"MY LORD Davers,

"FOR iff you will nott call mee neffew, I have no reason to call you unkell; Shurely you forgett who it was you held up youre kane to: I have as little reason to valew your displeassure, as you have mee; for I am, God be thanked, a lord, and a peere of the realme, as well as you; and as to youre nott owneing me, nor youre brother B nott looking upon me, I care nott a fardinge; and, bad as you thinke I have done, I have marry'd a woman of family. Take thatt

among you!

"As to youre personall abuses of her, take care whatt you say. You know the stattute will defende us as well as you-And, besides, she has a brother, thatt won't lett her good name be call'd in question-Mind thatt!

"Some thinges I wish had been otherwise Perhapps I do-What then?-Must you, my lord, make more mischieff, and adde to my plagues, iff I have any ?-Is this your unkelship?

Butt I shan't want your advise. I have as good an estate as you have, and am as much a lord as yourselfe. Why the devill, then, am I to be treated as I am?-Why the plague But I won't sware neither. I desire not to see you, any more then you doe me, I can tell you thatt. And iff we ever meet under one roofe with my likeing, it must be at the House of Peeres, where I shall be on a parr with you in every thing, that's my cumfurte.

"As to my Lady Davers, I desire not to see her ladyship; for she was always plaguy nimbel with her fingers; but, lett my false stepp be what itt will, I have, in other respectes, marry'd a lady, who is as well descended as herselfe, and no disparagement neither; so have nott that to answer for to her pride; and who has as good a spiritt too, if they were to come face to face, or I am mistaken; nor will shee take affruntes from any one. So, my lord, leave mee to make the best of my matters, as I will you of youres. So no more, but that I am

"Youre servante,

"H

"P. S. I meane no affrunte to Mrs BShe is the best of yee all-by G-!"

I will not take up your time with farther observations upon this poor creature's bad conduct. His reflection must proceed from feeling; and will, that's the worst of it, come too late, come when or how it will. I will only say, I am sorry for it on his own account, but more for that

of Lord and Lady Davers, who take the matter very heavily, and wish he had married the lowest-born creature in England, (so she had been honest and virtuous,) rather than done as he has done.

But, I suppose, the poor gentleman was resolved to shun, at all adventures, Mr B—'s fault, and keep up to the pride of descent and family; --and so married the only creature, as I hope, (since it cannot be helped,) that is so great a disgrace to both; for I presume to flatter myself, for the sake of my sex, that, among the poor wretches, who are sunk so low as the town-women are, there are very few of birth or education; but such, principally, as have had their necessities or their ignorance taken advantage of by base men; since birth and education must needs set the most unhappy of the sex above so sordid and so abandoned a guilt, as the hourly wickedness of such a course of life subjects them to.

But let me pursue my purpose of excusing my long silence. I had hardly returned from Lord and Lady Davers's, and recovered my family management, and resumed my nursery duties, when my fourth dear boy, my Jemmy-(for I think I am going on to make out the number Lady Davers allotted me*)—pressed upon me in such a manner, as not to be refused, for one month or six weeks' close attention. And then a journey to Lord Davers's, and that noble pair accompanying us to Kent; and daily and hourly pleasures crowding upon us, narrow and confined as our room there was, (though we went with as few attendants as possible,) engrossed more of my time. So that I hope you will forgive me on all these accounts; because, as soon as I returned, I set about writing this, as an excuse for myself, in the first place; to promise you the subject you insist upon in the next; and to tell you that I am incapable of forgetfulness or negligence to such a friend as Lady G. For I must always be, dear madam,

Your faithful and affectionate
humble servant,
P. B-

LETTER CI.

MRS B TO LADY G

MY DEAR LADY G—~~, THE remarks which your cousin Fielding tells you I have made on the subject of young gentlemen's travelling, and which you request me to communicate to you, are part of a little book upon education, which I wrote for Mr B's correction and amendment, on occasion of his

putting Mr Locke's treatise on that subject into my hands, and requiring my observations upon

it.

I cannot flatter myself that they will answer your expectation; for I am sensible they must be unworthy even of the opportunities I have had in the excursions, in which I have been indulged by the best of men.

But your requests are so many laws to me; and I will give you a short abstract of what I read to Miss Fielding, who has so greatly overrated it to you.

That gentleman's book contains many excellent rules on the subject of education; but this of travel I will only refer you to at present. You will there see his objections against the age at which young gentlemen are sent abroad, from sixteen to twenty-one, the time, in all their lives, he says, in which young men are the least suited to these improvements, and in which they have the least fence and guard against their passions.

The age he proposes is from seven to four teen, because of the advantage they will then have to master foreign languages, and to form their tongue to the true pronunciation; as well as that, then they will be more easily directed by their tutors and governors. Or else he proposes that more sedate time of life, when the gentleman is able to travel without a tutor, and to make his own observations; and when he is thoroughly acquainted with the laws and fashions, the natural and moral advantages and defects of his own country; by which means, as Mr Locke wisely observes, the traveller will have something to exchange with those abroad, from whose conversation he hopes to reap any knowledge. This gentleman supports his opinion by excellent reasons, to which I refer you. What I have written in my little book, which I have not yet quite finished on this head, relates principally to home travelling, which Mr Bwas always resolved his sons should undertake before they entered upon a foreign tour. I have there observed, that England abounds with curiosities, both of art and nature, worth the notice of a diligent inquirer, and equal with some of those we admire in foreign parts; and that if the youth be not sent abroad at Mr Locke's earliest time, from seven to fourteen, (which I can hardly think will be worth while, merely for the sake of attaining a perfection in the languages,) he may with good advantage begin, at fourteen or fifteen, the tour of Great Britain, now and then by excursions in the summer months, between his other studies, and as a di

version to him.

This I should wish might be entered upon in his papa's company, as well as his tutor's, if it could conveniently be done; who thus, initiating both the governed and the governor in the methods he would have observed by both, will

obtain no small satisfaction and amusement to himself.

For the father would by this means be an eye-witness of the behaviour of the one and the other, and have a specimen how fit the young man was to be trusted, or the tutor to be depended upon, when they went abroad, and were out of his sight; as they would of what was expected from them by the father. And hence a thousand benefits, as I humbly conceive, would arise to the young gentleman from the observations and reflections he would receive from his father, as occasion offered, with regard to expense, company, conversation, hours, and such like.

If the father could not himself accompany his son, he might appoint the stages the young gentleman should take, and enjoin both tutor and son to give, at every stage, an account of whatever they observed curious and remarkable, not omitting the minutest occurrences. By this means, and the probability that he might hear of them, and their proceedings, from his friends, acquaintance, and relations, who might fall in with them, or at whose seats they might sometimes be entertained, they would have a greater regard to their conduct; and so much the more, if the young gentleman were to keep an account of his expenses, which, upon his return, he might lay before his father.

By seeing thus the different customs, manners, and economy of different persons and families, (for in so mixed a nation as ours is, there is as great a variety of that sort to be met with as in most,) and from their different treatment at their several stages, a great deal of the world may be learned by the young gentleman. He would be prepared to go abroad with more delight to himself, as well as more experience, and greater reputation to his family and country. In such excursions as these, the tutor would see the temper and inclination of the young gentleman, and might give proper notices to the father, if any thing was amiss, that it might be set right, while the youth was yet in his reach, and more under his inspection, than he would be in a foreign country; and the observations the young gentleman would make at his return, as well as in his letters, would shew how fit he was to be trusted, and how likely to improve, when at a greater distance.

After England and Wales, as well the inland parts as the sea-coasts, let them, if they behave according to expectation, take a journey into Scotland and Ireland, and visit the principal islands, as Guernsey, Jersey, &c., the young gentleman continuing to write down his observations all the way, and keeping a journal of occurrences; and let him employ the little time he will be on board of ship in these small trips from island to island, or coastwise, in observing upon the noble art of navigation; of the theory

of which, it will not be amiss that he has some notion, as well as of the curious structure of a ship, its tackle, and furniture: a knowledge very far from being insignificant to a gentleman who is an islander, and has a stake in the greatest maritime kingdom in the world; and hence he will be taught to love and value that most useful and brave set of men, the British sailors, who are the natural defence and glory of the realm. Hereby he will confirm his theory of the geography of the British dominions in Europe; he will be apprized of the situation, conveniences, interests, and constitution of his own country; and will be able to lay a ground-work for the future government of his thoughts and actions, if the interest he bears in his native country should call him to the public service in either House of Parliament.

With this foundation, how excellently would he be qualified to go abroad! and how properly then would he add to the knowledge he had attained of his own country, that of the different customs, manners, and forms of government of others! How would he be able to form comparisons, and to make all his inquiries appear pertinent and manly! All the occasions of that ignorant wonder, which renders a novice the jest of all about him, would be taken away. He would be able to ask questions, and to judge without leading-strings. Nor would he think he has seen a country, and answered the ends of his father's expense, and his own improvement, by running through a kingdom, and knowing nothing of it, but the inns and stages at which he stopped to eat and drink. For, on the contrary, he would make the best acquaintance, and contract worthy friendships with such as would court and reverence him as one of the rising geniuses of his country.

Whereas most of the young gentlemen, who are sent abroad raw and unprepared, as if to wonder at everything they see, and to be laughed at by all that see them, do but expose themselves and their country; and if at their return, by interest of friends, by alliances or marriages, they should happen to be promoted to places of honour or profit, their unmerited preferment will only serve to make those foreigners, who were eye-witnesses of their weakness and follies, when among them, conclude greatly in disfavour of the whole nation; or, at least, of the prince and his administration, who could find no fitter subjects to distinguish.

This, my dear friend, is a brief extract from my observations on the head of qualifying young gentlemen to travel with honour and improvement. I doubt you'll be apt to think me not a little out of my element; but since you would have it, I claim the allowances of a friend; to which my ready compliance with your commands the rather entitles me.

I am very sorry Mr and Mrs Murray are so

unhappy in each other. Were he a generous man, the heavy loss the poor lady has sustained, as well as her sister, my beloved friend, in so excellent a mother, and so kind a father, would make him bear with her infirmities a little.

But, really, I have seen on twenty occasions, that, notwithstanding all the fine things gentlemen say to ladies before marriage, if the latter do not improve upon their husbands' hands, their imputed graces, when single, will not protect them from indifference, and probably from worse; while the gentleman, perhaps, thinks he only, of the two, is entitled to go backward in acts of kindness and complaisance. A strange and shocking difference, which too many ladies experience, who, from fond lovers, prostrate at their feet, find surly husbands, trampling upon their necks!

You, my dear friend, were happy in your days of courtship, and are no less so in your state of wedlock. And may you continue to be so to a good old age, prays

Your affectionate and faithful friend,
P. B-

LETTER CII.

MRS B TO LADY G

MY DEAR LADY G

I WILL cheerfully cause to be transcribed for you the conversation you desire, between myself, Lady Towers, and Lady Arthur, and the three young ladies, their relations, in presence of the Dean and his daughter, and Mrs Brooks; and glad I shall be if it may be of use to the two thoughtless misses your neighbours; who, you are pleased to tell me, are great admirers of my story, and my example; and will therefore, as you say, pay greater attention to what I write, than to the more passionate and interested lessons of their mamma.

I am only sorry that you should have been under any concern about the supposed trouble you give me, by having mislaid my former relation of it. For, besides obliging my dear Lady G, the hope that I may be able to do service by it to a family so worthy, in a case so nearly affecting its honour, as to make two headstrong young ladies recollect what belongs to their sex and their characters, and what their filial duties require of them, affords me high pleasure; and if it shall be attended with the wished effects, it will be an addition to my happiness.

I said, cause to be transcribed; because I hope to answer a double end by it; for, after I had reconsidered it, I set Miss Goodwin to transcribe it, who writes a very pretty hand, and is not a little fond of the task, nor indeed of any task I set her; and will be more affected as she per

forms it, than she could be by reading it only; although she is a very good girl at present, and gives me hopes that she will continue to be so. As soon as it is done I will enclose it, that it may be read to the parties without this introduction, if you think fit. And you will forgive me for having added a few observations to this transcription, with a view to the cases of your inconsiderate young ladies, and for having corrected the former narrative in several places.

MY DEAR LADY G,

THE papers you have mislaid, relating to the conversation between me and the young ladies, relations of Lady Towers and Lady Anne Arthur, in presence of these two last-named ladies, Mrs Brooks, and the worthy Dean, and Miss L, (of which, in order to perfect your kind collection of my communications, you request another copy,) contained as follows:

I first began with apprizing you, that I had seen these three ladies twice or thrice before, as visitors, at their kinswomen's houses; so that they and I were not altogether strangers to one another; and my two neighbours acquainted me with their respective tastes and dispositions, and gave me their histories, preparatory to this visit, to the following effect :

"That Miss Stapylton is overrun with the love of poetry and romance, and delights much in flowery language and metaphorical flourishes; is about eighteen ; wants not either sense or politeness; and has read herself into a vein, that is more amorous (that was Lady Towers's word) than discreet; has extraordinary notions of a first-sight love; and gives herself greater liberties, with a pair of fine eyes, (in hopes to make sudden conquests in pursuance of that notion,) than is pretty in her sex and age; which makes those who know her not, conclude her bold and forward; and is more than suspected, with a mind thus prepared for instantaneous impressions, to have experienced the argument to her own disadvantage, and to be struck by, before she has stricken, a gentleman, whom her friends think not at all worthy of her, and to whom she was making some indiscreet advances, under the name of PHILOCLEA to PHILOXENUS, in a letter which she intrusted to a servant of the family, who, discovering her design, prevented her indiscretion for that time.

"That, in other respects, she has no mean accomplishments, will have a fine fortune, is genteel in her person, though with some visible affectation, dances well, sings well, and plays prettily on several instruments; is fond of reading, but affects the action, and air, and attitude of a tragedian; and is too apt to give an emphasis in the wrong place, in order to make an author mean more significantly than it is necessary

he should, even where the occasion is common, and in a mere historical fact, that requires as much simplicity in the reader's accent, as in the writer's style. No wonder, then, that when she reads a play she will put herself into a sweat, as Lady Towers says; distorting very agreeable features, and making a multitude of wry mouths, with one very pretty one, in order to convince her hearers what a near neighbour her heart is to her lips.

"Miss Cope is a young lady of nineteen, lovely in her person, with a handsome fortune in possession, and great prospects; has a soft and gentle turn of mind, which disposes her to be easily imposed upon; is addressed by a libertine of quality, whose courtship, while permitted, was imperiousness; and whose tenderness, insult; having found the young lady too susceptible of impression, open and unreserved, and even valuing him the more, as it seemed, for treating her with ungenerous contempt; for that she was always making excuses for slights, ill manners, and even rudeness, which no other young lady would forgive.

"That this facility on her side, and this insolence on his, and an over-free, and even indecent degree of ramping, as it is called, with her, which once her mamma surprised them in, made her papa forbid his visits, and her receiving them.

"That this, however, was so much to Miss Cope's regret, that she was detected in a design to elope to him out of the private garden-door; which, had she effected, in all probability the indelicate and dishonourable peer would have triumphed over her innocence, having given out since, that he intended to revenge himself on the daughter, for the disgrace he had received from the parents.

"That though she was convinced of this, it was feared she still loved him, and would throw herself in his way the first convenient opportunity; urging, that his rash expressions were the effect only of his passion; for that she knows he loves her too well to be dishonourable to her ; and, by the same degree of favourable prepossession, she will have it, that his brutal roughness is the manliness of his nature; that his most shocking expressions are sincerity of heart; that his boasts of his former lewdness are but instances that he knows the world; that his freedoms with her person are but excess of love, and innocent gaiety of temper; that his resenting the prohibition he has met with, and his threats, are other instances of his love and his courage; and peers of the realm ought not to be bound down by little narrow rules, like the vulgar; for, truly, their honour, which is regarded, in the greatest cases, as equal with the oath of a common gentleman, is a security that a lady may trust to, if he is not a profligate indeed; and that Lord P cannot be.