have you able to improve as well as to divert the company you may happen to fall into.

But, my dear child, I must warn you to beware with what difpofition you fit down to read books of this nature; for if you slightly skim them over, and merely to gratify your curiofity with the amazing events delivered in them, the research will afford you little advantage. You muft, therefore, confider what you read;-mark well the chain of accidents which bring on any great catastrophe; and this will show you that nothing happens by Chance, but all is entirely governed by the directions of an over-ruling Power.-In diftinguishing the true caufes of the rife and fall of empires, and those strange revolutions that have happened in most kingdoms of the world, you will admire divine Justice, and be far from accufing Providence of partiality, when you find, as frequently you will, the good dethroned, all rights, both human and divine, facrilegioufly trampled upon, a mock authority established in the place of a real one, and lawlefs ufurpation profper; becaufe, at the fame time, you will fee that this does not happen, till a people, grown bold in iniquity, and ripe for deftruction, have drawn down upon themselves the fevereft vengeance of offended Heaven, which is tyranny and oppreffion; and though innocent individuals may fuffer in the general calamity, yet it is for the good of the whole, in order to bring them to a juft fenfe of their tranfgreffions, and turn them from their evil ways.- This the hiftorical part of the Bible makes manifeft in numberlef's inftances; and this the calamities which, at different times, have befallen every kingdom and commonwealth, evidently confirm.

I am the more particular in giving you thefe cautions, becaufe, without obferving them, you may be liable to imbibe prejudices which will per

vert your judgment, and render you guilty of injuftice, without knowing you are fo. As you regard, therefore, my commands, which will always be for your improvement and emolument, never be remifs in this point.

Next to history, I thould be glad to see you have fome fmattering in natural philofophy; for which purpose let me recommend to your perufal a work entitled, Spectacle de la nature: or, Nature delineated, from the French of Abbe le Pluche; being very entertaining philofophical converfations, wherein the wonderful works of Providence, in the animal, vegetable, and mineral creation are lajd open, in four pocket volumes; in which are interfperfed a great variety of useful and explanatory cuts.Believe me, child, the wide creation prefents nothing that affords not infinite matter for delightful fpeculation; and the more you examine the works of Nature, the more you will learn to love and adore the great God of nature, the fountain of all pleasure.

I expect your next will be filled with no inqui ries on new falhions, nor any directions to your milliner; nor fhall I be better fat shed with an ac count of your having begun, or finished, fuch or fuch a piece of fine work this may inform you i that it is other kinds of learning i would have you verfed in.I flatter myself with feeing my commands obeyed, and that no part of what I have faid will be loft upon you, which a little more time and knowledge of the world will how you the value of, and prove to you, more than any indulgence I could treat you with, how very much I am

Your affectionate mother,

SOPARONIA,

LETTER XXV.

To a young lady, cautioning her against keeping cont pany with a gentleman of a bad character.

Dear Niece,

THE

HE fincere love and affection which I now have for your indulgent father, and ever had for your virtuous mother, not long fince deceafed, together with the tender regard I have for your future happiness and welfare, have prevailed on me to inform you, rather by letter than by word of mouth, that the town rings of your unguarded conduct, and the too great freedoms you take with Mr. Freelove. You have been seen with him (if Fame lies not) in the fideboxes at both theatres; in St. James's Park on Sunday night; and afterwards at a certain tavern not a mile from thence, which is a houfe (as I have been credibly informed) of no good repute. You have both, moreover, been feen at Ranelagh affembly, Vauxhall gardens, and what is ftill more flagrant, at Cuper's fireworks. Don't imagine, niece, that I am in the leaft prejudifed, or speak out of any private pique; but let me tell you, your familiarity with him gives me no fmall concern, as his character is none of the beft; and as he has acted in the most ungenerous manner by two or three very virtuous young ladies of my acquaintance, who entertained too favourable an opinion of his honour. 'Tis poffible, as you have no great expectancies from your relations, and he has an income, as it is reported, of 200 1. a-year left him by his uncle, that you may be tempted to imagine his addrefs an offer to your advantage. It is much to be queftioned, however, whether his intentions are fin

cere; for, notwithstanding all the fair promifes he may poilibly make you, I have heard it whispered, that he is privately engaged to a rich, old doating Jady, not far from Hackney. Befides, admitting it to be true, that he is really entitled to the annuity above-mentioned, yet it is too well known that he is deep in debt; that he lives beyond his income, and has very little, if any, regard for his reputation. In fhort, not to mince the matter, he is a perfect libertine, and is ever boafting of favours from our weak fex, whofe fondness and frailty are the conftant topics of his raillery and ridicule.

All this, therefore, duly confidered, let me prevail on you, dear niece, to avoid his company as you would a madman; for, notwithstanding I still think you ftri&tly virtuous, yet your good name may be irreparably loft by fuch open acts of imprudence. As I have no other motive but an unaffected zeal for your interest and welfare, I flatter myself you will put a favourable conftruction on the liberty here taken by

I

Your fincere friend, and affectionate aunt.

SIR,

EETTER XXVI.

A letter of thanks, &c.

RECEIVED the favour of your's with a very kind prefent; and I know not, indeed, at this time, any other way to fhow my gratitude, than by my hearty thanks for the fame. Every thing you do carries a charm with it; your manner of doing it is as agreeable as the thing done. In fhort, Sir, my heart is full, and would overflow

with gratitude, did I not flop, and fubfcribe my

felf,

Your moft obliged, and

Obedient humble fervant,

LETTER

JOHN WADMAN.

XXVII.

From an apprentice to his parents.

Honoured Father and Mother,

BY thefe I let you know, that by your good care and conduct, I am well fettled, and pleafed with my station, and think it my duty to return you my hearty thanks, and grateful acknowledgment of your love and tender care of me: I will endeavour to go through my business chearfully. And, having begun well, I hope I fhall perfevere to do so to the end, that I may be a comfort to you hereafter, and, in fome measure, make a return for your love and kindness to me, who am, Your most dutiful, and

Obedient fon and fervant,

CHARLES SEDGELY.

LETTER XXVIII.

From an elder brother to a younger.

Dear Brother,

AS you are now gene from home, and are arrived at years of fome difcretion, I thought it not amifs to put you in mind that your childish affairs ought now to be entirely laid afide, and inftead of them more ferious thoughts, and things of more confequence, fhould take place; whereby