The next morning Mr. Thomas, then Lord Mansfield's clerk, came himself with the tipftaff, to conduct me over to the warden. Mr. Marsden very politely met me at the door of his house, and conducted me into the parlour. My attorney having attended Mr. Woodward and Mr. Stacie there in the morning, to fettle for the Rules, the Marshal knew of my coming, and I found every thing ufual for breakfast prepared against I arrived.

This grand point being fettled, I went to a little vile lodging, which had been taken for me, at the house belonging to the Windmill in St. George's Fields; a fpot rendered famous by Shakfpere, from being noticed by Juftice Shallow, in the "Second Part of Henry the Fourth *." For this wretched place I was to pay two guineas a week; but the time to procure me a lodging had been fo fhort, that the firft which offered was fixed upon.

Mr. Marfden attended me himself, with great complaifance, to my new apartments; and I was not a little furprifed, upon our being feated, at his taking out a large purfe of gold, and presenting it to me, with a requeft, that I would make use of it for my present exigencies, and return it to him when convenient. As an inducement for my doing this, he observed, that my expences must

* A&t. III. Scene V.

I

have been very great at the officer's houfe; for though the woman was remarkably civil, she generally made her guests pay for that civility. told him, that my refidence at the officer's house had indeed been expenfive, and related to him what had occafioned it; but I begged to decline his offer, affuring him that I was not at prefent in need of his kind affiftance. Upon which he took his leave; entreating me, as he went out, to let him know, if I should at any time happen to be short of cash.

When Mr. Marsden was gone, I could not help expreffing my surprise to Miss Wordley, who had accompanied me in this confined tour, at his generous politeness. My companion instantly replied, "I am amazed at your fimplicity! You

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may be affured it comes originally from Mr. "Woodward! As you have fo often rejected his "pecuniary affiftance, I plainly fee he has taken "this method to ferve you, without being mor"tified by a refufal."

In the evening that gentleman came to pay me a vifit; when he advised me to write, as foon as poffible, to the Attorney-General, my much honoured friend Mr. Yorke, to confult him upon my cafe. By Mr. Woodward not making me an offer of his affiftance at this time, I was convinced that Mifs Wordley's fuppofition was well founded.

founded. Indeed, her fagacity and fuperior understanding enabled her to see every event clearer, in all points of view, than most people.

The next day I defired her to take a letter to Mr. Yorke. My honourable (and now, alas! my much regretted) friend immediately wrote me an answer, wherein he informed me, in the kindeft terms, that he would pay every attention to the affair, and would do all in his power to extricate me from it. But as nothing could be done till November, he requested me to accept the inclofed bills, in lieu of what his loved fifter, Lady Anfon, had intended to bequeath me, had the not been taken away fuddenly. He then advised me, if my creditor could not be prevailed on to compromise the debt, to ftand trial; when he was well affured, he faid, a verdict would be given in my favour; but as his excellency, Comte Haslang, was advanced in years, it might continue pending over my head for fome time.-In how pleafing a manner was this favour conferred! the delicacy and politenefs with which it was accompanied, gave it double value, and claimed my warmest acknowledgments.

Finding I must make up my mind to my prefent fituation, as nothing could be done for fo long a time, I fent Mifs Wordley to feek out another apartment; for though, by Mr. Yorke's bounty,

bounty, I found myself poffeffed of two hundred pounds, yet it was visible that the noble donor had fent me that fum, on purpose to enable me to compromise the debt with Mrs. Ray, should she confent to it. Mifs Wordley accordingly fixed on two rooms adjoining to the Dog and Duck, at twelve fhillings a week; which were more eligible, better furnished, and much airier, than those I was now in. There was, indeed, no convenient accommodation for my friend; but the agreed to put up with the beft we could make, those nights on which her engagement at Richmond would permit her to be with me.

I was in hopes, I fhould have been able to comprefs the whole of the tedious detail of this disagreeable affair into one letter; but as I find I have many circumftances yet to relate concerning it, I must be obliged to make it the fubject of my next. You will readily perceive, that I carefully avoid making an addition to the prolixity, by the infertion of any of my ufual remarks or quotations. In feveral places where my pen was about to take advantage of an opening, and set off, I have inftantly checked it; left, whilst it should afford a relief to the fameness of the fubject, it should run it into too great a length. This inveterate profecution, carried on against me because I would not conform to the abandoned wishes of

the

the profecutrix, proved a fource of much unhap piness to me; I fhall therefore hurry through the relation of it as faft as poffible; at once to put an end to the corrofive reflections which torture my mind as I write it, and to carry you with all difpatch through a scene that can give you no great pleasure. For, whilft I ftrive to preferve your friendship, and to regain the good opinion of the world, by a narrative of the moft interesting events of my life, I should think myself undeferving of both, was I to spare any pains to render it as pleafing and entertaining as it lies in my power to do.

G. A. B.

LENT TER LXXXV.

October 23, 17—

S foon as I was fettled in my new refidence, I fent to Counsellor Murphy, to request his advicét and affiftance. He undertook, with the greatest alacrity, to try to prevail on my opponent to receive the money, agreeable to the former fettle

ment.

If he could not effect this, he affured me he would undertake my cause, and exert his utmoft abilities in my defence. Numerous were she prefents which I received whilft I continued H

VOL. IV.