lieve might take place inftantaneously, and put the devil to flight in a hurry, and sq matters would be all right again. And I have known many who having these ideas, have continued to live very profligate Lives to the end of the chapter.

I often privately took the Bible to bed with me, and in the long fummer mornings read for hours together in bed, but this did not in the least influence my conduct. As you know great events often arise from little caufes, I am now going to relate a circumftance, trivial in itself, though productive of a more confiderable change in my fituation, than any I had yet experienced,

I was twenty-one years of age the 11th of September 1767, the election was over the latter end of March 1768. It was in this year that my new master's wife infifted on my purchafing milk of a milk-maid who was a cuftomer at the fhop; which command refuted to comply with, as I had a smaṛt little milk maid of my own. But as my

mistress

mistress wore the breeches, my mafter was obliged, by his wife's order, to inform me that I must comply with her mandate, or get another master. I left him without hesitation; and the fame afternoon went to Wellington, took leave of my father and mother, and informed them of my intention to go to Bristol. After two or three days, I returned back to Taunton, where I stayed a day or two more. In which time I became enamoured with, or infatuated by, the beautiful Nancy Trott: and although I faw the impropriety of the measure, yet I could not refift the fair tempter, who prevailed with me to permit her to accompany me in my journey,

"Reason was given to curb our headstrong will,
"And yet but fhews a weak phyfician's skill;
"Gives nothing while the raging fit does laft,
"But ftays to cure it when the worst is past,
Reafon's a staff for age,, when Nature's gone
"But Youth is ftrong enough to walk alone,”

DRYDEN'S Con, of Gran.

We rested a week in Bridgewater, where I worked hard and got money to convey us to

Exbridge, feventeen miles on this fide Bristol

and there I faw my conduct in fuch a point

!

of view as made me to refolve to leave her.

"In well-feign'd accidents, now they hail my ear,
"My life, my love, my charmer, or my dear.
"As if these founds, thefe joyless founds could prove
"The fmallest particle of genuine love.

"O! purchas'd love, retail'd through half the town,

"Where each may fhare on paying half-a-crown;
"Where every air of tenderness is art,

"And not one word the language of the heart;
"Where all is mockery of Cupid's reign,

"End in remorse, in wretchednefs and pain.

Art of living in London,

My finances amounted to three fhillings and one penny, out of which I gave her half-acrown, and with the remaining fevenpence, without informing her of my purpose, I fet off for Bristol; where I arrived in a few hours, and got work the fame evening.

A few days after, I went to the inn where the Taunton carrier put up, to enquire after Mifs Trott, as I wanted to know if she had returned fafe to Taunton. I was informed that she was in Bristol nearly as foon as I

was.

was. Knowing but little of the world, and ftill lefs of women of her defcription, I was quite unhappy on her account, for fear that being in a strange place the might be in want and diftrefs; which thought induced me to offer to feveral of my countrymen five shillings to the first who should bring me an account where I might find her; but I did not fee her until several weeks after that.

"Some foe to his upright intent,

"Finds out his weaker part,

"Virtue engages his affent,

"But pleasure wins the heart.

""Tis here the folly of the wife,

The Taunton carrier gave me a letter from my good Miftrefs Bowden (who by marrying again had changed her name to Dingle). The contents of this letter very much furprised me. It informed me that a day or two before I fell out with my last mistress (which was the trifling caufe of my leaving Taunton) Betty Tucker, a common lafs, had fworn

fworn a child to me; that the parish officers had been to my master's fhop within an hour after I had left it to go to Wellington, and that they had been at Wellington just as I had left that place, and afterwards hearing that I was in Bridgewater they had pursued me thither. But the morning on which they arrived, I had fet off for Exbridge; and believing that I had intentionally fled before them, they had given over this chafe for the prefent.

Reflecting on this affair, although my conduct was very far from entitling me to entertain such a supposition, yet I was then weak enough to imagine, that being a particular favourite of heaven a kind of miracle had been wrought to save me from a prison, or from marrying a woman I could not bear the idea of living with a fingle week; and as I had not any knowledge of her being with child (not having feen her for three months before) I had not taken any measure to avoid the confequence, but put myself in the way of the officers: for, as I have just told you,

after