this exordium, that I had been too hafty in fending away the chaife. But my apprehenfions foon vanished, when he told me, with great folemnity, that, during the distraction occafioned by our separation, he had rashly bound himself, by the most facred vows, never more to have any tender connection with me.

The conclufion of this fpeech had fuch an effect upon me, that I was in danger of forgetting the graces, fo far as to burst into a fit of laughter. But recollecting myself as well as I could, I begged he would not be under the confufion of an apology; for could I have fuppofed, that in the prefent fituation of things it would have been otherwife, I certainly fhould not have accepted his invitation. I perceived that his vanity was much hurt at this declaration, and was concerned at it. He had not supposed that I should receive a circumftance of fuch great import with the unaffected indifference I did. He expected that I should regret the restriction, with the fame poig'nant feelings he had declared he himself felt; and his chagrin upon the occafion was vifible. However, upon rejoining the company, he re-affumed his good humour and politeness. In both of these Sir George exceeded the generality of his fex, particularly in the latter. I cannot recollect a perfon amongst all my acquaintance, except the

Dowager

Dowager Lady Harrington, who knew how to acquit themselves in doing the honours of their house with more ease and attention; an indifputable proof of a good heart, improved by a polite education.

LETTER LXXX.

G. A. B.

Sept. 12, 17

WHILST I continued at Cave, 'every body

feemed to vie with each other which could moft

fucceed in pleafing me. But my anxiety to procure an engagement at the theatre made me at times very uneafy. Such a ftep was abfolutely neceffary, to clear me from the debts with which I was encumbered; for, notwithstanding the fums I had paid, I ftill owed above four thousand pounds. Sir George expreffed to me a defire of felling an eftate, in order to extricate both himself and me; which he affured me he would do, as foon as it was in his power; and he gave me a commiffion to speak to Alderman Cracroft, upon my return to London, to look out for a purchafer.

In the mean time, he wrote to his coufin, Lord Eglington, defiring he would ufe his intereft with Mr.

Mr. Beard, the then acting manager, in order to replace me in my former ftation at Covent Garden theatre. By his lordship's anfwer, I had the mortification to find, that the proprietors were defirous of faving fo heavy a falary as mine. Mrs. Ward and Mifs Macklin had divided be tween them the characters which used to be in my poffeffion. His lordship was therefore informed, that there was no room for me. My pride, as well as the prudential motives which made me folicitous for an engagement, tended to aggravate the contents of his lordship's letter, and to render the disappointment the more irksome. So that notwithstanding the unremitted attention which was fhewn me at Cave, as the winter was now advanced, I determined to vifit London.

Accordingly, Mifs Wordley, my fon, and little self, set off for the great city; after having fpent three months in all the pleasure that agreeable fociety, good cheer, good-humour, and unembittered pleasantry, can afford. I left this feat of hofpitality with regret; which would have been greatly augmented, could I have then foreseen that I should never more have been an inhabitant of it. I could not refrain from hedding tears, as we paffed the refidence of my late worthy friend, Lord Downe. And when I recollect the manner of this nobleman's death, and that no public ho

nours

nours have been ever paid to his memory, a gloom overcafts my mind, and I pay him the tribute of a figh.

At Stamford, I was most agreeably surprised to meet with Lord Granby, who did me the honour to spend the evening with me. I could not help obferving, to my great furprise, that, during the whole time we were together, his lordship never mentioned the name of Mr. Calcraft. This was the more fingular, from a report which was then current, and which I fhall explain more fully in my annexed letter to that gentleman.

Sir George had promised to allow me feven guineas a week; and he affured me that he would foon be in town. The commiffion he empowered me to give to Mr. Alderman Cracroft afforded me double pleasure; as, independent of my own expectations from it, I fhould be enabled by it to fhew my gratitude to one of the best of men. I own the fatisfetion I received, from finding myself thus reconciled to the perfon on whom I first beftowed my heart, was very great. A feries of the most complicated treachery had induced me to ufe him ill, at the very time I preferred him to his whole fex; and the affurance of his future friendship was flattering in the extreme. Whilft it promised to be serviceable to me, it did me honour. The lines I have already quoted from Shakfpere's

5

Shakspere's "Midfummer Night's Dream," relative to the croffes of love, are full as applicable to this difunion, as to that where I applied them. I might here, also, with as much propriety fay, "the course of true love never did run smooth."

Upon our arrival in London, we were fet down at my mother's in Brewer-street, whofe house very fortunately happened to be empty. I have already obferved, that the usually let it to perfons of diftinction; the profits of which, added to the intereft of the money fhe had faved, together with her penfion, enabled her to live genteelly, and keep up an acquaintance with those who were greatly her fuperiors.

She confented to let me have her first floor, and undertook to pay all my incidental expences with the money Sir George Metham had promised to allow me. But as the knew the capriciousness of his difpofition (which indeed turned out as fhe expected), and the precariousness of making an engagement at the theatres, when both the companies were fettled, fhe objected to Mifs Wordley's continuing with me. Though this objection was the refult of prudence, it gave me infinite pain. However, as taking up my abode in a parent's house must appear more eligible in the eyes of the world, than in any other lodging I could get, I was obliged to confent, though