fo from being hurt at the offer, which gave me fingular pleasure, but because I had lately received from Mr. Hearne, whom he well knew, the affiftance I then wanted. I added, that I could not think of borrowing the money he had laboured many years for, without being certain of repaying it, even if I was actually preffed for it; I con-fequently would not contract a debt of fuch a nature, when I really had no immediate occafion. The worthy man reluctantly acquiefced with this declaration, and took his leave, in appearance as much mortified at the refufal of his money, as others would have been at being dunned for it.

This grateful behaviour of my late fervant Daniel only wants the decorations of Shakspere's immortalizing pen to make it as memorable as that of Adam in his "As you like it."-The honefty and friendship of that venerable fervant towards the memory of old Sir Rowland, as he terms Orlando, when represented by Berry, with that honest plainness, and unaffected fenfibility, which was never equalled by any other performer, could not affect the weeping audience more than this* well-meant offer of Daniel's did me. The impreffion will never be eradicated from my mind. And that infinitely more from the manner in which the favour was tendered, and the grateful intention of it, than from the fervice fuch a fum at

that

that time could have been to me. Thefe were the only two inftances of gratitude, among the numerous opportunities I gave for the exertion of it, that ever I met with. But these are fufficient to convince me, that the virtue has an existence, though, like the phoenix, its appearance is very

rare.

G. A. B.

LETTER LXXVIII.

August 29, 17

UPON my firft engaging at Edinburgh, the

gentlemen of Glasgow offered to build a theatre by fubfcription, if our company would promise to perform there in the fummer. To this we readily confented, as the inhabitants were not only opulent, but liberal to a degree. The theatre being now ready, we formed very agreeable ideas of the jaunt; and that not only from the views of profit that it presented, but from the favourable ideas we entertained of the place and people. The Goddess of Nonfenfe (for fo we had nicknamed Mifs Wordley, from her being directly the reverfe, and having performed the character at Mr. Wilkinson's benefit) was impatient beyond measure for our removal from the metropolis. I had lately left Bonnington, and refided in the

city,

city, as the bufinefs of the theatre required my being near it; and upon this occafion David Hure complimented nie with his apartments in the Cannongate.

When we were about to fet off, after having discharged my bills, I found I had not cash fufficient to defray the expences of the journey; my family confifting of myself, Mifs Wordley, and three fervants. The chaifes were ordered, and expected foon to be at the door. Not knowing, how to raise any money upon this emergency, I fent one of my women, whofe name was Waterftone, to a watch-maker's in the High-street, to difpofe of the filver repeater Mr. Digges had given me. The perfon I directed her to apply to had gained a reputation, by making several for that great mechanical genius the Duke of Argyll.

The chaifes were now at the door; and I waited with the greatest impatience for the arrival of the money to enable us to fet off. Some hours: elapsed without any tidings of my meffenger. Her honefty I could not fufpect. Her ftay therefore could not be accounted for. About four in the. afternoon, a perfon, dreffed something like one of our beadles, came to inform me, that a woman belonging to me was detained about a watch fhe had offered to fell.

This intelligence crowned my misfortunes. I fent back the chaifes which were yet in waiting,

and

and defired Mr. Still would go to regain the poor woman her liberty. When that gentleman got to the watchmaker's, he was informed, that Mr. Digges had purchased the watch of the very perfon I fent it to. It being invaluable upon account of the workmanship, but from the largeness of its fize not very faleable, he had fold it to Mr. Digges fomewhat under the mark, and had taken his note for it, payable at the conclusion of the feafon.

The man faid, as he understood Mr. Digges did not intend to return, and as the watch was offered for sale, fufpicions arofe in his mind that it was not honeftly come by; especially as the woman refufed leaving it, or telling from whom The came. Mr. Still having thus learnt the circumstances of the affair, to accommodate it as well as he could, returned the repeater to its first owner, upon his agreeing to deliver up Mr. Digges's note, and liberating my fervant.

My friendly negociator then went to endeavour to raise me a fund that fhould enable me to fet out for Glasgow the next morning, it being neceffary that we should no longer defer going. He brought me fufficient for the expences of half the journey, and I was obliged to depend upon the purses of my partners for defraying the remainder. Mifs Wordley's humour kept my fpirits

fpirits from finking under all these vexations; and the gloom which overclouded my mind feemed gradually to difpel every mile we went. So that before we had made much progress in our journey, I affumed a chearfulness to which I had long been a stranger.

The next day at noon, we faw the delightful city to which we were going, at a little diftance before us. The magnificence of the buildings, and the beauty of the river, which the fineness of the day caused to appear, if poffible, to greater advantage, elated my heart; and I anticipated the pleasure I should have in being received by friends, who were not only moft cordial in their repeated invitations, but whofe opulence furnished them with power to fulfil their warm promises of fupport.

When we arrived at Glasgow, one of the.performers exclaimed, "Madam, you are ruined, "for you have nothing left but what you have "with you in the chaifes." I am at a loss, even now, to account for the compofure with which I heard this alarming falutation, for I enquired into the cause of it without the leaft emotion. I was informed, that the ftage of the New Theatre had been fet on fire the night before, and that all my paraphernalia and wardrobe, which lay there unpacked, had been confumed by the flames.

The