ever, does not difcharge me from my regard and attention to you. You are of a helpless fex,my Sufy, that is fubject to many impofitions and calamities; wherefore, whent his fum fhall fail you, come to me again, come to me as to your friend, as to your debtor, Sufy, and I will repeat my remembrance, and repeat it again, as you may happen to have occafion; for, while I have fixpence left, the favourite friend of my Matty fhall not want her proportion.

Here the grateful and amazed creature threw herself on the floor. She cried aloud, while the family heard and echoed to her lamentations. She clafped my knees, the kiffed my feet again and again. I could not dilengage myself, I could not force her from me. O, my mafter, the: cried, my all that is left to me of my adored, my angel miftrefs! muft I then be torn from you? n.uft you live without the fervice of the hands and heart of your Sufy?? But, I understand your regard and care for me, my mafter! it is a cruel and naughty world, and must be complied with.

Here I compelled her to rife, and kiffing her again, I turned haftily to the chamber where my Matty's corps had been laid; and bolting the door, and cafting myfelf on the bed, i broke into tears,. and at length wept myfelf to fleep.

While

While I was preparing to leave the once-loved manfion, I found, in Mr Golding's cabinet, a parchment that much furprized me. On my marriage, he had proposed to make a fettlement of his fortune upon me, which, however, I obftinately refused to accept; whereupon, without my privity, he got this deed perfected, which contained an abfolute conveyance to me of all his worldly effects and poffeffions; and this again renewed in me the tender and endearing remembrance of each of thofe kindneffes and benefits which he had formerly conferred upon me.

I now found myfelf in poffeffion of near a million of money, which, however, in my difpofition of mind at the time, appeared no worthier than fo much lumber in a waste room. And I know not how it was that, through the subsequent courfe of my life, although I was by no means of an economical turn, though I never fued for a debt, nor gave a denial to the wants of thofe who asked, nor turned away from him that defired to borrow of me, yet uncoveted wealth came pouring in upon me.

It was not without fome fighs and a plentiful fhower, that I departed from the feat of all my paft enjoyments. I took lodgings within a few doors of your

father;

father; and my little household confifted of my favourite Irishman, my little old man, two footmen, and an elderly woman who used daily to dress a plain dish of meat for us.

It was then, my faireft coufin, that your opening graces and early attractions drew me daily to your house; my heart was foothed and my griefs cheered by the sweetness of your prattle; and I was melted down and minted anew, as it were, by the unaffected warmth and innocence of your careffes.

As I had no faith in dreams, not even in that of my Matty, I thought it impof fible that I fhould ever marry again. I therefore refolved, in my own mind, to make you my heir, and to endow you in marriage, with the beft part of my fortune. But you are a little pale, madam, you look dejected and fatigued. If you please, I will fufpend my narration for the prefent; and in the morning, if you choose it, as early as you will, I shall renew and proceed in my infignificant hiftory. Here he preffed her hand to his lips, She withdrew with a tearful eye, and a heaving heart; and, the next day, he resumed his narration, as followeth.

СНАР.

CHAP. XV.

HOUGH you, my coufin, at that time, were a great confolation to me, and a fweet lightener of my afflic tions; yet the griefs of heart which I had fuffered were not without their effect: at length they fell on my conftitution, and affected my nerves or fpirits; I think our doctors pretty much confound the one with the other. Accordingly, I was advised to travel for change of air and exercife; and I was preparing for my journey, when there happened in my family the most extraordinary inftance of an everwatchful providence that occurs to my memory.

My little old man John began to decline apace, and at length took to his bed; and, having a tender friendship for him, I went to fit beside him, and to comfort him the beft I could. John, faid I, are you afraid to die? No, Sir, not at all, not in the leaft: I long to be diffolved and to be with our loving Lord. Indeed, John, faid I, I am inclined to think you have been a very good liver. A dog, Sir, a mere dog, defperately wicked, the vileft of finners! I am a murderer too, my mafter, there's blood

blood upon my head. Blood! faid I, and, ftarted. Yes, Sir, replied John ; but then the blood that was fhed for me, is ftronger and more precious than the blood that was fhed by me. Blood, however, John, is a very terrible thing; are you not afraid to appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift? By no means, my dear mafter; I have long fince laid the burden of my fins before him, for I had nothing else to bring to him, nothing else to offer him; and he has accepted them and me, and my confcience is at reft in him. Then, John, there may yet be room for hope. There is affurance, my mafter; for I have laid hold upon the rock, and cannot be fhaken.

But how do you intend to dispose of your worldly fubftance? All that I have, Sir, I got with you and my old mafter; and, where I found it, even there I refolve to leave it. Indeed, John, I will not finger a penny of your money. How much may it amount to? Eight hundred and thirtyfeven pounds, Sir, or thereabout. And have you no relations of your own? Not one living that I know of. Then think of fome one elfe, for no part of it' fhall lie on my confcience, I aflure you.

I have read, fomewhere or other, Sir, of a great king who was advised of God, in a dream, to take the very first man,

whom

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