kens knew not that he was now grown old; that however inglorious fuch an occupation may appear, it was at least innocent, and as he acknowleged himself to be at prefent utterly unfit for any-thing of greater importance, he ftill thought this preferable to a perfeverance in the ways of vice and folly. I doubt not but my fair readers will make the proper application here; and my regard for them is fo great, that I the more ftrenuoufly recommend feafonable retirement, even as an artifice, if they chufe not to embrace it as a means to virtue; befides, by leffening in this manner the exorbitant price of poultry, they may poffibly become of fome ufe to the public, and in their old age attone thereby in fome measure for a life, whofe youth at beft had perhaps been only spent in idlenefs and vanity. But after fo long a digreffion, I think, 'tis now high time that I thould return to my own ftory: my readers will please to remember that Polydore was by Belinda's will appointed my guardian; the care of my fortune was, it may be eafily imagin'd, no difagreeable truft to him, and as to that of my education, it is very plain, he gave himself no fort of trouble about it, or he would not have fuffered me to con tinue fo long with lady Meanwell, whofe true character he perfectly well underftood the ftronger the propenfity to extravagance, which I was likely to contract from her ladyship's example, the less likely, he fupofed, could be the profpect of my looking into my own affairs, provided that he fupplied me, as indeed he conftantly did, with ample means for the gratification of that extravagance; and the apprehenfion of my falling into the hands of people who might poffibly fuggest to me fuch a prudent infpection of my fortune, did moft probably accelerate that obliging invitation which he gave me to his house, in order ftill more effectually to prevent it; but this I never once imagined at the time, for his whole behaviour feemed not only difinterested, but spoke all the tenderness of a moft affectionate parent; whenever I made an application to him for money, he always gave me double, if not treble the fum I afked, and feemed to enjoy a particular fatisfaction in letting me know that he thought it highly proper, I fhould, on all occafions, make an appearance fuitable to the fortune I was miftrefs of. This behaviour could not fail to gain upon a young mind, regardlefs, as mine then was, of every thing but the indulgence of my vanity; it foon conciliated VOL. I. F my my duty and affection for him in fo powerful a degree that, of all the human fpecies I looked upon him as the best, and thought myself peculiarly happy in having fuch a friend; but a little time convinced me that I was fatally deceived; he was in short a moft complicated character; in his perfon he ftill looked well, but had been very handsome, yet never feemed to have the leaft vanity on that account; in his temper he was good-natured, compaffionate, chearful, and extremely well-bred, yet without the least tincture of pride: I have been told by those who were judges, that he had naturally an exceeding good understanding, which was ftill improved by every advantage a liberal education could bestow; but of this, I prefume, he fcarcely ever made any ufe, as he fuffered both fools and knaves to rob him of his time and money he had, as if for their accommodation chiefly, a very fine houfe in town, fitted up, and furnished in the most elegant tafte, and in a pleafant part of the country, within a thort day's journey of London, he had likewife a charming villa, with a park and large gardens laid out in the most beautiful manner; he kept a very fplendid equipage, and feemed to derive no finall pleasure from the incumbrance of a prodigious number of fervants and horfes.. Two Two gentlemen, of family and fortune, who were, both of them, nearly related to Tradewell, began to conceive fome fufpicions, and to grow much diffatisfied at Polydore's conduct in regard to me; as to the juft foundation of these fufpicions, I was at that time intirely ignorant, but they openly avowed their intentions to refcue, if poffible, the young Cornelia from impending ruin; and, to that purpofe, defigned making an application to the court of chancery, that I might be taken out of the hands of Polydore, that my fortune might be depofited in the court, and the iffues and profits thereof fairly accounted for fince the death of my mother; but as a relation of the confequences which enfued on that occafion might run this chapter into too great a length, I fhall therefore defer it till the next. CHA P. X. Polydore's complicated character continued, and partly explained; with a remark upon the generality of guardians; the extraordinary character of Sipiana reprefented in the moft candid manner, and alfo that of her father. Portia introduc'd, but not continu'd. EFORE the friendly defign of two relations, as mentioned in the last chapter, could be carried into execution, F 2 B my Polydore Polydore was informed of the affair, and by a proper, or rather indeed, an artful management, he very feasonably defeated the whole purpose thereof, and wrought fo effectually on my tender imagination, as to make me apprehend that a removal of my perfon and affairs from his houfe and protection, would now be the greatest misfortune that could poffibly befal me : the well-known character of the two gentlemen above-mentioned did but too fuccessfully affift the operation of his scheme, for they were both reputed to be profefs'd libertines; the dangerous confequence whereof, in regard to me, he reprefented in fo pathetic a manner as foon filled me with the utmoft terror, and fully convinced me, as I then imagined, of the fincerity of his friendship towards me. To confirm the matter ftill ftronger, one of these gentlemen happened to be in the army, a circumftance which at that time greatly added to my fears; for, from my earliest youth, I had conceived a most unaccountable dread of the people of that profeffion, which, inftead of being removed, ftrengthened by degrees, as I grew up, into an almoft infuperable antipathy; nor can I fay, even at prefent, (though I hope and believe there may be many worthy men among them) that this THE prejudice, |