is awakened,) my vifitor threw out fomething of an inuendo of his Lordship's having formerly been a gallant of mine. I affured him that he was mistaken; which impreffed his Lordship's bounty the deeper on my heart. The moment I had uttered these words, the round face of the gentleman loft its rotundity, and lengthened into an extreme oblong. He immediately arose from his feat, faying, "Then, indeed, it alters the cafe." And muttering fome words to himself, which I could not diftinguish the purport of, he haftily took his leave.

I wrote foon after to Mr. Wedderburne, to defare permiffion to wait on him at his first leisure, but was not honoured with an answer; which I fuppofe was owing to the multiplicity of business he was engaged in. I was therefore obliged to content myself with the hopes, that if ever I fhould get the fuit, it would afford me an opportunity of explaining the affair to Lord Huntingdon. The only mode of atoning for a real error, or excufing a supposed one, is by an open and unreserved explanation. This is the metbod I have now pursued; and I hope it will tend to imprint on his Lordship's mind, if my " Apology" fhould fall into his hands, a more favourable idea of the tranfaction

tranfaction than he has hitherto entertained of it. He has, till now, been able to judge only from appearances; and thefe, I acknowledge, have been againft me. But the foregoing elucidation having now placed every circumftance in its true light, I flatter myself it will restore me to his Lordship's good opinion, on which I fet no common value.I must just be permitted to repeat, that there is no one living, who can hold even the appearance of duplicity in greater deteftation than myself.

G. A. B.

LETTER XCIII.

Jan. 4, 17

I THINK I informed you, that upon my leaving Parliament-ftreet, Lord Tyrawley had taken my, fon Harry Calcraft, and placed him at an academy, near Greenwich, in order to be near him when at Blackheath, where he moftly refided. His Lordship was particularly fond of the boy, whom he seemed to think a nonpareil;, and was greatly concerned at finding him bent upon going to fea. But as my young gentleman was not to be contradicted, he was fent out as a midshipman on board

C 3

board a man of war. When he heard of his father's death, he refolved to quit his nautical employment, which he was now tired of, and turn fine gentleman; a profeffion he was, indeed, much better qualified for than the former.

About this period Lord Tyrawley died. An incident that did not much affect me at the time it happened, as his Lordship's faculties had been fo much impaired for a long while before he departed this life, that his diffolution was rather to be wifhed for than dreaded. It is very fingular (but I think I have made a similar remark before), that those who are endowed with talents fuperior to the generality of their fellow-creatures, have moft commonly the unhappiness to survive their mental qualities. And in every confiderate mind it muft give rife to the moft humiliating sensations, to behold those we look up to as the phænomena of the age, reduced again to a state of childhood. A circumftance which fully confirms the truth of Solomon's affertion, that all is vanity and vexation of fpirit. Or, as Shakspere finely defcribes it *,

"Laft fcene of all,

"That ends this ftrange eventful history,

"Is fecond childishness, and mere oblivion

"Sans teeth, fans eyes, fans tafte, fans every thing."

* As you Like it, Act II. Scene 9.

Mifs

Mifs O'Hara formally announced to me his Lordfhip's death, and the day appointed for his funeral; which was, it feems, fixed for the Sunday following his demife. His Lordfhip had ordered by his will, that his remains fhould be depofited in Chelsea Hofpital, among the old veterans who had so often fought under his command, As he did not expect that any compliment would be paid him by Government, he defired that his funeral might be a private one, and half a guinea given to each foldier that attended. Mifs O'Hara to obey her father's will, to the very letter of it, read each man who had actually fought with his Lordfhip; and as I believe there was only about twenty-five of thofe living, they only were directed to attend.

As I fuppofed his Lordship's funeral rites had been celebrated on the day which had been announced to me, I went into mourning. But fome days after, having a great deal of company, we went into the drawing-room. We had not been there long, before we obferved a hearse fplendidly adorned with efcutcheons and trophies of honour. Upon this we all flocked to the windows; and as it came from the undertaker's the corner of Golden-fquare, we had a full view

of this gorgeous receptacle of the dead. But how great was my aftonifhment, when I beheld that the efcutcheons bore the three Black Lions, his Lordship's arms. I was no longer mistress of myself. What I could fupport at a distance, upon a nearer view, ftruck me with the most fevere anguish, and overwhelmed me with grief.

Upon enquiry I found, that a public burial had. been offered by Government, in order to pay due respect to his Lordship's memory and valour, but was declined by his much favoured daughter, who alledged the fulfilling her father's defire, as expreffed in the will, as a reafon for her refufal. I am, however, perfuaded, that could her pride. have been gratified without the expence of the half guineas, as every penfioner in the hofpital, had the offer been accepted of would have walked, she would gladly have confented. This had occafioned the ceremony to be poftponed.

Juft after this event, my fon Harry returned from abroad; which, to a mother who loved him to excess, was no fmall happiness. He continued with me for fome months; but having. the misfortune to connect himself with one of the worst of women, to my no fmall mortification he

removed