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To our CORRESPONDENTS.

The continuation of De Courville Caftle is requested.

J. M.'s Effay is received..

The Tale entitled Rodolphus and Ifmena is under confideration.

R. B.'s Queries are unanfwerable.

The continuation of the Tale of the Prisoner will be given in the Sup plement.

The Characters of two Ladies of Fashion are inadmiffible.

Received, Tancred's packet-E. S. G.'s contributions-Lines to a Female Friend-War, an Elegy-Stanzas to Hope-Lines by J. K.-R.'s Rebuffes-Horatio's Acroftic-Lines on the New Year-Strephon and Sally, a Song--Invitation, a Poem-Helen's and G. F.'s Enigmatical Lifts,

Engraved for the Lady's Magazine.

Charity repaid by Gratitude.

THE

Lady's Magazine;

For DECEMBER, 1796.

CHARITY repaid by GRATITUDE. | ample, by contracting a fincere and

A TALE.

(Embellished with an elegant En

G

graving.)

ENEROUS benevolence is not always difappointed of its recompenfe. Inftances, no doubt, there are of knavery confidering it as easily duped, and devouring it as its prey; but perhaps the examples are not lefs numerous, of its being amply repaid by gratitude equally generous.

In the neighbourhood of a small village in the north of England, lived a gentleman of the name of Hartley, whofe ancestors had, for several generations, refided in the fame manfion, and received the rents of the fame eftate. They had lived hofpitably and generously, though not luxurioufly, till the time of the father of Mr. Hartley, who firft launched into the expenfes of a town-life, and the diffipations of fafhica; in the purfuit of which he fuffered his domeftic affairs to become embarraffed, and mortgages and incumbrances to impair the value of his estate.

His fon had been preferved from launching into the irregularities of which his father had fet him the ex

fond affection for an amiable young lady, the daughter of a gentleman of fmall fortune in that part of the country, whom he married, greatly to the diffatisfaction of his father, who conceived his fon in duty bound to facrifice a virtuous paífion, that he might repair, by fome interefted marriage, the injuries the family eftate had fuffered by his own vicious extravagance.

In confequence of this marriage, the father of Mr. Hartley difcarded him, and would make him no allowance for his fubfiftence. His whole fupport therefore was a fcanty income, which had been left him by an aunt, and which he inherited independènt of his father. The affection of his beloved Maria, however, and his own calmnefs and benevolence of difpofition, enfured him a happiness which could be little influenced by the favours or frowns of fortune..

In a few years his father died, and he took poffeflion of the manfionhouse and the eftate; but the latter he found fo eaten up with incumbrances, and the accounts in fuch confufion, through the careful induftry of Mr. Grime, the steward to whom his father had intrusted his 3 Y 2

affairs

affairs while he was revelling in the capital, that, though in poffeffion of a great nominal, income, he found fcarcely any addition to his real one, from the intereft due on the various claims of Mr. Grime, who had, in fact, nearly become the mafter of the house, and owner of the eftate.

changes in the courfe of my life. For the laft fifteen years, I have carried on a small business, which, however, with economy, maintained me comfortably, in a little markettown about twenty miles from this place; but," within these few laft years, age having deprived me of my former activity, my trade has dwindled away, and I have contracted debts, till (finding my affairs daily grow worfe and worfe) I have refolved to fell every thing, and to

It happened, a few months after Mr. Hartley had taken poffeffion, that, as he was returning home one evening from a rural walk which he had taken with his beloved Maria, they found an aged man, appa-accept the offer of a fon I have in rently poor and in diftrefs, fitting London, to go thither, and let him on a feat near an out-houfe in the endeavour to provide for me. He neighbourhood of their manfion.- is not rich; but he is good and libeMrs. Hartley first perceived him, ral, and will never fuffer his father and (as fhe had a foul “ open as day to want, while it is in his power to to melting charity,") the firft quef- relieve him." tion that occurred to her was not"What does that fhabby old fellow do there?"-but, "Is not that poor old man in undeferved want, and may it not be in my power to relieve his wants?"She inquired of her husband if he knew who he was? but he answered in the negative. He then approached the old man himself, and questioned him, relative to his fituation and his wants.The old man fimply and honeftly told them that he had come a long journey, that he feared he had loft his way, and was much fatigued.

"Well, (faid Mr. Hartley) you fhall be lodged to-night, if you pleafe, in this houfe, where you fhall receive the refreshment it can afford you; and to morrow you fhall purfue your journey. It feels cold; and a ftorm feems approaching."

Mr. Hartley now puteveral other queftions to the old man, which he anfwered with fuch apparent honefty, and fo much modelty and good fenfe, that his benefactor found himself interested in him, and wifhed to hear his hiftory, which the old man briefly gave him, and was as follows: My name (faid he) is Thorold. I am now between fixty and feventy years of age, and have feen feveral

Mr. Hartley found himself not a little moved by this fimple narrative. He ordered that the old mar fhould be well accommodated for the night, and the best fare the house afforded fet before him.

These orders had not long been given, before Mr. Grime, the flew. ard, came into the parlour, to repre fent to his mafter his fears of the confequences of this extravagant act of charity. "It was not clear to him (he faid) that the old man (whatever, plaufible tale he might make out) did not belong to a gang of thieves, who have laid fome wicked plan to rob the houfe, and, perhaps, murder us all.'

Mr. Hartley fmiled at this fuggeftion, and told the fufpicious steward, that he was fully convinced that his poor old gueft was a very different perfon, from the whole of his converfation and behaviour.

Befides, (added he, addreffing Mrs. Hartley, as foon as Mr. Grime had left the room) I have for fome time been haunted with fufpicions that we have fome in the houfe already who are not remarkably honest; and I will certainly run the risk of adding one more thief to the number, before I will turn the old man out of doors

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