I79I. EIW.IUND, A TALE. 1 8 



e'er now intombed in earth — Dreadful tliouglit ! — Oh - 

 ■why was I torn from him in his old age ?" — ' Torn from 

 him, did you fay' — '' Yes, in the cruelleft and bafelt man- 

 ner." — ' I feel myfelf interelled in your concerns ; do fa- 

 vour'me with your company till to-morrow, and a recital of 

 your flory.' — Edmund having yielded to the intreaties of 

 Mr. Tounshend, he accofted him as follows. 



'■ My mother died when I was but a boy ; my father re- 

 mained a widower Though but little acquainted with the 



world or the fciences, by a clofe attention to nature, he 

 acquired fome of the moft important principles of ufeful 

 knowledge. The cultivation of his little farm afforded him 

 an agreeable exercife ; the enjoyment of a feleft circle of 

 friends futhciently occupied his leifure hours. He early 

 imprelTed rne with the principles of virtue •, my mind, na- 

 turally fufceptible, from his example, acquired a relilh for 

 focial endearments. As he intended me to fucceed him in 

 his property and profefiion, he took care to give me an 

 education fuitaole to inch a ftation. At the grammer 

 fchool of our parifli, I contracted an intimacy with a lad 

 about my own age, the fon of a gentleman in our neighbour- 

 hood ; this connection in time, advanced to z. moft perfed 

 friendfliip. 



" Having one day taken the diverfion of hunting, the 

 purfuit of our game carried us farther from home than we 

 intended. Hunger reminded us that it was dinner time. I 

 carried Mr.. Williams, which is the name of my friend, 

 to the houfe of a v.idow 'ady inthat neighbourhood, where 

 I had before once viiited ; we were received in the politeil 

 manm.-.-. It was then I was firft blelTed with a fight of 

 my Maria J— blelTed did I fay ? no furely, it deferves another 

 appellation, fince it proved the commencement of my mif- 

 fortunes. I will not attempt to dcfcribe this lovely maidj 

 any rcprefentation I could delineate, v.-ouid fall infinitely 

 fhort of the original. Her charms infpired me with the 

 fmcerelt paffion •, and I had every reaion to think it mutual. 

 Oh ! I was rniitaken ; ihe was not fincere j at lealt llie 

 was not proof againlt the folicitations of another. Bv per- 

 miflion of my father, whom I had made acquainted with the 

 ■whole matter, I went one day to vilit her. At my arrival, 

 I found the family in the utraoft diforder ; — Maria was mif. 

 fing. She had gone the day before on a vifit to a lady 



