troul? You cannot think it. Very feldom at least can you fuppofe, that, where there is much fenfibility of temper, an ill placed paffion fhall not leave behind it, in a youthful breaft, great diforder and deep difquietude.

But how, you will ask, is the fnare to be cluded, hidden as it frequently is? Not fo hidden throughout, as to be invifible, unless indeed you will fhut your eyes. Is it not your bufinefs to enquire into the character of the man that professes an attachment? Or is character nothing? Is there no effential difference between a man of decency and honour, or who has all along paffed for fuch, and a man who is known to lead an irregular life, or who is fufpected however to be the fmiling foe of female virtue? May not you learn if you pleafe, with whom the perfon in question aflociates? Or is a man's choice of company nothing? If you are not refolved to be blind, you may furely difcover whether fuch a perfon begins by little and little to take off the vizard, and appear what he is, by loofe fentiments, indecent advances, an ambiguous ftyle, an alarming af furance, "foolish talking, and jetting which is not convenient."-I blush for numbers of your fex, who not only exprefs no difpleasure at these things, but by a loud laugh, a childish titter, or foolifh fimper, or fome other indication of a light mind, fhew real fatisfaction, perhaps high complacence.'

But, methinks, I hear fome of you alk, with an air of earnest curiofity, do not reformed rakes then make the best "hufbands? I am forry for the question. I am doubly forry, whenever it is started by a virtuous woman. I will not wound the ear of modefty by drawing minutely the character of a rake: but give me leave to answer your enquiry, by asking a queftion or two in my turn. In the first place, we will fuppofe a man of this character. really reformed, fo far as to treat the woman he marries with every mark of tenderness, esteem, fidelity; and that he gives up for ever his old companions, at leaft as to any chofen intimacy, or preference of their company to hers. We grant it poffible; we rejoice when it happens. It is certainly the best atonement that can be made for his former conduct. But now let me ask you, or rather let me defire you to ask your own hearts, without any regard to the opinions of the world, which is most defirable on the fcore of fentiment, on the score of that refpect which you owe

to yourselves, to your friends, to your sex, to order, rectitude, and honour; the pure unexhausted affection of a man who has not by intemperance and debauchery corrupted his principles, impaired his conftitution, enflaved himself to appetite, fubmitted to hare with the vileft and meanest of mankind the mercenary embraces of harlots, contributed to embolden guilt, to harden vice, to render the retreat from a life of fcandal and mifery more hopeless; who never laid fnares for beauty, never betrayed the innocence that trufted him, never abandoned any fond creature. to want and despair, never hurt the reputation of a woman, never disturbed the peace of families, or defied the laws of his country, or fet at nought the prohibition. of his God ;-which I fay, is most defirable, the affection of fuch a man, or that. of him, who has probably done all this, who has certainly done a great part of it, and who has nothing now to offer you, but the fhattered remains of his health, and of his heart? How any of you may feel on this subject, I cannot fay. But if, judging as a man, I believed, what I have often heard, that the generality of women would prefer the latter, I know not any thing that could fink them so low in my efteem,

In order to preferve their fobriety, the author, in the next place, warns his fair pupils against a diffipated life, and then proceeds to caution them againft that fatal poifon to virtue, which is conveyed by. profligate, and by improper books.

When entertainment, fays he, is made the vehicle of instruction, nothing surely can be more harmless, agreeable, or useful. To prohibit young minds the perufal of any writings, where wildom addrefles the affections in the language of the imagination, may be fometimes well meant, but must be always injudicious. Some fuch writings undoubtedly there are; the offspring of real genius enlightened by knowledge of the world, and prompted,it is to be hoped, by zeal for the improvement of youth.

Happy indeed beyond the vulgar ftory-telling tribe, and highly to be praifed is he, who, to fine fentibilities and lively fancy fuperadding clear and compre henfive views of men and manners, writes. to the heart with fimplicity and chasteness, through a feries of adventures well conducted, and relating chiefly to scenes in ordinary life; where the folid joys of vir

tue,

604

tue,and her facred forrows are strongly contrafted with the hollowness and the horrors of vice; where, by little unexpected yet natural incidents of the tender and domestic kind, fo peculiarly fitted to touch the foul, the most important leffons are impreffed, and the most generous fentiments awakened; where, to fay no more, diftrefs occafioned often by indifcretions, confiftent with many degrees of worth, yet clouding it for the time, is worked up into a ftorm, fuch as to call forth the principles of fortitude and wisdom, confirming and brightening them by that exertion; till at length the bursting tempeft is totally, or in a great measure difpelled, so that the hitherto fufpended and agitated reader is either relieved entirely,and delighted even to transport, or has left upon his mind at the conclufion a mixture of virtuous sadness, which ferves to fasten the moral deeper, and to produce an unufual fobriety in all his paflions.

Amongst the few works of this kind which I have feen, I cannot but look on thefe of Mr. Richardfon as well entitled to the first rank; an author of whom an indisputable judge has with equal truth and energy pronounced, "that he taught the paflions to move at the command of reafon :" I will venture to add, an author to whom your fex are under fingular obligations for his uncommon attention to their best interefts; but particularly for prefenting, in a character fuftained throughout with inexpreflible pathos and delicacy, the most exalted standard of female excellence that was ever held up to their imitation. I would be underflood to except that part of Clariffa's conduct, which the author meant to exhibit as exceptionable. Setting this afide, we find in her character a beauty, a fweetnefs, an artlefinefs-what fhall I fay more? a fanctity of fentiment and manner, which, I own for my part, I have never feen equalled in any book of that fort; yet fuch, at the fame time, as appears no way impracticable for any woman who is ambitious of excelling.

All

In the old romance the paffion appeared with all its enthufiam. But then it was the enthusiasm of honour; for love and honour were the fame. The men were fincere, magnanimous, and noble ; were patterns of chastity, the women dignity, and affection. They were only to be won by real heroes; and this title was founded in protecting, not in betraying the fex, The proper merit with them confifted in the difplay of difinterested goodness, undaunted fortitude, and unalterable fidelity. The turn of those books was influenced by the genius of the times in which they were compofed; as that, on the other hand, was nourished by them. The characters they drew were, no doubt, often heightened beyond nature; and the incidents they related, it is certain, were commonly blended with the most ridiculous extravagance. At prefent, however, I believe they may be read, with perfect fafety, if indeed there are any who choose to look into them.

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give fpecial orders for their being put to death.

Gaft, when he returned to his master, confirmed this account, and faid, that as it was now in their power to escape, they ought to avail theinfelves of the advantage, without the lots of a minute. The Swifs, at the fame time, to whofe cuftody they had been delivered, declared they would attend them wherever they would, and would chearfully hazard their lives for the chance of preferving them all. But M. de la Force, who had given his word and honour, replied, with great conftancy, "I have pledged my faith, and it mult not be violated. I will here wait "God's pleafure, who will difpofe of us for the belt "

am killed!" The youngeft, by a happy thought, did the fame, without having received any huit, and threw himfelf down by his brother.

His brother and his father received many blows after they were upon the ground, and by a frange and fingular providence, the youngest had not fo much as a feratch upon the ikin; and though the bodies were immediately tripped quite naked, the murderers in their hurry did not take notice that he was without wound.

As they thought they had finished their bunefs, they quitted the place, and the inhabitants of the neighbouring houses being led by curiofity to look at the bodies, it happened that a poor man coming up to the youngest brother, cried out,

Alas, this is only a poor little child!" The child hearing this exclamation of pity, lifted up his head, and cried, "I am

On the evening of the day when the promised ransom was expected, the count de Coconas came to the house with forty or fifty foldiers, fome Swifs, tome French. They went directly up to the chamber where the prifoners were confined, and the count told M. de la Force, that monLieur, the king's brother, having heard that they were prifoners, had fent him to find him out, and defired to fpeak with him. As foon as the words were out of his mouth, his men, going up to the prifoners, ftripped off their cloaks, hats, and caps, which they made no doubt was a prelude to their death. M. de la Force complained of this treatment, fuppofing that the money which he had been promifed for his ranfom, was ready.

The affaffins, feeing but four perfons, afked where was the fifth? The fifth was Gaft, who, during their horrid delibera tions, had hid himself in the garret. They immediately began to feek him, with fuch diligence, that at last they found him; and then they drove them all to the butchery.

When they got to the bottom of the Rue des Petits-Champs [Little-fields - ftreet] near the ramparts, they cried out, Kill, kill! The eldest of the two children was firft wounded, and, reeling, cried out, as he fell," Lord have mercy upon me, I

good man, putting his hand on the child's head, faid to him, in a low voice, "Don't "ftir, for they're ftill in fight!" The child did as he was ordered, and the man, ftill walking near the place, after a little time came up to him again, and said haftily, "Get up, for they are gone." He then threw an old cloak over him, for he was quite naked; and fome of the neigh bours afking him who he had got there, he faid, it was his nephew, an idle young rogue, who had got very drunk, and he was going to give him a good whipping. He then took him into a little room at the top of the houfe, and lent him old ragged cloaths that were really his nephew's. This man was a marker at the Tennis Court, and very poor, and feeing fome rings upon the youth's finger, he asked for them, that he might get a choppin of

wine.

He kept him in this garret the whole night, and before day the next morning, he asked, Whither he fhould conduct him? He answered, to the Louvre, where he had a fitter, who belonged to the queen's houthold. The good man, however, objected to his going thither, becaule there were many parties of foldiers that it would be neceffary to pafs, fome of whom might pofibly know him, and then they would inevitably perish toge ther.

The youth then propofed that they fhould go to the Arfenal, where he had Hhhh z

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