Oh, that it were no crime to quit this world like Faldoni and Terefa! and that we might be happy together in some other world, where gold and filver are unknown! By your hand I could even die with pleasure. I know I could. "Infuperable reason. "Yes, my H., there is, and you force it from me. Yet, better to tell you, than to have you doubt my love; that love which is now my religion. I have hardly any God but I almost offer up my prayers to

you.

you, as well as for you.

Know then, if you was to marry me, you would marry fome hundred pounds worth of debts! and that you never fhall do.

Do you remember a folemn oath you took in one of your letters, when I was down at H.? and how you told me afterwards it must be so, because you had fo folemnly fworn it?

In the fame folemn and dreadful words I swear that I never will marry you, happy as it would make me, while I owe a fhilling in the world. Jephtha's vow is past.

What your letter fays about my poor children made me weep; but it shall not make me change my refolution.

It is a further reason why I fhould not.--“ If I "do not marry you, I do not love you!" Gra

cious

cious powers of love! Does my H. fay fo? My not marrying you is the strongest proof I can give you of my love. And Heaven, you know, has heard my vow. Do you refpect it, and never tempt me to break it-for not even you will evèr fucceed.—Till I have fome better portion than debts, I never will be your's.

Then what is to be done? you ask. Why, I'll tell you, H. Your determination to drop all particular intercourfe till marriage has made us one, flatters me more than I can tell you, because it fhews me your opinion of me in the strongest light; it almost reftores me to my own good opinion. The copy of verfes you brought me on that fubject, is fuperior to any thing I ever read. They fhall be thy M.'s morning prayer, and her evening fong. While you are in Ireland

Yes, my love, in Ireland. Be ruled by me. You fhall immediately join your regiment there. You know it is your duty. In the mean time, fomething may happen. Heaven will not defert two faithful hearts that love like your's and mint. There are joys; there is happiness in ftore for us yet. I feel there is. And (as I faid just now) while you are in Ireland, I'll write to you every poft, twice by one poft, and I'll think of you, and I'll dream of you, and I'll kifs your picture, and

I'll wipe my eyes, and I'll kifs it again, and then I'll weep again. And

Can I give a stronger inftance of my regard for you, or a stronger proof that you ought to take my advice, than my thus begging my only joy to leave me? I will not fwear I shall survive it; but, I beseech you, go!

Fool that I am

I do with the other.

-I undo with one hand, all

My tears, which drop between every word I write, prevent the effect of my reasoning; which, I am sure, is just.

Be a man, I fay—you are an angel. Join your regiment; and, as fure as I love you (nothing can be more fure) I will recall you, from what will be banishment as much to me as to you, the first moment I can marry you with honour to myself, and happiness to you.

But, I must not write thus.

Adieu!

Ill fuits the voice of love, when glory calls,
And bids thee follow Jephtha to the field.

LETTER

To Mifs

XXIII.

Cannon Coffee-house, 17 March, 1776.

AND I will refpect the vow of Jephtha, and I will follow to the field. At least, I will think of it all to-night, for I am sure I shall not sleep, and will let you know the fuccefs of my struggle, for a struggle it will be to-morrow. I will wait for you at the fame place in the Park, where I fhall fee you open the A. door. Should it rainI'll write. It was my intention to have endeavoured to fee you now, but I changed my mind, and wrote this, here; and I am glad I did. We are not in a condition to fee each other. Cruel debts! Rather, cruel vow! for, would you but have let me, I would have contrived fome scheme about your debts. I could form a plan. My Gofport matters-my commiffion

Alas, you frown, and I must stop. Why would not fortune smile upon my two lottery tickets? Heaven knows I bought them on your account. Upon the back of one of them I wrote, in cafe of my fudden death, "this is the property of

Mifs." On the back of the other, that it

belonged to your daughter.

For what am I ftill referved?

LETTER XXIV.

To Mr

A. 19 March, 1776.

WHY, why do you write to me fo often? Why do you fee me fo often? When you acknowledge the neceffity of complying with my advice.

You tell me, if I bid you, you'll gð. I have bid you, begged you to go.-I do bid you go. Go, I conjure you, go! But let us not have any more partings. The laft was too, too much. I did not recover myself all day. And your goodness to my little white-headed boy-He made me burst into tears this morning, by talking of the good-natured gentleman, and producing your prefent.

Either ftay, and let our affection difcover and ruin us-or go.

On the bended knees of love I intreat you, H., my dearest H. to go.