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would never accept of it, as I have reafon to believe, left it should fall into any other person's hands but my own, who he was fure would not fue for it. This could be the only reafon for his refufal, as he so strenuously insisted upon my keeping it.

As Mr. Stacie, upon many occafions, had been very obliging to the young men of my family, as well as to myself, I thought the affignment of this bond to him as counter fecurity towards the payment of Captain Metham's debt, was the only means I had, at the time, to prove to him, that though I was deprived of the ability to do him juftice, I did not want inclination; the bond was accordingly fent to this attorney's father, who was one of Mr. Woodwards folicitors, to be affigned over to Mr. Stacie. But that not having been done, I wrote to the fon, to require it fhould be immediately delivered up, and in fo peremptory a manner, that I have great reason to believe this arreft was fabricated, in order to terify me to give a receipt for the bond. There does not appear to be any other inducement for the cruel treatment I received.

Do you ever recollect reading a scene of greater cruelty in a civilized country, than that I have

just

just recited? That a person who had, as *Orlando fays, "looked on better days; had fat at "good men's feafts; had from her eyelids often "wiped a tear; and knew what 'twas to pity "and be pitied;" fhould be dragged out of her bed, whilst labouring under a painful indifpofition, hurried, in an ignominious manner, to a place of confinement, at the hazard of her life, and this without any just pretence; is an incident that almost exceeds belief, and difgraces the country where the act was committed.

The many inftances I have given you in the courfe of my ftory, of the villainy of mankind, will, I fear, degrade human nature in your eftimation. But Heaven forbid, that my hard lot. fhould be the lot of many of my fex!It is true, I have experienced the most unkind, ungrateful, and villainous treatement, from fome of both fexes; nor have I yet finished the tale of them: but I will charitably hope that my cafe is a fingular one; and that people in general pass through life, without meeting with fo many proofs of the degeneracy of their fellow-creatures as I have done.

* As you like it, A&t II. Scene VIII.

G. A. B.

LE T

LETTER XCVIII.

Feb. 22, 17

AT the conclufion of the feafon, I made application to Mr Younger, acting manager of Drury-lane, to request that the proprietors would grant me a number of tickets; as I could by no means expect the fame indulgence either from the patentees or performers, I had experienced the year before at Covent-Garden. They were immediately granted; and the late Earl Spencer requesting his lady to honour me with her patronage, in addition to my former patroneffes, I met with the fuccefs I hoped for.

My not hearing from Captain Metham grieved me much. But this did not arife from the diftreffes I encountered; thefe were but trifling confiderations, when put in competition with a mother's apprehenfions for a much-loved fon, deftined to fo dreadful a climate. I never doubted for a moment, his affifting me when he had the

power, as he poffeffed a foul

of honour above

breaking a promise to a stranger, much more to a parent of whom he was fo fond.

When I made an application, to Sir George

Metham,

Metham, as I lately mentioned, for a temporary relief, to which he anfwered, that he could not comply with my requeft; he at the fame time informed me, that my fon, by a fortunate event, had made eight thousand pounds, and certainly would not let me want. This information gave me more pleasure, from the prospect it presented of his return, than from any pecuniary views; for my apprehenfions daily increased, through my not hearing from him.

About this time the female he had introduced to my knowledge, came to inform me, that she had received a letter from him, wherein he defired his duty to me, and promised to write to me very fhortly. She added, that he had fent an order for her annual allowance, which fhe begged I would go and receive at Rofs and Gray's, and, out of it repay myself what was due to me. She then told me he would call upon me the next day, and take the overplus; and, to conclude all, fhe requested me to lend her a guinea.

The pleasure I enjoyed from hearing of my boy's health, joined to the feeming honest principle in the young woman, would have extracted any money my purfe had contained; I therefore readily gave her what the required. As foon as

fhe

The was gone, I fet off for the agent's; when to my very great mortification as well as furprife, I was informed fhe had received her money that very morning, and fhe muft have had it in her pocket at the time he called upon me. I found my resentment rife when I heard this; but it exceeded all bounds, upon my being informed by Mr. Price, the perfon who transacted Captain Metham's bufinefs, that he had received my letters from him at the time her own were delivered to her, and had fecreted them.

The cruelty of fuch a tranfaction, when she must be fenfible of the very great anxiety I fuffered upon his account, was infinitely more unpardonable than the fraud itfelf. Could I have found her at the time, I fhould certainly have put the note I paid for her in force; and that more upon account of her barbarity, than even the impofition which had made me her dupe...

I was going to break once more into complaints, at the ill ufage I am continually receiving from one perfon or another; but I have tired myself with the fubject, and I fear I have done the fame by you. I fhall therefore only fay, I have often wondered at myself, that after the many inftances I have met with of ingratitude and art, I am ftill VOL. V. F liable

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