wrote to Mr. Johnson, my attorney in New Inn, desiring him to inquire concerning the family you desire to be allied with; and I am glad to hear that his account does not differ from your own. I hope you do not think that I would desire to see you one moment unhappy. Your reasons for entering into the marriage state are every way satisfactory, and I am glad to hear that the person on whom you have placed your affections is so deserving. When you have fixed the wedding-day, I will come to London to be present at the ceremony, and spend a few days with my old friends. I hope you will continue to attend your business with the same diligence you have hitherto done, and if you should live to an old age, you will then be able to retire from trade with honour, both to yourself and family.

I am, dear son, your affectionate father.

LETTER XXIII.

From a young woman, just gone to service in London, to her mother in the country.

IT

Dear Mother,

is now a month that I have been at Mr. Wilson's, and I thank God that I like my place very well. My master and mistress are both worthy people, and greatly respected by all their neighbours. At my first coming here I thought every thing strange, and wondered to see such multitudes of people in the streets; but what I suffer most from is, the remembrance of your's and my father's kindness; but I begin to be more reconciled to my state, as I know you were not able to support me at home. I return you a thousand thanks for the kind advice you were so good as to give me at parting, and I shall endeavour to practise it as long as I live: let me hear from you as often as you have an opportunity: so with my duty to you and my father, and kind love to all my friends,"

I remain ever,

Your most dutiful daughter.

AM glad to hear that you have got into so worthy a family. You know that we never should have parted from you had it not been for your good. If you continue virtuous and obliging, all the family will love and esteem you. Keep yourself employed as much as you can, and be always ready to assist your fellow-servants. Never speak ill of any body; but if you hear a bad story, try to soften it as much as you can; do not repeat it again, but let it slip out of your mind as soon as possible. I am in great hopes that all the family are kind to you, from the good character I have heard of them. If you have any time to spare from your business, I hope you will spend some part of it in reading your Bible, and the Whole Duty of Man. I pray for you daily, and there is nothing I desire more than my dear child's happiness. Remember, that the more faithful you are in the discharge of your duty as a servant, the better you will prosper, if you live to have a family of your own. Your father desires his blessing, and your brothers and sisters their kind love to you. Heaven bless you, my dear child; and continue you to be a comfort to us all, and particularly to

Your affectionate mother.

LETTER XXV.

From an aged lady in the country, to her niece in London, cautioning her against keeping company with a gentleman of a bad character.

Dear Niece,

TH

HE sincere love and affection which I have for your indulgent father, and ever had for your virtuous mother, when she was alive, together with the tender regard I have for your future happiness and welfare, have prevailed on me rather to inform you by letter than by word of mouth, concerning what I have heard of your unguarded conduct, and the too great freedoms you take with Mr. Lovelace. You have been seen with him at both the playhouses, in St. James's Park, Ranelagh, and Vauxhall. Don't imagine,

that I write this from a principle of ill-nature; it is on purpose to save you from ruin; for, let me tell you, your familiarity with him gives me no small concern, as his character is extremely bad, and as he has acted in the most ungenerous manner to two or three virtuous young ladies of my acquaintance, who entertained too favourable an opinion of his honour. "Tis possible, as you have no great fortune to expect, and he has an uncle, from whom he expects a considerable estate, that you may be tempted to imagine his address an offer to your advantage; but that is greatly to be questioned; for I have heard that he is deep in debt, as also that he is privately engaged to a rich old widow at Chelsea. In short, my dear, he is a perfect libertine, and he is ever boasting of favours from our weak sex, whose fondness and frailty are the constant topics of his railing and ridicale.

Let me prevail on you, dear niece, to avoid his company as you would do that of a madman; for notwithstanding I still hope you are strictly virtuous, yet our good name may be irreparably lost by such open acts of imprudence. I have no other motive but an unaffected zeal for your interest and welfare; I flatter myself you will not be offended with the liberty here taken, by

Your sincere friend and affectionate aunt.

LETTER XXVI.

The young lady's answer.

Honoured Madam,

RECEIVED your letter, and when I consider

your reasons for writing, I thankfully acknowledge you my friend. It is true I have been at those public places you mention, along with Mr. Lovelace, but was utterly ignorant of his real character. He did make me proposals of marriage, but I told him I would do nothing without my father's consent. He came to visit me this morning, when I told him that a regard for my reputation obliged me never to see him any more, nor even to correspond with him by letter, and you may depend on my adhering to that resolution. In the mean time I return you a thousand thanks for your friendly advice. I am sensible every young woman ought to be careful of her reputation, and constantly avoid such

dangerous company. I shall leave London in about six weeks, and will call to see you after I have been at my father's.

From a young gentleman in the English factory at Lisbon,

Dear Sister,

to his sister in London.

AM extremely obliged to you for the kind present by the last packet, and likewise to hear of your marriage with Mr. Bale. I am very well settled in the factory, and the gentlemen treat me with the greatest indulgence. We have often been told by our worthy father, that popery is little better than paganism, and I find it to be true ever since I settled in this city, where ignorance, superstition, and even idolatry, seem to reign in the most sovereign manner; and that dreadful tribunal, the inquisition, exer cises such an unlimited authority over both the bodies and consciences of every person, that none dare utter their sentiments with freedom. We see little else in the streets, beside the processions of priests and monks: nor any other public representations, except the barbarous diversions of bull-fights, and the horrid practice of burning those unhappy people called heretics, whose greatest fault is often no more than speaking a word disrespectfully of the priests, or being absent one day from mass. Happy are you, dear sister, to live in a land of liberty: I long to see you again, but the necessity I am under of acquiring a perfect knowledge of my business, obliges me to dispense with many things, in their nature disagreeable.

I shall be glad to hear often from you, and that you may go on in a course of uninterrupted prosperity and happiness, is the constant prayer of Your affectionate brother,

LETTER XXVIII.

Dear Brotherpet

The sister's answer.

I HAVE been laid in about two months of a son, and Mr. Bale has such a respect for you, that the child is called by your name. I am glad to hear of the indulgence you receive from the gentlemen of the factory, and I doubt not but you will continue to merit it. Good sense and good manners will always go hand in hand together, and never fail of procuring respect. The account you sent us of popish superstition, is consistent with the notions I always had of it, and I sincerely bless God that I am in a country where the true religion is taught, and every sort of persecution abhorred. Your aunt Barton is lately dead, and has left you a considerable fortune, but I cannot at present mention the particulars; and indeed it is needless, as Mr. Bale will communicate them to you as soon as possible. In the mean time, dear brother, persevere in an uniform course of virtue, which alone can secure your present and future happiness. I have sent you a few presents, as also cloth for a suit of mourning for your late worthy aunt. Your time will soon be expired, when we shall be glad to see you, our brother, once more in London, which is the earnest prayer of

Your ever affectionate sister.

LETTER XXIX.

From a sailor at Plymouth, to his wife in London. Dear Betty,

W

"

E are just returned from a cruize against the Spaniards, where we have given them such a drubbing, that I believe the Dons will soon be glad to make peace with England. We have sunk two, and taken three of their ships, wherein is great treasure; but it will be some time, before we receive our, prize-money. However, I have six months wages due, and have sent you an order, by which you will receive it, at the Pay-office in Broadstreet. We sail again in a few days. Do not be uneasy for me, my dear, as I hope the war will soon be over, and I shall have the pleasure, once more, to see you in London, there to spend the remainder of my days.

I am your loving husband till death.