fhort, white Coat with black Buttons, a fhort Wig, and a Hat, which fo far from having a black Hatband, had nothing black about it.

Jofeph was now come up, and Mrs. Slipflop would have had him quit his Horse to the Parfon, and come himself into the Coach: but he abfolutely refused, saying he thanked Heaven he was well enough recovered to be very able to ride, and added, he hoped he knew his Duty better than to ride in a Coach, while Mr. Adams was on horfeback.

Mrs. Slipflop would have perfifted longer, had not a Lady in the Coach put a fhort End to the Difpute, by refusing to fuffer a Fellow in a Livery to ride in the fame Coach with herself: fo it was at length agreed that Adams fhould fill the vacant Place in the Coach, and Joseph should proceed on horfeback.

They had not proceeded far before Mrs. Slipflop, addreffing herself to the Parfon, spoke thus: There hath been a ftrange Alteration in our Family, Mr. Adams, fince Sir Thomas's Death.' A ftrange Alteration indeed!' fays Adams, as I gather from fome Hints which have dropped • from Jofeph.'Aye,' fays fhe, I could never 'I have believed it, but the longer one lives in the World, the more one fees. So Jofeph hath given you Hints.' But of what Nature, will always remain a perfect Secret with me,' cries the Parfon; he forced me to promife before he would communicate any thing. • I am indeed concerned to find her Ladyfhip behave in fo unbecoming a manner. I always thought her in the main, a good Lady, and. fhould never have fufpected her of Thoughts fo unworthy a Christian, and with a young

Lad

6

"Lad her own Servant.' These things are no • Secrets to me, I affure you,' cries Slipflop; and I believe they will be none any where fhortly for ever fince the Boy's Departure fhe hath behaved more like a mad Woman than any thing elfe.' Truly, I am heartily 'concerned,' fays Adams, for fhe was a good fort of a Lady; indeed I have often wished she • had attended a little more conftantly at the Service, but he hath done a great deal of Good in the Parish.' O Mr. Adams!' fays Slipflop, People that don't fee all, often know nothing. Many things have been given away in our Family, I do affure you, without her Knowledge. I have heard you fay in the Pulpit, we ought not to brag: but indeed I can't avoid faying, if she had kept the Keys herself, the Poor would have wanted many a Cordial which I have let them have. As for my late Mafter, he was as worthy a Man as ever lived, and would have done infinite Good if he had not been controlled but he loved a quiet Life, "Heavens reft his Soul! I am confident he is there, and enjoys a quiet Life, which fome Folks would not allow him here.' Adams anfwered, he had never heard this before, and was mistaken, if she herself,' (for he remembered she used to commend her Miftrefs and blame her Mafter) had not formerly been of another Opinion.' I don't know,' replied fhe what I might once think: but now I am ⚫ confidous Matters are as I tell you: The World will shortly fee who hath been deceived; for my part I fay nothing, but that it is wonderfome how fome People can carry all things with a grave Face,'

3

:

Thus

Book II. Thus Mr. Adams and fhe difcourfed: 'till they came oppofite to a great House which stood at fome Distance from the Road; a Lady in the Coach spying it, cry'd, Yonder lives the unfortunate Leonora, if one can juftly call a Woman unfortunate whom we muft own at the fame time guilty, and the Author of her own Calamity. This was abundantly fufficient to awaken the Curiofity of Mr. Adams, as indeed it did that of the whole Company, who jointly folicited the Lady to acquaint them with Leonora's Hiftory, fince it feemed, by what fhe had faid, to contain fomething remarkable.

The Lady, who was perfectly well bred, did not require many Entreaties, and having only wifhed their Entertainment might make amends for the Company's Attention, fhe began in the following manner.

CHAP. IV.

The Hiftory of Leonora, or the Unfortunate

L

Filt.

Eonora was the Daughter of a Gentlemarr

of Fortune; fhe was tall and well-shaped, with a Sprightlinefs in her Countenance, which often attracts beyond more regular Features joined with an infipid Air; nor is this kind of Beauty lefs apt to deceive than allure; the Good Humour which it indicates, being often mistaken for Good-Nature, and the Vivacity for true Understanding.

Leanord,

Leonora, who was now at the Age of eighteen, lived with an Aunt of her's in a Town in the North of England, She was an extreme Lover of Gaiety, and very rarely miffed a Ball, or any other public Affembly; where she had frequent Opportunities of fatisfying a greedy Appetite of Vanity with the Preference which was given her by the Men to almost every other Woman prefent.

Among many young Fellows who were particular in their Gallantries towards her, Horatio foon diftinguished himself in her Eyes beyond all his Competitors; fhe danced with more than ordinary Gaiety when he happened to be her Partner; neither the Fairness of the Evening, nor the Mufick of the Nightingale, could lengthen her Walk like his Company. She affected no longer to understand the Civilities of others: whilft the inclined fo attentive an Ear to every Compliment of Horatio, that fhe often fmiled even when it was too delicate for her Comprehenfion.

Pray, Madam,' fays Adams, Squire Horatio?

who was this

Horatio, fays the Lady, was a young Gentleman of a good Family, bred to the Law, and had been fome few Years called to the Degree of a Barrister. His Face and Perfon were fuch as the Generality allowed handfome: but he had a Dignity in his Air very rarely to be feen. His Temper was of the faturnine Complexion, but without the leaft Taint of Morofenefs. He had Wit and Humour, with an Inclination to Satire, which he indulged rather too much.

This Gentleman, who had contracted the most violent Paffion for Leonora, was the laft Perfon

who

who perceived the Probability of its Succefs. The whole Town had made the Match for him, before he himself had drawn a Confidence from her Actions fufficient to mention his Paffion to her; for it was his Opinion, (and perhaps he was there in the right) that it is highly impolitick to talk seriously of Love to a Woman before you have made fuch a Progrefs in her Affections, that the herfelf expects and defires to hear it.

But whatever Diffidence the Fears of a Lover may create, which are apt to magnify every Favour conferred on a Rival, and to fee the little Advances towards themselves through the other End of the Perfpective; it was impoffible that Horatio's Paffion fhould fo blind his Difcernment, as to prevent his conceiving Hopes from the Behaviour of Leonora ; whofe Fondness for him was now as visible to an indifferent Perfon in their Company, as his for her.

"I never knew any of thefe forward Sluts come to good,' (fays the Lady, who refused Jofeph's Entrance into the Coach) < nor fhall I wonder at any thing fhe doth in the Sequel.'

The Lady proceeded in her Story thus: It was in the Midft of a gay Conversation in the Walks one Evening, when Horatio whispered Leonora, that he was defirous to take a Turn or two with her in private; for that he had fomething to communicate to her of great Confequence. Are you fure it is of Confequence?' faid the fmiling, I hope, answered he, you 'will think fo too, fince the whole future Happinefs of my Life muft depend on the Event. Leonora, who very much fufpected what was coming, would have deferred it till another Time: but Horatio, who had more than half

con