boasted to him how cleverly he had deceived me; for that I believed him to be an angel.

"Excuse my being thus tedious, but it was necessary to let you so far into my connection with the Sheridans, before I could account for my behaviour latterly.

"When Mr. Sheridan came to me in the evening, I only told him something had happened to make me uneasy; but bid him tell Matthews I would write to him. I accordingly wrote, and told him every circumstance that had happened, showed him how impossible it was for us to continue any such connection, and begged (for still I thought him worthy) that he would write to tell me he was convinced by my arguments, and that we might part friends, though unhappy ones. He wrote to me, and comforted me greatly by assuring me of his approbation of my conduct, and that he was ready to acquiesce in any thing to make me happy, as he was unwilling to see my father. Mr. Sheridan was appointed to settle every thing; he accordingly came to my father, and told him what Matthews had said, and that he intended to write to my father and bind himself in the most solemn manner never to see me again. My father was satisfied with this, and pitied Matthews greatly. He kept his word, and my father was happy that he had settled every thing so amicably.

"Mr. Sheridan was with me every day, and did every thing in his power to make me happy. He said if Matthews ever broke his word to my father, he never would be seen with him again; as he had engaged him in the affair, he was resolved to act the part of a man of honour. I applauded his sentiments, but said I thought it impossible that Matthews ever should;—the next day convinced me how cruelly I had deceived myself. I received a letter from Matthews, wherein he told me he was going to London, but would return in less than two months, and if I did not consent to see him sometimes, he would shoot himself that instant. He said my answer would determine his fate. This letter flung me into fits, as I must either break my word to my father, or consent to the death of the man, on whose life my own depended. At last I wrote and expostulated with him once more on the baseness of such a proceeding. This letter, instead of having the wished effect, produced another still more alarming; in this he flung off the tender behaviour for which I al

ways loved him, and put on the language of a tyrant-told me he would see me, that no father on earth should hinder him, and if I would not consent, he would take me off by force. I answered this with some warmth, as I began to see I had been deceived in him. I then insisted he should never write to me again; but he contrived to make me read a letter directed in another hand, wherein he told me we had both been deceived through some mistake; said he had something to communicate of the utmost consequence to my future happiness; and if I would indulge him with ten minutes' conversation, he never after would desire to see me again; but if I refused this last request, I must expect the worst.

"Terrified as I was, with no friend to advise me, I at last consented, and appointed an hour, but the moment he saw me, he locked the door, and drawing a pistol from his pocket uttered the most horrid imprecations; and swore if I would not bind myself by the most solemn oaths to see him again on his return from London, he would shoot himself before my face. Think, my dear girl, on my cruel situation; what could I do? Half distracted, I told him I would do any thing rather than see him commit so rash an action. This was Saturday, and I promised him (if I was alive) to see him on Wednesday evening during the concert. On this condition he let me go.

"I was to spend the day with Miss Sheridan, who was ill with the tooth-ache. All the time I was with her, I was resolving in my own mind what way I was to act. To break my word with my father was impossible. If I did not see Matthews, I expected worse to ensue. What resource was there left? At length (I tremble while I write) I came to the horrid resolution of destroying my own wretched being, as the only means to prevent my becoming still more guilty, and saving my parents from still more distress. With these horrid thoughts, I searched Miss Sheridan's room for some laudanum, which I knew she had for the tooth-ache; I found a small bottle full, and put it in my pocket.

"The next day (Sunday), after church, I left my mother and sisters walking. I sat down, made my will, and wrote a letter to my father, and one to Matthews. While I was about it, Mr. Sheridan came in; he had observed me taking the laudanum, and when he saw me writing, he seemed very much alarmed. At last, after swearing him to secrecy, I told

him what I intended to do, and begged him to take charge of the letters. He used every argument in the world to dissuade me from it; but finding them all useless, he entreated me at least not to take it till the afternoon, as he then would tell me something which he was sure would make me lay aside such thoughts entirely. Fearful of his betraying me, I consented; but the moment he was gone took half the quantity, and after dinner, finding it had no effect, I took the rest. My fears were true. He had gone to Dr. Harrington and Dr. W., and begged of them for God's sake to go to our house that night, in case I should have taken it before he returned in the evening. When he came I was on the settee in a state of lethargy. He immediately ran for the doctors; but before they could give me any assistance, I dropped down, as they thought, dead. I lay for some time. in that dreadful state, till by force they opened my teeth, and poured something down my throat, which made me bring up a great deal of the poison.

To describe the distress of my family at this time is impossible; but such a scene by all accounts cannot be conceived or imagined. It was happy for me that I was insensible of it, as it would certainly have had a severer effect upon me than all the poison.

"After I had taken every thing that was proper, I was put to bed, where I passed the night in the most dreadful agonies of mind, at the thoughts of what would be the consequence of this affair.

"Monday evening, Sheridan came to me. He expostulated with me with the greatest tenderness, and showed me the dreadful crime I had been about to commit, and for one who was every way unworthy of my least consideration. He then told me every circumstance relative to myself, which Matthews had told him. He showed me letters he had received from him, and wherein his villany was fully explained.

"Judge what must be my feelings, on finding the man, for whom I had sacrificed life, fortune, reputation, every thing that was dear, the most abandoned wretch that ever existed In his last letter to Sheridan he had told him that I had given him so much trouble, that he had the greatest inclination to give me up, but his vanity would not let him do that without having gained his point. He therefore said he was

resolved the next time I met him to throw off the mask, and if I would not consent to make myself still more infamous, to force me, and then leave me to repent at leisure. He then told how he had acted on Saturday; and that I had promised to see him on Wednesday. He then said he would sufficiently revenge himself for all the trouble I had given him; but if I changed my mind, and would not see him, he was resolved to carry me off by force. The moment I read this horrid letter I fainted, and it was some time before I could recover my senses sufficiently to thank Mr. Sheridan for his opening my eyes. He said he had made Matthews believe he was equally infamous, that he might the sooner know his designs; but he said it was not in his power to appear on a friendly footing any longer with such a villain. Mr. Sheridan then asked me what I designed to do. I told him my mind was in such a state of distraction, between anger, remorse, and fear, that I did not know what I should do; but as Matthews had declared he would ruin my reputation, I was resolved never to stay in Bath. He then first proposed my going to France, and entering a convent, where he said I should be safe from all kind of danger, and in time I might recover my peace and tranquillity of mind; his sister would give me letters of recommendation to St. Quintin, where she had been four years, and he would go with me to protect me; and after he had seen me settled, he would return to England, and place my conduct in such a light that the world would applaud and not condemn me.

"You may be assured I gladly embraced his offer, as I had the highest opinion of him. He accordingly settled every thing; so that we resolved to go on that fatal Wednesday which was to determine my fate. Miss Sheridan came to me, approved the scheme, and helped me in putting up my clothes. I kept up my spirits very well till the day came, and then I thought I should go distracted. To add to my affliction, my mother miscarried the day before, owing to the fright of Sunday. the being obliged to leave her in such a situation, with the thoughts of the distress in which my whole family would be involved, made me almost give up my resolu tion; but, on the other hand, so many circumstances concurred to make it absolutely necessary, that I was, in short, almost distracted.

"At last Sheridan came with two chairs, and having put me half fainting into one, and my trunks into the other, I was carried to a coach that waited in Walcot Street. Sheridan had engaged the wife of one of his servants to go with me as a maid without my knowledge. You may imagine how pleased I was with his delicate behaviour Before he could follow the chairs he met Matthews, who was going to our house, as I had not undeceived him for fear of the consequence. Sheridan framed some excuse, and after telling him that my mother had miscarried, and that the house was in such confusion it was impossible for him to go in, begged he would go to his sister's, and wait there till he sent for him, as he had an affair of honour on his hands, and perhaps should want his assistance; by this means he got rid of him.

We arrived in London about nine o'clock the next morning. From London we went to Dunkirk by sea, where we were recommended to an English family, who treated me very politely. I changed my name to Harley, as I thought my own rather too public. From thence we proceeded to Lisle, where by chance Sheridan met with an old schoolfellow, who immediately introduced us to an English family, with whom he boarded. They were very amiable people, and recommended us to a convent, which we resolved to accept without going farther.

"Adieu! my dear girl, and believe me yours,
"E. LINLEY."

Miss Linley was at that time but eighteen years of age, and was under articles of apprenticeship to her father until the age of twenty-one, but she was in possession of £3000, which she had obtained under singular circumstances. Mr. Long, a man of fortune, had wooed her for his wife, but she had avowed to him that, if obliged to marry him, she could never bestow her affections on him; he not only resigned himself to his disappointment, but actually took it upon himself to be the responsible cause of the breaking off the match, and paid the sum mentioned as an indemnity for the breach of covenant. Mr. Linley went to Lisle, and, after an explanation with Sheridan, it was resolved that his daughter should fulfil her engagement to him, and they returned together to England.