pany. It is hard to difcover or make out a road to this place, as we are furrounded almoft by impaffable mountains, and a very dangerous morafs: Nor can I conceive how you found the way here without a guide, or ventured to travel this country, as there are no towns in this part of the county. There must be fomething very extraordinary in your cafe, and as you mentioned your being a wanderer, I should be glad to hear the cause of your journeying in this uninhabited region. But firft (Mr. Henley faid) as it is now near eight at night, and you must want refreshment, having met with no inn the whole day, we will go in to fupper. He then arofe, and brought me to an elegant parlour, where a table was foon covered with the best cold things, and we immediately sat down. Every eatable was excellent, and the wine and other liquors in perfection. Mifs Henley fat at the head of the table, her grandfather over-against her, and placed me at her right hand between them both. The young lady behaved in a very eafy genteel manner; and the old gentleman, with freedom, chearfulnefs, and good manners. "Till nine this scene lafted, and then Mr. Henley again requested I would oblige him with an account of my travels in that part of the world. This I faid I would do in the best manner I could, and while he leaned back in his eafy chair, and and the beautiful Statia faftened her glorious eyes upon me, I went on in the following words. author's from the year till his the groves year of his §. 7. I am an Englishman, Sir, but have A fumma paffed the greatest part of my life in Ireland, ry of the and from the western extremity of it I came. History, My father is one of the rich men in that beginning kingdom, and was, for many years, the ten- of his 17th derest and most generous parent that ever fon arrival at was bleffed with. He fpared no coft on my of Bail in education, and gave me leave to draw upon 1727, in him, while I refided in the university of Dublin five years, for what I pleafed. Ex- age. travagant as I was in feveral articles, he never fet any bounds to my demands, nor afked me what I did with the large fums I had yearly from him. My happiness was his felicity, and the glory of his life to have me appear to the greatest advantage, and in the moft refpected character, that money can gain a man. But at last, he married his fervant maid, an artful cruel woman, who obtained by her wit and charms fo great an afcendant over him, that he abandoned me, to raise a young nephew this stepmother had, to what fplendor and power the pleased. He had every thing he could name that money could procure, and was abfolute mafter of the house and land. Not a fhilling at this time could I get, nor obtain the leaft thing I asked for, and because I refused 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 fpirit of popery, in those fevere 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 force 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 happieft 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 24 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 proceeded to the fountain, where I had the pleasure of feeing you, Sir, and this young lady. This is a fummary of my past life; what is before me heaven only knows. My fortune I truft with the Preferver of men, and the Father of fpirits. One thing I am certain of by observation, 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 fondness to stay in this region of darkness and forrow. I fhall 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. gentle story. §. 8. The old gentleman feemed fur- The old prized 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 please me fo much, that if D 3 you The hifto Henley, you will give me leave, I will be At the time appointed I met the old genry of Ch. tleman in the parlour, and juft 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 flashed 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. I do not forget the promife I made you, but must first relate the hiftory of my family. I do it with the more pleasure, as I find you 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 |