, 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till the Governor, who had withdrawn some time, returned, and acquainted Miss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 Amelia's 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
