The certainly has infinitely too much influence: with him, yet it is to be hoped that prudence, good fenfe, and reflection, though uncommon at his years, will prevent him from a step fo difgraceful, especially as there is no reason to think that any friend or companion of his lordship acts in concert with the damsel, and has an interest in perfuading him to fuch a measure. From your ladyship's having chofen mifs Almond as a companion, I never doubted her being a young woman of talents; I should be extremely forry, on my lord's account, to think that fhe was mistress of all the cunning and addrefs that I have heard. imputed to her. At all events, I thought the fooner you knew what has happened the better, that you may not be too late in adopting whatever measures your wisdom may fuggeft. but I remain, with the most fincere and refpectful friendship, Your ladyfhip's most obedient fervant, ANGELINA CELESTINA Demure. LETTER CV. The COUNTESS of DEANPORT to Mrs. DEMURE. MY DEAR MADAM, you Tunbridge. I RETURN RETURN you thanks for the friendly letter addreffed to me when I was in Oxfordfhire. The affair you communicated gave me more uneafinefs on the girl Almond's account than on my fon's. With regard to him, it will be confidered merely as a piece of levity natural to youth; but to her the confequence will be more ferious, because she has not the address of those women who keep their intrigues concealed from public obfervation, nor the audacity of those who, in defiance of the public impreffion, and of their own confciousness, give themselves the airs of prudery and innocence. I am of your opinion, that there is no dan ger of lord Deanport being wheedled into marriage by mifs Almond, because I know, and this affurance will afford you, my dear Angelina Celestina Grizzel, peculiar fatisfaction-I know that he has had the prudence to elude the fnares of women more mature, and more exercifed in the arts of feduction, than that poor girl can be. other pa On my return to town, among pers which my fon, from his ufual carelesshefs, left in his apartment, I found a letter from Mr. Clifford. I fear it has been perused by fome of the fervants; but, to prevent the fame from happening again, I now inclose it. I intended to have had the pleafure of waiting on you before I went to Tunbridge; but the party with which I go hurry me without mercy; and fo, my dear friend, I must bid you adieu. E. DEANPORT. LETTER CVI. WILLIAM CLIFFORD, Efq. to the Earl of MY DEAR LORD, DEANPORT. Clifford-Houfe. As you repeat, in your last letter, the wish you formerly expreffed to fee me in town, I am forry I cannot immediately comply with a request which does me honour. I will however frankly acknowledge, that your lordship conjectures right, in thinking that I am detained here by the charms of a woman whom I cannot prevail on to accompany me to London; though, in my present humour, I think I fhould be happy to accompany her any where, except, perhaps, to Gretna-green. What will think more you extraordinary is, that he is not a new acquaintance, but one that I have long known, and for whom I always had a partiality, though the never appeared fo bewitchinglyagreeable, in all refpects, as fince I last came to Northumberland. Mordaunt is with his friend, colonel Sommers, at Ashwood. Though I am not particularly fond of that gentleman's company, I should not like to leave the country while fuch a marauder remains in it:—yet, I think, he will hardly venture to plunder any of my property. I have another reafon, which, independent of those I have mentioned, would of itself be sufficient to prevent me from going to London at prefent-Mrs. Demure is there. I once had a fancy for that woman: fhe was otherwife engaged at that time; and fhe thought proper, though I understand it has not always been her practice, to throw cold water on my flame. On my last return from the continent, I found her in a much more favourable dispo"fition: but my fancy had changed as well as hers. As fhe had warmed, I had cooled; not fo completely, however, as to render me quite |