I get, nor obtain the least thing I asked for, and because I refufed to become preceptor to this young man, and had made fome alteration in my religion, (having renounced that creed, which was compofed, nobody knows by whom, and introduced into the church in the darkest ages of popish ignorance; a fymbol, which ftrongly participates of the true nature and spirit of popery, in those severe denunciations of God's wrath, which it pours fo plentifully forth against all those whofe heads are not turned to believe it), my father was fo enraged that he would not even admit me to his table any longer, but bid me be gone. My mother-in-law likewife for ever abused me, and her nephew, the lad, infulted me when I came in his way. Being thus compelled to withdraw, I fet fail for England as foon as it was in my power, and arrived in Cumberland by the fore of a storm. I proceeded from thence to the mountains of Stanemore, to look for a gentleman, my friend, who lived among those hills; and as I journeyed over them, and miffed him, I chanced to meet with a fine northern girl, and a habitation to my purpofe. I married her, and for almost two years paft was the happiest of the human race, till the fable curtain fell between us, and the angel of death tranflated her glorious foul to the fields of paradife. Not able to bear the place of our refidence, after I had 2 loft loft my heart's fond idol, I left the charming fpot and manfion, where unmixed felicity had been for fome time my portion, and I was travelling on towards London, to fee what is ordained there in referve for me; when by accident I loft my way, and the fates conducted me to the Groves of Bafil. Curiofity led me into the library I found in the plain, without this wood, from whence, in fearch for fome human creatures, I pro- ' ceeded to the fountain, where I had the pleasure of feeing you, Sir, and this young lady. This is a fummary of my paft life; what is before me heaven only knows. My fortune I trust with the Preferver of men, and the Father of fpirits. One thing I am certain of by obfervation, few as the days of the years of my pilgrimage have been, that the emptiness, and unfatisfying nature of this world's enjoyments, are enough to prevent my having any fondnefs to ftay in this region of darkness and forrow. I thall never leap over the bars of life, let what will happen but the fooner I have leave to depart, I fhall think it the better for me. §. 8. The old gentleman feemed fur- The old gentleprized at my ftory, and after fome moments man's refilence, when I had done, he faid, Your ply to the measure, Sir, is hard, and as it was, in part, for declaring against a falfe religion at your years, you pleafe me fo much, that if D 3 you itory. The hifto Henley, you At the time appointed I met the old genry of Ch. tleman in the parlour, and just as we had Efq; and done faluting each other, Statia entered, ful daugh- bright and charming as Aurora. She was ter Statia. in a rich drefs, and her bright victorious eyes his beauti flafhed a celeftial fire. She made our tea, and gave me fome of her coffee. She asked me a few civil queftions, and faid two or three good things on the beauties of the morning, and the charms of the country. She left us the moment we had done breakfaft, and then the old gentleman addreffed himself to me in the following words. you I do not forget the promise I made you, but must first relate the hiftory of my family. I do it with the more pleasure, as I find are of our religion, and I cannot help having a regard for you, on your daring to throw up a fortune for truth; for bravely daring to renounce thofe fyftems, which have an outward orthodox roundness given to them by their eloquent defenders, and within are mere corruption and apoftacy. The The skeleton you faw in the library was once my fon, Charles Henley, a most extraordinary man. He had great abilities, and understood every thing a mortal is capable of knowing, of things human and divine.When he was in his nineteenth year, I took him to France and other countries, to fee the world, and, on our return to England, married him into a noble family, to a very valuable young woman, of a large fortune, and by her he had the young lady you faw fitting on the chair near the table by me. This fon I loft, three years after his marriage, and with him all relish for the world: and being naturally inclined to retirement and a fpeculative life, never stirred fince from this country-house. Here my fon devoted himfelf entirely to study, and amused himself with inftructing his beloved Statia, the young lady you have feen. At his death he configned her to my care; and as her understanding is very great, and her difpofition sweet and charming, I have not only taken great pains in educating her, but have been delighted with my employment. Young as fhe is, but in the fecond month of her one Aug. 14, and twentieth year, the not only knows more than women of diftinction generally do, but would be the admiration of learned men, if her knowledge in languages, mathematics, and philofophy, were known to them and as her father taught her mufic D 4 and 1727. and painting, perhaps there is not a young woman of finer accomplishments in the kingdom. Her father died towards the end of the year 1723, in the 39th year of his age, when she was not quite fixteen, and, by his will, left her ten thousand pounds, and Bafil-Houfe and eftate; but she is not to inherit it, or marry, 'till the is two and twenty. This was her father's will. As to the ke leton in the library, it was my fon's express order it fhould be fo, and that the figure should not be removed from the place it ftands in, while the library remained in that room; but continue a folemn memorial in his family, to perpetuate his memory, and be a memento mori to the living, Old Mr. §. 10. This is the hiftory of Bafil Groves, Henley of fers me his and the late owner of this feat, and his grand- daughter Statia. We live a happy, relidaughterin marriage. gious life here, and enjoy every bleffing that can be defired in this lower hemitphere, But as I am not very far from a hundred years, having paffed that ninety-two which Sir William Temple fays, he never knew any one he was acquainted with arrive at, I must be on the brink of the grave, and expect every day to drop into it. What may become of Statia, then, gives me some trouble to think; as all her relations, except myself, are in the other world. To spend her |