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more, to look upon him in the light of a friend.

Upon the third of December I always made a dinner for fome friends, in honour of its being the name-day of Comte Haflang. I had accordingly invited fome ladies, and his Excellency's Secretary, to dine at my mother's, where I now refided when I came to town.

The evening previous to that day my mother feemed to be indifpofed, but as I was in hopes that it was only a flight indifpofition, and she herself objected to my putting off the party, I had not done fo. When I returned home from paying the ufual compliments upon the occafion, I found her in the parlour, much worfe than when I left her. Seeing this, I entreated her to permit me to fend for advice; which fhe refufed, but confented to return to bed.

As I did not apprehend any real danger from my mother's illness, good company, joined to good cheer, and good humour, made us laugh rather too loud; when, to our great furprize, fhe entered the room, in the midft of our feftivity, and turning to Mrs. Howe, one of the ladies prefent, defired her not to raise a mob about the door by her immoderate laughing, As my mother was

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a remarkable well-bred woman, and was very particular in her behaviour to those who were tinged with nobility, we concluded this uncommon rudeness must arife from some extraordinary cause.

And fo it proved to be; for we foon perceived, from the tenor of her behaviour, that fhe was light-headed. I therefore fent away immediately for Doctor Macdonald, a physician of whom she had fuch a very high opinion, that fhe always did him the honour to confult him upon every flight indifpofition of her friends, as well as herself, and that gratis. The Doctor immediately came, and apologized for not joining us at dinner, as he had been invited. He informed me, that he was rather late, and recollecting, when he got near Brewer-ftreet, that he was in mourning, he would not commit fuch a folecifm in good manners, as to appear in fables at my grand gala; he therefore returned, and dined elsewhere.

Doctor Macdonald did all he could to affift my mother for ten or twelve days; but finding every medicine he prescribed prove ineffectual, he defired that I would call in fome other advice. I therefore immediately fent for Doctor Schomberg, a gentleman as eminent for his wit, as diftinguished in his profeffion. When he came, he pronoun

ced

ced her complaint to be a lethargic palfy; adding, that there were no hopes of her recovery, as it was not in the power of the whole materia medica to reftore her. He ordered both her head and feet to be bliftered, but without any good effect arifing from it. She lingered for fome time, during which he had no interval of fenfe; and whilft I was kneeling by her bed-fide, kiffing her hand, she caft her eyes upon me, with a benignant fimile, and left this world without a pang.

The grief I felt at the lofs of my much loved parent, was leffened by the confideration, that fhe had every affiftance this world could afford her. The poor had reason to regret her departure, as fhe was benevolent to an excefs. Though a rigid oeconomist where fhe herself was only concerned, fhe was liberal almoft to a fault when any object of compaffion excited her tender feelings. I had the fatisfaction of seeing those intimates who esteemed her whilst living, feverely lament her when dead. As to myself, death deprived me not only of an anxious parent, but of a kind friend. Happy would it have been for me, had I always listened to her prudent admonitions! I fhould then have been a ftranger to error, and confequently to its fure attendants, anguish and

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misfortune. And I now moft feverely felt the truth of the adage, "That we never know the "value of what we poffefs, till we are made fen"fible of it by its lofs."

As the landlord of the house in which my mother refided had promised never to raise the rent whilft fhe or myself chofe to continue his tenant; and it was greatly under-let, I determined to keep it. Every thing my parent died poffeffed of having originated from me, I thought I had an undoubted right to whatever that might be; and my brother having refigned all pretenfions to her property, I thought it needlefs to take out letters of adminiftration.

I had invited a lady and her two daughters to be with me during my mother's illnefs; and the was fo kind as to continue her vifit, in order to keep me from the melancholy with which a mind so susceptible as mine must naturally be oppreffed. As my mother had always lived in the style of a gentlewoman, I had her buried as fuch. Those about me endeavoured to perfuade me not to go to her funeral, but their remonftrances were in vain. As I had paid her every poffible attention while living, I was determined, coft what pangs it would, to pay the last tribute of duty by attending her remains to the grave. I muft

I must here observe, that I cannot help thinking, but that perfons who pretend to fuch overnice feelings, as to be prevented thereby from paying thefe laft refpectful offices to a deceased relation or friend, fhew an unnatural and falfe delicacy. I confider them as an indifpenfible duty, and a debt of nature; and will venture to call an omiffion of them unpardonable affectation. Elfe, why should thofe of the lower ranks be deprived of that extreme fufceptibility. Dame Nature being their guide, fhe conducts them, with decent forrow, to the grave of thofe they loved whilft living.

Now prepare yourself to hear another of those unexpected and ill-natured ftrokes of fortune, with which he has frequently belaboured me. So quick is generally the tranfition, that she might be faid to give with one hand, and immediately to rob me of the newly-poffeffed gift with the other. As if the fickle Goddefs had determined that I fhould never retain the poffeffion of any property, let it be thrown into my lap by her from whatever quarter it would.

My vifitor, Mrs. Butler, and myself, were fitting together in converfation one evening, foon after the death of my mother, when a loud and

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