I have undertaken to find him ten thousand pounds at four per cent. by which means he will fave one hundred a-year in the article of intereft, and perhaps we shall be able to borrow the other eight thousand on the same terms. According to his own fcheme of a country life, he fays he can live comfortably for three hundred pounds a-year; but, as he has a fon to educate, we will allow him five hundred; then there will be an accumulating fund of feven hundred a-year, principal and intereft, to pay off the incumbrance; and, I think, we may modeftly add three hundred on the prefumption of newleafing and improving the vacant farms; fo that, in a couple of years, I fuppofe, there will be above a thoufand a-year appropriated to liquidate a debt of fixteen

thoufand.

WE forthwith began to class and set apart the articles defigned for fale, under the direction of an upholder from London; and, that no body in the house might be idle, commenced our reformation without doors, as well as within. With Baynard's good leave, I ordered the gardener to turn the rivulet into its own channel, to refresh the fainting Naiads, who had fo long languished among mouldering roots, withered leaves, and dry pebbles. The fhrubbery is condemned to extirpation; and the pleasure-ground will be restored to its original ufe of corn-field and pafture. Orders are given for rebuilding the walls of the garden at the back of the house, and for planting clumps of firs, intermingled with beech and chefnut, at the eaft end, which is now quite expofed to the furly blasts that come from that quarter. All thefe works being actually begun, and the house and auction left to the care and management of a reputable attorney, I brought Baynard along with me in the chaife, and made him acquainted with Dennifon, whose goodness of heart would not fail to engage his esteem and affection. He is indeed charmed with our fociety in general, and declares that he never faw the theory of true pleasure reduced to practice before.-I really believe it would not be an easy task to find such a number of individuals affembled under one roof more happy than we are at prefent.

I MUST tell you, however, in confidence, I fufpect Tabby of tergiverfation.-I have been fo long accuftomed to that original, that I know all the caprices of her heart, and can often perceive her defigns while they are yet in embryo. She attached herself to Lifimahago for no other reafon but that the defpaired of making a more agreeable conqueft-At prefent, if I am not much mif taken in my obfervation, the would gladly convert the widowhood of Baynard to her own advantage-Since he arrived, he has behaved very coldly to the captain, and ftrove to faften on the other's heart with the hooks. of overftrained civility. Thefe must be the inftinctive efforts of her conftitution, rather than the effects of any deliberate defign; for matters are carried to fuch a length with the lieutenant, that fhe could not retract with any regard to confcience or reputation. Besides, she will meet with nothing but indifference or averfion on the fide of Baynard, who has too much fenfe to think of fuch a partner at any time, and too much delicacy to admit a thought of any fuch connection at the prefent juncture. Meanwhile I have prevailed upon her to let him have four thousand pounds at four per cent. towards paying off his mortgage--Young Dennifon has agreed that Liddy's fortune fhall be appropriated to the fame purpose, on the fame terms-His father will fell out three thousand pounds ftock for his accommodation→→ Farmer Bland has, at the defire of Wilfon, undertaken for two thousand; and I must make an effort to advance what farther will be required to take my friend out of the hands of the Philistines. He is fo pleased with the improvements made on this eftate, which is all cultivated like a garden, that he has entered himfelf as a pupil in farming to Mr Dennifon, and refolved to attach himfelf wholly to the practice of husbandry.

EVERY thing is now prepared for our double wedding. The marriage articles for both couples are drawn and executed; and the ceremony only waits until the parties fhall have been refident in the parish the term prescribed by law Young Dennifon betrays fome fymptoms of impatience; but Lifmahago bears this neceffary delay with the temper of a philofopher.-You must

know, the captain does not ftand altogether on the foundation of perfonal merit. Befides his half-pay, amounting to two and forty pounds a-year, this indefatigable economist has amassed eight hundred pounds, which he has fecured in the funds. This fum arifes partly from his pay's running up while he remained among the Indians; partly from what he received as a confideration for the difference between his full appointment and the half pay, to which he is now restricted; and partly from the profits of a little traffic he drove in peltry, during his fachemfhip among the Miamis.

LIDDY's fears and perplexities have been much affuaged by the company of one Mifs Willis, who had been her intimate companion at the boarding-fchool. Her parents had been earneftly folicited to allow her making this friendly visit on fuch an extraordinary occafion; and two days ago fhe arrived with her mother, who did not chufe that the fhould come without a proper governante. The young lady is very handfome, fprightly, and agreeable, and the mother a mighty good fort of a woman; fo that their coming adds confiderably to our enjoyment. But we fhall have a third couple yoked in the matrimonial chain. Mr Clinker Lloyd has made humble remonstrance, through the channel of my nephew, fetting forth the fincere love and affection mutually fubfifting between him and Mrs Winifred Jenkins, and praying my consent to their coming together for life. I would have wished that Mr Clinker had kept out of this fcrape; but as the nymph's happiness is at ftake, and she has had already fome fits in the way of defpondence, I, in order to prevent any tragical cataftrophe, have given him leave to play the fool, in imitation of his betters; and I fuppofe we fhall in time have a whole litter of his progeny at Brambletonhall. The fellow is ftout and lufty, very fober and confcientious; and the wench feems to be as great an enthusiast in love as in religion.

I WISH you would think of employing him fome other way, that the parish may not be overftocked.-You know he has been bred a farrier, confequently belongs to the faculty; and, as he is very docile, I make no doubt, but, with your good inftruction, he may be, in VOL. VI. Dd d

a little time, qualified to act as a Welch apothecary. Tabby, who never did a favour with a good grace, has confented, with great reluctance to this match. Perhaps it hurts her pride, as fhe now confiders Clinker in the light of a relation; but I believe her objections are of a more felfith nature. She declares fhe cannot think of retaining the wife of Matthew Lloyd in the character of a fervant; and the forefees, that, on fuch an occafion,. the woman will expect fome gratification for her past fervices. As for Clinker, exclufive of other confiderations, he is fo trufty, brave, affectionate, and alert, and I owe him fuch personal obligations, that he merits more than all the indulgence that can poffibly be fhewn him by

Oct. 26.

Yours,

MATT. BRAMBLE.

To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS, Bart. at Oxon.

DEAR KNIGHT,

HE fatal knots are now tied. The comedy is near

TH

a close, and the curtain is ready to drop; but the latter fcenes of this aft I fhall recapitulate in order.— About a fortnight ago, my uncle made an excurfion acrofs the country, and brought hither a particular friend, one Mr Baynard, who has juft loft his wife, and was for fome time difconfolate, though, by all accounts, he had much more caufe for joy than for forrow at this event. His countenance, however, clears up apace; and he appears to be a perfon of rare accomplishments.

But we have received another. ftill more agreeable reinforcement to our company, by the arrival of Mifs Willis from Gloucefter. She was Liddy's bofom-friend at boarding-school, and being earnestly folicited to affist at the nuptials, her mother was fo obliging as to grant my fifter's requeft, and even to come with her in perfon. Liddy, accompanied by George Dennifon and me, gave them the meeting half way, and next day conducted them hither in fafety. Mifs Willis is a charm

ing girl, and, in point of difpofition, an agreeable contraft to my fifter, who is rather too grave and fentimental for my turn of mind-The other is gay, frank, a little giddy, and always good humoured. She has, moreover, a genteel fortune, is well born, and remarkably handfome.-Ah Phillips! if thefe qualities were permanent-if her humour would never change, nor her beauties decay, what efforts would I not make-But thefe are idle reflections-my deftiny must one day be fulfilled.

AT prefent we pafs the time as agreeably as we canWe have got up feveral farces, which afforded unspeakable entertainment, by the effects they produced among the country people, who are admitted to all our exhibitions. Two nights ago, Jack Wilfon acquired great applaufe in Harlequin Skeleton, and Lifmahago furprifed us all in the character of Pierot.-His long lank fides, and strong marked features, were all peculiarly adapted to his part. He appeared with a ludicrous ftare, from which he had difcharged all meaning: He adopted the impreffions of fear and amazement fo naturally, that many of the audience were infected by his looks; but when the skeleton held him in chace, his horror became moft divertingly picturefque, and feemed to endow him. with fuch preternatural agility as confounded all the fpectators. It was a lively reprefentation of Death in purfuit of Confumption; and had fuch an effect upon the commonalty, that fome of them fhrieked aloud, and others ran out of the hall in the utmoft conflernation.

THIS is not the only inftance in which the lieutenant had lately excited our wonder. His temper, which had been foured and fhrivelled by disappointment and chagrin, is now fwelled out and smoothed like a raifin in plum-porridge. From being referved and punctilious, he is become eafy and obliging. He cracks jokes, laughs, and banters, with the most facetious familiarity; and, in a word, enters into all our fchemes of merriment and paftime.-The other day his baggage arrived in the waggon from London, contained in two large trunks, and a long deal box, not unlike a coffin. The trunks were filled with his wardrobe, which he difplayed for the entertainment of the company; and he freely