clufion of my long fad story, the latter part of your questions will foon be answered. With regard to your firft quere, "Will nothing make you "wife?" I can only fay, I fear not; if the wisdom you mean is to be purchased with the annihilation of that humane susceptibility which has ever been my pride and my delight.

G. A. B,

LETTER XCIX.

March 1, 17

IN fome fhort time, there appeared a paragraph in the public papers, which mentioned, that the names of all thofe who had furrendered themfelves, or had been fet down in the books of the King's-Bench, would be published in a pamphlet. Alarmed at having my name enrolled with many who had caufed theirs to be fet down, and provided themselves with fire tickets, for fraudulent purposes, I wrote a letter to Mr. Woodfall, to prevent it, if poffible. I therein acquainted him with the real fact. I fully explained the circumftances of the arreft, and requested that my name might not be inferted, as the next term would

conclude

conclude the affair; 'an affair which had been productive of fo much vexation to me. But to my very great mortification, when the black lift came out, I found Mrs. D-s and myself not in the moft pleafing company.

The people of the house where I refide had, till now, entertained no fufpicion of what had happened; but when they faw my name published, they were not a little alarmed. They apprehended that I fhould avail myself of being in the fituation of a prifoner, which every person in the lift pretended they had a right to. I, however, foon convinced them of their error, by giving them demonstrative proofs that I was incapable of fuch baseness.

I never in my life felt myself in fo humiliating a fituation, as at the bare fuppofition of being fo bafe as to take means of fuch a nature to release myself from just debts. Let the poor unfortunate man or woman, who by loffes in trade, or by fimilar misfortunus, are reduced to a state of infolvency, take advantage of these opportunities to regain their liberty, and to be reftored to their families and avocations; but all others, in my opinion, ought to be precluded from the advan

tages. The difficulty, indeed, lies in drawing the line

Had the people where I lodged been perfectly acquainted with my character and principles, they would have known that I poffeffed a mind fuperior to every dishonest purpose. As I had not exonerated myself from my debts when I was fo greatly involved, as I have given an account of, I could hardly think of fuch a measure, when I owed comparatively little to what I did then, and had been fo greatly indulged by my honeft cre ditors.

I had wrote to my fon Metham, to inform him of the ingratitude of the woman he had recommended to my notice, and of her having fecreted his letters; but, to my very great, furprife, had received no anfwer by the pacquet, though, in course, I might have had one by it. I was perfectly fatisfied of his rectitude, duty, and affection; and was convinced that fuch treatment would have claimed his attention, had all been well; I therefore was extremely apprehenfive for his health. My fears made me imagine the worst; and, as they had done in many other cafes, they now proved prophetic.

Upoa

Upon being difappointed of hearing by the pacquet, I wrote to Sir George, to enquire if he had received any intelligence; and by the return of the poft had an anfwer. Obferving that the feal was black, it was fome time before I had courage to break it open; but when I had done fo, and read, "Now fummon all your fortitude," it became unneceffary to see the rest of the contents.. The letter inftantly dropped out of my hand, and I fell fenfelefs on the floor.

When I recovered, I found the miftrefs of the houfe, and fome others whom fhe had called to my affiftance, drowned in tears. But tears refufed me their aid; and through the want of the relief they ufually afford in extreme grief, I was nearly choaked by the violence of mine. My feelings were really inexpreffible. I could admit of no comfort. This, of all my afflictions, was the fevereft; and it was rendered more pungent, by the hopes I had encouraged of foon having the: happiness to fee him; and in him all that a fond mother could wifh or expect.

Thus did I lofe a kind fon, an indulgent friend, and an invaluable protector, and was left destitute of comfort or fupport.-What a fucceffion of troubles, as you have feen, have been my portion!

With truth does the king* exclaim in Hamlet, "When forrows come, they come not fingle spies, "but in battalions."-My other fon was in the Eaft-Indies, and my fears, heightened by the confideration juft quoted, raised fuggeftions in my mind, that I might be at that moment childless; for as to my daughter, I did not, nor could I, after her behaviour fince my diftresses have come upon me, look upon her in the light of a child; as fhe had fhewn herself to be unnatural, and the true daughter of a Calcraft. I can fay, with Lear, "She has tied sharp-tooth'd unkindness, "like a vulture, to my heart."

My intimate companion wrote to Sir George. Metham, to inform him of my deplorable fituation, and at the fame time to let him know that I had not ability to pay the laft refpect to my much-lamented fon. Sir George did not condefcend to answer her letter. I fhould have wrote. myself, but was unable, a fever having been the confequence of the agitation of my fpirits; and. when the violence abated, it became an intermittent.

As foon as I could hold a pen, I wrote to him. myself, requesting that he would enable me to go into mourning; when, to my great mortification,

Hamlet, Act IV. Scene 5. ↑ King Lear, Act II. Scene 11.

he