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wainscot from Celemena's chamber. She had quitted her bed that day, which for a long time the had not been able to do, and fat with her governess as close as the could to the partition, so that she could hear all that passed with the fame ease, as if she had been in the room with them.

"WELL, Mr. Quaver," said the old gentleman, "I think you told me yesterday, that the price at " which you set your liberty was ten thousand "pounds :-it is certainly a great sum for a per"fon of your vocation, who have no other join"ture to make my daughter than a few music " books; but as she has fet her heart upon you, " I will not refuse you, and the money shall be " paid on the day of marriage."

"ALAS, fir," replied the other, " I am forry I " was so unhappy to be mistaken; I told you that " I would not marry for twice the sum you offered " at first, which you may remember was twice five " thousand pounds, and I think you cannot give " me less than fifteen thousand, and five thousand at "the birth of the first child; besides, I expect you " should settle your whole estate on me after your " decease, that your daughter, who I know is "heiress, may not affume too much, as many " wives do, when they have the power of receiv" ing rents lodged in their own hands."

AT these words the father was obliged to fummon all his moderation, yet could not restrain himself from crying out, "Heaven! What have " I done to merit a punishment so severe ! -Un" happy Celemena, to love where there is nothing " but what ought to create contempt."

"WHATEVER opinion you may have of me, " fir," returned Quaver, with a most audacious air, " I know myself, and shall not abate an ace

" of

" of my demand : if you think fit to comply with " it, I will make a good husband to your daugh"ter; if not, I am your humble servant."

CELEMENA no fooner heard this, than the fent her governess to beg her father to come into her chamber before he made any farther reply to what was faid; and on his entering, threw herself at his feet, and embracing his knees with a vehemence which surprized him, - "O, fir, faid the, " by all the love and tenderness you have ever " ufed me with, by this laft, the greatest proof "sure that ever child received, I conjure you, "suffer not yourself nor me to be one moment " longer affronted and insulted by that unworthy "fellow, whom I almost hate myself for ever " having had a favourable thought of: -spurn " him, I beseech you, from your prefence;-let " him feek a wife more befitting him than Cele" mena, who now rates and scorns him."

"But are you certain, my dear, faid this fond " father, that you can perfift in these sentiments?"

"For ever, fir, answered she; and your com"mands to unite me to such a wretch would " now render me more miferable than two days " past your resusal would have done."

It is not to be doubted but that the old gentleman was transported at this unlooked-for change and returning to Quaver, whom he found looking in the glass, and humming over a tune of his own compofing, he told him, "That the farce was " entirely over; Celemena had only a mind to di"vert herself with his vanity, which having done, " he might go about his business, for there was "no danger of her dying, unless it were with " laughing at his so easily believing that to be fe"rious which was only a jest."

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THE musician, so lately blown up with felf-conceit, was now quite crushed at once; and as those too foon elated with the appearance of any profperous event are with the fame ease dejected with the reverfe, he looked like one transfixed with thunder; but when he was about to say something. in a stammering voice, by way of reply, the old gentleman cut him short, by telling him in the moft contemptuous manner, "That as neither " himself nor his daughter had any disposition to "continue the frolick, he had no more business "there; but might go home and dream ofa fine lady "with fifteen thousand pounds, and a great estate."

To prove how much he was in earnest, he rang the bell, and ordered his fervants to shew him out; on which he muttered somewhat between his teeth, and went away justly mortified, and ready to hang himself for what he had loft by his egregious folly.

CELEMENA, perfectly cured of her passion, and no otherwise troubled than ashamed of having ever entertained one for a person such as he had now proved himself, foon refumed her formerhealth and vivacity; and was some time after married to a person of condition, who knew how to esteem her asne ought.

THIS behaviour in Quaver I will allow to be the highest ingratitude, and am very certain there are many fuch examples of it in our bargainmakers for marriage, though all have not the fame spirit and resolution Celemena teftified in resenting it.

THUS have I attempted to obviate some of those errors in judgment, concerning the crime of ingra

ingratitude, which frequently mislead the mind; yet on the whole I must conclude as I began, that there is no possibility of tracing it in all circumstances and cafes.

THAT I may avoid the imputation of being guilty of it myself, I must not forget to acknowledge the great favour I have received from the public by their encouragement of these my Monthly Lucubrations, and also for Distrario's letter, which is just now come to hand, and which I affure him shall be inserted in the next FEMALE SPECTATOR; with the sentiments of our club on the matter it contains.

ॐ

BOOK VIII.

CORRESPONDENTS beginning

to thicken

upon us, and every one being defirous of fomewhat by way of comment or reply, due order must be observed as to inserting and answering letters as they come to hand; we therefore hope those of a later date will not take ill that we give the first place to that of Distrario, as having been first received.

To the FEMALE SPECTATOR.

MADAM,

"THE justice you have done in recommending "dramatic performances, before any other of the " present more encouraged diversions of the town, " renders your monthly essays a proper vehicle to

convey the groans of the stage to the ears of "the public; nor can those gentlemen who un" happily have devoted themselves to the muses, "find

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" find any means of making their complaint with ** so much probability of success, as through your " nervous and pathetic strains.

"Be not startled, I beseech you, at the fight of " this long epiftle, nor imagine it is my intention " to trouble you with any animadversion on the " late or present contest between the patentees and "players; the town is already fufficiently pestered " with cafes and replies, and I am afraid these idle " quarrels among themselves will rather contri" bute to bring acting in general into contempt, " than be of any service to the persons concerned " in them.

"No, madam, my aim is to obviate the more " real misfortunes of the theatres, and shew how " the drama is wounded through the sides of those " by whom alone it can exist with any honour or " reputation.

"THERE are two reasons commonly affigned " why the nobility and better fort of people have " of late years very much withdrawn that encou"ragement they used to vouchsafe to the stage.--"The first is, that the part in which Wilks, Booth, "Cibber fenior, Oldfield, Porter, and some others " appeared in with great propriety, are but ill fup" plied by their successors; but I cannot look on " this as any real objection, because it would be: " both cruel and unjust: actors cannot always re"tain the fame faculties any more than other peo"ple, much less can they be immortal: besides, "there are at this time several whose merit ought " not to be absorbed in the regard we pay to the

memory of those who went before them. And " if even they are less excellent, I do not perceive " but the audiences are fatisfied with their endea"yours