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Bath-Intrigues.


(Price One Shilling.)

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Lately Publish’d,

  • 1.

  • 2.

  • 3.

  • 4.

  • 5.

All Printed for J. Roberts, in Warwick-Lane.

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Bath-Intrigues:


In Four
Letters
To a

Friend in London


“There is a Lust in Man, no Awe can tame,
Of loudly publishing his Neighbour’s Shame.”
Garth.


London;
Printed for J. Roberts, near the Oxford-
Arms
, in Warwick-Lane. 17251725.

A2v B1r 1


Bath-Intrigues.


Dear Will.

Among the many Friends
you have at the Bath, I am
surpriz’d you should make
choice of me for an Intelligence,
who you know have
neither Wit enough to set
up for an Author, nor Ill-nature for a
Satyrist; but as you have thought me
worthy of this great work, I will endeavour
to go through it to the best of my
power.

I do not doubt but that in enquiring
into the Behaviour of the Ladies here in
general, the greatest part of the Satisfaction
you propose by it, is the Repetition
of what your adorable Cloe says
and does. To oblige you then, I shall B begin B1v 2
begin with her――she is lodged in a
House where there are some of the best,
tho’ not greatest Quality in the Place—
she carries herself amongst them not overgay,
or grave――she receives all Company
in Publick, but admits of none in
Private――is a partaker of every Diversion,
yet seems most fond of Solitude
――dresses less fine than those of an
inferior Rank, yet with a Genteelness
that distinguishes her above her Superiors
she sees herself particulariz’d by every
body, yet particularizes no body――is
pleased with the deference that’s paid
her, without growing proud on it――
in short, her Behaviour is such, as you
would wish to justify your Choice; she is
in every thing all you can desire, and
much more than, without seeing, you
can comprehend.

I am sorry to say, that your Brother’s
Widow is the very reverse of all this;
what has been long believ’d, is now confirm’d:
the mask of Prudery is pull’d
off, and the intriguing Dame must henceforth
act bare-faced: Long might she
have worn it――long might those Inclinations
been concealed from the
World’s Eye, as tho’, indeed, as she pretended,
buried in the Tomb of her dead
Husband――’till Age might she have
enjoy’d the Pleasures of Youth, unknown to B2r 3
to any but the happy He who shar’d ’em,
had not the Jealousy and prying Curiosity
of a Rival search’d into the Secret.
She had some time ago, as Fame reports,
happened by accident into the Company
of Doddonus; he whose Heart, like Tinder,
the least spark of Beauty sets on
fire, became immediately charm’d with
your fair Sister, and accordingly made use
of all the Wit and Address he is master
of, to let her know the Passion she had
inspired him with—she was not long
insensible; and being, as you know,
a great Politician herself, thought it
would be doing an Injustice to the State,
to suffer so considerable a Pillar of it to
sink by her disdain; and therefore, as the
Sequel has discover’d, in a very short time
return’d him Love for Love. In the
height of the Affair, either an ill Health,
or rather the Impossibility it was for any
motive to induce her to abscond from a
place which she knew afforded so many
Opportunities of being admir’d, brought
her this Season to the Bath. He promis’d
to follow in a short time, being,
as he said, prevented from coming when
she did, by some Business of the utmost
importance to the Nation. They agreed,
however, to write to each other; but
unfortunately for the Lady’s Reputation,
Flavia, who it seems has long held a B2 Cor- B2v 4
Correspondence with him, of the same
nature, happened to send her Servant to
the Post-House at the same moment the
other was putting in a Letter there. The
extraordinary care she took in concealing
this Affair, was the only thing that reveal’d
it; had she trusted any other
Person with the Carriage, ’tis probable
Flavia’s Servant had not regarded to
whom it was directed; but being herself
the Bearer, and giving a charge to have
it taken a particular care of, excited the
Fellow’s Curiosity to glance at the Superscription;
which he no sooner had
discovered, than guessing at the Engagement
his Lady had with him, he hasten’d
home with the News. The Fury and
Spirit of Revenge, incident to Jealousy,
immediately siez’d her; and agitated by
every Emotion at enmity with Goodnature,
presently contriv’d the means
both to satisfy herself how far the Amour
between them had been carried, and also
to expose it――she writ the same
Evening to a Confidant in London, to
watch the coming in of the Post, and
enquire for a Letter directed to Doddonus;
for her Emissary had told her, it was ordered
to be left at the Office till call’d
for. Her Stratagem succeeded so well,
that the next Return she was in possession
of her Rival’s Letter, enclos’d in one from B3r 5
from the Friend she had employ’d to intercept
it: You may believe that it was
neither to tear, nor burn, she took so much
pains to get it into her possession—the
dear Mischief she propos’d by it, was too
precious to be lost—she show’d it in all
Companies, and to heighten the Contents,
(which were, indeed, as amorous as
Mrs. O—f—d’s Eyes, or the Writings of
the Author of Love in Excess) she added
a thousand Circumstances which ’twas
impossible she cou’d ever come to the
knowledge of.—The Hand was perfectly
well known, and no body makes a doubt
but that it was really wrote by the Lady
whose Name is to it; but the means by
which Flavia came to be Mistress of such
a Secret, is as yet but whisper’d. The
Scene, however, affords no small matter
of Diversion to those who are disinterested
in it: the Widow, either because some
unlucky Creature has put it into her head,
or because she can think of no other way
by which her Letter should be expos’d,
verily believes Doddonus has been faithless
enough to sacrifice her to Flavia; and
in return, repeats, and invents a thousand
things to the prejudice of her Rival.—
There is not the least false Step in either
of their Lives, but by each other’s Malice
is made publick: both have drawn numbers
to their Parties; some few, perhaps, in- B3v 6
instigated by Friendship; but many more,
who by fomenting this Quarrel, do it
only with a View of having a farther
Subject to exercise their belov’d Talent
of Ridicule.――My Lord Wordy, indeed,
very zealously declares himself
on your Sister’s side, but the Reason of it
is plain; every body knows he had once a
Design on Flavia, made her several fine
Presents, and lost abundance of time, in soliciting
her for a Favour, he has since heard
Doddonus obtain’d with no more expence
than a Copy of Verses, and those
too not of his own composing; but wrote
at his request by a Poet, more eminent by
his Passion for the Lass with the Golden
Hair, than any other Incident of Life.
Revenge, therefore, engages the Peer to
espouse the Widow’s Cause against Flavia,
as it does Captain Love-penny to take the
contrary side. The War between these
fair Antagonists every day grows fiercer,
but to which the Victory will fall, is uncertain,
till the arrival of Doddonus, who
is now expected with great Impatience.—
’Tis in your power, by communicating
this Affair to some who may deliver it to
Strawberia, to create no less Diversion in
Town than we have had at Bath; but I
shou’d not have put it into your head, lest you
really should be fond enough of Mischief
to do it, and by that means, he should be pre- B4r 7
prevented from coming here this Season;
for I am told, that Lady has so great an
ascendant over him, that in spite of the
mutability of his Temper, he durst no
more disoblige her, than she his Footman.
――But that as you please――I neither
excite nor dissuade, the Satisfaction
of my Friends being always more preferable
to me than my own.

But I must not forget to acquaint you,
that while my Lord Wordy is so busy in
exposing the Frailties of poor Flavia, he
does not escape being made the Jest of all
the Company himself.—You know he was
ever addicted to boast of Ladies Favours—
some waggish Gentlemen here contriv’d
to send him a Letter as from a Woman of
Quality, but left him to guess at the
Name, signing no other than Incognita;
this was an Assignation to meet in a Field
about a Mile distant from the Bath—the
day they chose, happen’d to be the most
rainy we have had this year; the meeting
was to be so private, that he was charg’d
to leave his Coach a good distance from
the Place, and while he went, KnightErrant
like, defying Wind and Weather,
walking for a good space of time expecting
his Dulcinea, those who had sent
him on the Adventure, order’d their Servants
to go disguis’d, and cut all the
Harnesses of the Horses; and at his return, he B4v 8
he found himself oblig’d to walk to his
Lodgings in the most miry and piteous
Condition that ever disappointed Lover was
in. But I should have inform’d you, that
having communicated the Invitation he
receiv’d from this imaginary fine Lady, to
those very Gentlemen who had laid the
Plot, and promis’d to acquaint them with
his Success; in spite of the Fatigue he
had endur’d, he now dress’d him, and
went to the Tavern where they had appointed
to meet; and on their asking him
if he had been happy, “O! beyond Imagination,”
(cryd he) “the loveliest, most enchanting
of her Sex――one you little
think on;—the kind Creature was there
before me, and after she had discover’d
to me who she was, consented to go with
me to a place which I always make use of
when my Amour is with Women of Condition:
—But what do you think!”
(continu’d
he)
“while I was talking with her, some
Villains took the opportunity of my Rascal’s
absence, who, it seems, was gone to
regale himself at an adjacent Alehouse,
and cut the Harnesses of my Coach: ’twas
a damn’d disappointment, because I should
else have had the pleasure of her Company
all night; and you know, Gentlemen,
I could not ask a Woman of Quality to
walk with me to Town, it would certainly
have expos’d her in so censorious a Place as C1r 9
as this.”
“Well, but,” said one of the Persons
he had spoke this to, “How did the
Lady get to the Fields, for I think there
has not been a fair Moment this Afternoon?”
――“O’” (reply’d my Lord) “let a Woman
alone for Contrivance, when she is to
meet the Man she loves;――she came in
her own Chariot to the House of a Lady,
who lives just by the Place I met her in,
and telling her that she heard her Husband
had made an assignation with a Woman
in that Field, she was come with a design
to observe them:――the Excuse pass’d
current, and she met her Lover under the
cover of watching her Husband.”
“’Twas
lucky indeed on her side,”
(resum’d the
Gentleman
) who had put him to the trouble
of this invention; “but I hope,” said he,
“your Lordship made sure of her, notwithstanding
the disappointment the
Rogues gave you in demolishing your
Harness.”
“Aye, aye,” (reply’d my Lord)
“you need not doubt that――as the Poet
says, ‘Many a Nymph has on the Grass been
spread,
And much good Love without a Feather-bed.’

The Weather, however, would not admit
of that, but you know my Coach was
there, and tho’ it was disabled from travelling,C ling, C1v 10
it serv’d us on this occasion.”
――
These Words were accompanied with a
loud Laugh, which was immediately
ecchoed by the whole Company, tho’
not as he imagin’d, but at the improbable
Fiction he had invented, to conceal
his Disappointment.

But this was but the beginning of the
Diversion, that has been made of his
Vanity: they continued to prosecute
what they had begun, and the next day
sent him another Letter as from the same
enamour’d Lady, desiring he would excuse
her failing in the former Assignation,
and that he would meet her at another
place; where, when he went, expecting
to be amply recompensed for the
fatigue he had endur’d on her account,
instead of an amorous obliging Mistress,
he found only a Letter which had been
left for him; the Contents of it would
have been a sufficient Mortification to
any Man but himself. Never was there
a more severe or just piece of Raillery
both on his Person and Understanding;
but the Disease is incurable, ’tis not in
the power of Wit to work a Reformation
in the Manners of this incorrigible
Coxcomb; he will believe himself the
most agreeable Person on Earth, in spite
of his Taylor and Looking-Glass: and
tho’ his Study extends no farther than an C2r 11
an English Novel or a Song, thinks
those People are of wretched Capacities,
who have recourse to the Classick Authors
for Improvement.

But I will trouble you no farther on so
worthless a Subject: I happened myself
on a discovery last Night, which I think
more surprizing than any thing I ever
met with in my whole Life: you are acquainted
with my Lady Bellair, and
doubtless have been one to whom she has
declared the prodigious Passion she has
for my Lord her Husband, and lamented
the little Return he makes, and the number
of her Rivals. This I am certain
you cannot but know, since her Love
and Jealousy are the only Topicks with
which she entertains all those with whom
she has an Intimacy: neither are you
ignorant that he has long been in Love
with Miss Forward; how far she has
been influenced by his Addresses, I will
not pretend to say; but ’tis past a question,
that she has receiv’d Presents from
him to a considerable Value――But that
is not the Business; what has engross’d
the Wonder of every body here, is, that
my Lady, who would not be seen in her
Company in London, rail’d at her whereever
she came, and accused her of a too
great Intimacy with her Husband, with
an Assurance as tho’ she had had the most C2 evident C2v 12
evident Demonstrations of it; now courts
and caresses her, as the dearest of her
Friends, seems never so well, as when
she is with her, confesses her Suspicions
of her Virtue were injurious; and, to
convince the World how sensible she is
of the Error she has been guilty of, goes
abroad whole Afternoons together, and
leaves her with my Lord at Picquet. Various
have been the Conjectures on this
Proceeding; but the most general Opinion
is, that my Lady has only acted the politick
part, and by giving them those
Opportunities, hopes to have surer Proofs
of the Levity of that young Girl, and the
Falshood of her Husband, than she could
have while her Jealousy kept them on
their guard. There was, indeed, nothing
improbable, in this Suggestion, and I
was one of those who believ’d this really
was the motive which had induced her to
behave in so different a manner from
what she had been acustom’d; nor would
it have been a very easy matter to have inspir’d
me with any other Sentiments, had
any but my own Eyes and Ears attempted
to undeceive me.

The Weather being more than ordinarily
hot last Night, I went into the Garden,
hoping to find that Refreshment
from the Air, which at that time neither
Company nor Books could afford me— Being C3r 13
Being got into a contemplative Humour,
I sat down in a little Arbour, indulging
Thought; but my Cogitations receiv’d
an immediate Interruption: I had
scarce plac’d myself, before the murmuring
of Voices, one of which I imagin’d
not unknown to me, oblig’d me to delay
Reflection, and obey the dictates of a
present Curiosity.――I laid my Ear
as close as I could to the little Partition
thro’ which I had discover’d the Sound to
come, and presently heard these Words:

“Why, my Charmer! should you raise
these fruitless Objections against my
Happiness! is it not a justice you owe
yourself?—does not your ungrateful
Husband prefer a little taudery Flirt to
the most lovely of her Sex? ――is it
not plain to the whole World that you
are slighted, wrong’d; your Goodness
made a Property?――and can you
still persist to love him?”
――“No,” (reply’d
the other
) “it would be calling my
Understanding in question but to suspect
I still can love him――but my
Virtue must ever be dear to me――
Oh! do not, do not, therefore, tempt me
farther.”
I needed no more than this, to
convince me it was my Lady Bellair
and a Gentleman of the long Robe, whose
Pleadings were more successful here, than
ever he can hope they will be at the Bar. After C3v 14
After a little more Discourse, his Arguments
growing more forcible, hers less
reluctant, all Coherence in their Conversation
was at an end; and all that I could
hear for some time, were gentle Sighs and
the Sound of some few Words, which tho’
too intelligible to be repeated, made me
give an easy guess at the meaning, which
a while after the Lady confirm’d by saying,
――“Ah! my dear Counsellor! what
would become of me, if you should now
be false?――If like my Husband you
should despise a known Felicity, and rove
in search of new untasted Pleasures?”
――
“May I be that moment stricken blind,”
(answer’d he) “whenever I cease to adore
these Charms, or make it not the chief
Business of my Life to render myself worthy
of the Joys I have possess’d.”
――
There pass’d between them many more
Protestations of the like nature, and
which are too common in Affairs of this
kind, to afford any thing novelle in the
Repetition of――When I found they
were about to leave the place they were
in, I clamber’d up a little Tree, which
overlook’d the Garden; and it not being
very dark, saw them go into the House,
stopping every two or three Paces, to
renew their Vows, and seal them with
a Kiss.――This Indiscretion in a Woman
of that Lady’s Character, surpriz’d me C4r 15
me no less than her Fall from Virtue had
done; because as there were several
Lodgers both in the House I was in, and
that she went into, she could not be certain,
but that some one, agitated by the
same Curiosity I was, might observe
their Behaviour――But when that little
Devil, Cupid, has once taken possession of
the Senses, there is seldom any room for
Prudence.

What will be the Consequence of this
Amour, as yet is uncertain; but ’tis highly
probable, will not be long a Secret. The
Counsellor has a Mistress, who I believe,
for all his Professions to my Lady, he
will not quit—the other will find it out,
and the same Jealousy which prevail’d on
her to forego her Honour in revenge to
her Husband, will carry her to a great
length against her Lover; she will doubtless
endeavour to ruin his Fortune, if she
cannot hold his Heart, and I prophesy a
world of Confusion in both these Families.
If any thing happens of moment, while
they stay at Bath, I will take care to acquaint
you with it; as also all the fresh
Intelligence that arrives: and I believe
shall, by next Post, be master of a Secret
worth the telling; ’till when, dear Will,
Adieu, and believe me to be


Sincerely Yours, &c.

J.B.

I C4v 16

I had like to have forgot acquainting
you, that Mrs. Portly is gone away
wvery ill; they say, in order to be cur’d of
a natural Timpany, occasioned by her
drinking the Waters at Tunbridge.

Letter II.

I Find it is but giving a willing Ear to
Scandal, and a thousand Tongues are
ready to oblige you, especially in such a
place as this. If a Person has a mind to
have his Character, Humour, Circumstances,
nay, those of his great Grandfather,
repeated, let him come to the
Bath. They trace your Family to the
very Origin, and can give you a better
account why such a one has a Field
d’ Argent, or such a one d’ Ore in his
Escutcheon, than the Herald himself—For
my part, I always took Dick Moody to
be of a good Descent; his Ancestors for
some Generations have been in possession
of a fine Estate, bore handsome Arms, and
never had their Gentility called in question,
till poor Dick unluckily falling in
love with a Girl that sells Fruit here,
they tell me ’tis a Sympathy of nature;
that the first of the Family was a Costermonger,monger, D1r 17
and bring Arguments from Philosophy
to prove that sooner or later, every
thing returns to its Original. But his
Misfortune is but a trifling one in comparison
with that which a Friend of ours
labours under; who happening to be of
the same name with a very great Man,
had persuaded Lady Rampant to believe
he was of that Family, and on the
merit of that was very near succeeding
in his Pretensions to her. He is now discovered
to be of a quite different Genealogy,
and so far from being related, that
they are of widely distant Counties. That
Lady, who protests she will never marry
beneath her Rank, has discarded him on
this Information; and he is grown so
melancholy on the Occasion, that it confirms
what is said of him, that he is indeed
very meanly born, since no one
who is really a Gentleman, could look on
the loss of an Estate, with such a Woman
tack’d to it, as a very great cause of Affliction.

But so much for Pedigree. Tho’ nothing
is more talk’d of here, yet I know
Intrigue is your darling Theme; you are
not so industrious in discovering what
People are, as what they do. To oblige
you then, I shall make no scruple of
letting you into the Faux-Paus of a
Lady, whose Charms merit more Good D natur- D1v 18
nature than she has found. After having
spoke of her with this Tenderness, I do
not doubt but you will easily guess it is
no other than the agreeable Amanda that
I mean.――The long suffering Virtue
of that beautiful Creature, I confess,
has ingrafted in me so peculiar an Esteem
for her, that the Knowledge of her
late Mismanagement (which is now
alas! too plain) cannot erase it: but
the pityless World is not of my Opinion.
Tho’ every body knows she bore for several
Years the worst of Usage from her
ungenerous Husband, with the most
exemplary Patience and Resignation; yet
then the Voice of Fame was silent, not a
Mouth was open to proclaim her Virtues:
but when urg’d by Provocations
beyond what Humanity could sustain,
she fell into Measures not altogether
so blameless. How fond is every
one of censuring and condemning her!
which admirably well verifies what the
late inimitable Doctor Garth says in his
Dispensary on that Occasion:

“On Eagles Wings immortal Scandals fly, While virtuous Actions are but born and
die.”


But to the purpose, the History of this
unfortunate Lady is this: Being married
very young, and to a Man that had D taken D2r 19
taken more pains to gain her Parents
Consent than her own, it could not be
expected she could have any great Passion
for him――Duty, however, and
Good-nature made up for that Deficiency,
and never was there a better, or more endearing
Wife.――For about a Month,
indeed, he liv’d with her in a mutual
Felicity; but the Corruption of the Times,
ill Company, and his own Depravity of
Taste, soon made him grow careless of
the Blessing he enjoy’d, and rove elsewhere
in search of Pleasure――he found
it to his cost: he brought her home a
Disease, under which they both languish’d
for many Months――yet did not this fatal
effect of Libertinism in the least reclaim
him. He was no sooner cured than he repeated
the same Crime, and had the
same Punishment as before; he did not,
indeed, this second time communicate it
to his Lady: but the Grief it was to
her, to find so ill a Return for her foregiving
Goodness, is not to be express’d:
she behav’d herself to him, however,
with an unparallel’d Sweetness of Humour;
never upbraiding him with what
was pass’d, only conjuring him for the
future to have more regard to himself and
her: but all she said, was ineffectual to
reclaim him――He rather grew worse;
and because it was not in his nature to D2 use D2v 20
use her as well as she deserv’d, he used
her in the worst manner it was possible
for him to do, or her to bear. After a long
Series of continued Barbarity, she was
at last persuaded by some she took to be
her Friends, to try if Jealousy would
work any alteration in his Sentiments;
being brought to believe, that the apprehension
of having the Injuries he did her
retaliated in kind, would make him see
his Error, and desist giving him any further
Provocations to a Wife who when
so young and lovely as Amanda, always
has it in her power to be reveng’d――
This it was that was the Ruin of this unhappy
Lady――accustoming herself to
listen to the fine things, that, on her giving
Encouragement to ’em, were daily
said to her, made her in time grow
pleas’d with hearing ’em; and when the
witty, gay Cleanthus attack’d her, all
the Resolution which had defended her
in other Encounters, now forsook her――
In fine, she yielded, and had not long
done so, before either thro’ their own Inadvertency,
or the Malice of some inquisitive
People, the Affair was discover’d;
and she who never had, when the most
free from Blame herself, the Ill-nature
to exclaim against the most notorious
Faults of others, is now condemn’d as the
most criminal Woman on Earth; she finds D3r 21
finds none to excuse or alleviate a Frailty
she was but betray’d into, and provok’d to,
by all that can urge a Woman’s just Resentment.

The Case of Berecillia cannot thus be
pleaded: she married my Lord Sparkish
purely thro Inclination; he makes her a
perfect complaisant Husband, and loves
her as well as it is the fashion for Men
to love their Wives; yet she carries on
an Intrigue here with Basset the Gamester,
in a manner so publick, that if my
Lord had not an unvanquishable Aversion
for a naked Sword, he would have tried
the Metal of the other’s Blade: but being
a Lover of Peace, he counterfeits a
Blindness to their Behaviour, and is the
only one who seems ignorant of his own
Shame.

Celsus is as much in the Extremes the
other way, he is jealous of every Man
who looks on his Wife――Bellvile happen’d
but to offer her a Pinch of Snuff the
other day, and she has not been seen on
the Walks since: but while he takes this
particular care of her abroad, ’tis rumour’d
she finds a way to make herself
amends at home――they say his own
Coachman is his Rival.――How true
this Report is, I will not pretend to determine;
but the Ground from which it
was taken, was a fine Diamond Ring the Fellow D3v 22
Fellow had on his Finger, pretending he
had found it; and a few days after, a
Jew, of whom it had been bought, came
to demand the Money, which Bericillia
paid. It was, indeed, easy for her to do
it, for the doating Celsus denies her nothing
but Liberty, and there is no Extravagance
as to Dress or Entertainments,
(provided they are made for only Female
Friends) that he does not willingly permit.

Poor Camia, tho better deserving, has
not this good Fortune; she is married to an
old Man, who is not only excessively jealous,
but covetous and ill-natur’d also; she
told me it was with the utmost Reluctance
he consented to her coming to the Bath,
and she believes had never been persuaded
to it, if the Physicians had not advised
him to bring her, it being the only means
they knew of, to remove Barrenness――
The hope of having an Heir, at last won
him, and the Gentlemen here are not a
little merry on the Occasion; and some
of them are resolv’d to leave no Means
unattempted to procure him his Desire,
by a Remedy, which, ’tis probable, may
be more effectual than the Waters.――
How far the Stratagems that are laid will
succeed, I cannot tell――the young Lady
as yet has carry’d herself with an uncommon
Prudence, considering her Circumstances;stances; D4r 23
and I am apt to believe, her Inclinations
are truly virtuous; how they
may alter, ’tis Time alone must testify:
tho whenever that happens, this I dare
maintain, that it will be more owing to
her Husband’s ill Treatment, than to any
amorous Stars of her own. Lord Moody
has already began to attack her, but I
dare swear ’twill be without Success; for
she has too good an Understanding, if
she does accept of a Gallant, not to make
choice of one whose Temper is more
different from her Husband’s.

Our old Acquaintance the Colonel and
his Bride make a very great figure here—
she is a Woman generally liked, I know
several that have Designs on her; but if
she does prove frail (as ’tis not impossible,
considering her Husband’s Constitution,
but she may) I believe it will be in favour
of Jack Townley――she has not
been acquainted with him above a Week,
and is so free with him, that some who
have been witness of her Behaviour, scruple
not to give her to him for a Mistress
already; if so, it will be no small Disappointment
to Venario, who is stark mad
in love with her. This is a Gentleman,
to whom, because I believe you are a
Stranger, I shall give you his Character:
He is a younger Brother of a good Family,
and having his Fortune to make in the D4v 24
the World, very zealously apply’d himself
to the Service of a Minister of State; he
has found his account in it, and beside a
handsome Post at Court, has been a considerable
Gainer in the South-Sea Scheme;
insomuch that when his elder Brother was
oblig’d to sell his Acres, he was able to
become the Purchaser of the greatest part
of them――But his Success with the fair
Sex has been vastly different: being of
the most amorous Disposition that ever
was, in the height of his good Fortune,
he courted on honourable Terms a Milliner’s
Prentice, and was refused by her;
the constant Swain fell sick――his Life
was despair’d of, yet all this mov’d not
the relentless Fair.――When with much
ado he was recover’d, he fell a second
time into Cupid’s Snare, but as unhappily
as before it was with the Wife
of a certain Tradesman, by whom, after
having made his Addresses, he was exposed
to her Husband; who, by a hearty
Beating, let him know that all Citizens
are not of a humour to barter their Wives
Honesty for the gaining a good Customer.
He has had several other unlucky Adventures
on the same score, among which, I
have a strong Suspicion his Design on the
Colonel’s fair Wife will be number’d:
tho if the Girl were acqainted with their
Dispositions, she would, of the two, preferfer E1r 25
him to Townley, who will not only
slight her in a Week, but also sacrifice
her Reputation to the next new Face he
sees.

But among the prodigious number of
Toasts we have here, I know of none
more devoutly celebrated than the beautiful
Countess, that supp’d with us at
Whitehall the Evening before I left London
――whenever she appears, she sweeps
the Walks, and all the rival Charmers
are left neglected to lament their own
want of Power, and contrive which way
to lessen hers――some cry, she is beholden
more to Art than Nature for the Delicacy
of her Complection――others
say, she wears false Hair――I heard the
other day one of these fair Envyers protest
her Teeth were not her own: “No,
no,”
added another, she lost them when
she was under Cure for a loathsome Disease,
which she pretends her Husband
gave her; but I know who she had an
affair with at that time, and he died of
it.”
――“Well, well,” cry’d another (affecting
a little more Good-nature, but in
reality as malicious as any of the rest)

“take her all together, the Woman is very
tolerable, but you must not examine her
――I do believe she was a fine Creature
ten Years ago――but if it was not for
Art, the Decay would be prodigiously observable.E servable. E1v 26”
――“She has lived strangely irregular,said”
a fourth, she drinks hard,
and is as great a Debauchee in private, as
ever a Fellow in Town is in publick.”
――
In this manner did they take the poor
Lady to pieces, forgetting, all the while
they were endeavouring to make her be
thought less worthy of Esteem, their own
Charms lost more by the visible Malice
that sat upon their Features, than all they
could say could cast on hers――it would
not be in the power of all her Enemies,
were the Number of ’em greater than it
is, to blacken a Beauty so resplendent, did
she not contribute herself to her own Destruction,
by making choice of Favourites
so unworthy of her notice――her Correspondence
in London with the Hibernian
Captain, and at Bath with an Enamorato
of the same Nation, has done
her more prejudice, than all the Suggestions
Malice could invent.

Nor is her Intimate, Lady R――, more
discreet; her Conduct excites the Wonder
of every body here, nor will you be less
astonish’d, when I shall tell you, that in
spite of the Passion she made such professions
of to the Knight, she has enter’d
into an amorous League with a young
Fop, who makes it his business to boast
of the Favours he receives from her; a
married Fellow too, and one whose Wife, think- E2r 27
thinking her Prerogative infring’d, rails
in a most scurrilous manner, so that between
the Husband’s Vanity, and the
Wife’s Jealousy, nothing that passes between
them is a Secret; I have seen him
in publick Company, where I have been
once, show her Letters, he tore the Name
indeed, but what of that, when the Particulars
discover’d the Author too plainly,
for any one to mistake, and where they
were wanting, either thro Design of Inadvertency
he made it out: neither is this
all which exposes her, she toys with him,
is jealous of him, falls in Fits if she sees
him but barely civil to any other Woman,
and all this without regard who observes
her Behaviour, or what may be conjectur’d
by it.――The truth is, I believe,
some Women glory in their Amours, and
think it a greater Honour to be thought
amiable than virtuous; if it were not so,
we should not have half the Subject for
that just Satire which we now abound in.
I could give you innumerable Proofs of
this Lady’s Infatuation, for I can call it
no other, if I were not afraid of making
my Epistle too tedious, and know besides
you are impatient for a new Subject――
You expect, perhaps, I should entertain
you with some Amours of my own, but
I can tell you, Example has no effect on
me; and I can be told my Friends are E2 em- E2v 28
employ’d in their several Intrigues, without
envying their Happiness, or wishing
to partake it.――If ever I knew what
an amorous Inclination was, since my coming
to the Bath, it was for the Wife of a
French Merchant, and I believe should
have made a tryal how far Fortune
would have befriended me, if I had not
discovered, an intimate Friend had been
before-hand with me, and took off all the
stock of Love that Lady had on her hands.
――I had a kind of an Overture made
me by a Jewess; but I am too good a
Christian to deal with those who believe
in Circumcision: I communicated the
matter, however, to a Relation of mine,
who improv’d the warmth of her Inclinations
pretty much to his own advantage
――he has little but his Wits to
depend on, and she finds something in him
deserving of a great many considerable
Presents; therefore, if he can answer it
to his Conscience, I think he makes the
best use of her Favours a Man can do of
a Woman’s who is turn’d of Forty.

But to return to Informations more
agreeable, there goes a pleasant Story of
the Peer, with a great Equipage, and no
Estate: he was passionately in love with
the Wife of a certain Citizen, sollicited
her a long time for the Favour. At
length she made him a kind of Promise, and E3r 29
and appointed a day for his coming: he
came according to Directions; but an impertinent
Visiter being in the way, for a
pretence he sat down to Picket—My Lord
was the winner; and when they were left
alone, seem’d to have forgot the Business
he came upon, to prosecute his Play—
The Lady reminded him of it; by saying
she was weary of the Cards; but all did
not do, he could not bear to give over while
Fortune was on his side; ’till she pretending
she was stript, threw the Cards and
Counters on the Floor, and swore she
never had such luck in her Life――Finding
it impossible to prevail on her to play
any more, he now bethought him that it
was a different Entertainment she had
made him hope—he began to press her to
make him happy, swore there was nothing
on Earth he wish’d with half that
Fervency, as the blessing of her Love,
and used all those means to prevail on
her to grant his Desire, which have been
so successful in his other Amours――but
the Lady putting him off with an Air of
Ridicule――“No, no, my Lord!” (said
she)
“as great a Passion as you now would
make me believe you have for my Person,
you had a much greater a while ago
for my Money: therefore to show how
willing I am to gratify you, when I am
in Bank again, I will let you know.—”
She would E3v 30
would not give him leave to make any
Excuse for himself; but ringing her Bell,
ordered her Coach to be got ready, and
left the disappointed Peer to repent of
his Behaviour at leisure.――It must
be acknowledged, she was extremely in
the right; and if she holds her Resolution,
’twill be a greater Mortification than
his Lordship’s Vanity ever yet met with—
not that so general a Lover as he is can
take it much to heart, for he has here
variety of Affairs on his hands; but the
Baulk of this being owing to himself, encreases
the Vexation. Were I in his
place, I confess I should hate the sight of a
Card this Twelvemonth.

It was not thus an old Marquiss behav’d
himself; who happening to have an
Opportunity with a young Lady, who perhaps
had not granted it, if she had not depended
on his Age for a Protection—he no
sooner saw himself alone with her, than
he threw her on a Couch, and had certainly
ravish’d her, if she had not call’d
for Assistance――but tho’ he miss’d of his
Intent, he has acquir’d no small Reputation
for his Vigour; and I know a Lady,
a great pretender too to Virtue, that once
could not endure the sight of him, now
cannot drink her Tea without him, and
cries him up for the best-humour’d Man in
the World――’tis true, she does not seem E4r 31
seem to believe the Story that is told of
him, and condemns the young Lady for
her Folly, in not knowing how to take a
Jest.

As I was on the Walks the other day,
my Lord Grievous took up a Letter:
I saw him colour at the reading it;
and presently after meeting my Lady,
he pass’d her without speaking, and a
world of discontent in his Countenance,
and the next day I was told by one of the
Family, that he quarrell’d with her violently
about it――it seems it was one she
had written to a French Officer, not that
the Contents so much alarm’d him, being
long since convinced of her Ladyship’s
Inclinations; but he was enrag’d to the
last degree at her want of that Caution,
which was necessary for his Honour――
“’Tis a strange thing” (he was over-heard
to say) “that Women cannot be discreet
in the concealment of their little Foibles
――suppose any other had found this Letter
――how should we both have been
ridicul’d!”
’Tis thought that the natural
Vanity of the French induc’d him to
drop this Letter on purpose to let the
Company know how happy he was――
I have since been in his Company, and
took the liberty of raillying him about
it; and, indeed, his Answers were such as E4v 32
as inclines me to believe he is not much
troubled at the Accident.

Doddonus is not yet arriv’d, and the
Rival Ladies continue their Animosity, to
the diversion of the Company――I
have not compleated the Intelligence I
have for you; but am just now summon’d
to a place where I expect to hear
more; which, the next Post, shall be
communicated to you: in the mean time,
dear Will, excuse,


Yours with all Sincerity,

J.B.

If in return for my Scandal, you will
send me what new Books are come out,
I shall think myself over paid――Bless
me, what had I like to have forgot!――
I was last night in company with Cloe
――I drank your Health, and she seem’d
to pledge me with pleasure; as did Belinda.
I wish that Lady has not a kindness
for you, which is not in your power
to return—she sigh’d when I raillied her
fair Friend about you, and look’d, methought,
with a Languishment in her Eyes,
as if she wish’d herself in Cloe’s place――
but I am sent for again, and must add
no more than Adieu.

Let- F1r 33

Letter III.

I Believe my good Friend begins to
think I grow slack in the Performance
of the Task he set me; three times
has the Post gone out since I writ, but I
assure you the Omission has neither been
occasion’d by Neglect, or want of Intelligence,
but meerly thro a Debauch;
which Sin, Heaven forgive you for, since
you were the only Cause of my having
fallen into it――Being invited by some
Rakes of Quality to go with them to the
House of a certain great Lady not far
from the Bath, I comply’d with their
Request for no other reason than the hope
of hearing something among them which
might be worth communicating to you—
they drank so excessive hard, that my
Constitution would not bear it, and I
have not, till this moment, been capable
of putting Pen to Paper――What you
reproach me with therefore in your last,
is very unjust, that I have a mind to keep
all the Secrets to myself, that I may have
the pleasure of telling them first; for I
assure you, there is nothing affords me less F Satis- F1v 34
Satisfaction, than the finding out Failings
of this kind; and the exposing them, is yet
more ungrateful: I know no Person in
the World but yourself, whom I would
oblige this way at the expence of my
Good-nature. But since I have promis’d
it, and have already begun to execute
your Commands, will not now pretend
to make any Arguments how far it may
or may not be agreeable to my own Inclinations;
’tis sufficient I do you a pleasure,
which, my dear Will, you must give
me leave to assure you, shall always be
the first thing in view.

But setting aside Preambles, the Success
of the Adventure in going to this
Lady’s House was as follows――I got,
as I have already intimated, most insufferably
drunk――sick to death, but retain’d
my Senses as well as ever: by this
means I had the opportunity of observing
every thing, without being suspected to
be capable of observing any thing――
There was but one among us that was
sober, and he kept himself so only for a
reason, that you shall presently be acquainted
with――The Lady, who is no
other than the Wife of a certain Friend
of ours, who, for fear of my Letters being
intercepted, I shall only call by the
Name of the Knight of the sorrowful
Countenance
, as appears by what I have to F2r 35
to deliver, has an Intrigue with this Gentleman
――her Husband is in London, and
the Spark, pretending Ignorance that he
was absent, carry’d us all with him to visit
there. The Glass went briskly about, and
when every body was, as I tell you,
grown in all appearance Non Compos
Mentis
, they withdrew into a little Chamber
within the Parlour, where they could
immediately hear if any of the Servants
came in, as I could, who sat pretty near
the Door, all that pass’d between them—
You know, dear Will, I am not very amorous,
but the luscious Conversation I
listen’d to, the Beauty of the Woman,
who is certainly one of the finest Creatures
in the World, and the great Quantity
of Wine I had drank altogether inflamed
my Blood, and I began to wish
myself in my Friend’s place――that Disorder
which the Mixture of Liquors had
occasion’d in my Stomach, was by this
time wore off, and I thought of nothing
but the Means to make myself master of
my Wishes in the Enjoyment of this lovely
Creature――I had no sooner form’d a
little Scheme in my Head, than out they
both came; and I never labour’d under
more Uneasiness in my whole Life, than I
did that moment between Envy of his
Happiness, and Desire of succeeding him
in it.――I said nothing, pretending to F2 be F2v 36
be asleep, ’till I saw her go out of the
Room, I suppose to give some Orders to the
Servants about her Domestick Affairs: I
followed her immediately, without being
taken notice of by the Lover, who by
this time was engag’d with the rest of the
Gentlemen that were still drinking at the
Table: she went down a little pair of
Back-Stairs, which led to the Kitchen;
there I overtook her, and catching her
in my Arms, frighted her at first, having
neither seen nor heard me till she felt me.
――But discovering who it was that
held her, she took it only as the effect of
my Drunkenness, and endeavour’d to get
from me without affecting any great Surprize.
“No, Madam,” (said I) “I design
not to part with you so easily, I but pretended
to have lost my Senses, that I
might entertain you with the less Suspicion.”
She seem’d extremely angry at
this Declaration; and putting on an Air
of offended Virtue, bid me cease my
Rudeness, or she would call not only
her Servants, but the Gentlemen also to
her Assistance. “That would be cruel indeed,”
(added I) “because I know there is
one among the number of those you mentioned
last, who would not forgive my
offering to infringe his Prerogative.”
――
I then let her know I was sensible of
every thing that had pass’d between ’em, and F3r 37
and gave her to understand, that nothing
but allowing me the same Favour she
had done him, should buy my Secrecy.
This most terribly alarm’d her; and either
thro’ Fear, or, as she afterwards
swore, a secret liking to my Person, induc’d
her to yield, without giving me the
trouble of any farther Arguments.—
She led me into the Garden, and in a
little Arbour compleated my Desires in
as riotous and full a manner as I could
wish, and far beyond my hope.――
Thus ended my Affair at that time, but
she has promis’d by all that’s holy, to
renew my Happiness when we come to
London.

I have since heard, that this is an amorous
Family: this obliging Lady has a
Sister a very fine Girl; but has been had
by three or four; and the Mother of
them has still a Colt’s Tooth!――Who
can help the Fault of Nature; yet the
censorious World makes no allowances
for a warm Constitution, and the Prejudice
of Education: Women must be
virtuous, whether ’tis in their power, or
not; and the cold and phlegmatick Prude
wonders at the Fire she feels not; and
being free from any desire herself, will
have it a Sin in others. Mrs. Littleworth
wonders at Brilliante’s Gaiety;
and tho’ she is guilty of a thousand worse F3v 38
worse Faults herself, takes upon her to
condemn the Wildness, as she calls it, of
that young Lady’s Disposition――but
you know, and so does the whole Town,
the different Foibles of these two Women.
To return therefore to those things
which are new to you――
Captain Aimwell has cuckolded his Colonel, the
Amour is made publick by the Treachery
of her Maid; and the noble Colonel takes
it so patiently, that ’tis thought the Business
will be represented to his M――,
and his tame enduring lose him his Commission;
for nothing sure but the most
consummate Coward would endure an
Injury of that kind without Revenge,
especially when offer’d by an inferiour
Officer――’Twould be pleasant if the
Captain should succeed him in that too,
as well as in his Wife’s Affections――
To tell the truth, he is much the most
deserving Fellow, and I believe there are
very few who know ’em both, that do not
heartily wish this Catastrophe.

Much less to be excus’d, is the Wife of
Sir Thomas Worthy: He is every way
a compleat Gentleman, and has made
an excellent Husband to Belinda; yet
the inconstant Fair makes him only a
property to conceal her loose Desires,
which she makes no scruple of indulging
with the least deserving, and the most notorious,rious, F4r 39
who are call’d Rakes――her Behaviour
is now so little cautious, that every
body takes notice of it; and I believe
Sir Thomas, in spite of the Love he has
for her, will be obliged to sue for a Separation
next Sessions.

Lady Playwell sweeps all the Money
here: if you remember, she was one of
those who exclaim’d so violently against
Gaming-Houses; the Reason of it is
plain, there was nothing so great an Enemy
to private Play, as the Encouragement
it met with in publick; she therefore
rail’d against it for the same Reason
some Ladies do against Baudy-Houses,
because there are Men, who when they
can have a fine Woman for a Guinea,
will not give themselves the trouble of
addressing where it must cost Time and
Protestations, and perhaps more Money
too.――The Weather beginning now
to grow less agreeable than it has been,
Love and Gaming engross all the Company
――I believe ’tis much the same
in Town: therefore of that no more.

Fine Lady Leer preserves her Prerogative
of Charming in as full a measure as
ever, and is as exquisite in the Art of
Jilting; her Eyes invite almost as many
as look on her, her Tongue refuses Encouragement
to none: but I believe the
Man is yet unborn, who can boast of any F4v 40
any more than these Superficial Favours;
――yet she has a way peculiar to
herself, of keeping them all in hopes, and
cheats them so handsomely, that when
they find themselves impos’d upon, they
have not the power of complaining. The
Song made on the once celebrated Mrs.
Bracegirdle
, may, I’m sure, with much
more justice, be apply’d to her.

“Always easy, never kind, When you think you have her sure; Such a Temper you will find, Quick to wound, but slow to cure.”


I have often wonder’d by what means
she has held, for many Months together,
in her Chains, the most dissolute Rovers:
other Women in half the time would be
obliged, either wholly to discard or grant
’em all they could demand. She is as particular
in her Oeconomy this way, as she
is in retaining the Management of her
Sister’s Fortunes, who tho’ they have
Husbands, still permit her to be their
Trustee――she has certainly an Understanding
superior to what most of her
Sex can pretend to, or her Designs could
never be carried on with that Smoothness
and Success.

Poor Mrs. Temptall in vain endeavours
at an Imitation of her: she engages, ’tis G1r 41
’tis true, a great number of Admirer, but
has not the skill to maintain the Conquests
she gains――she has not the Artifice
of refusing, yet encouraging; and has
often the Misfortune of engaging herself
so far, as not to be able to go back—she
gives herself to keep her Lovers, and
for the most part loses them by it――
and all she gets, is Scandal and Vexation.
――So difficult is it to be an accomplish’d
Jilt, that a Woman who sets up
for it, had need of a more than common
Capacity to carry her through it without
reducing herself to the utmost Contempt.

Among the number of her Admirers,
is Captain Strut: he has swore himself
her everlasting Slave, pretends to be jealous
of her to the last degree, challenges
every body that he knows will not fight,
and says they are his Rivals, and that he
saw them look on Mrs. Temptall with
amorous Glances――so that betwixt her
own ill Conduct, and this Coxcomb’s
Levity, she is grown a common TownTalk
—tho’ I really believe she is innocent
enough from any Fact with him
more than allowing Encouragement to
his impertinent Visits; yet she suffers
more in her Reputation, than can be imagined,
on his account.

G An G1v 42

An Accident happen’d Yesterday,
which has occasion’d no small Discourse
here: a young Lady, who made a very
handsome Figure, receiv’d publickly the
Addresses of Beau Dresswell; we thought
we should have had a Wedding here—
there were several who would have been
glad to have rival’d him; but she would
not admit even of a Visit from any Man
without his Approbation――they were
on the Walks together, when a surly old
Man came up to ’em; and taking her
roughly by the Arm, bid her come along
with him――she trembled, but durst
not refuse—The poor Beau was strangely
confounded, but had not the Courage to
demand the occasion of so peremptory a
Behaviour――he saw his Mistress carried
off, he knew not by whom, nor
where, and was as full of trouble, as the
pertness of his Humour would permit
him to be for any thing in the World:
there is not a Person here, but he has related
his Misfortune to, and is, you may
be sure, sufficiently laugh’d at about it.
――Early this Morning, the poor Girl
was pack’d off with the stern Don; but
nobody can give the least account, either
who he is who has taken her, or whither
she is removed――Enquiry has been
made at the House where she lodged, but
they seem as ignorant as any of us―― all G2r 43
all they say, is, that the old Gentleman
came on Horseback to the Door, and
asking for such a Lady, was told by the
Servant, that she was on the Walks――
and that soon after he return’d with her
all in Tears. The Landlady happening
to see her come in, ask’d her what was
the matter; and was bid by the Person
who accompanied her, to trouble herself
with her own Business――She added,
that neither of them went to bed, but
pass’d the Night in high Words; and
by break of Day, mounted her behind
him on a Pillion he bought in Town.

There are various Conjectures on the
meaning of this: some think the old
Man is her Father; others, that he is her
Husband; and some will have him a
Gallant.――Be it how it will, the
Beau is dreadfully disappointed, and the
Lady very much afflicted.――Time will,
perhaps, unravel the Mystery; but our
People, who, as I told you before, are exquisite
in their Art of getting Intelligence,
are uneasy beyond Expression, that they
have it not in their power to give an
Explanation of this Adventure.

I give you thanks for the Books you
were so kind as to send me; but cannot
imagine for what purpose you gave yourself
the trouble of mingling with them
Mr. D――s’s Proposals――a Fellow who G2 en- G2v 44
encourages nobody, ought by nobody to be
encouraged; and I must have more Money,
or less Understanding, before I subscribe
to any thing he does――I beg you
will tell the Lady, who was so good as
to remember me, that I will not fail writing
to her next Post: but if you have
Honour, conceal the Adventure of the
Garden; and in Return, I will speak the
kindest things of you to Cloe.

If any Intelligence, besides what I have
related occurs, you may depend on having
it――in the mean time, believe me


Sincerely Yours,

J.B.

Let- G3r 45

Letter IV.

I Thought to have been with you, dear
Will, before now; but since I am
disappointed in my Intentions, send you
this to acquaint you with the Occasion,
which I know not but may be diverting
to you, tho it has been no small Embarassment
to me.――An intimate Friend of
mine having made his Addresses to two
Ladies with equal Application, obtain’d
both their Consents at the same time;
both appointed to meet him at the same
Hour, and almost at the same Place――
What to do, he knew not; he durst not
make any Excuse to either of them, for
fear she should think he had abated of his
Ardour――After a thousand confus’d
Thoughts, at last he came to me, begg’d
me to go to one of the Houses of Assignation,
which happen’d to be an Acquaintance
of my own, and deliver a Letter G3v 46
Letter from him to a Lady, whom I
should find waiting there, and, if occasion
were, second the Contents of it;
which, he show’d, were to complain of
the Severity of his Fate, in being oblig’d
to deny himself the Pleasure he propos’d
in her Company: but that he had an
Uncle, whose Favour was all his Dependance,
who had oblig’d him to stay at
home with him that Evening, to settle
some Accounts of an extraordinary Consequence
――I assur’d him I would do
in every thing as he desir’d; nor was I
worse than my word, tho, I confess, the
Sight of the Lady gave me some Emotions,
which had like to have made me
offer to make up the Disappointment she
had receiv’d from him――but Honour
got the better of Desire――I perform’d
my Injunction punctually, and left her
perfectly satisfy’d, that it was only Necessity
had occasion’d his Failing――
But, as the Devil would have it, as she
was going home, who did she meet but
the very Lover, and the Lady, for whose
sake she had been disappointed; she saw
them go into the House they had agreed
on for the compleating their Amour. He
was too busily employ’d in talking to the
Woman he led, to observe who watch’d
him――and never was any Rage exceedingceeding G4r 47
that with which she came to me
next Morning; for on the account of his
being married, she could not go to his
Lodgings, and vented the whole Stock
of her Indignation on me, as a Person
who had impos’d upon her, and seconded
the Untruths he told.――As she was railing,
a Person came from him to let me
know he desir’d to speak with me――I
had, for above an Hour, been endeavouring
to mollify the Lady’s Resentment,
but in vain; I therefore begg’d her pardon,
and went to my Friend, who I
found as much incens’d against me as she
had been――It seems he had sent her
another Letter of Excuse that Morning,
with an Intreaty of seeing her that Day;
but she had return’d it back unopen’d,
and presently after some body came in,
and told him she was seen to come in at
my Lodgings――On this he infer’d,
that I betray’d him to her, and reproach’d
me in terms suitable to the Cause,
if I had been guilty; but I was not, I
knew not how to take it――Words grew
very high――it ended in a downright
Quarrel, and we agreed to decide the
Business by Point of Sword.――The
Hour, which was at Six next Morning,
and Place for meeting, being fix’d, we
parted; I as much enrag’d at his injuriousrious G4v 48
Suspicion, as he was at my suppos’d
Infidelity—In fine, the appointed Time
being arriv’d, we met, but had scarce
time for one Pass, before we were interrupted
by the coming of some Gentlemen,
who separated us――Our Inclinations,
however, were still the same, and
another Day, ’tis probable, had finish’d
what we were prevented from on this;
if an Accident, the most odd and unexpected
that ever was, had not hinder’d
it ――This fair Lady, either out of Revenge
to him, or Inclination to me, took
it into her Head to write me a very tender
Letter, wherein she begg’d my pardon
for having wrongfully upbraided me,
said it was the height of Passion and Resentment
had made her act as she did—
that she confess’d I could do no less in
Honour, than preserve the Secret of my
Friend from her, who was not so much
as of my Acquaintance; and that, on
cooler Thoughts, she valued me for that
very Quality she had at first been so
much enraged at: That he who was so
true a Friend, could not fail of making as
sincere a Lover; and that she begg’d to
see me at that very House, where the other
had so ungenerously disappointed her.
This Letter she gave to a Porter, who
was the same she had been used to employploy H1r 49
to the former Pretender.――The
Fellow, imagining he should get some
Reward for his Treachery, carries it immediately
to him, which he opening,
doubted not but he should there find some
farther Confirmation of my Guilt; was
strangely surprized, when he saw it contain’d
so full a Declaration of my Innocence:
he examin’d the Fellow over and
over, and finding there was no Trick in
it, was prodigiously troubled, that he had
proceeded to such Extremities with me;
he came to me, express’d the greatest
Concern imaginable for what he had done.
――In short, we are now as great
Friends as ever; but the Lady is doubly
baulk’d, for I would not give him so great
a Shock, as to accept of the Favour she
offer’d, tho I put a great Constraint on
my own Inclinations in so doing.

This, dear Will, has been the Occasion
that I have neither come nor written
――I have a Packet of News for
you; but because I hope to give it you
by word of mouth, I may spare myself
the trouble of writing it――Only one
thing I must not omit, which is, that
Clarinda is going to be married to the
greatest Fop in the Universe, an Irish
man
born, but bred in France――I H leave H1v 50
leave you to judge his Character, and
what sort of a Husband this Lady has
chose, after all her exclaiming against Fidelia
for marrying Amandus.――The
little Doctor struts as much as ever, and
has his Recipe’s very much in vogue;
tho’ here is a very handsome young
Quack lately arrived, who is more in
favour with the Ladies――they say,
some feign themselves ill, to have a Pretence
to send for him to feel their Pulses
—You know him, he is lately married
to a young Girl near St. James’s
—I assure you, he has had some FiveGuinea
Fees from the Wife of an Eminent
Merchant in the City, for a Prescription
for Sterility――But I have
a Thousand Things to acquaint you
with, when I see you—till when, dear
Will, Adieu.


Yours Affectionately,

J.B.

Cloe H2r 51

P.S. Cloe must not be forgot—I saw her
this Day――she is well, and knowing I
was about to write, desir’d me to make
her Compliment; I believe you will have
the Satisfaction of seeing her soon: she
talks of leaving Bath next Week.

Finis.