ners, had her nephew popped out what was upon his tongue. In a fhort time he refumed the converfation; telling me he was forry that old Square-toes was obliged, by the failure of a house at Antwerp,to go out of town immediately; " otherwife, who

66

knows," faid he, "but that by the help of your tongue and my cellar, we may have taken him in!" A blush threw its crimfon veil over my face as he faid this. Upon obferving which, he recollected himself, and thus continued: "Nay, don't blush, I

only meant that we would have tried to get him to "make a will in our favour." I dwell the longer on this conversation, which I give verbatim, as it will furnish you with fome infight into the character of my upright coufin, and prepare your mind for an event which happened fome years after. Though I had taken a dislike to my relation as a man, yet he might be, for aught I know, what is usually denominated a good attorney. The meaning of which I. take to be, that he kept within the limits of the law,. and was as honeft as his profeffion would allow him. to be. As this does not require any great delicacy of fentiment, and I confider people as accountable for no more than they know, I contented myfelf with. defpifing him in filence.

I never wish to caft undue reflections on any pro-. feffion, but it seems to be the general opinion, that

there

there are, comparatively, very few men of real integrity in that branch of the law. The axiom

፡፡

That what every one fays must be true," is founded on reafon and experience. I have been convinced of the truth of it, in this point, to my coft. Whe ther this propenfity to dishonesty arifes from the opportunities which so frequently present themselves in the practice of the law, and tempt the profeffors to avail themselves of them; or whether a turn of mind to take advantage both of friend and foe, of client as well as opponent, be imbibed by the very study of it, I will not pretend to determine. But fo it is: to the forrow and coft of millions as well as myself.

As I much wifhed to be at Mr. Rich's, where I fhould have the pleasure of the company of my former intimates, his daughters; company far more agreeable to me than what I now enjoyed; I prevailed on my mother to fhorten her vifit. At length the wished-for day arrived. Mr. Rich sent his carriage, and we foon found ourselves at Cowley. Here we were received with the greatest cordiality by the mafter of the family, and with unfeigned joy by the younger part of it; but with formality and reserve by the mistress of the house. This lady, having been converted to Methodifm, now thought of nothing but praying and accumulating wealth for herself and her fpoufe. For thofe good people seldom neglect

that

that grand concern, however they may cenfure fuch worldly wisdom in the unconverted.

Upon the death of his first wife, Mr. Rich had married this lady. Her name before that event took place was Mrs. Stevens. She had formerly been barmaid at Bret's Coffee-Houfe, was afterwards an actress, but had been several years his housekeeper. She was at that time in a very mediocre fituation in the theatre. She had been the intimate friend of Mifs Naffau, who fucceeded Miss Fenton, afterwards Dutchefs of Bolton in Gay's Polly Peachum. By her advice, as I have been informed, Miss Nassau put herself under the protection of the late Earl of Orford, fon of the famed Sir Robert Walpole. By the further management of Mrs. Rich, a match was brought about between a brother of her's, whose name was Wilford, and a fifter of that lady's. This was infuring Mr. Wilford a fortune, as Lord Orford was at that time Auditor of the Exchequer, and had numberless places in his gift. Mr. Wilford was accordinly provided for; and was upon a visit with his wife, at Cowley, when we arrived there.

We likewife found there Mrs. Ward, from the theatre at Edinburgh, whom Mr. Rich had engaged for the ensuing season. She was accompanied by a frightful being, to whom she gave the title of huf

band.

band. This lady had one of the most beautiful faces I ever beheld. But her figure was vulgar to a degree. By the floop and magnitude of her shoulders, it might be imagined that she had formerly carried milk pails. Her beauty would have been much more confpicuous in that line, or with a chain and knife faftened to her apron-ftring, than in the character of a queen or young princefs. Yet, notwithstanding this diffimilitude of appearance, and being pregnant into the bargain, it was determined that the fhould appear in Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear.

In converfation with Mr. Rich upon an engagement with me, my mother informed him of the terms offered me by Mr. Garrick, through Mr. Delany, the feafon hefore laft; and as he made no objection to the falary, fhe concluded that his intention was to give me the fame fum. When we returned to town the manager informed me that he intended Mrs. Ward should make her appearance as foon as poffible, her pregnancy rendering such a step necessary ; and that he confidered me as a happy corps de referve. Mrs. Woffington, highly offended at her quondam admirer, Mr. Garrick's chufing rather to appear with Mrs. Pritchard than with her, had engaged herself with Mr. Rich; and was to open the campaign with her capital part, that of Sir Harry Wildair.—Thea

trical revolutions are as frequent, and owe their rife to the fame principles as thofe in the political world. Pique, refentment, ambition, or intereft, which ever motive happens to preponderate, brings them about. And the arrangement lasts in both as long as convenience fuits.

G. A.

B:

ND OF THE FIRST VOLUME..