1

He

felf feems not to regret them in the least. affures me, he fhall carry them all with cofts, and talks rather with fatisfaction of going to town to affift in their management. If you fhould happen to meet with him, Mr. Lounger, I fhould be happy, for my part, if you could teach him fomewhat of your love of ease and indolence. I have many reafons for wifhing to forego all the reputation he will acquire by his activity, for a little peace and quiet. There is a faying of his father's, which I have heard the fame old steward I mentioned before repeat very often, but Mr. Buftle would never pay any regard to it: "When things are well as they "are, he's a fool who tries how they may be." I am, &c.

Z

BARBARA BUSTLE.

N° 79. SATURDAY, August 5, 1786.

To the AUTHOR of the LOUNGER.

SIR,

MY

Y father was a country-clergyman, a man of worth and probity, and who had the reputation both of learning and abilities. Being his eldest child, and, as he, perhaps partially, thought, of no unpromifing capacity, it was his pleasure to inftruct me in various branches of knowledge, to which he judged my understanding was equal, and to cultivate my taste with an early acquaintance with the best authors in our own language. Prepofterous.acquifitions, Mr. Lounger, for perfons in my station of life!-He died about three years ago, leaving my mother and four children, with no other fund for their maintenance than that flender penfion which in this country is provided for the widows and children of the clergy. There were indeed about 150 fermons of my father's compofition, together with many other manuscripts relating to church-history and antiquities; from all which my mother for fome time. had formed to herself many golden expectations:

but

but on offering them for fale to a bookseller, he refused to give more than Five Pounds for the whole parcel, and the rather chofe to retain them in her own hands.

To relieve her of part of the burden of her family, a gentleman, who was a distant relation of my father's, was kind enough to take charge of the education of one of my brothers; and as I was now feventeen, and, befides the lefs ufeful acquifitions I have mentioned, was moderately skilled in most of the ordinary accomplishments' of my fex, it coft fome deliberation, whether I fhould look out for the place of a lady's waiting maid, or afpire to the more honourable occupation of a mantua-maker. While my plan was yet undetermined, the fame gentleman who had taken my brother under his protection, wrote to my mother, informing her, that an elderly lady of rank, with whom he had the honour of being acquainted, was in fearch of a young perfon, to refide with her rather as a companion than as a fervant; and that he had no doubt, if that establishment were agreeable to me, it would be in his power to procure it for He reprefented my Lady Bidmore (the lady in queftion) as a mighty good fort of woman; and though he owned fhe had fome particular whims, he doubted not that I could easily accommodate myself to them, as they did not

me.

proceed

proceed from any fault of temper, but a fingularity of tafte, which a lády of great fortune might easily be excused for indulging herfelf in. In short, Sir, my mother and I judged this opportunity not to be neglected, and within a few days, our good friend acquainting us that he had arranged every thing for my reception, I fet off for town in the ftage-coach, to wait on my Lady Bidmore in the capacity of her gentlewoman or humble friend.

It is proper, Sir, to inform you, that this lady owed her birth to a decayed tradefman of this metropolis, and her education to a charity-school. At the age of eighteen she had gone to refide with a relation in London, where it was her good fortune to engage the affections of an eminent pawn-broker. With, him the lived thirty years; and being left a widow, with a fortune, as was faid, of L.20,000, fhe foon after received the addreffes. of Sir Humphrey Bidmore, Knight, alderman and grocer, then in the 70th year of his age. After a year and a half, Sir Humphry dying. without children, her Ladyship lost a very affectionate husband, but gained an addition of L. 15,000 to her fortune. On her marriage with the Knight, fhe had fold the good-will of her fhop and warehouse; a tranfaction that, now she was a fecond time a widow, the never

ceased

ceafed to repine at; and fhe has often been heard to regret, that fince her dear Sir Humphrey was to die, it was a thousand pities he did 'not do it a twelvemonth fooner. As it was, however, to no purpose to reflect on what could not be amended, and as her title of Ladyship was indeed an obstacle to her resuming a profeffion for which both genius and inclination had eminently qualified her, the made up her mind to her change of situation, and determined to pass the remainder of her days with ease and dignity in her native country.

To this lady's house I repaired immediately on my arrival in town. If it is not always right to fuffer ourselves to be influenced by first impreffions, it must be allowed that we often find the features of a character pretty strongly delineated on its outfide. I was no fooner announced, than her Ladyfhip, who happened to be standing, feated herself with great gravity in her arm-chair; and beckoning me to approach, began to furvey me with one of those searching looks which I fuppose the famous Juftice Fielding (bating that he was blind) would have employed to scan the countenance of a young thief. My face happening luckily to give no offence, her next attention was bestowed on my drefs; every article of which the not only examined with her eyes, but her fingers, feeling