dren, but will you never have dren like my darling children.

any chil

Mr Golding, from this time, no more entered his counting-houfe, nor paid nor received vifits, nor kept up any correfpondence. Even my company and that of his daughter appeared to oppress him; and he rarely left his apartment, where an old folio bible was his only companion. Hereupon I began to withdraw our effects from trade, and having called in the best part of them, I lodged near half a million in the Dutch funds. When I went to advise with my father on the occafion, What, my child, faid he, what have I to fay to the world, or to the things of the world? Do juft as you please with the one, and with the other; and never confult a perfon on any affair wherein the party confulted has no intereft or concern.

One morning, as I lay in bed, Matty threw her arms about me, and hiding her blufhing face in my bofom, My Harry, fays fhe, if you could handfomely bring it about to my poor papa, perhaps it would be fome matter of confolation to him to know that I am with child.

When I broke the matter to him, he did not, at firft, appear to be fenfibly affected; in time, however, the weight of his affliction feemed confiderably light

ened,

ened, and, as my wife advanced in her pregnancy, he began to look us in the face, he fat with us at one table, and became converfable as formerly.

One day I went to dine with Mr Settle, a hardware merchant, who had appointed to pay me a large fum of money. On my return in the evening, through Moorfields, attended only by my favourite Irishman, a very faithful and active fellow, though it was yet fair day, I was fuddenly set upon by a poffé of robbers, who rushed on me from behind a cover. The first of them, running up, fired directly in my face, but did me no farther damage than by carrying away a fmall piece of the upper part of my left ear. Had the fools demanded my money, I would have given it to them at a word; but finding them bent on murder, I refolved that they should have my life at as dear a rate as poffible. I inftantly drew my fword, and run the firft through the body; and then, rushing on the fecond affailant, I laid him also on the ground, before he had time to take his aim, fo that his pistol went harmlessly off in his fall.

In the mean while, my brave and loving companion was not idle; with two ftrokes of his oaken cudgel he had levelled two more of them with the earth. Here

upon the remainder halted, retreated into a group, and then flood and fired upon us altogether; but obferving that we did not drop, they caft their arms to the ground, and run off feveral ways as faft as they could. My good friend, Tirlah O'Donnoh, then turned affectionately to me; Are you hurt, my dear mafter, fays he? I believe I am, Tirlah; let us make home the best we can. O, cried the noble creature, if no body was hurt but Tirlah, Tirlah wou'dn't be hurt at all.

Here, taking me under the arm, we walked flowly to the city, till coming to a backney coach he put me, tenderly, into it, and fitting befide me, fupported me, as I began to grow weak through much effufion of blood.

As foon as we got home, the coachman, as is their practice, thundered at the door, and my Matty, according to custom whenever I was abroad, was the readieft of all our domeftics to open.

By this time I had fainted, and was quite infenfible; but when my tender and true mate faw me borne by two men into her prefence, all pale and bloody, the, who thought fhe had fortitude to fupport the wreck of the world, gave a shriek that was enough to alarm the neighbourhood, and inftantly falling backward, got

a violent contufion in the hinder part of her head.

Immediately we were conveyed to separate beds, and all requifite help was provided. It was found that I had received fix or feven flesh-wounds, but none of them proved dangerous, as they were given at a distance, and by piftol-fhot. But, alas! my Matty's cafe was very different; fhe fell into fudden and premature labour, and having fuffered extreme anguish all the night, during which the ceafed not to inquire after me, fhe was with difficulty delivered of a male infant, who was fuffocated in the birth.

In the mean while the good and tender-hearted old gentleman hurried about, inceffantly, from one of us to the other, wringing his hands, and scarcely retaining his fenfes.

As foon as my wounds were dreffed, and I had recovered my memory, I looked about and haftily inquired for my wife; but they cautiously answered me, that he was fomething indifpofed with the fright which fhe got at feeing me bloody, and that her father had infifted on her going to bed.

On the fecond dreffing of my wounds, I was pronounced out of danger, and then they ventured to tell me of my Matty's miscarriage,

B 3

mifcarriage, and of the bruife which the had got in her fall when fhe fainted. On hearing this my heart was cleft, as it were, in twain; I accufed myself of the murder of my wife and infant; and I accufed all, without exception, of their indifcretion in not concealing my difafter from her.

At times I began to fear that my wife: was either dead, or much worse than they reprefented. On my third dreffing, therefore, I peremptorily infifted on my being carried into her chamber. Ifent her notice of my vifit, and, on entering the room, He lives then, fhe cried, my husband, my Harry lives! it is enough; I fhall die happy, I fhall now depart in peace.

Here I ordered myself to be laid by her fide, when taking a hand, which, fhe had feebly reached out, and preffing it to my lips, You would forfake me then, my Matty ? you die, you fay; and you die: happy, in leaving me the moft wretched,. the most defolate of men.. You die, my love, you die; and I, who would have foftered you and your babe with my vitals, it is I who have dug a grave for the one and for the other. But, you must not forfake me, my Matty; I will not be forfaken by you; fince we cannot live afun der, let us die, let us die together!

Here