Lays a foundation for many events to be produced by time, and waited for with patience.

MISS Betfy, and mifs Flora, on their

coming home, were in fome perplexity how to relate the ftory of their Oxford adventure to lady Mellafin and mr. Goodman; and it is very likely they would have thought proper to have kept it a secret, if the unlucky duel between mr. Francis, and the gentleman-commoner, which they were fenfible would be a known thing, had not rendered the concealment of the whole utterly impracticable.

As there was no remedy, mifs Flora took upon her to lay open the matter to her mamma; which fhe did with fo much artifice, that if that lady had been as auftere, as fhe was really the reverfe, fhe could not have found much to condemn, either in the conduct of her daughter, or mifs Betfy as to mr. Goodman, he left the whole management of the young ladies, in these particulars, entirely to his wife, fo faid little to them on their fhare of the ad

adventure; but was extremely concerned for the part mr. Francis had in it, as he fuppofed it was chiefly owing to that unlucky incident, that he had taken a refolution to leave the college; and he very well knew, that a certain nobleman, who was a diftant relation of his family, and godfather to mr. Francis, had always promised to beftow a large benefice, in his gift, upon him, as foon as he should have compleated his ftudies.

This honeft guardian thought he should be wanting in the duty of the truft reposed in him, to fuffer his charge to throw away that fine profpect in his view, if by any means he could prevent him from taking fo rafh and inconfiderate a step: and as to his being expelled, he doubted not, but, between him and fir Ralph, interest might be made to the heads of the university, to get the affair of the duel paffed over. The greateft difficulty he had to apprehend, in compaffing this point, was from the young gentleman himself, who he had obferved was of a temper fomewhat obftinate, and tenacious of his own opinion refolving, however, to try all means poffible, he wrote immediately to him, reprefenting to him, in the ftrongest and moft pathetic terims he was mafter of, the vaft advantages the clergy enjoyed, the refpect

respect they had from all degrees of people, and endeavoured to convince him, that there was no avocation whatever, by which a younger brother might fo eafily advance his fortune, and do honour to his family.

He also fent a letter to fir Ralph Trusty, acquainting him with the whole story, and earneftly requefting, that he would write to mr. Francis, and omit nothing that might engage him to desist from doing a thing fo contrary to his intereft, and the intentions of his deceafed father, as what he now had thoughts of doing was manifeftly fo. These efforts, by both the guardians, were often repeated; but without the leaft fuccefs: the young gentleman found arguments to oppofe against theirs, which neither of them could deny to have weight, particularly that of his having no call to take upon him holy orders. During thefe debates, in which mifs Betfy gave herfelf no manner of concern, fhe received a letter from her brother, containing these lines:

To mifs BETSY THOUGHTLESS.

• My dear fifter,

THOUGH I flatter myself all my letters afford you fome fort of fatisfaction, yet by what little judgment I have been able to form of the tem

per

per of your fex, have reafon to believe, this I now fend will meet a double portion of welcome from you. It brings • a confirmation of your beauty's power; 'the intelligence of a new conqueft; the ' offer of a heart, which, if you will trust ' a brother's recommendation, is well deferving your acceptance: but, that I 'may not feem to speak in riddles, you may remember, that the first time I had the pleasure of entertaining you at 'my rooms, a gentleman called Trueworth, ' was with us, and that the next day, when you dined with that perfon, who after'wards treated you with fuch unbecoming • liberties, he made one of the company; 'fince then you could not fee him, as he 'was obliged to go to his feat, which is • about thirty miles off, on an extraordi6 nary occafion, and returned not till the day after you left this town. He feemed more than ordinarily affected, on my telling him what had happened, on your account,and after paufing a little, How

6

unhappy was I,' faid he, to be abfent! "had I been here, there would have been "no need for the brother of mifs Betfy "to have expofed his life to the fword of "an injurious antagonist, or his character "to the cenfure of the university. I "would have taken upon myself to have "revenged the quarrel of that amiable "lady,

' lady, and either have feverely chastifed "the infolence of the aggreffor, or loft "the best part of my blood in the at"tempt.' I was very much furprized at thefe words, as well as at the emphasis with which they were delivered; but • recovering myfelf as foon as I could, "We are extremely obliged to you, fir,' • faid I; but I know not if such a mis"taken generofity, might not have been "fatal to the reputation of us both. What "would the world have faid of me to "have been tamely paffive, and fuffer "another to revenge the affront offered "to my fifter? What would they have thought of her, on finding her honour "vindicated by one who had no concern " in it?' No concern!' cried he, with the utmost eagernefs; yes, I have a concern, more deep, more ftrong, than "that of father, brother, or all the ties "of blood could give; and that you had "before now have been convinced of, had "I not been fo fuddenly and fo unfortu"nately called hence.'

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• Perceiving I looked very much confounded, as well I might, Ah! Frank,' cried he, I love your charming fifter: 'I my friends have, for these fix months paft, been teizing me to think of mar“riage, and several proposals have been

"made