Incidents are so natural and
interesting, that I have gone hand-in-hand, and sympathiz'd with the pretty
Heroine in all her Sufferings, and been extremely anxious for her Safety, under
the Apprehensions of the bad Consequences which I expected, every Page, would
ensue from the laudable Resistance she made. I have interested myself in all her
Schemes of Escape; been alternately pleas'd and angry with her in her Restraint;
pleas'd with the little Machinations and Contrivances she set on foot for her
Release, and angry for suffering her Fears to defeat them; always lamenting,
with a most sensible Concern, the Miscarriages of her Hopes and Projects. In
short, the whole is so affecting, that there is no reading it without uncommon
Concern and Emotion. Thus far only as to the Entertainment it gives.
    As to Instruction and Morality, the Piece is full of both. It shews Virtue
in the strongest Light, and renders the Practice of it amiable and lovely. The
beautiful Sufferer keeps it ever in her View, without the least Ostentation, or
Pride; she has it so strongly implanted in her, that thro' the whole Course of
her Sufferings, she does not so much as hesitate once, whether she shall
sacrifice it to Liberty and Ambition, or not; but, as if there were no other way
to free and save herself, carries on a determin'd Purpose to persevere in her
Innocence, and wade with it throughout all Difficulties and Temptations, or
perish under them. It is an astonishing Matter, and well worth our most serious
Consideration, that a young beautiful Girl, in the low Scene of Life and
Circumstance in which Fortune placed her, without the Advantage of a Friend
capable to relieve and protect her, or any other Education than what occurr'd to
her from her own Observation and little Reading, in the Course of her Attendance
on her excellent Mistress and Benefactress, could, after having a Taste of Ease
and Plenty in a higher Sphere of Life than what she was born and first brought
up in, resolve to return to her primitive Poverty, rather than give up her
Innocence. I say, it is surprizing, that a young Person, so circumstanced,
could, in Contempt of proffer'd Grandeur on the one side, and in Defiance of
Penury on the other, so happily and prudently conduct herself thro' such a
Series of Perplexities and Troubles, and withstand the alluring Baits, and
almost irresistible Offers of a fine Gentleman, so universally admired and
esteemed, for the Agreeableness of his Person and good Qualities, among