tell you, is the mother of Cupid, and mistress of Mars.

At prefent the drum is beating up under my window for volunteers to Bacchus--In plain English, the drum tells me dinner is ready; for a drum gives us bloody-minded heroes an appetite for eating, as well as for fighting; nay, we get up by the beat of it, and it every night fends, or ought to fend us, to bed and to fleep. To-night it will be late before I get to one or the other, I fancy-indeed, the thoughts of you would prevent the latter. But, the next difgrace to refufing a challenge, is refufing a toast. The merit of a jolly fellow and of a spunge is much about the fame. For my part, no glass of any liquor tastes as it fhould to me, but when I kiss my M. on

the rim.

Adieu-Whatever hard fervice I may have after dinner, no quantity of wine shall make me yet drop or forget my appointment with you tomorrow. We certainly were not seen yesterday, for reafons I will give you.

Though you fhould perfift in never being

mine,

Ever, ever

Your's.

LET.

LETTER II.

My dearest M.

To the Same.

Huntingdon, Dec. 6, 1775.

No-I will not take advantage of the sweet, reluctant, amorous confeffion which your candour gave me yesterday. If to make me happy be to make my M. otherwise; then, happiness, I'll none of thee..

And yet I could argue. Suppose he has bred you up-Suppose you do owe your numerous accomplishments, under genius, to him--are you therefore his property? Is it as if a horse that he has bred up fhould refuse to carry him? Suppofe you therefore are his property-Will the fidelity of fo many years weigh nothing in the scale of gratitude?

Years why, can obligations (fuppofe they had not been repaid an hundred fold) do away the unnatural disparity of years? Can they bid fiveand-fifty ftand ftill (the leaft that you could afk), and wait for five-and-twenty? Many women have the fame obligations (if indeed there be many of the fame accomplishments) to their fathers. They have the additional obligation to them (if, indeed,

B 2

indeed, it be an obligation) of exiftence. The difparity of years is fometimes even less.

But, muft they therefore take their fathers to their bofoms? Muft the jeffamine fling its tender arms around the dying e'm?

Tomy little fortunes you are no stranger. Wilk you share them with me? And you fhall honeftly tell his Lordship that gratitude taught you to pay every duty to him, till love taught you there: were other duties which you owed to H.

Gracious Heaven that you would pay them! But, did I not fay I would not take advantage? I will not. I will even remind you of your children; to whom I, alas, could only fhew at prefent the affection of a father.

M. weigh us in the fcales. If gratitude out. balance love-fo.

If you command it, I fwear by love, I'll join my regiment to-morrow.

If love prevail, and infift upon his dues; you fhall declare the victory and the prize. I will take no advantage.

Think over this. Neither will I take you by furprize. Sleep upon it, before you return your anfwer. Trim fhall make the old excufe tomorrow. And, thank Heaven! to-night you fleep alone.

Why did you fing that sweet song yesterday, though I fo preffed you? Those words and your voice, were too much.

No words can fay how much I am your's.

LETTER III.

To Mr.

H.

Dec. 7, 1775.

My dear H.

HERE has been a fad piece of work ever fince I received your's yesterday. But, don't be alarmed-We are not difcovered to the prophane. Our tender tale is only known to-(whom does your fear fuggeft?)-to love and gratitude, my H. And they ought both for twenty reafons, to be your friends, I am fure.

They have been trying your caufe, ever fince the departure of honeft Trim yesterday. Love, though in my opinion not so blind, is as good a juftice, as Sir John Fielding. I argued the matter ftoutly-my head on his Lordship's fide of the queftion, my heart on your's. At laft they seemed to fay, as if the oath of allegiance, which I had taken to gratitude, at a time when, Heaven knows, I had never heard of love, fhould be void, and I should be at full liberty to devote myself, body

and foul, to-But call on me to-morrow before dinner, and I'll tell you their final judgment. This I will tell you now-love fent you the tenderest wishes, and gratitude faid I could never pay you all I owe you for your noble letter of yesterday.

Yet-oh, my H. think not meanly of me ever for this Do not you turn advocate against me. -I will not pain you'tis impoffible you ever should.

Come then to-morrow-and furely Omiah will not murder love! Yet I thought the other day he caught our eyes converfing. Eyes speak a language all can understand.But, is a child of nature to nip in the bud that favourite paffion which his mother Nature planted, and ftill tends?-What will Oberea and her coterie fay to this, Omiah, when you return from making the tour of the globe? They'll blackball you, depend on it.

What would Roffeau fay to it, my H.?

You fhall tell me to-morrow. I will not write another word; left conscience, who is just now looking over my left fhoulder, fhould fnatch my pen, and fcratch out to-morrow.

LET