"ever, may take my life, if the intelligence "I give you proves falfe."

His Lordfhip having been already convinced from his own obfervations, and the information he had received from other quarters, that there was fomething portentous to the welfare of the Ruffian empire in agitation; after having tried the Spaniard to the utmost, he gave credit to what he faid; and was now fatisfied that his informant had received fome intelligence under the feal of fecrecy, as he termed it, the particulars of which he made a point of honour not to disclose, although he thought it no breach of honour to repeat the fubftance of it.

The carriage being by this time ready, Lord Tyrawley and the Spaniard set out together for the Emprefs's palace, notwithftanding the latenefs of the hour and the inclemency of the weather. The English Ambaffador procured admittance to her majesty immediately. But the Emprefs feemed to doubt the poffibility of his information, till the Spaniard was called in; who gave her fuch convincing proofs of what was intended, that the could no longer doubt the truth of his affertions. Her majefty then propofed fending fuch a particular troop to prevent the defigns, the had just been informed of, from being carried into execution. But the Spaniard exclamied, "No, you muft fecure them, "as they are now actually under arms against 66 you."

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you." The light at this time fhone full upon them, as they were part of her body guard, and her favourite, Wall, Colonel of them. Some troops were fent to prevent the efcape of the Marquis de Chattardy, but he was already fled; and, though purfued, found means to make his efcape. He had not however time to destroy his papers. These were fecured and brought to the palace. The regiment fufpected were found under arms, which created a certainty of their intended treafon. The treachery of her favourite, the Comte was fully proved. But through fome remains of that regard which the once entertained for him, his life was fpared, and he was banished to Siberia. Whilft all thofe whom he had prevailed upon to join in his treacherous views, were immediately executed. Her majefty took the Spaniard into her fervice, and rewarded him nobly. And the prefents the made Lord Tyrawley for the fervices he rendered her on this occafion, though of immenfe value, were not, in his eftimation, of fo much worth as the friendship with which the honoured him to the day of her death.

LETTER XXXIII.

June 29, 17,

LORD TYRAWLEY gave us the fore

going ftory, the first evening we paffed

together, among many other entertaining anecdotes. The night paffed away in a sweet delirium, as you may fuppofe, with two fuch bright geniufes as his Lordship and Mr. Quin. -Every word conveyed extatic delight to a mind fond of learning and the belles letters; to a perfon tremblingly alive to every rational enjoyment, as well as every delicate fenfation.

Like Circe "They would take the pri"foned foul, and lap it in Elyfium."-Whilst the brilliant jeft, and fmart repartee, afforded food for laughter, their obfervations on men and books fupplied me with a lafting fund of inftruction.

Before we broke up, his Lordship promifed to fup with me three or four times a week, and begged Mr. Quin to be of the party as often as poffible. But as he loved his good fat capon; his ale and orange; and ungartering, as he called it; which he esteemed the three great bleffings of life; and as Lord Tyrawley was not fond of the bottle; he did not often favour me with his company at my apartments. I had however the entrée at his

houfe

houfe, where I fpent every evening I could fpare from other engagements.

vour.

Late as it was before his Lordship and Mr. Quin left me, I fat down, before I flept, to inform Mr. Metham of the happiness I enjoyed in being reftored to his Lordship's fa. But much as it delighted me, it gave no fatisfaction to him. He however affected to be pleased with the intelligence I fent him, in compliment to me, as he feemed to partake in every thing that afforded me pleasure. Indeed we carried our ideas of love to fo romantic a height, that the correfpondence, which by this time had commenced between us, partook more of the fentiments of Caffandra and Oroondates, than of perfons on a level with the reft of mankind.

There was fo much fentiment and respect, both in his letters and behaviour, that I never gave myself time to reflect on the imprudence I was guilty of in entering into a private intimacy with a man, who had formerly declared that it was not in his power to pay his addreffes to me on honourable terms. Nay, that very declaration, as it appeared to give me a proof of his opennefs and candour, lulled me into a falfe fecurity. And from that circumftance I placed fo much dependence upon his honour, which I fuppofed equal to his fincerity, that I never harboured a fear of his entertaining the leaft difhonourable. thought.-More females owe their ruin to C4

this

this falfe fecurity, than to the incitments of vanity or paffion.-Thrown off their guard by placing an implicit confidence in the man they love, they find too late, in their own difhonour, that they expected honour of their betrayers has been but an empty bubble.

About this time having an opportunity to go to a masquerade, I readily embraced the offer, that I might meet my lover there, and be more at liberty to enjoy his converfation than I had been able to do. Having never been at fuch an entertainment before, I expreffed my furprise to Mr. Metham how ple were able to find one another out, with their faces fo covered that the features were not diftinguishable. He replied, "That my eyes would light him; and that intuition "would prevent any mistake.

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peo

I certainly preferred Mr. Metham to any man living. My regard for him, however, was not fo violent but what it was to give way to my humour. Accordingly, when the night arrived, I wrapped myfelf in a black domino, with a large capot over it, and in this unexpected drefs, accompanied by the Mifs Merediths, in the habits of Savoyard girls, entered the room. In a very fhort time I was as well acquainted with the nature of the entertainment as Heidegger himself. And as my companions were too much noticed to

The perfon who firft introduced mafked balls into England.

mind