The flame, which had before lain in embryo, now burft forth. Jenuny had, by her learning, increased her own pride, which none of her neighbours were kind enough to feed with the honour the feemed to demand; and now, inftead of refpect and adoration, The gained nothing but hatred and abufe by her finery. The whole parifh declared he could not come honeftly by fuch things; and parents, instead of wifhing their daughters the fame, felicitated themfelves that their children had them not.

Hence perhaps it was, that the good woman first mentioned the name of this poor girl to Mrs. Wilkins but there was another circumftance that confirmed the latter in her fufpicion; for Jenny had lately been often at Mr. Allworthy's houfe. She had officiated as nurse to Mifs Bridget, in a violent fit of illness, and had fat up many nights with that lady; befides which, fhe had been feen there the very day before Mr. Allworthy's return, by Mrs. Wilkins herfelf, though that fagacious perfon had not at first conceived any fufpici. on of her on that account for as fhe herdelf faid, She had always efteemed Jenny as a very fober girl, (though indeed fhe knew very little of her) and had rather fufpected fome of those wanton trollops, who ⚫ gave themfelves airs, becaufe, forfooth, they thought themselves handfome..

Jenny was now fummoned to appear in perfon before Mrs. Deborah, which the immediately did. When Mrs. Deborah, putting on the gravity of a judge, with fomewhat more than his aufterity, began an oration with the words, You audacious ftrumpet, in which fhe proceeded rather to pass fentence on the prifoner than to accufe her.

Though Mrs. Deborah was fully fatisfied of the guilt of Jenny, from the reafons above fhewn, it is poffible Mr. Allworthy might have required fome ftronger evidence to have convicted her; but the faved her accufers any fuch trouble, by freely confeffing the whole fact with which fhe was charged.

This confeffion, though delivered rather in terms of contrition, as it appeared, did not at all mollify Mrs.. Deborah, who now pronounced a fecond judgment

againft

against her, in more opprobrious language than before : Nor had it any better fuccefs with the bye-ftanders who were now grown very numerous. Many of them cried out,. They, thought what Madam's filk gown would end in ; others fpoke farcaltically of her learning. Not a fingle female was prefent, but found fome means of expreffing her abhorrence of poor Jenny; who bore all very patiently, except the malice of one woman, who reflected upon her perfon, and, toffing up her nofe, faid, 'The man must have a good ftomach, who would give filk gowns for fuch fort of trumpery. Jenny replied to this, with a bitternefs which might have furprifed a judicious perfon, who had obferved. the tranquillity with which the bore all the affronts to her chaflity: but her patience was, perhaps, tired out for this is a virtue which is very apt to be fatigued by exercife.

Mrs. Deborah having fucceeded beyond her hopesin her enquiry, returned with much triumph, and, at the appointed hour, made a faithful report to Mr. Allworthy, who was much furprised at the relation; for he had heard of the extraordinary parts and improvements of this girl, whom he intended to have given in marriage, together with a fmall living, to a neighbouring curate. His concern, therefore, on this occafion, was at leaft equal to the fatisfaction which appeared in Mrs. Deborah, and to many readers may feem much more reasonable.

Mrs. Bridget bleffed herself, and faid, For her part, the fhould never hereafter entertain a good opinion of any woman.' For Jenny before this had the happinefs of being much in her good graces alfo.

The prudent housekeeper was again difpatched to bring the unhappy culprit before Mr. Allworthy, in order, not, as it was hoped by fome, and expected by all, to be fent to the houfe of correction; but to receive wholefome admonition and reproof, which those who relifh that kind of inftructive writing, may perufe in the next chapter.

CHAP.

CHA P. VII.

Containing fuch grave matter, that the reader cannot laugh once through the whole chapter, unless perad venture he fhould laugh at the author.

WHEN Jenny appeared, Mr. Allworthy took

1

her into his ftudy, and spoke to her as follows: • You know, child, it is in my power, as a magiftrate to punish you very rigorously for what you have done; and you will, perhaps, be the more apt to fear I fhould execute that power, because you have in a manner, laid your fins at my door.

But perhaps this is one reafon which hath determined me to act in a milder manner with you: for, as no private refentment fhould ever influence a magiftrate, I will be fo far from confidering your having depofited the infant in my houfe, as an aggra→ vation of your offence, that I will fuppofe, in. your favour, this to have proceeded from a natural affection to your child; fince you might have fome hopes to fee it thus better provided for, than was in the power of yourself, or its wicked father, to provide for it. I fhould indeed have been highly of fended with you, had you expofed the little wretch in the manner of fome inhuman mothers, who feem no lefs to have abandoned their humanity, than to have parted with their chaltity. It is the other part of your offence, therefore, upon which I intend to admonish you, I mean the violation of chaftity. A crime however lightly it may be treated by debauched perfons, very henious in itself, and very dreadful in its confequences.

your

The henious nature of this offence must be fuffici ently apparent to every chriftian, inasmuch as it is committed in defiance of the laws of our religion, and of the exprefs commands of him who founded that religion.

And here its confequences may well be argued to be dreadful; for what can be more fo, than to incur the divine difpleasure by the breach of the divine <commands s į

commands; and that in an inftance, against which the highest vengeance is fpecifically denounced?

But these things though too little, I am afraid, regarded, are fo plain, that mankind, however they may want to be reminded, can never need information on this head. A hint therefore, to awaken your fenie of this matter, fhall fuffice; for I would infpire you with repentance, and not drive you to defperation.

There are other confequences, not indeed fo dreadful and replete with horrors, as this; and yet fuch as, if attentively confidered, muft, one wouldthink, deter all, of your fex, at least, from the commiffion of this crime.

For by it you are rendered infamous, and driven, like lepers of old, out of fociety; at leaft from the fociety of all but wicked and reprobate perfons; for no others will affociate with you.

If you have fortunes, you are hereby rendered incapable of enjoying them; if you have none, you are difabled from acquiring any, nay almoft of procuring your fuftenance; for no perfons of character will receive you into their houfes. Thus you are often driven by neceffity itfelf into a state of fhame and mifery, which unavoidably ends in the destruction of both body and foul.

Can any pleasure compenfate thefe evils? Canany temptation have fophiftry and delufion ftrong enough to perfuade you to fo fimple a bargain? Or can any carnal appetite fo overpower your reafon, or fo totally lay it afleep, as to prevent your flying with affright and terror from a crime which carries fuch punishment always with it?

How bafe and mean mult that woman be, how void of that dignity of mind, and decent pride, without which we are not worthy the name of human creatures, who can bear to level herself with the lowelt animal, and to facrifice all that is great • and noble in her, all her heavenly part, to an appetite which the hath in common with the vilest • branch of the creation! For no woman fare, will plead the paffion of love for an excufe.. This would be to own herself the meer tool and bubble of the

man

man. Love, however barbaroufly we may corrupt and pervert its meaning, as it is laudable, is a rational paffion, and can never be violent, but when reciprocal; for though the fcripture bids us love our enemies, it means not with that fervent love, which we naturally bear towards our friends; much less that we fhould facrifice to them our lives, and what ought to be dearer to us, our innocence. Now in what light, but that of an enemy, can a reasonable woman regard the man, who folicits her to entail on herself all the mifery I have defcribed to you, and who would purchase to himself a short, trivial, contemptible pleafure, fo greatly at her expence ! For, by the daws of cuftom, the whole fhame, with all its dreadful confequences, fall intirely upon her. Can love, which always feeks the good of its. object, attempt to betray a woman into a bargain where fhe is fo greatly to be the lofer? If fuch corrupter, therefore, fhould have the impudence to pretend a real affection for her, ought not the woman to regard him, not only as an enemy, but the worst of all enemies; a falfe, defigning, treacherous, pretended friend, who intends not only to dabauch her body, but her understanding at the ⚫ fame time?'

as

Here Jenny expreffing great concern, Allworthy paufed a moment, and then proceeded: I have talked thus to you, child, not to infult you for what is paft, and irrevocable, but to caution and strengthen you for the future, Nor fhould I have taken this trouble, but from fome opinion of your good fenfe, notwithstanding the dreadful flip you have made; and from fome hopes of your hearty repentance, which are founded on the openness and fincerity of your confeffion. If thefe do not deceive me, I will take care to convey you from this fcenc of your fhame, where you fhall, by being unknown, avoid the punishment which, as I have faid, is allotted to your crime in this world; and I hope, by repentance, you will avoid the much heavier fentence denounced against it in the other. Be a good girl. the rest of your days, and want fhall be no motive