But alas thefe comfortable Sunday walks were foon at an end; as my charming Nancy Smith, for some reason or other (I have forgot what) left her place, and went to live as dairy-maid with a farmer in the marsh country, between Bridgewater and Bristol, feventeen miles from Taunton; fo that I did not fee her for near two years afterwards; during which time I gave fpiritual advice to another holy fifter, whose name was Hannahı Allen.

I prevailed on this lovely maid to attend the methodist preaching at five o'clock on Monday mornings, and we often met at three or four; fo that we had an hour or two to fpend in walking and converfation on fpiritual affairs. Had you feen and heard us on the cold frofty mornings, it would have put you in mind of Milton's Devils, whom he represents as at times starving with cold :

"Others apart, fat on a hill, retir'd,

"In thoughts more elevate, and reason'd high
"Of Provicence, foreknowledge, will, and fate;

"Fix'd fate, free-will, foreknowledge abfolute;
"And found no end, in wandering mazes loft."

Paradife Loft.

But I affure you, my friend, that we were fometimes like the Galatians of old; we be◄ in the fpirit, and ended in the flesh.

gan

With this dear girl I spent all my leifure time, for two or three years; fo that we enjoyed together hundreds of happy, and I can truly add, innocent hours.

"O days of blifs!

"To equal this

"Olympus ftrives in vain ;

"O happy pair,

"O happy fair!

"O happy, happy swain !"

JOANNES SECUNDUS.

But ftill I never could entirely forget my charming innocent Dairy-maid. In fact I had love enough for both, to have taken either for better for worfe; but my being.

an apprentice, prevented me from marrying at that time.

It

It is true I had the greatest love for Nancy Smith; but Hannah Allen had the advantage of Nancy, as I could fee Hannah almost every day, and Nancy only once or twice in about three years. However I at laft fell out with Hannah (on what occafion I cannot recollect) and I fent Nancy a letter, which made up matters with her; for, like Sterne, I was "always in love with one goddess or other;" and foon after that, he came to live for a little time at her father's houfe at Petherton near Bridgewater, feven miles from Taunton. This happened during the election at Taunton, when I was changed from a strict methodist to a rake; and although the wedding ring was purchased, and we were to have been married in a few days, yet the marriage was put off on account of my diffipated character, fo that I foon after set off for Bristol, as I before informed you: nor did I fee her after that, until my return from Kingsbridge, when I faw her feveral times prior to my fetting off for Bristol with my friend John Jones, and his brother Richard.

I am, dear Friend, yours, &c.

LETTER XVII.

"The man who by his labour gets
"His bread in independent state,

"Who never begs, and feldom eats,
"Himself can fix, or change his fate."

PRIOR.

If y

you

will use the little that you have,

"More has not heav'n to give, or you to crave:
"Ceafe to complain. He never can be poor
"Who has fufficient, and who wants no more.
"If but from cold, and pining hunger free,
"The richest monarch can but equal thee.

HORACE Imitated.

DEAR FRIEND,

I Had not long refided a se

cond time with my good Briftol friends, before I renewed my correfpondence with my old fweetheart Nancy Smith. I informed her that my attachment to Books, together with travelling from place to place, and alfo my total disregard for money, had prevented me from faving any; and that while I remained in a single unfettled ftate, I was never likely

L

likely to accumulate it. I alfo preffed her very much to come to Bristol to be married, which the foon complied with: and married we were, at St. Peter's Church, towards the end of the year 1770; near feven years after my first making love to her.

"When join'd in hand and heart, to church we went, "Mutual in vows, and pris'ners by confent.

"My Nancy's heart beat high, with mix'd alarms, "But trembling beauty glow'd with double charms. "In her soft breast a modeft struggle rose,

"How the fhould feem to like the lot fhe chofe :

"A fmile, fhe thought would dress her looks too gay:

"A frown might seem too fad, and blast the day.

"But while nor this, nor that, her will could bow,

"She walk'd, and look'd, and charm'd, and knew not how,

"Our hands at length th' unchanging Fiat bound,

"And our glad Souls sprung out to meet the found.

"Joys meeting Joys unite, and stronger shine:

"For paffion purified is half divine:

"Now NANCY thou art mine, I cry'd-and she

Sigh'd foft-now JEMMY thou art LORD of me!"
A. HILL

We kept our wedding at the house of my friends the Meffrs. Jones's, and at bed-time retired to ready-furnished lodgings, which we had before provided, at half-a-crown per

week