eat them Ay dn me and my Sword into the
Bargain«
Booth began to be apprehensive that this Dispute might grow too warm in
which Case he feared that the Colonels Honour together with the Champagne
might hurry him so far as to forget the Respect due and which he professed to
pay to the sacerdotal Robe Booth therefore interposed between the
Disputants and said the Colonel had very rightly proposed to call a new
Subject For that it was impossible to reconcile accepting a Challenge with the
Christian Religion or refusing it with the modern Notion of Honour »And you
must allow it Doctor« said he »to be a very hard Injunction for a Man to
become infamous and more especially for a Soldier who is to lose his Bread
into the Bargain«
»Ay Sir« says the Colonel with an Air of Triumph »What say you to that«
»Why I say« cries the Doctor »that it is much harder to be damned on the
other Side«
»That may be« said the Colonel »but damn me if I would take an Affront of
any Man breathing for all that And yet I believe myself to be as good a
Christian as wears a Head My Maxim is Never to give an Affront nor ever to
take one and I say that is the Maxim of a good Christian and no Man shall ever
persuade me to the contrary«
»Well Sir« said the Doctor »since that is your Resolution I hope no Man
will ever give you an Affront«
»I am obliged to you for your Hope Doctor« cries the Colonel with a Sneer
»and he that doth will be obliged to you for lending him your Gown For by the
Dignity of a Man nothing out of Petticoats I believe dares affront me«
Colonel James had not hitherto joined in the Discourse In Truth his
Thoughts had been otherwise employed nor is it very difficult for the Reader to
guess what had been the Subject of them Being waked however from his Reverie
and having heard the two or three last Speeches he turned to his Brother and
asked him why he would introduce such a Topic of Conversation before a
Gentleman of Dr Harrisons Character
»Brother« cried Bath »I own it was wrong and I ask the Doctors Pardon I
know not how it happened to arise For you know Brother I am not used to talk
of these Matters They are generally Poltroons that do I think I need not be
beholden to my Tongue to declare I am none I have shewn myself in a Line of
Battle I believe there is no Man will deny that I believe I may say no Man
dares deny that I have done my Duty«
The Colonel was thus proceeding to prove that his Prowess was neither the
Subject of his Discourse nor the Object of his Vanity when a Servant entered
and summoned the Company to Tea with the Ladies a Summons which Colonel James
instantly obeyed and was followed by all the rest
But as the Teatable Conversation tho extremely delightful to those who
are engaged in it may probably appear somewhat dull to the Reader we will here
put an End to the Chapter
Chapter IV
A Dialogue between Booth and Amelia
The next Morning early Booth went by Appointment and waited on Colonel James
whence he returned to Amelia in that Kind of Disposition which the great Master
of human Passions would describe in Andromache when he tells us she cried and
smiled at the same Instant
Amelia plainly perceived the Discomposure of his Mind in which the opposite
Affections of Joy and Grief were struggling for the Superiority and begged to
know the Occasion upon which Booth spoke as follows
»My Dear« said he »I had no Intention to conceal from you what hath past
this Morning between me and the Colonel who hath oppressed me if I may use
that Expression with Obligations Sure never Man had such a Friend for never
was there so noble so generous a Heart I cannot help this Ebullition of
Gratitude I really cannot« Here he paused a Moment and wiped his Eyes and
then proceeded »You know my Dear how gloomy the Prospect was Yesterday before
our Eyes how inevitable Ruin stared me in the Face and the dreadful Idea of
having entailed Beggary on my Amelia and her Posterity racked my Mind For tho
by the Goodness of the Doctor I had regained my Liberty the Debt yet remained
and if that worthy Man had a Design of forgiving me his Share this must have
been my utmost Hope and the Condition in which I must still have found myself
need not to be expatiated on In what Light then shall I see in what Words
shall I relate the Colonels Kindness O my dear Amelia he hath removed the
whole Gloom at once hath driven all Despair out of my Mind and hath filled it
with the most sanguine and at the same Time the most reasonable Hopes of
making a comfortable Provision for yourself and my dear Children In the first
Place then he will advance me a Sum of Money to pay off all my Debts and this
on a Bond to be repaid only when I shall become Colonel of a Regiment and not
before In the next Place he is gone this very Morning to ask a Company for me
which is now vacant in the WestIndies and as he intends to push this with all
his Interest neither he nor I have any Doubt of his Success Now my Dear
comes the third which tho perhaps it ought to give me the greatest Joy such
is I own the Weakness of my Nature it rends my very Heartstrings asunder
I cannot mention it For I know it will give you equal Pain tho I know on all
proper Occasions you can exert a manly Resolution You will not I am
convinced oppose it whatever you must suffer in complying O my dear Amelia
I must suffer likewise yet I have resolved to bear it You know not what my
poor Heart hath suffered since he made the Proposal It is Love for you alone
which could persuade me to submit to it Consider our Situation consider that
of our Children reflect but on those poor Babes whose future Happiness is at
Stake and it must arm your Resolution It is your Interest and theirs that
reconciled me to a Proposal which when the Colonel first made it struck me
with the utmost Horror He hath indeed from these Motives persuaded me into a
Resolution which I thought impossible for any one to have persuaded me into
O my dear Amelia let me intreat you to give me up to the Good of your
Children as I have promised the Colonel to give you up to their Interest and
your own If you refuse these Terms we are still undone for he insists
absolutely upon them Think then my Love however hard they may be Necessity
compels us to submit to them I know in what Light a Woman who loves like you
must consider such a Proposal and yet how many Instances have you of Women
who from the same Motives have submitted to the same«
»What can you mean Mr Booth« cries Amelia trembling
»Need I explain my Meaning to you more« answered Booth »Did I not say I
must give up my Amelia«
»Give me up« said she
»For a Time only I mean« answered he »for a short time perhaps The
Colonel himself will take Care it shall not be long for I know his Heart I
shall scarce have more Joy in receiving you back than he will have in restoring
you to my Arms In the mean Time he will not only be a Father to my Children
but a Husband to you«
»A Husband to me« said Amelia
»Yes my Dear a kind a fond a tender an affectionate Husband If I had
not the most certain Assurances of this doth my Amelia think I could be
prevailed on to leave her No my Amelia he is the only Man on Earth who
could have prevailed on me but I know his House his Purse his Protection
will be all at your Command And as for any Dislike you have conceived to his
Wife let not that be any Objection For I am convinced he will not suffer her
to insult you besides she is extremely wellbred and how much soever she may
hate you in her Heart she will at least treat you with Civility
Nay the Invitation is not his but hers and I am convinced they will both
behave to you with the greatest Friendship his I am sure will be sincere as to
the Wife of a Friend entrusted to his Care and hers will from good Breeding
have not only the Appearances but the Effects of the truest Friendship«
»I understand you my Dear at last« said she indeed she had rambled into
very strange Conceits from some Parts of his Discourse »and I will give you my
Resolution in a Word I will do the Duty of a Wife and that is to attend her
Husband wherever he goes«
Booth attempted to reason with her but all to no Purpose She gave indeed
a quiet Hearing to all he said and even to those Parts which most displeased
her Ears I mean those in which he exaggerated the great Goodness and
disinterested Generosity of his Friend but her Resolution remained inflexible
and resisted the Force of all his Arguments with a Steadiness of Opposition
which it would have been almost excusable in him to have construed into
Stubbornness
The Doctor arrived in the midst of the Dispute and having heard the Merits
of the Cause on both Sides delivered his Opinion in the following Words
»I have always thought it my dear Children a Matter of the utmost Nicety
to interfere in any Differences between Husband and Wife but since you both
desire me with such Earnestness to give you my Sentiments on the present
Contest between you I will give you my Thoughts as well as I am able In the
first Place then can any thing be more reasonable than for a Wife to desire to
attend her Husband It is as my favourite Child observes no more than a Desire
to do her Duty and I make no Doubt but that is one great Reason of her
insisting on it And how can you yourself oppose it Can Love be its own Enemy
or can a Husband who is fond of his Wife content himself almost on any Account
with a long Absence from her«
»You speak like an Angel my dear Doctor Harrison« answered Amelia »I am
sure if he loved as tenderly as I do he could on no Account submit to it«
»Pardon me Child« cries the Doctor »there are some Reasons which would
not only justify his leaving you but which must force him if he hath any real
Love for you joined with Common Sense to make that Election If it was
necessary for Instance either to your Good or to the Good of your Children
he would not deserve the Name of a Man I am sure not that of a Husband if he
hesitated a Moment Nay in that Case I am convinced you yourself would be an
Advocate for what you now oppose I fancy therefore I mistook him when I
apprehended he said that the Colonel made his leaving you behind as the
Condition of getting him the Commission For I know my dear Child hath too much
Goodness and too much Sense and too much Resolution to prefer any temporary
Indulgence of her own Passions to the solid Advantages of her whole Family«
»There my Dear« cries Booth »I knew what Opinion the Doctor would be of
Nay I am certain there is not a wise Man in the Kingdom who would say
otherwise«
»Dont abuse me young Gentleman« said the Doctor »with Appellations I
dont deserve«
»I abuse you my dear Doctor« cries Booth
»Yes my dear Sir« answered the Doctor »you insinuated slily that I was
wise which as the World understands the Phrase I should be ashamed of and my
Comfort is that no one can accuse me justly of it I have just given an
Instance of the contrary by throwing away my Advice«
»I hope Sir« cries Booth »that will not be the Case«
»Yes Sir« answered the Doctor »I know it will be the Case in the present
Instance for either you will not go at all or my little Turtle here will go
with you«
»You are in the Right Doctor« cries Amelia
»I am sorry for it« said the Doctor »for then I assure you you are in the
wrong«
»Indeed« cries Amelia »if you knew all my Reasons you would say they were
very strong ones«
»Very probably« cries the Doctor »The Knowledge that they are in the
Wrong is a very strong Reason to some Women to continue so«
»Nay Doctor« cries Amelia »you shall never persuade me of that I will
not believe that any human Being ever did an Action merely because they knew it
to be wrong«
»I am obliged to you my dear Child« said the Doctor »for declaring your
Resolution of not being persuaded Your Husband would never call me a wise Man
again if after that Declaration I should attempt to persuade you«
»Well I must be content« cries Amelia »to let you think as you please«
»That is very gracious indeed« said the Doctor »Surely in a Country where
the Church suffers others to think as they please it would be very hard if they
had not themselves the same Liberty And yet as unreasonable as the Power of
controuling Mens Thoughts is represented I will shew you how you shall
controul mine whenever you desire it«
»How pray« cries Amelia »I should greatly esteem that Power«
»Why whenever you act like a wise Woman« cries the Doctor »you will force
me to think you so and whenever you are pleased to act as you do now I shall
be obliged whether I will or no to think as I do now«
»Nay dear Doctor« cries Booth »I am convinced my Amelia will never do any
thing to forfeit your good Opinion Consider but the cruel Hardship of what she
is to undergo and you will make Allowances for the Difficulty she makes in
complying To say the Truth when I examine my own Heart I have more
Obligations to her than appear at first Sight For by obliging me to find
Arguments to persuade her she hath assisted me in conquering myself Indeed if
she had shewn more Resolution I should have shewn less«
»So you think it necessary then« said the Doctor »that there should be one
Fool at least in every married Couple A mighty Resolution truly and well worth
your valuing yourself upon to part with your Wife for a few Months in order to
make the Fortune of her and your Children When you are to leave her too in the
Care and Protection of a Friend that gives Credit to the old Stories of
Friendship and doth an Honour to Human Nature What in the Name of Goodness
do either of you think that you have made a Union to endure for ever How will
either of you bear that Separation which must some time or other and perhaps
very soon be the Lot of one of you Have you forgot that you are both mortal
As for Christianity I see you have resigned all Pretensions to it For I make
no Doubt but that you have so set your Hearts on the Happiness you enjoy here
together that neither of you ever think a Word of Hereafter«
Amelia now burst into Tears upon which Booth begged the Doctor to proceed
no further Indeed he would not have wanted the Caution For however blunt he
appeared in his Discourse he had a Tenderness of Heart which is rarely found
among Men for which I know no other Reason than that true Goodness is rarely
found among them For I am firmly persuaded that the latter never possessed any
Human Mind in any Degree without being attended by as large a Portion of the
former
Thus ended the Conversation on this Subject what followed is not worth
relating till the Doctor carried off Booth with him to take a Walk in the Park
Chapter V
A Conversation between Amelia and Doctor Harrison with the Result
Amelia being left alone began to consider seriously of her Condition she saw
it would be very difficult to resist the Importunities of her Husband backed by
the Authority of the Doctor especially as she well knew how unreasonable her
Declarations must appear to every one who was ignorant of her real Motives to
persevere in it On the other Hand she was fully determined whatever might be
the Consequence to adhere firmly to her Resolution of not accepting the
Colonels Invitation
When she had turned the Matter every Way in her Mind and vexed and
tormented herself with much uneasy Reflexion upon it a Thought at last occurred
to her which immediately brought her some Comfort This was to make a
Confident of the Doctor and to impart to him the whole Truth This Method
indeed appeared to her now to be so adviseable that she wondered she had not
hit upon it sooner but it is the Nature of Despair to blind us to all the Means
of Safety however easy and apparent they may be
Having fixed her Purpose in her Mind she wrote a short Note to the Doctor
in which she acquainted him that she had something of great Moment to impart to
him which must be an entire secret from her Husband and begged that she might
have an Opportunity of communicating it as soon as possible
Doctor Harrison received the Letter that Afternoon and immediately complied
with Amelias Request in visiting her He found her drinking Tea with her
Husband and Mrs Atkinson and sat down and joined the Company
Soon after the Removal of the Teatable Mrs Atkinson left the Room The
Doctor then turning to Booth said »I hope Captain you have a true Sense of
the Obedience due to the Church tho our Clergy do not often exact it However
it is proper to exercise our Power sometimes in order to remind the Laity of
their Duty I must tell you therefore that I have some private Business with
your Wife and I expect your immediate Absence«
»Upon my Word Doctor« answered Booth »no Popish Confessor I firmly
believe ever pronounced his Will and Pleasure with more Gravity and Dignity
none therefore was ever more immediately obeyed than you shall be« Booth then
quitted the Room and desired the Doctor to recall him when his Business with
the Lady was over
Doctor Harrison promised he would and then turning to Amelia he said
»Thus far Madam I have obeyed your Commands and am now ready to receive the
important Secret which you mention in your Note«
Amelia now informed her Friend of all she knew all she had seen and heard
and all that she suspected of the Colonel The good Man seemed greatly shocked
at the Relation and remained in a silent Astonishment Upon which Amelia
said »Is Villany so rare a Thing Sir that it should so much surprize you«
»No Child« cries he »but I am shocked at seeing it so artfully disguised
under the Appearance of so much Virtue And to confess the Truth I believe my
own Vanity is a little hurt in having been so grossly imposed upon Indeed I
had a very high Regard for this Man for besides the great Character given him
by your Husband and the many Facts I have heard so much redounding to his
Honour he hath the fairest and most promising Appearance I have ever yet beheld
A good Face they say is a Letter of Recommendation O Nature Nature why art
thou so dishonest as ever to send Men with these false Recommendations into the
World«
»Indeed my dear Sir I begin to grow entirely sick of it« cries Amelia
»For sure all Mankind almost are Villains in their Hearts«
»Fie Child« cries the Doctor »Do not make a Conclusion so much to the
Dishonour of the great Creator The Nature of Man is far from being in itself
Evil It abounds with Benevolence Charity and Pity coveting Praise and Honour
and shunning Shame and Disgrace Bad Education bad Habits and bad Customs
debauch our Nature and drive it Headlong as it were into Vice The Governors of
the World and I am afraid the Priesthood are answerable for the Badness of it
Instead of discouraging Wickedness to the utmost of their Power both are too
apt to connive at it In the great Sin of Adultery for Instance hath the
Government provided any Law to punish it or doth the Priest take any Care to
correct it On the contrary is the most notorious Practice of it any Detriment
to a Mans Fortune or to his Reputation in the World Doth it exclude him from
any Preferment in the State I had almost said in the Church Is it any Blot in
his Escutcheon Any Bar to his Honour Is he not to be found every Day in the
Assemblies of Women of the highest Quality In the Closets of the greatest Men
and even at the Tables of Bishops What Wonder then if the Community in general
treat this monstrous Crime as Matter of Jest and that Men give way to the
Temptations of a violent Appetite when the Indulgence of it is protected by Law
and countenanced by Custom I am convinced there are good Stamina in the Nature
of this very Man For he hath done Acts of Friendship and Generosity to your
Husband before he could have any evil Design on your Chastity and in a
Christian Society which I no more esteem this Nation to be than I do any Part
of Turky I doubt not but this very Colonel would have made a worthy and
valuable Member«
»Indeed my dear Sir« cries Amelia »you are the wisest as well as best Man
in the World «
»Not a Word of my Wisdom« cries the Doctor »I have not a Grain I am not
the least versed in the Chrematistic11 Art as an old Friend of mine calls it I
know not how to get a Shilling nor how to keep it in my Pocket if I had it«
»But you understand Human Nature to the Bottom« answered Amelia »and your
Mind is the Treasury of all ancient and modern Learning«
»You are a little Flatterer« cries the Doctor »but I dislike you not for
it And to shew you I dont I will return your Flattery and tell you you have
acted with great Prudence in concealing this Affair from your Husband but you
have drawn me into a Scrape For I have promised to dine with this Fellow again
Tomorrow and you have made it impossible for me to keep my Word«
»Nay but dear Sir« cries Amelia »for Heavens Sake take Care If you shew
any kind of Disrespect to the Colonel my Husband may be led into some Suspicion
Especially after our Conference«
»Fear nothing Child I will give him no Hint and that I may be certain of
not doing it I will stay away You do not think I hope that I will join in a
chearful Conversation with such a Man that I will so far betray my Character as
to give any Countenance to such flagitious Proceedings Besides my Promise was
only conditional and I do not know whether I could otherwise have kept it For
I expect an old Friend every Day who comes to Town twenty Miles on Foot to see
me whom I shall not part with on any Account For as he is very poor he may
imagine I treat him with Disrespect«
»Well Sir« cries Amelia »I must admire you and love you for your
Goodness«
»Must you love me« cries the Doctor »I could cure you now in a Minute if I
pleased«
»Indeed I defy you Sir« said Amelia
»If I could but persuade you« answered he »that I thought you not
handsome away would vanish all Ideas of Goodness in an Instant Confess
honestly would they not«
»Perhaps I might blame the Goodness of your Eyes« replied Amelia »and that
is perhaps an honester Confession than you expected But do pray Sir be
serious and give me your Advice what to do Consider the difficult Game I have
to play For I am sure after what I have told you you would not even suffer me
to remain under the Roof of this Colonel«
»No indeed would I not« said the Doctor »whilst I have a House of my own
to entertain you«
»But how to dissuade my Husband« continued she »without giving him any
Suspicion of the real Cause the Consequences of his guessing at which I
tremble to think upon«
»I will consult my Pillow upon it« said the Doctor »and in the Morning you
shall see me again In the mean time be comforted and compose the Perturbations
of your Mind«
»Well Sir« said she »I put my whole Trust in you«
»I am sorry to hear it« cries the Doctor »Your Innocence may give you a
very confident Trust in a much more powerful Assistance However I will do all
I can to serve you and now if you please we will call back your Husband For
upon my Word he hath shewn a good Catholic Patience And where is the honest
Serjeant and his Wife I am pleased with the Behaviour of you both to that
worthy Fellow in Opposition to the Custom of the World which instead of being
formed on the Precepts of our Religion to consider each other as Brethren
teaches us to regard those who are a Degree below us either in Rank or Fortune
as a Species of Beings of an inferior Order in the Creation«
The Captain now returned into the Room as did the Serjeant and Mrs
Atkinson and the two Couple with the Doctor spent the Evening together in
great Mirth and Festivity for the Doctor was one of the best Companions in the
World and a Vein of Cheerfulness GoodHumour and Pleasantry ran through his
Conversation with which it was impossible to resist being pleased
Chapter VI
Containing as surprizing an Accident as is perhaps recorded in History
Booth had acquainted the Serjeant with the great Goodness of Colonel James and
with the cheerful Prospects which he entertained from it This Atkinson behind
the Curtain communicated to his Wife The Conclusions which she drew from it
need scarce be hinted to the Reader She made indeed no Scruple of plainly and
bluntly telling her Husband that the Colonel had a most manifest Intention to
attack the Chastity of Amelia
This Thought gave the poor Serjeant great Uneasiness and after having kept
him long awake tormented him in his Sleep with a most horrid Dream in which he
imagined that he saw the Colonel standing by the Bedside of Amelia with a
naked Sword in his Hand and threatening to stab her instantly unless she
complied with his Desires Upon this the Serjeant started up in his Bed and
catching his Wife by the Throat cried out »Dn you put up your Sword this
Instant and leave the Room or by Heaven Ill drive mine to your Hearts
Blood«
This rough Treatment immediately roused Mrs Atkinson from her Sleep who no
sooner perceived the Position of her Husband and felt his Hand grasping her
Throat than she gave a violent Shriek and presently fell into a Fit
Atkinson now waked likewise and soon became sensible of the violent
Agitations of his Wife He immediately leapt out of Bed and running for a
Bottle of Water began to sprinkle her very plentifully but all to no Purpose
she neither spoke nor gave any Symptoms of Recovery Atkinson then began to roar
aloud upon which Booth who lay under him jumpt from his Bed and ran up with
the lighted Candle in his Hand The Serjeant had no sooner taken the Candle
than he ran with it to the Bedside Here he beheld a Sight which almost
deprived him of his Senses The Bed appeared to be all over Blood and his Wife
weltring in the midst of it Upon this the Serjeant almost in a Frenzy cried
out »O Heavens I have killed my Wife I have stabbed her I have stabbed her«
»What can be the Meaning of all this« said Booth »O Sir« cries the
Serjeant »I dreamt I was rescuing your Lady from the Hands of Colonel James
and I have killed my poor Wife« Here he threw himself upon the Bed by her
caught her in his Arms and behaved like one frantic with Despair
By this Time Amelia had thrown on a wrapping Gown and was come up into the
Room where the Serjeant and his Wife were lying on the Bed and Booth standing
like a motionless Statue by the Bedside Amelia had some Difficulty to conquer
the Effects of her own Surprize on this Occasion for a more ghastly and
horrible Sight than the Bed presented could not be conceived
Amelia sent Booth to call up the Maid of the House in order to lend her
Assistance but before his Return Mrs Atkinson began to come to herself and
soon after to the inexpressible Joy of the Serjeant it was discovered she had
no Wound Indeed the delicate Nose of Amelia soon made that Discovery which
the grosser Smell of the Serjeant and perhaps his Fright had prevented him from
making For now it appeared that the red Liquor with which the Bed was stained
tho it may perhaps sometimes run through the Veins of a fine Lady was not what
is properly called Blood but was indeed no other than Cherry Brandy a Bottle
of which Mrs Atkinson always kept in her Room to be ready for immediate Use
and to which she used to apply for Comfort in all her Afflictions This the poor
Serjeant in his extreme Hurry had mistaken for a Bottle of Water Matters were
now soon accommodated and no other Mischief appeared to be done unless to the
BedCloaths Amelia and Booth returned back to their Room and Mrs Atkinson
rose from her Bed in order to equip it with a Pair of clean Sheets
And thus this Adventure would have ended without producing any Kind of
Consequence had not the Words which the Serjeant uttered in his Frenzy made
some slight Impression on Booth So much at least as to awaken his Curiosity
so that in the Morning when he arose he sent for the Serjeant and desired to
hear the Particulars of this Dream since Amelia was concerned in it
The Serjeant at first seemd unwilling to comply and endeavoured to make
Excuses This perhaps encreased Booths Curiosity and he said »Nay I am
resolved to hear it Why you Simpleton do you imagine me weak enough to be
affected by a Dream however terrible it may be«
»Nay Sir« cries the Serjeant »as for that Matter Dreams have sometimes
fallen out to be true One of my own I know did so concerning your Honour
For when you courted my young Lady I dreamt you was married to her and yet it
was at a Time when neither I myself nor any of the Country thought you would
ever obtain her But Heaven forbid this Dream should ever come to pass«
»Why what was this Dream« cries Booth »I insist on knowing«
»To be sure Sir« cries the Serjeant »I must not refuse you but I hope
you will never think any more of it Why then Sir I dreamt that your Honour
was gone to the WestIndies and had left my Lady in the Care of Colonel James
and last Night I dreamt the Colonel came to my Ladys Bedside offering to
ravish her and with a drawn Sword in his Hand threatening to stab her that
Moment unless she would comply with his Desires How I came to be by I know
not but I dreamt I rushed upon him caught him by the Throat and swore I
would put him to Death unless he instantly left the Room Here I waked and
this was my Dream I never paid any Regard to a Dream in my Life but indeed
I never dreamt any thing so very plain as this It appeared downright Reality I
am sure I have left the Marks of my Fingers in my Wifes Throat I would not
have taken a hundred Pound to have used her so«
»Faith« cries Booth »it was an odd Dream and not so easily to be
accounted for as that you had formerly of my Marriage for as Shakespear says
Dreams denote a foregone Conclusion Now it is impossible you should ever have
thought of any such Matter as this«
»However Sir« cries the Serjeant »it is in your Honours Power to prevent
any Possibility of this Dreams coming to pass by not leaving my Lady to the
Care of the Colonel If you must go from her certainly there are other Places
where she may be with great Safety and since my Wife tells me that my Lady is
so very unwilling whatever Reasons she may have I hope your Honour will oblige
her«
»Now I recollect it« cries Booth »Mrs Atkinson hath once or twice dropt
some disrespectful Words of the Colonel He hath done something to disoblige
her«
»He hath indeed Sir« replied the Serjeant »He hath said that of her
which she doth not deserve and for which if he had not been my superior
Officer I would have cut both his Ears off Nay for that Matter he can
speak ill of other People besides her«
»Do you know Atkinson« cries Booth very gravely »that you are talking of
the dearest Friend I have«
»To be honest then« answered the Serjeant »I do not think so If I did I
should love him much better than I do«
»I must and will have this explained« cries Booth »I have too good an
Opinion of you Atkinson to think you would drop such Things as you have
without some Reason and I will know it«
»I am sorry I have dropt a Word« cries Atkinson »I am sure I did not
intend it and your Honour hath drawn it from me unawares«
»Indeed Atkinson« cries Booth »you have made me very uneasy and I must
be satisfied«
»Then Sir« said the Serjeant »you shall give me your Word of Honour or I
will be cut into Ten thousand Pieces before I will mention another Syllable«
»What shall I promise« said Booth
»That you will not resent any thing I shall lay to the Colonel« answered
Atkinson
»Resent Well I give you my Honour« said Booth
The Serjeant made him bind himself over and over again and then related to
him the Scene which formerly past between the Colonel and himself as far as
concerned Booth himself but concealed all that more immediately related to
Amelia
»Atkinson« cries Booth »I cannot be angry with you for I know you love
me and I have many Obligations to you but you have done wrong in censuring the
Colonel for what he said of me I deserve all that he said and his Censures
proceeded from his Friendship«
»But it was not so kind Sir« said Atkinson »to say such Things to me who
am but a Serjeant and at such a Time too«
»I will hear no more« cries Booth »Be assured you are the only Man I would
forgive on this Occasion and I forgive you only on Condition you never speak a
Word more of this Nature This silly Dream hath intoxicated you«
»I have done Sir« cries the Serjeant »I know my Distance and whom I am
to obey but I have one Favour to beg of your Honour never to mention a Word of
what I have said to my Lady for I know she never would forgive me I know she
never would by what my Wife hath told me Besides you need not mention it
Sir to my Lady for she knows it all already and a great deal more«
Booth presently parted from the Serjeant having desired him to close his
Lips on this Occasion and repaired to his Wife to whom he related the
Serjeants Dream
Amelia turned as white as Snow and fell into so violent a trembling that
Booth plainly perceived her Emotion and immediately partook of it himself
»Sure my Dear« said he staring wildly »there is more in this than I know A
silly Dream could not so discompose you I beg you I intreat you to tell me
hath ever Colonel James «
At the very Mention of the Colonels Name Amelia fell on her Knees and
begged her Husband not to frighten her
»What do I say my dear Love« cried Booth »that can frighten you«
»Nothing my Dear« said she »But my Spirits are so discomposed with the
dreadful Scene I saw last Night that a Dream which at another Time I should
have laughed at hath shocked me Do but promise me that you will not leave me
behind you and I am easy«
»You may be so« cries Booth »for I will never deny you any Thing But
make me easy too I must know if you have seen any thing in Colonel James to
displease you«
»Why should you suspect it« cries Amelia
»You torment me to Death« cries Booth »By Heavens I will know the Truth
Hath he ever said or done anything which you dislike«
»How my Dear« said Amelia »can you imagine I should dislike a Man who is
so much your Friend Think of all the Obligations you have to him and then you
may easily resolve yourself Do you think because I refuse to stay behind you
in his House that I have any Objection to him No my Dear had he done a
thousand Times more than he hath was he an Angel instead of a Man I would not
quit my Billy Theres the Sore my Dear theres the Misery to be left by
you«
Booth embraced her with the most passionate Raptures and looking on her
with inexpressible Tenderness cryd »Upon my Soul I am not worthy of you
I am a Fool and yet you cannot blame me If the stupid Miser hoards with
such Care his worthless Treasure if he watches it with such Anxiety if every
Apprehension of anothers sharing the least Part fills his Soul with such
Agonies O Amelia what must be my Condition what Terrors must I feel while I
am watching over a Jewel of such real such inestimable Worth«
»I can with great Truth return the Compliment« cries Amelia »I have my
Treasure too and am so much a Miser that no Force shall ever tear me from it«
»I am ashamed of my Folly« cries Booth »and yet it is all from extreme
Tenderness Nay you yourself are the Occasion Why will you ever attempt to
keep a Secret from me Do you think I should have resented to my Friend his just
Censure of my Conduct«
»What Censure my dear Love« cries Amelia
»Nay the Serjeant hath told me all« cries Booth »Nay and that he hath
told it to you Poor Soul thou couldst not endure to hear me accused tho
never so justly and by so good a Friend Indeed my Dear I have discovered the
Cause of that Resentment to the Colonel which you could not hide from me I
love you I adore you for it Indeed I could not forgive a slighting Word on
you But why do I compare Things so unlike What the Colonel said of me was
just and true every Reflexion on my Amelia must be false and villanous«
The Discernment of Amelia was extremely quick and she now perceived what
had happened and how much her Husband knew of the Truth She resolved therefore
to humour him and fell severely on Colonel James for what he had said to the
Serjeant which Booth endeavoured all he could to soften and thus ended this
Affair which had brought Booth to the very Brink of a Discovery which must
have given him the highest Torment if it had not produced any of those tragical
Effects which Amelia apprehended
Chapter VII
In which the Author appears to be Master of that profound Learning called The
Knowledge of the Town
Mrs James now came to pay a Mornings Visit to Amelia She entered the Room
with her usual Gaiety and after a slight Preface addressing herself to Booth
said she had been quarrelling with her Husband on his Account »I know not«
said she »what he means by thinking of sending you the Lord knows whither I
have insisted on his asking something for you nearer home And it would be the
hardest Thing in the World if he should not obtain it Are we resolved never to
encourage Merit but to throw away all our Preferments on those who do not
deserve them What a Set of contemptible Wretches do we see strutting about the
Town in Scarlet«
Booth made a very low Bow and modestly spoke in Disparagement of himself
To which she answered »Indeed Mr Booth you have Merit I have heard it from
my Brother who is a Judge of those Matters and I am sure cannot be suspected
of Flattery He is your Friend as well as myself and we will never let Mr
James rest till he hath got you a Commission in England«
Booth bowed again and was offering to speak but she interrupted him
saying »I will have no Thanks nor no fine Speeches If I can do you any
Service I shall think I am only paying the Debt of Friendship to my dear Mrs
Booth«
Amelia who had long since forgot the Dislike she had taken to Mrs James at
her first seeing her in Town had attributed it to the right Cause and had
begun to resume her former Friendship for her expressed very warm Sentiments of
Gratitude on this Occasion She told Mrs James she should be eternally obliged
to her if she could succeed in her kind Endeavours for that the Thoughts of
parting again with her Husband had given her the utmost Concern »Indeed« added
she »I cannot help saying he hath some Merit in the Service For he hath
received two dreadful Wounds in it one of which very greatly endangered his
Life and I am convinced if his Pretensions were backed with any interest he
would not fail of Success«
»They shall be backed with Interest« cries Mrs James »if my Husband hath
any He hath no Favour to ask for himself nor for any other Friend that I know
of and indeed to grant a Man his just Due ought hardly to be thought a
Favour Resume your old Gaiety therefore my dear Emily Lord I remember the
Time when you was much the gayer Creature of the two But you make an arrant
Mope of yourself by confining yourself at home One never meets you any where
Come you shall go with me to the Lady Betty Castletons«
»Indeed you must excuse me my Dear« answered Amelia »I do not know Lady
Betty«
»Not know Lady Betty How is that possible But no Matter I will
introduce you She keeps a Morning Rout hardly a Rout indeed a little Bit of
a Drum only four or five Tables Come take your Capuchine you positively
shall go Booth you shall go with us too Tho you are with your Wife another
Woman will keep you in Countenance«
»La Child« cries Amelia »how you rattle«
»I am in Spirits« answered Mrs James »this Morning For I won four
Rubbers together last Night and betted the Things and won almost every Bet I
am in Luck and we will contrive to be Partners Come«
»Nay Child you shall not refuse Mrs James« said Booth
»I have scarce seen my Children Today« answered Amelia »Besides I
mortally detest Cards«
»Detest Cards« cries Mrs James »How can you be so stupid I would not
live a Day without them Nay indeed I do not believe I should be able to
exist Is there so delightful a Sight in the World as the four Honours in ones
own Hand unless it be three natural Aces at Bragg And you really hate Cards«
»Upon Reflexion« cries Amelia »I have sometimes had great Pleasure in them
in seeing my Children build Houses with them My little Boy is so dexterous
that he will sometimes build up the whole Pack«
»Indeed Booth« cries Mrs James »this good Woman of yours is strangely
altered since I knew her first but she will always be a good Creature«
»Upon my Word my Dear« cries Amelia »you are altered too very greatly
but I doubt not to live to see you alter again when you come to have as many
Children as I have«
»Children« cries Mrs James »you make me shudder How can you envy me the
only Circumstance which makes Matrimony comfortable«
»Indeed my Dear« said Amelia »you injure me For I envy no Womans
Happiness in Marriage« At these Words such Looks past between Booth and his
Wife as to a sensible Bystander would have made all the Airs of Mrs James
appear in the highest Degree contemptible and would have rendered herself the
Object of Compassion Nor could that Lady avoid looking a little silly on the
Occasion
Amelia now at the earnest Desire of her Husband accoutered herself to
attend her Friend but first she insisted on visiting her Children to whom she
gave several hearty Kisses and then recommending them to the Care of Mrs
Atkinson she and her Husband accompanied Mrs James to the Rout where few of
my fine Readers will be displeased to make Part of the Company
The two Ladies and Booth then entered an Apartment beset with Cardtables
like the Rooms at Bath and Tunbridge Mrs James immediately introduced her
Friends to Lady Betty who received them very civilly and presently engaged
Booth and Mrs James in a Party at Whist For as to Amelia she so much
declined playing that as the Party could be filled without her she was
permitted to sit by
And now who should make his Appearance but the noble Peer of whom so much
honourable Mention hath already been made in this History He walked directly up
to Amelia and addressed her with as perfect a Confidence as if he had not been
in the least conscious of having in any Manner displeased her tho the Reader
will hardly suppose that Mrs Ellison had kept any Thing a Secret from him
Amelia was not however so forgetful She made him a very distant Curtesy
would scarce vouchsafe an Answer to any Thing he said and took the first
Opportunity of shifting her Chair and retiring from him
Her Behaviour indeed was such that the Peer plainly perceived that he
should get no Advantage by pursuing her any farther at present Instead
therefore of attempting to follow her he turned on his Heel and addressed his
Discourse to another Lady tho he could not avoid often casting his Eyes
towards Amelia as long as she remained in the Room
Fortune which seems to have been generally no great Friend to Mr Booth
gave him no extraordinary Marks of her Favour at Play He lost two full Rubbers
which cost him five Guineas after which Amelia who was uneasy at his
Lordships Presence begged him in a Whisper to return home with which Request
he directly complied
Nothing I think remarkable happened to Booth unless the Renewal of his
Acquaintance with an Officer whom he had known abroad and who made one of his
Party at the Whisttable
The Name of this Gentleman with whom the Reader will hereafter be better
acquainted was Trent He had formerly been in the same Regiment with Booth and
there was some Intimacy between them Captain Trent exprest great Delight in
meeting his Brother Officer and both mutually promised to visit each other
The Scenes which had past the preceding Night and that Morning had so
confused Amelias Thoughts that in the Hurry in which she was carried off by
Mrs James she had entirely forgot her Appointment with Dr Harrison When she
was informed at her Return home that the Doctor had been to wait upon her and
had expressed some Anger at her being gone out she became greatly uneasy and
begged of her Husband to go to the Doctors Lodgings and make her Apology
But lest the Reader should be as angry with the Doctor as he had declared
himself with Amelia we think proper to explain the Matter Nothing then was
farther from the Doctors Mind than the Conception of any Anger towards Amelia
On the contrary when the Girl answered him that her Mistress was not at home
the Doctor said with great good Humour »How not at home then tell your
Mistress she is a giddy Vagabond and I will come to see her no more till she
sends for me« This the poor Girl from misunderstanding one Word and half
forgetting the rest had construed into great Passion several very bad Words
and a Declaration that he would never see Amelia any more
Chapter VIII
In which two Strangers make their Appearance
Booth went to the Doctors Lodgings and found him engaged with his
Countryfriend and his Son a young Gentleman who was lately in Orders both
whom the Doctor had left to keep his Appointment with Amelia
After what we mentioned at the End of the last Chapter we need take little
Notice of the Apology made by Booth or the Doctors Reception of it which was
in his peculiar Manner »Your Wife« said he »is a vain Hussy to think herself
worth my Anger but tell her I have the Vanity myself to think I cannot be
angry without a better Cause And yet tell her I intend to punish her for her
Levity For if you go abroad I have determined to take her down with me into
the Country and make her do Penance there till your Return«
»Dear Sir« said Booth »I know not how to thank you if you are in
earnest«
»I assure you then I am in earnest« cries the Doctor »but you need not
thank me however since you know not how«
»But would not that Sir« said Booth »be shewing a Slight to the Colonels
Invitation and you know I have so many Obligations to him«
»Dont tell me of the Colonel« cries the Doctor »the Church is to be first
served Besides Sir I have Priority of Right even to you yourself You stole
my little Lamb from me For I was her first Love«
»Well Sir« cries Booth »if I should be so unhappy to leave her to any
one she must herself determine and I believe it will not be difficult to
guess where her Choice will fall For of all Men next to her Husband I
believe none can contend with Dr Harrison in her Favour«
»Since you say so« cries the Doctor »fetch her hither to Dinner with us
For I am at least so good a Christian to love those that love me I will shew
you my Daughter my old Friend for I am really proud of her and you may bring
my Grandchildren with you if you please«
Booth made some Compliments and then went on his Errand As soon as he was
gone the old Gentleman said to the Doctor »Pray my good Friend what Daughter
is this of yours I never so much as heard that you was married«
»And what then« cries the Doctor »did you ever hear that a Pope was
married and yet some of them have had Sons and Daughters I believe but
however this young Gentleman will absolve me without obliging me to Penance«
»I have not yet that Power« answered the young Clergyman »For I am only in
Deacons Orders«
»Are you not« cries the Doctor »why then I will absolve myself You are to
know then my good Friend that this young Lady was the Daughter of a Neighbour
of mine who is since dead and whose Sins I hope are forgiven For she had too
much to answer for on her Childs Account Her Father was my intimate
Acquaintance and Friend a worthier Man indeed I believe never lived He died
suddenly when his Children were Infants and perhaps to the Suddenness of his
Death it was owing that he did not recommend any Care of them to me However
I in some Measure took that Charge upon me and particularly of her whom I
call my Daughter Indeed as she grew up she discovered so many good Qualities
that she wanted not the Remembrance of her Fathers Merit to recommend her I do
her no more than Justice when I say she is one of the best Creatures I ever
knew She hath a Sweetness of Temper a Generosity of Spirit an Openness of
Heart in a Word she hath a true Christian Disposition I may call her an
Israelite indeed in whom there is no Guile«
»I wish you Joy of your Daughter« cries the old Gentleman »For to a Man of
your Disposition to find out an adequate Object of your Benevolence is I
acknowledge to find a Treasure«
»It is indeed a Happiness« cries the Doctor
»The greatest Difficulty« added the Gentleman »which Persons of your Turn
of Mind meet with is in finding proper Objects of their Goodness For nothing
sure can be more irksome to a generous Mind than to discover that it hath
thrown away all its good Offices on a Soil that bears no other Fruit than
Ingratitude«
»I remember« cries the Doctor »Phocylides saith
Mo kakon ey erxhs speirein ison est eni ponto12
But he speaks more like a Philosopher than a Christian I am more pleased with a
French Writer one of the best indeed that I ever read who blames Men for
lamenting the ill Return which is so often made to the best Offices13 A true
Christian can never be disappointed if he doth not receive his Reward in this
World The Labourer might as well complain that he is not paid his Hire in the
Middle of the Day«
»I own indeed« said the Gentleman »if we see it in that Light «
»And in what Light should we see it« answered the Doctor »Are we like
Agrippa only almost Christians Or is Christianity a Matter of bare Theory
and not a Rule for our Practice«
»Practical undoubtedly undoubtedly practical« cries the Gentleman »Your
Example might indeed have convinced me long ago that we ought to do Good to
every one«
»Pardon me Father« cries the young Divine »that is rather a Heathenish
than a Christian Doctrine Homer I remember introduces in his Iliad one
Axylus of whom he says
Pilos dA hn antropoisi
Pantas gar pileesken14
But Plato who of all the Heathens came nearest to the Christian Philosophy
condemned this as impious Doctrine so Eustathius tells us Folio 474«
»I know he doth« cries the Doctor »and so Barnes tells us in his Note
upon the Place but if you remember the rest of the Quotation as well as you do
that from Eustathius you might have added the Observation which Mr Dryden
makes in Favour of this Passage that he found not in all the Latin Authors so
admirable an Instance of extensive Humanity You might have likewise remembred
the noble Sentiment with which Mr Barnes ends his Note the Sense of which is
taken from the Fifth Chapter of Matthew
os kai paos oelioio
MigdA agatoisi kakoisi tA epA andrasin exanatellei
It seems therefore as if this Character rather became a Christian than a
Heathen For Homer could not have transcribed it from any of his Deities Whom
is it therefore we imitate by such extensive Benevolence«
»What a prodigious Memory you have« cries the old Gentleman »Indeed Son
you must not contend with the Doctor in these Matters«
»I shall not give my Opinion hastily« cries the Son »I know again what Mr
Poole in his Annotations says on that Verse of St Matthew That it is only
to heap Coals of Fire upon their Heads How are we to understand pray the
Text immediately preceding Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do
Good to them that hate you«
»You know I suppose young Gentleman« said the Doctor »how these Words
are generally understood The Commentator you mention I think tells us that
Love is not here to be taken in the strict Sense so as to signify the
Complacency of the Heart you may hate your Enemies as Gods Enemies and seek
due Revenge of them for his Honour and for your own Sakes too you may seek
moderate Satisfaction of them but then you are to love them with a Love
consistent with these Things that is to say in plainer Words you are to love
them and hate them and bless and curse and do them Good and Mischief«
»Excellent admirable« said the old Gentleman »You have a most inimitable
Turn to Ridicule«
»I do not approve Ridicule« said the Son »on such Subjects«
»Nor I neither« cries the Doctor »I will give you my Opinion therefore
very seriously The two Verses taken together contain a very positive Precept
delivered in the plainest Words and yet illustrated by the clearest Instance
in the Conduct of the Supreme Being and lastly the Practice of this Precept is
most nobly inforced by the Reward annexed that ye may be the Children and so
forth No Man who understands what it is to love and to bless and to do Good
can mistake the Meaning But if they required any Comment the Scripture itself
affords enow If thine Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him Drink not
rendering Evil for Evil or Railing for Railing but contrariwise Blessing
They do not indeed want the Comments of Men who when they cannot bend their
Minds to the Obedience of Scripture are desirous to wrest Scripture to a
Compliance with their own Inclinations«
»Most nobly and justly observed« cries the old Gentleman »Indeed my good
Friend you have explained the Text with the utmost Perspicuity«
»But if this be the Meaning« cries the Son »there must be an End of all
Law and Justice for I do not see how any Man can prosecute his Enemy in a
Court of Justice«
»Pardon me Sir« cries the Doctor »Indeed as an Enemy merely and from a
Spirit of Revenge he cannot and he ought not to prosecute him but as an
Offender against the Laws of his Country he may and it is his Duty so to do Is
there any Spirit of Revenge in the Magistrates or Officers of Justice when they
punish Criminals Why do such ordinarily I mean concern themselves in
inflicting Punishments but because it is their Duty And why may not a private
Man deliver an Offender into the Hands of Justice from the same laudable
Motive Revenge indeed of all Kinds is strictly prohibited wherefore as we
are not to execute it with our own Hands so neither are we to make Use of the
Law as the Instrument of private Malice and to worry each other with Inveteracy
and Rancour And where is the great Difficulty in obeying this wise this
generous this noble Precept If Revenge be as a certain Divine not greatly to
his Honour calls it the most luscious Morsel the Devil ever dropt into the
Mouth of a Sinner it must be allowed at least to cost us often extremely dear
It is a Dainty if indeed it be one which we come at with great Inquietude
with great Difficulty and with great Danger However pleasant it may be to the
Palate while we are feeding on it it is sure to leave a bitter Relish behind
it and so far indeed it may be called a luscious Morsel that the most greedy
Appetites are soon glutted and the most eager Longing for it is soon turned
into Loathing and Repentance I allow there is something tempting in its outward
Appearance but it is like the beautiful Colour of some Poisons from which
however they may attract our Eyes a Regard to our own Welfare commands us to
abstain And this is an Abstinence to which Wisdom alone without any divine
Command hath been often found adequate with Instances of which the Greek and
Latin Authors every where abound May not a Christian therefore be well
ashamed of making a Stumblingblock of a Precept which is not only consistent
with his worldly Interest but to which so noble an Incentive is proposed«
The old Gentleman fell into Raptures at this Speech and after making many
Compliments to the Doctor upon it he turned to his Son and told him he had an
Opportunity now of learning more in one Day than he had learnt at the
University in a Twelvemonth
The Son replied that he allowed the Doctrine to be extremely good in
general and that he agreed with the greater Part »but I must make a
Distinction« said he However he was interrupted from his Distinction at
present for now Booth returned with Amelia and the Children
Chapter IX
A Scene of modern Wit and Humour
In the Afternoon the old Gentleman proposed a Walk to Vauxhall a Place of
which he said he had heard much but had never seen it
The Doctor readily agreed to his Friends Proposal and soon after ordered
two Coaches to be sent for to carry the whole Company But when the Servant was
gone for them Booth acquainted the Doctor that it was yet too early »Is it
so« said the Doctor »why then I will carry you first to one of the greatest
and highest Entertainments in the World«
The Children pricked up their Ears at this nor did any of the Company guess
what he meant and Amelia asked what Entertainment he could carry them to at
that Time of the Day
»Suppose« says the Doctor »I should carry you to Court«
»At Five oClock in the Afternoon« cries Booth
»Ay suppose I should have Interest enough to introduce you into the
Presence«
»You are jesting dear Sir« cries Amelia
»Indeed I am serious« answered the Doctor »I will introduce you into that
Presence compared to whom the greatest Emperor on the Earth is many Millions of
Degrees meaner than the most contemptible Reptile is to him What Entertainment
can there be to a rational Being equal to this Was not the Taste of Mankind
most wretchedly depraved where would the vain Man find an Honour or where
would the Love of Pleasure propose so adequate an Object as divine Worship With
what Ecstasy must the Contemplation of being admitted to such a Presence fill
the Mind The pitiful Courts of Princes are open to few and to those only at
particular Seasons but from this glorious and gracious Presence we are none of
us and at no time excluded«
The Doctor was proceeding thus when the Servant returned saying the
Coaches were ready and the whole Company with the greatest Alacrity attended
the Doctor to St Jamess Church
When the Service was ended and they were again got into their Coaches
Amelia returned the Doctor many Thanks for the Light in which he had placed
Divine Worship assuring him that she had never before had so much Transport in
her Devotion as at this Time and saying she believed she should be the better
for this Notion he had given her as long as she lived
The Coaches being come to the Water Side they all alighted and getting
into one Boat proceeded to Vauxhall
The extreme Beauty and Elegance of this Place is well known to almost every
one of my Readers and happy is it for me that it is so since to give an
adequate Idea of it would exceed my Power of Description To delineate the
particular Beauties of these Gardens would indeed require as much Pains and
as much Paper too as to rehearse all the good Actions of their Master whose
Life proves the Truth of an Observation which I have read in some Ethic Writer
that a truly elegant Taste is generally accompanied with an Excellency of Heart
or in other Words, that true Virtue is indeed nothing else but true Taste
Here our Company diverted themselves with walking an Hour or two before the
Music began Of all the Seven Booth alone had ever been here before so that to
all the rest the Place with its other Charms had that of Novelty When the
Music played Amelia who stood next to the Doctor said to him in a Whisper »I
hope I am not guilty of Profaneness but in Pursuance of that cheerful Chain of
Thoughts with which you have inspired me this Afternoon I was just now lost in
a Reverie and fancied myself in those blissful Mansions which we hope to enjoy
hereafter The delicious Sweetness of the Place the enchanting Charms of the
Music and the Satisfaction which appears in every Ones Countenance carried my
Soul almost to Heaven in its Ideas I could not have indeed imagined there had
been any thing like this in this World«
The Doctor smiled and said »You see dear Madam there may be Pleasures of
which you could conceive no Idea till you actually enjoyed them«
And now the little Boy who had long withstood the Attractions of several
CheeseCakes that passed to and fro could contain no longer but asked his
Mother to give him one saying »I am sure my Sister would be glad of another
tho she is ashamed to ask« The Doctor overhearing the Child proposed that they
should all retire to some Place where they might sit down and refresh
themselves which they accordingly did Amelia now missed her Husband but as
she had three Men in her Company and one of them was the Doctor she concluded
herself and her Children to be safe and doubted not but that Booth would soon
find her out
They now sat down and the Doctor very gallantly desired Amelia to call for
what she liked Upon which the Children were supplied with Cakes and some Ham
and Chicken were provided for the rest of the Company With which while they
were regaling themselves with the highest Satisfaction two young Fellows
walking Arm in Arm came up and when they came opposite to Amelia they stood
still staring Amelia full in the Face and one of them cried aloud to the
other »Dn me my Lord if she is not an Angel« My Lord stood still staring
likewise at her without speaking a Word When two others of the same Gang came
up and one of them cried »Come along Jack I have seen her before but she
is too well manned already Three are enough for one Woman or the Devil is
in it«
»Dn me« says he that spoke first and whom they called Jack »I will have
a Brush at her if she belonged to the whole Convocation« And so saying he went
up to the young Clergyman and cried »Doctor sit up a little if you please
and dont take up more Room in a Bed than belongs to you« At which Words he
gave the young Man a Push and seated himself down directly overagainst Amelia
and leaning both his Elbows on the Table he fixed his Eyes on her in a Manner
with which Modesty can neither look nor bear to be looked at
Amelia seemed greatly shocked at this Treatment upon which the Doctor
removed her within him and then facing the Gentleman asked him what he meant
by this rude Behaviour Upon which my Lord stept up and said »Dont be
impertinent old Gentleman Do you think such Fellows as you are to keep Dn
me such fine Wenches Dn me to yourselves Dn me«
»No no« cries Jack »the old Gentleman is more reasonable Heres the
Fellow that eats up the Tithe Pig Dont you see how his Mouth waters at her
Wheres your slabbering Bib« For tho the Gentleman had rightly guessed he was
a Clergyman yet he had not any of those Insignia on with which it would have
been improper to have appeared there
»Such Boys as you« cries the young Clergyman »ought to be well whipped at
School instead of being suffered to become Nusances in the Society«
»Boys Sir« says Jack »I believe I am as good a Man as yourself Mr
and as good a Scholar too Bos Fur Sus quotque Sacerdos Tell me whats next
Dn me Ill hold you fifty Pounds you dont tell me whats next«
»You have him Jack« cries my Lord »Its over with him Dn me He cant
strike another Blow«
»If I had you in a proper Place« cries the Clergyman »you should find I
would strike a Blow and a pretty hard one too«
»There« cries my Lord »there is the Meekness of the Clergyman There
spoke the Wolf in the Sheeps Cloathing Dn me how big he looks You must be
civil to him faith or else he will burst with Pride«
»Ay ay« cries Jack »let the Clergy alone for Pride theres not a Lord in
the Kingdom now hath half the Pride of that Fellow«
»Pray Sir« cries the Doctor turning to the other »are you a Lord«
»Yes Mr « cries he »I have that Honour indeed«
»And I suppose you have Pride too« said the Doctor
»I hope I have Sir« answered he »at your Service«
»If such a one as you Sir« cries the Doctor »who are not only a Scandal
to the Title you bear as a Lord but even as a Man can pretend to Pride why
will you not allow it to a Clergyman I suppose Sir by your Dress you are in
the Army and by the Ribbon in your Hat you seem to be proud of that too How
much greater and more honourable is the Service in which that Gentleman is
enlisted than yours Why then should you object to the Pride of the Clergy
since the lowest of the Function is in reality every way so much your Superior«
»Tida Tidu Tidum« cries my Lord
»However Gentlemen« cries the Doctor »if you have the least Pretension to
that Name I beg you will put an End to your Frolick since you see it gives so
much Uneasiness to the Lady Nay I entreat you for your own Sakes for here is
one coming who will talk to you in a very different Stile from ours«
»One coming« cries my Lord »what care I who is coming«
»I suppose it is the Devil« cries Jack »For here are two of his Livery
Servants already«
»Let the Devil come as soon as he will« cries my Lord »Dn me if I have
not a Kiss«
Amelia now fell a trembling and her Children perceiving her Fright both
hung on her and began to cry when Booth and Captain Trent both came up
Booth seeing his Wife disordered asked eagerly what was the Matter At the
same time the Lord and his Companion seeing Captain Trent whom they well knew
said both together »What doth this Company belong to you« When the Doctor
with great Presence of Mind as he was apprehensive of some fatal Consequence if
Booth should know what had past said »So Mr Booth I am glad you are
returned your poor Lady here began to be frighted out of her Wits But now you
have him again« said he to Amelia »I hope you will be easy«
Amelia frighted as she was presently took the Hint and greatly chid her
Husband for leaving her but the little Boy was not so quicksighted and cried
»Indeed Papa those naughty Men there have frighted my Mamma out of her
Wits«
»How« cries Booth a little moved »Frightend hath any one frightend
you my Dear«
»No my Love« answered she »nothing I know not what the Child means
Every thing is well now I see you safe«
Trent had been all the while talking aside with the young Sparks and now
addressing himself to Booth said »Here hath been some little Mistake I
believe my Lord mistook Mrs Booth for some other Lady«
»It is impossible« cries my Lord »to know every one I am sure if I had
known the Lady to be a Woman of Fashion and an Acquaintance of Captain Trent I
should have said nothing disagreeable to her but if I have I ask her Pardon
and the Companys«
»I am in the Dark« cries Booth »Pray what is all this Matter«
»Nothing of any Consequence« cries the Doctor »nor worth your enquiring
into You hear it was a Mistake of the Person and I really believe his
Lordship that all proceeded from his not knowing to whom the Lady belonged«
»Come come« says Trent »there is nothing in the Matter I assure you I
will tell you the whole another Time«
»Very well since you say so« cries Booth »I am contented« So ended the
Affair and the two Sparks made their Congee and sneaked off
»Now they are gone« said the young Gentleman »I must say I never saw two
worsebred Jackanapes nor Fellows that deserved to be kickd more If I had had
them in another Place I would have taught them a little more Respect to the
Church«
»You took rather a better Way« answered the Doctor »to teach them that
Respect«
Booth now desired his Friend Trent to sit down with them and proposed to
call for a fresh Bottle of Wine but Amelias Spirits were too much disconcerted
to give her any Prospect of Pleasure that Evening She therefore laid hold of
the Pretence of her Children for whom she said the Hour was already too late
with which the Doctor agreed So they paid their Reckoning and departed
leaving to the two Rakes the Triumph of having totally dissipated the Mirth of
this little innocent Company who were before enjoying complete Satisfaction
Chapter X
A curious Conversation between the Doctor the young Clergyman and the young
Clergymans Father
The next Morning when the Doctor and his two Friends were at Breakfast the
young Clergyman in whose Mind the injurious Treatment he had received the
Evening before was very deeply impressed renewed the Conversation on that
Subject »It is a Scandal« said he »to the Government that they do not
preserve more Respect to the Clergy by punishing all Rudeness to them with the
utmost Severity It was very justly observed of you Sir« says he to the
Doctor »that the lowest Clergyman in England is in real Dignity superior to the
highest Nobleman What then can be so shocking as to see that Gown which ought
to entitle us to the Veneration of all we meet treated with Contempt and
Ridicule Are we not in Fact Embassadors from Heaven to the World and do
they not therefore in denying us our due Respect deny it in Reality to him
that sent us«
»If that be the Case« says the Doctor »it behoves them to look to
themselves for he who sent us is able to exact most severe Vengeance for the
ill Treatment of his Ministers«
»Very true Sir« cries the young one »and I heartily hope he will but
those Punishments are at too great a Distance to infuse Terror into wicked
Minds The Government ought to interfere with its immediate Censures Fines and
Imprisonments and corporal Punishments operate more forcibly on the human Mind
than all the Fears of Damnation«
»Do you think so« cries the Doctor »then I am afraid Men are very little
in earnest in those Fears«
»Most justly observed« says the old Gentleman »Indeed I am afraid that is
too much the Case«
»In that« said the Son »the Government is to blame Are not Books of
Infidelity treating our holy Religion as a mere Imposture nay sometimes as a
mere Jest published daily and spread abroad amongst the People with perfect
Impunity«
»You are certainly in the Right« says the Doctor »there is a most
blameable Remissness with Regard to these Matters but the whole Blame doth not
lie there some little Share of the Fault is I am afraid to be imputed to the
Clergy themselves«
»Indeed Sir« cries the young one »I did not expect that Charge from a
Gentleman of your Cloth Do the Clergy give any Encouragement to such Books Do
they not on the contrary cry loudly out against the suffering them This is
the invidious Aspersion of the Laity and I did not expect to hear it confirmed
by one of our own Cloth«
»Be not too impatient young Gentleman« said the Doctor »I do not
absolutely confirm the Charge of the Laity It is much too general and too
severe but even the Laity themselves do not attack them in that Part to which
you have applied your Defence They are not supposed such Fools as to attack
that Religion to which they owe their temporal Welfare They are not taxed with
giving any other Support to Infidelity than what it draws from the ill Examples
of their Lives I mean of the Lives of some of them Here too the Laity carry
their Censures too far For there are very few or none of the Clergy whose
Lives if compared with those of the Laity can be called profligate but such
indeed is the perfect Purity of our Religion such is the Innocence and Virtue
which it exacts to entitle us to its glorious Rewards and to skreen us from its
dreadful Punishments that he must be a very good Man indeed who lives up to it
Thus then these Persons argue This Man is educated in a perfect Knowledge of
Religion is learned in its Laws and is by his Profession obliged in a Manner
to have them always before his Eyes The Rewards which it promises to the
Obedience of these Laws are so great and the Punishments threatned on
Disobedience so dreadful that it is impossible but all Men must fearfully fly
from the one and as eagerly pursue the other If therefore such a Person lives
in direct Opposition to and in a constant Breach of these Laws the Inference
is obvious There is a pleasant Story in Matthew Paris which I will tell you as
well as I can remember it Two young Gentlemen I think they were Priests
agreed together that whosoever died first should return and acquaint his
Friend with the Secrets of the other World One of them died soon after and
fulfilled his Promise The whole Relation he gave is not very material but
among other Things he produced one of his Hands which Satan had made use of to
write upon as the Moderns do on a Card and had sent his Compliments to the
Priests for the Number of Souls which the wicked Examples of their Lives daily
sent to Hell This Story is the more remarkable as it was written by a Priest
and a great Favourer of his Order«
»Excellent« cried the old Gentleman »What a Memory you have«
»But Sir« cries the young one »a Clergyman is a Man as well as another
and if such perfect Purity be expected «
»I do not expect it« cries the Doctor »and I hope it will not be expected
of us The Scripture itself gives us this Hope where the best of us are said to
fall twenty Times a Day But sure we may not allow the Practice of any of those
grosser Crimes which contaminate the whole Mind We may expect an Obedience to
the Ten Commandments and an Abstinence from such notorious Vices as in the
first Place Avarice which indeed can hardly subsist without the Breach of more
Commandments than one indeed it would be excessive Candour to imagine that a
Man who so visibly sets his whole Heart not only on this World but on one of
the most worthless Things in it for so is Money without regard to its Uses
should be at the same Time laying up his Treasure in Heaven Ambition is a
second Vice of this Sort we are told we cannot serve God and Mammon I might
have applied this to Avarice but I chose rather to mention it here When we see
a Man sneaking about in Courts and Levees and doing the dirty Work of great Men
from the Hopes of Preferment can we believe that a Fellow whom we see to have
so many hard Taskmasters upon Earth ever thinks of his Master which is in
Heaven Must he not himself think if he ever reflects at all that so glorious
a Master will disdain and disown a Servant who is the dutiful Tool of a Court
Favourite and employed either as the Pimp of his Pleasure or sometimes perhaps
made a dirty Channel to assist in the Conveyance of that Corruption which is
clogging up and destroying the very Vitals of his Country
The last Vice which I shall mention is Pride There is not in the Universe
a more ridiculous nor a more contemptible Animal than a proud Clergyman a
Turkeycock or a Jackdaw are Objects of Veneration when compared with him I
dont mean by Pride that noble Dignity of Mind to which Goodness can only
administer an adequate Object which delights in the Testimony of its own
Conscience and could not without the highest Agonies bear its Condemnation By
Pride I mean that saucy Passion which exults in every little eventual
Preeminence over other Men such are the ordinary Gifts of Nature and the
paultry Presents of Fortune Wit Knowledge Birth Strength Beauty Riches
Titles and Rank That Passion which is everaspiring like a silly Child to
look over the Heads of all about them which while it servilely adheres to the
Great flies from the Poor as if afraid of Contamination devouring greedily
every Murmur of Applause and every Look of Admiration pleased and elated with
all kind of Respect and hurt and enflamed with the Contempt of the lowest and
most despicable of Fools even with such as treated you last Night
disrespectfully at Vauxhall Can such a Mind as this be fixed on Things above
Can such a Man reflect that he hath the ineffable Honour to be employed in the
immediate Service of his great Creator or can he please himself with the Heart
Hope that his Ways are acceptable in the Sight of that glorious that
incomprehensible Being«
»Hear Child hear« cries the old Gentleman »hear and improve your
Understanding Indeed my good Friend no one retires from you without carrying
away some good Instructions with him Learn of the Doctor Tom and you will be
the better Man as long as you live«
»Undoubtedly Sir« answered Tom »the Doctor hath spoken a great deal of
excellent Truth and without a Compliment to him I was always a great Admirer
of his Sermons particularly of their Oratory But
Nec tamen hoc tribuens dederim quoque cætera
I cannot agree that a Clergyman is obliged to put up with an Affront any more
than another Man and more especially when it is paid to the Order«
»I am very sorry young Gentleman« cries the Doctor »that you should be
ever liable to be affronted as a Clergyman and I do assure you if I had
known your Disposition formerly the Order should never have been affronted
through you«
The old Gentleman now began to check his Son for his Opposition to the
Doctor when a Servant delivered the latter a Note from Amelia which he read
immediately to himself and it contained the following Words
»My dear Sir
Something hath happened since I saw you which gives me great
Uneasiness and I beg the Favour of seeing you as soon as possible to
advise with you upon it
I am
your most obliged
and dutiful Daughter
Amelia Booth«
The Doctors Answer was that he would wait on the Lady directly and then
turning to his Friend he asked him if he would not take a Walk in the Park
before Dinner »I must go« says he »to the Lady who was with us last Night
for I am afraid by her Letter some bad Accident hath happened to her Come
young Gentleman I spoke a little too hastily to you just now but I ask your
Pardon Some Allowance must be made to the Warmth of your Blood I hope we shall
in Time both think alike«
The old Gentleman made his Friend another Compliment and the young one
declared he hoped he should always think and act too with the Dignity
becoming his Cloth After which the Doctor took his Leave for a while and went
to Amelias Lodgings
As soon as he was gone the old Gentleman fell very severely on his Son »
Tom« says he »how can you be such a Fool to undo by your Perverseness all
that I have been doing Why will you not learn to study Mankind with the
Attention which I have employed to that Purpose Do you think if I had
affronted this obstinate old Fellow as you do I should ever have engaged his
Friendship«
»I cannot help it Sir« said Tom »I have not studied six Years at the
University to give up my Sentiments to every one It is true indeed he put
together a Set of sounding Words but in the main I never heard any one talk
more foolishly«
»What of that« cries the Father »I never told you he was a wise Man nor
did I ever think him so If he had any understanding he would have been a
Bishop long ago to my certain Knowledge But indeed he hath been always a
Fool in private Life for I question whether he is worth 100l in the World
more than his annual Income He hath given away above half his Fortune to the
Lord knows who I believe I have had above 200l of him first and last and
would you lose such a Milchcow as this for Want of a few Compliments Indeed
Tom thou art as great a Simpleton as himself How do you expect to rise in the
Church if you cant temporize and give into the Opinion of your Superiors«
»I dont know Sir« cries Tom »what you mean by my Superiors In one
Sense I own a Doctor of Divinity is superior to a Batchelor of Arts and so
far I am ready to allow his Superiority but I understand Greek and Hebrew as
well as he and will maintain my Opinion against him or any other in the
Schools«
»Tom« cries the old Gentleman »till thou gettest the better of thy
Conceit I shall never have any Hopes of thee If thou art wise thou wilt think
every Man thy Superior of whom thou canst get any thing at least thou wilt
persuade him that thou thinkest so and that is sufficient Tom Tom thou hast
no Policy in thee«
»What have I been learning these seven Years« answered he »in the
University However Father I can account for your Opinion It is the common
Failing of old Men to attribute all Wisdom to themselves Nestor did it long
ago but if you will enquire my Character at College I fancy you will not
think I want to go to School again«
The Father and Son then went to take their Walk during which the former
repeated many good Lessons of Policy to his Son not greatly perhaps to his
Edification In Truth if the old Gentlemans Fondness had not in a great
Measure blinded him to the Imperfections of his Son he would have soon
perceived that he was sowing all his Instructions in a Soil so choaked with
SelfConceit that it was utterly impossible they should ever bear any Fruit
Book X
Chapter I
To which we will prefix no Preface
The Doctor found Amelia alone for Booth was gone to walk with his new revived
Acquaintance Captain Trent who seemed so pleased with the Renewal of his
Intercourse with his old Brother Officer that he had been almost continually
with him from the Time of their meeting at the Drum
Amelia acquainted the Doctor with the Purport of her Message as follows »I
ask your Pardon my dear Sir for troubling you so often with my Affairs but I
know your extreme Readiness as well as Ability to assist any one with your
Advice The Fact is that my Husband hath been presented by Colonel James with
two Tickets for a Masquerade which is to be in a Day or two and he insists so
strongly on my going with him that I really do not know how to refuse without
giving him some Reason and I am not able to invent any other than the true one
which you would not I am sure advise me to communicate to him Indeed I had a
most narrow Escape the other Day for I was almost drawn in inadvertently by a
very strange Accident to acquaint him with the whole Matter« She then related
the Serjeants Dream with all the Consequences that attended it
The Doctor considered a little with himself and then said »I am really
Child puzzled as well as you about this Matter I would by no means have you go
to the Masquerade I do not indeed like the Diversion itself as I have heard it
described to me Not that I am such a Prude to suspect every Woman who goes
there of any evil Intentions but it is a Pleasure of too loose and disorderly a
Kind for the Recreation of a sober Mind Indeed you have still a stronger and
more particular Objection I will try myself to reason him out of it«
»Indeed it is impossible« answered she »and therefore I would not set you
about it I never saw him more set on any thing There is a Party as they call
it made on the Occasion and he tells me my Refusal will disappoint all«
»I really do not know what to advise you« cries the Doctor »I have told
you I do not approve these Diversions but yet as your Husband is so very
desirous I cannot think there will be any Harm in going with him However I
will consider of it and do all in my Power for you«
Here Mrs Atkinson came in and the Discourse on this Subject ceased but
soon after Amelia renewed it saying there was no Occasion to keep any thing a
Secret from her Friend They then fell to debating on the Subject but could not
come to any Resolution But Mrs Atkinson who was in an unusual Flow of
Spirits cried out »Fear nothing my dear Amelia two Women surely will be too
hard for one Man I think Doctor it exceeds Virgil
Una dolo divûm si Foemina victa duorum est«
»Very well repeated indeed« cries the Doctor »Do you understand all Virgil as
well as you seem to do that Line«
»I hope I do Sir« said she »and Horace too or else my Father threw away
his Time to very little Purpose in teaching me«
»I ask your Pardon Madam« cries the Doctor »I own it was an impertinent
Question«
»Not at all Sir« says she »and if you are one of those who imagine Women
incapable of Learning I shall not be offended at it I know the common Opinion
but
Interdum vulgus rectum videt est ubi peccat«
»If I was to profess such an Opinion Madam« said the Doctor »Madam Dacier and
yourself would bear Testimony against me The utmost indeed that I should
venture would be to question the Utility of Learning in a young Ladys
Education«
»I own« said Mrs Atkinson »as the World is constituted it cannot be as
serviceable to her Fortune as it will be to that of a Man but you will allow
Doctor that Learning may afford a Woman at least a reasonable and an innocent
Entertainment«
»But I will suppose« cried the Doctor »it may have its Inconveniencies As
for Instance if a learned Lady should meet with an unlearned Husband might she
not be apt to despise him«
»I think not« cries Mrs Atkinson »and if I may be allowed the Instance
I think I have shewn myself that Women who have Learning themselves can be
contented without that Qualification in a Man«
»To be sure« cries the Doctor »there may be other Qualifications which may
have their Weight in the Balance But let us take the other Side of the
Question and suppose the Learned of both Sexes to meet in the Matrimonial
Union may it not afford one excellent Subject of Disputation which is the most
learned«
»Not at all« cries Mrs Atkinson »for if they had both Learning and good
Sense they would soon see on which Side the Superiority lay«
»But if the learned Man« said the Doctor »should be a little unreasonable
in his Opinion are you sure that the learned Woman would preserve her Duty to
her Husband and submit«
»But why« cries Mrs Atkinson »must we necessarily suppose that a learned
Man would be unreasonable«
»Nay Madam« said the Doctor »I am not your Husband and you shall not
hinder me from supposing what I please Surely it is not such a Paradox to
conceive that a Man of Learning should be unreasonable Are there no
unreasonable Opinions in very learned Authors even among the Critics
themselves For Instance What can be a more strange and indeed unreasonable
Opinion than to prefer the Metamorphoses of Ovid to the Æneid of Virgil«
»It would be indeed so strange« cries the Lady »that you shall not
persuade me it was ever the Opinion of any Man«
»Perhaps not« cries the Doctor »and I believe you and I should not differ
in our Judgments of any Person who maintained such an Opinion What a Taste
must he have«
»A most contemptible one indeed« cries Mrs Atkinson
»I am satisfied« cries the Doctor »And in the Words of your own Horace
Verbum non amplius addam«
»But how provoking is this« cries Mrs Atkinson »to draw one in in such a
Manner I protest I was so warm in the Defence of my Favourite Virgil that I
was not aware of your Design but all your Triumph depends on a Supposition that
one should be so unfortunate as to meet with the silliest Fellow in the World«
»Not in the least« cries the Doctor »Dr Bentley was not such a Person
and yet he would have quarrelled I am convinced with any Wife in the World in
behalf of one of his Corrections I dont suppose he would have given up his
Ingentia Fata to an Angel«
»But do you think« said she »if I had loved him I would have contended
with him«
»Perhaps you might sometimes« said the Doctor »be of these Sentiments but
you remember your own Virgil Varium et mutabile semper Foemina«
»Nay Amelia« said Mrs Atkinson »you are now concernd as well as I am
for he hath now abused the whole Sex and quoted the severest Thing that ever
was said against us though I allow it is one of the finest«
»With all my Heart my Dear« cries Amelia »I have the Advantage of you
however for I dont understand him«
»Nor doth she understand much better than yourself« cries the Doctor »or
she would not admire Nonsense even though in Virgil«
»Pardon me Sir« said she
»And pardon me Madam« cries the Doctor with a feigned Seriousness »I say
a Boy in the fourth Form at Eton would be whipt or would deserve to be whipt at
least who made the Neuter Gender agree with the Feminine You have heard
however that Virgil left his Æneid incorrect and perhaps had he lived to
correct it we should not have seen the Faults we now see in it«
»Why it is very true as you say Doctor« cries Mrs Atkinson »There
seems to be a false Concord I protest I never thought of it before«
»And yet this is the Virgil« answered the Doctor »that you are so fond of
who hath made you all of the Neuter Gender or as we say in English he hath
made mere Animals of you For if we translate it thus
Woman is a various and changeable Animal
there will be no Fault I believe unless in point of Civility to the Ladies«
Mrs Atkinson had just Time to tell the Doctor he was a provoking Creature
before the Arrival of Booth and his Friend put an end to that learned Discourse
in which neither of the Parties had greatly recommended themselves to each
other the Doctors Opinion of the Lady being not at all heightened by her
Progress in the Classics and she on the other hand having conceived a great
Dislike in her Heart towards the Doctor which would have raged perhaps with
no less Fury from the Consideration that he had been her Husband
Chapter II
What happened at the Masquerade
From this Time to the Day of the Masquerade nothing happened of Consequence
enough to have a Place in this History
On that Day Colonel James came to Booths about Nine in the Evening where
he stayd for Mrs James who did not come till near Eleven The four Masques
then set out together in several Chairs and all proceeded to the HayMarket
When they arrived at the OperaHouse the Colonel and Mrs James presently
left them nor did Booth and his Lady remain long together but were soon
divided from each other by different Masques
A Domino soon accosted the Lady and had her away to the upper End of the
furthest Room on the right Hand where both the Masques sat down Nor was it
long before the He Domino began to make very fervent Love to the She It would
perhaps be tedious to the Reader to run thro the whole Process which was not
indeed in the most romantick Stile The Lover seemed to consider his Mistress as
a mere Woman of this World and seemed rather to apply to her Avarice and
Ambition than to her softer Passions
As he was not so careful to conceal his true Voice as the Lady was she soon
discovered that this Lover of hers was no other than her old Friend the Peer
and presently a Thought suggested itself to her of making an Advantage of this
Accident She gave him therefore an Intimation that she knew him and expressed
some Astonishment at his having found her out »I suspect« says she »my Lord
that you have a Friend in the Woman where I now lodge as well as you had in
Mrs Ellison« My Lord protested the contrary To which she answered »Nay my
Lord do not defend her so earnestly till you are sure I should have been angry
with her«
At these Words which were accompanied with a very bewitching Softness my
Lord flew into Raptures rather too strong for the Place he was in These the
Lady gently checked and begged him to take care they were not observed for
that her Husband for aught she knew was then in the Room
Colonel James came now up and said »So Madam I have the good Fortune to
find you again I have been extremely miserable since I lost you« The Lady
answered in her Masquerade Voice that she did not know him »I am Colonel James
« said he in a Whisper »Indeed Sir« answerd she »you are mistaken I have
no Acquaintance with any Colonel James« »Madam« answerd he in a Whisper
likewise »I am positive I am not mistaken you are certainly Mrs Booth«
»Indeed Sir« said she »you are very impertinent and I beg you will leave
me« My Lord then interposed and speaking in his own Voice assurd the Colonel
that the Lady was a Woman of Quality and that they were engaged in a
Conversation together upon which the Colonel asked the Ladys Pardon for as
there was nothing remarkable in her Dress he really believd he had been
mistaken
He then went again a hunting through the Rooms and soon after found Booth
walking without his Mask between two Ladies one of whom was in a blue Domino
and the other in the Dress of a Shepherdess »Will« cries the Colonel »do you
know what is become of our Wives for I have seen neither of them since we have
been in the Room« Booth answered »that he supposed they were both together
and they should find them by and by« »What« cries the Lady in the blue Domino
»are you both come upon Duty then with your Wives As for yours Mr Alderman«
said she to the Colonel »I make no Question but she is got into much better
Company than her Husbands« »How can you be so cruel Madam« said the
Shepherdess »you will make him beat his Wife by and by for he is a military
Man I assure you« »In the Trained Bands I presume« cries the Domino »for he
is plainly dated from the City« »I own indeed« cries the other »the
Gentleman smells strongly of ThamesStreet and if I may venture to guess of
the honourable Calling of a Taylor«
»Why what the Devil hast thou pickd up here« cries James
»Upon my Soul I dont know« answered Booth »I wish you would take one of
them at least«
»What say you Madam« cries the Domino »will you go with the Colonel I
assure you you have mistaken your Man for he is no less a Person than the
great Colonel James himself«
»No Wonder then that Mr Booth gives him his Choice of us it is the
proper Office of a Caterer in which Capacity Mr Booth hath I am told the
Honour to serve the noble Colonel«
»Much Good may it do you with your Ladies« said James »I will go in
Pursuit of better Game« At which Words he walked off
»You are a true Sportsman« cries the Shepherdess »for your only Pleasure
I believe lies in the Pursuit«
»Do you know the Gentleman Madam« cries the Domino
»Who doth not know him« answered the Shepherdess
»What is his Character« cries the Domino »for though I have jested with
him I only know him by Sight«
»I know nothing very particular in his Character« cries the Shepherdess
»He gets every handsome Woman he can and so they do all«
»I suppose then he is not married« said the Domino
»O yes and married for Love too« answered the other »but he hath loved
away all his Love for her long ago and now he says she makes as fine an
Object of Hatred I think if the Fellow ever appears to have any Wit it is
when he abuses his Wife and luckily for him that is his favourite Topick I
dont know the poor Wretch but as he describes her it is a miserable Animal«
»I know her very well« cries the other »and I am much mistaken if she is
not even with him But hang him what is become of Booth«
At this Instant a great Noise arose near that Part where the two Ladies
were This was occasioned by a large Assembly of young Fellows whom they call
Bucks who were got together and were enjoying as the Phrase is a Letter
which one of them had found in the Room
Curiosity hath its Votaries among all Ranks of People whenever therefore an
Object of this appears it is as sure of attracting a Croud in the Assemblies of
the Polite as in those of their Inferiors
When this Croud was gathered together one of the Bucks at the Desire of
his Companions as well as of all present performd the Part of a public
Orator and read out the following Letter which we shall give the Reader
together with the Comments of the Orator himself and of all his Audience
The Orator then being mounted on a Bench began as follows
»Here beginneth the first Chapter of Saint Pox ont Jack what is the
Saints Name I have forgot«
»Timothy you Blockhead« answerd another »Timothy«
»Well then« cries the Orator »of Saint Timothy
Sir I am very sorry to have any Occasion of writing on the following
Subject in a Country that is honoured with the Name of Christian much more am
I concernd to address myself to a Man whose many Advantages derived both from
Nature and Fortune should demand the highest Return of Gratitude to the great
Giver of all those good Things Is not such a Man guilty of the highest
Ingratitude to that most beneficent Being by a direct and avowed Disobedience
of his most positive Laws and Commands
I need not tell you that Adultery is forbid in the Laws of the Decalogue
nor need I I hope mention that it is as expresly forbid in the New Testament
You see therefore« said the Orator »what the Law is and therefore none of
you will be able to plead Ignorance when you come to the OldBaily in the other
World But here goes again
If it had not been so expressly forbidden in Scripture still the Law of
Nature would have yielded Light enough for us to have discovered the great
Horror and Atrociousness of this Crime
And accordingly we find that Nations where the Sun of Righteousness hath
yet never shined have punished the Adulterer with the most exemplary Pains and
Penalties not only the polite Heathens but the most barbarous Nations have
concurred in these in many Places the most severe and shameful corporal
Punishments and in some and those not a few Death itself hath been inflicted
on this Crime
And sure in a human Sense there is scarce any Guilt which deserves to be
more severely punished It includes in it almost every Injury and every Mischief
which one Man can do to or can bring on another It is robbing him of his
Property
Mind that Ladies« said the Orator »you are all the Property of your
Husbands and of that Property which if he is a good Man he values above all
others It is poisoning that Fountain whence he hath a Right to derive the
sweetest and most innocent Pleasure the most cordial Comfort the most solid
Friendship and most faithful Assistance in all his Affairs Wants and
Distresses It is the Destruction of his Peace of Mind and even of his
Reputation The Ruin of both Wife and Husband and sometimes of the whole
Family are the probable Consequence of this fatal Injury Domestic Happiness is
the End of almost all our Pursuits and the common Reward of all our Pains When
Men find themselves for ever barred from this delightful Fruition they are lost
to all Industry and grow careless of all their worldly Affairs Thus they
become bad Subjects bad Relations bad Friends and bad Men Hatred and Revenge
are the wretched Passions which boil in their Minds Despair and Madness very
commonly ensue and Murder and Suicide often close the dreadful Scene
Thus Gentlemen and Ladies you see the Scene is closed So here ends the
first Act and thus begins the second
I have here attempted to lay before you a Picture of this Vice the Horror
of which no Colours of mine can exaggerate But what Pencil can delineate the
Horrors of that Punishment which the Scripture denounces against it
And for what will you subject yourself to this Punishment Or for what
Reward will you inflict all this Misery on another I will add on your Friend
For the Possession of a Woman for the Pleasure of a Moment But if neither
Virtue nor Religion can restrain your inordinate Appetites are there not many
Women as handsome as your Friends Wife whom though not with Innocence you
may possess with a much less Degree of Guilt What Motive then can thus hurry
you on to the Destruction of yourself and your Friend Doth the peculiar
Rankness of the Guilt add any Zest to the Sin Doth it enhance the Pleasure as
much as we may be assured it will the Punishment
But if you can be so lost to all Sense of Fear and of Shame and of
Goodness as not to be debarred by the Evil which you are to bring on yourself
by the extreme Baseness of the Action nor by the Ruin in which you are to
involve others let me still urge the Difficulty I may say the Impossibility of
the Success You are attacking a Fortress on a Rock a Chastity so strongly
defended as well by a happy natural Disposition of Mind as by the strongest
Principles of Religion and Virtue implanted by Education and nourished and
improved by Habit that the Woman must be invincible even without that firm and
constant Affection of her Husband which would guard a much looser and worse
disposed Heart What therefore are you attempting but to introduce Distrust and
perhaps Disunion between an innocent and a happy Couple in which too you cannot
succeed without bringing I am convinced certain Destruction on your own Head
Desist therefore let me advise you from this enormous Crime retreat from
the vain Attempt of climbing a Precipice which it is impossible you should ever
ascend where you must probably soon fall into utter Perdition and can have no
other Hope but of dragging down your best Friend into Perdition with you
I can think of but one Argument more and that indeed a very bad one You
throw away that Time in an impossible Attempt which might in other Places
crown your sinful Endeavours with Success
And so ends the dismal Ditty«
»Dn me« cries one »did ever mortal hear such dnd Stuff«
»Upon my Soul« said another »I like the last Argument well enough There
is some Sense in that For dn me if I had not rather go to Dgss at any Time
than follow a virtuous B for a Fortnight«
»Tom« says one of them »let us set the Ditty to Musick let us subscribe
to have it set by Handel it will make an excellent Oratorio«
»Dn me Jack« says another »well have it set to a Psalm Tune and well
sing it next Sunday at St Jamess Church and Ill bear a Bob dn me«
»Fie upon it Gentlemen fie upon it« said a Frier who came up »do you
think there is any Wit and Humour in this Ribaldry or if there were would it
make any Atonement for abusing Religion and Virtue«
»Hey day« cries one »this is a Frier in good earnest«
»Whatever I am« said the Frier »I hope at least you are what you appear
to be Heaven forbid for the Sake of our Posterity that you should be
Gentlemen«
»Jack« cries one »let us toss the Frier in a Blanket«
»Me in a Blanket« said the Frier »by the Dignity of Man I will twist the
Neck of every one of you as sure as ever the Neck of a DunghilCock was
twisted« At which Words he pulled off his Masque and the tremendous Majesty of
Colonel Bath appeard from which the Bucks fled away as fast as the Trojans
heretofore from the Face of Achilles The Colonel did not think it worth while
to pursue any other of them except him who had the Letter in his Hand which the
Colonel desired to see and the other delivered saying it was very much at his
Service
The Colonel being possessd of the Letter retired as privately as he could
in order to give it a careful Perusal for badly as it had been read by the
Orator there were some Passages in it which had pleased the Colonel He had
just gone through it when Booth passed by him upon which the Colonel called to
him and delivering him the Letter bid him put it in his Pocket and read it at
his Leisure He made many Encomiums upon it and told Booth it would be of
Service to him and was proper for all young Men to read
Booth had not yet seen his Wife but as he concluded she was safe with Mrs
James he was not uneasy He had been prevented from searching farther after
her by the Lady in the blue Domino who had joined him again Booth had now
made these Discoveries that the Lady was pretty well acquainted with him that
she was a Woman of Fashion and that she had a particular Regard for him But
though he was a gay Man he was in reality so fond of his Amelia that he
thought of no other Woman wherefore though not absolutely a Joseph as we have
already seen yet could he not be guilty of premeditated Inconstancy He was
indeed so very cold and insensible to the Hints which were given him that the
Lady began to complain of his Dulness When the Shepherdess again came up and
heard this Accusation against him she confirmed it saying »I do assure you
Madam he is the dullest Fellow in the World Indeed I should almost take you
for his Wife by finding you a second Time with him for I do assure you the
Gentleman very seldom keeps any other Company« »Are you so well acquainted with
him Madam« said the Domino »I have had that Honour longer than your Ladyship
I believe« answered the Shepherdess »Possibly you may Madam« cries the
Domino »but I wish you would not interrupt us at present for we have some
Business together« »I believe Madam« answered the Shepherdess »my Business
with the Gentleman is altogether as important as yours and therefore your
Ladyship may withdraw if you please« »My dear Ladies« cries Booth »I beg
you will not quarrel about me« »Not at all« answered the Domino »since you
are so indifferent I resign my Pretensions with all my Heart If you had not
been the dullest Fellow upon Earth I am convinced you must have discovered me«
She then went off muttering to herself that she was satisfied the Shepherdess
was some wretched Creature whom no body knew
The Shepherdess overheard the Sarcasm and answered it by asking Booth what
contemptible Wretch he had picked up »Indeed Madam« said he »you know as
much of her as I do she is a masquerade Acquaintance like yourself« »Like me«
repeated she »Do you think if this had been our first Acquaintance I should
have wasted so much Time with you as I have For your Part indeed I believe a
woman will get very little Advantage by her having been formerly intimate with
you« »I do not know Madam« said Booth »that I deserve that character any
more than I know the Person that now gives it me« »And you have the Assurance
then« said she in her own Voice »to affect not to remember me« »I think«
cries Booth »I have heard that Voice before but upon my Soul I do not
recollect it« »Do you recollect« said she »no Woman that you have used with
the highest Barbarity I will not say Ingratitude« »No upon my Honour«
answered Booth »Mention not Honour« said she »thou Wretch For hardened as
thou art I could shew thee a Face that in spite of thy consummate Impudence
would confound thee with Shame and Horrour Dost thou not yet know me« »I do
Madam indeed« answered Booth »and I confess that of all Women in the World
you have the most Reason for what you said«
Here a long Dialogue ensued between the Gentleman and the Lady whom I
suppose I need not mention to have been Miss Mathews but as it consisted
chiefly of violent Upbraidings on her Side and Excuses on his I despair of
making it entertaining to the Reader and shall therefore return to the Colonel
who having searched all the Rooms with the utmost Diligence without finding the
Woman he looked for began to suspect that he had before fixed on the right
Person and that Amelia had denied herself to him being pleased with her
Paramour whom he had discovered to be the noble Peer
He resolved therefore as he could have no Sport himself to spoil that of
others accordingly he found out Booth and asked him again what was become of
both their Wives for that he had searched all over the Rooms and could find
neither of them
Booth was now a little alarmed at this Account and parting with Miss
Mathews went along with the Colonel in search of his Wife As for Miss Mathews
he had at length pacified her with a Promise to make her a Visit which Promise
she extorted from him swearing bitterly in the most solemn Manner unless he
made it to her she would expose both him and herself at the Masquerade
As he knew the Violence of the Ladys Passions and to what Heights they
were capable of rising he was obliged to come into these Terms for he had I
am convinced no Fear upon Earth equal to that of Amelias knowing what it was
in the Power of Miss Mathews to communicate to her and which to conceal from
her he had already undergone so much Uneasiness
The Colonel led Booth directly to the Place where he had seen the Peer and
Amelia such he was now well convinced she was sitting together Booth no
sooner saw her than he said to the Colonel »sure that is my Wife in
Conversation with that Masque« »I took her for your Lady myself« said the
Colonel »but I found I was mistaken Hark ye that is my Lord and I have
seen that very Lady with him all this Night«
This Conversation past at a little Distance and out of the Hearing of the
supposed Amelia when Booth looking stedfastly at the Lady declared with an
Oath that he was positive the Colonel was in the right She then beckond to him
with her Fan upon which he went directly to her and she asked him to go home
which he very readily consented to The Peer then walked off the Colonel went
in pursuit of his Wife or of some other Woman and Booth and his Lady returned
in two Chairs to their Lodgings
Chapter III
Consequences of the Masquerade not uncommon nor surprising
The Lady getting first out of her Chair ran hastily up into the Nursery to the
Children for such was Amelias constant Method at her return home at whatever
Hour Booth then walked into the Diningroom where he had not been long before
Amelia came down to him and with a most chearful Countenance said »My Dear I
fancy we have neither of us supped shall I go down and see whether there is any
cold Meat in the House«
»For yourself if you please« answered Booth »but I shall eat nothing«
»How my Dear« said Amelia »I hope you have not lost your Appetite at the
Masquerade« For Supper was a Meal at which he generally eat very heartily
»I know not well what I have lost« said Booth »I find myself disordered
My Head aches I know not what is the Matter with me«
»Indeed my Dear you frighten me« said Amelia »you look indeed
disordered I wish the Masquerade had been far enough before you had gone
thither«
»Would to Heaven it had« cries Booth »but that is over now But pray
Amelia answer me one Question who was that Gentleman with you when I came up
to you«
»The Gentleman my Dear« said Amelia »what Gentleman«
»The Gentleman the Nobleman when I came up sure I speak plain«
»Upon my Word my Dear I dont understand you« answered she »I did not
know one Person at the Masquerade«
»How« said he »what spend the whole Evening with a Masque without knowing
him«
»Why my Dear« said she »you know we were not together«
»I know we were not« said he »but what is that to the Purpose sure you
answer me strangely I know we were not together and therefore I ask you whom
you were with«
»Nay but my Dear« said she »can I tell People in Masques«
»I say again Madam« said he »would you converse two Hours or more with a
Masque whom you did not know«
»Indeed Child« says she »I know nothing of the Methods of a Masquerade
for I never was at one in my Life«
»I wish to Heaven you had not been at this« cries Booth »Nay you will wish
so yourself if you tell me Truth What have I said do I can I suspect you of
not speaking Truth Since you are ignorant then I will inform you the Man you
have conversed with was no other than Lord «
»And is that the Reason« said she »you wish I had not been there«
»And is not that Reason« answered he »sufficient Is he not the last Man
upon Earth with whom I would have you converse«
»So you really wish then that I had not been at the Masquerade«
»I do« cried he »from my Soul«
»So may I ever be able« cried she »to indulge you in every Wish as in
this I was not there«
»Do not trifle Amelia« cried he »you would not jest with me if you knew
the Situation of my Mind«
»Indeed I do not jest with you« said she »Upon my Honour I was not there
Forgive me this first Deceit I ever practised and indeed it shall be the last
for I have paid severely for this by the Uneasiness it hath given me« She then
revealed to him the whole Secret which was thus
I think it hath been already mentioned in some Part of this History that
Amelia and Mrs Atkinson were exactly of the same Make and Stature and that
there was likewise a very near Resemblance between their Voices When Mrs
Atkinson therefore found that Amelia was so extremely averse to the Masquerade
she proposed to go thither in her stead and to pass upon Booth for his own
Wife
This was afterwards very easily executed for when they left Booths
Lodgings Amelia who went last to her Chair ran back to fetch her Masque as
she pretended which she had purposely left behind She then whipt off her
Domino and threw it over Mrs Atkinson who stood ready to receive it and ran
immediately down Stairs and stepping into Amelias Chair proceeded with the
rest to the Masquerade
As her Stature exactly suited that of Amelia she had very little Difficulty
to carry on the Imposition for besides the natural Resemblance of their Voices
and the Opportunity of speaking in a feigned one she had scarce an Intercourse
of six Words with Booth during the whole Time for the Moment they got into the
Crowd she took the first Opportunity of slipping from him And he as the
Reader may remember being seized by other Women and concluding his Wife to be
safe with Mrs James was very well satisfied till the Colonel set him upon the
Search as we have seen before
Mrs Atkinson the Moment she came home ran up Stairs to the Nursery where
she found Amelia and told her in Haste that she might very easily carry on the
Deceit with her Husband for that she might tell him what she pleased to invent
as they had not been a Minute together during the whole Evening
Booth was no sooner satisfied that his Wife had not been from home that
Evening than he fell into Raptures with her gave her a thousand tender
Caresses blamed his own Judgment acknowledged the Goodness of hers and vowed
never to oppose her Will more in any one Instance during his Life
Mrs Atkinson who was still in the Nursery with her Masquerade Dress was
then summoned down Stairs and when Booth saw her and heard her speak in her
mimic Tone he declared he was not surprised at his having been imposed upon
for that if they were both in the same Disguise he should scarce be able to
discover the Difference between them
They then sat down to half an Hours chearful Conversation after which they
retired all in the most perfect good Humour
Chapter IV
Consequences of the Masquerade
When Booth rose in the Morning he found in his Pocket that Letter which had
been delivered to him by Colonel Bath which had not Chance brought to his
Remembrance he might possibly have never recollected
He had now however the Curiosity to open the Letter and beginning to read
it the Matter of it drew him on till he perused the whole for notwithstanding
the Contempt cast upon it by those learned Critics the Bucks neither the
Subject nor the Manner in which it was treated was altogether contemptible
But there was still another Motive which induced Booth to read the whole
Letter and this was that he presently thought he knew the Hand He did indeed
immediately conclude it was Dr Harrison for the Doctor wrote a very remarkable
one and this Letter contained all the Particularities of the Doctors
Character
He had just finished a second Reading of this Letter when the Doctor
himself entered the Room The good Man was impatient to know the Success of
Amelias Stratagem for he bore towards her all that Love which Esteem can
create in a good Mind without the Assistance of those selfish Considerations
from which the Love of Wives and Children may be ordinarily deduced The latter
of which Nature by very subtle and refined Reasoning suggests to us to be Part
of our dear selves and the former as long as they remain the Objects of our
Liking that same Nature is furnished with very plain and fertile Arguments to
recommend to our Affections But to raise that Affection in the human Breast
which the Doctor had for Amelia Nature is forced to use a kind of Logic which
is no more understood by a bad Man than Sir Isaac Newtons Doctrine of Colours
is by one born blind And yet in reality it contains nothing more abstruse than
this That an Injury is the Object of Anger Danger of Fear and Praise of
Vanity For in the same simple Manner it may be asserted that Goodness is the
Object of Love
The Doctor enquired immediately for his Child for so he often called Amelia
Booth answered that he had left her asleep for that she had had but a
restless Night »I hope she is not disordered by the Masquerade« cries the
Doctor Booth answered he believed she would be very well when she waked »I
fancy« said he »her gentle Spirits were a little too much fluttered last
Night that is all«
»I hope then« said the Doctor »you will never more insist on her going to
such Places but know your own Happiness in having a Wife that hath the
Discretion to avoid those Places which though perhaps they may not be as some
represent them such Brothels of Vice and Debauchery as would impeach the
Character of every virtuous Woman who was seen at them are certainly however
Scenes of Riot Disorder and Intemperance very improper to be frequented by a
chaste and sober Christian Matron«
Booth declared that he was very sensible of his Error and that so far from
soliciting his Wife to go to another Masquerade he did not intend ever to go
thither any more himself
The Doctor highly approved the Resolution and then Booth said »And I thank
you my dear Friend as well as my Wifes Discretion that she was not at the
Masquerade last Night« He then related to the Doctor the Discovery of the Plot
and the good Man was greatly pleased with the Success of the Stratagem and that
Booth took it in such good Part
»But Sir« says Booth »I had a Letter given me by a noble Colonel there
which is written in a Hand so very like yours that I could almost swear to it
Nor is the Stile as far as I can guess unlike your own Here it is Sir Do
you own the Letter Doctor or do you not«
The Doctor took the Letter and having looked at it a Moment said »And
did the Colonel himself give you this Letter«
»The Colonel himself« answered Booth
»Why then« cries the Doctor »he is surely the most impudent Fellow that
the World ever produced What did he deliver it with an Air of Triumph«
»He delivered it me with Air enough« cries Booth »after his own Manner
and bid me read it for my Edification To say the Truth I am a little surprised
that he should single me out of all Mankind to deliver the Letter to I do not
think I deserve the Character of such a Husband It is well I am not so very
forward to take an Affront as some Folks«
»I am glad to see you are not« said the Doctor »and your Behaviour in this
Affair becomes both the Man of Sense and the Christian For it would be surely
the greatest Folly as well as the most daring Impiety to risque your own Life
for the Impertinence of a Fool As long as you are assured of the Virtue of your
own Wife it is Wisdom in you to despise the Efforts of such a Wretch Not
indeed that your Wife accuses him of any downright Attack though she hath
observed enough in his Behaviour to give Offence to her Delicacy«
»You astonish me Doctor« said Booth »What can you mean My Wife dislike
his Behaviour Hath the Colonel ever offended her«
»I do not say he hath ever offended her by any open Declarations Nor hath
he done any Thing which according to the most romantic Notion of Honour you
can or ought to resent but there is something extremely nice in the Chastity of
a truly virtuous Woman«
»And hath my Wife really complained of any Thing of that kind in the
Colonel«
»Look ye young Gentleman« cries the Doctor »I will have no quarrelling
or challenging I find I have made some Mistake and therefore I insist upon it
by all the Rights of Friendship that you give me your Word of Honour you will
not quarrel with the Colonel on this Account«
»I do with all my Heart« said Booth »for if I did not know your Character
I should absolutely think you was jesting with me I do not think you have
mistaken my Wife but I am sure she hath mistaken the Colonel and hath
misconstrued some overstrained Point of Gallantry something of the Quixotte
Kind into a Design against her Chastity but I have that Opinion of the
Colonel that I hope you will not be offended when I declare I know not which
of you two I should be the sooner jealous of«
»I would by no Means have you jealous of any one« cries the Doctor »for I
think my Childs Virtue may be firmly relied on but I am convinced she would
not have said what she did to me without a Cause nor should I without such a
Conviction have written that Letter to the Colonel as I own to you I did
However nothing I say hath yet past which even in the Opinion of false Honour
you are at Liberty to resent but as to declining any great Intimacy if you
will take my Advice I think that would be prudent«
»You will pardon me my dearest Friend« said Booth »but I have really such
an Opinion of the Colonel that I would pawn my Life upon his Honour and as for
Women I do not believe he ever had an Attachment to any«
»Be it so« said the Doctor »I have only two Things to insist on The first
is that if ever you change your Opinion this Letter may not be the Subject of
any Quarrelling or Fighting The other is that you never mention a Word of this
to your Wife By the latter I shall see whether you can keep a Secret and if it
is no otherwise material it will be a wholesome Exercise to your Mind for the
Practice of any Virtue is a kind of mental Exercise and serves to maintain the
Health and Vigour of the Soul«
»I faithfully promise both« cries Booth And now the Breakfast entered the
Room as did soon after Amelia and Mrs Atkinson
The Conversation ran chiefly on the Masquerade and Mrs Atkinson gave an
Account of several Adventures there but whether she told the whole Truth with
regard to herself I will not determine For certain it is she never once
mentioned the Name of the noble Peer Amongst the rest she said there was a
young Fellow that had preached a Sermon there upon a Stool in Praise of
Adultery she believed for she could not get near enough to hear the
Particulars
During that Transaction Booth had been engaged with the blue Domino in
another Room so that he knew nothing of it so that what Mrs Atkinson now
said only brought to his Mind the Doctors Letter to Colonel Bath for to him
he supposed it was written and the Idea of the Colonel being a Lover to Amelia
struck him in so ridiculous a Light that it threw him into a violent Fit of
Laughter
The Doctor who from the natural Jealousy of an Author imputed the
Agitation of Booths Muscles to his own Sermon or Letter on that Subject was a
little offended and said gravely »I should be glad to know the Reason of this
immoderate Mirth Is Adultery a Matter of Jest in your Opinion«
»Far otherwise« answerd Booth »But how is it possible to refrain from
Laughter at the Idea of a Fellow preaching a Sermon in Favour of it at such a
Place«
»I am very sorry« cries the Doctor »to find the Age is grown to so
scandalous a Degree of Licentiousness that we have thrown off not only Virtue
but Decency How abandoned must be the Manners of any Nation where such Insults
upon Religion and Morality can be committed with Impunity No Man is fonder of
true Wit and Humour than myself but to profane sacred Things with Jest and
Scoffing is a sure Sign of a weak and a wicked Mind It is the very Vice which
Homer attacks in the odious Character of Thersites The Ladies must excuse my
repeating the Passage to you as I know you have Greek enough to understand it
Os rA epea presin Ahsin akosma te polla te hdh
Map atar oy kata kosmon erizemenai basileysin
AAllA o ti oi eisaito geloiion AArgeioisin
Emmenai15
And immediately adds
aiskistos de anos ypo Ilion olte16
Horace again describes such a Rascal
Solutos
Qui captat risus hominum famamque dicacis17
And says of him
Hic niger est hunc tu Romane caveto18«
»O charming Homer« said Mrs Atkinson »how much above all other Writers«
»I ask your Pardon Madam« said the Doctor »I forgot you was a Scholar
but indeed I did not know you understood Greek as well as Latin«
»I do not pretend« said she »to be a Critic in the Greek but I think I am
able to read a little of Homer at least with the Help of looking now and then
into the Latin«
»Pray Madam« said the Doctor »how do you like this Passage in the Speech
of Hector to Andromache«
Eis oikon ioysa ta sayths erga komize
Iston tA hlakathn te kai ampipoloisi keleye
Ergon epoikestai19
»Or how do you like the Character of Hippodamia who by being the prettiest
Girl and best Workwoman of her Age got one of the best Husbands in all Troy
I think indeed Homer enumerates her Discretion with her other Qualifications
but I do not remember he gives us one Character of a Woman of Learning Dont
you conceive this to be a great Omission in that charming Poet However Juvenal
makes you amends for he talks very abundantly of the Learning of the Roman
Ladies in his Time«
»You are a provoking Man Doctor« said Mrs Atkinson »Where is the Harm in
a Womans having Learning as well as a Man«
»Let me ask you another Question« said the Doctor »Where is the Harm in a
Mans being a fine Performer with a Needle as well as a Woman And yet answer
me honestly Would you greatly chuse to marry a Man with a Thimble upon his
Finger Would you in earnest think a Needle became the Hand of your Husband as
well as a Halberd«
»As to War I am with you« said she »Homer himself I well remember makes
Hector tell his Wife that warlike Works What is the Greek Word Pollemy
something belonged to Men only and I readily agree to it I hate a masculine
Woman an Amazon as much as you can do but what is there masculine in
Learning«
»Nothing so masculine take my Word for it As for your Pollemy I look upon
it to be the true Characteristic of a Devil So Homer every where characterizes
Mars«
»Indeed my dear« cries the Serjeant »you had better not dispute with the
Doctor for upon my Word he will be too hard for you«
»Nay I beg you will not interfere« cries Mrs Atkinson »I am sure you can
be no judge in these Matters«
At which the Doctor and Booth burst into a loud Laugh and Amelia though
fearful of giving her Friend Offence could not forbear a gentle Smile
»You may laugh Gentlemen if you please« said Mrs Atkinson »but I thank
Heaven I have married a Man who is not jealous of my Understanding I should
have been the most miserable Woman upon Earth with a starched Pedant who was
possessed of that nonsensical Opinion that the Difference of Sexes causes any
Difference in the Mind Why dont you honestly avow the Turkish Notion that
Women have no Souls for you say the same thing in Effect«
»Indeed my dear« cries the Serjeant greatly concerned to see his Wife so
angry »you have mistaken the Doctor«
»I beg my dear« cried she »you will say nothing upon these Subjects I
hope you at least do not despise my Understanding«
»I assure you I do not« said the Serjeant »and I hope you will never
despise mine for a Man may have some Understanding I hope without Learning«
Mrs Atkinson reddened extremely at these Words and the Doctor fearing he
had gone too far began to soften Matters in which Amelia assisted him By these
Means the Storm rising in Mrs Atkinson before was in some measure laid at
least suspended from bursting at present but it fell afterwards upon the poor
Serjeants Head in a Torrent who had learnd perhaps one Maxim from his Trade
that a CannonBall always doth Mischief in proportion to the Resistance it meets
with and that nothing so effectually deadens its Force as a Woolpack The
Serjeant therefore bore all with Patience and the Idea of a Woolpack perhaps
bringing that of a Featherbed into his Head he at last not only quieted his
Wife but she cried out with great Sincerity »Well my dear I will say one
thing for you that I believe from my Soul though you have no Learning you
have the best Understanding of any Man upon Earth and I must own I think the
latter far the more profitable of the two«
Far different was the Idea she entertained of the Doctor whom from this
Day she considered as a conceited Pedant nor could all Amelias Endeavours
ever alter her Sentiments
The Doctor now took his Leave of Booth and his Wife for a Week he intending
to set out within an Hour or two with his old Friend with whom our Readers were
a little acquainted at the latter End of the Ninth Book and of whom perhaps
they did not then conceive the most favourable Opinion
Nay I am aware that the Esteem which some Readers before had for the Doctor
may be here lessened since he may appear to have been too easy a Dupe to the
gross Flattery of the old Gentleman If there be any such Critics we are
heartily sorry as well for them as for the Doctor but it is our Business to
discharge the Part of a faithful Historian and to describe Human Nature as it
is not as we would wish it to be
Chapter V
In which Colonel Bath appears in great Glory
That Afternoon as Booth was walking in the Park he met with Colonel Bath who
presently asked him for the Letter which he had given him the Night before upon
which Booth immediately returned it
»Dont you think« cries Bath »it is writ with great Dignity of Expression
and Emphasis of of of Judgment«
»I am surprised though« cries Booth »that any one should write such a
Letter to you Colonel«
»To me« said Bath »What do you mean Sir I hope you dont imagine any
Man durst write such a Letter to me Dn me if I knew a Man who thought me
capable of debauching my Friends Wife I would dn me«
»I believe indeed Sir« cries Booth »that no Man living dares put his Name
to such a Letter But you see it is anonymous«
»I dont know what you mean by ominous« cries the Colonel »but blast my
Reputation if I had received such a Letter if I would not have searched the
World to have found the Writer Dn me I would have gone to the East Indies to
have pulled off his Nose«
»He would indeed have deserved it« cries Booth »But pray Sir how came
you by it«
»I took it« said the Colonel »from a Set of idle young Rascals one of
whom was reading it out aloud upon a Stool while the rest were attempting to
make a Jest not only of the Letter but of all Decency Virtue and Religion A
Set of Fellows that you must have seen or heard of about Town that are dn me
a Disgrace to the Dignity of Manhood Puppies that mistake Noise and Impudence
Rudeness and Profaneness for Wit If the Drummers of my Company had not more
Understanding than twenty such Fellows Id have them both whipt out of the
Regiment«
»So then you do not know the Person to whom it was writ« said Booth
»Lieutenant« cries the Colonel »your Question deserves no Answer I ought
to take Time to consider whether I ought not to resent the Supposition Do you
think Sir I am acquainted with a Rascal«
»I do not suppose Colonel« cries Booth »that you would willingly
cultivate an Intimacy with such a Person but a Man must have good Luck who hath
any Acquaintance if there are not some Rascals among them«
»I am not offended with you Child« says the Colonel »I know you did not
intend to offend me«
»No Man I believe dares intend it« said Booth
»I believe so too« said the Colonel »dn me I know it But you know
Child how tender I am on this Subject If I had been ever married myself I
should have cleft the Mans Scull who had dard look wantonly at my Wife«
»It is certainly the most cruel of all Injuries« said Booth »How finely
doth Shakespeare express it in his Othello
But there where I had treasurd up my Soul«
»That Shakespeare« cries the Colonel »was a fine Fellow He was a very pretty
Poet indeed Was it not Shakespeare that wrote the Play about Hotspur You must
remember these Lines I got them almost by Heart at the PlayHouse for I never
missed that Play whenever it was acted if I was in Town«
By Heavn it was an easy Leap
To pluck bright Honour into the Full Moon
Or drive into the bottomless Deep
»And and Faith I have almost forgot them but I know it is something about
saving your Honour from drowning O it is very fine I say dn me the Man
that writ those Lines was the greatest Poet the World ever produced There is
Dignity of Expression and Emphasis of thinking dn me«
Booth assented to the Colonels Criticism and then cried »I wish Colonel
you would be so kind to give me that Letter« The Colonel answered if he had
any particular Use for it he would give it him with all his Heart and
presently delivered it and soon afterwards they parted
Several Passages now struck all at once upon Booths Mind which gave him
great Uneasiness He became confident now that he had mistaken one Colonel for
another and though he could not account for the Letters getting into those
Hands from whom Bath had taken it indeed James had dropt it out of his Pocket
yet a thousand Circumstances left him no room to doubt the Identity of the
Person who was a Man much more liable to raise the Suspicion of a Husband than
honest Bath who would at any Time have rather fought with a Man than lain with
a Woman
The whole Behaviour of Amelia now rushed upon his Memory Her Resolution not
to take up her Residence at the Colonels House her Backwardness even to dine
there her Unwillingness to go to the Masquerade many of her unguarded
Expressions and some where she had been more guarded all joined together to
raise such an Idea in Mr Booth that he had almost taken a Resolution to go and
cut the Colonel to Pieces in his own House Cooler Thoughts however suggested
themselves to him in Time He recollected the Promise he had so solemnly made to
the Doctor He considered moreover that he was yet in the Dark as to the
Extent of the Colonels Guilt Having nothing therefore to fear from it he
contented himself to postpone a Resentment which he nevertheless resolved to
take of the Colonel hereafter if he found he was in any Degree a Delinquent
The first Step he determined to take was on the first Opportunity to
relate to Colonel James the Means by which he became possessed of the Letter
and to read it to him On which Occasion he thought he should easily discern by
the Behaviour of the Colonel whether he had been suspected either by Amelia or
the Doctor without a Cause But as for his Wife he fully resolved not to reveal
the Secret to her till the Doctors Return
While Booth was deeply engaged by himself in these Meditations Captain
Trent came up to him and familiarly slappd him on the Shoulder
They were soon joined by a third Gentleman and presently afterwards by a
fourth both Acquaintances of Mr Trent and all having walked twice the Length
of the Mall together it being now past Nine in the Evening Trent proposed
going to the Tavern to which the Strangers immediately consented and Booth
himself after some Resistance was at length persuaded to comply
To the KingsArms then they went where the Bottle went very briskly round
till after Eleven at which Time Trent proposed a Game at Cards to which
Proposal likewise Booths Consent was obtaind though not without much
Difficulty for though he had naturally some Inclination to Gaming and had
formerly a little indulged it yet he had entirely left it off for many Years
Booth and his Friend were Partners and had at first some Success but
Fortune according to her usual Conduct soon shifted about and persecuted
Booth with such Malice that in about two Hours he was stripd of all the Gold
in his Pocket which amounted to twelve Guineas being more than half the Cash
which he was at that Time worth
How easy it is for a Man who is at all tainted with the Itch of Gaming to
leave off Play in such a Situation especially when he is likewise heated with
Liquor I leave to the Gamesters to determine Certain it is that Booth had no
Inclination to desist but on the contrary was so eagerly bent on playing on
that he called his Friend out of the Room and asked him for ten Pieces which
he promised punctually to pay the next Morning
Trent chid him for using so much Formality on the Occasion »You know« said
he »dear Booth you may have what Money you please of me Here is a 20l Note
at your Service and if you want five times the Sum it is at your Service We
will never let these Fellows go away with our Money in this manner for we have
so much the Advantage that if the knowing ones were here they would lay odds
of our Side«
But if this was really Mr Trents Opinion he was very much mistaken for
the other two honourable Gentlemen were not only greater Masters of the Game
and somewhat soberer than poor Booth having with all the Art in their Power
evaded the Bottle but they had moreover another small Advantage over their
Adversaries both of them by means of some certain private Signs previously
agreed upon between them being always acquainted with the principal Cards in
each others Hands It cannot be wonderd therefore that Fortune was on their
Side for however she may be reported to favour Fools she never I believe shews
them any Countenance when they engage in Play with Knaves
The more Booth lost the deeper he made his Bets the Consequence of which
was that about two in the Morning besides the Loss of his own Money he was 50
l indebted to Trent A Sum indeed which he would not have borrowed had not the
other like a very generous Friend pushd it upon him
»Trents Pockets became at last dry by means of these Loans His own Loss
indeed was trifling for the Stakes of the Games were no higher than Crowns and
betting as it is called was that to which Booth owed his Ruin The Gentlemen
therefore pretty well knowing Booths Circumstances and being kindly unwilling
to win more of a Man than he was worth declined playing any longer nor did
Booth once ask them to persist for he was ashamed of the Debt which he had
already contracted to Trent and very far from desiring to encrease it«
The Company then separated The two Victors and Trent went off in their
Chairs to their several Houses near GrosvenorSquare and poor Booth in a
melancholy Mood walkd home to his Lodgings He was indeed in such a Fit of
Despair that it more than once came into his Head to put an End to his
miserable Being
But before we introduce him to Amelia we must do her the Justice to relate
the manner in which she spent this unhappy Evening It was about seven when
Booth left her to walk in the Park From this Time till past Eight she was
employd with her Children in playing with them in giving them their Supper
and in putting them to Bed
When these Offices were performed she employd herself another Hour in
cooking up a little Supper for her Husband this being as we have already
observed his favourite Meal as indeed it was hers and in a most pleasant and
delightful Manner they generally passed their Time at this Season though their
Fare was very seldom of the sumptuous Kind
It now grew dark and her hashed Mutton was ready for the Table but no
Booth appeard Having waited therefore for him a full Hour she gave him over
for that Evening nor was she much alarmed at his Absence as she knew he was in
a Night or two to be at the Tavern with some Brother Officers She concluded
therefore that they had met in the Park and had agreed to spend this Evening
together
At Ten then she sat down to Supper by herself for Mrs Atkinson was then
abroad And here we cannot help relating a little Incident however trivial it
may appear to some Having sat some Time alone reflecting on their distressd
Situation her Spirits grew very low and she was once or twice going to ring
the Bell to send her Maid for half a Pint of Whitewine but checkd her
Inclination in order to save the little Sum of Sixpence which she did the more
resolutely as she had before refused to gratify her Children with Tarts for
their Supper from the same Motive And this Selfdenial she was very probably
practising to save Sixpence while her Husband was paying a Debt of several
Guineas incurred by the Ace of Trumps being in the Hands of his Adversary
Instead therefore of this Cordial she took up one of the excellent
Farquhars Comedies and read it half through when the Clock striking Twelve
she retired to Bed leaving the Maid to sit up for her Master She would indeed
have much more willingly sat up herself but the Delicacy of her own Mind
assured her that Booth would not thank her for the Compliment This is indeed a
Method which some Wives take of upbraiding their Husbands for staying abroad
till too late an Hour and of engaging them thro Tenderness and Goodnature
never to enjoy the Company of their Friends too long when they must do this at
the Expence of their Wives Rest
To Bed then she went but not to sleep Thrice indeed she told the dismal
Clock and as often heard the more dismal Watchman till her miserable Husband
found his Way home and stole silently like a Thief to Bed to her at which
Time pretending then first to awake she threw her snowy Arms around him though
perhaps the more witty Property of Snow according to Addison that is to say
its Coldness rather belonged to the poor Captain
Chapter VI
Read Gamester and observe
Booth could not so well disguise the Agitations of his Mind from Amelia but
that she perceived sufficient Symptoms to assure her that some Misfortune had
befallen him This made her in her Turn so uneasy that Booth took Notice of it
and after Breakfast said »Sure my dear Emily something hath fallen out to vex
you«
Amelia looking tenderly at him answered »Indeed my Dear you are in the
right I am indeed extremely vexed« »For Heavens Sake« said he »what is it«
»Nay my Love« cries she »that you must answer yourself Whatever it is which
hath given you all that Disturbance that you in vain endeavour to conceal from
me this it is which causes all my Affliction«
»You guess truly my Sweet« replied Booth »I am indeed afflicted and I
will not nay I cannot conceal the Truth from you I have undone myself Amelia
«
»What have you done Child« said she in some Consternation »pray tell
me«
»I have lost my Money at Play« answered he
»Pugh« said she recovering herself »what signifies the Trifle you had
in your Pocket Resolve never to play again and let it give you no further
Vexation I warrant you we will contrive some Method to repair such a Loss«
»Thou heavenly Angel thou Comfort of my Soul« cried Booth tenderly
embracing her Then starting a little from her Arms and looking with eager
Fondness in her Eyes he said »Let me survey thee art thou really human or
art thou not rather an angel in a human Form O no« cried he flying again
into her Arms »thou art my dearest Woman my best my beloved Wife«
Amelia having returned all his Caresses with equal Kindness told him she had
near eleven Guineas in her Purse and asked how much she should fetch him »I
would not advise you Billy to carry too much in your Pocket for fear it
should be a Temptation to you to return to Gaming in order to retrieve your
past Losses Let me beg you on all Accounts never to think more if possible
on the Trifle you have lost any more than if you had never possessed it«
Booth promised her faithfully he never would and refused to take any of the
money He then hesitated a Moment and cried »You say my Dear you have
eleven Guineas you have a Diamond Ring likewise which was your Grandmothers
I believe that is worth twenty Pound and your own and the Childs Watch are
worth as much more«
»I believe they would sell for as much« cried Amelia »for a Pawnbroker of
Mrs Atkinsons Acquaintance offered to lend me thirtyfive Pounds upon them
when you was in your last Distress But why are you computing their Value
now«
»I was only considering« answered he »how much we could raise in any Case
of Exigency«
»I have computed it myself« said she »and I believe all we have in the
World besides our bare necessary Apparel would produce about sixty Pounds And
suppose my Dear« said she »while we have that little Sum we should think of
employing it some Way or other to procure some small Subsistence for ourselves
and our Family As for your Dependance on the Colonels Friendship it is all
vain I am afraid and fallacious Nor do I see any Hopes you have from any
other Quarter of providing for yourself again in the Army And though the Sum
which is now in our Power is very small yet we may possibly contrive with it to
put ourselves into some mean Way of Livelihood I have a Heart my Billy which
is capable of undergoing any Thing for your Sake and I hope my Hands are as
able to work as those which have been more inured to it But think my Dear
think what must be our wretched Condition when the very little we now have is
all moulderd away as it will soon be in this Town«
When poor Booth heard this and reflected that the Time which Amelia foresaw
was already arrived for that he had already lost every Farthing they were
worth it touched him to the Quick he turned pale gnashed his Teeth and cried
out »Damnation this is too much to bear«
Amelia was thrown into the utmost Consternation by this Behaviour and with
great Terror in her Countenance cried out »Good Heavens my dear Love what is
the Reason of this Agony«
»Ask me no Questions« cried he »unless you would drive me to Madness«
»My Billy my Love« said she »what can be the Meaning of this I beg you
will deal openly with me and tell me all your Griefs«
»Have you dealt fairly with me Amelia« said he
»Yes surely« said she »Heaven is my Witness how fairly«
»Nay do not call Heaven« cried he »to witness a Falshood You have not
dealt openly with me Amelia You have concealed Secrets from me Secrets which
I ought to have known and which if I had known it had been better for us
both«
»You astonish me as much as you shock me« cried she »What Falshood what
Treachery have I been guilty of«
»You tell me« said he »that I can have no Reliance on James why did you
not tell me so before«
»I call Heaven again« said she »to witness nay I appeal to yourself for
the Truth of it I have often told you so I have told you I disliked the Man
notwithstanding the many Favours he had done you I desired you not to have too
absolute a Reliance upon him I own I had once an extreme good Opinion of him
but I changed it and I acquainted you that I had so «
»But not« cries he »with the Reasons why you had changed it«
»I was really afraid my Dear« said she »of going too far I knew the
Obligations you had to him and if I suspected that he acted rather from Vanity
than true Friendship «
»Vanity« cries he »take Care Amelia you know his Motive to be much worse
than Vanity A Motive which if he had piled Obligations on me till they had
reached the Skies would tumble all down to Hell It is in vain to conceal it
longer I know all your Confident hath told me all«
»Nay then« cries she »on my Knees I entreat you to be pacified and hear
me out It was my Dear for you my dread of your jealous Honour and the fatal
Consequences«
»Is not Amelia then« cried he »equally jealous of my Honour Would she
from a weak Tenderness for my Person go privately about to betray to undermine
the most invaluable Treasure of my Soul Would she have me pointed at as the
credulous Dupe the easy Fool the tame the kind Cuckold of a Rascal with whom
I conversed as a Friend«
»Indeed you injure me« said Amelia »Heaven forbid I should have the Trial
but I think I could sacrifice all I hold most dear to preserve your Honour I
think I have shewn I can But I will when you are cool I will satisfy you I
have done nothing you ought to blame«
»I am cool then« cries he »I will with the greatest Coolness hear you
But do not think Amelia I have the least Jealousy the least Suspicion the
least Doubt of your Honour It is your Want of Confidence in me alone which I
blame«
»When you are calm« cried she »I will speak and not before«
He assured her he was calm and then she said »You have justified my
Conduct by your present Passion in concealing from you my Suspicions for they
were no more nay it is possible they were unjust For since the Doctor in
betraying the Secret to you hath so far falsified my Opinion of him why may I
not be as well deceived in my Opinion of the Colonel since it was only formed
on some Particulars in his Behaviour which I disliked for upon my Honour he
never spoke a Word to me nor hath been ever guilty of any direct Action which I
could blame« She then went on and related most of the Circumstances which she
had mentioned to the Doctor omitting one or two of the strongest and giving
such a Turn to the rest that if Booth had not had some of Othellos Blood in
him his Wife would have almost appeared a Prude in his Eyes Even he however
was pretty well pacified by this Narrative and said he was glad to find a
Possibility of the Colonels Innocence but that he greatly commended the
Prudence of his Wife and only wished she would for the future make him her only
Confident
Amelia upon that expressed some Bitterness against the Doctor for breaking
his Trust when Booth in his Excuse related all the Circumstances of the Letter
and plainly convinced her that the Secret had dropt by mere Accident from the
Mouth of the Doctor
Thus the Husband and Wife became again reconciled and poor Amelia
generously forgave a Passion of which the sagacious Reader is better acquainted
with the real Cause than was that unhappy Lady
Chapter VII
In which Booth receives a Visit from Captain Trent
When Booth grew perfectly cool and began to reflect that he had broken his Word
to the Doctor in having made the Discovery to his Wife which we have seen in
the last Chapter that Thought gave him great Uneasiness and now to comfort
him Captain Trent came to make him a Visit This was indeed almost the last Man
in the World whose Company he wished for for he was the only Man he was
ashamed to see for a Reason well known to Gamesters among whom the most
dishonourable of all Things is not to pay a Debt contracted at the
GamingTable the next Day or the next Time at least that you see the Party
Booth made no Doubt but that Trent was come on Purpose to receive this
Debt the latter had been therefore scarce a Minute in the Room before Booth
began in an aukward Manner to apologize but Trent immediately stopt his
Mouth and said »I do not want the Money Mr Booth and you may pay it me
whenever you are able and if you are never able I assure you I will never ask
you for it«
This Generosity raised such a Tempest of Gratitude in Booth if I may be
allowed the Expression that the Tears burst from his Eyes and it was some Time
before he could find any Utterance for those Sentiments with which his Mind
overflowed but when he began to express his Thankfulness Trent immediately
stopt him and gave a sudden Turn to their Discourse
Mrs Trent had been to visit Mrs Booth on the Masquerade Evening which
Visit Mrs Booth had not yet returned Indeed this was only the second Day since
she had received it Trent therefore now told his Friend that he should take it
extremely kind if he and his Lady would wave all Ceremony and sup at their
House the next Evening Booth hesitated a Moment but presently said »I am
pretty certain my Wife is not engaged and I will undertake for her I am sure
she will not refuse any Thing Mr Trent can ask« And soon after Trent took
Booth with him to walk in the Park
There were few greater Lovers of a Bottle than Trent he soon proposed
therefore to adjourn to the KingsArms Tavern where Booth though much against
his Inclination accompanied him But Trent was very importunate and Booth did
not think himself at Liberty to refuse such a Request to a Man from whom he had
so lately received such Obligations
When they came to the Tavern however Booth recollected the Omission he had
been guilty of the Night before He wrote a short Note therefore to his Wife
acquainting her that he should not come home to Supper but comforted her with a
faithful Promise that he would on no Account engage himself in Gaming
The first Bottle past in ordinary Conversation but when they had tapped the
second Booth on some Hints which Trent gave him very fairly laid open to him
his whole Circumstances and declared he almost despaired of mending them »My
chief Relief« said he »was in the Interest of Colonel James but I have given
up those Hopes«
»And very wisely too« said Trent »I say nothing of the Colonels good
Will Very likely he may be your sincere Friend but I do not believe he hath
the Interest he pretends to He hath had too many Favours in his own Family to
ask any more yet a while But I am mistaken if you have not a much more
powerful Friend than the Colonel one who is both able and willing to serve you
I dined at his Table within these two Days and I never heard kinder nor warmer
Expressions from the Mouth of Man than he made use of towards you I make no
Doubt you know whom I mean«
»Upon my Honour I do not« answered Booth »nor did I guess that I had such
a Friend in the World as you mention«
»I am glad then« cries Trent »that I have the Pleasure of informing you of
it« He then named the noble Peer who hath been already so often mentioned in
this History
Booth turned pale and started at his Name »I forgive you my dear Trent«
cries Booth »for mentioning his Name to me as you are a Stranger to what hath
past between us«
»Nay I know nothing that hath past between you« answered Trent »I am sure
if there is any Quarrel between you of two Days standing all is forgiven on his
Part«
»Dn his Forgiveness« said Booth »Perhaps I ought to blush at what I have
forgiven«
»You surprise me« cries Trent »Pray what can be the Matter«
»Indeed my dear Trent« cries Booth very gravely »he would have injured me
in the tenderest Part I know not how to tell it you but he would have
dishonoured me with my Wife«
»Sure you are not in Earnest« answered Trent »but if you are you will
pardon me for thinking that impossible«
»Indeed« cries Booth »I have so good an Opinion of my Wife as to believe
it impossible for him to succeed but that he should intend me the Favour you
will not I believe think an Impossibility«
»Faith not in the least« said Trent »Mrs Booth is a very fine Woman and
if I had the Honour to be her Husband I should not be angry with any Man for
liking her«
»But you would be angry« said Booth »with a Man who should make use of
Stratagems and Contrivances to seduce her Virtue especially if he did this
under the Colour of entertaining the highest Friendship for yourself«
»Not at all« cries Trent »It is Human Nature«
»Perhaps it is« cries Booth »but it is Human Nature depraved stript of
all its Worth and Loveliness and Dignity and degraded down to a Level with the
vilest Brutes«
»Look ye Booth« cries Trent »I would not be misunderstood I think when
I am talking to you I talk to a Man of Sense and to an Inhabitant of this
Country not to one who dwells in a Land of Saints If you have really such an
Opinion as you express of this noble Lord you have the finest Opportunity of
making a complete Fool and Bubble of him that any Man can desire and of making
your own Fortune at the same Time I do not say that your Suspicions are
groundless for of all Men upon Earth I know my Lord is the greatest Bubble to
Women though I believe he hath had very few And this I am confident of that
he hath not the least Jealousy of these Suspicions Now therefore if you will
act the Part of a wise Man I will undertake that you shall make your Fortune
without the least Injury to the Chastity of Mrs Booth«
»I do not understand you Sir« said Booth
»Nay« cries Trent »if you will not understand me I have done I meant only
your Service and I thought I had known you better«
Booth begged him to explain himself »If you can« said he »shew me any Way
to improve such Circumstances as I have opened to you you may depend on it I
shall readily embrace it and own my Obligations to you«
»That is spoken like a Man« cries Trent »Why what is it more than this
Carry your Suspicions in your own Bosom Let Mrs Booth in whose Virtue I am
sure you may be justly confident go to the public Places there let her treat
my Lord with common Civility only I am sure he will bite And thus without
suffering him to gain his Purpose you will gain yours I know several who have
succeeded with him in this Manner«
»I am very sorry Sir« cries Booth »that you are acquainted with any such
Rascals I do assure you rather than I would act such a Part I would submit to
the hardest Sentence that Fortune could pronounce against me«
»Do as you please Sir« said Trent »I have only ventured to advise you as
a Friend But do you not think your Nicety is a little overscrupulous«
»You will excuse me Sir« said Booth »but I think no Man can be too
scrupulous in Points which concern his Honour«
»I know many Men of very nice Honour« answered Trent »who have gone much
farther and no Man I am sure had ever a better Excuse for it than yourself
You will forgive me Booth since what I speak proceeds from my Love to you
nay indeed by mentioning your Affairs to me which I am heartily sorry for
you have given me a Right to speak You know best what Friends you have to
depend upon but if you have no other Pretensions than your Merit I can assure
you you would fail if it was possible you could have ten Times more Merit than
you have And if you love your Wife as I am convinced you do what must be your
Condition in seeing her want the Necessaries of Life«
»I know my Condition is very hard« cries Booth »but I have one Comfort in
it which I will never part with and that is Innocence As to the mere
Necessaries of Life however it is pretty difficult to deprive us of them this
I am sure of no one can want them long«
»Upon my Word Sir« cries Trent »I did not know you had been so great a
Philosopher but believe me these Matters look much less terrible at a
Distance than when they are actually present You will then find I am afraid
that Honour hath no more Skill in Cookery than Shakespeare tells us it hath in
Surgery Dn me if I dont wish his Lordship loved my Wife as well as he doth
yours I promise you I would trust her Virtue and if he should get the better
of it I should have People of Fashion enough to keep me in Countenance«
Their second Bottle being now almost out Booth without making any Answer
called for a Bill Trent prest very much the drinking another Bottle but Booth
absolutely refused and presently afterwards they parted not extremely well
satisfied with each other They appeared indeed one to the other in
disadvantageous Lights of a very different kind Trent concluded Booth to be a
very silly Fellow and Booth began to suspect that Trent was very little better
than a Scoundrel
Chapter VIII
Contains a Letter and other Matters
We will now return to Amelia to whom immediately upon her Husbands Departure
to walk with Mr Trent a Porter brought the following Letter which she
immediately opened and read
»Madam
The quick Dispatch which I have given to your first Commands will I
hope assure you of the Diligence with which I shall always obey every
Command that you are pleased to honour me with I have indeed in this
trifling Affair acted as if my Life itself had been at Stake nay I
know not but it may be so for this insignificant Matter you was pleased
to tell me would oblige the charming Person in whose Power is not only
my Happiness but as I am well persuaded my Life too Let me reap
therefore some little Advantage in your Eyes as you have in mine from
this trifling Occasion for if any Thing could add to the Charms of
which you are Mistress it would be perhaps that amiable Zeal with which
you maintain the Cause of your Friend I hope indeed she will be my
Friend and Advocate with the most lovely of her Sex as I think she hath
Reason and as you was pleased to insinuate she had been Let me beseech
you Madam let not that dear Heart whose Tenderness is so inclind to
compassionate the Miseries of others be hardend only against the
Sufferings which itself occasions Let not that Man alone have Reason to
think you cruel who of all others would do the most to procure your
Kindness How often have I lived over in my Reflections in my Dreams
those two short Minutes we were together but alas how faint are these
Mimickries of the Imagination What would I not give to purchase the
Reality of such another Blessing This Madam is in your Power to
bestow on the Man who hath no Wish no Will no Fortune no Heart no
Life but what are at your Disposal Grant me only the Favour to be at
Lady s Assembly You can have nothing to fear from indulging me
with a Moments Sight a Moments Conversation I will ask no more I
know your Delicacy and had rather die than offend it Could I have seen
you sometimes I believe the Fear of offending you would have kept my
Love for ever buried in my own Bosom but to be totally excluded even
from the Sight of what my Soul doats on is what I cannot bear It is
that alone which hath extorted the fatal Secret from me Let that obtain
your Forgiveness for me I need not sign this Letter otherwise than
with that Impression of my Heart which I hope it bears and to conclude
it in any Form no Language hath Words of Devotion strong enough to tell
you with what Truth what Anguish what Zeal what Adoration I love
you«
Amelia had just Strength to hold out to the End when her Trembling grew so
violent that she dropt the Letter and had probably dropt herself had not Mrs
Atkinson come timely in to support her
»Good Heavens« cries Mrs Atkinson »What is the Matter with you Madam«
»I know not what is the Matter« cries Amelia »but I have receivd a Letter
at last from that infamous Colonel«
»You will take my Opinion again then I hope Madam« cries Mrs Atkinson
»But dont be so affected the Letter cannot eat you or run away with you
Here it lies I see will you give me Leave to read it«
»Read it with all my Heart« cries Amelia »and give me your Advice how to
act for I am almost distracted«
»Hey day« says Mrs Atkinson »here is a Piece of Parchment too What is
that« In Truth this Parchment had dropt from the Letter when Amelia first
opend it but her Attention was so fixed by the Contents of the Letter itself
that she had never read the other Mrs Atkinson had now opened the Parchment
first and after a Moments Perusal the Fire flashd from her Eyes and the
Blood flushd into her Cheeks and she cried out in a Rapture »It is a
Commission for my Husband upon my Soul it is a Commission for my Husband« and
at the same Time began to jump about the Room in a kind of frantic Fit of Joy
»What can be the Meaning of all this« cries Amelia under the highest
Degree of Astonishment
»Do not I tell you my dear Madam« cried she »that it is a Commission for
my Husband and can you wonder at my being overjoyed at what I know will make
him so happy And now it is all out The Letter is not from the Colonel but
from that noble Lord of whom I have told you so much But indeed Madam I have
some Pardons to ask of you However I know your Goodness and I will tell you
all«
»You are to know then Madam that I had not been in the Opera House six
Minutes before a Masque came up and taking me by the Hand led me aside I gave
the Masque my Hand and seeing a Lady at that Time lay hold on Captain Booth I
took that Opportunity of slipping away from him for tho by the Help of the
squeaking Voice and by attempting to mimic yours I had pretty well disguised
my own I was still afraid if I had much Conversation with your Husband he
would discover me I walkd therefore away with this Masque to the upper End of
the farthest Room where we sat down in a Corner together He presently
discoverd to me that he took me for you and I soon after found out who he was
indeed so far from attempting to disguise himself he spoke in his own Voice
and in his own Person He now began to make very violent Love to me but it was
rather in the Stile of a great Man of the present Age than of an Arcadian
Swain In short he laid his whole Fortune at my Feet and bade me make whatever
Terms I pleased either for myself or for others By others I suppose he meant
your Husband This however put a Thought into my Head of turning the present
Occasion to Advantage I told him there were two Kinds of Persons the
Fallaciousness of whose Promises had become proverbial in the World These were
Lovers and great Men What Reliance then could I have on the Promise of one who
united in himself both those Characters That I had seen a melancholy Instance
in a very worthy Woman of my Acquaintance meaning myself Madam of his Want
of Generosity I said I knew the Obligations that he had to this Woman and the
Injuries he had done her all which I was convinced she forgave for that she
had said the handsomest Things in the World of him to me He answerd that he
thought he had not been deficient in Generosity to this Lady for I explaind
to him whom I meant but that indeed if she had spoke well of him to me
meaning yourself Madam he would not fail to reward her for such an
Obligation I then told him she had married a very deserving Man who had
served long in the Army abroad as a private Man and who was a Serjeant in the
Guards that I knew it was so very easy for him to get him a Commission that I
should not think he had any Honour or Goodness in the World if he neglected it
I declard this Step must be a Preliminary to any good Opinion he must ever hope
for of mine I then professed the greatest Friendship to that Lady in which I
am convinced you will think me serious and assured him he would give me one of
the highest Pleasures in letting me be the Instrument of doing her such a
Service He promised me in a Moment to do what you see Madam he hath since
done And to you I shall always think myself indebted for it«
»I know not how you are indebted to me« cries Amelia »Indeed I am very
glad of any good Fortune that can attend poor Atkinson but I wish it had been
obtaind some other Way Good Heavens what must be the Consequence of this
What must this Lord think of me for listning to his Mention of Love nay for
making any Terms with him For what must he suppose those Terms mean Indeed
Mrs Atkinson you carried it a great deal too far No Wonder he had the
Assurance to write to me in the Manner he hath done It is too plain what he
conceives of me and who knows what he may say to others You may have blown up
my Reputation by your Behaviour«
»How is that possible« answerd Mrs Atkinson »Is it not in my Power to
clear up all Matters If you will but give me Leave to make an Appointment in
your Name I will meet him myself and declare the whole Secret to him«
»I will consent to no such Appointment« cries Amelia »I am heartily sorry
I ever consented to practise any Deceit I plainly see the Truth of what Dr
Harrison hath often told me that if one steps ever so little out of the Ways of
Virtue and Innocence we know not how we may slide for all the Ways of Vice are
a slippery Descent«
»That Sentiment« cries Mrs Atkinson »is much older than Dr Harrison
Omne Vitium in proclivi est«
»However new or old it is I find it is true« cries Amelia »But pray
tell me all though I tremble to hear it«
»Indeed my dear Friend« said Mrs Atkinson »you are terrified at nothing
Indeed indeed you are too great a Prude«
»I do not know what you mean by Prudery« answered Amelia »I shall never be
ashamed of the strictest Regard to Decency to Reputation and to that Honour in
which the dearest of all human Creatures hath his Share But pray give me the
Letter there is an Expression in it which alarmed me when I read it Pray
what doth he mean by his two short Minutes and by purchasing the Reality of
such another Blessing«
»Indeed I know not what he means by two Minutes« cries Mrs Atkinson
»unless he calls two Hours so for we were not together much less And as for
any Blessing he had I am a Stranger to it Sure I hope you have a better
Opinion of me than to think I granted him the last Favour«
»I dont know what Favours you granted him Madam« answerd Amelia
peevishly »but I am sorry you granted him any in my Name«
»Upon my Word« cries Mrs Atkinson »you use me unkindly and it is a
Usage I did not expect at your Hands nor do I know that I have deserved it I
am sure I went to the Masquerade with no other View than to oblige you nor did
I say or do any thing there which any Woman who is not the most confounded
Prude upon Earth would have started at on a much less Occasion than what
induced me Well I declare upon my Soul then that if I was a Man rather than
be married to a Woman who makes such a Fuss with her Virtue I would wish my
Wife was without such a troublesome Companion«
»Very possibly Madam these may be your Sentiments« cries Amelia »and I
hope they are the Sentiments of your Husband«
»I desire Madam« cries Mrs Atkinson »you would not reflect on my
Husband He is as worthy a Man and as brave a Man as yours yes Madam and he
is now as much a Captain«
She spoke those Words with so loud a Voice that Atkinson who was
accidentally going up Stairs heard them and being surprised at the angry Tone
of his Wifes Voice he entered the Room and with a Look of much Astonishment
begged to know what was the Matter
»The Matter my Dear« cries Mrs Atkinson »is that I have got a
Commission for you and your good old Friend here is angry with me for getting
it«
»I have not Spirits enow« cries Amelia »to answer you as you deserve and
if I had you are below my Anger«
»I do not know Mrs Booth« answered the other »whence this great
Superiority over me is derived but if your Virtue gives it you I would have you
to know Madam that I despise a Prude as much as you can do a «
»Though you have several times« cries Amelia »insulted me with that Word
I scorn to give you any ill Language in Return If you deserve any bad
Appellation you know it without my telling it you«
Poor Atkinson who was more frightned than he had ever been in his Life did
all he could to procure Peace He fell upon his Knees to his Wife and begged
her to compose herself for indeed she seemed to be in a most furious Rage
While he was in this Posture Booth who had knocked so gently at the Door
for fear of disturbing his Wife that he had not been heard in the Tempest came
into the Room The Moment Amelia saw him the Tears which had been gathering for
some time burst in a Torrent from her Eyes which however she endeavoured to
conceal with her Handkerchief The Entry of Booth turnd all in an Instant into
a silent Picture in which the first Figure which struck the Eyes of the Captain
was the Serjeant on his Knees to his Wife
Booth immediately cried »Whats the Meaning of this« but received no
Answer He then cast his Eyes towards Amelia and plainly discerning her
Condition he ran to her and in a very tender Phrase begged to know what was
the matter To which she answered »Nothing my Dear nothing of any
Consequence« He replied that he would know and then turned to Atkinson and
asked the same Question
Atkinson answered »Upon my Honour Sir I know nothing of it Something
hath passed between Madam and my Wife but what it is I know no more than your
Honour«
»Your Wife« said Mrs Atkinson »hath used me cruelly ill Mr Booth If
you must be satisfied that is the whole Matter«
Booth rapt out a great Oath and cried »It is impossible my Wife is not
capable of using any one ill«
Amelia then cast herself upon her Knees to her Husband and cried »For
Heavens Sake do not throw yourself into a Passion Some few Words have past
Perhaps I may be in the wrong«
»Damnation seize me if I think so« cries Booth »And I wish whoever hath
drawn these Tears from your Eyes may pay it with as many Drops of their Hearts
Blood«
»You see Madam« cries Mrs Atkinson »you have your Bully to take your
part so I suppose you will use your Triumph«
Amelia made no Answer but still kept hold of Booth who in a violent Rage
cried out »My Amelia triumph over such a Wretch as thee What can lead thy
Insolence to such Presumption Serjeant I desire youll take that Monster out
of the Room or I cannot answer for myself«
The Serjeant was beginning to beg his Wife to retire for he perceived very
plainly that she had as the Phrase is taken a Sip too much that Evening
when with a Rage little short of Madness she cried out »And do you tamely
see me insulted in such a manner now that you are a Gentleman and upon a
Footing with him«
»It is lucky for us all perhaps« answerd Booth »that he is not my
Equal«
»You lie Sirrah« said Mrs Atkinson »he is every way your Equal he is as
good a Gentleman as yourself and as much an Officer No I retract what I say
he hath not the Spirit of a Gentleman nor of a Man neither or he would not
bear to see his Wife insulted«
»Let me beg of you my Dear« cries the Serjeant »to go with me and compose
yourself«
»Go with thee thou Wretch« cries she looking with the utmost Disdain
upon him »no nor ever speak to thee more« At which Words she burst out of
the Room and the Serjeant without saying a Word followed her
A very tender and pathetic Scene now passed between Booth and his Wife in
which when she was a little composed she related to him the whole Story For
besides that it was not possible for her otherwise to account for the Quarrel
which he had seen Booth was now possessed of the Letter that lay on the Floor
Amelia having emptied her Mind to her Husband and obtained his faithful
Promise that he would not resent the Affair to my Lord was pretty well
composed and began to relent a little towards Mrs Atkinson but Booth was so
highly incensed with her that he declared he would leave her House the next
Morning which they both accordingly did and immediately accommodated
themselves with convenient Apartments within a few Doors of their Friend the
Doctor
Chapter IX
Containing some Things worthy Observation
Notwithstanding the Exchange of his Lodgings Booth did not forget to send an
Excuse to Mr Trent of whose Conversation he had taken a full Surfeit the
preceding Evening
That Day in his Walks Booth met with an old BrotherOfficer who had served
with him at Gibraltar and was on Halfpay as well as himself He had not indeed
had the Fortune of being broke with his Regiment as was Booth but had gone
out as they call it on Halfpay as a Lieutenant a Rank to which he had risen
in five and thirty Years
This honest Gentleman after some Discourse with Booth desird him to lend
him half a Crown which he assured him he would faithfully pay the next Day
when he was to receive some Money for his Sister This Sister was the Widow of
an Officer that had been killed in the Sea Service and she and her Brother
lived together on their joint Stock out of which they maintained likewise an
old Mother and two of the Sisters Children the eldest of which was about nine
Years old »You must know« said the old Lieutenant »I have been disappointed
this Morning by an old Scoundrel who wanted fifteen per Cent for advancing my
Sisters Pension but I have now got an honest Fellow who hath promised it me
Tomorrow at ten per Cent«
»And enough too of all Conscience« cries Booth
»Why indeed I think so too« answerd the other »considering it is sure to
be paid one Time or other To say the Truth it is a little hard the Government
doth not pay those Pensions better for my Sisters hath been due almost these
two Years that is my Way of thinking«
Booth answered he was ashamed to refuse him such a Sum but »Upon my Soul«
said he »I have not a single Halfpenny in my Pocket for I am in a worse
Condition if possible than yourself for I have lost all my Money and what is
worse I owe Mr Trent whom you remember at Gibraltar 50l«
»Remember him yes dn him I remember him very well« cries the old
Gentleman »though he will not remember me He is grown so great now that he
will not speak to his old Acquaintance and yet I should be ashamed of myself to
be great in such a Manner«
»What Manner do you mean« cries Booth a little eagerly
»Why by pimping« answered the other »He is Pimp in ordinary to my Lord
who keeps his Family or how the Devil he lives else I dont know for his Place
is not worth 300l a Year and he and his Wife spend a Thousand at least But
she keeps an Assembly which I believe if you was to call a BawdyHouse you
would not missname it But dn me if I had not rather be an honest Man and
walk on Foot with Holes in my Shoes as I do now or go without a Dinner as I
and all my Family will to Day than ride in a Chariot and feast by such Means
I am honest Bob Bound and always will be thats my Way of thinking and
theres no Man shall call me otherwise for if he doth I will knock him down
for a lying Rascal that is my Way of thinking«
»And a very good Way of thinking too« cries Booth »However you shall not
want a Dinner to Day for if you will go home with me I will lend you a Crown
with all my Heart«
»Lookee« said the old Man »if it be any wise inconvenient to you I will
not have it for I will never rob another Man of his Dinner to eat myself
that is my Way of thinking«
»Pooh« said Booth »never mention such a Trifle twice between you and me
Besides you say you can pay it me Tomorrow and I promise you that will be the
same Thing«
They then walked together to Booths Lodgings where Booth from Amelias
Pocket gave his Friend double the little Sum he had asked Upon which the old
Gentleman shook him heartily by the Hand and repeating his Intention of paying
him the next Day made the best of his Way to a Butchers whence he carried off
a Leg of Mutton to a Family that had lately kept Lent without any religious
Merit
When he was gone Amelia asked her Husband who that old Gentleman was Booth
answered He was one of the Scandals of his Country That the Duke of
Marlborough had about thirty Years before made him an Ensign from a private Man
for very particular Merit and that he had not long since gone out of the Army
with a broken Heart upon having several Boys put over his Head He then gave
her an Account of his Family which he had heard from the old Gentleman in their
Way to his House and with which we have already in a concise Manner acquainted
the Reader
»Good Heavens« cries Amelia »what are our great Men made of Are they in
Reality a distinct Species from the rest of Mankind Are they born without
Hearts«
»One would indeed sometimes« cries Booth »be inclined to think so In
truth they have no perfect Idea of those common Distresses of Mankind which are
far removed from their own Sphere Compassion if thoroughly examined will I
believe appear to be the Fellowfeeling only of Men of the same Rank and Degree
of Life for one another on account of the Evils to which they themselves are
liable Our Sensations are I am afraid very cold towards those who are at a
great Distance from us and whose Calamities can consequently never reach us«
»I remember« cries Amelia »a Sentiment of Dr Harrisons which he told me
was in some Latin Book I am a Man myself and my Heart is interested in
whatever can befal the rest of Mankind That is the Sentiment of a good Man and
whoever thinks otherwise is a bad one«
»I have often told you my dear Emily« cries Booth »that all Men as well
the best as the worst act alike from the Principle of SelfLove Where
Benevolence therefore is the uppermost Passion SelfLove directs you to gratify
it by doing good and by relieving the Distresses of others for they are then
in Reality your own But where Ambition Avarice Pride or any other Passion
governs the Man and keeps his Benevolence down the Miseries of all other Men
affect him no more than they would a Stock or a Stone And thus the Man and his
Statue have often the same Degree of Feeling or Compassion«
»I have often wished my dear« cries Amelia »to hear you converse with Dr
Harrison on this Subject for I am sure he would convince you though I cant
that there are really such Things as Religion and Virtue«
This was not the first Hint of this Kind which Amelia had given for she
sometimes apprehended from his Discourse that he was little better than an
Atheist A Consideration which did not diminish her Affection for him but gave
her great Uneasiness On all such Occasions Booth immediately turned the
Discourse to some other Subject for tho he had in other Points a great Opinion
of his Wifes Capacity yet as a Divine or a Philosopher he did not hold her in
a very respectable Light nor did he lay any great Stress on her Sentiments in
such Matters He now therefore gave a speedy Turn to the Conversation and began
to talk of Affairs below the Dignity of this History
Book XI
Chapter I
Containing a very polite Scene
We will now look back to some Personages who though not the principal
Characters in this History have yet made too considerable a Figure in it to be
abruptly dropt And these are Colonel James and his Lady
This fond Couple never met till Dinner the Day after the Masquerade when
they happened to be alone together in an Antichamber before the Arrival of the
rest of the Company
The Conversation began with the Colonels saying »I hope Madam you got no
Cold last Night at the Masquerade« To which the Lady answered by much the same
kind of Question
They then sat together near five Minutes without opening their Mouths to
each other At last Mrs James said »Pray Sir who was that Masque with you in
the Dress of a Shepherdess How could you expose yourself by walking with such a
Trollop in public for certainly no Woman of any Figure would appear there in
such a Dress You know Mr James I never interfere with your Affairs but I
would methinks for my own Sake if I was you preserve a little Decency in the
Face of the World«
»Upon my Word« said James »I do not know whom you mean A Woman in such a
Dress might speak to me for aught I know A thousand People speak to me at a
Masquerade But I promise you I spoke to no Woman Acquaintance there that I
know of Indeed I now recollect there was a Woman in a Dress of a Shepherdess
and there was another aukward Thing in a blue Domino that plagued me a little
but I soon got rid of them«
»And I suppose you do not know the Lady in the blue Domino neither «
»Not I I assure you« said James »But pray why do you ask me these
Questions It looks so like Jealousy«
»Jealousy« cries she »I jealous No Mr James I shall never be jealous I
promise you especially of the Lady in the blue Domino for to my Knowledge she
despises you of all human Race«
»I am heartily glad of it« said James »for I never saw such a tall aukward
Monster in my Life«
»That is a very cruel Way of telling me you knew me «
»You Madam« said James »you was in a black Domino«
»It is not so unusual a Thing I believe you yourself know to change
Dresses I own I did it to discover some of your Tricks I did not think you
could have distinguishd the tall aukward Monster so well«
»Upon my Soul« said James »if it was you I did not even suspect it so
you ought not to be offended at what I have said ignorantly«
»Indeed Sir« cries she »you cannot offend me by any thing you can say to
my Face no by my Soul I despise you too much But I wish Mr James you
would not make me the Subject of your Conversation amongst your Wenches I
desire I may not be afraid of meeting them for fear of their Insults That I may
not be told by a dirty Trollop you make me the Subject of your Wit amongst
them of which it seems I am the favourite Topic Tho you have married a tall
aukward Monster Mr James I think she hath a Right to be treated as your
Wife with Respect at least Indeed I shall never require any more Indeed Mr
James I never shall I think a Wife hath a Title to that«
»Who told you this Madam« said James
»Your Slut« said she »your Wench your Shepherdess«
»By all thats sacred« cries James »I do not know who the Shepherdess
was«
»By all thats sacred then« says she »she told me so and I am convinced
she told me Truth But I do not wonder at your denying it for that is equally
consistent with Honour as to behave in such a Manner to a Wife who is a
Gentlewoman I hope you will allow me that Sir Because I had not quite so
great a Fortune I hope you do not think me beneath you or that you did me any
Honour in marrying me I am come of as good a Family as yourself Mr James and
if my Brother knew how you treated me he would not bear it«
»Do you threaten me with your Brother Madam« said James
»I will not be ill treated Sir« answered she
»Nor I neither Madam« cries he »and therefore I desire you will prepare
to go into the Country Tomorrow Morning«
»Indeed Sir« said she »I shall not«
»By Heavens Madam but you shall« answered he »I will have my Coach at
the Door Tomorrow Morning by seven and you shall either go into it or be
carried«
»I hope Sir you are not in earnest« said she
»Indeed Madam« answered he »but I am in earnest and resolved and into
the Country you go Tomorrow«
»But why into the Country« said she »Mr James Why will you be so
barbarous to deny me the Pleasures of the Town«
»Because you interfere with my Pleasures« cried James »which I have told
you long ago I would not submit to It is enough for fond Couples to have these
Scenes together I thought we had been upon a better Footing and had cared too
little for each other to become mutual Plagues I thought you had been satisfied
with the full Liberty of doing what you please«
»So I am I defy you to say I have ever given you any Uneasiness«
»How« cries he »have you not just now upbraided me with what you heard at
the Masquerade«
»I own« said she »to be insulted by such a Creature to my Face stung me to
the Soul I must have had no Spirit to bear the Insults of such an Animal Nay
she spoke of you with equal Contempt Whoever she is I promise you Mr Booth
is her Favourite But indeed she is unworthy any ones Regard for she behaved
like an arrant Dragoon«
»Hang her« cries the Colonel »I know nothing of her«
»Well but Mr James I am sure you will not send me into the Country
Indeed I will not go into the Country«
»If you was a reasonable Woman« cries James »perhaps I should not desire
it And on one Consideration «
»Come name your Consideration« said she
»Let me first experience your Discernment« said he »Come Molly let me
try your Judgment Can you guess at any Woman of your Acquaintance that I like«
»Sure« said she »it cannot be Mrs Booth«
»And why not Mrs Booth« answerd he »Is she not the finest Woman in the
World«
»Very far from it« replied she »in my Opinion«
»Pray what Faults« said he »can you find in her«
»In the first Place« cries Mrs James »her Eyes are too large and she
hath a Look with them that I dont know how to describe but I know I dont like
it Then her Eyebrows are too large therefore indeed she doth all in her Power
to remedy this with her Pincers for if it was not for those her Eyebrows would
be preposterous Then her Nose as well proportioned as it is hath a visible
Scar on one Side Her Neck likewise is too protuberant for the genteel Size
especially as she laces herself for no Woman in my Opinion can be genteel who
is not entirely flat before And lastly she is both too short and too tall
Well you may laugh Mr James I know what I mean tho I cannot well express
it I mean that she is too tall for a pretty Woman and too short for a fine
Woman There is such a Thing as a Kind of insipid Medium a Kind of something
that is neither one Thing or another I know not how to express it more clearly
but when I say such a one is a pretty Woman a pretty Thing a pretty Creature
you know very well I mean a little Woman and when I say such a one is a very
fine Woman a very fine Person of a Woman to be sure I must mean a tall Woman
Now a Woman that is between both is certainly neither the one nor the other«
»Well I own« said he »you have explaind yourself with great Dexterity
but with all these Imperfections I cannot help liking her«
»That you need not tell me Mr James« answerd the Lady »for that I knew
before you desird me to invite her to your House And nevertheless did not I
like an obedient Wife comply with your Desires Did I make any Objection to the
Party you proposed for the Masquerade tho I knew very well your Motive What
can the best of Wives do more To procure you Success is not in my Power and if
I may give you my Opinion I believe you never will succeed with her«
»Is her Virtue so very impregnable« said he with a Sneer
»Her Virtue« answerd Mrs James »hath the best Guard in the World which
is a most violent Love for her Husband«
»All Pretence and Affectation« cries the Colonel »It is impossible she
should have so little Taste or indeed so little Delicacy as to like such a
Fellow«
»Nay I do not much like him myself« said she »He is not indeed at all
such a sort of Man as I should like but I thought he had been generally allowd
to be handsome«
»He handsome« cries James»What with a Nose like the Proboscis of an
Elephant with the Shoulders of a Porter and the Legs of a Chairman The Fellow
hath not in the least the Look of a Gentleman and one would rather think he had
followed the Plough than the Camp all his Life«
»Nay now I protest« said she »I think you do him Injustice He is genteel
enough in my Opinion It is true indeed he is not quite of the most delicate
Make but whatever he is I am convinced she thinks him the finest Man in the
World«
»I cannot believe it« answerd he peevishly »But will you invite her to
Dinner here Tomorrow«
»With all my Heart and as often as you please« answerd she »But I have
some Favours to ask of you First I must hear no more of going out of Town
till I please«
»Very well« cried he
»In the next Place« said she »I must have two hundred Guineas within these
two or three Days«
»Well I agree to that too« answered he
»And when I do go out of Town I go to Tunbridge I insist upon that and
from Tunbridge I go to Bath positively to Bath And I promise you faithfully I
will do all in my Power to carry Mrs Booth with me«
»On that Condition« answerd he »I promise you you shall go wherever you
please And to shew you I will even prevent your Wishes by my Generosity as
soon as I receive the five thousand Pounds which I am going to take up on one
of my Estates you shall have two hundred more«
She thanked him with a low Curtesie and he was in such good Humour that he
offered to kiss her To this Kiss she coldly turnd her Cheek and then
flirting her Fan said »Mr James There is one Thing I forgot to mention to
you I think you intended to get a Commission in some Regiment abroad for this
young Man Now if you would take my Advice I know this will not oblige his
Wife and besides I am positive she resolves to go with him But if you can
provide for him in some Regiment at home I know she will dearly love you for
it and when he is orderd to Quarters she will be left behind and Yorkshire
or Scotland I think is as good a Distance as either of the Indies«
»Well I will do what I can« answerd James »but I cannot ask any Thing
yet for I got two Places of 100l a Year each for two of my Footmen within
this Fortnight«
At this Instant a violent Knock at the Door signified the Arrival of their
Company upon which both Husband and Wife put on their best Looks to receive
their Guests and from their Behaviour to each other during the rest of the Day
a Stranger might have concluded he had been in Company with the fondest Couple
in the Universe
Chapter II
Matters Political
Before we return to Booth we will relate a Scene in which Dr Harrison was
concernd
This good Man whilst in the Country happend to be in the Neighbourhood of a
Nobleman of his Acquaintance and whom he knew to have very considerable
Interest with the Ministers at that Time
The Doctor who was very well known to this Nobleman took this Opportunity
of paying him a Visit in order to recommend poor Booth to his Favour Nor did he
much doubt of his Success the Favour he was to ask being a very small one and
to which he thought the Service of Booth gave him so just a Title
The Doctors Name soon gaind him an Admission to the Presence of this Great
Man who indeed receivd him with much Courtesy and Politeness not so much
perhaps from any particular Regard to the sacred Function nor from any Respect
to the Doctors personal Merit as from some Considerations which the Reader
will perhaps guess anon After many Ceremonials and some previous Discourse on
different Subjects the Doctor opend his Business and told the Great Man that
he was come to him to solicit a Favour for a young Gentleman who had been an
Officer in the Army and was now on HalfPay »All the Favour I ask my Lord«
said he »is that this Gentleman may be again admitted ad eundem I am
convinced your Lordship will do me the Justice to think I would not ask for a
worthless Person but indeed the young Man I mean hath very extraordinary
Merit He was at the Siege of Gibraltar in which he behavd with distinguishd
Bravery and was dangerously wounded at two several Times in the Service of his
Country I will add that he is at present in great Necessity and hath a Wife
and several Children for whom he hath no other Means of providing and if it
will recommend him further to your Lordships Favour his Wife I believe is
one of the best and worthiest of all her Sex«
»As to that my dear Doctor« cries the Nobleman »I shall make no Doubt
Indeed any Service I shall do the Gentleman will be upon your Account As to
Necessity it is the Plea of so many that it is impossible to serve them all
And with Regard to the Personal Merit of these inferior Officers I believe I
need not tell you that it is very little regarded But if you recommend him let
the Person be what he will I am convinced it will be done for I know it is in
your Power at present to ask for a greater Matter than this«
»I depend entirely upon your Lordship« answerd the Doctor
»Indeed my worthy Friend« replied the Lord »I will not take a Merit to
myself which will so little belong to me You are to depend on yourself It
falls out very luckily too at this Time when you have it in your Power so
greatly to oblige us«
»What my Lord is in my Power« cries the Doctor
»You certainly know« answerd his Lordship »how hard Colonel Trompington
is run at your Town in the Election of a Mayor they tell me it will be a very
near Thing unless you join us But we know it is in your Power to do the
Business and turn the Scale I heard your Name mentiond the other Day on that
Account and I know you may have any Thing in Reason if you will give us your
Interest«
»Sure my Lord« cries the Doctor »you are not in Earnest in asking my
Interest for the Colonel«
»Indeed I am« answerd the Peer »Why should you doubt it«
»For many Reasons« answerd the Doctor »First I am an old Friend and
Acquaintance of Mr Fairfield as your Lordship I believe very well knows The
little Interest therefore that I have you may be assured will go in his
Favour Indeed I do not concern myself deeply in these Affairs for I do not
think it becomes my Cloth so to do But as far as I think it decent to interest
myself it will certainly be on the Side of Mr Fairfield Indeed I should do
so if I was acquainted with both the Gentlemen only by Reputation the one
being a neighbouring Gentleman of a very large Estate a very sober and
sensible Man of known Probity and Attachment to the true Interest of his
Country The other is a mere Stranger a Boy a Soldier of Fortune and as far
as I can discern from the little Conversation I have had with him of a very
shallow Capacity and no Education«
»No Education my dear Friend« cries the Nobleman »Why he hath been
educated in half the Courts of Europe«
»Perhaps so my Lord« answerd the Doctor »but I shall always be so great
a Pedant as to call a Man of no Learning a Man of no Education And from my
own Knowledge I can aver that I am persuaded there is scarce a Foot Soldier in
the Army who is more illiterate than the Colonel«
»Why as to Latin and Greek you know« replied the Lord »they are not much
requird in the Army«
»It may be so« said the Doctor »Then let such Persons keep to their own
Profession It is a very low civil Capacity indeed for which an illiterate Man
can be qualified And to speak a plain Truth if your Lordship is a Friend to
the Colonel you would do well to advise him to decline an Attempt in which I
am certain he hath no Probability of Success«
»Well Sir« said the Lord »if you are resolvd against us I must deal as
freely with you and tell you plainly I cannot serve you in your Affair Nay it
will be the best Thing I can do to hold my Tongue for if I should mention his
Name with your Recommendation after what you have said he would perhaps never
get provided for as long as he lives«
»Is his own Merit then my Lord no Recommendation« cries the Doctor
»My dear dear Sir« cries the other »What is the Merit of a Subaltern
Officer«
»Surely my Lord« cries the Doctor »it is the Merit which should recommend
him to the Post of a Subaltern Officer And it is a Merit which will hereafter
qualify him to serve his Country in a higher Capacity And I do assure you of
this young Man that he hath not only a good Heart but a good Head too And I
have been told by those who are Judges that he is for his Age an excellent
Officer«
»Very probably« cries my Lord »And there are Abundance with the same
Merit and the same Qualifications who want a Morsel of Bread for themselves
and their Families«
»It is an infamous Scandal on the Nation« cries the Doctor »and I am
heartily sorry it can be said even with a Colour of Truth«
»How can it be otherwise« says the Peer »Do you think it is possible to
provide for all Men of Merit«
»Yes surely do I« said the Doctor »And very easily too«
»How pray « cries the Lord »Upon my Word I shall be glad to know«
»Only by not providing for those who have none The Men of Merit in any
Capacity are not I am afraid so extremely numerous that we need starve any of
them unless we wickedly suffer a Set of worthless Fellows to eat their Bread«
»This is all mere Utopia« cries his Lordship »The Chimerical System of
Platos Commonwealth with which we amused ourselves at the University Politics
which are inconsistent with the State of Human Affairs«
»Sure my Lord« cries the Doctor »we have read of States where such
Doctrines have been put in Practice What is your Lordships Opinion of Rome in
the earlier Ages of the Commonwealth of Sparta and even of Athens itself in
some Periods of its History«
»Indeed Doctor« cries the Lord »all these Notions are obsolete and long
since exploded To apply Maxims of Government drawn from the Greek and Roman
Histories to this Nation is absurd and impossible But if you will have Roman
Examples fetch them from those Times of the Republic that were most like our
own Do you not know Doctor that this is as corrupt a Nation as ever existed
under the Sun And would you think of governing such a People by the strict
Principles of Honesty and Morality«
»If it be so corrupt« said the Doctor »I think it is high Time to amend
it Or else it is easy to foresee that Roman and British Liberty will have the
same Fate for Corruption in the Body Politic as naturally tends to Dissolution
as in the Natural Body«
»I thank you for your Simile« cries my Lord »for in the Natural Body I
believe you will allow there is the Season of Youth the Season of Manhood and
the Season of Old Age and that when the last of these arrives it will be an
impossible Attempt by all the Means of Art to restore the Body again to its
Youth or to the Vigour of its middle Age The same Periods happen to every
great Kingdom In its Youth it rises by Arts and Arms to Power and Prosperity
This it enjoys and flourishes with a while and then it may be said to be in the
Vigour of its Age enrichd at home with all the Emoluments and Blessings of
Peace and formidable abroad with all the Terrors of War At length this very
Prosperity introduces Corruption and then comes on its old Age Virtue and
Learning Art and Industry decay by Degrees The People sink into Sloth and
Luxury and Prostitution It is enervated at home becomes contemptible abroad
and such indeed is its Misery and Wretchedness that it resembles a Man in the
last decrepid Stage of Life who looks with Unconcern at his approaching
Dissolution«
»This is a melancholy Picture indeed« cries the Doctor »and if the latter
Part of it can be applied to our Case I see nothing but Religion which would
have prevented this decrepid State of the Constitution should prevent a Man of
Spirit from hanging himself out of the Way of so wretched a Contemplation«
»Why so« said the Peer »Why hang myself Doctor Would it not be wiser
think you to make the best of your Time and the most you can in such a
Nation«
»And is Religion then to be really laid out of the Question« cries the
Doctor
»If I am to speak my own Opinion Sir« answered the Peer »you know I shall
answer in the Negative But you are too well acquainted with the World to be
told that the Conduct of Politicians is not formed upon the Principles of
Religion«
»I am very sorry for it« cries the Doctor »but I will talk to them then of
Honour and Honesty This is a Language which I hope they will at least pretend
to understand Now to deny a Man the Preferment which he merits and to give it
to another Man who doth not merit it is a manifest Act of Injustice and is
consequently inconsistent with both Honour and Honesty Nor is it only an Act of
Injustice to the Man himself but to the Public for whose Good principally all
public Offices are or ought to be instituted Now this Good can never be
completed not obtained but by employing all Persons according to their
Capacities Wherever true Merit is liable to be superseded by Favour and
Partiality and Men are intrusted with Offices without any Regard to Capacity
or Integrity the Affairs of that State will always be in a deplorable
Situation Such as Livy tells us was the State of Capua a little before its
final Destruction and the Consequence your Lordship well knows But my Lord
there is another Mischief which attends this Kind of Injustice and that is it
hath a manifest Tendency to destroy all Virtue and all Ability among the People
by taking away all that Encouragement and Incentive which should promote
Emulation and raise Men to aim at excelling in any Art Science or Profession
Nor can any Thing my Lord contribute more to render a Nation contemptible
among its Neighbours for what Opinion can other Countries have of the Councils
or what Terror can they conceive of the Arms of such a People And it was
chiefly owing to the avoiding this Error that Oliver Cromwell carried the
Reputation of England higher than it ever was at any other Time I will add only
one Argument more and that is founded on the most narrow and selfish System of
Politics and this is that such a Conduct is sure to create universal
Discontent and Grumbling at home For nothing can bring Men to rest satisfied
when they see others preferred to them but an Opinion that they deserve that
Elevation for as one of the greatest Men this Country ever produced observes
One worthless Man that gains what he pretends
Disgusts a thousand unpretending Friends
With what Heartburnings then must any Nation see themselves obliged to
contribute to the Support of a Set of Men of whose Incapacity to serve them
they are well apprized and who do their Country a double Diskindness by being
themselves employed in Posts to which they are unequal and by keeping others
out of those Employments for which they are qualified«
»And do you really think Doctor« cries the Nobleman »that any Minister
could support himself in this Country upon such Principles as you recommend Do
you think he would be able to baffle an Opposition unless he should oblige his
Friends by conferring Places often contrary to his own Inclinations and his
own Opinion«
»Yes really do I« cries the Doctor »Indeed if a Minister is resolved to
make good his Confession in the Liturgy by leaving undone all those Things
which he ought to have done and by doing all those Things which he ought not to
have done Such a Minister I grant will be obliged to baffle Opposition as
you are pleased to term it by these Arts for as Shakespeare somewhere says
Things ill begun strengthen themselves by Ill
But if on the contrary he will please to consider the true Interest of his
Country and that only in great and national Points if he will engage his
Country in neither Alliances or Quarrels but where it is really interested if
he will raise no Money but what is wanted nor employ any civil or military
Officers but what are useful and place in these Employments Men of the highest
Integrity and of the greatest Abilities if he will employ some few of his
Hours to advance our Trade and some few more to regulate our domestic
Government If he would do this my Lord I will answer for it he shall either
have no Opposition to baffle or he shall baffle it by a fair Appeal to his
Conduct Such a Minister may in the Language of the Law put himself on his
Country when he pleases and he shall come off with Honour and Applause«
»And do you really believe Doctor« cries the Peer »there ever was such a
Minister or ever will be«
»Why not my Lord« answered the Doctor »It requires no very extraordinary
Parts nor any extraordinary Degree of Virtue He need practise no great
Instances of Selfdenial He shall have Power and Honour and Riches and
perhaps all in a much greater Degree than he can ever acquire by pursuing a
contrary System He shall have more of each and much more of Safety«
»Pray Doctor« said my Lord »let me ask you one simple Question Do you
really believe any Man upon Earth was ever a Rogue out of Choice«
»Really my Lord« says the Doctor »I am ashamed to answer in the
Affirmative and yet I am afraid Experience would almost justify me if I should
Perhaps the Opinion of the World may sometimes mislead Men to think those
Measures necessary which in reality are not so Or the Truth may be that a Man
of good Inclinations finds his Office filled with such Corruption by the
Iniquity of his Predecessors that he may despair of being capable of purging
it and so sits down contented as Augeas did with the Filth of his Stables not
because he thought them the better or that such Filth was really necessary to a
Stable but that he despaired of sufficient Force to cleanse them«
»I will ask you one Question more and I have done« said the Nobleman »Do
you imagine that if any Minister was really as good as you would have him that
the People in general would believe that he was so«
»Truly my Lord« said the Doctor »I think they may be justified in not
believing too hastily But I beg Leave to answer your Lordships Question by
another Doth your Lordship believe that the People of Greenland when they see
the Light of the Sun and feel his Warmth after so long a Season of Cold and
Darkness will really be persuaded that he shines upon them«
My Lord smiled at the Conceit and then the Doctor took an Opportunity to
renew his Suit to which his Lordship answered he would promise nothing and
could give him no Hopes of Success »But you may be assured« said he with a
leering Countenance »I shall do him all the Service in my Power« A Language
which the Doctor well understood and soon after took a civil but not a very
ceremonious Leave
Chapter III
The History of Mr Trent
We will now return to Mr Booth and his Wife The former had spent his Time very
uneasily ever since he had discovered what sort of Man he was indebted to but
lest he should forget it Mr Trent thought now proper to remind him in the
following Letter which he read the next Morning after he had put off the
Appointment
»Sir
I am sorry the Necessity of my Affairs obliges me to mention that
small Sum which I had the Honour to lend you the other Night at Play
and which I shall be much obliged to you if you will let me have some
time either to Day or To morrow I am
SI R
Yo ur most obedient
most humble Servant
Geo Trent«
This Letter a little surprized Booth after the genteel and indeed as it
appeared generous Behaviour of Trent But lest it should have the same Effect
upon the Reader we will now proceed to account for this as well as for some
other Phænomena that have appeared in this History and which perhaps we shall
be forgiven for not having opened more largely before
Mr Trent then was a Gentleman possibly of a good Family for it was not
certain whence he sprung on the Fathers Side His Mother who was the only
Parent he ever knew or heard of was a single Gentlewoman and for some Time
carried on the Trade of Milliner in CoventGarden She sent her Son at the Age
of eight Years old to a CharitySchool where he remained till he was of the
Age of fourteen without making any great Proficiency in Learning Indeed it is
not very probable he should for the Master who in Preference to a very learned
and proper Man was chosen by a Party into this School the Salary of which was
upwards of 100l a Year had himself never travelled through the Latin Grammar
and was in Truth a most consummate Blockhead
At the Age of fifteen Mr Trent was put Clerk to an Attorney where he
remained a very short Time before he took Leave of his Master rather indeed
departed without taking Leave and having broke open his Mothers Escritore and
carried off with him all the valuable Effects he there found to the Amount of
about fifty Pound he marched off to Sea and went on Board a Merchantman
whence he was afterwards pressed into a Man of War
In this Service he continued above three Years during which Time he behaved
so ill in his moral Character that he twice underwent a very severe Discipline
for Thefts in which he was detected but at the same Time he behaved so well as
a Sailor in an Engagement with some Pirates that he wiped off all former
Scores and greatly recommended himself to his Captain
At his return home he being then about twenty Years of Age he found that
the Attorney had in his Absence married his Mother had buried her and secured
all her Effects to the Amount as he was informd of about fifteen hundred
Pound Trent applied to his StepFather but to no Purpose the Attorney utterly
disowned him nor would he suffer him to come a second Time within his Doors
It happened that the Attorney had by a former Wife an only Daughter a
great Favourite who was about the same Age with Trent himself and had during
his Residence at her Fathers House taken a very great Liking to this young
Fellow who was extremely handsome and perfectly well made This her Liking was
not during his Absence so far extinguished but that it immediately revived on
his return Of this she took Care to give Mr Trent proper Intimation for she
was not one of those backward and delicate Ladies who can die rather than make
the first Overture Trent was overjoyed at this and with Reason for she was a
very lovely Girl in her Person the only Child of a rich Father and the
Prospect of so complete a Revenge on the Attorney charmed him above all the
rest To be as short in the Matter as the Parties a Marriage was soon
consummated between them
The Attorney at first raged and was implacable but at last Fondness for his
Daughter so far overcame Resentment that he advanced a Sum of Money to buy his
SoninLaw for now he acknowledged him as such an Ensigns Commission in a
marching Regiment then ordered to Gibraltar at which Place the Attorney
heartily hoped that Trent might be knocked on the Head for in that Case he
thought he might marry his Daughter more agreeably to his own Ambition and to
her Advantage
The Regiment into which Trent purchased was the same with that in which
Booth likewise served the one being an Ensign and the other a Lieutenant in
the two additional Companies
Trent had no Blemish in his military Capacity Though he had had but an
indifferent Education he was naturally sensible and genteel and Nature as we
have said had given him a very agreeable Person He was likewise a very bold
Fellow and as he really behaved himself every way well enough while he was at
Gibraltar there was some Degree of Intimacy between him and Booth
When the Siege was over and the additional Companies were again reduced
Trent returned to his Wife who received him with great Joy and Affection Soon
after this an Accident happened which proved the utter Ruin of his
FatherinLaw and ended in breaking his Heart This was nothing but making a
Mistake pretty common at this Day of writing another Mans Name to a Deed
instead of his own In truth this Matter was no less than what the Law calls
Forgery and was just then made capital by an Act of Parliament From this
Offence indeed the Attorney was acquitted by not admitting the Proof of the
Party who was to avoid his own Deed by his Evidence and therefore no Witness
according to those excellent Rules called the Law of Evidence a Law very
excellently calculated for the Preservation of the Lives of his Majestys
roguish Subjects and most notably used for that Purpose
But tho by common Law the Attorney was honourably acquitted yet as common
Sense manifested to every one that he was guilty he unhappily lost his
Reputation and of Consequence his Business the Chagrin of which latter soon
put an End to his Life
This Prosecution had been attended with a very great Expence for besides
the ordinary Costs of avoiding the Gallows by the Help of the Law there was a
very high Article of no less than a thousand Pounds paid down to remove out of
the Way a Witness against whom there was no legal Exception The poor Gentleman
had besides suffered some Losses in Business so that to the Surprise of all his
Acquaintance when his Debts were paid there remained no more than a small
Estate of fourscore Pounds a Year which he settled upon his Daughter far out
of the Reach of her Husband and about two hundred Pounds in Money
The old Gentleman had not long been in his Grave before Trent set himself
to consider seriously of the State of his Affairs He had lately begun to look
on his Wife with a much less Degree of liking and Desire than formerly for he
was one of those who think too much of one thing is good for nothing Indeed he
had indulged these Speculations so far that I believe his Wife though one of
the prettiest Women in Town was the last Subject that he would have chose for
any amorous Dalliance
Many other Persons however greatly differed from him in this Opinion
Amongst the rest was the illustrious Peer of amorous Memory This noble Peer
having therefore got a View of Mrs Trent one Day in the Street did by Means
of an Emissary then with him make himself acquainted with her Lodging to which
he immediately laid Siege in Form setting himself down in a Lodging directly
opposite to her from whence the Battery of Ogles began to play the very next
Morning
This Siege had not continued long before the Governor of the Garrison became
sufficiently apprised of all the Works which were carrying on and having well
reconnoitred the Enemy and discovered who he was notwithstanding a false Name
and some Disguise of his Person he called a Council of War within his own
Breast In Fact to drop all Allegory he began to consider whether his Wife was
not really a more valuable Possession than he had lately thought her In short
as he had been disappointed in her Fortune he now conceived some Hopes of
turning her Beauty itself into a Fortune
Without communicating these Views to her he soon scraped an Acquaintance
with his opposite Neighbour by the Name which he there usurped and
counterfeited an entire Ignorance of his real Name and Title On this Occasion
Trent had his Disguise likewise for he affected the utmost Simplicity of which
Affectation as he was a very artful Fellow he was extremely capable
The Peer fell plumb into this Snare and when by the Simplicity as he
imagined of the Husband he became acquainted with the Wife he was so
extravagantly charmed with her Person that he resolved whatever was the Cost
or the Consequence he would possess her
His Lordship however preserved some Caution in his Management of this
Affair more perhaps than was necessary As for the Husband none was
requisite for he knew all he could and with regard to the Wife herself as she
had for some Time perceived the Decrease of her Husbands Affection for few
Women are I believe to be imposed upon in that Matter she was not displeased
to find the Return of all that Complaisance and Endearment of those Looks and
Languishments from another agreeable Person which she had formerly received from
Trent and which she now found she should receive from him no longer
My Lord therefore having been indulged with as much Opportunity as he
could wish from Trent and having received rather more Encouragement than he
could well have hoped from the Lady began to prepare all Matters for a Storm
when luckily Mr Trent declaring he must go out of Town for two Days he fixd
on the first Day of his Departure as the Time of carrying his Design into
Execution
And now after some Debate with himself in what Manner he should approach
his Love he at last determined to do it in his own Person for he conceived
and perhaps very rightly that the Lady like Semele was not void of Ambition
and would have preferred Jupiter in all his Glory to the same Deity in the
Disguise of an humble Shepherd He dressed himself therefore in the richest
Embroidery of which he was Master and appeared before his Mistress arrayd in
all the Brightness of Peerage A Sight whose Charms she had not the Power to
resist and the Consequences are only to be imagined In short the same Scene
which Jupiter acted with his abovementioned Mistress of old was more than
beginning when Trent burst from the Closet into which he had conveyd himself
and unkindly interrupted the Action
His Lordship presently run to his Sword but Trent with great Calmness
answered that as it was very well known he durst fight he should not draw his
Sword on this Occasion »For sure« says he »my Lord it would be the highest
Imprudence in me to kill a Man who is now become so considerably my Debtor« At
which Words he fetched a Person from the Closet who had been confined with him
telling him he had done his Business and might now if he pleased retire
It would be tedious here to amuse the Reader with all that passed on the
present Occasion the Rage and Confusion of the Wife or the Perplexity in which
my Lord was involved We will omit therefore all such Matters and proceed
directly to Business as Trent and his Lordship did soon after And in the
Conclusion my Lord stipulated to pay a good round Sum and to provide Mr Trent
with a good Place on the first Opportunity
On the Side of Mr Trent were stipulated absolute Remission of all past and
full Indulgence for the Time to come
Trent now immediately took a House at the polite End of the Town furnished
it elegantly and set up his Equipage rigged out both himself and his Wife with
very handsome Cloaths frequented all publick Places where he could get
Admission pushed himself into Acquaintance and his Wife soon afterwards began
to keep an Assembly or in the fashionable Phrase to be at home once a Week
when by my Lords Assistance she was presently visited by most Men of the
first Rank and by all such Women of Fashion as are not very nice in their
Company
My Lords Amour with this Lady lasted not long for as we have before
observed he was the most inconstant of all human Race Mrs Trents Passion was
not however of that Kind which leads to any very deep Resentment of such
Fickleness Her Passion indeed was principally founded upon Interest so that
Foundation served to support another Superstructure and she was easily
prevailed upon as well as her Husband to be useful to my Lord in a Capacity
which though very often exerted in the polite World hath not as yet to my
great Surprise acquired any polite Name or indeed any which is not too coarse
to be admitted in this History
After this Preface which we thought necessary to account for a Character of
which some of my Country and Collegiate Readers might possibly doubt the
Existence I shall proceed to what more immediately regards Mrs Booth The
Reader may be pleased to remember that Mr Trent was present at the Assembly to
which Booth and his Wife were carried by Mrs James and where Amelia was met by
the noble Peer
His Lordship seeing there that Booth and Trent were old Acquaintance failed
not to use the Language of Sportsmen to put Trent on upon the Scent of Amelia
For this Purpose that Gentleman visited Booth the very next Day and had pursued
him close ever since By his Means therefore my Lord learnd that Amelia was to
be at the Masquerade to which Place she was doggd by Trent in a Sailors
jacket who meeting my Lord according to Agreement at the Entrance of the
OperaHouse like the Fourlegged Gentlemen of the same Vocation made a dead
Point as it is called at the Game
My Lord was so satisfied and delighted with his Conversation at the
Masquerade with the supposed Amelia and the Encouragement which in reality she
had given him that when he saw Trent the next Morning he embraced him with
great Fondness gave him a Bank Note of 100l and promised him both the Indies
on his Success of which he began now to have no manner of Doubt
The Affair that happened at the Gaming Table was likewise a Scheme of
Trents on a Hint given by my Lord to him to endeavour to lead Booth into some
Scrape or Distress his Lordship promising to pay whatever Expence Trent might
be led into by such Means Upon his Lordships Credit therefore the Money lent
to Booth was really advanced And hence arose all that seeming Generosity and
Indifference as to the Payment Trent being satisfied with the Obligation
conferred on Booth by Means of which he hoped to effect his Purpose
But now the Scene was totally changed for Mrs Atkinson the Morning after
the Quarrel beginning seriously to recollect that she had carried the Matter
rather too far and might really injure Amelias Reputation a Thought to which
the warm Pursuit of her own Interest had a good deal blinded her at the Time
resolved to visit my Lord himself and to let him into the whole Story for as
she had succeeded already in her favourite Point she thought she had no Reason
to fear any Consequence of the Discovery This Resolution she immediately
executed
Trent came to attend his Lordship just after Mrs Atkinson had left him He
found the Peer in a very ill Humour and brought no News to comfort or recruit
his Spirits for he had himself just received a Billet from Booth with an
Excuse for himself and his Wife from accepting the Invitation at Trents House
that Evening where Matters had been previously concerted for their
Entertainment and when his Lordship was by Accident to drop into the Room where
Amelia was while Booth was to be engaged at Play in another
And now after much Debate and after Trent had acquainted my Lord with the
wretched Situation of Booths Circumstances it was resolved that Trent should
immediately demand his Money of Booth and upon his not paying it for they both
concluded it impossible he should pay it to put the Note which Trent had for
the Money in Suit against him by the genteel Means of paying it away to a
nominal third Person and this they both conceived must end immediately in the
Ruin of Booth and consequently in the Conquest of Amelia
In this Project and with this Hope both my Lord and his Setter or if the
Sportsmen please SettingDog both greatly exulted and it was next Morning
executed as we have already seen
Chapter IV
Containing some Distress
Trents Letter drove Booth almost to Madness To be indebted to such a Fellow
at any rate had stuck much in his Stomach and had given him very great
Uneasiness but to answer this Demand in any other Manner than by paying the
Money was absolutely what he could not bear Again to pay this Money he very
plainly saw there was but one Way and this was by stripping his Wife not only
of every Farthing but almost of every Rag she had in the World a Thought so
dreadful that it chilled his very Soul with Horrour and yet Pride at last
seemed to represent this as the lesser Evil of the two
But how to do this was still a Question It was not sure at least he feared
it was not that Amelia herself would readily consent to this and so far from
persuading her to such a Measure he could not bear even to propose it At
length his Determination was to acquaint his Wife with the whole Affair and to
ask her Consent by way of asking her Advice for he was well assured she could
find no other Means of extricating him out of his Dilemma This he accordingly
did representing the Affair as bad as he could though indeed it was impossible
for him to aggravate the real Truth
Amelia heard him patiently without once interrupting him When he had
finished she remained silent some Time Indeed the Shock she received from this
Story almost deprived her of the Power of Speaking At last she answered
»Well my Dear you ask my Advice I certainly can give you no other than that
the Money must be paid«
»But how must it be paid« cries he »Oh Heavens thou sweetest Creature
what not once upbraid me for bringing this Ruin on thee«
»Upbraid you my Dear« said she »Would to Heaven I could prevent your
upbraiding yourself But do not despair I will endeavour by some Means or other
to get you the Money«
»Alas my dear Love« cries Booth »I know the only Way by which you can
raise it How can I consent to that Do you forget the Fears you so lately
expressed of what would be our wretched Condition when our little All was
mouldered away O my Amelia they cut my very Heartstrings when you spoke
then for I had then lost this little All Indeed I assure you I have not played
since nor ever will more«
»Keep that Resolution« said she »my Dear and I hope we shall yet recover
the Past« At which Words casting her Eyes on the Children the Tears burst
from her Eyes and she cryd »Heaven will I hope provide for us«
A pathetic Scene now ensued between the Husband and Wife which would not
perhaps please many Readers to see drawn at too full a Length It is sufficient
to say that this excellent Woman not only used her utmost Endeavours to stifle
and conceal her own Concern but said and did every Thing in her Power to allay
that of her Husband
Booth was at this Time to meet a Person whom we have formerly mentioned in
the Course of our History This Gentleman had a Place in the WarOffice and
pretended to be a Man of great Interest and Consequence by which Means he did
not only receive great Respect and Court from the inferiour Officers but
actually bubbled several of their Money by undertaking to do them Services
which in reality were not within his Power In Truth I have known few great
Men who have not been beset with one or more such Fellows as these through whom
the inferiour Part of Mankind are obliged to make their Court to the great Men
themselves by which Means I believe principally Persons of real Merit have
been often deterred from the Attempt for these subaltern Coxcombs ever assume
an equal State with their Masters and look for an equal Degree of Respect to be
paid to them to which Men of Spirit who are in every Light their Betters are
not easily brought to submit These Fellows indeed themselves have a jealous Eye
towards all great Abilities and are sure to the utmost of their Power to keep
all who are so endowed from the Presence of their Masters They use their
Masters as bad Ministers have sometimes used a Prince they keep all Men of
Merit from his Ears and daily sacrifice his true Honour and Interest to their
own Profit and their own Vanity
As soon as Booth was gone to his Appointment with this Man Amelia
immediately betook herself to her Business with the highest Resolution She
packed up not only her own little Trinkets and those of the Children but the
greatest Part of her own poor Cloaths for she was but barely provided and
then drove in a HackneyCoach to the same Pawnbrokers who had before been
recommended to her by Mrs Atkinson who advanced her the Money she desired
Being now provided with her Sum she returned well pleased home and her
Husband coming in soon after she with much Chearfulness delivered him all the
Money
Booth was so overjoyed with the Prospect of discharging his Debt to Trent
that he did not perfectly reflect on the Distress to which his Family was now
reduced The good Humour which appeared in the Countenance of Amelia was
perhaps another Help to stifle those Reflexions but above all were the
Assurances he had received from the great Man whom he had met at a
CoffeeHouse and who had promised to do him all the Service in his Power which
several halfpay subaltern Officers assured him was very considerable
With this comfortable News he acquainted his Wife who either was or seemed
to be extremely well pleased with it And now he set out with the Money in his
Pocket to pay his Friend Trent who unluckily for him happened not to be at
home
On his return home he met his old Friend the Lieutenant who thankfully paid
him his Crown and insisted on his going with him and taking Part of a Bottle
This Invitation was so eager and pressing that poor Booth who could not resist
much Importunity complied
While they were over this Bottle Booth acquainted his Friend with the
Promises he had received that Afternoon at the CoffeeHouse with which the old
Gentleman was very well pleased »For I have heard« says he »that Gentleman
hath very powerful Interest« but he informed him likewise that he had heard
that the great Man must be touched for that he never did any Thing without
touching Of this indeed the great Man himself had given some oblique Hints
by saying with great Sagacity and Slyness that he knew where fifty Pound might
be deposited to much Advantage
Booth answered that he would very readily advance a small Sum if he had it
in his Power but that at present it was not so for that he had no more in the
World than the Sum of fifty Pounds which he owed Trent and which he intended
to pay him the next Morning
»It is very right undoubtedly to pay your Debts« says the old Gentleman
»but sure on such an Occasion any Man but the rankest Usurer would be
contented to stay a little While for his Money and it will be only a little
While I am convinced For if you deposite this Sum in the great Mans Hands I
make no Doubt but you will succeed immediately in getting your Commission and
then I will help you to a Method of taking up such a Sum as this« The old
Gentleman persisted in this Advice and backed it with every Argument he could
invent declaring as was indeed true that he gave the same Advice which he
would pursue was the Case his own
Booth long rejected the Opinion of his Friend till as they had not argued
with dry Lips he became heated with Wine and then at last the old Gentleman
succeeded Indeed such was his Love either for Booth or for his own Opinion
and perhaps for both that he omitted nothing in his Power He even endeavoured
to palliate the Character of Trent and unsaid half what he had before said of
that Gentleman In the End he undertook to make Trent easy and to go to him the
very next Morning for that Purpose
Poor Booth at last yielded though with the utmost Difficulty Indeed had he
known quite as much of Trent as the Reader doth no Motive whatsoever would have
prevailed on him to have taken the old Gentlemans Advice
Chapter V
Containing more Wormwood and other Ingredients
In the Morning Booth communicated the Matter to Amelia who told him she would
not presume to advise him in an Affair of which he was so much the better
Judge
While Booth remained in a doubtful State what Conduct to pursue Bound came
to make him a Visit and informed him that he had been at Trents House but
found him not at home adding that he would pay him a second Visit that very
Day and would not rest till he found him
Booth was ashamed to confess his wavering Resolution in an Affair in which
he had been so troublesome to his Friend he therefore dressed himself
immediately and together they both went to wait on the little great Man to
whom Booth now hoped to pay his Court in the most effectual Manner
Bound had been longer acquainted with the modern Methods of Business than
Booth he advised his Friend therefore to begin with tipping as it is called
the great Mans Servant He did so and by that Means got speedy Access to the
Master
The great Man received the Money not as a Gudgeon doth a Bait but as a
Pike receives a poor Gudgeon into his Maw To say the Truth such Fellows as
these may well be likened to that voracious Fish who fattens himself by
devouring all the little Inhabitants of the River As soon as the great Man had
pocketed the Cash he shook Booth by the Hand and told him he would be sure to
slip no Opportunity of serving him and would send him Word as soon as any
offered
Here I shall stop one Moment and so perhaps will my goodnatured Reader for
surely it must be a hard Heart which is not affected with reflecting on the
Manner in which this poor little Sum was raised and on the Manner in which it
was bestowed A worthy Family the Wife and Children of a Man who had lost his
Blood abroad in the Service of his Country parting with their little all and
exposed to Cold and Hunger to pamper such a Fellow as this
And if any such Reader as I mention should happen to be in reality a great
Man and in Power perhaps the Horrour of this Picture may induce him to put a
final End to this abominable Practice of touching as it is called by which
indeed a Set of Leaches are permitted to suck the Blood of the Brave and the
Indigent of the Widow and the Orphan
Booth now returned home where he found his Wife with Mrs James Amelia
had before the Arrival of her Husband absolutely refused Mrs Jamess
Invitation to Dinner the next Day but when Booth came in the Lady renewed her
Application and that in so pressing a Manner that Booth seconded her for tho
he had enough of Jealousy in his Temper yet such was his Friendship to the
Colonel and such his Gratitude to the Obligations which he had received from
him that his own Unwillingness to believe any Thing of him cooperating with
Amelias Endeavours to put every Thing in the fairest Light had brought him to
acquit his Friend of any ill Design To this perhaps the late Affair concerning
my Lord had moreover contributed For it seems to me that the same Passion
cannot much energize on two different Objects at one and the same Time an
Observation which I believe will hold as true with regard to the cruel Passions
of Jealousy and Anger as to the gentle Passion of Love in which one great and
mighty Object is sure to engage the whole Passion
When Booth grew importunate Amelia answered »My Dear I should not refuse
you whatever was in my Power but this is absolutely out of my Power for since
I must declare the Truth I cannot dress myself«
»Why so« said Mrs James »I am sure you are in good Health«
»Is there no other Impediment to Dressing but want of Health Madam«
answered Amelia
»Upon my Word none that I know of« replied Mrs James
»What do you think of want of Cloaths Madam« said Amelia
»Ridiculous« cried Mrs James »What need have you to dress yourself out
You will see no Body but our own Family and I promise you I dont expect it
A plain NightGown will do very well«
»But if I must be plain with you Madam« said Amelia »I have no other
Cloaths but what I have now on my Back I have not even a clean Shift in the
World for you must know my Dear« said she to Booth »that little Betty is
walkd off this Morning and hath carried all my Linen with her«
»How my Dear« cries Booth »little Betty robbd you«
»It is even so« answerd Amelia Indeed she spoke Truth for little Betty
having perceivd the Evening before that her Mistress was moving her Goods was
willing to lend all the Assistance in her Power and had accordingly movd off
early that Morning taking with her whatever she could lay her Hands on
Booth expressed himself with some Passion on the Occasion and swore he
would make an Example of the Girl »If the little Slut be above Ground« cried
he »I will find her out and bring her to Justice«
»I am really sorry for this Accident« said Mrs James »and tho I know
not how to mention it I beg youll give me Leave to offer you any Linen of
mine till you can make new of your own«
Amelia thankd Mrs James but declind the Favour saying she should do
well enough at home and that as she had no Servant now to take Care of her
Children she could not nor would not leave them on any Account
»Then bring Master and Miss with you« said Mrs James »You shall
positively dine with us Tomorrow«
»I beg Madam you will mention it no more« said Amelia »for besides the
substantial Reasons I have already given I have some Things on my Mind at
present which make me unfit for Company and I am resolved nothing shall prevail
on me to stir from home«
Mrs James had carried her Invitation already to the very utmost Limits of
GoodBreeding if not beyond them She desisted therefore from going any
further and after some short Stay longer took her Leave with many Expressions
of Concern which however great as it was left her Heart and her Mouth
together before she was out of the House
Booth now declard that he would go in Pursuit of little Betty against whom
he vowed so much Vengeance that Amelia endeavourd to moderate his Anger by
representing to him the Girls Youth and that this was the first Fault she had
ever been guilty of »Indeed« says she »I should be very glad to have my
Things again and I would have the Girl too punishd in some Degree which might
possibly be for her own Good but I tremble to think of taking away her Life«
for Booth in his Rage had sworn he would hang her
»I know the Tenderness of your Heart my Dear« said Booth »and I love you
for it but I must beg Leave to dissent from your Opinion I do not think the
Girl in any Light an Object of Mercy She is not only guilty of Dishonesty but
of Cruelty for she must know our Situation and the very little we had left
She is besides guilty of Ingratitude to you who have treated her with so much
Kindness that you have rather acted the Part of a Mother than of a Mistress
And so far from thinking her Youth an Excuse I think it rather an Aggravation
It is true indeed there are Faults which the Youth of the Party very strongly
recommends to our Pardon Such are all those which proceed from Carelessness
and Want of Thought but Crimes of this black Die which are committed with
Deliberation and imply a bad Mind deserve a more severe Punishment in a young
Person than in one of riper Years for what must the Mind be in old Age which
hath acquird such a Degree of Perfection in Villainy so very early Such
Persons as these it is really a Charity to the Public to put out of the Society
and indeed a Religious Man would put them out of the World for the Sake of
themselves for whoever understands any Thing of Human Nature must know that
such People the longer they live the more they will accumulate Vice and
Wickedness«
»Well my Dear« cries Amelia »I cannot argue with you on these Subjects I
shall always submit to your superior Judgment and I know you too well to think
that you will ever do any Thing cruel«
Booth then left Amelia to the Care of her Children and went in Pursuit of
the Thief
Chapter VI
A Scene of the Tragic Kind
He had not been long gone before a thundring Knock was heard at the Door of the
House where Amelia lodged and presently after a Figure all pale ghastly and
almost breathless rushd into the Room where she then was with her Children
This Figure Amelia soon recognized to be Mrs Atkinson tho indeed she was
so disguised that at her first Entrance Amelia scarce knew her Her Eyes were
sunk in her Head her Hair dishevelled and not only her Dress but every Feature
in her Face was in the utmost Disorder
Amelia was greatly shockd at this Sight and the little Girl was much
frightned as for the Boy he immediately knew her and running to Amelia he
cried »La Mamma what is the Matter with poor Mrs Atkinson«
As soon as Mrs Atkinson recoverd her Breath she cried out »O Mrs
Booth I am the most miserable of Women I have lost the best of Husbands«
Amelia looking at her with all the Tenderness imaginable forgetting I
believe that there had ever been any Quarrel between them said »Good
Heavens Madam whats the Matter«
»O Mrs Booth« answerd she »I fear I have lost my Husband The Doctor
says there is but little Hope of his Life O Madam however I have been in the
Wrong I am sure you will forgive me and pity me I am sure I am severely
punishd for to that cursed Affair I owe all my Misery«
»Indeed Madam« cries Amelia »I am extremely concernd for your
Misfortune But pray tell me hath any Thing happend to the Serjeant«
»O Madam« cries she »I have the greatest Reason to fear I shall lose him
The Doctor hath almost given him over He says he hath scarce any Hopes O
Madam that Evening that the fatal Quarrel happend between us my dear Captain
took it so to Heart that he sat up all Night and drank a whole Bottle of
Brandy Indeed he said he wishd to kill himself for nothing could have
hurt him so much in the World he said as to have any Quarrel between you and
me His Concern and what he drank together threw him into a high Fever So
that when I came home from my Lords for indeed Madam I have been and set
all to Rights Your Reputation is now in no Danger When I came home I say I
found the poor Man in a raving delirious Fit and in that he hath continued ever
since till about an Hour ago when he came perfectly to his Senses but now he
says he is sure he shall die and begs for Heavens Sake to see you first Would
you Madam would you have the Goodness to grant my poor Captains Desire
consider he is a dying Man and neither he nor I shall ever ask you a second
Favour He says he hath something to say to you that he can mention to no other
Person and that he cannot die in Peace unless he sees you«
»Upon my Word Madam« cries Amelia »I am extremely concernd at what you
tell me I knew the poor Serjeant from his Infancy and always had an Affection
for him as I think him to be one of the bestnaturd and honestest Creatures
upon Earth I am sure if I could do him any Service but of what Use can my
going be «
»Of the highest in the World« answerd Mrs Atkinson »If you knew how
earnestly he entreated it how his poor breaking Heart begged to see you you
would not refuse «
»Nay I do not absolutely refuse« cries Amelia »Something to say to me
of Consequence and that he could not die in Peace unless he said it Did he
say that Mrs Atkinson«
»Upon my Honour he did« answerd she »and much more than I have related«
»Well I will go with you« cries Amelia »I cannot guess what this should
be but I will go«
Mrs Atkinson then poured out a thousand Blessings and Thanksgivings and
taking hold of Amelias Hand and eagerly kissing it cried out »How could
that Fury Passion drive me to quarrel with such a Creature«
Amelia told her she had forgiven and forgot it and then calling up the
Mistress of the House and committing to her the Care of the Children she
cloaked herself up as well as she could and set out with Mrs Atkinson
When they arrived at the House Mrs Atkinson said she would go first and
give the Captain some Notice for that if Amelia entered the Room unexpectedly
the Surprize might have an ill Effect She left therefore Amelia in the Parlour
and proceeded directly up Stairs
Poor Atkinson weak and bad as was his Condition no sooner heard that
Amelia was come than he discovered great Joy in his Countenance and presently
afterwards she was introduced to him
Atkinson exerted his utmost Strength to thank her for this Goodness to a
dying Man for so he called himself He said he should not have presumed to
give her this Trouble had he not had something which he thought of
Consequence to say to her and which he could not mention to any other Person
He then desired his Wife to give him a little Box of which he always kept the
Key himself and afterwards begged her to leave the Room for a few Minutes at
which neither she nor Amelia expressed any Dissatisfaction
When he was alone with Amelia he spoke as follows »This Madam is the
last Time my Eyes will ever behold what Do pardon me Madam I will never
offend you more« Here he sunk down in his Bed and the Tears gushed from his
Eyes
»Why should you fear to offend me Joe« said Amelia »I am sure you never
did any Thing willingly to offend me«
»No Madam« answered he »I would die a thousand Times before I would have
ventured it in the smallest Matter But I cannot speak and yet I must You
cannot pardon me and yet perhaps as I am a dying Man and never shall see you
more Indeed if I was to live after this Discovery I should never dare to
look you in the Face again and yet Madam to think I shall never see you more
is worse than ten thousand Deaths«
»Indeed Mr Atkinson« cries Amelia blushing and looking down on the
Floor »I must not hear you talk in this manner If you have any thing to say
tell it me and do not be afraid of my Anger for I think I may promise to
forgive whatever it was possible you should do«
»Here then Madam« said he »is your Picture I stole it when I was
eighteen Years of Age and have kept it ever since It is set in Gold with
three little Diamonds and yet I can truly say it was not the Gold nor the
Diamonds which I stole it was that Face which if I had been the Emperor of
the World «
»I must not hear any more of this« said she »comfort yourself Joe and
think no more of this Matter Be assured I freely and heartily forgive you But
pray compose yourself come let me call in your Wife «
»First Madam let me beg one Favour« cried he »consider it is the last
and then I shall die in Peace let me kiss that Hand before I die«
»Well nay« says she »I dont know what I am doing well there « she
then carelesly gave him her Hand which he put gently to his Lips and then
presently let it drop and fell back in the Bed
Amelia now summoned Mrs Atkinson who was indeed no further off than just
without the Door She then hastened down Stairs and called for a great Glass of
Water which having drank off she threw herself into a Chair and the Tears ran
plentifully from her Eyes with Compassion for the poor Wretch she had just left
in his Bed
To say the Truth without any Injury to her Chastity that Heart which had
stood firm as a Rock to all the Attacks of Title and Equipage of Finery and
Flattery and which all the Treasures of the Universe could not have purchased
was yet a little softened by the plain honest modest involuntary delicate
heroic Passion of this poor and humble Swain for whom in spite of herself she
felt a momentary Tenderness and Complacence at which Booth if he had known it
would perhaps have been displeased
Having staid some Time in the Parlour and not finding Mrs Atkinson come
down for indeed her Husband was then so bad she could not quit him Amelia
left a Message with the Maid of the House for her Mistress purporting that she
should be ready to do any thing in her Power to serve her and then left the
House with a Confusion on her Mind that she had never felt before and which any
Chastity that is not hewn out of Marble must feel on so tender and delicate an
Occasion
Chapter VII
In which Mr Booth meets with more than one Adventure
Booth having hunted about for two Hours at last saw a young Lady in a tattered
Silk Gown stepping out of a Shop in MonmouthStreet into a Hackney Coach This
Lady notwithstanding the Disguise of her Dress he presently discovered to be
no other than little Betty
He instantly gave the Alarm of stop Thief stop Coach Upon which Mrs
Betty was immediately stopt in her Vehicle and Booth and his Myrmidons laid
hold of her
The Girl no sooner found that she was seised by her Master than the
Consciousness of her Guilt overpowered her for she was not yet an experienced
Offender and she immediately confessed her Crime
She was then carried before a Justice of Peace where she was searched and
there was found in her Possession four Shillings and Sixpence in Money besides
the Silk Gown which was indeed proper Furniture for Rag Fair and scarce worth
a single Farthing though the honest Shopkeeper in MonmouthStreet had sold it
for a Crown to this simple Girl
The Girl being examined by the Magistrate spoke as follows »Indeed Sir
ant please your Worship I am very sorry for what I have done and to be sure
ant please your Honour my Lord it must have been the Devil that put me upon
it for to be sure please your Majesty I never thought upon such a Thing in my
whole Life before any more than I did of my dying Day but indeed Sir ant
please your Worship «
She was running on in this Manner when the Justice interrupted her and
desird her to give an Account what she had taken from her Master and what she
had done with it
»Indeed ant please your Majesty« said she »I took no more than two
Shifts of Madams and I pawned them for five Shillings which I gave for the
Gown thats upon my Back and as for the Money in my Pocket it is every
Farthing of it my own I am sure I intended to carry back the Shifts too as soon
as ever I could get Money to take them out«
The Girl having told them where the Pawnbroker lived the Justice sent to
him to produce the Shifts which he presently did for he expected that a
Warrant to search his House would be the Consequence of his Refusal
The Shifts being produced on which the honest Pawnbroker had lent five
Shillings appeared plainly to be worth above thirty Indeed when new they had
cost much more So that by their Goodness as well as by their Size it was
certain they could not have belonged to the Girl
Booth grew very warm against the Pawnbroker »I hope Sir« said he to the
Justice »there is some Punishment for this Fellow likewise who so plainly
appears to have known that these Goods were stolen The Shops of these Fellows
may indeed be called the Fountains of Theft For it is in reality the
Encouragement which they meet with from these Receivers of their Goods that
induces Men very often to become Thieves so that these deserve equal if not
severer Punishment than the Thieves themselves«
The Pawnbroker protested his Innocence And denied the taking in the Shifts
Indeed in this he spoke Truth for he had slipt into an inner Room as was
always his Custom on these Occasions and left a little Boy to do the Business
by which Means he had carried on the Trade of receiving stolen Goods for many
Years with Impunity and had been twice acquitted at the OldBaily though the
Juggle appeared upon the most manifest Evidence
As the Justice was going to speak he was interrupted by the Girl who
falling upon her Knees to Booth with many Tears begged his Forgiveness
»Indeed Betty« cries Booth »you do not deserve Forgiveness for you know
very good Reasons why you should not have thought of robbing your Mistress
particularly at this Time And what further Aggravates your Crime is that you
have robbed the best and kindest Mistress in the World Nay you are not only
guilty of Felony but of a felonious Breach of Trust for you know very well
every thing your Mistress had was intrusted to your Care«
Now it happened by very great Accident that the Justice before whom the Girl
was brought understood the Law Turning therefore to Booth he said »Do you
say Sir that this Girl was intrusted with the Shifts«
»Yes Sir« said Booth »she was intrusted with every thing«
»And will you swear that the Goods stolen« said the Justice »are worth
forty Shillings«
»No indeed Sir« answered Booth »nor that they are worth thirty either«
»Then Sir« cries the Justice »the Girl cannot be guilty of Felony«
»How Sir« said Booth »is it not a Breach of Trust And is not a Breach of
Trust Felony and the worst Felony too«
»No Sir« answered the Justice »a Breach of Trust is no Crime in our Law
unless it be in a Servant and then the Act of Parliament requires the Goods
taken to be of the Value of forty Shillings«
»So then a Servant« cries Booth »may rob his Master of thirtynine
Shillings whenever he pleases and he cant be punished«
»If the Goods are under his Care he cant« cries the Justice
»I ask your Pardon Sir« says Booth »I do not doubt what you say but sure
this is a very extraordinary Law«
»Perhaps I think so too« said the Justice »but it belongs not to my Office
to make or to mend Laws My Business is only to execute them If therefore the
Case be as you say I must discharge the Girl«
»I hope however you will punish the Pawnbroker« cries Booth
»If the Girl is discharged« cries the Justice »so must be the Pawnbroker
For if the Goods are not stolen he cannot be guilty of receiving them knowing
them to be stolen And besides as to his Offence to say the Truth I am almost
weary of prosecuting it for such are the Difficulties laid in the Way of this
Prosecution that it is almost impossible to convict any one on it And to speak
my Opinion plainly such are the Laws and such the Method of Proceeding that
one would almost think our Laws were rather made for the Protection of Rogues
than for the Punishment of them«
Thus ended this Examination the Thief and the Receiver went about their
Business and Booth departed in order to go home to his Wife
In his Way home Booth was met by a Lady in a Chair who immediately upon
seeing him stopt her Chair bolted out of it and going directly up to him
said »So Mr Booth you have kept your Word with me«
This Lady was no other than Miss Mathews and the Speech she meant was of a
Promise made to her at the Masquerade of visiting her within a Day or two
which whether he ever intended to keep I cannot say but in Truth the several
Accidents that had since happened to him had so discomposed his Mind that he
had absolutely forgot it
Booth however was too sensible and too well bred to make the Excuse of
Forgetfulness to a Lady nor could he readily find any other While he stood
therefore hesitating and looking not over wise Miss Mathews said »Well Sir
since by your Confusion I see you have some Grace left I will pardon you on one
Condition and that is that you will sup with me this Night But if you fail me
now expect all the Revenge of an injured Woman« She then bound herself by a
most outrageous Oath that she would complain to his Wife »And I am sure«
says she »she is so much a Woman of Honour as to do me Justice And tho I
miscarried in my first Attempt be assured I will take Care of my second«
Booth asked what she meant by her first Attempt to which she answered that
she had already writ his Wife an Account of his ill Usage of her but that she
was pleased it had miscarried She then repeated her Asseverations that she
would now do it effectually if he disappointed her
This Threat she reckoned would most certainly terrify poor Booth and indeed
she was not mistaken for I believe it would have been impossible by any other
Menace or by any other Means to have brought him once even to balance in his
Mind on this Question But by this Threat she prevailed and Booth promised
upon his Word and Honour to come to her at the Hour she appointed After which
she took Leave of him with a Squeeze by the Hand and a smiling Countenance and
walked back to her Chair
But however she might be pleased with having obtained this Promise Booth
was far from being delighted with the Thoughts of having given it He looked
indeed upon the Consequences of this Meeting with Horrour but as to the
Consequence which was so apparently intended by the Lady he resolved against
it At length he came to this Determination to go according to his Appointment
to argue the Matter with the Lady and to convince her if possible that from a
regard to his Honour only he must discontinue her Acquaintance If this failed
to satisfy her and she still persisted in her Threats to acquaint his Wife with
the Affair he then resolved whatever Pains it cost him to communicate the
whole Truth himself to Amelia from whose Goodness he doubted not but to obtain
an absolute Remission
Chapter VIII
In which Amelia appears in a Light more amiable than gay
We will now return to Amelia whom we left in some Perturbation of Mind
departing from Mrs Atkinson
Though she had before walked through the Streets in a very improper Dress
with Mrs Atkinson she was unwilling especially as she was alone to return in
the same Manner Indeed she was scarce able to walk in her present Condition
for the Case of poor Atkinson had much affected her tender Heart and her Eyes
had overflown with many Tears
It occurred likwise to her at present that she had not a single Shilling in
her Pocket or at home to provide Food for herself and her Family In this
Situation she resolved to go immediately to the Pawnbroker whither she had gone
before and to deposite her Picture for what she could raise upon it She then
immediately took a Chair and put her Design in Execution
The intrinsic Value of the Gold in which this Picture was set and of the
little Diamonds which surrounded it amounted to nine Guineas This therefore
was advanced to her and the prettiest Face in the World such is often the Fate
of Beauty was deposited as of no Value into the Bargain
When she came home she found the following Letter from Mrs Atkinson
»My dearest Madam
As I know your Goodness I could not delay a Moment acquainting you
with the happy Turn of my Affairs since you went The Doctor on his
return to visit my Husband has assured me that the Captain was on the
recovery and in very little Danger and I really think he is since
mended I hope to wait on you soon with better News Heaven bless you
dear Madam and believe me to be with the utmost Sincerity
Your most obliged
obedient humble Servant
Atkinson«
Amelia was really pleased with this Letter and now it being past Four oClock
she despaired of seeing her Husband till the Evening She therefore provided
some Tarts for her Children and then eating nothing but a Slice of Bread and
Butter herself she began to prepare for the Captains Supper
There were two Things of which her Husband was particularly fond which
though it may bring the Simplicity of his Taste into great Contempt with some of
my Readers I will venture to name These were a Fowl and Egg Sauce and Mutton
Broth both which Amelia immediately purchased
As soon as the Clock struck seven the good Creature went down into the
Kitchin and began to exercise her Talents of Cookery of which she was a great
Mistress as she was of every Economical Office from the highest to the
lowest and as no Woman could outshine her in a DrawingRoom so none could make
the DrawingRoom itself shine brighter than Amelia And if I may speak a bold
Truth I question whether it be possible to view this fine Creature in a more
amiable Light than while she was dressing her Husbands Supper with her little
Children playing round her
It was now half an Hour past Eight and the Meat almost ready the Table
likewise neatly spread with Materials borrowed from her Landlady and she began
to grow a little uneasy at Booths not returning when a sudden Knock at the
Door roused her Spirits and she cried »There my Dear there is your good
Papa« at which Words she darted swiftly up Stairs and opened the Door to her
Husband
She desired her Husband to walk up into the DiningRoom and she would come
to him in an Instant for she was desirous to encrease his Pleasure by
surprising him with his two favourite Dishes She then went down again to the
Kitchin where the Maid of the House undertook to send up the Supper and she
with her Children returned to Booth
He then told her concisely what had happened with relation to the Girl To
which she scarce made any Answer but asked him if he had not dined He assured
her he had not eat a Morsel the whole Day »Well« says she »my Dear I am a
Fellowsufferer but we shall both enjoy our Supper the more For I have made a
little Provision for you as I guessed what might be the Case I have got you a
Bottle of Wine too And here is a clean Cloth and a smiling Countenance my dear
Will Indeed I am in unusual good Spirits Tonight and I have made a Promise to
the Children which you must confirm I have promised to let them sit up this
one Night to Supper with us Nay dont look so serious cast off all uneasy
Thoughts I have a Present for you here No Matter how I came by it« At
which Words she put eight Guineas into his Hand crying »Come my dear Bill be
gay Fortune will yet be kind to us at least let us be happy this Night
Indeed the Pleasures of many Women during their whole Lives will not amount to
my Happiness this Night if you will be in good Humour«
Booth fetched a deep Sigh and cried »How unhappy am I my Dear that I
cant sup with you Tonight«
As in the delightful Month of June when the Sky is all serene and the
whole Face of Nature looks with a pleased and smiling Aspect suddenly a dark
Cloud spreads itself over the Hemisphere the Sun vanishes from our Sight and
every Object is obscured by a dark and horrid Gloom So happened it to Amelia
the Joy that had enlightened every Feature disappeared in a Moment the Lustre
forsook her shining Eyes and all the little Loves that played and wantoned in
her Cheeks hung their drooping Heads and with a faint trembling Voice she
repeated her Husbands Words »Not sup with me to Night my Dear«
»Indeed my Dear« answered he »I cannot I need not tell you how uneasy it
makes me or that I am as much disappointed as yourself but I am engaged to sup
abroad I have absolutely given my Honour and besides it is on Business of
Importance«
»My Dear« said she »I say no more I am convinced you would not willingly
sup from me I own it is a very particular Disappointment to me to Night when I
had proposed unusual Pleasure but the same Reason which is sufficient to you
ought to be so to me«
Booth made his Wife a Compliment on her ready Compliance and then asked
her what she intended by giving him that Money or how she came by it
»I intend my Dear« said she »to give it you that is all As to the
Manner in which I came by it you know Billy that is not very material You
are well assured I got it by no Means which would displease you and perhaps
another Time I may tell you«
Booth asked no farther Questions but he returned her and insisted on her
taking all but one Guinea saying she was the safest Treasurer He then promised
her to make all the Haste home in his Power and he hoped he said to be with
her in an Hour and Half at farthest and then took his Leave
When he was gone the poor disappointed Amelia sat down to Supper with her
Children with whose Company she was forced to console herself for the Absence
of her Husband
Chapter IX
A very tragic Scene
The Clock had struck Eleven and Amelia was just proceeding to put her Children
to Bed when she heard a Knock at the Street Door Upon which the Boy cried out
»Theres Papa Mamma pray let me stay and see him before I go to Bed« This was
a Favour very easily obtained for Amelia instantly ran down Stairs exulting in
the Goodness of her Husband for returning so soon though Half an Hour was
already elapsed beyond the Time in which he promised to return
Poor Amelia was now again disappointed for it was not her Husband at the
Door but a Servant with a Letter for him which he delivered into her Hands
She immediately returned up Stairs and said »It was not your Papa my Dear
but I hope it is one who hath brought us some good News« For Booth had told
her that he hourly expected to receive such from the great Man and had desired
her to open any Letter which came to him in his Absence
Amelia therefore broke open the Letter and read as follows
»Sir
After what hath past between us I need only tell you that I know
you supped this very Night alone with Miss Mathews a Fact which will
upbraid you sufficiently without putting me to that Trouble and will
very well account for my desiring the Favour of seeing you Tomorrow in
HidePark at Six in the Morning You will forgive me reminding you once
more how inexcusable this Behaviour is in you who are possessed in your
own Wife of the most inestimable Jewel
Yours etc
T James
I shall bring Pistols with me«
It is not easy to describe the Agitation of Amelias Mind when she read this
Letter She threw herself into her Chair turned as pale as Death began to
tremble all over and had just Power enough left to tap the Bottle of Wine
which she had hitherto preserved entire for her Husband and to drink off a
large Bumper
The little Boy perceived the strange Symptoms which appeared in his Mother
and running to her he cried »Whats the Matter my dear Mamma you dont look
well No Harm hath happened to poor Papa I hope Sure that bad Man hath not
carried him away again«
Amelia answered »No Child nothing nothing at all« And then a large
Shower of Tears came to her Assistance which presently after produced the same
in the Eyes of both the Children
Amelia after a short Silence looking tenderly at her Children cryd out
»It is too much too much to bear Why did I bring these little Wretches into
the World Why were these Innocents born to such a Fate« She then threw her
Arms round them both for they were before embracing her Knees and cried »O
my Children my Children Forgive me my Babes Forgive me that I have brought
you into such a World as this You are undone my Children are undone«
The little Boy answered with great Spirit »How undone Mamma My Sister and
I dont care a Farthing for being undone Dont cry so upon our Accounts we
are both very well indeed we are But do pray tell us I am sure some Accident
hath happened to poor Papa«
»Mention him no more« cries Amelia »your Papa is indeed he is a wicked
Man he cares not for any of us O Heavens is this the Happiness I promised
myself this Evening« At which Words she fell into an Agony holding both her
Children in her Arms
The Maid of the House now entered the Room with a Letter in her Hand which
she had received from a Porter whose Arrival the Reader will not wonder to have
been unheard by Amelia in her present Condition
The Maid upon her Entrance into the Room perceiving the Situation of
Amelia cried out »Good Heavens Madam whats the Matter« Upon which Amelia
who had a little recovered herself after the last violent Vent of her Passion
started up and cried »Nothing Mrs Susan nothing extraordinary I am
subject to these Fits sometimes but I am very well now Come my dear Children
I am very well again indeed I am You must now go to Bed Mrs Susan will be so
good as to put you to Bed«
»But why doth not Papa love us« cries the little Boy »I am sure we have
none of us done any Thing to disoblige him«
This innocent Question of the Child so stung Amelia that she had the utmost
Difficulty to prevent a Relapse However she took another Dram of Wine for so
it might be called to her who was the most temperate of Women and never
exceeded three Glasses on any Occasion In this Glass she drank her Childrens
Health and soon after so well soothed and composed them that they went
quietly away with Mrs Susan
The Maid in the Shock she had conceived at the melancholy indeed frightful
Scene which had presented itself to her at her first coming into the Room had
quite forgot the Letter which she held in her Hand However just at her
Departure she recollected it and delivered it to Amelia who was no sooner
alone than she opened it and read as follows
»My dearest sweetest Love
I write this from the Bailiffs House where I was formerly and to
which I am again brought at the Suit of that Villain Trent I have the
Misfortune to think I owe this Accident I mean that it happened to
Night to my own Folly in endeavouring to keep a Secret from you O my
Dear had I had Resolution to confess my Crime to you your Forgiveness
would I am convinced have cost me only a few Blushes and I had now
been happy in your Arms Fool that I was to leave you on such an
Account and to add to a former Transgression a new one Yet by
Heavens I mean not a Transgression of the like kind for of that I am
not nor ever will be guilty and when you know the true Reason of my
leaving you Tonight I think you will pity rather than upbraid me I
am sure you would if you knew the Compunction with which I left you to
go to the most worthless the most infamous Do guess the rest Guess
that Crime with which I cannot stain my Paper but still believe me no
more guilty than I am or if it will lessen your Vexation at what hath
befallen me believe me as guilty as you please and think me for a
while at least as undeserving of you as I think myself This Paper and
Pen are so bad I question whether you can read what I write I almost
doubt whether I wish you should Yet this I will endeavour to make as
legible as I can Be comforted my dear Love and still keep up your
Spirits with the Hopes of better Days The Doctor will be in Town
Tomorrow and I trust on his Goodness for my Delivery once more from
this Place and that I shall soon be able to repay him That Heaven may
bless and preserve you is the Prayer of
My dearest Love
Your ever fond affectionate
and hereafter faithful Husband
W Booth«
Amelia pretty well guessed the obscure Meaning of this Letter which though at
another Time it might have given her unspeakable Torment was at present rather
of the medicinal Kind and served to allay her Anguish Her Anger to Booth too
began a little to abate and was softened by her Concern for his Misfortune
Upon the whole however she past a miserable and sleepless Night her gentle
Mind torn and distracted with various and contending Passions distressed with
Doubts and wandring in a kind of Twilight which presented her only Objects of
different Degrees of Horrour and where black Despair closed at a small Distance
the gloomy Prospect
Book XII
Chapter I
The Book begins with polite History
Before we return to the miserable Couple whom we left at the End of the last
Book we will give our Reader the more chearful View of the gay and happy Family
of Colonel James
Mrs James when she could not as we have seen prevail with Amelia to
accept that Invitation which at the Desire of the Colonel she had so kindly and
obediently carried her returned to her Husband and acquainted him with the ill
Success of her Embassy at which to say the Truth she was almost as much
disappointed as the Colonel himself for he had not taken a much stronger Liking
to Amelia than she herself had conceived for Booth This will account for some
Passages which may have a little surprised the Reader in the former Chapters of
this History as we were not then at Leisure to communicate to them a Hint of
this Kind It was indeed on Mr Booths Account that she had been at the Trouble
of changing her Dress at the Masquerade
But her Passions of this Sort happily for her were not extremely strong
she was therefore easily baulked and as she met with no Encouragement from
Booth she soon gave way to the Impetuosity of Miss Mathews and from that Time
scarce thought more of the Affair till her Husbands Design against the Wife
revived hers likewise insomuch that her Passion was at this Time certainly
strong enough for Booth to produce a good hearty Hatred for Amelia whom she
now abused to the Colonel in very gross Terms both on the Account of her
Poverty and her Insolence for so she termed the Refusal of all her Offers
The Colonel seeing no Hopes of soon possessing his new Mistress began like
a prudent and wise Man to turn his Thoughts towards the securing his old one
From what his Wife had mentioned concerning the Behaviour of the Shepherdess
and particularly her Preference of Booth he had little Doubt but that this was
the identical Miss Mathews He resolved therefore to watch her closely in hopes
of discovering Booths Intrigue with her In this besides the Remainder of
Affection which he yet preserved for that Lady he had another View as it would
give him a fair Pretence to quarrel with Booth who by carrying on this
Intrigue would have broke his Word and Honour given to him And he began now to
hate poor Booth heartily from the same Reason from which Mrs James had
contracted her Aversion to Amelia
The Colonel therefore employed an inferior kind of Pimp to watch the
Lodgings of Miss Mathews and to acquaint him if Booth whose Person was known
to the Pimp made any Visit there
The Pimp faithfully performed his Office and having last Night made the
wishd for Discovery immediately acquainted his Master with it
Upon this News the Colonel presently dispatched to Booth the short Note
which we have before seen He sent it to his own House instead of Miss
Mathewss with Hopes of that very Accident which actually did happen Not that
he had any Ingredient of the Bully in him and desired to be prevented from
fighting but with a Prospect of injuring Booth in the Affection and Esteem of
Amelia and of recommending himself somewhat to her by appearing in the Light of
her Champion for which Purpose he added that Compliment to Amelia in his
Letter He concluded upon the whole that if Booth himself opened the Letter
he would certainly meet him the next Morning but if his Wife should open it
before he came home it might have the Effects before mentioned and for his
future Expostulation with Booth it would not be in Amelias Power to prevent
it
Now it happened that this Pimp had more Masters than one Amongst these was
the worthy Mr Trent for whom he had often done Business of the pimping
Vocation He had been employed indeed in the Service of the great Peer himself
under the Direction of the said Trent and was the very Person who had assisted
the said Trent in dogging Booth and his Wife to the OperaHouse on Masquerade
Night
This subaltern Pimp was with his Superior Trent Yesterday Morning when he
found a Bailiff with him in order to receive his Instructions for the arresting
Booth when the Bailiff said it would be a very difficult Matter to take him
for that to his Knowledge he was as shy a Cock as any in England The Subaltern
immediately acquainted Trent with the Business in which he was employd by the
Colonel Upon which Trent enjoined him the Moment he had set him to give
immediate Notice to the Bailiff which he agreed to and performed accordingly
The Bailiff on receiving the Notice immediately set out for his Stand at
an Alehouse within three Doors of Miss Mathewss Lodgings At which
unfortunately for poor Booth he arrived a very few Minutes before Booth left
that Lady in order to return to Amelia
These were several Matters of which we thought necessary our Reader should
be informed for besides that it conduces greatly to a perfect Understanding of
all History there is no Exercise of the Mind of a sensible Reader more pleasant
than the tracing the several small and almost imperceptible Links in every Chain
of Events by which all the great Actions of the World are produced We will now
in the next Chapter proceed with our History
Chapter II
In which Amelia visits her Husband
Amelia after much anxious thinking in which she sometimes flattered herself
that her Husband was less guilty than she had at first imagined him and that he
had some good Excuse to make for himself for indeed she was not so able as
willing to make one for him at length resolved to set out for the Bailiffs
Castle Having therefore strictly recommended the Care of her Children to her
good Landlady she sent for a Hackney Coach and ordered the Coachman to drive
to GraysInnLane
When she came to the House and askd for the Captain the Bailiffs Wife
who came to the Door guessing by the Greatness of her Beauty and the Disorder
of her Dress that she was a young Lady of Pleasure answered surlily »Captain
I do not know of any Captain that is here not I« For this good Woman was as
well as Dame Purgante in Prior a bitter Enemy to all Whores especially to
those of the handsome Kind for some such she suspected to go Shares with her in
a certain Property to which the Law gave her the sole Right
Amelia replied she was certain that Captain Booth was there »Well if he
is so« cries the Bailiffs Wife »you may come into the Kitchin if you will
and he shall be called down to you if you have any Business with him« At the
same Time she mutterd something to herself and concluded a little more
intelligibly tho still in a muttering Voice that she kept no such House
Amelia whose Innocence gave her no Suspicion of the true Cause of this good
Womans Sullenness was frightened and began to fear she knew not what At last
she made a shift to totter into the Kitchin when the Mistress of the House
asked her »Well Madam who shall I tell the Captain wants to speak with him«
»I ask your Pardon Madam« cries Amelia »in my Confusion I really forgot
you did not know me tell him if you please that I am his Wife«
»And are you indeed his Wife Madam« cries Mrs Bailiff a little softened
»Yes indeed and upon my Honour« answers Amelia
»If this be the Case« cries the other »you may walk up Stairs if you
please Heaven forbid I should part Man and Wife Indeed I think they can never
be too much together But I never will suffer any bad Doings in my House nor
any of the Town Ladies to come to Gentlemen here«
Amelia answered That she liked her the better for indeed in her present
Disposition Amelia was as much exasperated against wicked Women as the virtuous
Mistress of the House or any other virtuous Woman could be
The Bailiffs Wife then ushered Amelia up Stairs and having unlocked the
Prisoners Door cried »Captain here is your Lady Sir come to see you« At
which Words Booth started up from his Chair and caught Amelia in his Arms
embracing her for a considerable Time with so much Rapture that the Bailiffs
Wife who was an Eyewitness of this violent Fondness began to suspect whether
Amelia had really told her Truth However she had some little Awe of the
Captain and for fear of being in the wrong did not interfere but shut the Door
and turned the Key
When Booth found himself alone with his Wife and had vented the first
Violence of his Rapture in Kisses and Embraces he looked tenderly at her and
cried »Is it possible Amelia is it possible you can have this Goodness to
follow such a Wretch as me to such a Place as this or do you come to upbraid
me with my Guilt and to sink me down to that Perdition I so justly deserve«
»Am I so given to upbraiding then« says she in a gentle Voice »have I
ever given you Occasion to think I would sink you to Perdition«
»Far be it from me my Love to think so« answered he »And yet you may
forgive the utmost Fears of an offending penitent Sinner I know indeed the
Extent of your Goodness and yet I know my Guilt so great «
»Alas Mr Booth« said she »What Guilt is this which you mention and
which you writ to me of last Night Sure by your mentioning to me so much you
intend to tell me more nay indeed to tell me all And not leave my Mind open
to Suspicions perhaps ten times worse than the Truth«
»Will you give me a patient hearing« said he
»I will indeed« answered she »nay I am prepared to hear the worst you can
unfold nay perhaps the worst is short of my Apprehensions«
Booth then after a little further Apology began and related to her the
whole that had passd between him and Miss Mathews from their first Meeting in
the Prison to their Separation the preceding Evening All which as the Reader
knows it already it would be tedious and unpardonable to transcribe from his
Mouth He told her likewise all that he had done and suffered to conceal his
Transgression from her Knowledge This he assured her was the Business of his
Visit last Night the Consequence of which was he declared in the most solemn
Manner no other than an absolute Quarrel with Miss Mathews of whom he had
taken a final Leave
When he had ended his Narration Amelia after a short Silence answered
»Indeed I firmly believe every Word you have said but I cannot now forgive
you the Fault you have confessed and my Reason is because I have forgiven it
long ago Here my Dear« said she »is an Instance that I am likewise capable
of keeping a Secret« She then delivered her Husband a Letter which she had
some Time ago received from Miss Mathews and which was the same which that Lady
had mentioned and supposed as Booth had never heard of it that it had
miscarried for she sent it by the PennyPost In this Letter which was signd
by a feigned Name she had acquainted Amelia with the Infidelity of her Husband
and had besides very greatly abused him taxing him with many Falshoods and
among the rest with having spoken very slightingly and disrespectfully of his
Wife
Amelia never shind forth to Booth in so amiable and great a Light nor did
his own Unworthiness ever appear to him so mean and contemptible as at this
Instant However when he had read the Letter he uttered many violent
Protestations to her that all which related to herself was absolutely false
»I am convinced it is« said she »I would not have a Suspicion of the
contrary for the World I assure you I had till last Night revived it in my
Memory almost forgot the Letter for as I well knew from whom it came by her
mentioning Obligations which she had conferred on you and which you had more
than once spoken to me of I made large Allowances for the Situation you was
then in and I was the more satisfied as the Letter itself as well as many
other Circumstances convinced me the Affair was at an End«
Booth now utterd the most extravagant Expressions of Admiration and
Fondness that his Heart could dictate and accompanied them with the warmest
Embraces All which Warmth and Tenderness she returnd and Tears of Love and
Joy gushd from both their Eyes So ravishd indeed were their Hearts that for
some Time they both forgot the dreadful Situation of their Affairs
This however was but a short Reverie It soon recurrd to Amelia that tho
she had the Liberty of leaving that House when she pleased she could not take
her beloved Husband with her This Thought stung her tender Bosom to the Quick
and she could not so far command herself as to refrain from many sorrowful
Exclamations against the Hardship of their Destiny but when she saw the Effect
they had upon Booth she stifled her rising Grief forced a little Cheerfulness
into her Countenance and exerting all the Spirits she could raise within
herself expressed her Hopes of seeing a speedy End to their Sufferings She
then askd her Husband what she should do for him and to whom she should apply
for his Deliverance
»You know my Dear« cries Booth »that the Doctor is to be in Town some
Time to Day My Hopes of immediate Redemption are only in him and if that can
be obtaind I make no Doubt but of the Success of that Affair which is in the
Hands of a Gentleman who hath faithfully promised and in whose Power I am so
well assured it is to serve me«
Thus did this poor Man support his Hopes by a Dependance on that Ticket
which he had so dearly purchased of one who pretended to manage the Wheels in
the Great State Lottery of Preferment A Lottery indeed which hath this to
recommend it that many poor Wretches feed their Imaginations with the Prospect
of a Prize during their whole Lives and never discover they have drawn a Blank
Amelia who was of a pretty sanguine Temper and was entirely ignorant of
these Matters was full as easy to be deceived into Hopes as her Husband but in
Reality at present she turnd her Eyes to no distant Prospect the Desire of
regaining her Husbands Liberty having engrossed her whole Mind
While they were discoursing on these Matters they heard a violent Noise in
the House and immediately after several Persons passed by their Door up Stairs
to the Apartment over their Head This greatly terrified the gentle Spirit of
Amelia and she cried »Good Heavens my Dear must I leave you in this horrid
Place I am terrified with a thousand Fears concerning you«
Booth endeavoured to comfort her saying that he was in no Manner of
Danger and that he doubted not but that the Doctor would soon be with him
»And stay my Dear« cries he »now I recollect suppose you should apply to my
old Friend James for I believe you are pretty well satisfied that your
Apprehensions of him were groundless I have no Reason to think but that he
would be as ready to serve me as formerly«
Amelia turned pale as Ashes at the Name of James and instead of making a
direct Answer to her Husband she laid hold of him and cried »My Dear I have
one Favour to beg of you and I insist on your granting it me«
Booth readily swore he would deny her nothing
»It is only this my Dear« said she »that if that detested Colonel comes
you will not see him Let the People of the House tell him you are not here«
»He knows nothing of my being here« answerd Booth »but why should I
refuse to see him if he should be kind enough to come hither to me Indeed my
Amelia you have taken a Dislike to that Man without sufficient Reason«
»I speak not upon that Account« cries Amelia »but I have had Dreams last
Night about you two Perhaps you will laugh at my Folly but pray indulge it
Nay I insist on your Promise of not denying me«
»Dreams my dear Creature« answerd he »What Dream can you have had of
us«
»One too horrible to be mentiond« replyd she »I cannot think of it
without Horror and unless you will promise me not to see the Colonel till I
return I positively will never leave you«
»Indeed my Amelia« said Booth »I never knew you unreasonable before How
can a Woman of your Sense talk of Dreams«
»Suffer me to be once at least unreasonable« said Amelia »as you are so
goodnaturd to say I am not often so Consider what I have lately sufferd
and how weak my Spirits must be at this Time«
As Booth was going to speak the Bailiff without any Ceremony enterd the
Room and cried »No Offence I hope Madam my Wife it seems did not know
you She thought the Captain had a Mind for a Bit of Flesh by the Bye But I
have quieted all Matters for I know you very well I have seen that handsome
Face many a Time when I have been waiting upon the Captain formerly No
Offence I hope Madam but if my Wife was as handsome as you are I should not
look for worse Goods abroad«
Booth conceived some Displeasure at this Speech but he did not think proper
to express more than a Pish And then askd the Bailiff what was the Meaning
of the Noise they heard just now
»I know of no Noise« answerd the Bailiff »Some of my Men have been
carrying a Piece of bad Luggage up Stairs a poor Rascal that resisted the Law
and Justice so I gave him a Cut or two with a Hanger If they should prove
mortal he must thank himself for it If a Man will not behave like a Gentleman
to an Officer he must take the Consequence but I must say that for you
Captain you behave yourself like a Gentleman and therefore I shall always use
you as such and I hope you will find Bail soon with all my Heart This is but a
paultry Sum to what the last was and I do assure you there is nothing else
against you in the Office«
The latter Part of the Bailiffs Speech somewhat comforted Amelia who had
been a little frightned by the former and she soon after took Leave of her
Husband to go in Quest of the Doctor who as Amelia had heard that Morning
was expected in Town that very Day which was somewhat sooner than he had
intended at his Departure
Before she went however she left a strict Charge with the Bailiff who
usherd her very civilly down Stairs that if one Colonel James came there to
enquire for her Husband he should deny that he was there
She then departed and the Bailiff immediately gave a very strict Charge to
his Wife his Maid and his Followers that if one Colonel James or any one
from him should enquire after the Captain they should let him know he had the
Captain above Stairs for he doubted not but that the Colonel was one of Booths
Creditors and he hoped for a second Bail Bond by his Means
Chapter III
Containing Matter pertinent to the History
Amelia in her Way to the Doctors determind just to stop at her own Lodgings
which lay a little out of the Road and to pay a momentary Visit to her
Children
This was fortunate enough for had she calld at the Doctors House she
would have heard nothing of him which would have caused in her some Alarm and
Disappointment for the Doctor was set down at Mrs Atkinsons where he was
directed to Amelias Lodgings to which he went before he called at his own and
here Amelia now found him playing with her two Children
The Doctor had been a little surprized at not finding Amelia at home or any
one that could give an Account of her He was now more surprized to see her come
in in such a Dress and at the Disorder which he very plainly perceived in her
pale and melancholy Countenance He addressed her first for indeed she was in
no great Haste to speak and cryd »My dear Child what is the Matter where is
your Husband Some Mischief I am afraid hath happend to him in my Absence«
»O my dear Doctor« answerd Amelia »sure some good Angel hath sent you
hither My poor Will is arrested again I left him in the most miserable
Condition in the very House whence your Goodness formerly redeemd him«
»Arrested« cries the Doctor »Then it must be for some very inconsiderable
Trifle«
»I wish it was« said Amelia »but it is for no less than 50l«
»Then« cries the Doctor »he hath been disingenuous with me He told me he
did not owe ten Pounds in the World for which he was liable to be sued«
»I know not what to say« cries Amelia »Indeed I am afraid to tell you the
Truth«
»How Child« said the Doctor »I hope you will never disguise it to any
one especially to me Any Prevarication I promise you will forfeit my
Friendship for ever«
»I will tell you the whole« cries Amelia »and rely entirely on your
Goodness« She then related the gaming Story not forgetting to set in the
fullest Light and to lay the strongest Emphasis on his Promise never to play
again
The Doctor fetched a deep Sigh when he had heard Amelias Relation and
cried »I am sorry Child for the Share you are to partake in your Husbands
Sufferings but as for him I really think he deserves no Compassion You say he
hath promised never to play again but I must tell you he hath broke his Promise
to me already for I had heard he was formerly addicted to this Vice and had
given him sufficient Caution against it You will consider Child I am already
pretty largely engaged for him every Farthing of which I am sensible I must
pay You know I would go to the utmost Verge of Prudence to serve you but I
must not exceed my Ability which is not very great and I have several Families
on my Hands who are by Misfortune alone brought to Want I do assure you I
cannot at present answer for such a Sum as this without distressing my own
Circumstances«
»Then Heaven have Mercy upon us all« cries Amelia »for we have no other
Friend on Earth My Husband is undone and these poor little Wretches must be
starved«
The Doctor cast his Eyes on the Children and then cried »I hope not so I
told you I must distress my Circumstances and I will distress them this once on
your Account and on the Account of these poor little Babes But Things must
not go on any longer in this Way You must take an heroic Resolution I will
hire a Coach for you Tomorrow Morning which shall carry you all down to my
ParsonageHouse There you shall have my Protection till something can be done
for your Husband of which to be plain with you I at present see no
Likelihood«
Amelia fell upon her Knees in an Ecstasy of Thanksgiving to the Doctor who
immediately raised her up and placed her in her Chair She then recollected
herself and said »O my worthy Friend I have still another Matter to mention
to you in which I must have both your Advice and Assistance My Soul blushes to
give you all this Trouble but what other Friend have I indeed what other
Friend could I apply to so properly on such an Occasion«
The Doctor with a very kind Voice and Countenance desired her to speak
She then said »O Sir that wicked Colonel whom I have mentioned to you
formerly hath picked some Quarrel with my Husband« for she did not think
proper to mention the Cause »and hath sent him a Challenge It came to my Hand
last Night after he was arrested I opened and read it«
»Give it me Child« said the Doctor
She answered she had burnt it as was indeed true »But I remember it was an
Appointment to meet at Sword and Pistol this Morning at HidePark«
»Make yourself easy my dear Child« cries the Doctor »I will take Care to
prevent any Mischief«
»But consider my dear Sir« said she »this is a tender Matter My
Husbands Honour is to be preserved as well as his Life«
»And so is his Soul which ought to be the dearest of all Things« cries the
Doctor »Honour Nonsense Can Honour dictate to him to disobey the express
Commands of his Maker in Compliance with a Custom established by a Set of
Blockheads founded on false Principles of Virtue in direct Opposition to the
plain and positive Precepts of Religion and tending manifestly to give a
Sanction to Ruffians and to protect them in all the Ways of Impudence and
Villany«
»All this I believe is very true« cries Amelia »but yet you know
Doctor the Opinion of the World«
»You talk simply Child« cries the Doctor »What is the Opinion of the
World opposed to Religion and Virtue But you are in the wrong It is not the
Opinion of the World it is the Opinion of the Idle Ignorant and Profligate
It is impossible it should be the Opinion of one Man of Sense who is in Earnest
in his Belief of our Religion Chiefly indeed it hath been upheld by the
Nonsense of Women who either from their extreme Cowardice and Desire of
Protection or as Mr Bayle thinks from their excessive Vanity have been
always forward to countenance a Set of Hectors and Bravoes and to despise all
Men of Modesty and Sobriety tho these are often at the Bottom not only the
better but the braver Men«
»You know Doctor« cries Amelia »I have never presumed to argue with you
your Opinion is to me always Instruction and your Word a Law«
»Indeed Child« cries the Doctor »I know you are a good Woman and yet I
must observe to you that this very Desire of feeding the Passion of female
Vanity with the Heroism of her Man old Homer seems to make the Characteristic
of a bad and loose Woman He introduces Helen upbraiding her Gallant with having
quitted the Fight and left the Victory to Menelaus and seeming to be sorry
that she had left her Husband only because he was the better Duellist of the
two but in how different a Light doth he represent the tender and chaste Love
of Andromache to her worthy Hector She dissuades him from exposing himself to
Danger even in a just Cause This is indeed a Weakness but it is an amiable
one and becoming the true feminine Character but a Woman who out of heroic
Vanity for so it is would hazard not only the Life but the Soul too of her
Husband in a Duel is a Monster and ought to be painted in no other Character
but that of a Fury«
»I assure you Doctor« cries Amelia »I never saw this Matter in the odious
Light in which you have truly represented it before I am ashamed to recollect
what I have formerly said on this Subject And yet whilst the Opinion of the
World is as it is one would wish to comply as far as possible especially as
my Husband is an Officer of the Army If it can be done therefore with Safety to
his Honour «
»Again Honour« cries the Doctor »indeed I will not suffer that noble Word
to be so basely and barbarously prostituted I have known some of these Men of
Honour as they call themselves to be the most arrant Rascals in the Universe«
»Well I ask your Pardon« said she »Reputation then if you please or
any other Word you like better you know my Meaning very well«
»I do know your Meaning« cries the Doctor »and Virgil knew it a great
While ago The next Time you see your Friend Mrs Atkinson ask her what it was
made Dido fall in Love with Æneas«
»Nay dear Sir« said Amelia »do not rally me so unmercifully think where
my poor Husband is now«
»He is« answered the Doctor »where I will presently be with him In the
mean Time do you pack up every Thing in order for your Journey Tomorrow for
if you are wise you will not trust your Husband a Day longer in this Town
therefore to packing «
Amelia promised she would though indeed she wanted not any Warning for her
Journey on this Account for when she packed up herself in the Coach she packed
up her All However she did not think proper to mention this to the Doctor for
as he was now in pretty good Humour she did not care to venture again
discomposing his Temper
The Doctor then set out for Grays Inn Lane and as soon as he was gone
Amelia began to consider of her Incapacity to take a Journey in her present
Situation without even a clean Shift At last she resolved as she was
possessed of seven Guineas and a Half to go to her Friend and redeem some of
her own and her Husbands Linen out of Captivity indeed just so much as would
render it barely possible for them to go out of Town with any kind of Decency
And this Resolution she immediately executed
As soon as she had finished her Business with the Pawnbroker if a Man who
lends under thirty per Cent deserves that Name he said to her »Pray Madam
did you know that Man who was here Yesterday when you brought the Picture«
Amelia answered in the Negative »Indeed Madam« said the Broker »he knows
you though he did not recollect you while you was here as your Hood was drawn
over your Face but the Moment you was gone he begged to look at the Picture
which I thinking no Harm permitted He had scarce looked upon it when he cried
out By Heaven and Earth it is her Picture He then asked me if I knew you
Indeed says I I never saw the Lady before«
In this last Particular however the Pawnbroker a little savoured of his
Profession and made a small Deviation from the Truth for when the Man had
asked him if he knew the Lady he answered she was some poor undone Woman who
had pawned all her Cloaths to him the Day before »and I suppose« says he
»this Picture is the last of her Goods and Chattels« This Hint we thought
proper to give the Reader as it may chance to be material
Amelia answered coldly that she had taken so very little Notice of the Man
that she scarce remembered he was there
»I assure you Madam« says the Pawnbroker »he hath taken very great Notice
of you for the Man changed Countenance upon what I said and presently after
begged me to give him a Dram Oho thinks I to myself are you thereabouts I
would not be so much in Love with some Folks as some People are for more
Interest than I shall ever make of a thousand Pound«
Amelia blushed and said with some Peevishness that she knew nothing of the
Man but supposed he was some impertinent Fellow or other
»Nay Madam« answered the Pawnbroker »I assure you he is not worthy your
regard He is a poor Wretch and I believe I am possessed of most of his
Moveables However I hope you are not offended for indeed he said no Harm but
he was very strangely disordered that is the Truth of it«
Amelia was very desirous of putting an End to this Conversation and
altogether as eager to return to her Children she therefore bundled up her
Things as fast as she could and calling for a HackneyCoach directed the
Coachman to her Lodgings and bid him drive her Home with all the Haste he
could
Chapter IV
In which Dr Harrison visits Colonel James
The Doctor when he left Amelia intended to go directly to Booth but he
presently changed his Mind and determined first to call on the Colonel as he
thought it was proper to put an End to that Matter before he gave Booth his
Liberty
The Doctor found the two Colonels James and Bath together They both
received him very civilly for James was a very well bred Man and Bath always
shewed a particular Respect to the Clergy he being indeed a perfect good
Christian except in the Articles of Fighting and Swearing
Our Divine sat some time without mentioning the Subject of his Errand in
Hopes that Bath would go away but when he found no Likelihood of that for
indeed Bath was of the two much the most pleased with his Company he told James
that he had something to say to him relating to Mr Booth which he believed he
might speak before his Brother
»Undoubtedly Sir« said James »for there can be no Secrets between us
which my Brother may not hear«
»I come then to you Sir« said the Doctor »from the most unhappy Woman in
the World to whose Afflictions you have very greatly and very cruelly added by
sending a Challenge to her Husband which hath very luckily fallen into her
Hands for had the Man for whom you designed it received it I am afraid you
would not have seen me upon this Occasion«
»If I writ such a Letter to Mr Booth Sir« said James »you may be assured
I did not expect this Visit in answer to it«
»I do not think you did« cries the Doctor »but you have great Reason to
thank Heaven for ordering this Matter contrary to your Expectations I know not
what Trifle may have drawn this Challenge from you but after what I have some
Reason to know of you Sir I must plainly tell you that if you had added to
your Guilt already committed against this Man that of having his Blood upon your
Hands your Soul would have become as black as Hell itself«
»Give me leave to say« cries the Colonel »this is a Language which I am
not used to hear and if your Cloth was not your Protection you should not give
it me with Impunity After what you know of me Sir What do you presume to know
of me to my Disadvantage«
»You say my Cloth is my Protection Colonel« answered the Doctor
»therefore pray lay aside your Anger I do not come with any Design of
affronting or offending you «
»Very well« cries Bath »that Declaration is sufficient from a Clergyman
let him say what he pleases«
»Indeed Sir« says the Doctor very mildly »I consult equally the Good of
you both and in a spiritual Sense more especially yours for you know you
have injured this poor Man«
»So far on the contrary« cries James »that I have been his greatest
Benefactor I scorn to upbraid him but you force me to it Nor have I ever done
him the least Injury«
»Perhaps not« said the Doctor »I will alter what I have said But for
this I apply to your Honour Have you not intended him an Injury the very
Intention of which cancels every Obligation«
»How Sir« answered the Colonel »What do you mean«
»My Meaning« replied the Doctor »is almost too tender to mention Come
Colonel examine your own Heart and then answer me on your Honour if you have
not intended to do him the highest Wrong which one Man can do another«
»I do not know what you mean by the Question« answered the Colonel
»Dn me the Question is very transparent« cries Bath »From any other Man
it would be an Affront with the strongest Emphasis but from one of the Doctors
Cloth it demands a categorical Answer«
»I am not a Papist Sir« answered Colonel James »nor am I obliged to
confess to my Priest But if you have any thing to say speak openly for I do
not understand your Meaning«
»I have explained my Meaning to you already« said the Doctor »in a Letter
I wrote to you on the Subject a Subject which I am sorry I should have any
Occasion to write upon to a Christian«
»I do remember now« cries the Colonel »that I received a very impertinent
Letter something like a Sermon against Adultery but I did not expect to hear
the Author own it to my Face«
»That brave Man then Sir« answered the Doctor »stands before you who
dares own he wrote that Letter and dares affirm too that it was writ on a just
and strong Foundation But if the Hardness of your Heart could prevail on you to
treat my good Intention with Contempt and Scorn what pray could induce you to
shew it nay to give it Mr Booth What Motive could you have for that unless
you meant to insult him and to provoke your Rival to give you that Opportunity
of putting him out of the World which you have since wickedly sought by your
Challenge«
»I give him the Letter« said the Colonel
»Yes Sir« answered the Doctor »he shewed me the Letter and affirmed that
you gave it him at the Masquerade«
»He is a lying Rascal then« said the Colonel very passionately »I scarce
took the Trouble of reading the Letter and lost it out of my Pocket«
Here Bath interfered and explaind this Affair in the Manner in which it
happend and with which the Reader is already acquainted He concluded by great
Eulogiums on the Performance and declared it was one of the most enthusiastic
meaning perhaps ecclesiastic Letters that ever was written »And dn me« says
he »if I do not respect the Author with the utmost Emphasis of thinking«
The Doctor now recollected what had passed with Booth and perceived he had
made a Mistake of one Colonel for another This he presently acknowledged to
Colonel James and said that the Mistake had been his and not Booths
Bath now collected all his Gravity and Dignity as he called it into his
Countenance and addressing himself to James said »And was that Letter writ
to you Brother I hope you never deserved any Suspicion of this Kind«
»Brother« cries James »I am accountable to myself for my Actions and
shall not render an Account either to you or to that Gentleman«
»As to me Brother« answered Bath »you say right but I think this
Gentleman may call you to an Account nay I think it is his Duty so to do And
let me tell you Brother there is ONE much greater than he to whom you must
give an Account Mrs Booth is really a fine Woman a Lady of most imperious and
majestick Presence I have heard you often say that you liked her and if you
have quarrelled with her Husband upon this Account by all the Dignity of Man I
think you ought to ask his Pardon«
»Indeed Brother« cries James »I can bear this no longer you will make
me angry presently«
»Angry Brother James« cries Bath »angry I love you Brother and have
Obligations to you I will say no more but I hope you know I do not fear
making any Man angry«
James answered he knew it well and then the Doctor apprehending that while
he was stopping up one Breach he should make another presently interfered and
turned the Discourse back to Booth »You tell me Sir« said he to James »that
my Gown is my Protection let it then at least protect me where I have had no
Design in offending where I have consulted your highest Welfare as in truth I
did in writing this Letter And if you did not in the least deserve any such
Suspicion still you have no Cause for Resentment Caution against Sin even to
the Innocent can never be unwholesome But this I assure you whatever Anger
you have to me you can have none to poor Booth who was entirely ignorant of my
writing to you and who I am certain never entertaind the least Suspicion of
you on the contrary reveres you with the highest Esteem and Love and
Gratitude Let me therefore reconcile all Matters between you and bring you
together before he hath even heard of this Challenge«
»Brother« cries Bath »I hope I shall not make you angry I lie when I say
so for I am indifferent to any Mans Anger Let me be an Accessary to what the
Doctor hath said I think I may be trusted with Matters of this Nature and it
is a little unkind that if you intended to send a Challenge you did not make me
the Bearer But indeed as to what appears to me this Matter may be very well
made up and as Mr Booth doth not know of the Challenge I dont see why he
ever should any more than your giving him the lie just now but that he shall
never have from me nor I believe from this Gentleman for indeed if he should
it would be incumbent upon him to cut your Throat«
»Lookee Doctor« said James »I do not deserve the unkind Suspicion you
just now threw out against me I never thirsted after any Mans Blood and as
for what hath passed since this Discovery hath happened I may perhaps not
think it worth my while to trouble myself any more about it«
The Doctor was not contented with perhaps he insisted on a firm Promise to
be bound with the Colonels Honour This at length he obtained and then
departed well satisfied
In Fact the Colonel was ashamed to avow the real Cause of the Quarrel to
this good Man or indeed to his Brother Bath who would not only have condemned
him equally with the Doctor but would possibly have quarrelled with him on his
Sisters Account whom as the Reader must have observed he loved above all
things and in plain Truth though the Colonel was a brave Man and dared to
fight yet he was altogether as willing to let it alone and this made him now
and then give a little Way to the Wrongheadedness of Colonel Bath who with all
the other Principles of Honour and Humanity made no more of cutting the Throat
of a Man upon any of his Punctilios than a Butcher doth of killing Sheep
Chapter V
What passed at the Bailiffs House
The Doctor now set forwards to his Friend Booth and as he past by the Door of
his Attorney in the Way he called upon him and took him with him
The Meeting between him and Booth need not be expatiated on The Doctor was
really angry and tho he deferred his Lecture to a more proper Opportunity yet
as he was no Dissembler indeed he was incapable of any Disguise he could not
put on a Show of that Heartiness with which he had formerly used to receive his
Friend
Booth at last began himself in the following Manner »Doctor I am really
ashamed to see you and if you knew the Confusion of my Soul on this Occasion I
am sure you would pity rather than upbraid me And yet I can say with great
Sincerity I rejoice in this last Instance of my Shame since I am like to reap
the most solid Advantage from it« The Doctor stared at this and Booth thus
proceeded »Since I have been in this wretched Place I have employd my Time
almost entirely in reading over a Series of Sermons which are contained in that
Book« meaning Dr Barrows Works which then lay on the Table before him »in
Proof of the Christian Religion and so good an Effect have they had upon me
that I shall I believe be the better Man for them as long as I live I have
not a Doubt for I own I have had such which remains now unsatisfied If
ever an Angel might be thought to guide the Pen of a Writer surely the Pen of
that great and good Man had such an Assistant« The Doctor readily concurred in
the Praises of Dr Barrow and added »You say you have had your Doubts young
Gentleman indeed I did not know that And pray what were your Doubts«
»Whatever they were Sir« said Booth »they are now satisfied as I believe
those of every impartial and sensible Reader will be if he will with due
Attention read over these excellent Sermons« »Very well« answerd the Doctor
»tho I have conversed I find with a false Brother hitherto I am glad you are
reconciled to Truth at last and I hope your future Faith will have some
Influence on your future Life« »I need not tell you Sir« replied Booth »that
will always be the Case where Faith is sincere as I assure you mine is Indeed
I never was a rash Disbeliever my chief Doubt was founded on this that as Men
appeared to me to act entirely from their Passions their Actions could have
neither Merit nor Demerit« »A very worthy Conclusion truly« cries the Doctor
»but if Men act as I believe they do from their Passions it would be fair to
conclude that Religion to be true which applies immediately to the strongest of
these Passions Hope and Fear chusing rather to rely on its Rewards and
Punishments than on that native Beauty of Virtue which some of the antient
Philosophers thought proper to recommend to their Disciples But we will defer
this Discourse till another Opportunity at present as the Devil hath thought
proper to set you free I will try if I can prevail on the Bailiff to do the
same«
The Doctor had really not so much Money in Town as Booths Debt amounted to
and therefore though he would otherwise very willingly have paid it he was
forced to give Bail to the Action For which Purpose as the Bailiff was a Man
of great Form he was obliged to get another Person to be bound with him This
Person however the Attorney undertook to procure and immediately set out in
quest of him
During his Absence the Bailiff came into the Room and addressing himself to
the Doctor said »I think Sir your Name is Dr Harrison« The Doctor
immediately acknowledged his Name Indeed the Bailiff had seen it to a BailBond
before »Why then Sir« said the Bailiff »there is a Man above in a dying
Condition that desires the Favour of speaking to you I believe he wants you to
pray by him«
The Bailiff himself was not more ready to execute his Office on all
Occasions for his Fee than the Doctor was to execute his for nothing Without
making any further Enquiry therefore into the Condition of the Man he
immediately went up Stairs
As soon as the Bailiff returned down Stairs which was immediately after he
had lodged the Doctor in the Room Booth had the Curiosity to ask him who this
Man was »Why I dont know much of him« said the Bailiff »I had him once in
Custody before now I remember it was when your Honour was here last and now I
remember too he said then he knew your Honour very well Indeed I had some
Opinion of him at that Time for he spent his Money very much like a Gentleman
but I have discovered since that he is a poor Fellow and worth nothing He is
a mere shy Cock I have had the Stuff about me this Week and could never get at
him till this Morning nay I dont believe we should ever have found out his
Lodgings had it not been for the Attorney that was here just now who gave us
Information And so we took him this Morning by a comical Way enough For we
dressed up one of my Men in Womens Cloaths who told the People of the House
that he was his Sister just come to Town for we were told by the Attorney that
he had such a Sister upon which he was let up Stairs and so kept the Door
ajar till I and another rushd in Let me tell you Captain there are as good
Stratagems made Use of in our Business as any in the Army«
»But pray Sir« said Booth »did not you tell me this Morning that the poor
Fellow was desperately wounded nay I think you told the Doctor that he was a
dying Man«
»I had like to have forgot that« cries the Bailiff »Nothing would serve
the Gentleman but that he must make Resistance and he gave my Man a Blow with a
Stick but I soon quieted him by giving him a Wipe or two with a Hanger Not
that I believe I have done his Business neither but the Fellow is
fainthearted and the Surgeon I fancy frightens him more than he need But
however let the worst come to the worst the Law is all on my Side and it is
only se fendendo The Attorney that was here just now told me so and bid me
fear nothing for that he would stand my Friend and undertake the Cause and he
is a devilish good one at a Defence at the Old Baily I promise you I have known
him bring off several that every Body thought would have been hangd«
»But suppose you should be acquitted« said Booth »would not the Blood of
this poor Wretch lie a little heavy at your Heart«
»Why should it Captain« said the Bailiff »Is it not all done in a lawful
Way Why will People resist the Law when they know the Consequence To be sure
if a Man was to kill another in an unlawful Manner as it were and what the Law
calls Murder that is quite and clear another Thing I should not care to be
convicted of Murder any more than another Man Why now Captain you have been
abroad in the Wars they tell me and to be sure must have killed Men in your
Time Pray was you ever afraid afterwards of seeing their Ghosts«
»That is a different Affair« cries Booth »but I would not kill a Man in
cold Blood for all the World«
»There is no Difference at all as I can see« cries the Bailiff »One is as
much in the Way of Business as the other When Gentlemen behave themselves like
unto Gentlemen I know how to treat them as such as well as any Officer the King
hath And when they do not why they must take what follows and the Law doth
not call it Murder«
Booth very plainly saw that the Bailiff had squared his Conscience exactly
according to Law and that he could not easily subvert his Way of Thinking He
therefore gave up the Cause and desird the Bailiff to expedite the Bonds
which he promised to do saying he hoped he had used him with proper Civility
this Time if he had not the last and that he should be rememberd for it
But before we close this Chapter we shall endeavour to satisfy an Enquiry
which may arise in our most favourite Readers for so are the most curious how
it came to pass that such a Person as was Dr Harrison should employ such a
Fellow as this Murphy
The Case then was thus This Murphy had been Clerk to an Attorney in the
very same Town in which the Doctor livd and when he was out of his Time had
set up with a Character fair enough and had married a Maid Servant of Mrs
Harris by which Means he had all the Business to which that Lady and her
Friends in which Number was the Doctor could recommend him
Murphy went on with his Business and thrived very well till he happend to
make an unfortunate Slip in which he was detected by a Brother of the same
Calling But tho we call this by the gentle Name of a Slip in Respect to its
being so extremely common it was a Matter in which the Law if it had ever come
to its Ears would have passed a very severe Censure being indeed no less than
Perjury and Subornation of Perjury
This Brother Attorney being a very goodnaturd Man and unwilling to
bespatter his own Profession and considering perhaps that the Consequence did
in no wise affect the Public who had no Manner of Interest in the Alternative
whether A in whom the Right was or B to whom Mr Murphy by the Means
aforesaid had transferrd it succeeded in an Action We mention this
Particular because as this Brother Attorney was a very violent Party Man and a
professed Stickler for the Public to suffer any Injury to have been done to
that would have been highly inconsistent with his Principles
This Gentleman therefore came to Mr Murphy and after shewing him that he
had it in his Power to convict him of the aforesaid Crime very generously told
him that he had not the least Delight in bringing any Man to Destruction nor
the least Animosity against him All that he insisted upon was that he would
not live in the same Town or County with one who had been guilty of such an
Action He then told Mr Murphy that he would keep the Secret on two Conditions
the one was that he immediately quitted that Country the other was that he
should convince him he deserved this Kindness by his Gratitude and that Murphy
should transfer to the other all the Business which he then had in those Parts
and to which he could possibly recommend him
It is the Observation of a very wise Man that it is a very common Exercise
of Wisdom in this World of two Evils to chuse the least The Reader therefore
cannot doubt but that Mr Murphy complied with the Alternative proposed by his
kind Brother and accepted the Terms on which Secrecy was to be obtaind
This happend while the Doctor was abroad and with all this except the
Departure of Murphy not only the Doctor but the whole Town save his aforesaid
Brother alone were to this Day unacquainted
The Doctor at his Return hearing that Mr Murphy was gone applied to the
other Attorney in his Affairs who still employd this Murphy as his Agent in
Town partly perhaps out of Goodwill to him and partly from the Recommendation
of Miss Harris for as he had married a Servant of the Family and a particular
Favourite of hers there can be no wonder that she who was entirely ignorant of
the Affair above related as well as of his Conduct in Town should continue her
Favour to him It will appear therefore I apprehend no longer strange that
the Doctor who had seen this Man but three Times since his Removal to Town and
then conversed with him only on Business should remain as ignorant of his Life
and Character as a Man generally is of the Character of the Hackney Coachman
who drives him Nor doth it reflect more on the Honour or Understanding of the
Doctor under these Circumstances to employ Murphy than it would if he had been
driven about the Town by a Thief or a Murderer
Chapter VI
What passed between the Doctor and the sick Man
We left the Doctor in the last Chapter with the wounded Man to whom the Doctor
in a very gentle Voice spoke as follows
»I am sorry Friend to see you in this Situation and am very ready to give
you any Comfort or Assistance within my Power«
»I thank you kindly Doctor« said the Man »Indeed I should not have
presumed to have sent to you had I not known your Character for tho I believe
I am not at all known to you I have lived many Years in that Town where you
yourself had a House my Name is Robinson I used to write for the Attornies in
those Parts and I have been employd on your Business in my Time«
»I do not recollect you nor your Name« said the Doctor »but consider
Friend your Moments are precious and your Business as I am informd is to
offer up your Prayers to that Great Being before whom you are shortly to
appear But first let me exhort you earnestly to a most serious Repentance of
all your Sins«
»O Doctor« said the Man »Pray what is your Opinion of a Deathbed
Repentance«
»If Repentance is sincere« cries the Doctor »I hope through the Mercies
and Merits of our most powerful and benign Intercessor it will never come too
late«
»But do not you think Sir« cries the Man »that in order to obtain
Forgiveness of any great Sin we have committed by an Injury done to our
Neighbours it is necessary as far as in us lies to make all the Amends we can
to the Party injurd and to undo if possible the Injury we have done«
»Most undoubtedly« cries the Doctor »our Pretence to Repentance would
otherwise be gross Hypocrisy and an impudent Attempt to deceive and impose upon
our Creator himself«
»Indeed I am of the same Opinion« cries the Penitent »and I think further
that this is thrown in my Way and hinted to me by that great Being for an
Accident happened to me Yesterday by which as Things have fallen out since I
think I plainly discern the Hand of Providence I went Yesterday Sir you must
know to a Pawnbrokers to pawn the last Moveable which except the poor
Cloaths you see on my Back I am worth in the World While I was there a young
Lady came in to pawn her Picture She had disguised herself so much and pulled
her Hood so over her Face that I did not know her while she staid which was
scarce three Minutes As soon as she was gone the Pawnbroker taking the Picture
in his Hand cried out Upon my Word this is the handsomest Face I ever saw in
my Life I desired him to let me look on the Picture which he readily did and
I no sooner cast my Eyes upon it than the strong Resemblance struck me and I
knew it to be Mrs Booth«
»Mrs Booth what Mrs Booth« cries the Doctor
»Captain Booths Lady the Captain who is now below« said the other
»How« cries the Doctor with great Impetuosity
»Have Patience« said the Man »and you shall hear all I expressed some
Surprize to the Pawnbroker and asked the Ladys Name He answered that he knew
not her Name but that she was some undone Wretch who had the Day before left
all her Cloaths with him in pawn My Guilt immediately flew in my Face and told
me I had been Accessary to this Ladys Undoing The sudden Shock so affected me
that had it not been for a Dram which the Pawnbroker gave me I believe I should
have sunk on the Spot«
»Accessary to her Undoing How accessary« said the Doctor »Pray tell me
for I am impatient to hear«
»I will tell you all as fast as I can« cries the sick Man »You know good
Doctor that Mrs Harris of our Town had two Daughters this Mrs Booth and
another Now Sir it seems the other Daughter had some Way or other
disobliged her Mother a little before the old Lady died therefore she made a
Will and left all her Fortune except one thousand Pound to Mrs Booth to
which Will Mr Murphy myself and another who is now dead were the Witnesses
Mrs Harris afterwards died suddenly upon which it was contrived by her other
Daughter and Mr Murphy to make a new Will in which Mrs Booth had a Legacy of
10l and all the rest was given to the other To this Will Murphy myself and
the same third Person again set our Hands«
»Good Heaven how wonderful is thy Providence« cries the Doctor »Murphy
say you«
»He himself Sir« answered Robinson »Murphy who is the greatest Rogue I
believe now in the World«
»Pray Sir proceed« cries the Doctor
»For this Service Sir« said Robinson »myself and the third Person one
Carter received 200l each What Reward Murphy himself had I know not Carter
died soon afterwards and from that Time at several Payments I have by Threats
extorted above 100l more And this Sir is the whole Truth which I am ready
to testify if it would please Heaven to prolong my Life «
»I hope it will« cries the Doctor »but something must be done for Fear of
Accidents I will send to Counsel immediately to know how to secure your
Testimony Whom can I get to send Stay ay he will do but I know not
where his House or his Chambers are I will go myself but I may be wanted
here«
While the Doctor was in this violent Agitation the Surgeon made his
Appearance The Doctor stood still in a meditating Posture while the Surgeon
examined his Patient After which the Doctor begged him to declare his Opinion
and whether he thought the wounded Man in any immediate Danger of Death »I do
not know« answered the Surgeon »what you call immediate He may live several
Days nay he may recover It is impossible to give any certain Opinion in
these Cases« He then launched forth into a Set of Terms which the Doctor with
all his Scholarship could not understand To say the Truth many of them were
not to be found in any Dictionary or Lexicon
One Discovery however the Doctor made and that was that the Surgeon was a
very ignorant conceited Fellow and knew nothing of his Profession He resolved
therefore to get better Advice for the Sick but this he postponed at present
and applying himself to the Surgeon said he should be very much obliged to him
if he knew where to find such a Counsellor and would fetch him thither »I
should not ask such a Favour of you Sir« says the Doctor »if it was not on
Business of the last Importance or if I could find any other Messenger«
»I fetch Sir« said the Surgeon very angrily »Do you take me for a
Footman or a Porter I dont know who you are but I believe you are full as
proper to go on such an Errand as I am« for as the Doctor who was just come
off his Journey was very roughly dressed the Surgeon held him in no great
Respect The Surgeon then called aloud from the Top of the Stairs »Let my
Coachman draw up« and strutted off without any Ceremony telling his Patient he
would call again the next Day
At this very Instant arrived Murphy with the other Bail and finding Booth
alone he asked the Bailiff at the Door what was become of the Doctor »Why
the Doctor« answerd he »is above Stairs praying with « »How« cries Murphy
»How came you not to carry him directly to Newgate as you promised me« »Why
because he was wounded« cries the Bailiff »I thought it was Charity to take
Care of him and besides why should one make more Noise about the Matter than
is necessary« »And Dr Harrison with him« said Murphy »Yes he is« said the
Bailiff »he desired to speak with the Doctor very much and they have been
praying together almost this Hour« »All is up and undone« cries Murphy
»Let me come by I have thought of something which I must do immediately«
Now as by Means of the Surgeons leaving the Door open the Doctor heard
Murphys Voice naming Robinson peevishly he drew softly to the Top of the
Stairs where he heard the foregoing Dialogue and as soon as Murphy had uttered
his last Words and was moving downwards the Doctor immediately sallied from
his Post running as fast as he could and crying »stop the Villain stop the
Thief«
The Attorney wanted no better Hint to accelerate his Pace and having the
Start of the Doctor got down Stairs and out into the Street but the Doctor
was so close at his Heels and being in Foot the nimbler of the two he soon
overtook him and laid hold of him as he would have done on either Broughton or
Slack in the same Cause
This Action in the Street accompanied with the frequent Cry of stop Thief
by the Doctor during the Chace presently drew together a large Mob who began
as is usual to enter immediately upon Business and to make strict Enquiry into
the Matter in order to proceed to do Justice in their summary Way
Murphy who knew well the Temper of the Mob cried out »If you are a
Bailiff shew me your Writ Gentlemen he pretends to arrest me here without a
Writ«
Upon this one of the sturdiest and forwardest of the Mob and who by a
superior Strength of Body and of Lungs presided in this Assembly declared he
would suffer no such Thing »Dn me« says he »away to the Pump with the
Catchpole directly shew me your Writ or let the Gentleman go you shall not
arrest a Man contrary to Law«
He then laid his Hands on the Doctor who still fast griping the Attorney
cried out »He is a Villain I am no Bailiff but a Clergyman and this Lawyer
is guilty of Forgery and hath ruined a poor Family«
»How« cries the Spokesman »a Lawyer that alters the Case «
»Yes faith« cries another of the Mob »it is Lawyer Murphy I know him
very well«
»And hath he ruined a poor Family Like enough faith if hes a Lawyer
Away with him to the Justice immediately«
The Bailiff now came up desiring to know what was the Matter to whom Doctor
Harrison answered that he had arrested that Villain for Forgery »How can you
arrest him« cries the Bailiff »you are no Officer nor have any Warrant Mr
Murphy is a Gentleman and he shall be used as such«
»Nay to be sure« cries the Spokesman »there ought to be a Warrant thats
the Truth ont«
»There needs no Warrant« cries the Doctor »I accuse him of Felony and I
know so much of the Law of England that any Man may arrest a Felon without any
Warrant whatever This Villain hath undone a poor Family and I will die on the
Spot before I part with him«
»If the Law be so« cries the Orator »that is another Matter And to be
sure to ruin a poor Man is the greatest of Sins And being a Lawyer too makes
it so much the worse He shall go before the Justice dn me if he shant go
before the Justice I says the Word he shall«
»I say he is a Gentleman and shall be used according to Law« cries the
Bailiff »And though you are a Clergyman« said he to Harrison »you dont shew
yourself as one by your Actions«
»Thats a Bailiff« cries one of the Mob »one Lawyer will always stand by
another but I think the Clergyman is a very good Man and acts becoming a
Clergyman to stand by the Poor«
At which Words the Mob all gave a great Shout and several cried out »Bring
him along away with him to the Justice«
And now a Constable appeared and with an authoritative Voice declared what
he was produced his Staff and demanded the Peace
The Doctor then delivered his Prisoner over to the Officer and charged him
with Felony the Constable received him the Attorney submitted the Bailiff was
hushed and the Waves of the Mob immediately subsided
The Doctor now balanced with himself how he should proceed at last he
determined to leave Booth a little longer in Captivity and not to quit Sight of
Murphy before he had lodged him safe with a Magistrate They then all moved
forwards to the Justice the Constable and his Prisoner marching first the
Doctor and the Bailiff following next and about five Thousand Mob for no less
Number were assembled in a very few Minutes following in the Procession
They found the Magistrate just sitting down to his Dinner however when he
was acquainted with the Doctors Profession he immediately admitted him and
heard his Business Which he no sooner perfectly understood with all its
Circumstances than he resolved tho it was then very late and he had been
fatigued all the Morning with public Business to postpone all Refreshment till
he had discharged his Duty He accordingly adjourned the Prisoner and his Cause
to the Bailiffs House whither he himself with the Doctor immediately repaired
and whither the Attorney was followed by a much larger Number of Attendants than
he had been honoured with before
Chapter VII
In which the History draws towards a Conclusion
Nothing could exceed the Astonishment of Booth at the Behaviour of the Doctor
at the Time when he sallied forth in Pursuit of the Attorney for which it was
so impossible for him to account in any Manner whatever He remained a long Time
in the utmost Torture of Mind till at last the Bailiffs Wife came to him and
asked him if the Doctor was not a Madman and in Truth he could hardly defend
him from that Imputation
While he was in this Perplexity the Maid of the House brought him a Message
from Robinson desiring the Favour of seeing him above Stairs With this he
immediately complied
When these two were alone together and the Key turned on them for the
Bailiffs Wife was a most careful Person and never omitted that Ceremony in the
Absence of her Husband having always at her Tongues End that excellent Proverb
of Safe bind safe find Robinson looking stedfastly upon Booth said »I
believe Sir you scarce remember me«
Booth answered that he thought he had seen his Face somewhere before but
could not then recollect when or where
»Indeed Sir« answered the Man »it was a Place which no Man can remember
with Pleasure But do you not remember a few Weeks ago that you had the
Misfortune to be in a certain Prison in this Town where you lost a trifling Sum
at Cards to a Fellow prisoner«
This Hint sufficiently awakened Booths Memory and he now recollected the
Features of his old Friend Robinson He answered him a little surlily »I know
you now very well but I did not imagine you would ever have reminded me of that
Transaction«
»Alas Sir« answered Robinson »whatever happened then was very trifling
compared to the Injuries I have done you but if my Life be spared long enough
I will now undo it all and as I have been one of your worst Enemies I will now
be one of your best Friends«
He was just entering upon his Story when a Noise was heard below which
might be almost compared to what hath been heard in Holland when the Dykes have
given Way and the Ocean in an Inundation breaks in upon the Land It seemed
indeed as if the whole World was bursting into the House at once
Booth was a Man of great Firmness of Mind and he had need of it all at this
Instant As for poor Robinson the usual Concomitants of Guilt attended him and
he began to tremble in a violent Manner
The first Person who ascended the Stairs was the Doctor who no sooner saw
Booth than he ran to him and embraced him crying »My Child I wish you Joy
with all my Heart Your Sufferings are all at an End and Providence hath done
you the Justice at last which it will one Day or other render to all Men You
will hear all presently but I can now only tell you that your Sister is
discovered and the Estate is your own«
Booth was in such Confusion that he scarce made any Answer and now
appeared the Justice and his Clerk and immediately afterwards the Constable
with his Prisoner the Bailiff and as many more as could possibly crowd up
Stairs
The Doctor now addressed himself to the sick Man and desired him to repeat
the same Information before the Justice which he had made already to which
Robinson readily consented
While the Clerk was taking down the Information the Attorney expressed a
very impatient Desire to send instantly for his Clerk and expressed so much
Uneasiness at the Confusion in which he had left his Papers at home that a
Thought suggested itself to the Doctor that if his House was searched some
Lights and Evidence relating to this Affair would certainly be found he
therefore desired the Justice to grant a SearchWarrant immediately to search
his House
The Justice answered that he had no such Power That if there was any
Suspicion of stolen Goods he could grant a Warrant to search for them
»How Sir« said the Doctor »can you grant a Warrant to search a Mans
House for a silver Teaspoon and not in a Case like this where a Man is robbed
of his whole Estate«
»Hold Sir« says the sick Man »I believe I can answer that Point for I
can swear he hath several Title Deeds of the Estate now in his Possession which
I am sure were stolen from the right Owner«
The Justice still hesitated He said Title Deeds savoured of the Realty and
it was not Felony to steal them If indeed they were taken away in a Box then
it would be Felony to steal the Box
»Savour of the Realty savour of the Fartalty« said the Doctor »I never
heard such incomprehensible Nonsense This is impudent as well as childish
trifling with the Lives and Properties of Men«
»Well Sir« said Robinson »I now am sure I can do his Business for I know
he hath a silver Cup in his Possession which is the Property of this
Gentleman« meaning Booth »and how he got it but by Stealth let him account
if he can«
»That will do« cries the Justice with great Pleasure »That will do and if
you will charge him on Oath with that I will instantly grant my Warrant to
search his House for it« »And I will go and see it executed« cries the Doctor
For it was a Maxim of his that no Man could descend below himself in doing any
Act which may contribute to protect an innocent Person or to bring a Rogue to
the Gallows
The Oath was instantly taken the Warrant signed and the Doctor attended
the Constable in the Execution of it
The Clerk then proceeded in taking the Information of Robinson and had just
finished it when the Doctor returned with the utmost Joy in his Countenance
and declared that he had sufficient Evidence of the Fact in his Possession He
had indeed two or three Letters from Miss Harris in answer to the Attorneys
frequent Demands of Money for Secrecy that fully explained the whole Villainy
The Justice now asked the Prisoner what he had to say for himself or
whether he chose to say any Thing in his own Defence
»Sir« said the Attorney with great Confidence »I am not to defend myself
here It will be of no Service to me for I know you neither can nor will
discharge me But I am extremely innocent of all this Matter as I doubt not but
to make appear to the Satisfaction of a Court of Justice«
The legal previous Ceremonies were then gone through of binding over the
Prosecutor etc and then the Attorney was committed to Newgate whither he was
escorted amidst the Acclamations of the Populace
When Murphy was departed and a little Calm restored in the House the
Justice made his Compliments of Congratulation to Booth who as well as he
could in his present Tumult of Joy returned his Thanks to both the Magistrate
and the Doctor They were now all preparing to depart when Mr Bondum stept up
to Booth and said »Hold Sir you have forgot one Thing you have not given
Bail yet«
This occasioned some Distress at this Time for the Attorneys Friend was
departed but when the Justice heard this he immediately offered himself as the
other Bondsman and thus ended the Affair
It was now past Six oClock and none of the Gentlemen had yet dined They
very readily therefore accepted the Magistrates Invitation and went all
together to his House
And now the very first Thing that was done even before they set down to
Dinner was to dispatch a Messenger to one of the best Surgeons in Town to take
Care of Robinson and another Messenger to Booths Lodgings to prevent Amelias
Concern at their staying so long
The latter however was to little Purpose for Amelias Patience had been
worn out before and she had taken a HackneyCoach and driven to the Bailiffs
where she arrived a little after the Departure of her Husband and was thence
directed to the Justices
Though there was no kind of Reason for Amelias Fright at hearing that her
Husband and Doctor Harrison were gone before the Justice and though she indeed
imagined that they were there in the Light of Complainants not of Offenders
yet so tender were her Fears for her Husband and so much had her gentle Spirits
been lately agitated that she had a thousand Apprehensions of she knew not
what When she arrived therefore at the House she ran directly into the Room
where all the Company were at Dinner scarce knowing what she did or whither
she was going
She found her Husband in such a Situation and discovered such Chearfulness
in his Countenance that so violent a Turn was given to her Spirits that she
was just able with the Assistance of a Glass of Water to support herself She
soon however recovered her Calmness and in a little Time began to eat what
might indeed be almost called her Breakfast
The Justice now wished her Joy of what had happened that Day for which she
kindly thanked him apprehending he meant the Liberty of her Husband His
Worship might perhaps have explained himself more largely had not the Doctor
given him a timely Wink for this wise and good Man was fearful of making such a
Discovery all at once to Amelia lest it should overpower her and luckily the
Justices Wife was not well enough acquainted with the Matter to say any thing
more on it than barely to assure the Lady that she joined in her Husbands
Congratulation
Amelia was then in a clean white Gown which she had that Day redeemed and
was indeed dressed all over with great Neatness and Exactness with the Glow
therefore which arose in her Features from finding her Husband released from his
Captivity she made so charming a Figure that she attracted the Eyes of the
Magistrate and of his Wife and they both agreed when they were alone that they
had never seen so charming a Creature nay Booth himself afterwards told her
that he scarce ever remembered her to look so extremely beautiful as she did
that Evening
Whether Amelias Beauty or the Reflexion on the remarkable Act of Justice
he had performed or whatever Motive filled the Magistrate with extraordinary
good Humour and opened his Heart and Cellars I will not determine but he gave
them so hearty a Welcome and they were all so pleased with each other that
Amelia for that one Night trusted the Care of her Children to the Woman where
they lodged nor did the Company rise from Table till the Clock struck eleven
They then separated Amelia and Booth having been set down at their Lodgings
retired into each others Arms nor did Booth that Evening by the Doctors
Advice mention one Word of the grand Affair to his Wife
Chapter VIII
Thus this History draws nearer to a Conclusion
In the Morning early Amelia received the following Letter from Mrs Atkinson
»The Surgeon of the Regiment to which the Captain my Husband lately
belonged and who came this Evening to see the Captain hath almost
frightened me out of my Wits by a strange Story of your Husband being
committed to Prison by a Justice of Peace for Forgery For Heavens Sake
send me the Truth If my Husband can be of any Service weak as he is
he will be carried in a Chair to serve a Brother Officer for whom he
hath a Regard which I need not mention Or if the Sum of 20l will be
of any Service to you I will wait upon you with it the Moment I can get
my Cloaths on the Morning you receive this for it is too late to send
to Night The Captain begs his hearty Service and Respects and believe
me
Dear Madam
Your ever affectionate Friend
and humble Servant
F Atkinson«
When Amelia read this Letter to Booth they were both equally surprised she at
the Commitment for Forgery and he at seeing such a Letter from Mrs Atkinson
for he was a Stranger yet to the Reconciliation that had happened
Booths Doubts were first satisfied by Amelia from which he received great
Pleasure for he really had a very great Affection and Fondness for Mr
Atkinson who indeed so well deserved it »Well my Dear« said he to Amelia
smiling »shall we accept this generous Offer«
»O fy no certainly« answered she
»Why not« cries Booth »it is but a Trifle and yet it will be of great
Service to us«
»But consider my Dear« said she »how ill these poor People can spare it«
»They can spare it for a little while« said Booth »and we shall soon pay
it them again«
»When my Dear« said Amelia »Do my dear Will consider our wretched
Circumstances I beg you let us go into the Country immediately and live upon
Bread and Water till Fortune pleases to smile upon us«
»I am convinced that Day is not far off« said Booth »However give me
Leave to send an Answer to Mrs Atkinson that we shall be glad of her Company
immediately to Breakfast«
»You know I never contradict you« said she »but I assure you it is
contrary to my Inclinations to take this Money«
»Well suffer me« cries he »to act this once contrary to your
Inclinations« He then writ a short Note to Mrs Atkinson and dispatched it
away immediately which when he had done Amelia said »I shall be glad of Mrs
Atkinsons Company to Breakfast but yet I wish you would oblige me in refusing
this Money Take five Guineas only That is indeed such a Sum as if we never
should pay it would sit light on my Mind The last Persons in the World from
whom I would receive Favours of that Sort are the poor and generous«
»You can receive Favours only from the Generous« cries Booth »and to be
plain with you there are very few who are generous that are not poor«
»What think you« said she »of Dr Harrison«
»I do assure you« said Booth »he is far from being rich The Doctor hath
an Income of little more than 600l a Year and I am convinced he gives away
four of it Indeed he is one of the best Oeconomists in the World but yet I am
positive he never was at any Time possessed of 500l since he hath been a Man
Consider dear Emely the late Obligations we have to this Gentleman it would
be unreasonable to expect more at least at present my Half pay is mortgaged
for a Year to come How then shall we live«
»By our Labour« answered she »I am able to labour and I am sure I am not
ashamed of it«
»And do you really think you can support such a Life«
»I am sure I could be happy in it« answered Amelia »And why not I as well
as a thousand others who have not the Happiness of such a Husband to make Life
delicious Why should I complain of my hard Fate while so many who are much
poorer than I enjoy theirs Am I of a superior Rank of Being to the Wife of the
honest Labourer Am I not Partaker of one common Nature with her«
»My Angel« cries Booth »it delights me to hear you talk thus and for a
Reason you little guess for I am assured that one who can so heroically endure
Adversity will bear Prosperity with equal Greatness of Soul for the Mind that
cannot be dejected by the former is not likely to be transported with the
latter«
»If it had pleased Heaven« cried she »to have tried me I think at least
I hope I should have preserved my Humility«
»Then my Dear« said he »I will relate you a Dream I had last Night You
know you lately mentioned a Dream of yours«
»Do so« said she »I am attentive«
»I dreamt« said he »this Night that we were in the most miserable
Situation imaginable Indeed in the Situation we were Yesterday Morning or
rather worse that I was laid in a Prison for Debt and that you wanted a Morsel
of Bread to feed the Mouths of your hungry Children At length for nothing you
know is quicker than the Transition in Dreams Dr Harrison methought came to
me with Chearfulness and Joy in his Countenance The Prison Doors immediately
flew open and Dr Harrison introduced you gayly tho not richly dressed That
you gently chid me for staying so long all on a sudden appeard a Coach with
four Horses to it in which was a Maid Servant with our two Children We both
immediately went into the Coach and taking our Leave of the Doctor set out
towards your Country House for yours I dreamt it was I only ask you now if
this was real and the Transition almost as sudden could you support it «
Amelia was going to answer when Mrs Atkinson came into the Room and after
very little previous Ceremony presented Booth with a Bank Note which he
received of her saying he would very soon repay it a Promise that a little
offended Amelia as she thought he had no Chance of keeping it
The Doctor presently arrived and the Company sat down to Breakfast during
which Mrs Atkinson entertained them with the History of the Doctors that had
attended her Husband by whose Advice Atkinson was recovered from every thing
but the Weakness which his Distemper had occasioned
When the TeaTable was removed Booth told the Doctor that he had acquainted
his Wife with a Dream he had last Night »I dreamt Doctor« said he »that she
was restored to her Estate«
»Very well« said the Doctor »and if I am to be the Oniropolos I believe
the Dream will come to pass To say the Truth I have rather a better Opinion of
Dreams than Horace had Old Homer says they came from Jupiter and as to your
Dream I have often had it in my waking Thoughts that some time or other that
Roguery for so I was always convinced it was would be brought to Light For
the same Homer says as you Madam« meaning Mrs Atkinson »very well know
Eiper gar te kai aytikA olympios oyk etelessen
Ek te kai ope telei syn te megalo apetisan
Syn sphsin kepalhsi gynaixi te kai tekeessin«20
»I have no Greek Ears Sir« said Mrs Atkinson »I believe I could understand
it in the Delphin Homer«
»I wish« cries he »my dear Child« to Amelia »you would read a little in
the Delphin Aristotle or else in some Christian Divine to learn a Doctrine
which you will one Day have a Use for I mean to bear the hardest of all human
Conflicts and support with an even Temper and without any violent Transports of
Mind a sudden Gust of Prosperity«
»Indeed« cries Amelia »I should almost think my Husband and you Doctor
had some very good News to tell me by your using both of you the same
Introduction As far as I know myself I think I can answer I can support any
Degree of Prosperity and I think I yesterday shewd I could For I do assure
you it is not in the Power of Fortune to try me with such another Transition
from Grief to Joy as I conceived from seeing my Husband in Prison and at
Liberty«
»Well you are a good Girl« cries the Doctor »and after I have put on my
Spectacles I will try you«
The Doctor then took out a News Paper and read as follows
»Yesterday one Murphy an eminent Attorney at Law was committed to Newgate
for the Forgery of a Will under which an Estate hath been for many Years
detaind from the right Owner«
»Now in this Paragraph there is something very remarkable and that is
that it is true but opus est explanatum In the Delphin Edition of this News
Paper there is the following Note upon the Words Right Owner The Right Owner
of this Estate is a young Lady of the highest Merit whose Maiden Name was
Harris and who some Time since was married to an idle Fellow one Lieutenant
Booth And the best Historians assure us that Letters from the elder Sister of
this Lady which manifestly prove the Forgery and clear up the whole Affair
are in the Hands of an old Parson calld Dr Harrison«
»And is this really true« cries Amelia
»Yes really and sincerely« cries the Doctor »The whole Estate for your
Mother left it you all and is as surely yours as if you was already in
Possession«
»Gracious Heaven« cries she falling on her Knees »I thank you« And
then starting up she ran to her Husband and embracing him cried »My dear
Love I wish you Joy and I ought in Gratitude to wish it you for you are the
Cause of mine It is upon yours and my Childrens Account that I principally
rejoice«
Mrs Atkinson rose from her Chair and jumped about the Room for Joy
repeating
»Turne quod optanti Divûm promittere Nemo
Auderet volvenda Dies en attulit ultro«21
Amelia now threw herself into a Chair complaind she was a little faint and
beggd a Glass of Water The Doctor advisd her to be blooded but she refused
saying she requird a Vent of another Kind She then desird her Children to
be brought to her whom she immediately caught in her Arms and having profusely
cried over them for several Minutes declard she was easy After which she soon
regaind her usual Temper and Complexion
That Day they dind together and in the Afternoon they all except the
Doctor visited Captain Atkinson he repaird to the Bailiffs House to visit
the sick Man whom he found very chearful the Surgeon having assurd him that
he was in no Danger
The Doctor had a long Spiritual Discourse with Robinson who assurd him
that he sincerely repented of his past Life that he was resolvd to lead his
future Days in a different Manner and to make what Amends he could for his Sins
to the Society by bringing one of the greatest Rogues in it to Justice There
was a Circumstance which much pleased the Doctor and made him conclude that
however Robinson had been corrupted by his old Master he had naturally a good
Disposition This was that Robinson declared he was chiefly induced to the
Discovery by what had happened at the Pawnbrokers and by the Miseries which he
there perceived he had been instrumental in bringing on Booth and his Family
The next Day Booth and his Wife at the Doctors Instance dind with
Colonel James and his Lady where they were receivd with great Civility and
all Matters were accommodated without Booth ever knowing a Syllable of the
Challenge even to this Day
The Doctor insisted very strongly on having Miss Harris taken into Custody
and said if she was his Sister he would deliver her to Justice He added
besides that it was impossible to skreen her and carry on the Prosecution or
indeed recover the Estate Amelia at last beggd the Delay of one Day only in
which Time she wrote a Letter to her Sister informing her of the Discovery and
the Danger in which she stood and beggd her earnestly to make her Escape with
many Assurances that she would never suffer her to know any Distress This
Letter she sent away Express and it had the desird Effect for Miss Harris
having receivd sufficient Information from the Attorney to the same Purpose
immediately set out for Pool and from thence to France carrying with her all
her Money most of her Cloaths and some few Jewels She had indeed packd up
Plate and Jewels to the Value of 2000l and upwards But Booth to whom Amelia
communicated the Letter prevented her by ordering the Man that went with the
Express who had been a Serjeant of the Foot Guards recommended to him by
Atkinson to suffer the Lady to go whither she pleased but not to take any
Thing with her except her Cloaths which he was carefully to search These
Orders were obeyd punctually and with these she was obligd to comply
Two Days after the Bird was flown a Warrant from the Lord Chief Justice
arrivd to take her up the Messenger of which returnd with the News of her
Flight highly to the Satisfaction of Amelia and consequently of Booth and
indeed not greatly to the Grief of the Doctor
About a Week afterwards Booth and Amelia with their Children and Captain
Atkinson and his Lady all set forwards together for Amelias House where they
arrivd amidst the Acclamations of all the Neighbours and every public
Demonstration of Joy
They found the House ready prepard to receive them by Atkinsons Friend
the old Serjeant and a good Dinner prepard for them by Amelias old Nurse who
was addressed with the utmost Duty by her Son and Daughter most affectionately
caressd by Booth and his Wife and by Amelias absolute Command seated next to
herself at the Table At which perhaps were assembled some of the best and
happiest People then in the World
Chapter IX
In which the History is concluded
Having brought our History to a Conclusion as to those Points in which we
presume our Reader was chiefly interested in the foregoing Chapter we shall in
this by way of Epilogue endeavour to satisfy his Curiosity as to what hath
since happened to the principal Personages of whom we have treated in the
foregoing Pages
Colonel James and his Lady after living in a polite Manner for many Years
together at last agreed to live in as polite a Manner asunder The Colonel hath
kept Miss Mathews ever since and is at length grown to doat on her though now
very disagreeable in her Person and immensely fat to such a Degree that he
submits to be treated by her in the most tyrannical Manner
He allows his Lady 800l a Year with which she divides her Time between
Tunbridge Bath and London and passes about nine Hours in the twentyfour at
Cards Her Income is lately increased by 3000l left her by her Brother Colonel
Bath who was killed in a Duel about six Years ago by a Gentleman who told the
Colonel he differed from him in Opinion
The noble Peer and Mrs Ellison have been both dead several Years and both
of the Consequences of their favourite Vices Mrs Ellison having fallen a
Martyr to her Liquor and the other to his Amours by which he was at last
become so rotten that he stunk above Ground
The Attorney Murphy was brought to his Trial at the OldBailey where
after much quibbling about the Meaning of a very plain Act of Parliament he was
at length convicted of Forgery and was soon afterwards hanged at Tyburn
The Witness for some Time seemed to reform his Life and received a small
Pension from Booth after which he returned to vicious Courses took a Purse on
the Highway was detected and taken and followed the last Steps of his old
Master So apt are Men whose Manners have been once thoroughly corrupted to
return from any Dawn of an Amendment into the dark Paths of Vice
As to Miss Harris she lived three Years with a broken Heart at Boulogne
where she received annually fifty Pounds from her Sister who was hardly
prevailed on by Dr Harrison not to send her a Hundred and then died in a most
miserable Manner
Mr Atkinson upon the whole hath led a very happy Life with his Wife though
he hath been sometimes obliged to pay proper Homage to her superior
Understanding and Knowledge This however he chearfully submits to and she
makes him proper Returns of Fondness They have two fine Boys of whom they are
equally fond He is lately advanced to the Rank of Captain and last Summer both
he and his Wife paid a Visit of three Months to Booth and his Wife
Dr Harrison is grown old in Years and in Honour beloved and respected by
all his Parishioners and by all his Neighbours He divides his Time between his
Parish his old Town and Booths at which last Place he had two Years ago a
gentle Fit of the Gout being the first Attack of that Distemper During this
Fit Amelia was his Nurse and her two oldest Daughters sat up alternately with
him for a whole Week The Eldest of those Girls whose Name is Amelia is his
Favourite she is the Picture of her Mother and it is thought the Doctor hath
distinguished her in his Will for he hath declared that he will leave his whole
Fortune except some few Charities among Amelias Children
As to Booth and Amelia Fortune seems to have made them large Amends for the
Tricks she played them in their Youth They have ever since the above Period of
this History enjoyed an uninterrupted Course of Health and Happiness In about
six Weeks after Booths first coming into the Country he went to London and
paid all his Debts of Honour after which and a Stay of two Days only he
returned into the Country and hath never since been thirty Miles from home He
hath two Boys and four Girls the eldest of the Boys he who hath made his
Appearance in this History is just come from the University and is one of the
finest Gentlemen and best Scholars of his Age The second is just going from
School and is intended for the Church that being his own Choice His eldest
Daughter is a Woman grown but we must not mention her Age A Marriage was
proposed to her the other Day with a young Fellow of a good Estate but she
never would see him more than once »for Dr Harrison« says she »told me he
was illiterate and I am sure he is ill natured« The second Girl is three Years
younger than her Sister and the others are yet Children
Amelia is still the finest Woman in England of her Age Booth himself often
avers she is as handsome as ever Nothing can equal the Serenity of their Lives
Amelia declared to me the other Day that she did not remember to have seen her
Husband out of Humour these ten Years and upon my insinuating to her that he
had the best of Wives she answered with a Smile that she ought to be so for
that he had made her the happiest of Women
Notes
1 Opus est Interprete By the Laws of England abusive Words are not punishable
by the Magistrate some Commissioners of the Peace therefore when one Scold
hath applied to them for a Warrant against another from a too eager Desire of
doing Justice have construed a little harmless Scolding into a Riot which is
in Law an outragious Breach of the Peace committed by several Persons by three
at the least nor can a less Number be convicted of it Under this Word rioting
or riotting for I have seen it spelt both ways many thousands of old Women
have been arrested and put to Expence sometimes in Prison for a little
intemperate Use of their Tongues This Practice began to decrease in the Year
1749
2 A Cant Term for Robbery on the Highway
3 Another Cant Term for Pilfering
4 By removing the Indictment by Certiorari into the Kings Bench the Trial is
so long postponed and the Costs are so highly encreased that Prosecutors are
often tired out and some incapacitated from pursuing Verbum sapienti
5 A cant Word for a Prison
6 Tho last not least
7 A Cant Word meaning to swear or rather to perjure yourself
8 The Burden becomes light by being well born
9 To look down on all human Affairs as Matters below his Consideration
10 A Set of beggarly Philosophers who diverted Great Men at their Table with
burlesque Discourses on Virtue
11 The Art of getting Wealth is so called by Aristotle in his Politics
12 To do a Kindness to a bad Man is like sowing your Seed in the Sea
13 DEsprit
14 He was a Friend to Mankind for he loved them all
15 Thus paraphrased by Mr Pope
Awd by no Shame by no Respect controlld
In Scandal busy in Reproaches bold
With witty Malice studious to defame
Scorn all his Joy and Laughter all his Aim
16 He was the greatest Scoundrel in the whole Army
17 Who trivial Bursts of Laughter strives to raise
And Courts of prating Petulance the Praise
FRANCIS
18 This Man is black do thou O Roman shun this Man
19 Go home and mind your own Business Follow your Spinning and keep your Maids
to their Work
20 If Jupiter doth not immediately execute his Vengeance he will however
execute it at last and their Transgressions shall fall heavily on their own
Heads and on their Wives and Children
21 What none of all the Gods could grant thy Vows
That Turnus this auspicious Day bestows