To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS, Bart. of Jefus College, Oxon. DEAR PHILLIPS, THE HE very day after I wrote my last, Clinker was set at liberty-As Martin had foretold, the accufer was himself committed for a robbery, upon unqueftionable evidence. He had been for fome time in the fnares of the thief-taking fociety; who, resenting his prefumption in attempting to encroach upon their monopoly of impeachment, had him taken up and committed to Newgate, on the depofition of an accomplice, who has been admitted as evidence for the king. The postillion being upon record as an old offender, the Chief Juftice made no scruple of admitting Clinker to bail, when he perufed the affidavit of Mr Mead, importing that the faid Clinker was not the perfon that robbed him on Blackheath; and honeft Humphry was difchargedWhen he came home, he expreffed great eagerness to pay his refpects to his mafter, and here his elocution failed him, but his filence was pathetic; he fell down at his feet, and embraced his knees, fhedding a flood of tears, which my uncle did not fee without emotionHe took fnuff in fome confufion; and, putting his hand in his pocket, gave him his bleffing in fomething more fubftantial than words-" Clinker (faid he), I am fo well convinced, both of your honefty and courage, that I am refolved to make you my lifeguard man on the highway." He was accordingly provided with a cafe of piftols, and a carbine to be flung acrofs his fhoulders; and every other preparation being made, we set out last Thursday, at seven in the morning; my uncle, with the three women in the coach; Humphry, well mounted on a black gelding bought for his ufe; myself a-horseback, attended by my new valet Mr Dutton, an exceeding coxcomb, fresh from his travels, whom I have taken upon trial. The fellow wears a folitaire, ufes paint, and takes rappee with all the grimace of a French marquis. At pre fent, however, he is in a riding dress, jack boots, leather breeches, a fcarlet waiftcoat, with gold binding, a laced hat, a hanger, a French posting whip in his hand, and his hair en queue. BEFORE we had gone nine miles, my horfe loft one of his fhoes; fo that I was obliged to stop at Barnet to have another, while the coach proceeded at an easy pace over the common. About a mile fhort of Hatfield, the poftillions, ftopping the carriage, gave notice to Clinker that there were two fufpicious fellows a-horseback, at the end of a lane, who feemed waiting to attack the coach. Humphry forthwith apprised my uncle, declaring he would stand by him to the last drop of his blood; and, unflinging his carbine, prepared for action. The fquire had pistols in the pockets of the coach, and refolved to make use of them directly; but he was ef fectually prevented by his female companions, who flung themfelves about his neck, and fcreamed in concert.At that inftant, who fhould come up, at a hand-gallop, but Martin, the highwayman, who, advancing to the coach, begged the ladies would compose themselves for a moment; then, defiring Clinker to follow him to the charge, he pulled a pistol out of his bofom, and they rode up together to give battle to the rogues, who, having fired at a great diftance, fled acres the common. They were in pursuit of the fugitives when I came up, not a little alarmed at the shrieks in the coach, where I found my uncle in a violent rage, without his periwig, ftruggling to difentangle himself from Tabby and the other two, and fwearing with great vociferation. Before I had time to interpofe, Martin and Clinker returned from the purfuit, and the former paid his compliments with great politnefs, giving us to understand, that the fellows had scampered off, and that he believed they were a couple of raw 'prentices from London. He commended Clinker for his courage, and faid, if we would give him leave, he would have the honour to accompany us as far as Stevenage, where he had fome business. THE fquire, having recollected and adjusted himself, was the first to laugh at his own fituation; but it was not without difficulty that Tabby's arms could be unVOL. VI. Z twisted from his neck, Liddy's teeth chattered, and Jenkins was threatened with a fit as ufual. I had communicated to my uncle the character of Martin, as it was described by the conftable, and he was much struck with its fingularity-He could not fuppofe the fellow had any design on our company, which was fo numerous and well armed; he therefore thanked him for the service he had just done them, said he would be glad of his company, and asked him to dine with us at Hatfield. This invitation might not have been agreeable to the ladies, had they known the real profeffion of our gueft; but this was a fecret to all, except my uncle and myfelf-Mrs Tabitha, however, would by no means confent to proceed with a cafe of loaded piftols in the coach, and they were forthwith discharged in complaifance to her and the reft of the women. BEING gratified in this particular, fhe became remarkably good-humoured, and at dinner behaved in the most affable manner to Mr Martin, with whofe polite addrefs, and agreeable converfation, the feemed to be much taken. After dinner, the landlord accofting me in the yard, afked, with a fignificant look, if the gentleman that rode the forrel belonged to our company? I understood his meaning, but answered No; that he had come up with us on the common, and helped us to drive away two fellows, that looked like highwaymen-He nodded three times diftinctly, as much as to fay, he knows his cue. Then he enquired, if one of those men was mounted on a bay mare, and the other on a chefnut gelding, with a white streak down his forehead? and being answered in the affirmative, he affured me, they had robbed three poft chaises this very morning-I enquired, in my turn, if Mr Martin was of his acquaintance; and, nodding thrice again, he anfwered, that he had feen the gentleman. BEFORE We left Hatfield, my uncle, fixing his eyes on Martin, with fuch expreffion as is more easily conceived than defcribed, afked, if he often travelled that road? and he replied with a look which denoted his understanding the queftion, that he very seldom did bufinefs in that part of the country. In a word, this adventurer favoured us with his company to the neigh bourhood of Stevenage, where he took his leave of the coach and me in very polite terms, and turned off upon a cross road, that led to a village on the left.-At fupper, Mrs Tabby was very full in the praise of Mr Martin's good fenfe and good breeding, and feemed to regret that she had not a farther opportunity to make fome experiment upon his affection. In the morning, my uncle was not a little furprised to receive, from the waiter, a billet couched in these words: "SIR, "I COULD eafily perceive from your looks, when I had the honour to converse with you at Hatfield, that my character is not unknown to you; and, I dare say, you won't think it ftrange, that I should be glad to change my prefent way of life for any other honest occupation, let it be ever fo humble, that will afford me bread in moderation, and fleep in fafety.-Perhaps you may think I flatter, when I fay, that, from the moment I was witness to your generous concern in the cause of your fervant, I conceived a particular efteem and veneration for your perfon; and yet what I fay is true. I fhould think myself happy, if I could be admitted into your protection and fervice, as houfe-fteward, clerk, butler, or bailiff, for either of which places I think myfelf tolerably well qualified; and, fure I am, I fhould not be found deficient in gratitude and fidelity: At the fame time, I am very fenfible how much you must deviate from the common maxims of difcretion, even in putting my profeffions to the trial; but I don't look upon you as a perfon that thinks in the ordinary ftile; and the delicacy of my fituation will, I know, juftify this address to a heart warmed with beneficence and compaffion.-Understanding you are going pretty far north, I fhall take an opportunity to throw myfelf in your way again, before you reach the borders of Scotland; and, I hope, by that time, you will have taken into confideration the truly diftrefsful cafe of, Honoured Sir, Your very humble, And devoted fervant, THE fquire, having perufed this letter, put it inte my hand, without faying a fyllable; and, when I had read it, we looked at each other in filence. From a certain sparkling in his eyes, I discovered there was more in his heart than he cared to exprefs with his tongue, in favour of poor Martin; and this was precisely my own feeling, which he did not fail to difcern, by the fame means of communication-" What shall we do (faid he) to fave this poor finner from the gallows, and make him a useful member of the commonwealth? and yet the proverb fays, Save a thief from the gallows, and he'll cut your throat." I told him I really believed Martin was capable of giving the proverb the lie; and that I fhould heartily concur in any step he might take in favour of his folicitation. We mutually refolved to deliberate upon the fubject, and in the mean time proceeded on our journey. The roads having been broke up by the heavy rains in the spring, were fo rough, that, although we travelled very flowly, the jolting occafioned fuch pain to my uncle, that he was become exceedingly peevish when we arrived at this place, which lies about eight miles from the poft road, between Weatherby and Boroughbridge, HARROWGATE water, fo celebrated for its efficacy in the fcurvy and other diftempers, is fupplied from a copious fpring, in the hollow of a wild common, round which a good many houfes have been built for the convenience of the drinkers, though few of them are inhabited. Moft of the company lodge at fome distance, in five feparate inns, fituated in different parts of the common, from whence they go every morning to the well, in their own carriages. The lodgers of each inn form a diftinct fociety that eat together; and there is a commodious public room, where they breakfast in dishabille, at feparate tables, from eight o'clock till eleven, as they chance or chufe to come in-Here also they drink tea in the afternoon, and play at cards, or dance in the evening. One cuftom, however, prevails, which I look upon as a folecifm in politenefs.-The ladies treat with tea in their turns, and even girls of fixteen are not exempted from this shameful impofition.-There is |