door, the key being always in it. Mifs Betfy left the lovers in an arbour, and went into the kitchen, telling the maid, she had read mifs Forward to fleep, and hoped fhe would be better when he waked. She amufed the wench with one little chat or other, till fhe thought divine fervice was near over, then returned into the garden to give her friends warning it was time to feparate.

They had after this many private interviews, thro' the contrivance and affiftance of mifs Betfy, who, quite charmed with being made the confidante of a perfon elder than herself, fet all her wits to work, to render herself worthy of the trust repofed in her. Sometimes fhe made pretences of going to the milliner, the mantua-maker, or to buy fomething in town, and begged leave, that mifs Forward fhould accompany her, faying, fhe wanted her choice of what the was to purchase. Sparkish was always made acquainted when they were to go out, and never failed to give them the meeting.

Miss Forward had a great deal of the coquette in her nature: fhe knew how to play at faft-and-loofe and, young as fhe was, mingling pain with the

with her lover; took a pride in pleasure the beftowed.

ftowed. Mifs Betfy was a witness of all the airs the other gave herself on this occafion, and the artifices fhe made ufe of, in order to secure the continuance of his addreffes; so that thus early initiated into the mystery of courtship, it is not to be wondered at, that when fhe came to the practice, fhe was fo little at a lofs.

This intercourse, however, lafted but a fmall time; their meetings were too frequent, and too little circumfpection ufed in them, not to be liable to discovery. The governess was informed, that in fpite of all her care, the young folks had been too cunning for her; on which she went to the father of Sparkifh, acquainted him with what the knew of the affair, and intreated he would lay his commands on his fon to refrain all converfation with any of the ladies under her tuition. The old gentleman flew into a violent paffion, at hearing his fon had already begun to think of love; he called for him, and after having rated his youthful folly in the severest manner, charged him to relate the whole truth of what had paffed between him and the young lady mentioned by the governefs. The poor lad was terrified beyond measure at his father's anger, and confeffed every particular of his meetings with mifs Forward, and her companion; and

thus mifs Betfy's fhare of the contrivance was brought to light, and drew on her a reprimand equally fevere with that mifs Forward had received. The careful governess would not entirely depend on the affurances the father of Sparkish had given her, and refolved to truft neither of the ladies out of her fight, while that young gentleman remained fo near them, which fhe knew would be but a fhort time, he having finished his fchool-learning, and was foon to go to the univerfity. To prevent, alfo, any future ftratagems being laid between miss Betsy and mifs Forward, fhe took care to keep them from ever being alone together, which was a very great mortification to them; but a fudden turn foon after happened in the affairs of mifs Betfy, which put all I have been relating entirely out of her head.

CHAP.

CHAP. II.

Shews mifs Betfy in a new scene of life, and the frequent opportunities he had of putting in practice thofe leffons fhe was beginning to receive from her young inftructress at the boarding-fchool.

THO' it is certainly neceffary to incul

cate into young girls all imaginable precaution, in regard to their behaviour towards those of another fex, yet I know not if it is not an error to dwell too much upon that topic. Mifs Betfy might, poffibly, have fooner forgot the little artifices fhe had feen practised by mifs Forward, if her governefs, by too strenuously endeavouring to convince her how unbecoming they were, had not reminded her of them. Befides, the good old gentlewoman was far ftricken in years; - time had fet his iron fingers on her cheeks, had left his cruel marks on every feature of the face, and fhe had little remains of having ever been capable of exciting those inclinations the fo much condemned; fo that what fhe faid feemed to miss Betfy as fpoke out of envy, or to fhew her au

B 5

thority,

thority, rather than the real dictates of truth.

I have often remarked, that reproofs from the old and ugly have much less efficacy, than when given by perfons lefs advanced in years, and who may be fuppofed not altogether paft fenfibility them-. felves of the gaieties they advise others to avoid.

Tho' all the old gentlewoman faid could not perfwade mifs Betfy there was any harm in mifs Forward's behaviour towards young Sparkish, yet she had the complaifance to liften to her with all the attention the other could expect, or defire from her.

She was, indeed, as yet too young to confider of the juftice of the other's reafoning, and her future conduct shewed, alfo, fhe was not of a humour to give her felf much pains in examining, or weighing in the balance of judgment, the merit of the arguments fhe heard urged, whether for or against any point whatsoever. She had a great deal of wit, but was too volatile for reflection, and as a fhip, without fufficient ballaft, is toft about at the pleafure of every wind that blows, fo was the

hurried