and Lady is happy in her. I have promised to write her father and mother."

Henry continues the girl's ftory as follows: "I wrote a long letter to the girl's father, as I had promifed, giving a particular account of his daughter's misfortune, as fhe had informed me; and of what I had done for her; and begged him to be reconciled to her. He returned me an anfwer, expreffing his obligations to me, and his forgiving her; and promifing to come to town in a few days. He came accordingly, and called: for me. I introduced him to his daughter. She fainted at the firft fight of him; and being reccvered, the fcene between them was very affecting. She begged forgivenefs on her knees, which he cheerfully granted. Lady infifted, that he fhould not remove Mifs Julia, promifing to treat her as if he were her own child, and give her very handfome wages. At my entreaty the fa ther agreed to let her continue. He is a worthy, religious gentleman. Some time after, calling at Lady's, Mifs Julia told me, that a few days before, walking with the young ladies towards Lincoln's inn Fields, in Great Queen-ftreet, fhe met with her betrayer," who confted, the wrong he had done her; told her, he had been for several weeks inquiring for her, but could get no account where he was; earneftly begged to know where fhe lodged, having fomething of great importance to difclofe to her. She told him, he was very happily fettled in a good family, and that the would have nothing to do with one who had behaved fo bafely and barbaroufly towards her. He owned all the faid with fome vifible concern. Upon his importunate entreaty, the told him, that he might write to her, directing the letter to be left at a houfe the named. Next day the received a long letter from him, which fhe gave me to read. D d

In it he told her, that he had not: embarked for the Eaft Indies, having no fuch intention; that he had lived fome time in a course of lewdness and diffipation, which had thrown him into a flight fever; that h's il'nefs had brought him to reflect on his former wicked life; that his confcience fmote him for his fin in the injury he had done to her, in first debauching and then leaving her, without performing his promife of marrying her; that he was impreffed with a deep fenfe of his guilt in that matter, and could not be easy till he made her fatisfaction; and that he could not have been induced to fuch meafures, but upon full conviction of her untainted chastity and honour, and of his affectionate love to her; that it was now in her power to determine his fate, by forgiving the great wrong he had done her, and by a hearty reconciliation; and that if the fhould 1eject his fuit, he must be miferable, as he could. rot but lead a diftracted life without her. "I am willing," fays he, to marry you in the most pu blic manner, to fettle my whole fortune upon you, and to give a juft account of all my affairs to any person whom you fhall please to appoint to talk with me. I will not wait upon you without your permiffion; and if you are afraid of being with me alone, I shall fubmit to vifit you in any place you shall name, in the prefence of any gentlemen or ladies you please to fix upon. And as an evidence of my repentance, and real regard to you, I inclofe you a bank-bill of 500l. to employ it as you pleafe; which I make you a prefent of, with a declaration I never will redemand it, though you should be fo cruel as to reject me for ever. But I hope you will be merciful, and fpare your fincere lover."

"Mifs Julia then told me, the had prepared an answer to him, but that fhe would not fend it without

without my approbation, as fhe had already got that of her lady. In her anfwer, the very elegantly deferibes the horror and rudeness of the attack made upon her, the base and hypocritical, means he used to induce her to comply with a repetition of his guilt, his prevarication and perjury in breaking the oath and promife he had made her, and his barbarity in abandoning her to ruin and mifery, in a strange city, where fhe had no friends, with his wicked counfel to her. She tells him, that as he now appeared to be fenfible of his grofs offence, as the hoped for pardon from that holy God whom fhe had offended by complying with his libidinous purpofes, fhe from the heart forgave him, and wifhed God might have mercy on his foul. She further tells him, that fhe was not yet convinced of his reformation, and regard to her; but if his intentions were honeft, and he was become a new man, fhe would confent once more to an interview with him in the lady's house where he was honourably entertained, provided he would first converfe with me, and be introduced by me, whom the defcribes as her guardianangel, that had refcued her from infamy and proftitution. I told her, I approved of her anfwer; and desired her to add, that he might call at me next day at three o'clock afternoon. She did fo, and fealed the letter; which I took the care of. He called upon me at the hour appointed. I found him to be a gentleman aged between thirty and forty; and could not but rally him on the injury he had done the poor girl. He acknowledged his offence in the moft mournful ftrain; and told me, he would fubmit to any conditions I would prefcribe to him. Pray, Sir," anfwered I, how do you propofe to recover the good graces of, and accom lith a marriage with this lovely but injured girl?". "Why, Sir." reDd 2 plied

plied he, "I am poffeffed of 20,000 1. in Eaft-India ftock, and 10,000l. in South-fea annuities, befides a confiderable fum lying by me in notes and fpecie. All this I am willing to fettle upon her, if the will confent to marry me. I will marry her in the most public manner, and give my fo. lemn promife to treat her as my beloved wife; and it will be a pleasure to me, to have you, Sir, and her lady, prefent to grace our nuptials." He fhewed me the fecurities for his money, and earneftly preffed me to conduct him to the darling of his heart. I told him, I was fatisfied of his ho nourable intentions, and would do every thing in my power to promote his business. I conducted him to Lady's, and introduced him to Mifs Julia, who received him very coldly. But when he had expreffed his repentance for his bafe and vile ufage of her, with a flood of tears, and made a ferious propofal of marrying her, and behaving to her as a virtuous and amiable wife, she began to relent; and faid, "I forgive you, and pray that God may graciously do fo too. As to what I am to do further, I fhall be entirely directed by my lady, and this worthy gentleman, who has been my preferver and protector." I then told her, that my advice was, that they fhould marry, and bury all paft injuries in conju gal embraces and endearments. The lady decla red herself of the fame opinion. But, added Mifs Julia, "I fhall confent too, provided I ob Lod tain the confent of my worthy father.".

anfwered, Mifs," replied I; I fhall this night write him a particular account of what has hap pened, and doubt not but I fhall procure what you want." I wrote her father accordingly; and received an anfwer, granting his full and hearty confent to the match. A licence was applied for. and the parties were publicly married in St Bride's

church.

1

church. We dined at Lady's, and in the evening went to a furnished house the bridegroom had taken in St James's ftreet, where we fupped, and the parties were formally bedded. I have visited them frequently fince, and find them exceffively fond of one another. He has fettled his whole fortune upon Julia, and the iffue of the marriage. Though the poor man has been bred up in ignorance of religion, the fruits of Julia's inftructions begin already to appear, in a fincere difpofition that he thews to the ways of God. Het offered to repay me what money I had given his dear wife, as he calls her; but I would not take it. He forced me however to accept a rich gold watch, which he faid I might keep till I got a lady. This watch I referve for my lovely Fanny, as a prefent to her on her marriage-day. Thus has this affair ended, I hope, in God's glory, to the benefit of the parties, and to my inexpreffible fatisfaction.".

CHA P. III.

Fanny's affecting account of the dying behaviour and happy death of a young amiable maidfervant.

F Anny, in one of her letters, entertains Henry

with the following ftory. Some time ago I was earneftly importuned by my favourite Mally, to go along with her to fee a poor girl who, the faid, was apparently dying. We found her lying on a mean bed, in very great diftrefs. Texpreff ed my fympathy to her, and gave her a guinea procure neceffaries: I thank you very kind ly, good Sir," replied the, "for fo great a kindness fhewn me in my extremity. I have been long fickly, and long for my diffolution, that I

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may