up myself as a specimen of my skill. I attempted to excufe myself from accepting this benefaction, with much hefitation and confufion; but I was commanded with a kind frown, and in a peremptory tone, to be filent. I was told, that, when bufinefs came in, I fhould pay all my debts; that in the mean time, I fhould be folicitous only to fet up; and that a change of genteel apparel might be confidered as my stock in trade, fince without it my business could neither be procured nor tranfacted. To work, therefore, I went; my cloaths were made and worn; many encomiums were lavished upon my dex. terity and my perfon; and thus I was entangled in the fnare that had been laid for me, before I discovered my danger. I had contracted debts which it was impoffible I fhould pay; the power of the law could now be applied to effect the purposes of guilt; and my creditor could urge me to her purpofe, both by hope and fear.

I had now been near a month in my new lodging; and great care had hitherto been taken to conceal whatever might fhock my modefty, or acquaint me with the danger of my fituation. Some incidents, however, notwithstanding this caution, had fallen under my notice, that might well have alarmed me; but as those who are waking from a pleafing dream fhut their eyes against the light, and endeavour to prolong the delufion by flumbering again, I checked my fufpicions the moment they rofe, as if danger that was not known would not exist; without confidering that enquiry alone could confirm the good, and enable me to escape the evil.

The house was often filled with company, which divided into separate rooms; the vifits were frequently continued till midnight, and fometimes till morning; I had, however, always defired leave to retire, which had hitherto been permitted, though not without reluctance; but at length I was preffed to make tea, with an importunity that I could not refift. The company was very gay, and fome familiarities paffed between the gentlemen and ladies which threw me into confufion and covered me with blushes; yet I was ftill zealous to impofe upon myself, and, therefore, was contented with the fuppofition, that they were liberties allowed among perfons of fashion, inany of whose polite levities I

had heard defcribed and cenfured by the dear monitor of my youth, to whom I owed all my virtue and all my knowledge. I could not, however, reflect without folicitude and anxiety, that fince the first week of my arrival I had. heard no more of my business. I had, indeed, frequently ventured to mention it; and still hoped, that when my patronefs had procured me a little fet of customers among her friends, I should be permitted to venture into a room of my own; for I could not think of carrying it on where it would degrade my benefactress, of whom it could not without an affront be said, that she let lodgings to a mantua-maker; nor could I without indecorum diftribute directions where I was to be found, till I had removed to another houfe. But whenever I introduced this fubject of converfation, I was either raillied for my gravity, or gently reproached with pride, as impatient of obligation: fometimes. I was told, with an air of merriment, that my business should be pleasure; and fometimes I was entertained with amorous ftories, and excited by licentious and flattered defcriptions, to a relifh of luxurious idleness and expenfive amusements. In fhort, my fufpicions gradually increafed; and my fears grew ftronger, till my dream was at an end, and I could flumber no more. The terror that feized me, when I could no longer doubt into what hands I had fallen, is not to be expreffed, nor, indeed, could it be concealed: the effect which it produced in my aspect and behaviour, afforded the wretch who attempted to feduce me no profpect of fuccefs; and as the defpaired of exciting me by love of pleasure to voluntary guilt, the determined to effect her purpose by furprize, and drive me into her toils by defperation. It was not lefs my misfortune than reproach, that I did not immediately quit a place, in which I knew myself devoted to deftruction. This, indeed, Mrs. Wellwood was very affiduous to prevent: the morning after I had difcovered her purpofe, the talk about my business was renewed; and as foon as we had breakfafted, he took me out. with her in a hackney-coach, under pretence of procuring me a lodging; but he had ftill some plausible objection against all that we faw. Thus fhe contrived to bufy my mind, and keep me with her the greatest part of the day; at

three

I

three we returned to dinner, and paffed the afternoon without company. drank tea with the family; and in the

evening, being uncommonly drowsy, I went to bed near two hours fooner than usual.

the of this night I

Twantonitions, but what they

had been, the circumstances of the morning left me no room to doubt. I discovered with aftonishment, indignation, and defpair, which for a time fufpended all my faculties, that I had fuffered irreparable injury in a state of infenfibility; not fo much to gratify the wretch by whom I had been abused, as that I might with lefs fcruple admit another, and by reflecting that it was impoffible to recover what I had loft, become careless of all that remained. Many artifices were used to foothe me; and when these were found to be ineffectual, attempts were made to intimidate me with menaces. I knew not exactly what paffed in the first fury of my diftraction, but at length it quite exhaufted me. In the evening, being calm through mere languor and debility, and no precaution having been taken to detain me, because I was not thought able to efcape, I found means to steal down ftairs, and got into the street without being miffed. Wretched as I was, I felt fome emotions of joy when I first found myself at liberty; though it was no better than the liberty of an exile in a defart, where, having escaped from the dungeon and the wheel, he must yet, without a miracle, be deftroyed by favages or hunger. It was not long, indeed, before I reflected, that I knew no house that would receive me, and that I had no money in my pocket. I had not, however, the leaft inclination to go back. I fometimes thought of returning to my old mistress, the mantua-maker; but the moment I began to anticipate the mali. cious inference he would draw from my abfence and appearance, and her triumph in the mournful neceffity that urged me to return, I determined rather to fuffer any other evil that could befal

me.

VIRG.

Thus deftitute and forlorn, feeble

and difpirited, I continued to creep

along till the fhops were all shut, and the deferted streets became filent. The bufy crowds, which had almost borne me before them, were now diffipated; and every one was retired home, except a few wretched outcasts like myfelf, who were either huddled together in a corner, or strolling about not knowing whither they went. It is not eafy to conceive the anguish with which I reflected on my condition; and, perhaps, it would fcarcely have been thought poffible, that a perfon who was not a fugitive from justice, nor an enemy to labour, could be thus deftitute even of the little that is effential to life, and in danger of perishing for want in the midst of a populous city, abounding with accommodations for every rank, from the peer to the beggar. Such, however, was my lot. I found myself compelled by neceffity to pass the night in the streets, without hope of paffing the next in any other place, or, indeed, of procuring food to fupport me till it arrived. I had now fafted the whole day; my languor increafed every moment; I was weary and fainting; my face was covered with a cold sweat, and my legs trembled under me: but I did not dare to fit down, or to walk twice along the fame ftreet, left I should have been feized by the watch, or infulted by fome voluntary vagabond in the rage or wantonnefs of drunkennefs or luft. I knew not, indeed, well how to vary my walk; but imagined that, upon the whole, I should be more fafe in the city, than among the brothels in the Strand, or in ftreets which being lefs frequented are lefs carefully watched: for though I fcarce ventured to confider the law as my friend, yet I was more afraid of those who should attempt to break the peace, than thofe who were appointed

Xx 2.

to

taught me her trade; but that I had been always fullen, mifchievous, and idle; that it was more than a month fince I had clandeftinely left her fervice, in decent and modeft apparel fitting my condition; and that he would leave his worship to judge, whether I came honeftly by the tawdry rags which I had on my back. This account, however correfpondent with my own, ferved only to confirm thofe facts which condemned me: it appeared inconteftably, that I had deferted my fervice; and been debauched in a brothel, where I had been furnished with cloaths, and continued more than a month. That I had been ignorant of my fituation, prostituted without my confent, and at last had efcaped to avoid farther injury, appeared to be fictitious circumftances, invented to palliate my offence: the perfon whom I had accufed lived in another county; and it was neceflary, for the prefent, to bring the matter to a fhort iffue: my miftrefs, therefore, was asked, whether the would receive me again, upon my promife of good behaviour; and upon her peremptory refufal, my mittimus was made out, and I was committed to hard labour. The clerk, however, was ordered to take a memorandum of my charge against Wellwood, and I was told that enquiry should be made about her.

After I had been confined about a week; a note was brought me without date or name, in which I was told, that my malice against those who would have been my benefactors was difappointed; that if I would return to them, my difcharge fhould be procured, and I thould fill be kindly received; but that if I perfifted in my ingratitude, it fhould not be unrevenged. From this note I conjectured, that Wellwood had found means to ftop an enquiry into her conduct, which he had difcovered to have been begun upon my information; and had thus learnt where I was to be found: I therefore returned no anfwer, but that I was contented with my fituation, and prepared to fuffer whatever Providence hould appoint.

During my confinement, I was rot treated with great severity; and at the next court, as no particular crime was alledged against me, I was ordered to be difcharged. As my character was now irretrievably loit, as I had no friend who would afford me shelter, nor

any bufinefs to which I could apply, I had no profpect but again to wander about the streets, without lodging and without food. I therefore entreated, that the officers of the parifh to which I belonged, might be ordered to receive me into the work-house, till they could get me a service, or find me fome employment by which my labour would procure me a fubfiftence. This request, fo reasonable, and fo uncommon, was much commended, and immediately granted; but as I was going out at the gate with my pafs in my hand, I was met by a bailiff, with an emissary of Wellwood's, and arrested for a debt of twenty pounds. As it was no more in my power to procure bail, than to pay the money, I was immediately dragged to Newgate. It was foon known that I had not a farthing in my pocket, and that no money either for fees or accommodations could be expected; I was, therefore, turned over to a place called the Common-fide, among the most wretched and the most profligate of human beings. In Bridewell, indeed, my affociates were wicked; but they were over-awed by the prefence of their taskmafter, and reftrained from licentioufnefs by perpetual labour: but my ears were now violated every moment by oaths, execrations, and obfcenity; the converfation of Mother Wellwood, her inmates, and her guests, was chafte and holy to that of the inhabitants of this place; and in comparison with their life, that to which I had been folicited was innocent. Thus I began infenfibly to think of mere incontinence without horror; and, indeed, became lefs fenfible of more complicated enormities, in proportion as they became familiar. My wretchednefs, however, was not alleviated, though my virtue became lefs. I was without friends and without money; and the mifery of confinement in a noifome dungeon was aggravated by hunger and thift, and cold and nakednefs. In this hour of trial, I was again affailed by the wretch who had produced it only to facilitate her fuccefs. And let not thofe before whom the path of virtue has been ftrewed with Howers, and every thorn removed by. profperity, too feverely cenfure me, to whom it was a barren and a rugged road, in which I had long toiled with labour and anguifh, if at last, when I was benighted in a storm, I turned at

the