was a writ for the two hundred pounds I owed Coates, as fucceffor to Crump's affairs, and infifted that I fhould go with him. I told him he should have the money, if he would go to the theatre, and that I would likewife make him a handfome prefent for the permiffion. But this he would not confent to do; as, he said, he had particular orders from the plaintiff to the contrary.

This being the cafe, I made a virtue of neceffity, and went with him to a houfe in Skinnerrow. When I got there, I fent for Coates, but he was not to be found. The officer now candidly told me, that the intention of taking me in the evening was, to prevent my appearing at the theatre that night. He had been particularly warned, he faid, not to arrest me in the morning, as they were well affured I should have paid the debt, and by that means have difappointed their purpose. It was two o'clock in the morning before the plaintiff could be met with, and as he had given orders that the affair fhould only be fettled by himself, I was obliged to wait with patience his coming. Mrs. Molloy and Miss Ly'll visited me in my durance; and I believe the officer's house was never fo graced before.

Mrs. Ufher had been obliged to read my part. As foon as the play was over, Mr. Moffop came to me. And I was vaftly apprehensive that he

would

would have caned Coates. This was what the man seemed to wifh, for fuch a vulgar impertinent I never heard before. He had the impudence to tell us, that he knew he fhould eafily have got the money, but he wifhed to prevent my playing that night."Every thing," continued he, " is fair, "" where interefts clash."

When Mr. Digges found me in this fituation, he was like a distracted man. His firft business was to give a most severe chastisement to Coates; which, together with fome other embarrassments in his private affairs, obliged him to leave Dublin. Before he went, he wrote to me, earnestly requefting to speak with me. I confented. When his attractions, his fufferings, gratitude, pity, and a predilection in his favour, all joined to induce me to enter into a ferious connection with him. This, though not binding by the laws of the country to a perfon of my religious perfuafion, was notwithstanding valid to all intents and purpofes. And the connection, in confequence, made us mutually unhappy, during the two years we lived together.

I was, I think, to be unhappy in every union I formed. Whether this arofe from the contra rieties naturally attendant on love, fo truly defcribed by Shakspere in the following beautiful lines, or from fome other caufe, I will not pretend to fay:

For

-For aught that ever I could read,

Could ever hear by tale or hiftory,

The course of true love never did run fmooth;
But either it was different in blood;

Or elfe mifgrafted in refpect of years;
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness, did lay siege to it;
Making it momentary as a found ;

;

Swift as a fhadow; fhort as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night *.

I received, about this time, a letter from Mr. Alderman Cracroft, my attorney in London, informing me, that Mr. Davy's attorney had orders to fue me for the arrears due upon my annuity, unless I fent him a power of attorney to enable him to make a lawful claim upon Mr. Calcraft, who had refused to pay it. As I had made no doubt but that it had been regularly paid, I was doubly angry at his meannefs in having in his letter pretended ignorance of the affair. I therefore immediately figned the writing that was fent me, and forwarded it to London by the first post. I afterwards heard, that, upon Mr. Calcraft's treating the perfon who made the demand very cavalierly, he was arrested. Hurt at fuch an indignity offered to a man of his great confequence, he threw

* Midfummer's Night Dream, Act I. Scene I.

the

the cause into chancery, where it remained hung up during Mr. Davy's life, who was too opulent and too indolent to carry on the fuit.

I remained in Dublin till the middle of the fummer. And Mr. Moffop not being able to pay me the whole of what he had engaged for, I was obliged to borrow four hundred pounds, before I could leave the kingdom. After I landed in England I was taken fo ill at Chefter, that I was confined for feveral days. I had the happiness to come over with two ladies, who were very attentive to me, and who were kind enough to delay their journey, in order that we might travel to town together.

When I was tolerably recovered, these ladies perfuaded me to go with them to the concert. There I met Mr. Crump. As I had not feen him, or heard any thing from him, fince my being arrested for the debt due to him, it was natural for me to fuppofe that he not only knew of the affair, but was confenting to it. I accordingly, when he faluted me with his ufual cordiality, could not help expreffing my furprise at it. An explanation took place; immediately after which, he abruptly left the room, and, as I have fince heard, fet off for Dublin, where he endeavoured to revenge himself upon Coates. But he was disappointed in this; for Coates, having re

1

ceived fome intimation of his defign, and dreading his refolution, to avoid his fury, set off for England. And in a fhort time after, this much-injured man, who had before given some proofs of infanity, died raving mad.

Upon my arrival in London, my health not being perfectly restored, I went to my former lodg→ ings at Chelsea from thence I wrote to Mr. Cracroft, informing him that I would be with him in a few days. I was indebted to this gentleman a very confiderable fum; and he had expreffed fome displeasure in a letter he wrote me, upon account of my leaving the kingdom, without acquainting him with my defign. I own I was unpardonable in not doing it; and the more fo, as I was very intimate with his lady and family.

When I waited on the Alderman, he asked me whether I had any engagement at the theatre. To which I anfwered in the negative; adding, that I could not attempt to make one, till my affairs were fettled. He faid, it would be very difficult to do that, as the amount of what I owed was more than he believed I thought it. I had made no doubt but that Mr. Calcraft had appropriated the overplus, arifing from the fale of my jewels, to the payment of my debts, as far as it would go, and I concluded that might amount to near four thousand pounds. The workmanship of fome of them was

fo