Reflections at AMBRESBURY. 107 
ments after a journey, even with all the advantages of good 
roads, an eafy carriage, and a commodious houfe to come into. 
But you was again difturbed by foldiers ; part of lord george 
bentinck’s regiment of infantry was now juft arrived from 
Salisbury, in their march for essex. 
You have feen how natural it is to men of fpeculative minds, 
to make reflections on every incident which is in the leaft un- 
common. The alarms of war led me to confider, how thefe fol- 
diers might be rnoft advantagioufly employed, to fuccour us in 
cafe of neceflity. 
Do you remember the lavifh aflurances which the hoftefs gave 
us that fhe had good accommodation, and at the fame time 
conducted us to an apartment where no lefs than fifteen or 
twenty foldiers had taken pofleflion ? It is true, they were un- 
der good difcipline, for, at the command of this female cap- 
tain, they changed their apartment : more was not to be ex- 
pected ; and I made good your retreat to another houfe, with 
the fame indignation of her behaviour, as if I had delivered you 
from the hoftile hands of fome bold invader, not without a fen- 
fibility of that pleafure, which true gallantry always affords to 
minds not devoid of generofity. 
You obferved how this poor woman was blinded and con- 
founded by the profpeCt of a little gain : She neither faw, heard, 
nor underftood. You have lived long enough to know, that thefe 
are but the natural effeCts of paflions unguided, and unreftrained. 
You have alfo obferved, how apt mankind are to talk, to aCt, to 
deviate from their true intereft ; how they grafp at the tranfient 
P 2 pleafures 
