at my question. Upon which I repeated it. When he informed me, in broken English, that I was mistaken in his bufinefs. He faid, the Tripoline Ambaffador, to whom he was interpreter, having long admired me, and finding that I was indebted to the lady in question, he had offered to pay her the fum that was due to her, as well as my other demands, could fhe introduce his Excellency to me. I now found that the propofal for the infurance of my life was only made use of as introductory to this plan.

All the paffions that ever entered into a female breast immediately exerted their whole dominion over me. I was in an instant torn by rage, contempt, and offended pride. I know not which was most predominant; they each ruled by turns; and, as I had never met with fo grofs an infult before, the contending paffions deprived me of the power of utterance. I was almost choaked. As foon as I could a little recover myfelf, I pulled the bell; and the fervant immediately answering it, I ordered him to fhew the fellow down stairs. The pandar, fearing from my manner, and the appearance of the footman, that if he did not directly comply, he would be in danger of being fhewn the shortest way down, haftily rejoined his companion, and away they drove; and I foon after found, to my coft, that, enraged at my not

falling

falling a prey to her machinations, Mrs. Ray went ftrait to her attorney, and entered up the judgment for the fum of nine hundred pounds, two of which confifted of debts that he had bought up to accumulate her own.

G. A. B.

LETTER LXXXIV.

October 15, 17

As foon as Mr. Fox, and fome other guest, who had dined with me, were departed, I prepared to go to his Excellency's to cards; but, as I paffed through Jermyn-street, I was overtaken by the wretch's brother, who, almost breathlefs with running after me, informed me that a man, who came up at the fame time, had an action against me, at his fifter's fuit. The shock had fuch an effect upon me, that I dropped down speechless in the street. Two fuch infults, fo quickly fucceeding each other, were not to be fupported. Had the latter come fingly, I could have borne it with Roman fortitude; but, united, they were too fevere a trial.

Had I been able to preferve my reafon upon this occafion, and been acquainted with the laws, I might have preserved my liberty, at least for that

night;

night; for it seems the fellows who arrested me had, in their great hurry, forgot the warrant; without which, I find, the caption is not valid; but, during my imbecillity, one of them ran for it. You fee from this inftance, at once, how neceffary it is to preferve an equanimity of mind upon thefe trying occafions; and likewife how much it behoves perfons, who are fo unfortunate as to be in debt, to make themselves acquainted with the powers of those who are employed in the execution of the laws by unfeeling and rigorous creditors. I have often lamented, that fimilar laws to thofe of Scotland are not in force here. There fuch as are fo unfortunate as to be confined for debt, upon delivering up their all, are liberated in a short time. By this means the prisons are emp ty, and the creditor receives at least a part of his debt; which, otherwise, would probably, as is too often the cafe, be diffipated during confinement. Lenity is productive of renewed industry; and, to the honour of the Scots be it spoken, that people, as I had an opportunity of observing when among them, join the most scrupulous honefty to that good qualification.

I was taken, during this ftate of infenfibility, to the officer's houfe in Stanhope-street, Claremarket; which happened to be the fame where my brother Captain O'Hara, as I have mentioned

3

in

in a former letter, was confined. It was fo long before I came to myself, that the furgeon, who was fent for to bleed me, was apprehenfive for my life.Happy would it have been, even at this period, if these apprehenfions had been realized. For I might juftly fay with Matilda, "Had fome "good angel opened the Book of Providence, "and let me fee my life, my heart had burst "when it beheld the woes, one by one, which I 66 was to endure.".

The mistrefs of the house had fome feeling; and seeing me dreffed above the common line, though plain, and having befides conceived fome partiality for me, not only on account of my being an actress, but as fifter to her favourite captain, who had so often been her lodger, she paid me more attention than perfons generally meet with in fuch places. She fent for my maid, and kindly prevented all noife and confufion in the house, for five days, during which I remained in a state of filent infanity. My maid, to return the obligations fhe thought I lay under to all those who fent to enquire after me, took the fervants that brought the meffages, which were not a few, to the bar, and treated them with what they would have; and this made no inconfiderable addition to my expences.

The fixth morning of my refidence in this place, the woman of the house came up to me, and told me that the writ was returnable the next day, and if I did not eat and drink, and get a habeas corpus, I fhould be carried a corpfe to Newgate. The name of that dreadful place made me tremble; but, at the fame time, it roufed me as if I had been electrified. I immediately recovered from my stupidity, and asked her what was to be done? She informed me, that it would be neceffary for me to employ an attorney to procure à habeas for me, and alfo to fend and engage a lodging within the rules of the King's-Bench. She added, that her fon, who was an attorney, was below, and would be glad to serve me. She concluded with telling me, that perfons in the law never advanced any money for their clients ; though indeed they did not expect to have their bills settled immediately, especially where it was fafe, as it must be with a lady who had credit enough to owe one perfon twelve hundred pounds. I startled at the mention of fo large a fum, and defired her to explain herself; which she did by telling me, that was the debt for which the exeution was levied against me.

What was how to be done I scarcely knew. I had but a few guineas about me. The Comte was too much indifpofed to inform him of my fituation;