, raised him in my Arms, and
kissed his cold Lips with the utmost Eagerness. Here I must draw a Curtain over
a Scene which I cannot describe: For though I did not lose my Being, as my
Father for a while did, my Senses were however so overpowered with Affright and
Surprize, that I am a Stranger to what past during some Minutes, and indeed till
my Father had again recovered from his Swoon, and I found myself in his Arms,
both tenderly embracing each other, while the Tears trickled a-pace down the
Cheeks of each of us.
    Most of those present seemed affected by this Scene, which we, who might be
considered as the Actors in it, were desirous of removing from the Eyes of all
Spectators, as fast as we could; my Father therefore accepted the kind Offer of
the Surgeon's Chariot, and I attended him in it to his Inn.
    When we were alone together, he gently upbraided me with having neglected to
write to him during so long a Time, but entirely omitted the Mention of that
Crime which had occasioned it. He then informed me of my Mother's Death, and
insisted on my returning Home with him, saying, That he had long suffered the
greatest Anxiety on my Account; that he knew not whether he had most feared my
Death, or wished it; since he had so many more dreadful Apprehensions for me. At
last, he said, a neighbouring Gentleman, who had just recovered a Son from the
same Place, informed him where I was, and that to reclaim me from this Course of
Life, was the sole Cause of his Journey to London. He thanked Heaven he had
succeeded so far as to find me out by Means of an Accident which had like to
have proved fatal to him; and had the Pleasure to think he partly owed his
Preservation to my Humanity, with which he profest himself to be more delighted
than he should have been with my filial Piety, if I had known that the Object of
all my Care was my own Father.
    Vice had not so depraved my Heart, as to excite in it an Insensibility of so
much paternal Affection, tho' so unworthily bestowed. I presently promised to
obey his Commands in my return Home with him as soon as he was able to travel,
which indeed he was in a very few Days, by the Assistance of that excellent
Surgeon who had undertaken his Cure.
    The Day preceding my Father's Journey (before which Time I scarce ever left
him) I went to take my Leave of some of my most
