at the first place we baited, as magnificent a riding habit as could be made for a lady. This change, the Moor added, will be neceffary, as we must ride for feveral days, after we quit the chair.

This discourse amazed me, and I fell into a profound reverie, which lafted till we arrived at a little blind public house, by the fide of a wood, about break of day. Here we lay by till the next night, and met with provifions which did not belong to fuch a place. Every thing was of the best, and the fervants attended me with an obedience and respect as if I had been their queen. As my dress was a very strange one to travel in, I was obliged to put on the rich riding habit the Moor at this houfe produced; and as foon as I had fupped, he put me into the chair again. With fresh horses we travelled at a great rate, and at four in the morning, stopped at another little house. Two nights more this rout continued, and then we journeyed by day. June the 7th, at eight in the morning they brought me a beautiful milk-white mare to the door, and after I had refted about three hours, and breakfafted, they feated me on a fide-faddle quite new, that was crimson velvet embroidered with gold. The The very stirrup was filver double gilt. The bit was of the fame kind. Three long fummer days I rid this charming mare, without ever paffing

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through one town, or meeting a human creature, saving some poor laboring men. We went through a country the moft romantic, engaging, and wild, where no travellers ever feemed to go; and yet in every cottage we rested at in thofe lone by-ways, there was entertainment fit for any one. From hence it was visible and plane, that no fmall power moved this wheel, and I flattered myself, as I drew towards the end of my way, that bafenefs and inhumanity could not be the last act of this play. Yet a horror fat upon my fpirits, in the midft of all the hopes my fancy could raife. I had a thousand torturing

fears.

The ninth of June, at eight in the evenBaffora ing, my journey was at an end, and I foon faw the infide of the machine. We arrived at Baffora, the gentleman's country feat, fituated upon the northern extremity of Weftmorland, and encompaffed with rock, foreft, and water, which form a number of the wildeft, pleafing views. Hills and valleys, cataracts and groves, are mingled in the most beautiful, irregular ways. One can no where fee a finer variety of ftriking, rural fcenes.

In the center of this fpot, at a little dif tance from Milburn-wood, the manfion ftands, and confifts of feveral fuits of groundrooms, difpofed in the manner of Pouffin's

whims. The whole building is timber, put together in a masterly way, and decorated with all the beautys of carving, painting, and gilding, that art and expence could lavishly beftow. There is a magnificent chamber for mufic and dancing; and a little theatre for comedy, that is extremely fine. Gardens the most beautiful furround thefe rooms, and in the difpofition of opening and shade, walks, and carpet-green, banks of flowers and falling ftreams, the whole looks like fome piece of fairy-ground. Fancy might take this place for the habitation of pleasure. The goddess and her friends, to be fure, here live a life of perfect ferenity.

Comus.

The mafter of this fine romantic vill is a The chagentleman remarkable for the beauty of his racter of perfon, and the income of a vaft eftate; for a fine genius, and a great fhare of learning; for a prodigious memory, and an eloquence. that is not common. Thefe bleffings, Comus devotes to the worst of purposes, and employs them only for the ruin of womankind. "Immenfe treafures he lavishes to benight the virgin in his woods, and fecure "her in his wily trains. For this he hurls "his dazling fpells into the fpungy air, and cheats the eye with blear illufion. He "under fair pretence of friendly ends, and well-placed words of glozing curtely, "baited with reasons not unplaufible, wins U 2

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"him into the easy-hearted man, and hugs "him into fnares." Licentious Comus ! Cruel man! to reft thy happyness on a wo

man's ruin.

The addrefs of Comus,

But there is nothing to restrain his lawless will. He lives in the ftrong hold of debauchery and atheism, and from thence bids defyance to heaven. He has inculcated to himself, that God is nothing but a mormoe, and there is no fuch thing as human foul or fpirit. We are mere machines, and if pain can be avoided, pleasure established, it fignifys nothing how matter and motion jumble. Therefore hell and torments are to him as Charon and Cerberus. All is Par follicito fabula fomnio. Upon these principles he is, in respect of women, the wickedeft of men. He is restless in contrivance, and hardy in pursuit of his object. He is confident in attempts, and importunat in addreffes. He looks upon the bafeft acts of diffimulation and fraud, as provident methods of attaining his end.

To this grand voluptuary I was introduced, and to do him all the justice in my power, was received with that politeness and civility which no man living knows how to practise better. He asked me a million of pardons for the violence he had offered me, and confeffed, with tears in his eyes, that he could only plead in his defence the force of love.

It was, by the immortal Gods, that principle of all-creating nature, which prompted him to proceed in the manner he had done; and as its sway is felt refiftless through the wide fields of air, through earth, and the deep empire of the main, and as it is the fovereign joy of every finer breaft, he hoped I would excufe what this almighty power had compelled him to do, and let the holy tye of wedlock legitimat an indiffoluble flame. He would be the tender hufband. He would fettle half his fortune upon me.

If I asked him, why then, fince matrimony was his view, he did not come to Mrs. Compton's house, and, as he had fo fair a right to any woman in a legal way, make his propofals in the face of day? To this he could only reply, that his life depended on the fuccefs of the affair, and not knowing but there might be fome obstacle, or neceffity to poftpone the thing, he prefumed to proceed in the manner he had done, and thought he might make full fatisfaction for the irregularity used, by the greatnefs of his fettlement, and an unalterable love. Faithfully I love (continued Comus). My bent of love is honourable. My purpose marriage: And all my fortunes at thy foot I lay. Let then the holy man joyn our hands together this night. There are two divines, my friends, in the house, who are come to pafs fome weeks

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