*

desire to get this child into my possession; and yet Lady Davers has given me a hint that dwells a little with me. When I have the pleasure I hope for, I will lay all before you, and be determined and proceed, as far as I have power, by you. You, my good father and mother, have seen the story in my former papers.

Tuesday.

You must know I pass over the days thus swiftly; not that I could not fill them up with writing, as ample as I have done the former: but intending only to give you a general idea of our way of life and conversation, and having gone through a whole week and more, you will be able, from what I have recited, to form a judgment how it is with us, one day with another.-As, for example, now and then neighbourly visits received and paid. Needlework between whiles. Music. Cards sometimes, though I don't love them.-One more benevolent round.-Improving conversations with my dear Mr. B and my two good ladies.-A lesson from him, when alone, either in French or Latin: a new pauper case or two.-A visit from the good dean.-Mr. Williams's departure, in order to put the new-projected alteration in force, which is to deprive me of my chaplain-(by the way, the dean is highly pleased with this affair, and the motives to it, Mr. Adams being a favourite of his, and a distant relation of his lady).—Mr. H's and Polly's mutual endeavour to avoid one another. My lesson, to the poor girl, and cautions, as if she were my sister.

These, my dear Miss Darnford; these, my honoured father and mother, are the pleasant employments of our time, so far as we females are concerned: for the gentlemen hunt, ride out, and divert themselves in their way, and bring us home the news and occurrences they meet with * See vol. ii. p. 246.

abroad, and now and then a straggling gentleman they pick up in their diversions.-And so I shall not enlarge upon these articles, after the tedious specimens I have already given. Yet the particulars of one conversation, possibly, I may give you another time, when I have least to do, because three young ladies, relations of Lady Towers and Mrs. Arthur, were brought to visit me, for the benefit of my instructions; for that was the kind compliment of those ladies to me.

Wednesday, Thursday.

COULD you ever have thought, my dear, that husbands have a dispensing power over their wives, which kings are not allowed over the laws? I have this day had a smart debate with Mr. B——, and I fear it will not be the only Bone upon this subject. Can you believe, that if a wife thinks a thing her duty to do, and her husband does not approve of her doing it, he can dispense with her performing it, and no sin shall lie at her door? Mr. B- maintains this point. I have great doubts about it; particularly one: That, if a matter be my duty, and he dispenses with my performance of it, whether, even although that were to clear me of the sin, it will not fall upon himself? And to be sure, miss, a good wife would be as much concerned at this as if it was to remain upon her. Yet he seems set upon it. What can one do? Did you ever hear of such a notion before, miss? Of such a prerogative in a husband? Would you care to subscribe to it?

This is one of Mr. B's particularities. He has several of them; the effects, as I take it, of his former free life. Polygamy, as I have mentioned heretofore, is another. That is a bad one indeed. Yet he is not so determined on this as he seems to be on the other, in a certain case, that is too nice for me, at present, to explain to you; and so I might as well have taken no notice of it as yet

only the argument was so present to my mind; held within this hour; and I write a journal, you know, of what passes.

But I will, some time hence, submit it, at least to your judgments, my father and mother. You are well read in the Scriptures, and have gone through the occasion often; and both Mr. B- and I build our arguments on Scripture, though we are so different in our opinions. He says the ladies are of his opinion. I'm afraid they are, and so will not ask them. But perhaps I mayn't live, and other things may happen; and so I'll say no more of it at present.*

Friday.

MR. H—————, and my Lord and Lady Davers, and the exHcellent Countess of C―, having left us this day, a good deal to my regret, and, as it seemed, to their own, the former put the following letter into my hands, with an air of respect, and even reverence. You will observe in it that he says he spells most lamentably; and this obliges me to give it you literally.

'DEARE GOOD MADAM,-I cannott contente myselfe with common thankes, on leaving youres and Mr. B—'s 'hospitabel house, because of thatt there affaire, which I 'neede not mention; and truly am ashamed to mention, as 'I have been to looke you in the face, ever since it happen'd. 'I don't knowe how itt came aboute, butt I thought butt att first of joking a littel, or soe; and seeing Polley heard me with more attentiveness then I expected, I was encouraged to proceede; and soe, now I recollecte, itt came aboute.

'But shee is innosent for me: And I don't know how 'thatt came aboute neither; for we were oute one moone

For the sequel of this matter, see page 48.

'lighte nighte together in the gardin, walking aboute, and 'afterwardes took a napp of two houres, as I beliefe, in 'the summer-house in the littel gardin, being over-powered 'with sleepe; for I woulde make her lay her head uppon my breste, till, before we were awar, wee felle asleepe together. Butt before thatt, we hadd agreed on whatt you discovered.

6

'Thiss is the whole truthe, and all the intimasies wee ever hadd, to speake off. But I beleefe we shoulde have 'been better acquainted, hadd you nott, luckily for mee! 'prevented itt, by being att home when we thought you ' abroad. For I was to come to her when shee hemm'd two or three times; for having made a contract, you knowe, madam, it was naturall enough to take the first 'occasion to putt itt in force.

6

'She coulde not keepe her owne secritt, and may have 'told you more perhapps then is true. So what I write is to cleare myselfe; and to tell you how sorry I am, in 'such a good house as youres, and where there is so much 'true godliness, that I shoulde ever be drawne away to 'have a thoughte to dishonour itt. But I will take care ' of being over-famillier for the future with underlings; for see how a man may be taken in!-If shee hadd resented 'itt att first, when I begun to kisse her, or soe (for, you 'knowe, we younge fellows will take libertis sometimes 'where they don't become us, to our owne disparagements chiefly, that's true), I shoulde have hadd an awe uppon me; or iff shee had told you, or butt said shee woulde, I shoulde have flowne, as soon soon as had any thoughtes 'further aboute the matter.-But what had one of oure sexe to do, you knowe, madam, when they finde littel ' resistence, and that shee woulde stande quietly and telle no tales, and make no great struggell, and not keepe out of 'one's way neither, butt to dilly-dally on, till one broughte 'itt to more then one at first intended?

'Poor Polley! I pity her too. Don't think the worse ' of her, deare madam, so as too turn her away, because it 'may bee her ruin. I don't desire too see her. I mought

,

'have been drawne in to do strange foolish things, and been ruin'd at the long run; for who knows where this thing 'mought have ended? My unkell woulde have never seene me. My father too (his lordshipp, you have hearde, madam, is a very crosse man, and never loved mee much) mought have cutt off the intaile. My aunte would have dispis'd mee, and scorn'd mee. I should have been her foolishe fellowe in earneste, nott in jeste, as now. You 'woulde have resented itt, and Mr. B- who knowes? mought have called me to account (for he is bloody 'passionate, I saw thatt att the Hall, and has foughte two or three duells, as I have hearde) for abusing the freedome of his house, and breaking the lawes of hospitality, as 'you tolde mee; and so, it is nott unlikely, I mighte have dy'd like a dogge in a ditche; and there would have been 'an ende of a noble family, that have been peeres of the 'realme time out of minde. What a sadd thing would 'this have been! A publicke as well as private losse: For you knowe, madam, whatt my lady countess said, and nobody says better thinges, or knowes more of the matter, 'then her ladyshipp, that every peere of the realme is a 'jewel in the crowne. A fine saying! God grante I may 'keepe itt in minde, when my time comes, and my father 'shall happen to die!

6

'Well, butt, good madam, cann you forgive mee? You see how happy I am in my disapointment. But I must 'take another sheete of paper.-I did nott think to write

so much; for I don't love itt: Butt on this occasion, 'know not how too leave off-I hope you cann reade my 'letter. I knowe I write a clumsy hand, and spelle moste lamentabelly; for I never had a tallent for these thinges. I was readier by halfe to admire the orcherd robbing I picture in Lilic's Grammer, then any other parte of the 'book: Excuse my nonsense, madam: butt many a time have I help'd to fill a sachil; and always supposed that picture was putt there on purpose to tell boyes whatt 'diversions are alowed them, and are propper for them. Several of my schoole-fellows tooke it for granted, as