ment of this inftinctive intelligence is not to be accounted for; but I can appeal to every obfervant perfon, whether they have not found this. fpecies of foreknowledge fometimes arife in their minds-This digreffion, as it is a debt of gratitude, which is at all times. acceptable to the Deity, will not, I flatter myself prove unacceptable to you or my readers.

LETTER XLII.

G. A. B.

Sept. 20, 17

MR

R. FOX introduced himself by saying, that he hoped the whimsicalnefs, in the first place, and the irrefiftable temptation, in the fecond, would plead as an apology for his intrufion. His attendant entered with an aukward blush of inferiority, which would have paffed unnoticed by me, had it not been remarked by the fervant who was in the room. The meffenger now returning with money from Mr. Brudenell, the horses were discharged. Juft at this time General Wall and Comte Haflang, paffing by, and feeing the house lighted up, they honoured me with a call. Some converfation upongeneral topics now paffed.

When Mr. Fox withdrew, he requested: that I would permit him the pleasure of call

F. 4

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ing upon me; as he was in town, and much alone, from Lady Caroline's being obliged, through ill health, often to fleep in the country. I was not at this period acquainted with the virtues of that great man, or I fhould have embraced the offer with infinite readiness. I therefore, out of refpect to his Lady, coolly replied, that I fhould be happy in the honour of feeing him, whenever he had leifure. Thus ended a vifit, produced by levity, and concluded with cold civility.

After thofe gentlemen were gone, their Excellencies enquired the occafion of my receiving a vifit from a perfon of Mr. Fox's eminence; obferving that they had never feen him before at my house, though they frequently vifited me both in town and at Richmond. Without making a fècret of it, I informed them of the ridiculous incident that had occafioned it, with the fame fimplicity as it had really happened. The General was highly diverted at the story. But as for the Comte, he condefcended only to notice it with a fmile, and a queftion, whether upon hearing my fituation be bad given me de monies. Upon my anfwering that he could not certainly fuppofe Mr. Fox would be guilty of fo much ill manners; he replied only with a fhrug of difbelief, added to the aspiration, umph! This was the only mode by which the Comte ufually expreffed either his approbation or diflike. In the

former

former cafe he added a recline of the head to the aspiration; in the latter a fhrug of the fhoulders.

Whilft the card-table was fetting, and we waited for two ladies I had invited to spend the evening, the gentlemen went to the chimney-piece to view fome figures of Chelsea china, which the Compte had fome time before made me a prefent of. As they ftood, they obferved a bit of paper lie near the figures that had the appearance of a bank bill. As I had informed them that I had only the twenty guineas I had just received from Mr. Brudenell, I was asked if I knew what was there. Upon my anfwering that I did not, they examined, and found it to be a bank bill for fifty pounds.

I did not doubt but Mr. Fox had taken this method to relieve my prefent neceffity, without offending my delicacy. I, however, determined to fend it back immediately, not ehoofing to lie under an obligation to a person who was almost a stranger to me. But I was prevented from doing this, by the Comte, who was the foul of generofity. He obferved to me, that by, returning it, I fhould offer the highest affront to the giver of it. He asked me if I fhould be difpleafed with fuch a mark of approbation at my benefit? Why then, faid he, fhould you now? He reminded me, that as many perfons, at different times, made' me prefents, I need F 5

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not be more fcrupulous to receive them from Mr. Fox than from the General, from him, and feveral others, who offered them merely as a tribute to my talents, without having any defign upon my perfon. As I could not help acknowledging the weight of the Comte's arguments, I laid afide my intention, and confidered myself as indebted to Mr. Fox for a bounty fo delicately beftowed.

The evening concluded with my making an addition of fifty more to it, which I won of the corps diplomatique. Before we broke up, it was agreed between the General, the Comte, and myself, that for the few weeks before the theatre opened, and occafionally afterwards, we should set up a Pharoah bank, in conjunction with the Marquis de Vernueil, who was expected every day from Yorkfhire. Though I had not much ready cash, I had diamonds, which I did not immediately want, and my credit was good; fo that I forefaw I should not have much difficulty in raifing the thousand pounds, which was to be my fhare of the capital.

While this affair was in agitation, I went to Richmond for a few days, before I came to town for the approaching feafon. I had fcarcely got out of the chaife, before Mr., Lacy, joint manager with Mr. Garrick, of Drury-lane Theatre, was announced. As he lived but at Ifleworth, and we were upon the beft terms, I imagined his vifit to be merely

cafual.

cafual. But when he entered, to my very great furprize he informed me, that Mrs.. Cibber was engaged at Covent-Garden, together with Barry; and that Mr. Quin, from fome difguft, had quitted the stage.

This laft piece of intelligence I knew not how to believe, as I was ftill favoured with that gentleman's correfpondence, and he certainly would have mentioned to me an event which was of the utmost confequence to me in my theatrical fituation. So fufpicious an affertion, I acknowledge, ought: to have put me upon my guard, and made me doubt the truth of the other part of Mr. Lacy's information. However, giving way. to the first impulfe of my rage, at this ap-. parent proof of Mr. Rich's repeated duplicity; from whom I had a right to expect the moft friendly treatment, as his family lived in› the ftricteft terms of intimacy with me, and he himself had often profeffed that he loved me as well as his own children; without any further confideration, I inftantly figned an agreement for three years,, which Mr. Lacy had brought with him.

I had no fooner. done the irrevocable dèed' than the Manager, with a malignant grin of felf approbation, fuch as the Demon affumes in the pantomime, when he has prevailed upon Doctor Fauftus to fign the fatal warrant, told me that the report of Mrs. Cibber's engagement was current ; but, he could not vouch F 6

for