moment fuppofe, even had I been fo unreafonable as to make fuch a weak propofal, that a person who knew the value of money fo well as he did, would have confented to have me (to make ufe of a political phrafe) tacked to him by way of dependent.

For notwithstanding friendship is a very fine thing to talk of, very few would prove fuch devotees to it, as to facrifice a thousand pounds a year upon account of it. As for my own ideas of that facred union, they are fo truly romantic, and fo very unfashionable, that I am almoft afhamed to make them known; but I fhould not think worlds too dear a purchase, for the person towards whom I profeffed a friendfhip. I now regretted, more poignantly than before, that I had made Mr. Colman my enemy. Though I deplored his refentment, I acknowledged the juftice of it. I have, however, the confolation to add, that from that gentleman's liberal behaviour for fome time paft, I have every reafon to believe his displeasure has fubfided, and that I have the happiness, once more, to look upon him in the light of a friend.

Upon the third of December I always made a dinner for fome friends, in honour of its being the name-day of Comte Haflang. I had accordingly invited fome ladies, and his Excellency's Secretary, to dine at my mo

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ther's,

ther's, where I now refided when I came to town.

The evening previous to that day my mother feemed to be indifpofed, but as I was in hopes that it was only a flight indifpofition, and the herfelf objected to my putting off the party, I had not done fo. When I returned home from paying the usual compliments upon the occafion, I found her in the parlour, much worse than when I left her. Seeing this, I entreated her to permit me to fend for advice; which the refufed, but confented to return to bed.

As I did not apprehend any real danger from my mother's illness, good company, joined to good cheer, and good humour, made us laugh rather too loud; when, to our great furprise, fhe entered the room, in the midst of our feftivity, and turning to Mrs. Howe, one of the ladies prefent, defired her not to raise a mob about the door by her immoderate laughing. As my mother was a remarkable well-bred woman, and was very particular in her behaviour to those who were tinged with nobility, we concluded this uncommon rudeness muft arife from fome extraordinary cause.

And fo it proved to be; for we foon perceived, from the tenor of her behaviour, that fhe was light-headed. I therefore fent away immediately for Doctor Macdonald, a phyfician of whom she had fuch a very high opinion,

that the always did him the honour to confult him upon every flight indifpofition of her friends, as well as herfelf, and that gratis. The Doctor immediately came, and apologized for not joining us at dinner, as he had been invited. He informed me, that he was rather late, and recollecting, when he got near Brewer-street, that he was in mourning, he would not commit fuch a folecism in good manners, as to appear in fables at my grand gala; he therefore returned, and dined elfewhere.

/Doctor Macdonald did all he could to affift my mother for ten or twelve days; but finding every medicine he prefcribed prove ineffectual, he defired that I would call in fome other advice. I therefore immediately fent for Doctor Schomberg, a gentleman as eminent for his wit, as diftinguished in his profeffion. When he came, he pronounced her complaint to be a lethargic palfy; adding, that there were no hopes of her recovery, as it was not in the power of the whole materia medica to restore her. He ordered both her head and feet to be bliftered, but without any good effect arifing from it. She lingered for fome time, during which fhe had no interval of fenfe; and whilft I was kneeling by her bed-fide, kiffing her hand, the caft her eyes upon me with a benignant smile, and left this world without a pang.

The

The grief I felt at the lofs of my muchloved parent, was leffened by the confideration, that he had every affiftance this world could afford her. The poor had reason to regret her departure, as fhe was benevolent to an excefs. Though a rigid oeconomist where the herself was only concerned, the was liberal almoft to a fault when any ob→ ject of compaffion excited her tender feelings. I had the fatisfaction of feeing thofe intimates who esteemed her whilt living, feverely lament her when dead. As to myself, death deprived me not only of an anxious parent, but of a kind friend. Happy would it have been for me, had I always liftened to her prudent admonitions! I fhould then have been a ftranger to error, and confe quently to its fure attendants, anguish and misfortune. And I now moft feverely felt the truth of the adage, "That we never "know the value of what we poffefs, till "we are made fenfible of it by its lofs."

As the landlord of the house in which my mother refided had promifed never to raise the rent whilft fhe or myself chose to continue his tenant, and it was greatly under-let, I determined to keep it. Every thing my parent died poffeffed of having originated from me, I thought I had an undoubted right to whatever that might be; and my brother having refigned all pretenfions to

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her

her property, I thought it needless to take out letters of administration.

I had invited a lady and her two daughters to be with me during my mother's illness; and fhe was fo kind as to continue her vifit, in order to keep me from the melancholy with which a mind fo fufceptible as mine muft naturally be oppreffed. As my mother had always lived in the ftyle of a gentlewoman, I had her buried as fuch. Thofe about me endeavoured to perfuade me not to go to her funeral, but their remonftrances were in vain. As I had paid her every poffible attention while living, I was determined, coft what pangs it would, to pay the laft tribute of duty, by attending her remains to the grave.

I must here obferve, that I cannot help thinking, but that perfons who pretend to fuch over-nice feelings, as to be prevented thereby from paying thefe laft refpectful offices to a deceased relation or friend, fhew an unnatural and false delicacy. I confider them as an indifpenfible duty, and a debt of nature; and will venture to call an omiffion of them unpardonable affectation. Elfe, why should those of the lower ranks be deprived of that extreme fufceptibility. Dame Nature being their guide, the conducts them, with decent forrow, to the grave of those they loved whilft living.

Now prepare yourself to hear another of those unexpected and ill-natured ftrokes of fortune,