liable to the fame impofitions; that I am so easy a prey to those who are capable of duplicity, and endeavour to excite my humanity by plaufible pretexts. But I apprehend, we always judge of others by our own fenfations. I am fure. I always do. I fo deteft duplicity, that were I unhappy enough to be guilty of the worst of crimes, I would frankly acknowledge them, and not condefcend by fubterfuge or falfhood to difguife my guilt.

Át my mother's death I had taken a female, whom she had bred up, and was particularly fond of, and fent her to France, under the protection of Mademoiselles Greffiers, in order to learn the art of making mantuas, robes, trimmings, and all the neceffary appendages to drefs. I was to pay for her board three years; by the expiration of which time it was fuppofed, fhe would be fufficiently killed in the bufinefs to merit fome falary befides her board and lodging. She had voluntarily given ten pounds a year to an indigent mother to help to fupport her and the late Lord Hampden allowed this little income, not only on account of the name, but because she must have poffeffed the eftate annexed to the name, had fhe fortunately been of the masculine gender.

From

From the time of my removal to Walcot-Place, I was fo turmoiled by illness, law, hope, fear, and diftrefs, that I had neither written to her, nor heard from her. And the term I had agreed to pay for, being expired before my arrival, I naturally expected she was settled at Boulogne, as affistant to the persons I had placed her with.

One day, upon my coming home, I was told, that a tall lady in deep mourning, had called and enquired for Mrs. Bellamy; and that with fuch a pofitive certainty of her living at No. 10. Dukestreet, that he would hardly be denied. As I ftill retained the name of Weft, the perfon who went to the door ftrenuously infifted, that there was no one of that name who lived there; and as it happened to be a domeftic of a lodger in the house, who was totally a stranger to me, he was offended at the enquirer's obftinacy. My maidfervant, as well as the gentlewoman of the house being out, fhe could get no fatisfaction, and therefore left word that she would call again.

The reafon I did not re-affume my own name after my benefit, was, for fear left any letters from my two fons, who always directed to me by that name, fhould mifcarry. Befides this, all the trades people in the neighbourhood I dealt F 2 with,

with, make out their bills and receipts in that name to this day and as thofe few intimates I had, knew me by no other, but for one benefit night, it occurred to me, that the perfon whe called could be no other than Mifs Hampden; I therefore defired that I might fee her when she called again.

As fhe had been affured of my refiding here, by a person who had frequently feen me at the window, and in a difhabille, which convinced them I lodged where I did, fhe returned in the afternoon. I was happy to fee her. But, upon enquiring into her fituation, I found fhe had made no proficiency in the bufinefs to which I had apprenticed her. She acquainted me, that fhe had very fortunately been recommended as governess to a daughter of Lady James, as fhe fpoke French fluently, and was thought qualified for fuch an employment.

During her refidence in this family, her mother had gone to feek a better world; upon which occafion her patronefs, who is one of the best of women, had presented her with mourning. The time for which the engaged being expired, and Sir William thinking his daughter of age to fit always at is own table, wifhed to fave the expence

of

of a domestic in her line, who would now be use lefs; they had accordingly difcharged her, to her great regret. Her ladyfhip, however, had promifed her the continuance of her protection, and would honour her with a recommendation, whenever he could get employment; but this, fe faid, fhe had not much hopes of, as fhe only knew how to make trimmings, to fing "Haut de Villes,” and take the promenade.

I could not help fmiling at this recapitulation of my charge's talents, and congratulated her upon fuch brilliant acquifitions, after feven years application to bufinefs. In my turn, I now informed her of my unhappy fituation, which put it out of my power to affift her, agreeable to my inclination; but if fhe would fhare my morfel, L told her it was much at her fervice; and if the would fleep with my maid, fhe might. The latter offer fhe declined, thinking, perhaps, that repofing. with a more delicate girl than herself, would contaminate the blood of the Hampdens.

Lady James foon put the promises she had made her into execution. She fo warmly interefted herself in her favour, and was fo earnest in her folicitations with Lord Hampden, that fhe prevailed upon his Lordfhip to advance her a fum of money;

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money; to which her Ladyfhip fo liberally contributed, that he was provided with every thing proper to undertake a voyage to the Eaft-Indies. Thither fhe went, and I hear she is happily married, and fettled at Madras.

As foon as I was releafed from my late difagreeable capture, I went to pay a visit to Mrs. Ay, who was lately come to England, and refided in the country. Her reafon for visiting this kingdom was as follows: A noble peer, when upon his travels, made her fome compliments, and paid great attention to her during his ftay in France; which fhe, like other foolifh women, took tout de bon. As that lady was now a young. widow, and poffeffed of a large fortune by her uncle's death, fhe vainly imagined, that a trip to our dear little ifland would be the means of adding an Earl's coronet to her own refplendent efcutcheon. She accordingly came over.

But upon her arrival, fhe did not find that his Lordship meant his fluerets in the same sense they were understood by the lady. Being thus difappointed of obtaining her elevated expectations, fhe fell from the pompous idea, and exactly verified what I have read in fome celebrated French author:

"The