and difappointed; yet he continued his vifits, and was very diligent to discover what had prevented his fuccefs. One evening, just as he was about to take his leave, after much ineffectual entreaty and complaint, Eugenio unexpectedly entered the room. Ventofus inftantly remarked the embarrassment both of his mistress and the ftranger,whom he therefore fupposed to be a rival, and no longer wondered at his own difappointment: thefe fufpicions were every moment confirmed and encreased; for his prefence produced emotions which could neither be concealed nor mistaken; though by a lefs penetrating eye than that of jealoufy, they might have been overlooked.

He was now fired with refentinent and indignation; and having left the room fomewhat abruptly, he was met upon the ftairs by Agreftis, with whom he defired to speak a few words in private. Agreftis turned back into another apartment, and Ventofus told him with some warmth, that he did not expect to have found his daughter pre-engaged; and that he could not help thinking himself ill treated. Agreftis, with equal warmth, required him to explain his meaning; and after fome time had been spent in eager altercation, they parted in better temper; Agreftis perfuaded that a clandeftine love had been carried on between his daughter and Eugenio, and Ventofus convinced that Agreftis had never encouraged the pretenfions of his

rival.

Agreftis immediately fent for Amelia, and sternly urged her with many questions, which the could only answer with blushes and tears: her filence and confufion convinced him that Ventofus was not mistaken; and therefore, defifting from enquiry, he feverely reprehended her for the paft, and enjoined her never to converfe with Eugenio again; to whom he alfo fignified his difpleasure, and requested that, to prevent further uneafinefs, he would come no more to his houfe till Amelia fhould be married.

Eugenio, though his love was almost hopeless before, was yet greatly afflicted by this meffage; because he feared that Amelia had fallen under her father's difpleasure, and that now he was become jealous of his authority, he might be tempted to abuse it. As to fecure, her peace was the principal object of his with, he concealed what had happened

from his father, left a quarrel fhould be produced between him and Agreftis, in which Amelia's delicacy and tendernefs would be yet more deeply wounded. When a vifit was intended to Agreftis, he always took care to have fome engagement at another place: Agrestis, however, as he had no conception of the principles upon which Eugenio acted, did not doubt but that he had communicated the reafon of his abfence to his father, and that his father was fecretly offended; but as he expressed no refentment, he believed that his ambition had for once reftrained the petulance of his pride, that he diffembled to prevent an open rupture, and had still hopes of effecting the purpose which he had concerted with his fon.

A fufpicion of ill-will always produces it; but befides this caufe of alienation, Agreftis had unjustly imputed a conduct to his friend, which rendered him the object of his contempt and averfion; he therefore treated him with coldnefs and referve, fuppofing that he well knew the caufe, and neglected to return his vifits without thinking it necessary to affign any reafon. This conduct was at length remarked by Orgilio, who confidered it as the caprice of a character which he always defpifed; he therefore retorted the neglect without expostulation: and thus all intercourse between

the families was at an end.

Eugenio, in the mean time, was inflexible in his purpose; and Amelia, in her next interview with Ventofus, acquainted him that she would fee him no more. Ventofus again appealed to her father: but the old gentleman was steady in his principles, notwithstanding his refentment; and told him, that he had exerted all the authority which GOD and nature had given him in his favour; and that, however provoked, he would never profitute his child, by compelling her to marry a perfon who was not the object of her choice.

Ventofus, who was extremely mortified at this difappointment, was very inquifitive about Eugenio, for whom he ftill fuppofed he had been rejected: he foon learned his fituation and circumftances, and he long intimacy with Amelia; he reflected upon the confu fion which both had expreffed in the accidental interview at which he was prefent; and was willing to believe, that his rival, however contemptible, had

been

been too fuccessful to be fupplanted with honour by a husband: this, however, if he did not believe, he was very diligent to propagate; and to remove the difgrace of a refufal, hinted that for this reafon he had abruptly difcontinued his addreffes, and congratulated himself upon his escape.

It happened that about fix weeks ago, Ventofus, as he was walking in the Mall with a young officer of diftinction, met Amelia in company of several ladies and a gentleman. He thought fit to bow to Amelia with a fupercilious refpect, which had greatly the air of an infult. Of this compliment Amelia, though the looked han in the face, took no notice: by this calm difdain he was at once difappointed and confounded; he was ftung by an effort of his own malignity, and his breaft fwelled with paffion which he could not vent. In this agitation of mind he haftily turned back, and determined, for whatever reafon, to follow her. After he had advanced about fifty paces, he faw Eugenio coming forward, who, the moment he perceived Amelia, turned into another walk. This was obferved by Ventofus, whofe contempt and indignation had now another object, upon which they might without violence to the laws of honour be gratified: he communicated his purpofe to his companion, and haftily followed Eugenio. When they had overtaken him, they burst into a horfe-laugh, and pushed fo rudely by him that he could icarce recover his ftep: they did not, however, go on; but fopping fuddenly, turned about as if to apologize for the accident, and affected great furprize at difcovering to whom it had happened. Ventofus bowed very low, and with much contemptuous ceremony begged his pardon, telling him at the fame time, that there was a lady in the next walk who would be very glad of his company. To this infult Eugenio anfwered, that he was not willing to fuppofe that an affront was intended, and that if the lady he meant was a woman of honour, the ought always to be mentioned with refpect. Ventofus replied, that whether the lady he meant was a woman of honour, he would not determine; but he believed he had been very kind; and was pleafed to fee that her favours were not forgotten, though they were no longer accepted. Eugenio was not now mafter of his temper, but turning

fuddenly upon Ventofus, ftruck him with fuch violence that he fell at his feet: he rofe, however, in an instant, and laid his hand upon his fword, but was prevented from drawing it by his companion; and the crowd beginning to gather about them, they parted with mutual expreffions of contempt and

rage.

In the morning the officer who had been in company with Ventofus at the quarrel, delivered a challenge to Eugenio, which he answered by the following billet.

SIR,

YOUR behaviour last night has con

vinced me that you are a scoundrel; and your letter this morning that you are a fool. If I fhould accept your challenge, I fhould myself be both. I owe a duty to GOD and to my country, which I deem it infamous to violate; and I am intrufted with a life, which I think cannot without folly be taked againft yours. I believe you have ruined, but you, cannot degrade me. You may poffibly, while you fneer over this letter, fecretly exult in your own fafety; but remember, that to prevent alfaflination I have a sword, and to chastise infolence a cane.

With this letter the captain returned

to Ventofus, who read it with all the extravagancies of rage and difdain: the captain, however, endeavoured to footh and encourage him; he represented Eugenio as a poltroon and a beggar, whom he ought no otherwife to punish than by removing him from the rank into which he had intruded; and this, he said, would be very easily acccomplished. Ventofus at length acquiefced in the fentiments of his friend; and it was foon induftriously reported that Eugenio had ftruck a perfon of high rank, and refufed him the fatisfaction of a gentleman which he had condefcended to afk. For not accepting a challenge, Eugenio could not be legally punished, because it was made his duty as a foldier by the articles of war; but it drew upon him the contempt of his fuperior officers, and made them very follicitous to find fome pretence to difmifs him. The friends of Ventofus immediately intimated, that the act of violence to which Eugenio had been provoked, was committed within the verge of the court, and was therefore a fut

which ended in a delirium. The effect which this incident produced upon Eugenio, who waited at the end of the street for my return, cannot be defcribed: I prevailed upon him to go back to my houfe, where he fometimes hastily traverfed the room, and fometimes fat fixed in a kind of stupid infenfibility upon the floor. While he was in one of these fits, news was brought that his father was dead, and had the morning after he was taken ill difinherited him, declaring that by the infamy of his conduct he had broke his heart.

Eugenio heard this account without any apparent furprize or emotion, but could not be perfuaded to change his pofture or receive any food; till his fpirits being quite exhausted, sleep relieved him a few hours from the agony of his mind.

The night on which his father was buried, he wrapped himself up in a horfeman's coat that belonged to my fervant, and followed the proceffion at a distance on foot. When the ceremony was over, and the company departed, he threw himself on the grave; and hiding his face in the duft, wept over it in filence that was interrupted only by groans. I, who had followed him unperceived, did not think it prudent to intrude upon the folemnity of his forrow, till the morning dawned: he was furprized, and I thought fomewhat confounded to fee me; he fuffered me, however, to lead him away, but neither of us uttered a word.

He told me the next day, that he would trouble me a few nights longer for a lodging, and in the mean time think of fome means by which he might obtain a fubfiftence: he was, indeed, totally detitute, without money and without a profeffion; but he made no complaint, and obftinately refufed all pecuniary affift

earth: I have fuffered the lofs of fortune, of love, and of fame; but I have preferved my integrity, and I know that I fhall not lofe my reward. Το thefe I would, indeed, add the esteem, though not the love of Amelia. She will hear of me as degraded and difinherited, a coward, a vagabond, and a fugitive; and her efteem, I think, I have fufficient reafon to give up: grief will wound her deeper than contempt; it is, therefore, beft that he should defpife me. Some of thofe by whom fhe is addreffed, deferve her; and I ' ought not to withhold a felicity which I cannot enjoy. I fhall embark tomorrow; and your friendly embrace is all the good that I expect to receive from this country, when I depart in fearch of others which are unknown.'

To this addrefs I was not in a condition to reply; and perceiving that I was overwhelmed with grief, he left me, perhaps, left his purpofe fhould be fhaken, and my weaknefs fhould prove contagious.

On the morrow I attended him to the fhip. He talked to me of indifferent things; and when we parted wrung my hand, and turned from me abruptly without peaking. I hatted into the boat which waited to bring me on fhore, and would not again feel the pangs of yefterday for all the kingdoms of the world.

Such is the friend I have loft! fuch is the man, whom the world has difgraced for refufing a challenge! But none who are touched with pity at his misfortunes, with that he had avoided them by another conduct; and not to pity Eugenio, is furely to be a monster rather than a man.

It may, perhaps, be queftioned, whether I ought thus to have exhibited his ftory under feigned names; or have a right to atempt that which he forbore. My love to him, is, indeed, my motive: but I think my conduct is juft, when I confider, that though it is poffible that Amelia may by the perufal of these papers fuffer the most tender, and therefore the most exquifite diftrefs, by the re-establishment of her esteem for him who most deferves it; yet the world may derive new virtue from the dignity which the character of Eugenio reflects upon his conduct: his example is truly illuftrious; and as it can fcarce fail to excite emulation, it ought not to be concealed. I am, Sir, your humble Servant,

BENEVOLUS.

N° LXVII.