'well as I, and wee coulde never reconcile itt to oure reason, why wee shoulde bee punished for practissing a 'lesson taughte us by our Grammers. 6 Butt, hey, whether am I running! I never writt to you before, and never may againe, unlesse you or Mr. 'B― commande itt, for youre servise. So pray excuse me, madam. 'I knowe I neede give no advise to Polley, to take care ' of first encouragements. Poore girl! shee mought have 'suffer'd sadly, as welle as I.-For iff my father, and my 'unkell and aunte, had requir'd mee to turne her off, you 'knowe itt woulde have been undutifull too have refus'd them, notwithstanding our bargaine. And want of duty 6 to them woulde have been to have added faulte too faulte: " As you once observed, I remember, that one faulte never comes alone, but drawes after itt generally five or six, to hide or vindicate itt, and they every one perhapps as many more eache. you 'I shall never forgett severall of youre wise sayinges. I 'have been vex'd, may I be hang'd if I have not, many 'a time, thatt I coulde not make such observations as make; who am so much older too, and a man besides, ' and a peere's son, and a peere's nephew! But my tallents ' lie another way; and by that time my father dies, I hope 'to improve myselfe, in order to cutt such a figgure as may 'make me be no disgrase to my name or countrey; for I 'shall have one benefitt over many younge lordes; thatt I 'shall be more fond of makeing observasions than speeches, ' and so shall improve of course, you knowe. 'Well, butt whatt is all this to the purpose?—I will 'keepe close to my texte; and thatt is, to thank you, good madam, for all the favours I have received in your 'house; to thank you for disappointing mee, and for con'vinsing mee, in so kinde, yet so shameing a manner, how wrong I was in the matter of that there Polly; and for 'not exposing my folly to anyboddy but myselfe (for I 'should have been ready to hang myselfe, if you hadd); and to begg youre pardon for itt, and to assuer you, that 'I will never offerr the like as long as I breathe. I am, 'madam, with the greatest respecte, 'Youre most obliged, moste faithful, and Well, Miss Darnford, what shall we say to this fine letter? You'll allow it to be an original, I hope. Yet, may be not. For how does one know, but it may be as well written, and as sensible a letter, as this class of people generally write?-But what then shall we be able to say for such poor creatures of our sex as are taken in, as Mr. H― calls it, by such pretty fellows as this: who, if they may happen to write better, hardly think better, or design to act better, and are not so soon brought to repentance and promises of amendment? Mr. H― dresses well, is not a contemptible figure of a man, laughs, talks, where he can be heard, and his aunt is not present; and cuts, to use his own words, a considerable figure in a country town.-But see-yet I will not say what I might—he is Lord Davers's nephew; and if he makes his observations, and forbears his speeches (I mean, can be silent, and only laugh when he sees somebody of more sense laugh, and never approve or condemn but in leading-strings), he may possibly pass in a crowd of gentlemen.-But poor, poor Polly Barlow! What can I say for Polly Barlow? I have a time in view, when possibly my papers may fall under the inspection of a dear gentleman to whom, next to God, I am accountable for all my actions and correspondencies; so I will either write an account of the matter, and seal it up separately, for Mr. B-, or, at a proper opportunity, will break it to him, and let him know (under secrecy, if I can engage him to promise it) the steps I took in it; for fear something should arise hereafter, when I cannot answer for myself, to render anything dark or questionable in it. A method, I believe, very proper to be taken by every married lady; and I presume the rather to say so, having had a good example for it. For I have often thought of a little sealed-up parcel of papers my lady made me burn in her presence about a month before she died.—They are, Pamela, said she, such as I have no reason to be concerned about, let who will see them, could they know the springs and causes of them: but for want of a clue, my son might be at a loss what to think of several of those letters, were he to find them, in looking over my other papers when I am no more. Let me add, that nothing could be more endearing than our parting with our noble guests. My lady repeated her commands for what she often engaged me to promise, that is to say, to renew the correspondence begun between us, so much (as she was pleased to say) to her satisfaction. I could not help showing her ladyship, who was always inquiring after my writing employment, most of what passed between you and me; and she admires you much, and wished Mr. H- - had more wit, that was her word: She should, in that case, she said, be very glad to set on foot a treaty between you and him. But that, I fancy, can never be tolerable to you; and I only mention it en passant-There's a French woman for you! The countess was full of her kind wishes for my happiness; and my Lady Davers told me, that if I could give her timely notice, she would be present on a certain occasion. But, my dear miss, what could I say?-I know nothing of the matter!-Only, that I am a sad coward, and have a thousand anxieties which I cannot mention to anybody. But, if I have such in the honourable estate of matrimony, what must those poor souls have, who have been seduced, and have all manner of reason to apprehend, that the crime shall be followed by a punishment so natural to it! A punishment, in kind, as I may say; which, if it only ends in forfeiture of life, following the forfeiture of fame, must be thought merciful and happy beyond expectation; for how shall they lay claim to the hope that is given to persons in their circumstances, that they shall be saved in childbearing, since the condition is, if they CONTINUE in faith and charity, and HOLINESS with SOBRIETY? man, Now, my honoured mother, and my dear Miss Darnford, since I am upon this affecting subject, does not this text seem to give a comfortable hope to a good woman, who shall die in this circumstance, that she shall be happy in the divine mercies? For the apostle, in the context, says, That he suffers not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the but to be in silence.-And what is the reason he gives? Why, a reason that is a natural consequence of the curse on the first disobedience, that she shall be in subjection to her husband.-For, says he, Adam was NOT deceived; but the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression. As much as to say, 'had it not been for the woman, Adam had kept his integrity, and therefore her punishment shall be, as it is said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow in thy conception: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children,—and thy husband shall rule over thee. But, 'nevertheless, if thou shalt not survive the sharpness of thy sorrow, thy death shall be deemed to be such an alleviation of thy part of the entailed transgression, that thou shalt 'be saved, if thou hast CONTINUED in faith, and charity, ' and HOLINESS with SOBRIETY.' This, my honoured parents, and my dear friend, is my paraphrase; and I reap no small comfort from it, when I meditate upon it. But I shall make you as serious as myself; and, my dear friend, perhaps frighten you from entering into a state, in which our poor sex suffer so much from the bridal morning, let it rise as gayly as it will upon a thoughtful mind, to that affecting circumstance (throughout its whole progression), for which nothing but a tender, a generous, and a worthy husband can make them any part of amends.—And when one is so blessed, one has so many fears added to one's sorrows; and so much apprehension, through human frailty, of being separated from so beloved a partner, that one had need of the greatest fortitude to support one's self. But it may be I am the weakest and most apprehensive of my sex. -It may be I am!-And when one sees how common the case is, and yet how few die in it; how uneasy many women are, not to be in this circumstance (my good Lady Davers particularly, at times), and Rachel and Hannah in holy writ; and then how a childless estate might lessen one in the esteem of one's husband; one ought to bring these considerations in balance, and to banish needless fears. And so I will, if I can. But a word or two more as to the parting with our honoured company. I was a little indisposed, and they all would excuse me, against my will, from attending them in the coach some miles, which their dear brother did. Both ladies most tenderly saluted me, twice or thrice a piece, folding their kind arms about me, and wishing my safety and health; and charging me to think little, and hope much; for they saw me thoughtful at times, though I endeavoured to hide it from them. My Lord Davers was pleased to say, with a goodness of temper that is peculiar to him, My dearest, dear sister— may God preserve you, and multiply your comforts! I shall pray for you more than ever I did for myself, though I have so much more need of it!-I must leave you-but I leave one whom I love and honour next to Lady Davers, and ever shall. Mr. Hlooked consciously silly. I can say nothing, madam-but (saluting me) that I shall never forget your goodness to me-adding, in his frothy way, and with as foppish an air, Now can I say, I have saluted an angel, if ever there was an angel on earth. I had before, in Mrs. Jervis's parlour, taken leave of Mrs. Worden and Mrs. Lesley, my ladies' women: they each stole, as it were, at the same time, a hand of mine, and kissed it, begging pardon, as they said, for the freedom. But I answered, taking each by her hand, and kissing her, I shall always think of you with pleasure, my good friends; for you have encouraged me constantly by your presence in my private duties; and may God bless you, and the |