fhe is grown fince fhe left Lady Booby's Service.' I think I reflect fomething of her,' answered she with great Dignity, but I can't • remember all the inferior Servants in our Fa'mily.' She then proceeded to fatisfy Adams's Curiofity, by telling him, when she arrived at the Inn, fhe found a Chaife ready for her; that her Lady being expected very fhortly in the Country, fhe was obliged to make the ut moft Hafte, and in Commenfuration of Jofeph's Lameness, she had taken him with her; and laftly, that the exceffive Virulence of the Storm had driven them into the Houfe where he found them.' After which, fhe acquainted Adams with his having left his Horse, and expreft fome Wonder at his having strayed fo far out of his Way, and at meeting him, as she said, in the Company of that Wench, who fhe • feared was no better than she should be.'

The Horfe was no fooner put into Adams's Head, but he was immediately driven out by this Reflection on the Character of Fanny. He protefted, he believed there was not a chafter Damfel in the Univerfe. I heartily wifh, I heartily with,' cry'd he, (frapping his Fingers) that all her Betters were as good.' He then proceeded to inform her of the Accident of their Meeting; but when he came to mention the Circumftance of delivering her from the Rape, fhe faid, the thought him properer for the Army ⚫ than the Clergy: that it did not become a Clergyman to lay violent Hands on any one; that he fhould have rather prayed that the might be ftrengthned.' Adams faid, he was very far from being afhamed of what he had done;' fhe replied, want of Shame was not

"the

the Currycuristic of a Clergyman.' This Dialogue might have probably grown warmer, had not Jofeph opportunely entered the Room, to afk leave of Madam Slipflop to introduce Fanny: but fhe pofitively refused to admit any fuch Trollops; and told him, fhe would have been burnt, be•fore fhe would have suffered him to get into a • Chaife with her, if she had once respected him

of having his Sluts way-laid on the Road for • him; adding, that Mr. Adams acted a very 6 pretty Part, and she did not doubt but to fee him a Bifhop.' He made the best Bow he could, and cried out, I thank you, Madam, for that Right Reverend Appellation, which I fhall ⚫ take all honeft Means to deferve.'

6

to.

Very honeft Means,' returned fhe with a Sneer, bring good People together.' At thefe Words Adams took two or three Strides a-cross the Room, when the Coachman came to inform Mrs. Slipflop, that the Storm was over, and

the Moon fhone very bright.' She then fent for fofeph, who was fitting without with his Fanny, and would have had him gone with her but he peremptorily refused to leave Fanny behind; which threw the good Woman into a violent Rage. She faid, he would inform her Lady what Doings were carrying on, and did not doubt but he would rid the Parish of all fuch People; and concluded a long Speech full of Bitterness and very hard Words, with fome Reflections on the Clergy, not decent to repeat: at laft finding Jofeph unmoveable, the flung herself into the Chaife, cafting a Look at Fanny as fhe went, not unlike that which Cleopatra gives Octavia in the Play. To fay the truth, she was most difagreeably difappointed by the Prefence of Fan

ny; she had, from her firft feeing Jofeph at the Inn, conceived Hopes of fomething which might have been accomplished at an Alehoufe as well as a Palace. Indeed it is probable Mr. Adams had rescued more than Fanny from the Danger of a Rape that Evening.

When the Chaife had carried off the enraged Slipflop; Adams, Jofeph and Fanny affembled over the Fire; where they had a great deal of innocent Chat, pretty enough; but as poffibly it would not be very entertaining to the Reader, we fhall haften to the Morning; only obferving that none of them went to bed that Night. Adams, when he had smoaked three Pipes, took a comfortable Nap in a great Chair, and left the Lovers, whose Eyes were too well employed to permit any Defire of shutting them, to enjoy by themselves, during fome Hours, an Happiness which none of my Readers, who have never been in love, are capable of the leaft Conception of, tho' we had as many Tongues as Homer defired, to defcribe it with, and which all true Lovers will reprefent to their own Minds without the least Affiftance from

us.

Let it fuffice then to fay, that Fanny, after a thousand Entreaties, at last gave up her whole Soul to fofeph, and almoft fainting in his Arms, with a Sigh infinitely fofter and fweeter too than any Arabian Breeze, fhe whifpered to his Lips, which were then clofe to hers, Joseph, you

have won me; I will be yours for ever.' Fofeph, having thanked her on his Knees, and embraced her with an Eagernefs, which fhe now almoft returned, leapt up in a Rapture, and awakened the Parfon, earnestly begging him, that he would that Inftant join their Hands together.' VOL. I. Adams

K

Adams rebuked him for his Request, and told him, he would by no means confent to any thing contrary to the Forms of the Church; that he had no Licence, nor indeed would he advife him to obtain one. That the Church had prescribed a Form, namely the Publication of Banns, with which all good Chriftians ought to comply, and to the Omiffion of which he attributed the many Miseries which befel great • Folks in Marriage; concluding, As many as are 6 joined together otherwife than G's Word doth

allow, are not joined together by G—, neither is • their Matrimony lawful. Fanny agreed with the Parfon, faying to fofeph with a Blush, fhe

affured him fhe would not consent to any fuch thing, and that she wondered at his offering it.' In which Refolution fhe was comforted, and commended by Adams; and Jofeph was obliged to wait patiently till after the third Publication of the Banns, which however he obtained the Confent of Fanny, in the Prefence of Adams, to put in at their Arrival.

The Sun had been now rifen fome Hours, when Jofeph, finding his Leg furprisingly recovered, propofed to walk forwards; but when they were all ready to fet out, an Accident a little retarded them. This was no other than the Reckoning, which amounted to feven Shillings; no great Sum, if we confider the immense Quantity of Ale which Mr. Adams poured in. Indeed they had no Objection to the Reasonableness of the Bill, but many to the Probability of paying it; for the Fellow who had taken poor Fanny's Purse, had unluckily forgot to return it. So that the Account ftood thus:

Mr.

Mr. Adams and Company Dr.

In Mr. Adam's Pocket,

In Mr. Jofeph's,
In Mrs. Fanny's,

Balance,

They flood filent fome few Minutes, ftaring at each other, when Adams whipt out on his Toes, and asked the Hoftefs if there was no Clergyman in that Parish?' She answered, there was.' Is he wealthy?' replied he; to which fhe likewife answered in the Affirmative. Adams then fnapping his Fingers returned overjoyed to his Companions, crying out, Heureka, Heureka;' which not being understood, he told them in plain English, they need give themselves no trouble; for he had a Brother in the Parish, who would defray the Reckoning, and that he would juft ftep to his House and fetch the Money, and re6 turn to them inftantly.'

CHAP.

6

XIV.

An Interview between Parfon Adams and Parfon Trulliber.

ARSON Adams came to the House of Parfon Trulliber, whom he found ftript into his Waistcoat, with an Apron on, and a Pail in his Hand, just come from ferving his Hogs; for Mr. Trulliber was a Parfon on Sundays, but all the other fix might more properly be called a FarmHe occupied a fmall Piece of Land of his own, befides which he rented a confiderable deal

er.