184 EDMUND, A TALK. June 8, 



■who refided at a little diftance, and had not from that time 

 been heard of. I was fo ftruck with this intelligence, that 

 I remained for fome time in a manner infenfible •, I foou 

 however recoljlecled myfell : concluding the muit have been 

 forced av/ay, I refolved not to lofe a moment in attemptinsr 

 her recovery. I difpatched a fhort.note to my father, and 

 one to my friend, brietiy acquainting him with what had 

 happened, directing him to take a different route from that 

 which [ intended, and appointing a place where we Ihould 

 meet. This done, I took leave of the family. 



" Having fpent the day in fruitlefs inquiries, I arrived 

 late at night at the place of rendezvous. Mr. Williams 

 was not come ; I waited with impatience till next morning. 

 " Have you heard any thing of Maria ? cried I, as foon as 

 he appeared" — ' I have' — '' Where is £he" — ' At Mr. 



Osburn's' — I llretchcd forth my arms to embrace liim 



' Reprefs your joy, my Edmund, faid he j this difcovery only 

 adds to your misfortunes.' — " What do you mean ?" — ' She 

 is there by her own choice' — " hnpollible" — ' I'hat will 

 but too well convince you of its reality,' faid he, putting a 

 letter into my hand, which he faid, he received from her- 

 felf. I tore it open : — Its contents informed me, that (he 

 had particular reafons for difcontinulng her correfpondence 

 with me, and at the fame time adviiing me to think no more 

 of her. The letter dropped from my hand. I Hood for fome 

 time motionlefs with lurprile 1 had, it is true, never be- 

 fore feen any of her hand-writing ; but I had the utmoll 

 confidence in my friend. " Cor. 'j, Mr. Williams, faid I, 

 I muft fee the faithlcfs Maria once more ', 1 ihall at Icafl: 

 have the pleafure of punilhing her feducer." ' Take care 

 iaid he, that inllead of chaltening your rival, you do not re- 

 ceive from him an additional injury. You know he 

 is a profefled libertine : A man who can commit a crime 

 like this, will not helitate to crown it with another, per- 

 haps of a worfe nature.' I remained firm to my purpofe. 

 Having found I was determined, he agreed to accompany 

 me. When we were within a little of Mr. Osburn's, my 

 frifjnd told me, that it was through one of the domeftics of 

 the family, with whom he had a flight acquaintance, he 

 had got accefs to Maria ; and if I pleafed, he would go a 

 Jittle before, and endeavour to procure mc an interview by 



