Spectator
VOL.
the
Fifth
.
Numb.
375.
VERSIFIED
.
A
person
who
in
London
liv'd
of
late
,
By
dire
misfortue
Sunk
in
his
Estate
,
From
good
esteem
reduc'd
to
low
degree
,
His
credit
turn'd
to
Abject
Poverty
;
No
comfort
left
to
Sweeten
human
life
,
But
faithful
counsels
of
a
virtuous
Wife
,
Who
under
Fortune's
frowns
wou'd
often
try
All
means
to
shew
her
love
and
constancy
;
While
he
with
heavy
heart
wou'd
oft
lament
,
Her
present
Straits
,
her
Ample
Fortune
Spent
,
With
kind
endearments
and
a
chearful
Air
She
ever
Strove
to
free
his
mind
from
care
.
Her
Eldest
Daughter
being
(
as
'tis
Said
)
In
bloom
of
Youth
,
a
fair
and
comely
Maid
,
Was
sent
unto
a
Country
friend
that
She
,
The
downfall
of
her
Parents
might
not
See
.
A
Noble
Lord
of
good
Estate
liv'd
nigh
,
And
on
this
lovely
Beauty
cast
his
Eye
,
The
chaste
behaviour
of
this
Graceful
Dame
,
Did
daily
add
new
vigour
to
his
flame
;
He
her
addrest
his
lawful
Bride
to
be
,
And
to
the
same
she
did
at
length
agree
,
Tho'
basely
he
her
ruin
did
design
,
And
to
betray
her
sought
a
lucky
time
:
While
both
with
diff'rent
ends
themselves
amuse
,
From
London
came
the
most
unwelcome
News
.
Her
tender
Parents
were
depriv'd
of
all
Their
worldly
Store
;
her
Sorrows
were
not
small
At
their
dire
Fate
;
When
to
compleat
her
woes
,
Her
Lover
doth
his
base
design
disclose
.
A
Mistress
he
must
have
,
he
wants
no
Wife
,
Propos'd
four
Hundred
Pounds
a
year
for
life
At
her
command
,
and
if
she
will
comply
,
Her
Father's
debts
he'll
likewise
satisfy
:
Thus
like
the
Cursed
Serpent
tempting
Eve
,
He
laid
a
Golden
Bait
her
to
deceive
.
But
here
his
hopes
and
promises
were
vain
,
The
Fair
one
left
him
with
a
brave
disdain
,
Such
Virtue
in
her
Spotless
breast
Did
reign
;
Tho'
their
misfortune
griev'd
her
tender
heart
,
Her
noble
Soul
abhors
his
treach'rous
Part
,
To
the
designing
Lord
She
bade
Adieu
,
Nor
wou'd
Admit
another
Interview
.
Chagrin'd
and
vex'd
the
Spark
resolv'd
to
try
Another
Plot
for
to
way-lay
her
by
,
Dispatch'd
a
Messenger
without
delay
,
To
hear
what
her
perplexed
Friends
wou'd
say
,
Hoping
that
their
Indigence
a
means
might
be
To
gain
his
end
by
their
Authority
.
By
cruel
Fate
,
her
Father's
forc'd
from
home
,
The
Letter
to
her
Mother's
Hands
did
come
,
His
flatt'ring
lines
she
then
perused
o'er
,
His
Vile
proposals
did
afflict
her
more
,
Then
all
her
sad
disasters
heretofore
:
She
from
his
Servant
her
intent
conceal'd
,
And
to
her
Virtuous
Child
her
mind
reveal'd
,
To
this
effect
.
My
dearest
Girl
,
Said
She
,
I've
hear'd
from
one
pretending
love
to
thee
,
A
Gentleman
of
wealth
and
high
degree
,
By
whose
pretences
we
may
plainly
find
,
A
wicked
heart
and
base
insulting
mind
,
He
takes
advantage
of
our
mean
Estate
,
And
Strives
to
make
our
Sorrows
more
compleat
,
He
thinks
our
present
wants
to
Satisfy
,
We
will
betray
our
Child
to
Infamy
,
Heaven
forbid
,
that
we
so
vile
Shou'd
be
By
Sin
and
Shame
to
Shift
of
poverty
!
The
Power
above
some
other
way
will
find
To
ease
our
woe
,
or
give
us
peace
of
mind
Dear
Child
,
my
will
already
is
resign'd
!
As
Worldly
grandeur
to
thyself
and
Friends
;
For
Virtue's
loss
can
never
make
amends
;
Therefore
I
charge
thee
take
a
Special
care
,
Refuse
the
Bait
,
and
So
avoid
the
snare
;
Let
not
a
foolish
pity
take
a
place
Within
thy
breast
,
true
Virtue
to
deface
,
Our
case
is
not
so
bad
as
you
may
fear
,
From
me
in
time
you
better
News
may
hear
;
I
have
been
interupted
by
a
Friend
And
have
already
,
better
News
to
Send
The
Minute
just
now
past
,
I
have
receiv'd
A
Debt
long
due
by
which
I
am
reliev'd
;
For
Sev'ral
days
before
I
freely
own
,
All
views
of
comfort
and
support
were
gone
,
What
little
I
cou'd
raise
I
did
dispose
To
thy
Dear
Father
,
partner
of
my
woes
,
Who
at
this
present
time
is
torn
from
me
I
hope
he'll
Soon
regain
his
liberty
;
'Tis
not
to
grieve
thee
I
these
things
relate
,
Most
patiently
I
bear
my
instant
Fate
,
But
with
a
Mother's
tenderness
intreat
Thee
not
to
make
my
Suff'rings
yet
more
great
,
'Tis
our
Misfortune
not
our
fault
,
that
we
Are
at
this
time
involv'd
in
Poverty
,
And
Providence
may
yet
us
reinstate
To
the
affluence
we
enjoy'd
of
late
,
Without
accepting
terms
so
vile
and
base
;
Heaven
preserve
,
my
Child
,
from
Such
disgrace
!
These
lines
she
sent
with
care
and
Speed
I
hear
,
By
his
false
Servant
to
her
Daughter
Dear
Anxious
for
the
Event
,
shaking
with
fear
.
He
to
his
Master
did
the
Same
convey
Such
Snares
were
laid
her
virtue
to
betray
.
He
open'd
it
,
but
much
surpris'd
to
find
A
true
Portraiture
of
a
noble
mind
Whom
pinching
wants
nor
Golden
Bribes
cou'd
move
,
To
favour
him
in
his
illegal
love
:
Reflecting
on
his
Enterprise
with
Shame
,
Applauds
her
choice
and
found
himself
to
blame
,
His
reason
prompts
him
,
that
it
wou'd
be
in
vain
,
Content
or
peace
of
mind
thereby
to
gain
;
Reflecting
clamly
on
his
wretched
case
,
Resolv'd
thenceforth
to
quit
attempts
So
base
,
The
Letter
seal'd
with
nicest
art
and
care
,
To
See
his
Love
he
doth
himself
prepare
,
And
by
it
got
admittance
to
the
Fair
.
While
She
her
Mother's
Letter
did
peruse
,
Her
lovely
face
,
he
with
attention
views
:
Her
piercing
Sorrows
caus'd
her
eyes
to
flow
,
With
pearly
drops
of
Undissembled
woe
.
The
deep
concern
that
in
her
breast
took
place
,
Heighten'd
her
charms
,
improv'd
each
blooming
grace
His
stubborn
heart
relents
amaz'd
to
See
,
Her
deep
distress
and
noble
constancy
.
Reclaimed
thus
by
Virtues
charms
alone
,
For
all
his
former
folly
to
attone
,
Assur'd
her
on
his
honour
she
shou'd
find
,
In
him
,
a
Faithful
friend
and
Husband
kind
;
And
to
London
he
sent
the
Second
time
.
Implores
her
Mother's
pardon
for
his
crime
,
Pleads
his
Misfortune
that
he
did
not
know
Their
Family
,
and
therefore
us'd
them
So
,
Not
only
beg'd
Excuse
for
what
he
had
done
,
But
wish'd
to
be
accepted
as
a
Son
.
This
Letter
by
his
Steward
to
her
he
Sent
,
And
in
Short
time
in
Person
thither
went
.
Her
happy
Parents
were
to
Wealth
restor'd
,
By
the
Assistance
of
this
Gen'rous
Lord
:
Married
Amanda
was
and
liv'd
a
happy
life
,
He
a
kind
Husband
,
she
a
Virtuous
Wife
.