him to receive the feven hundred pounds due from Mrs. Lock to my mother, as the papers relative to the debt were loft. To which his Lordship returned for answer, that he could by no means think of paying the money, unlefs I could give up the obligations, as he fhould ftill be liable to pay it to those who might find them.

Thus, without being able to receive a fhilling of my mother's property, through the difhonefty of my worthy Coufin, I found I had the funeral expences to pay, together with fome demands fhe had incurred which I had promised to discharge; and likewife the cofts of the fuit I had commenced in the Commons, which amounted to feventeen pounds. So that I think I might fay that, according to my ufual good luck, I gained a lofs upon the occafion. But ftrange events fometimes produce ftrange confequences, as was the cafe with this; for; foon after, I was honoured with a vifit from Lord Hampden, whom I had not seen fince a child, who prefented me with a bank note for twenty pounds, in as pompous a manner as if it had been a million. G. A. B.

IF

LETTER XCII.

Dec. 29, 17

F I fhall not be thought worthy of any en comiums for the matter contained in my letters, or for my manner of inditing them, 6

I flatter

I flatter myself you will at least think me entitled to fome praife for my indefatigable application in writing them, for the more speedy gratification of your curiofity. A reference to the dates of my letters will convince you, that I have devoted almoft every hour, fince I firft began the task, to the employment. Indeed, a long confinement, occafioned by indifpofition and diftreffes, has not a little tended to accelerate my undertaking; and as neither of these causes are yet removed, there is a probability that I fhall be able to proceed with the fame expedition, and that it will not be long before I thall be able to put an end to my tale, and with it to your expectant wifhes. For this purpose I will now proceed, without any further circumfcribation.

Having fent for my furniture from Strand on the Green, I was foon fettled again in Brewer-ftreet. Comte Haflang having heard of my diftrefs, told me he would pay for the furniture of my first floor, which came to one hundred and twenty pounds; and defired P would fix a time of payment with the upholfterer. Mr. Woodward complimented me with two capital baffo-relievos for the door, three handsome girandoles, a beautiful grate, &c. &c. and as every person with whom I was intimate prefented me with fome ornament or other, my houfe, in appearance, was a little cabinet.

Juft

Juft at this time Mr. Calcraft died. It was announced in the papers that he had left me a confiderable fum, but the report was entirely without foundation; my name was no otherwife mentioned in the will, than as the mother of his children. I believe I might venture to fay, that he was not regretted even by those to whom he left his fortune. The vexation he muft feel at knowing himfelf to be despised and neglected to fuch a degree, as to be able to purchase no other company than that of a few wretched dependents, greatly affected his pride, for of true fpirit he had not a spark. Not all his riches, his fumptuous dwellings, nor his luxurious wines, could procure him one refpectable individual as a companion: He was therefore obliged, as I have been informed, to take up with his clerk, an attorney, and I fuppofe an excifeman, as a perfon of that calling generally makes one in fuch a group; for even his brother the General declined going near him. I muft acquaint you, that he promised to leave a handfome provifion for his intimate, the clerk juft mentioned, which I conclude was his inducement for bestowing fo much time on his defpifed mafter; inftead of which, he only left him the immenfe fum of a hundred pounds. A deed which tallies with the many generous deeds I have already related of him.

He left behind him a princely fortune, but without bequeathing a fhilling to his wife, or

even mentioning her name; a failure by which fhe recovered a third of his eftate, as well as of his perfonal fortune. This, however, has involved the estate in fuch difficulties, that I find his debts are not paid to this day. Every body feemed to rejoice when Mrs. Calcraft's fuit for the recovery of her claim was attended with fuccefs; and I can fincerely fay, that no perfon received greater pleafure upon the occafion than I did, as I have been informed fhe is one of the best of women.

At length the ftipulated day came, when I was to pay Mr. Cullen, the upholsterer, for the furniture of my first floor, and which Comte. Haflang had promised to enable me to do. I had appointed four o'clock for the hour of payment, and had wrote to his Lordship to ac quaint him that was the time fixed. Mrs. Tuffnal and the Secretary were with me, when I received an answer, written upon a quarter of a fheet of paper, and fealed at the corner, like

a common note.

I opened it; and finding it to begin in the ufual ftyle, of "I wonder you will not get an engagement," I concluded that the remainder was of the fame tenor, in order to excuse a breach of promife; and as I could not poffibly fuppofe any bill was inclosed in a note of that fize and form, I immediately threw it into the fire. Upon which Mr. Killroff jokingly faid, "Do you treat all your billet-doux in "that manner?" "A billet-doux!" I replied;

"It is not of that nature; it is a trifling "fubterfuge to avoid paying a promife."

Whilft I fat ruminating on the Comte's fuppofed evafion, the porter returned with a meffage, expreffive of his Lord's furprize at my not condefcending to honour him with an anfwer. I fent back my compliments, and I could not conceive there was any answer required to a note upon fo difagreeable and hackneyed a subject. The fervant went away and returned directly, with a double furprize of his Lordship's; who fent me word, that if his letter required no anfwer, at leaft I ought to have acknowledged the receipt of the bill. The word bill was no fooner pronounced, than I gave a violent fcream, and cried out, "I am undone! I am undone! I have burnt "it."And we all fat as motionless as ftatues for fome time.

At length the porter returned home, and the fecretary foon followed. When, in two or three hours, I received the note of a banker in the city, I think Nightingale's, promifing to pay the fum of one hundred and twenty pounds if fuch a bank-bill fhould make its appearance within that time. Fortunately the Comte, having leifure that morning, and being alone, had amufed himself with taking an account of the number of fome bank-notes he had juft received; a precaution which he had never before taken; and he has often affirmed fince, that he could not account for entertaining fuch an idea then,

Mr.