felf. Having faid this, he put the lid down, and ordered them to carry the lady home.

Our curiofity being excited by this account, Mr. Quin ordered the letter, which had been thrown into the chair, to be taken out. Whilft this was doing, one of the fellows faid, he was fure the poor gentleman meant no harm to Mifs, as he was one of the best men in the world. He added, that he had delivered me a letter from him fome time ago; but I was fo angry that he never durft venture to give me another. "And pray who is that gentleman ?" faid Mr. Quin. "Why, Sir," replied the chairman, "It is his honour Mr. Bullock." The letter being by this time brought, Mr. Quin defired he might be permitted to read it: It was much against my inclination that it fhould be opened, as I had already received fo many from the fame perfon, that I had formed a refolution to fend back his epiftles in future as they came. The letter, however, was read, and the contents found to breathe nothing but love and madness. The inditer of it was a young gentleman of good expectations, being heir to a confiderable eftate. He was educated at Cambridge, and had not yet left college. His perfon was remarkably handfome, but the violence of his behaviour terrified instead of engaging me. Mr. Quin, who was well acquainted with his father, put the letter into his pocket,

and

and promised to bring the young man to reafon.

We had juft fat down to fupper, when a waiter came from the Bedford with a letter directed for me. Here I cannot avoid stopping a minute to trouble you with another foliloquy. I think that word is full as applicable to a moral reflection when written alone, as when spoken alone; at least I fhall ufe it upon this occafion, as I cannot just now find another more expreffive; and beg a truce with your criticifm.-But to come to this fame foliloquy.-To what continual folicitations are females in the theatrical line, whofe perfons or abilities render them confpicuous, expofed! They go through an ordeal almoft equally hazardous to that used of old as a teft of chastity. The matureft judgment and firmest resolution are required, to enable them to fteer aright. And is this to be expected from frail fair ones, hoodwinked by youth, inexperience, vanity, and all the fofter paffions? Inftead of wondering that fo many of thofe who tread the ftage yield to the temptations by which they are furrounded, it is rather a matter of amazement that all do not. Continually befieged by perfons of the highest rank, who are practifed in the arts of feduction, and impowered by their affluence to carry the most expenfive and alluring of these into execution, it is next to impoffible that the fortrefs

fhould

fhould be impregnable,-Fortunate is it for many who pride themselves in their untried virtue, that their lot is caft in a lefs hazardous ftate.

We had just fat down to fupper, as I faid before, when a waiter came from the Bedford-Head, with a letter directed for me. The fervant indifcreetly took it in; which fo shocked my mother's delicacy, that I had almost faid fhe made herself ridiculous. I could not refrain from telling her, that it was not poffible for me to be contaminated by the impertinence of a man that must be inebriated, or he would not have taken fuch an unwarrantable liberty. Nor could the house from whence it came give her juft caufe for offence; as Woodifield's, though fituated in Covent-Garden, was honoured with parties of the best character, ladies as well as gentlemen.

Upon opening the fcrawl, we found it came from Lord Byron; who, though he was lately married to one of the best and lovelieft of her sex, made me therein an offer of a fettlement. His Lordfhip concluded with fwearing that if I did not consent to his propofal, he would purfue me till I took fhelter in another's arms. As foon as Mr. Quin had read the letter, he called for pen and ink, and fent the following anfwer to it. "Lieutenant O'Hara's compliments to Lord

Byron, and if he ever dares to infult his

"fifter

"fifter again, it fhall not be either his title "or cowardice that shall preserve him from "chastisement." This fortunate impromptu of Mr. Quin's fo frightened his Lordship, that the waiter came foon after to let us know he was gone. And we found that this valliant nobleman actually fet off the next morning for Nottinghamshire. Nor have I ever fince been troubled with his attacks. Lady Byron, fome time after, came to my benefit, and honoured me with marks of her generofity; which were the more pleafing to me, as they likewife afforded a proof of the liberality of her fentiments.

Could you have formed any conception that there had been men of his Lordship's caft? of those who break their marriage vows fo foon after they have been made; ere they had well reached Heaven's portals? Yet fuch you fee there are. But from fuch falfe ones may Hymen preferve you and every other worthy woman.

G. A. B.

June 5th, 17

A

FTER being delivered from the apprehenfions Lord Byron had occafioned, I thought myself perfectly happy. I was,

however,

however, doomed to fuftain fresh unhappinefs from another quarter; and that was from my mother's Irish friend Mr. Crump, in whose favour the was conftantly teizing me. They had carried on a correfpondence together ever fince we came from Ireland. But that I did not wonder at; as my mother had met with great fuceefs in the profeffion he had advised her to engage in, and she had occafion frequently to fend him over commiffions for linens.

.

As I always made it a point never to read a letter belonging to another, even if open, efteeming it a breach of the moft facred of trufts, many of his epiftles to her lay carelefsly fcattered about, without my ever looking into one of them. An accident, however, foon happened, which obliged me, contrary to my refolutions, to inspect the laft the received from him.

Mr. Quin thinking that the force of the company lay in comedy, he introduced me into every piece which contained a character fuited to my figure and age. As he was excellent in the Double Dealer, and Mrs. Woffington was well received in Lady Touchwood, I had an opportunity of appearing in Lady Froth; a character which would afford ample room for the exertion of my fancy and humour. I accordingly performed it, and met with better fuccefs than I had reafon

to