longing to the police, to whom he would apply relative to the interment of it. This being approved of, my fervant immediately fet out, to carry the plan he had proposed into execution.

Whilft he was gone, I could not help taking notice, that gratitude did not make a part of those two ladies' good qualities. They appeared infenfible to the fate of their benefactor, and fhewed themselves true Irishwomen, by attending only to their own intereft. I was fo difgufted at the discovery of these selfish fentiments, that I proposed taking my leave as foon as poffible. And this I accordingly did when my fervant returned, who had agreed for board and lodging for the whole family at twelve ducats. per month.

When I was going away, Mrs. Bramfted afked me if I recollected my little favourite. Sally French? Upon my telling her I did, fhe faid, "She is much in the fame fituation "with myfelf; only love engroffes her heart, "and the cares of the world mine. When "fhe has been married fo long as I have, "The will not be fuch a fool." If I was not much pleafed before with the fentiments of my new-found friends, this did not give me a better opinion of them. She then proceeded to inform me, that the unfortunate girl fhe had mentioned had been induced to leave her uncle, on whom was all her dependance,

by

by an officer who was going to join his regiment in Flanders. In his way he had called at Antwerp, to fee a relation, a widow, who kept an hôtel there. By this relation he was prevailed upon to defert his fellow-traveller; which he accordingly did, early one morning, leaving only a letter for her, wherein he informed her, that she must now shift for herself. My informant concluded, by telling me, that Mifs French was now become a prey to grief and defpair; that she had refufed all fuftenance, and feemed determined to put an end to her miserable life, as an atonement for her folly.

A's foon as I was told where I could find this unfortunate young girl, I haftened to her, leaving the fifters and children to go to their new residence; as their happiness seemed to centre merely in themselves. As I had not feen Mifs French for many years, and fhe was very young when I knew her, it was hardly poffible for me to recolle& her; yet, as I had been uncommonly fond of her, and there was no very material alteration in my figure, fhe readily recognized me.

I found the unhappy girl in a decent apartment, and was ftruck with her appearance. She was indeed the most beautiful creature I ever faw. Her perfon was tall, and there was a dignity about her that commanded awe, as well as admiration. She knew my voice the moment I spoke, and

!

thus

thus accosted me, in a faint accent, " How

good are you, my dear madam, to notice "the most wretched being upon earth!" I defired her to compofe herself; telling her, that I feared there were very many as wretched as herself; and that the ought to esteem herself happy, that her feducer had left her before the had a young family. I then informed her, that I was come to take her away with me. You may be sure she did not hesitate to accept of my offer. Her countenance, which had just been overclouded with grief, began to affume a chearfulness; and the fmile that fucceeded, put me in mind of the fun, fhining through an April fhower. There being little to settle, as the wretch had paid for every thing previous to the day he had abandoned her, which was about a month, and grief had been the chief of her fubfiftence fince, fhe was foon ready to accompany me.

I fear I have tired you with the relation of these two long ftories. But as they are fo interwoven with the circumftances of my life, and make a part of my adventures, I thought it neceffary to infert them.

G. A. B.

LET

LETTER LXX.

July 5, 17

I fois to defer belonging to the

T is impoffible to describe to you the in

hôtels in this city, or the exorbitance of their charges. Upon our return to that at which we had put up, I found the hostess greatly offended that I had not ordered dinner before I fet out in the morning to view the place. Indeed, I had totally forgot the circumftance. And the two rencontres I had met with, during my abfence, had prevented my returning in time to do fo.

As foon as I entered the hôtel, I ran into a room, the door of which stood open, where an object presented itself to my view, that terrified me greatly. A large crucifix stood in a niche, oppofite the window, and upon which a lamp reflected a dimly glimmering light. By this deceptious light the figure appeared to be animated; and my fancy, aided by my fears, reprefented it to my imagination as writhing in the agonies of death. My fcreams, upon beholding this fpectacle, alarmed the whole houfe. Among the reft, appeared the good hoftefs, who, upon learning the occafion, coolly replied, I was not the firft that had been terrified at the fight;

but

but people who were fo timorous, ought to burn lights conftantly in the room they fat in. To which fhe added, with the most infolent air imaginable, "I fhould not think, "indeed, of perfons taking up apartments " in an hôtel, without ordering what is ne"ceffary. But it fhall make no difference; "for I fhall charge both meals together.' This the accordingly did. And upon my attendant's finding fault with the enormous charge, fhe told him, with a fupercilious fimile, that it was well be had demurred in ftead cf me; for if I had done it, she would have doubled the fum.

Could you have conceived fuch treatment poffible in fo large and populous a city? After paying this bill, I found I had but a few ducats left; which would go but a little way towards fuch unreasonable demands as I was here fubject to. And what was to be done I knew not. I had nothing of value with me, being in mourning, but my watch, and an Agnes Dei, which had a diamond of fome coft at the top of it. As the people of Antwerp are bigots to a degree, I thought I could readily difpofe of the latter. This I determined to do, and immediately to fet out for the Hague. In order to accomplish my plan, I called in my travelling attendant, who told me there would be no neceffity for my difpofing of the jewel, as he could procure me any fum I flood

VOL. III.

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