you will have five thousand pounds more at his service. And if these sums answer not your full purposes, I expect you will let me know; since, whether they do or not, my respect to the memory of your worthy uncle shall be shewn to the value of more than these three sums to his relations. I never will be a richer man than I ought to be; and you must inform me what other relations you have, and of their different situations in life, that I may be enabled to amend a will made in a long and painful sickness, which might sour a disposition that was naturally all benevolence. They wept; looked at one another; dried their eyes, and wept again. I thought my presence painful to them; and withdrew to my study; and shut the door, that I might not add to their pain. At my return-Do you-Do you, referred each brother to the other; and Mr Thomas Danby getting up to speak, I see, my friends, said I, your grateful hearts in your countenances. Do you think my pleasure is not, at least, equal to yours? I am more than rewarded in the consciousness of having endeavoured to make a right use of the power entrusted to me. You will each of you, I hope, (thus set forward,) be eminent in his particular business. The merchants of Great Britain are the most useful members of the community. If I have obliged you, let me recommend to you, each in his several way, according to his ability, and as opportunity may offer, to raise those worthy hearts, that inevitable calamities shall make spiritless. Look upon what is done for you, not as the reward of any particular merits in yourselves, but as your debt to that Providence, which makes it a principal part of your religion, to do good to your fellow-creatures. In a word, let me enjoin you, in all your transactions, to remember mercy, as well as justice. The brothers, with folded hands, declared, that their hearts were opened by the example set them; and, they hoped, would never be shut. The sister looked the same declaration. Mr Sylvester, raised with this scene of gratitude, tears in his honest eyes, said, that he should be impatient till he had looked into his affairs, and through his acquaintance, in order to qualify himself to do some little good, after such a self-rewarding example. If a private man, my dear Dr Bartlett, could be a means of expanding thus the hearts of four persons, none of them unworthy, what good might not princes, and those who have princely fortunes, do!-Yet, you see, I have done nothing but mere justice. I have not given up anything that was my own, before this will gave me a power, that perhaps was put into my hands, as a new trial of the integrity of my heart. But what poor creatures are we, my dear friend, that the very avoiding the occasion of a wrong action should gladden our hearts, as with the consciousness of something meritorious? At parting, I told the nephews that I expected to hear from them the moment anything should be brought to effect; and let their masters and them agree, or not, I would take the speediest methods that could be fallen upon, to transfer to them, and to their sister, such actions and stocks, as would put them in full possession of what they were entitled to, as well by my promise, as by their uncle's will. I was obliged to enjoin them silence. Their sister wept; and when I pressed her hand at taking leave of her, gratefully returned the pressure; but in a manner so modest, (recollecting herself into some little confusion,) that shewed gratitude had possession of her whole heart, and set her above the forms of her sex. The good attorney, as much raised as if he were one of the persons benefited, joined with the two brothers in invoking blessings upon me. So much, my dear Dr Bartlett, for this night. The past day is a day that I am not displeased with. LETTER LXXXII. DR BARTLETT TO MISS BYRON. March 18. I PRESENT to you, madam, the account you desired to see, as extracted by my kinsman from my papers. You seemed to wish it to be hastened for you; it is not what it might have been ; but mere facts, I presume, will answer your intention. Be pleased, therefore, to accept it with your usual goodness. “DR BARTLETT went abroad as governor of a young man of quality; Mr Lorimer I am to call him, to conceal his real name. He was the very reverse of young Mr Grandison. He was not only rude and ungovernable; but proud, ill-natured, malicious, even base. "The Doctor was exceedingly averse to take upon him the charge of the wicked youth abroad; having had too many instances of the badness of his nature while in England; but he was prevailed upon by the solicitations of his father, (who represented it as an act of the greatest charity to him and his family,) as well as by the solemn promises of good behaviour from the young man; for he was known to regard the advice of Dr Bartlett more than that of any other person. "The Doctor and Mr Lorimer were at Turin, when young Mr Grandison, (who had been some months in France,) for the first time ar rived in that city; then in the eighteenth year of his age. "Dr Bartlett had not a more profligate pupil than Mr Grandison had a governor; though recommended by General W- his uncle by the mother's side. It used to be observed in places where they made but a few days' residence, that the young gentleman ought to have been the governor, Monsieur Creutzer the governed. Mr Grandison had, in short, the happiness, by his prudence, to escape several snares laid for his virtue, by a wretch, who hoped, if he could betray him into them, to silence the remonstrances of the young man, upon his evil conduct; and to hinder him from complaining of him to his father. "Mr Grandison became acquainted with Dr Bartlett at Turin; Monsieur Creutzer, at the same time, commenced an intimacy with Mr Lorimer; and the two former were not more united from good qualities, than the two latter were from bad. "Several riotous things were done by Creutzer and Lorimer, who, whatever the Doctor could do to separate them, were hardly ever asunder. One of their enormities fell under the cognizance of the civil magistrate; and was not made easy to Lorimer without great interest and expense; while Creutzer fled to Rome, to avoid condign punishment; and wrote to Mr Grandison to join him there. "Then it was, that Mr Grandison wrote, (as he had often ineffectually threatened to do,) to represent to his father the profligacy of the man; and to request him to appoint him another governor; or to permit him to return to England till he had made choice of one for him; begging of Dr Bartlett that he would allow him, till he had an answer from his father, to apply to him for advice and instruction. "The answer of his father was, that he heard of his prudence from every mouth; that he was at liberty to choose what companion he pleased; but that he gave him no governor but his own discretion. "Mr Grandison then, more earnestly than before, and with a humility and diffidence, suited to his natural generosity of temper, that never grew upon indulgence, besought the Doctor's direction; and when they were obliged to separate, they established a correspondence, which never will end but with the life of one of them. "Mr Grandison laid before the Doctor all his plan; submitting his conduct to him, as well with regard to the prosecution of his studies, as to his travels; but they had not long corresponded in this manner, when the Doctor let him know, that it was needless to consult him aforehand; and the more so, as it often occasioned a suspension of excellent resolutions; but he besought him to continue to him an account of all he undertook, of all he performed, and of every material incident of his life; not only as his narrations would be matter of the highest entertainment to him, but as they would furnish him with lessons, from example, that might be of greater force upon the unhappy Lorimer, than his own precepts. "While Lorimer was passing through but a few of the cities in Lombardy, Mr Grandison made almost the tour of Europe; and yet gave himself time to make such remarks upon persons, places, and things, as could hardly be believed to be the observations of so young a man. Lorimer, meantime, was engaged in shows, spectacles, and in the diversions of the places in which he lived, as it might be said, rather than through which he passed. "The Doctor, at one time, was the more patient with these delays, as he was willing that the carnival at Venice should be over, before he suffered his pupil to go to that city. But Lorimer, suspecting his intention, slipt thither unknown to his governor, at the very beginning of it; and the Doctor was forced to follow him; and when there, had the mortification of hearing of him, (for the young man avoided his governor as much as possible,) as one of the most riotous persons there. "In vain did the Doctor, when he saw his pupil, set before him the example of Mr Grandison; a much younger man. All the effect which the reading of Mr Grandison's letters had upon him, was to make him hate the more both his governor and that gentleman. By one of these letters only, did he do himself temporary credit. It was written some months before it was shewn him, and described some places of note through which Mr Grandison had passed, and through which the Doctor and his charge had also more lately passed. The mean creature contrived to steal it; and his father having often urged for a specimen of his son's observations on his travels, he copied it almost verbatim, and transmitted it as his own to his father; only letting the Doctor know, after he had sent it away, that he had written. "The Doctor doubted not, but Lorimer had exposed himself; but was very much surprised, when he received a congratulatory letter from the father on his son's improvements, mingled with some little asperity on the Doctor, for having set out his son to his disadvantage: 'I could not doubt,' said the fond father, that a son of mine had genius; he wanted nothing but to apply.'-And then he gave orders for doubling the value of his next remittance. "The Doctor took the young gentleman to task about it. He owned what he had done, and gloried in his contrivance. But his governor thought it incumbent upon him to undeceive the father, and to save him the extraordinary part of his remittance. "The young man was enraged at the Doctor, for exposing him, as he called it, to his father, and for the check he was continually giving to his lawless appetites; and falling into acquaintance with a courtezan, who was infamous for ruining many young travellers by her subtle and dangerous contrivances, they joined in a resolution to revenge themselves on the Doctor, whom they considered as their greatest enemy. "Several projects they fell upon; one in particular, was to accuse him, by a third hand, as concerning himself with affairs of state in Venice; a crime which, in that jealous republic, is never overlooked, and generally ends fatally for the accused; who, if seized, is hardly ever heard of afterwards. From this danger he narrowly escaped, by means of his general good character, and remarkable inoffensiveness, and the profligateness of his accusers; nor knew he his danger till many months afterwards. The Doctor believes, that he fared the better for being an Englishman, and a governor to the son of a British nobleman, who made so considerable a figure in England; because the Italians in general reap so much advantage from the travellers of this nation, that they are ready to favour and encourage them above those of any other. "The Doctor had been very solicitous to be acquitted of his ungracious charge. In every letter he wrote to England, this was one of his prayers; but still the father, who knew not what to do with his son at home, had besought his patience; and wrote to his son in the strongest terms, after reproaching him for his ungraciousness, to pay an implicit obedience to the Doctor. "The father was a learned man. Great pains had been taken with Lorimer, to make him know something of the ancient Greek and Roman histories. The father was very desirous, that his son should see the famous places of old Greece, of which he himself had read so much; and, with great difficulty, the Doctor got the young man to leave Venice, where the vile woman, and the diversions of the place, had taken scandalous hold of him. "Athens was the city at which the father had desired they would make some stay; and from thence visit other parts of the Morea; and there the young man found his woman got before him, according to private agreement between them. "It was some time before the Doctor found out, that the very woman, who had acted so abandoned a part with Lorimer at Venice, was his mistress at Athens; and when he did, he applied, on some fresh enormities committed by Lorimer, to the tribunal which the Christians have there, consisting of eight venerable men chosen out of the eight quarters of the city, to determine causes among Christians; and they taking cognizance of the facts, the wicked woman suborned wretches to accuse the Doctor to the cadi, who is the Turkish judge of the place, as a dangerous and disaffected person; and the cadi being, as it was supposed, corrupted by presents, got the vayvode, or governor, to interfere; and the Doctor was seized, and thrown into prison; his Christian friends in the place were forbidden to interpose in his favour; and pen and ink, and all access to him, were prohibited. "The vile woman, having concerted measures with the persons she had suborned, for continuing the Doctor in his severe confinement, set out with her paramour for Venice; and there they rioted as before. "Mr Beauchamp, a young man of learning and fine parts, happened to make an acquaintance with Mr Grandison in the island of Candia, where they met as countrymen, which, from a sympathy of mind, grew immediately into an intimacy that will hardly ever end. This young gentleman, in the course of his travels, visiting Athens about this time, was informed of the Doctor's misfortune, by one of the eight Christians, who constituted the tribunal above mentioned, and who was an affectionate friend of the Doctor, though forbidden to busy himself in his cause; and Mr Beauchamp (who had heard Mr Grandison speak of the Doctor with an uncommon affection) knowing that Mr Grandison was then at Constantinople, dispatched a man on purpose, to acquaint him with the affair, and with all the particulars he could get of the case, authenticated as much as the nature of the thing would admit. "Mr Grandison was equally grieved and astonished at the information. He instantly applied to the English ambassador at the Porte, as also to the French minister there, with whom he had made an acquaintance; they to the grand vizier; and an order was issued for setting the Doctor at liberty. Mr Grandison, in order to urge the dispatch of the chiaux, who carried it, accompanied him, and arrived at Athens, just as the vayvode had determined to get rid of the whole affair in a private manner (the Doctor's finances being exhausted) by the bow-string. The danger endeared the Doctor to Mr Grandison; a relief so seasonable endeared Mr Grandison to the Doctor; to them both Mr Beauchamp, who would not stir from Athens, till he had seen him delivered; having busied himself, in the interim, in the best manner he could, (though he was obliged to use caution and secrecy,) to do him service, and to suspend the fatal blow. "Here was a cement to a friendship (that had been begun between the young gentlemen from likeness of manners) between them and the Doctor, whom they have had the goodness ever since to regard as their father; and to this day it is one of the Doctor's delights to write to his worthy son Beauchamp all that he can come at, relating to the life and actions of a man, whom the one regards as an example, the other as an honour to the human race. "It was some time before the Doctor knew for certain, that the ungracious Lorimer had been consenting to the shocking treatment he had met with; for the wretches, whom the vile woman had suborned, had made their escape from Athens before the arrival of Mr Grandison and the chiaux; the flagitious youth had written to his father, in terms of the deepest sorrow, an account of what had befallen his governor; and his father had taken the best measures that could be fallen upon, at so great a distance, for the Doctor's succour and liberty; but, in all probability, he would have been lost before those measures could have taken effect. "Lorimer's father, little thinking that his son had connived at the plot formed against his governor, besought him, when he had obtained his liberty, not to leave his son to his own devices. The Doctor, as little thinking then, that Lorimer had been capable of a baseness so very villainous, in compassion both to father and son, went to Venice, and got him out of the hands of the vile woman; and then to Rome; but there, the unhappy wretch, continuing his profligate courses, became at last a sacrifice to his dissoluteness; and his death was a deliverance to his family, to the Doctor, and to the earth. "On his death-bed he confessed the plot, which the infamous courtezan had meditated against the Doctor at Venice, as well as his connivance at that which she had carried into execution at Athens. He died in horror not to be described; begging for longer life, and promising reformation on that condition. The manner of his death, and the crimes he confessed himself guilty of, by the instigation of the most abandoned of women, besides those committed against his governor, so shocked and grieved the Doctor, that he fell ill, and his recovery was long doubted of. "Meantime Mr Grandison visited some parts of Asia and Africa, Egypt particularly; corresponding all the time with Dr Bartlett, and allowing the correspondence to pass into the hands of Mr Beauchamp ; as he did that which he held with Mr Beauchamp, to be communicated to the Doctor. "When Mr Grandison returned to Italy, finding there his two friends, he engaged the Doctor to accompany Mr Beauchamp in that part of his tour into some of the eastern regions, which he himself had been particularly pleased with, and, as he said, wanted to be more particularly informed of; and therefore insisted, that it should be taken at his own expense. He knew that Mr Beauchamp had a step-mother, who had prevailed on his father to take off two-thirds of the allowance he made him on his travels. "Mr Beauchamp very reluctantly complied with the condition so generously imposed on him by his beloved friend; another of whose arguments was, that such a tour would be the most likely means to establish the health of a man equally dear to both. "Mr Grandison never was at a loss for arguments to keep in countenance the persons whom he benefited; and to make the acceptance of his favours appear not only to be their duty, but an obligation laid on himself. "Mr Grandison himself, when the two gentlemen set out on their tour, was engaged in some affairs at Bologna and Florence, which gave him great embarrassment. "Dr Bartlett and Mr Beauchamp visited the principal islands of the Archipelago; after which the Doctor left the young gentleman pursuing his course to Constantinople, with intention to visit some parts of Asia, and took the opportunity of a vessel that was bound for Leghorn, to return thither. "His health was happily established; and, knowing that Mr Grandison expected the longdesired call from his father to return to England, and that it was likely that he could be of use to his ward Miss Jervois, and her affairs, in her guardian's absence, he was the more desirous to return to Italy. "Mr Grandison rejoiced at his arrival; and soon after set out for Paris, in order to attend there the expected call; leaving Emily, in the interim, to his care. "Lorimer's father did not long survive his son. He expressed himself in his last hours highly sensible of the Doctor's care of his unhappy boy; and earnestly desired his lady to see him handsomely rewarded for his trouble. But not making a will, and the lady having, by her early over-indulgence, ruined the morals of her child, (never suffering him to be either corrected or chidden, were his enormities ever so flagrant,) she bore a secret grudge to the Doctor for his honest representations to her lord of the young man's immoralities; and not even the interposition of a Sir Charles Grandison has hitherto been able to procure the least acknowledgment to the Doctor; though the loss as well of his reputation as life, might have been the consequence of the faithful services he had endeavoured to render to the profligate youth, and in him to the whole family." LETTER LXXXIII. DR BARTLETT. [In continuation.] [Enclosing the preceding.] THUS far, dear Miss Byron, (delight of every one who is so happy as to know you!) reach my kinsman's extracts from my papers. I will add some particulars, in answer to your inquiries about Mr Beauchamp, if, writing of a man I so greatly love, I can write but a few. Mr Beauchamp is a fine young man in his person. When I call him a second Sir Charles Grandison, you and the ladies, and my Lord L, will conceive a very high idea of his understanding, politeness, and other amiable qualities. He is of an ancient family. His father, Sir Harry Beauchamp, tenderly loves him, and keeps him abroad equally against both their wills, especially against Mr Beauchamp's, now his beloved friend is in England. This is done to humour an imperious, vindictive woman, who, when a widow, had cast her eye upon the young gentleman for a husband; imagining that her great wealth (her person not disagreeable) would have been a temptation to him. This, however, was unknown to the father; who made his addresses to her much about the time that Mr Beauchamp had given an absolute denial (perhaps with too little ceremony) to an overture made to him by a friend of hers. This enraged her. She was resolved to be revenged on him, and knowing him to be absolutely in his father's power, as to fortune, gave way to Sir Harry's addresses; and, on her obtaining such terms as in a great measure put both father and son in her power, she married Sir Harry. She soon gained an absolute ascendant over her husband. The son, when his father first made his addresses to her, was allowed to set out on his travels with an appointment of 600l. ayear. She never rested till she had got 400l. ayear to be struck off; and the remaining 2007. were so ill remitted, that the young gentleman would have been put to the greatest difficulties, had it not been for the truly friendly assistance of Mr Grandison. Yet it is said, that this lady is not destitute of some good qualities; and, in cases where the son is not the subject, behaves very commendably to Sir Harry; but being a managing woman, and Sir Harry loving his ease, she has made herself his receiver and treasurer; and, by that means, has put it out of his power to act as paternally by his son as he is inclined to do, without her knowing it. The lady and Sir Harry both, however, profess to admire the character of Sir Charles Grandison, from the letters Mr Beauchamp has written from time to time to his father; and from the general report in his favour: And on this, as well I, as Mr Beauchamp, found our hope, that if Sir Charles, by some unsuspected way, can make himself personally acquainted with the lady, he will be able to induce her to consent to her son-in-law's recal; and to be reconciled to him; the rather, as there is no issue by this marriage; whose interest might strengthen the lady's animosity. Mr Beauchamp, in this hope, writes to Sir Charles, that he can, and will, pay all due respect to his father's wife, and, as such, treat her as his mother, if she will consent to his return to his native country; but declares, that he would stay abroad all his life, rather than his father should be made unhappy, by allowing of his coming over against the consent of so highspirited a woman. In the meantime he proposes to set out from Vienna, where he now is, for Paris, to be near, if Sir Charles, who he thinks can manage any point he undertakes, (and who, in this, will be seconded by his father's love,) can prevail with his mother-in-law. I long, ladies, to have you all acquainted with this other excellent young man. You, Miss Byron, I am sure, in particular, will admire Sir Charles Grandison's, and my Beauchamp: Of spirit so manly, yet of manners so delicate, I end as I began: He is a second Sir Charles Grandi son. I shall think myself, ladies, very happy, if I can find it in my power to oblige you, by any communications you would wish to be made you. But let me once more recommend it to you, Lady L, Lord L, and Miss Grandison, to throw off all reserves to the most affectionate of brothers. He will have none to you, in cases which he knows will give you pleasure; and if he forbears of his own accord to acquaint you with some certain affairs, it is because the issue of them is yet hidden from himself. As to Lady Olivia, mentioned to you by good Lord L-, she never can be more to my patron than she now is. Allow me to be, my good Miss Byron, with a true paternal affection, Your admirer and humble servant, SUBJOINED, IN A SEPARATE PAPER, BY MISS BYRON TO HER LUCY. How is this, Lucy? Let me collect some of the contents of these letters. "If Sir Charles forbear, of his own accord, to acquaint his sisters with some certain affairs"-" Issue hidden from himself"- "Engaged in some affairs at Bologna and Florence, that embarrass him [Is, or was so engaged, means the Doctor?Sir Charles not reserved; yet reserved." How is all this, Lucy? But does the Doctor say, "That I shall particularly admire Mr Beauchamp?"-What means the Doctor by that?-But he cannot affront me so much as to mean anything but to shew his own love to the worthy young man. The Doctor longs for us to see him. If I do see him, he must come quickly: For shall I not soon return to my last, my best refuge, the arms of my indulgent grandmamma and aunt?—I shall. But, dear Lucy, have you any spite in you? Are you capable of malice-deadly malice?If you are, sit down, and wish the person you hate, to be in love with a man, (I must, it seems, speak out,) whom she thinks, and everybody |