to weep, or to reply; but I could not continue a filent fpectator of her diftrefs: wherefore, affuming a degree of feverity in my voice and manner, which was ever followed with inftant fubmiffion, "I entreat, woman, that my words may be now "marked once for all: I have here brought you "back a poor deluded wanderer; her return to 66 duty, demands the revival of our tenderness. "The real hardships of life are now coming faft upon us; let us not, therefore, increase them, "by diffenfion among each other. If we live har"moniously together, we may yet be contented, as there are enough of us to shut out the cen"furing world, and keep each other in coun<< tenance. The kindness of Heaven is promifed "to the penitent; and let ours be directed by the

example. Heaven, we are affured, is much "more pleased to view a repentant finner, than "ninety-nine perfons who have fupported a course "of undeviating rectitude. And this is right; "for that fingle effort, by which we ftop fhort in "the down-hill path to perdition, is itself, a "C greater exertion of virtue, than an hundred acts "of justice."

СНАР.

CHA P. XXIII.

None but the guilty can be long and completely mifer

able.

SOME affiduity was now required to make our prefent abode as convenient as poffible; and

we were soon again qualified to enjoy our former ferenity. Being disabled myself from aflifting my son in our ufual occupations, I read to my family from the few books that were faved, and particularly from fuch, as, by amufing the imagination, contributed to eafe the heart. Our good neighbours, too, came every day with the kindeft condolence, and fixed a time in which they were all to affift at repairing my former dwelling. Honest farmer Williams was not laft among these visitors; but heartily offered his friendship. He would even have renewed his ad-dreffes to my daughter; but she rejected them in fuch a manner, as totally repreffed his future folicitations. Her grief feemed formed for continuing, and she was the only perfon of our littlefociety that a week did not reftore to cheerfulnefs. She now loft that unblufhing innocence which once taught her to refpect herself, and to feek pleasure by pleafing. Anxiety now had taken ftrong poffeffion of her mind; her beauty began to be impaired with her conftitution, and neglect ftill more contributed to diminish it. Every tender epithet, bestowed on her fifter, brought a pang to her heart, and a tear to her eye; and as one; vice,,

H 5

vice, though cured, ever plants others where it has been, fo, her former guilt, though driven out by repentance, left jealousy and envy behind. I ftrove a thousand ways to leffen her care, and even forgot my own pain in a concern for hers, collecting fuch amufing paffages of history, as a strong memory and fome reading could fuggeft. "Our "happiness, my dear," I would fay, "is in the "power of one who can bring it about a thousand "unforefeen ways that mock our forefight. If "example be neceffary to prove this, I'll give

you a ftory, my child, told us by a grave,, "though fometimès a romancing historian.

"teen.

"Matilda was married very young, to a Nea"politan nobleman of the firft quality, and found "herself a widow and a mother at the age of fifAs fhe food one day careffing her in"fant fon in the open window of an apartment, "which hung over the river Volturna, the child, "with a fudden fpring, leaped from her arms in"to the flood below, and difappeared in a mo"ment. The mother, ftruck with inftant fur"prize, and, making an effort to fave him, plun

ged in after: but, far from being able to affist "the infant, fhe herself, with great difficulty, e"scaped to the oppofite fhore, just when fome "French foldiers were plundering the country "on that fide, who immediately made her their "prifoner.

"As the war was then carried on between the "French and Italians with the utmoft inhumani

ty, they were going at once to perpetrate thofe

"two extremes, fuggefted by appetite and cruelty. This bafe refolution, however, was oppof"ed by a young officer, who, though their re"treat required the utmost expedition, placed "her behind him, and brought her in fafety to "his native city. Her beauty at first caught his eye, her merit foon after his heart. They were "married; he rofe to the highest posts; they "lived long together, and were happy. But the "felicity of a foldier can never be called per"manent: after an interval of several years, the "troops which he commanded having met with 66 a repulfe, he was obliged to take thelter in the city where he had lived with his wife. Here "they fuffered a fiege, and the city at length was. "taken. Few hiftories can produce more vari66 ous inftances of cruelty than those which the "French and Italians at that time exercised upon "each other. It was refolved by the victors,. "upon this occafion, to put all the French pri"foners to death, but particularly the husband

of the unfortunate Matilda, as he was princi"pally inftrumental in protracting the fiege.. "Their determinations were, in general, execut❝ed almost as foon as refolved upon. The cap"tive foldier was led forth, and the executioner,. ❝ with his sword, flood ready, while the fpecta❝tors, in gloomy filence, awaited the fatal blow, "which was only fufpended till the general, who "prefided as judge, fhould give the fignal. It: "was in this interval of anguish and expectation, "that Matilda came to take her laft farewell of

1

"her husband and deliverer, deploring her wretch "ed fituation, and the cruelty of fate, that had "faved her from perishing by a premature death "in the river Volturna, to be the fpectator of ftill

greater calamities. The general, who was a << young man, was ftruck with furprize at her "beauty, and pity at her diftrefs; but with still "ftronger emotions, when he heard her mention "her former dangers. He was her fon, the in"fant for whom he had encountered fo much "danger. He acknowledged her at once as his "mother, and fell at her feet. The reft may be "eafily fuppofed: the captive was fet free, and "all the happiness that love, friendship, and du"ty, could confer on each, were united."

In this manner I would attempt to amufe my daughter; but she liftened with divided attention; for her own misfortunes engroffed all the pity fhe once had for those of another, and nothing gave her eafe. In company the dreaded contempt; and in folitude the only found anxiety. Such was the colour of her wretchednefs, when we received certain information, that Mr. Thornhill was going to be married to Miss Wilmot, for whom I always fufpected he had a real paffion, though he took every opportunity, before me, to exprefs his contempt, both of her perfon and fortune. This news only ferved to increase poor Olivia's affliction; fuch a flagrant breach of fidelity was more than her courage could fupport. I was refolved, however, to get more certain information, and to defeat, if poffible, the completion

of