was't thou preserved to bless my longing Sight? 'Tis all a Miracle,-'tis wondering Frenfy of fierce intensest Love. All, all, my Thompson, the replied, thou shalt know, and how, for many Years deploring thy fad Lofs, I have lived obfcure in this beloved Place; beloved, fince again it gives me you; but let us ceafe and calm our frantic Souls; repose thyfelf whilft I retire and ftrive to be compofed. I would not, could not part with her, and the kindly confented to stay by my Bed-fide till I had tried fo to come to myself, as to be able to rise, and be fit for Converfation. I fell, at length, into a sweet Slumber, that held me near an Hour, and, waking, looked about earnestly for the Charmer of my Heart, whom I faw fitting befide me, and watching my Return to Reason : -fairer to be feen, Than the fair Lilly on the flowery Green; Seeing me awake, fhe gently preffed my Hand, and afked me, If I thought I could rife? Which anfwering in the Affirmative, fhe withdrew, and I arofe, and went down into the Parlour, where I found my Charmer, and my other Friends, who congratulated me on my Happiness; and Sharpley, claffing me in his Arms, protefted he wanted nothing to make him completely blessed; but pray, Madam, fays he, turning to Serena, How could you be fo cruel cruel to conceal this Secret from me? Why might not I have had a Share in this Plot? No, no, Sir, replies the good old Lady, we knew your Attachment too well to your Friend, to think it poffible for you to conceal any Thing from him, and therefore were refolved to keep it to ourselves: He advanced to my Louifa, and, faluting her with great Politeness, and that Awe her Prefence always infpired, told her, had he known her before, he fhould have recommended Mifs Rich, his Countrywoman, to another Place with his Friend than that of a Page? To which the replied, that she should always be delighted to ferve her old Mafter, in that Capacity or any one else that would give him greater Pleasure. I bowed, and told her, fhe fhould always command me, for I had been too long at my own Hands, not to fee that I wanted Government. Well, Niece, fays her Aunt, you are now sure of your Lover's Conftancy, which you was refolved to try to the utmoft, and I believe he is not now forry, that he has feen Eftampe's Sifter. The old Lady, whofe Good-nature and good Senfe I admired, and her amiable Daughter, were never tired of careffing us both, and we paft the Remainder of the Day in the utmoft Gladnefs and Feftivity; the Servants had their Share of the Rejoicing for this good News, and as to my Part, if I have any Idea of the future Joys of Heaven, it flowed from the true and genuine Satisfaction I enjoyed in my recovered N 5 covered Angel's foft Society, whofe Pleasure feemed, and was as great as mine. Decency requiring us to part, I went with Sharpley to his Lodging, after taking Leave of my Soul's Treasure, with the utmoft Reluctance. CHA P. LVIII. The Adventures of Mifs LOUISA RICH. S foon as the Morning dawn'd, my Friend and I arofe; Lovers like us were not much given to Sleep; we had enough of Tenderness and boundlefs Affection to employ us most Part of the Night, in Converfation of our Happiness; and the Idea of being fo nearly related to each other gave us a Pleasure, that could only be felt by us, who understood and practifed all the Delicacies of Friendfhip. We hugged one another, and mutually spoke Congratulation to ourselves, and Praises to our Miftreffes. For my Part, I felt no fuch Dulness and Melancholy, as for fo many hundred Mornings afflicted iny Soul; but was all over the gay, easy, free Joe Thompson, that I had been before my Misfortunes. Hence! hence! I cried, all Sadness, all Despair, fince my Louifa is again revived, and fhall at laft be mine! my We found the Ladies were notrifen when we waited upon them, and went into the Garden to recreate ourfelves ourselves till they came down to us, which they foon did, and, all around them, Spread fragrant Odours, fpread ambrofial Sweets! We breakfafted, amidst all the felicitous Raptures their Presence infpired, and then, to encourage my Louisa to relate her miraculous, for fo I could not help calling it, Escape from England, and the Jaws of Death, I told all that had befallen me fince the Moment, the fatal Moment of our Separation till the present happy Hour. They all lifted up their Eyes at the vile Actions of the 'Squire, on whom they could not help calling down Punishment for his Crimes. My amiable Maid now reddened, now turned pale at the various Misfortunes that had befallen me, and often was ready to fink at the Narration of the grievous Ills I had suffered ; and the Story of my Grief and perpetual Despair for her Lofs drew Tears from all my four Auditors, who sweetly, gently fympathized in my Woes. The Prefence of the Dear Creature, who was the principal Cause of all, gave me so much Spirits in my Relation, that I feemed infpired, and painted all I faid fo ftrongly, that I, myself, even wept at the doleful Tale. And now, I cried, as foon as I had concluded, thou Joy of my Heart, oblige met with thy Adventures, which I think must have been as extraordinary as my own; and let me know how you refolved to counterfeit Death, and the Motives N 6 Motives for all your Proceedings fince. Blufhing, The began, and thus recounted what I had defired: I hope I fhall be excufed, when I fay, that it is impoffible for me to describe so touchingly what I have undergone, as my dear Thompson has; for Women, tho' perhaps their Souls are fofter far than Men's, have not so much the Power of Eloquence and nervous Fire, to fhine in defcriptive Tale. They feel moft fenfibly, but can't relate the Motions of their Breafts fo well, not used to Misfortune, not expecting it, it hurries their Spirits to such a Degree when it comes upon them, that they lose the Power of Expreffion in the Fulnefs of their Minds. Much more now then I am worthy of Excufe, when I can hardly call what I have fuffered Ills at this Moment, when the Presence of that Gentleman has fo rejoiced my Heart, that, whilft I look on him, I forget, in Extremity of Satisfaction, every torturing Incident of the many Years I have mourned. No one fure can imagine the Grief it occafionedme to lofe my faithful and trufty Fidele, in the Manner I fo fuddenly did; but my Pain was ftill increased, when my Father came into my Chamber foaming with Rage, and after the moft irritating Language that he could ufe, in which he hardly kept. his Hands from executing the Punishment he said I deferved, for my Difobedience and filly Love, as he called it; he locked me in, took the Key in |