cause of them; and demanded it with a tenderness which made me the more ready to open my heart to him.

With the utmoft fincerity I unbofomed myself to him; but, at the fame time, difcovered the violence of my paffion for fhining in a new sphere to which I had not been accustomed.

The discovery of that paffion was as ill received by my lover as it had been by my mother: though he foftened his disapprobation with a number of little douceurs, by which he hoped, no doubt, to move me from my purpofe; but I foon let him know that he was mistaken, telling him that I fhould have a very flight opinion of that man's affection, who could wish to deprive me of the leaft gratification. Then, leaving him, to put what conftruction he pleased on my carriage, I flounced out of the room.

Mr. Morden was extremely hurt by this behaviour; but he was a man of sense and refolution, and was, therefore, willing to let me fee I had not treated him properly, by ftaying away for feveral days.

During these days, I fo far brought my mother over, partly by coaxing, and partly by fullenness, that when the found I was pofitively determined

to

to make my appearance at the Opera House, she became willing to affift me in providing a drefs, and fecuring a proper party. My father was at that juncture in the country, transacting fome bufinefs relative to his office, and therefore could not interfere upon the occafion; and my fole thoughts were now engaged about my drefs.

The happy moment arrived; I fet out with a heart beating high with expectation. For a while I was fo ftruck with the magnificence around me, that I ftared about wildly, with my eyes thrown into a thousand directions in a minute. But my attention was foon fixed by the approach of the perfon who had given me the ticket. He accoft ed me with the greatest politeness; and in a fhort time began to make use of some very tender expreffions. I, at firft, endeavoured to keep up the character I had affumed. I was in the habit of a fhepherdess, imagining that I might venture to hear and to anfwer fpeeches under that appearance which I could not have heard, and to which I could not have replied, with propriety, in my own, if I had not been actually engaged, & fo near marriage as I believed myself to be. The freedoms, however, which I allowed myself drew fo many others not quite fo warrantable from my Damon, that I began to think matters were going

rather

rather too far; and found it neceffary to oblige him to a more diftant behaviour.

The company now unmasked.

While I was exerting myself to infift upon my new admirer's leaving me, I happened to turn my head, and faw a tall handsome man, in a Turkish habit, furveying me attentively with the moft ftriking marks of ferious admiration.

At that moment I felt emotions which I had never felt before for any man, so perfectly charming was his figure, fo winningly graceful was his manners, and fo much was I flattered with the expreffion in his features. He contrived to keep his eyes rivetted on me till he had a proper opportunity to afk me to dance. He asked me, and

I immediately complied with his request.

While we were dancing, he endeavoured, with a variety of bewitching affiduities, to captivate my heart, and to make himself an irresistible object. Were I to say that I repulfed his advances, I fhould affert a falfhood; I rather encouraged them, especially when I was informed that my enchanting partner was a man of fafhion. He was called, "My lord," by several of his acquaintance. I forgot that I was under any binding engage

1

engagements to Mr. Morden; I forgot myfelf; every thing, in fhort; I was abfolutely intoxicated with joy on being addressed in the most foothing and infinuating terms by a man who very much induced me to fuppofe that he had no de

fign to trifle with me.

When he had handed me out with my company, he begged to know where he might enquire after my health the next day,

Then, and not till then, I began to feel all my former littleness: recollection immediately ftripped off the plumes with which vanity had adorned me; I became abashed, and hung down my head.

He repeated his question with a tender preffure of my hand.

With a blush which arofe from my embarrasment at being under a neceffity of declaring my unimportance, I mentioned the mean Street in which stood my mother's ftill meaner habitation.

"For whom muft I enquire, my angel," faid he, with a fecond and more fignificant preffure.

I faintly breathed out my name, with a figh, and left him in full poffeffion of my heart.

As

As I came home fafe, however, with the companions whom my mother had selected for me, the received me with pleasure; and with pleasure seemed to listen to me while I gave a particular account of the fuperb entertainment of the evening. As I had not retired to my chamber till the morning was pretty far advanced, I did not quit it till the afternoon. Flattered with the hopes of seeing my new admirer; I then dreffed myfelf with the moft becoming negligence, and waited for his coming with a confufion among ideas, and a general tremor which I cannot describe.

In this disturbed and tremulous ftate I faw Mr. Morden enter the parlour.

Conceive, if you can, my disappointment. Having fully expected to behold his lordship every minute, I was doubly difappointed, and doubly chagrined.

I coloured at the fight of him: he looked pale, dejected, and unhappy. He fat down by me, and with a difcontented air, afked me how I did. "How do you find yourself, madam, " after a night of fatigue I recall my words

I mean of intoxication."

I fcornfully replied, "that if he did not talk.