122 Description of AMBRESBURY. 
“ fhall not fit among common men.” The promife of tempo- 
ral advantages extends equally to the female world, and to the 
highed: as well as the loweft clafles of mankind. If we confider 
it philofophically, it is departing from nature, for man, who 
is a thinking, adtive being, to deep more than nature requires ; 
and it is impiety to imitate thofe irrational animals, of whom 
nature makes no other demand than to deep, except the gratify- 
ing their appetites. Farewell. I am yours, &c. 
LETTER XL, 
To the fame . 
M A D A M, 
W E left our private quarters, and broke our faft in pub- 
lic, at the george. Three more companies of the fame 
regiment were then juft arrived from Salisbury. They made 
this a fhort march, dedgning to reach Marlborough the next 
day. 
Ambresbury is a very antient place. Hiftorians tell us here 
once Food a monaftery built by a British prince for the recep- 
tion of monks. Thefe were to pray for the fouls of thofe who 
were dain by hen gist the saxon, who treacheroudy murdered 
all the followers of king vortigern. But to come down to 
later ages, we find that in this village was a nunnery, where 
the queen of henry hi ended her days in quiet, with many 
ladies of the firft quality, who chofe this retreat from the 
world. 
The neighboring country is indeed delightful, but the town 
or village makes but a mean figure at prefent, and therefore I 
am 
