in its vales and foreft, its rocks and waters; and for a month I ftrove to amufe myself there, in fishing, fhooting, and improving the ground; but it was fo dull, fo fad a fcene, when I miffed the bright companions I had with me in former days; who used to wander with me in the vallies, up the hills, by the ftreams, and make the whole a paradife all the long day, that I could not bear it longer than four weeks; and rid from thence to Dr. Stanvil's feat, to afk him how he did, and look once more at that fine curiosity, Mifs Dunk that was, but at the time I am fpeaking of, his wife. However, before I left my lodge, I made a difcovery one day, as I was exploring the wild country, round my little houfe, that was entertaining enough, and to this day, in remembrance, feems to me fo agreeable, that I imagine a relation of this matter may be grateful to my Readers. It contains the story of a lady, who cannot be enough admired, can never be fufficiently praised. The The Hiftory of the beautiful LEONORA. §. 5. AS I rambled one fummer's morning, with my gun and my dog,, over the vast mountains, which furrounded me at Orton-lodge, I came as the fun was rifing to a valley about four miles from my houfe, which I had not seen before, as the way to it, over the Fells, was a dangerous. road. It was green and flowery, had clumps of oaks in feveral spots, and from the hovering top of a precipice at the end of the glin, a river falls ingulphed in rifted rocks. It is a fine rural fcene. Here I fat down to reft myself, and was admiring the natural beauties of the place, when I faw three females turn into the vale, and walk towards the water-fall. One of them, who appeared to be the mistress, had an extravagance of beauty in her face, and a form fuch as I had not often feen. The others were pretty women, dreft like quakers, and very clean. They came very near the water where I was, but did not fee me, as I was behind two rocks which almoft joined: And after they had looked a while, at the headlong river, they went back, and entring a narrow-way between two hills disappeared. I was greatly furprifed at what I had feen, not imagining I had fuch a neighbour in Richmondshire, and refolved to know who this beauty was. The wonders of her face, her figure, and her mien, were ftriking to the laft degree. Arifing then as foon as they were out of fight, I walked on to the turning I faw them enter; and in half an hour's time came to a plain, through which feveral brooks wandered, and on the margin of one of them, was a grove and a mansion. It was a sweet habitation, at the entrance of the little wood; and before the door, on banks of flowers, fat the illuftrious owner of this retreat, and her two maids. In fuch a place, in fuch a manner, fo unexpectedly to find fo charming a woman, feemed to me as pleafing an incident as could be met with in travelling over the world. At my coming near this lady, fhe appeared to be aftonifhed, and to wonder much at feeing fuch an inhabitant in that part of the world: but on pulling off my hat, and telling her I came to vilit her as her neighbour; to pay my humble respects to her, and beg the honour of her acquaintance; she asked me, from what vale or mountain I came, and how long I had been. a re a refident in that wild part of the world? This produced a compend of fome part of my story, and when I had done, she defired me to walk in. Coffee and hot rolls was foon brought, and we breakfasted chearfully together. I took my leave foon after, having made her a prefent of fome black cocks and a hare I had fhot that morning; and hoped, if it was poffible to find an easy way to my lodge, which I did not yet know, that I fhould fome time or other be honoured with her prefence at my little houfe; which was worth her feeing, as it was fituated in the most delightful part of this romantic filent place, and had many curiofities near it; that in the mean time, if it was agreeable, I would wait upon her again, before I left Richmondshire, which would be foon: For I only came to fee how things were, and was obliged to haften another way. This beauty replied, that it would give her pleasure to fee me, when I had a few hours to fpare. Three times more then I went very foon; we became well acquainted, and after dinner one day, fhe gave me the following relation.. My name was Leonora Starsfield before I married an Irishman, one Burk, whom I met at Avignon in France. He is one of the handsomest men of the age, though his hopes hopes were all his fortune; but proved a villain as great as ever difgraced mankind. His breeding and his eloquence, added to his fine figure, induced me to fancy him an angel of a man, and imagined I had well beftowed a hundred thousand pounds, to make him great, and as happy as the day is long: For three months he played the god, and I fondly thought there was not fuch another happy woman as myself in all the world. I was mistaken. Burk found out by fome means or other, that I had concealed five thousand pounds of my fortune from his knowledge; and that I was in my heart fo good a proteftant, that it was impoffible to bring me over to popery, or ever get me to be an idolator at the mass, before the tiny god of dough:—that I could never be brought to look upon the invented fuperftitions, and horrible corruptions of the church of Rome, as the true religion; nor be ever perfuaded to affift at the Latin fervice in that communion, as it must be an abomination to Chrift and to God, if the gofpel may be depended upon as the rule of faith:-When Burk perceived these things, he threw off the difguife, and appeared a monster instead of a man, as he was a bigot. of the first order, a furious papist, (which I did not know, when we married;) and as he was by nature as cruel, as he was |