Doctor and the other cheat, his friend, feemed to lose a large fum; but before morning they won it all back from me, with a great deal more; and I not only loft what I had got then, but, excepting a few pounds, what I was worth in the world; the thoufands I had gained by my several wives. I had fold their eftates, and lodged the money in my banker's hands. The villains round this table got it all, and my two Irishmen were not to be feen. They disappeared, and left me madly playing away my all. I heard no more of them, till I was told feveral years after, that they were in the Isle of Man, among other outlawed, abandoned, wicked men; where they drank night and day, according to the cuftom of the place, and lived in defiance of God and man. There these two advocates of impiety dwelt for fome time, and died as they had lived, enemies to all good principles, and friends to a general corruption.

As to the well-dreft company round the table, they went off one by one, and left me all alone to the bitter thought, which led me to what I was fome hours before, by what I then found myself to be. I was almoft diftracted. What had I to do with play, (I faid?) I wanted nothing.

And

And now by villains, with a fett of dice that would deceive the devil, I am undone. By fharpers and falfe dice I have fat to be ruined. The reflexion numb'd my fenfes for fome time: and then I ftarted, was wild, and raved.

Curl's Scheme to carry off an beirefs, which I did in a fuccefs ful manner.

§. II. This tranfaction made me very thoughtful, and I fat within for feveral days, thinking which way to turn. Curl faw I was perplexed, and on his afking me if I had met with any misfortune, I told him the whole cafe; that I had but one hundred pounds left, and requested he would advise me what I had beft do. To do juftice to every one, Curl feemed deeply concerned, and after fome filence, as we fat over a bottle at a Coffee-houfe, he bid me take notice of an old gentleman, who was not far from us. That is Dunk the mifer, who lives in a wood about 20 miles off. He has one daughter, the fineft creature in the univerfe, and who is to fucceed to his great eftate, whether he will or not; it being fo fettled at his marriage; but he confines her fo much in the country, and uses her fo cruelly every way, that I believe fhe would run away with any honeft young fellow, who could find means to addrefs her. Know

then

then (continued Curl) that I ferve Mr. Dunk with paper, pens, ink, wax, pamphlets, and every thing he wants in my way. Once a quarter of a year, I generally go to his country-house with fuch things, as he is glad to fee me fometimes; or if I cannot go myself, I fend them by fome other hand. Next week I am to forward fome things to him, and if you will take them, I will write a line by you to Mifs his daughter, recommend you to her for a husband, as one fhe may depend on for honour and truth. She knows I am her friend, and who can tell, but she may go off with you. She will have a thousand a year, when the wretch her father dies, if he fhould leave his perfonal estate another way.

This thought pleased me much, and at the appointed time, away I went to Mr. Dunk's country-house with a wallet full of things, and delivered Curl's letter to Miss. As foon as fhe had read it, I began my addrefs, and in the best manner I could, made her an offer of my fervice, to deliver her from the tyrant her father. I I gave her an account of a little farm I had on the borders of Cumberland, a purchase I had made, on account of the charms of the ground, and a small pretty lodge which stood in the

middle of it, by a clump of old trees, near a murmuring ftream; that if she pleased, I would take her to that sweet filent spot, and enable her to live in peace; with contentment and tranquillity of mind; though far away from the fplendors and honours of the world and confidering that a chriftian is not to conform to the world, or to the pomps and vanities of it; its grand customs and ufages; its dress and entries; its stage representations and masquerades, as they minifter to vice, and tend to debauch the manners; but are to look upon ourselves as beings of another world, and to form our minds with thefe fpiritual principles; it follows then, I think, that a pleafing country fituation for a happy pair must be grateful enough. There peace and love and modefty may be beft preferved; the truth and gravity of our religion be ftrictly maintained; and every lawful and innocent enjoyment be for ever the delights of life. Away from the idle modes of the world; perpetual love and unmixed joys may be our portion, through the whole of our existence here; and the inward principles of the heart be ever laudable and pure. So will our happiness as mortals be stable,fubject to no mixture or change; and when called away from this lower hemifphere, have nothing to fear, as we used this world,

as

as though we used it not; as we knew no gratifications and liberties but what our re-ligion allows us as our enjoyments will be but the neceffary convenience and accommodation, for paffing from this world to the realms of eternal happiness: Follow me then, Miss Dunk; I will convey you to a fcene of ftill life and felicity, great and lafting as the heart of woman can wish for.

The charming Agnes feemed not a little furprized at what I had faid, and after looking at me very earnestly for a minute or two, told me, he would give me an anfwer to Mr. Curl's letter in lefs than half an hour, which was all fhe could fay at prefent, and with it I returned to give him an account of the reception I had. It will do, he faid, after he had read the letter I brought him from Mifs Dunk, but you must be my young man for a week or two more, and take fome more things to the fame place. He then fhewed me the letter, and I read the following lines.

SIR,

I am extremely obliged to you for your concern about my happiness and liberty, and will own to you, that in my difmal fituation, I would take the friend you re

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