things have a special regard to holiness, and truth, and purity. I do not fay this by way of preaching, but that you may thereby have a truer idea of the man you chanced to find in a lone houfe on this vaft common. Seven years have I now lived here, and in all that time, have not been once in London: but fometimes I ride to a neighbouring village, and if on the road, or at an inn, I can pick up a fenfible agreeable man, I love to dine with him, and drink a pint of wine. Such a man I frequently ride in quest of, and if he be intirely to my mind, (which is very rarely the cafe,) I invite him home with me, to pass at my lodge two or three days. Far then am I from being unfocial, though I live in folitude; but I left the world, becaufe I was ill-ufed in it, and happen to think very differently from the generality of men. Here Monckton ended his ftory, and a little after we parted. A bait at a lone inn, and the arrival of Mifs Turner of Skelfmore vale. §. 5. I rid for fix hours. without meeting with any thing remarkable; but as I baited about three o'clock at a lone inn, the fituation of which was fo fine in foreft and water, that 1 determined to go no further that day; there there arrived a little after, a young lady, her maid, and two men fervants. They were all well-mounted, and the lady's beaft in particular, as great a beauty of its kind, as its mistress was among women. I thought I had feen the face before, and had been fome where or other in her company; but as it must be feveral years ago, and her face and perfon were a little altered, I could not immediately recollect her: but Finn, my lad, coming up to me, asked me, if I did not remember Miss Turner of Skelsmorevale? Mifs Turner, I faid;- to be fure, now I think, it is fhe; but th's lady just arrived here is much fatter, and, if it be poffible, fomething handfomer. It is her, believe me, quoth Finn, and you ought to wait upon her inftantly. I went. It was Mifs Turner, one of the beauties that adorns a gallery of pictures in the North, and who is with great truth in the following lines described, in a Poem written on this collection of paintings. The Picture of Mifs TURNER. But fee! Emilia rifes to the fight In every virtue, in every beauty bright! See thofe victorious eyes, that heav'nly mein! Behold her fhine like Love's refiftless Queen! * See the Life of John Buncle, Vol. I. Thou fairest wonder of thy fairest kind! And form'd thee like fome fav'rite feraph there. Th' admiring world fhould liften to thy praise, This lady knew me at once, on my entring the room where fhe was, and we dined. together. She told me, her brother, my friend, died in Italy, on his return home; and Mifs Jaquelot, her coufin and companicn, was happily married; and that being thus left alone, by these two accidents, fhe was going up to London, to refide in the world. My addrefs to §. 6. Miss Turner, (I said then) as you are now your own miftrefs, I may with justice make my addreffes, and tell you, that from the firft hour I faw you, I was in love with you, and am so still: that if you you will do me the honour to be my wife, I will make the best of husbands. I have now some fortune, and if you will allow, that an honeft man is the best companion for an honeft woman, let us marry in the country, and inftead of going up to that noify tumultuous place called London, retire to fome ftill delightful retreat, and there live, content with each other, as happy as it is poffible for two young mortals to be in this lower hemifphere. What do you fay, Mifs Turner? §. 7. You fhall have my anfwer: and cur marriage. anfwer, Sir, in a few days: Mis Turner's But as to going up to London, I think I had beft fee it, fince I am come fo far. It may give me a new relish for still-life, and make the country seem more charming than I thought it before. On the other hand, it may perhaps make me in love with the town, and put me out of conceit with the country. In short, on fecond thoughts, I will not go up to the Capital. I will return to Skelfmore-vale. I think fo now: But how I may think in the morning, at prefent I do not know. In the mean time, (Cafia continued) ring, if you please, for a pack of cards, and let us pafs the evening in play. The cards were brought in, the G 3 game game began, and before we had played many hours, I faw this dear charming creature was all my own. She fat before me, like blushing beauty in the picture, (in the gallery of Venus,) enriched with thought, warm with defire, and with delicate fenfations covered over: I could not help wishing for father Fleming, my friend, to qualify us for the implanted impulse, and fanctify the call. Early the next morning I fent Finn for him, and he was with me in a few days. The evening he ar rived we were married. Man and wife we fat down to fupper. The Author's apology for marrying again fo fcon. §. 8. Here the morofe, the vifionary, and the dunce, will again fall upon me, for marrying a fifth wife, fo quickly after the deceafe of the fourth; who had not been three months in her grave: But my anfwer is, that a dead woman is no wife, and marriage is ever glorious. It is the inftitution of heaven, a bleffing to fociety, and therefore hated by the devil and mass-priests. Satan by oppofing it, promotes fornication and perdition. The priests by preaching against it, drive the human race into cloyiters; destroy every thing gentle, generous and focial; and rob the people of their property. Celi bacy |