The course of true love never did run smooth;
But either it was different in blood;

Or else misgrafted in refpect of years;
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends;
Or if there were a fympathy in choice,
War, death, or ficknefs, did lay fiege to it;
Making it momentary, as a found;

Swift as a fhadow; fhort as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night.

I received, about this time, a letter from Mr. Alderman Cracroft, my attorney in London, informing me, that Mr. Davy's attorney had orders to fue me for the arrears due upon my annuity; unless I fent him a power of attorney to enable him to make a lawful claim upon Mr. Calcraft, who had refused to pay it. As I had made no doubt but that it had been regularly paid, I was doubly angry at his meanness in having in his letter pretended ignorance of the affair. I therefore immediately figned the writing that was fent me, and forwarded it to London by the first post. I afterwards heard, that upon Mr. Calcraft's treating the perfon who made the demand, very cavalierly, he was arrested. Hurt at fuch an indignity offered to a man of his great confequence, he threw the cause into chancery, where it remained hung up during Mr. Davy's life, who was

* Midfummer's Night Dream, Act I. Scene I.

too

too opulent and too indolent to carry on the fuit.

I remained in Dublin till the middle of the fummer. And Mr. Moffop not being able to pay me the whole of what he had engaged for, I was obliged to borrow four hundred pounds, before I could leave the kingdom. After I landed in England, I was taken fo ill at Chester, that I was confined for feveral days. I had the happiness to come over with two ladies, who were very attentive to me, and who were kind enough to delay their journey, in order that we might travel to town together.

When I was tolerably recovered, these ladies perfuaded me to go with them to the concert. There I met Mr. Crump. As I ́had not seen him, or heard any thing from him, fince my being arrefted for the debt due to him, it was natural for me to fuppofe that he not only knew of the affair, but was confenting to it. I accordingly, when he faluted me with his ufual cordiality, could not help expreffing my furprise at it. An explanation took place; immediately after which, he abruptly left the room, and, as I have fince heard, fet off for Dublin, where he endeavoured to revenge himfelf upon Coates. But he was disappointed in this, for Coates having received fome intimation of his defign, and dreading his refolution, to avoid his fury, fet off for Eng

land.

land. And in a fhort time after, this much injured man, who had before given fome proofs of infanity, died raving mad.

Upon my arrival in London, my health not being perfectly reftored, I went to my former lodgings at Chelsea, from thence I wrote to Mr. Cracroft, informing him that I would be with him in a few days. I was indebted to this gentleman a very confiderable fum; and he had expreffed fome difpleasure in a letter he wrote me, upon account of my leaving the kingdom, without acquainting him with my defign. I own I was unpardonable in not doing it; and the more fo, as I was very intimate with his lady and family.

When I waited on the Alderman, he asked me whether I had any engagement at the theatre. To which I anfwered in the negative; adding, that I could not attempt to make one, till my affairs were fettled. He faid, it would be very difficult to do that, as the amount of what I owed was more than he believed I thought it. I had made no doubt but that Mr. Calcraft had appropriated the overplus arifing from the fale of my jewels to the payment of my debts, as far as it would go, and I concluded that might amount to near four thousand pounds. The workmanship of fome of them was fo extremely curious, that it must have infured the fale of them, and that at a very good

price. There was among them a windmill, which, upon being wound up, went for three hours; and a cap fet in a ftyle peculiarly elegant.

How great then was my aftonishment, when I was informed by the Alderman, that they had been delivered to Mr. Jeffries, a fword cutler, in the Strand, who had broke them to pieces by order of Mr. Calcraft, and that the money arifing from them only amounted to eleven hundred pounds. As I had delivered Mr. Calcraft the receipts, which were for more than fix thousand pounds, and they had been purchased of perfons of reputation in that bufinefs, I could not account for the manoeuvre. I therefore defired him to write to Mr. Calcraft upon the fubject.

Mr. Cracroft now proceeded to inform me, that he had received a lift of my debts from Clifford, (who had left me upon account of her being married,) and that they amounted to ten thousand, three hundred pounds. My courage now forfook me; I had little to hope from Mr. Calcraft, who, in this laft instance, had not only fhown himself to be cruel, but difhoneft, in the ftri&teft fenfe of the word. The Alderman then feemed to hint, at my taking the benefit of an act of infolvency, which was at that time in agitation. I own I never felt my felf degraded till that moment. The bare fuppofition of

fuch

fuch a step made me fo ill, that I was unable for fome minutes to anfwer him.

When I was a little recovered, I informed him that I was incapable of fuch a thought. In me, I faid, it would be the blackest fraud; as mine were debts which had been contracted from extravagant thoughtleffness, and not like thofe of the fair trader, which were generally the confequences of loffes or misfortunes. I added, that I was determined to throw myself upon the mercy of my creditors, to whom, if they would allow me time, I would make all the reparation in my power, by giving up to them the whole of my falary, referving only my benefit for my own fupport.

This refolution the alderman applauded in the warmest terms. He faid, that he had hinted at the measure, merely to make a trial of my probity. And fince I had fo nobly scorned to clear myself by fuch an unjuft method, he would draw up for me a letter of licence, which he had no doubt but every creditor, as well as himself, would fign; and not only do that, but afford me fupport to the utmost of their power. He accordingly fulfilled his promife, and advanced me fome money for my prefent exigencies.

Mr. Rich received me with open arms; and my engagement being figned, I was fo far eafy. My letter of licence was likewife