you went to the Wells, when you permitted me to accompany you.'

IT is true, I remember, Lydia, but the Drawer is not broken open,' fays the Counte fs.

BUT your Ladyfhip knows almoft any Key will unlock the Drawers in Houfes furnished for Lodgings; I hope, my Lady, you don't fufpect me,' fays Lydia.

SUSPECT you, Lydia,' replied the Viscountefs, I am forry you can fay that; no, believe me, I could as foon conceive myfelf guilty as you.'

Lydia curt'fied and thanked her Ladyfhip for her good Opinion, which the wou'd never violate.

THE Viscount being acquainted with this Lofs, immediately declared it must be Lydia, who the Devil 'fhould fteal your Diamonds,' fays he, but your Maid? I have always fufpected her fuperior Virtue 'would at last prove all Hypocrify and Pretence; let her be examined before a Juftice of the Peace; have her taken up; I'll engage to find your Dia'monds again.'

I'll

You, my Lord, take her up, and carry her be'fore a Juftice of the Peace!' Animated with more Warmth than ufual, fays the Viscountefs, fhe is incapable of fuch bafe Actions, and is Innocence ⚫itfelf.'

THIS Anfwer his Lordship did not like at all; however, he refolved to execute what he had in his Imagination, and went to Brifol with that Intention, to confult a Quaker on whom he had his Money, in what Manner the Thing fhould be tranfacted.

To this Gentleman he told the Occafion of his Errand, and defired he would accompany him before an Alderman, to acquaint him with what he intended doing; It is not my Intention to have her hanged,' fays his Lordship, but I want to have her punished for her Sawcinefs.'

THEN, Friend Flimfy,' fays Aminadab Sly, thee wouldft not fwear that this Girl has taken thy • Wife's Diamonds.'

No,' fays the Viscount, I only want to humble her to my Inclination.'

I understand thee,

Friend, I believe,' fays Aminadab, but it is always our Way, when any Thing is to be done to ferve our Friends, to know the whole Affair before we undertake it; because, if the Thing be in itself true, there is no Neceflity for concealing any Part ' of it, it will tell itfelf; and if falfe, it is neceffary to disguise all that is improper to be told, and form a Story which may look like Truth, founded on the ⚫ Circumftances that attend it; for thee knoweft all • Tranfactions may be made to look true, by finking • fome Parts which make againft it, and improving • others which make in its Favour; no Story is entirely without probable Circumstances, thee knoweft.

BUT, Friend Flimfy, thee doft not know, perhaps, that this Girl cannot be taken up at the Wells, and brought before an Alderman at Bristol, ⚫ the Wells are out of their Jurifdiction; let her come to Bristol, and then the may be brought before an Alderman of this City.

In the mean while I will provide a very proper • Perfon amongst that Body, Neighbour B, a • Friend of ours, who will do any Thing for thee; it is he that was mentioned in a Poem, who starved a whole Family, by feizing a Cow that was their only Support, for three Pounds Rent; thefe Fellows are of Use sometimes, thee knoweft: He fhall prepare the Aldermen against the Time thee thinkeft fit to take the Girl up; I fancy, Friend Flimfy, I know what thee wouldft be at, fhe is handfome, I fuppofe." This Aminadab faid leering all the Time.

THE Viscount took his Leave, and Aminadab Sly waited on G— B Friend B

fays he, Neighbour Flimfy, who is at the Wells, and was our great Friend in the Watch-bill, has been with me to-day, and I am come to defire thy Intereft to ferve him.'

HERE he told him the Story which we have just related, and B promifed him all poffible Affiftance, adding, that fuch Friends to the C-n deserve all Kinds of Service.

THE fame Evening he waited on Alderman who united very heartily in the Defire of ferving the

Ear,

Earl, that had been fo good a Friend to the Cof Bristol.

Now, this Gentleman, as a Magiftrate, deferves fome little Notice, and a more particular Defcription, than Men of inferior Note; this Man, to his immortal Honour, is not only defcended, in common with all the other Sons of Adam, from the Duft, but his Family has been peculiarly distinguished with the Work of Regeneration, and twice rifen from that dirty Original, a Thing to be gloried in by a'l who are fond of returning to Primitive Ways, and ancient Manners.

AND as it has been remarked by those who have ftudied the Creation and Progrefs of Mankind, that Men were as large in Body in the first Ages, or rather more fo than at prefent; yet that the Excellency of their Souls was unequal to the Size of their Bodies, human Inventions, fuperior Wifdom, and mental Perfections, fucceeding long after.

IN like Manner, it has happened in this regenerate Breed, their Bodies are enormous, and their Souls very difproportionate, as in the Original of Things; by this Means, in this Man, it looks like a Mouse in St. Paul's Church, little Life and much brute Matter, a Shilling in a Sack, little Value and much Emptiness, a Needle in a Bundle of Hay, that is fcarce poffible to be found in a Week's Searching, and then not worth the Labour.

FOR this Reafon, People who are not acquainted with this Regeneration, and the natural Progrefs of mental Qualities, are amazed at fuch Coloffal Bodies and Pigmy Souls, a monftrous Union like that of Scotland with this Kingdom, fomething poor and scurvy with fomething fat and fawcy.

THIS Favourite was the Parent of a City Feaft, his turn'd-up Sleeves and tuck'd Napkin, told the World how happily he was adapted to his Situation; and whatever thofe, who were brought before him as a Magistrate, might declare to the contrary, it is certain, no Haunch of Venifon, or Turtle, ever complained that it was fent away from his Hands, without being treated with frict Justice.

No

No Man uncorked his Neighbour's Bottle with more Liberality and Glee, than this Son of the Duft, no Man ftopped his own with more Circumfpection.

Ar a City Feast he laughed like Mount Etna in an Earthquake, his Bowels being all in Convulfions, and his Mouth belching Smoke like that of the Mountain; but then it must be remembered, he was always fired by the Stores of other People, and not his own.

INDEED, there is a near Affinity between these two, both being nearly allied to Dutt and Cinders, and when the Chriftian Burial fhall be difgraced at the Interment of this Man-mountain, Duft to Duft, and Ashes to Ashes, will have a Propriety in the Expreffion, which very feldom happens to Magiftrates of his Rank.

THINGS being in this Forwardness, Aminadab informs the Viscount that all was ready whenever he fhould choose to fend the Girl to Bristol; his Lordhip, therefore, in confequence of this Advice, contrived to apprehend Lydia in that City in the following Manner, which shall be shewn in the following Chapter.

ment.

CHA P. LII.

The Viscount's perfidious Behaviour. Lydia's ImprisonThe true Picture, Difcernment, and Impartiality of an Alderman, with the Character of a Gentleman, which, tho' few People will believe it, actually refides in Briftol. The Effects of Virtue in Lydia, on the Minds of Proffitutes in Bridewell. Lady Flimfy's Behaviour not quite free from Sarcasm, tho' free from deferving it.

L

YDIA being in great Pain about her Lady's Diamonds, perfwaded her to advertise them in Bristol, with the Promife of a Reward to the Perfon who should bring them back or discover them.

IN confequence of that Defign, fhe was the next Day to go into that City and defcribe them to the Printer; my Lord, for that Reafon, fent a Letter to Aminadab

Aminadab that Evening, and told him that at fuch an Hour he would wait upon him the next Day, to transact what he had already agreed with him.

Lydia, then, going into the City, was watched by two Officers who followed her, and the Moment the came out of the Coach which goes to and from the Wells, was feized and carried before the Alderman, who was fitting in the Council- houfe.

are you

BEING brought before this illuftrious Magiftrate, in whofe Face Wisdom was equally confpicuous as in all his Actions; he began, the Wench that are called Lydia Fairchild? Yes, Sir, I am,' fays the innocent and lovely Maid. Then fays the fagacious Alderman, J am afraid you fhould be called Lydia Foulchild; this was admired as an excellent Joke by himself, Aminadab, B, and the Mayor's Officers who were prefent; you are informed against for ftealing my Lady Flimfy's Diamonds; what fay you, Wench? Will you confefs and fave me the Trouble ' of calling Evidence against you or not?

PRAY, Sir,' fays fhe, with all the confcious Modefty of Innocence, let me fee my Accufer, I am truly guiltless of what you charge me with.'

I CHARGE you! Huffy, I am a Magistrate and no Informer; you had better behave with lefs Impu'dence, I believe.'

SIR, I am not confcious of having offended you, ⚫ because I had no Intention, and am altogether inno" cent of what I am accufed of.'

A STUBBORN Jade, a stubborn Jade, a ftubborn Jade, here, Officers, take her to Bridewell.

To Bridewell, Sir, am I condemned to a Prison without having committed Offence.'

ONLY for a Week or fo, for farther Examination, your proud Stomach may then come down, and you may confefs.'

SIR,' fays fhe, no Prifon can reduce me to utter a Falfhood.' Here the Alderman again repeated feveral Times, that he was a ftubborn Jade.

HAVING faid this, fhe was committed to Bridewell, for farther Examination.

THE