to pieces what I have already written.-The former would probably put your patience to too fevere a trial; and the latter I am loath to do, left I fhould rob you of a fmile which this little excurfion of my pen perhaps may excite. I will therefore let it ftand as it is, and proceed.

My benefits were increafing every year. And I was now fo accustomed to receive the tribute of the public, that I accepted their prefents with as much easy indifference, as the Princefs in Dryden's "Indian Queen," does her lover's laurel. Fafhion had for fome time made me her standard. But now I reaped more folid pleasure, and more lasting praise, from having my company courted by a *Doddington, a + Lyttelton, a § Williams, and a Mallet. To thefe I might add the modern Aristophanes, and all the wits of the age. And what was ftill more flattering to my pride, females of the first rank, and thofe exemplary patterns of rectitude, admitted me to their intimacy. A Powerscourt, a Dillon, and a Tyrawley, honoured me with, their friendship. I vifited occafionally thofe ladies, and, though I was not in a fituation of life, even if I had been married, to hope for a return, they always returned my visits,

*George Bubb Doddington, afterwards Lord Melcombe. + Lord Lyttelton.

Sir Charles Hanbury Williams.

and

and accepted my invitations. As did alfo the Countefs of Rochford, with whom I was lately become acquainted.

Judging by these fortunate circumstances, for which I was more indebted to chance than to real merit, the world fuppofed me to pofsess as many mental qualifications, as the fu-. perficial ones fashion had given me credit for. I was too indolent to convince them of the contrary. I fuffered them to remain in the error. They, however, took it for granted.. And though I might not be esteemed by my acquaintance a first rate wit, I was termed extremely clever. This opinion paffed current. And at that time I was too much beloved to have it contradicted. Thus does our confequence in the opinion of the world generallydepend upon circumftances. Whilft fortune. fmiles, we ftand high in their eftimation; our. moft trivial accomplishments are magnified. into perfections; and every word we utter abounds with good fenfe.-Yet let but a cloud appear to darken our profpects, and thofe, who before were charmed with what bordered on folly, now become infenfible to our most. refined wit.

Mr. Fox continued at the head of the fame department, with univerfal approbation. He not only executed his high office with fatiffaction to himself, but to those who were dependent on him, or had concerns with him. To thofe who came to tranfact bufinefs,

nefs, or to folicit fuch favours as he could with propriety bestow, he gave a ready admiffion, and fent them away pleased with their reception. But those who applied merely to court the funfhine of his favour, met with an unreferved refufal. He did not, as is too often the cafe, buoy up their hopes with promifes he never intended to fulfil; on the contrary, he put a stop at once to further applications. And thereby prevented his levee from being crouded with vain expectants, to their great inconvenience and lofs of time.

Mr. Calcraft's agencies increased daily. And my company and business kept pace with that increafe. I was fo much interested in promoting his emoluments, that I did it at the hazard of my life. Hearing one night, at a late hour, of a promotion that was about to take place, I arofe from my bed, to which I was confined by illness, dreffed, and went to a mafqued ball at the Hay-market, where It heard the two gentlemen I wanted to apply to were, on purpose to remind them of their promifes. Thefe were Colonel Lafcelles, and General Honeywood. They recollected having given me a promife, and I fucceeded in my application. But the fatigue I went through to do this occafioned my being confined to my bed for a fortnight.

The increase of bufinefs Mr. Calcraft now experienced, rendered it neceffary, from the additional

additional clerks and fervants which were become needful, to take a much larger house than that we were in at prefent. As one which was both roomy and elegant was requifite, and likewife that it fhould be fituated contiguous to the public offices, the fummer was allowed for the acquifition of fuch a one. As for my own part, I was determined to have no concern in the tranfaction. Finding myself near twelve hundred pounds in debt, I declared I would no longer be the oftenfible housekeeper. And in order to avoid being fo, I refolved on a tour to the Continent, instead of a journey to Bristol, as I at first had propofed. My next inducement in fixing on the former, was to fee my much efteemed friend Mifs Meredith, who had to appearance almoft come to the laft ftage of her journey through life. Another motive was, that I wished to thank in perfon Madam Brilliant for the civilities I had received from her.

My gentleman, who by this time imagined that I had relaxed from my infenfibility, and had contracted fome regard for him, no fooner thought he perceived this, than from the natural fickleness of his sex, he became indifferent himself. As an indifputable proof, he avowed a partiality for a lady of eafy virtue, ycleped Lucy Cooper. In confequence of this, he encouraged my refolution of going to France; and we parted equally well pleaf

ed.

¢

ed. Is it not ftrange that there fhould be. this unaccountable propensity in man? What they strive to obtain by vows, by bribes, or the most abject fubmiffion; and purchase by whole years of affiduity; is no fooner fecured, than it lofes its value. By keep"ing men off," as Mrs. Peachum tells her daughter, "We do indeed keep them on."Had any one told Calcraft, when he made ufe of the arts he did to gain poffeffion of me, that the very appearance of the regard he then fo earneftly fought, would prove deftructive of his love, his answer would have been, "It is impoffible."

My firft vifit when I arrived at Boulogne, was to the convent of the Urfulines, where I had spent so many happy years in the early part of my life, and from whofe peaceful walls I had often regretted my removal. I was here a welcome gueft. Having from the time of my leaving France kept up a correfpondence with the ladies, notwithstanding fo many years had fince elapfed, I was not totally forgotten by them, as otherwise might have been expected. I continued with them four days, which I paffed in fweet converse with the holy fifters, and in the pleafing duties of that religion, the first rudiments of which had been there inftilled into my mind.

From thence I proceeded directly to Paris. Had I not been accustomed to attention,