Virtuofo, having purchafed in his Travels no lefs than Seven undoubted Raphael's, Six Dominichino's, Five Corregio's, Ten Titian's, Seven Annibal Carrache's, all fworn to be true Originals by the People who fold them; Fifteen Bufts of the antique Greek Sculptors, feveral of them very well fupplied with new Noles and Chins, others with a whole Head by modern Hands; ancient Intaglias and Camæas innumerable, Coins, and Medals in vatt Abundance; fo that no Nobleman ever acquired the Reputation for Tafle in Vertu, from all the Dealers in thefe Commodities, that was univerfally bestowed on the Lord Viscount Flimfy.

AT Venice he had the most expenfive Miftreffes, and the finest Gondola that ever was poffeffed by any Nobleman of England.

AT Germany he got no Knowledge, because there is none, and he had not. Penetration enough to see how ridiculously the Subfidies of England are lavished upon Electors who cannot affift us.

IN Holland he learnt that the Dutch could no longer be our Allies.

DURING the grand Tour his Body had been three Times purified from all Drofs, like Gold, by Quickfilver; his Voice had contracted a foreign Tone, by a fmall Accident which happened to the Organs of Speech.

AT Naples he had been honoured with a Crown from the Hands of Venus herself; his Mind was thoroughly convinced that Love of our Country is a Folly, denying our Appetites Madnefs, and every Restraint from our Paffions an Abfurdity; and laftly, that fashionable and prevalent Opinion, that all is right. which a Man can do for himfelf, was univerfally adopted by him; fuch was the Soul and Body of George Lord Viscount Flimfy, at his Return from his Travels, and Monfieur De l' Ourfe, from the great Care he had taken of him, in getting him out of those Disorders he had purpofely gotten him into, was rewarded with an Annuity of Four Hundred a Year for Life.

CHAP.

CHAP. XLVI.

Mr. Muckworm confults his Wife on the Article of Mifs Thrifty's Marriage. Two Letters exhibited as two excellent Samples of mercantile Wit and Politeness; different Senfations in different Bofoms, occafioned by thofe different Epiftles. A tender Separation...

R. Muckworm having confulted his Wife, this fagacious Pair concluded, that my Lord was an excellent Match for Mifs Arabella Thrifty; he therefore fent two Letters, one' defiring Mifs Thrifty to come up to London, and the other to my Lord, to acquaint him of his Refolutions, both which we shall infert as Specimens in this Place, to be followed by all fucceeding Guardians of this Kind.

My Lord,

M

Y Wife and I bawing put our Heads together, have thought you a fit Match for my Ward; fo you may call when you will, and difcourfe farther on the Matter.

IT was fuperfcribed to my Lord Flimfy, at his House near Grofvenor-Square.

THE other was to Mifs Arabella, in the following Style.

My

I

My dear Ward,

HAVE gotten a Lord for your Husband; fo, you little Fool, come to London, and be a Lady as fast as ever you can.

I am yours,

MICHAEL MUCKWORM.

THIS was defigned for Wit, as the former was for Politenefs.

AT the Reception of these two Letters, very different Senfations were felt in the Bofoms of the two Perfons who received them.

My Lord perceived no little Joy in the Thoughts of being wedded to fourfcore Thousand Pounds, and Mifs Thrifty no little Pain in being divided from Mr. Saveetwood, whom now the perceived fhe loved much better, than fhe had before imagined.

THIS Meffage filled her Heart with that Dejection, which is revealed by certain Signs in the Face and whole Expreffion, as clearly as a ruddy Evening predicts a fine Day; and as the Eyes of Lovers are as keen and attentive as thofe of a hungry Eagle, Mr. Sweetwood foon perceived fome unusual Anxietude in the Bofom of Mifs Thrifty.

URGED by Tendernefs for her, he preffed her to tell him the Reafon; this the declined, but repeated Sollicitations brought forth the Discovery; the Blaft of Lightening rends not the Oak more swiftly, or touches the Heart with more Force and Powers, than did this Intelligence pierce the Bofom of Mr. Sweetwood.

His Colour left his Face, his Lips trembled, the living Luftre of his Eyes died away, and he fell into a Swoon on the Sopha; this alarmed Mifs Arabella, who expreffed vaft Anxiety during his Faintnefs, and beheld him with infinite Fondnefs as he recovered, being affifted by Mrs. Margaret Wrinkle, who applied the Smelling-bottle to his Nofe.

Он

'Он, my Arabella!' he pronounced with infinite Tenderness, must it be?' She all in Confufion at the Prefence of Mrs. Margaret, answered, No, no, it muft not be, what is the matter with you? Recover yourself, and then we will talk of it.'

You, whofe Bofoms have ever felt the pathetic Touches of true Paffion, lend one Sigh of Commiferation to this unhappy Youth, and you whofe Hearts have never known the Joys of Love, figh because you have been excluded from the Raptures of that Blifs, painful as it is, on this Occafion.

SLEEP was now a Stranger to his Eye-lids, he became meagre with watching, Sighs eternal burft from his Bofom, and Tears involuntary ftole down his wan Cheek; this Description, indeed, is as well adapted to Mifs Arabella Thrifty, as to her Lover.

Hв faw no Way to poffefs her, fhe could difcover none to escape the deftined Lord whom the had never feen; the Time was now approaching when the muft go to London; he had contrived Excufes to tarry one Week after the Letter came to her Hands.

THIS Evening, in a lonely Walk of Lime-trees, winding along a Rivulet's Side, the Sun fetting in Clouds, the Winds fighing thro' the Leaves, the Birds warbling Dirges, and the Streams complaining in foft meandering Murmurs, as if Nature fympathized with their Condition, did this Pair of Lovers vow eternal Conftancy and Truth; the ruddy Lip grew pale with Preffure in their Kiffes, Arms entwining Arms, and Bofoms panting against each other, as if their Hearts ftruggled to embrace, fealed the tender Contract.

THE Morning bore Mifs Arabella bathed in Tears towards London, and Mr. Sweetwood in the fame Condition to his Father's, where his Bofom foreboding Ten Thousand Evils, threw him almoft into Defpair.

NOTHING Worth Notice happening on the Road, we fhall leave this love-fick Lady and Mrs. Margaret Wrinkle to pursue their Journey, and clofe this Chapter, to tell our Readers what happened at my Lord's fecond Visit, in another.

CHAP.

CHA P. XLVII.

Much Wit in my Lord and Mr Muckworm. A Silver Lamp and Tea kettle make, no small Appearance, and produce no unfavourable Effect. My Lord inclines to the Humbug, which Mr. Muckworm receives as à Hum fhould be.

M

Y Lord then having received Mr. Muckworm's Letter, concluded there was no Time to be loft, he therefore fent a Card to Mrs. Muckworm.

My Lord Flimfy's Compliments to Mrs. Muckworm; hopes the caught no Cold laft Time he faw her; intends himself the Honour of taking a Dish ' of Tea with her this Afternoon, if the is difengaged.'

THIS was anfwered with a that she should be very proud to fee my Lord; the Card was ftuck into the Frame of the Chimney-glafs, taking great Care that the Part fhould be unconcealed: which held his Lordfhip's Name, to difcover to her Acquaintance what honourable Company fhe was vifited by.

ALL Things being in ample Order, Mr. Muckworm having powdered his Wig, and changed his Shirt; and Mrs. Muckworm fpruced herfelf up with the very richeft of Silks and Laces, put on in the molt aukward of all Manners, attended the coming of the Earl of Flimfy, like the two Sheriffs in the City of Bristol the Arrival of the Judge at the Affizes.

His Lordship being arrived, and Civilities being paft on all Sides, the Tea was called for, when a Datch Teakettle and Lamp was again introduced, which my Lord had feen before.

He therefore asked Mr. Muckworm in a pleasant Manner, why he did not prefent his Lady with a Silver Kettle and Lamp, a Man of your Fortune, fays my Lord? Ha, ha, ha, my Fortune, fays Mr. Muckworm, why I am almost upon the Parish (tipping the Wink on Mrs. Muckworm ;) why there's Child, Hoare, and Colebrook, are all richer than I am, fays the Merchant; I just make a shift to live, rub on, rub on. Don't you

believe