Beforemyhusbanddiedhiselderbrotherwasmarried，and
　　we，beingthenremovedtoLondon，werewrittentobytheold
　　ladytocomeandbeatthewedding。
　　Myhusbandwent，butI
　　pretendedindisposition，andthatIcouldnotpossiblytravel，
　　soIstayedbehind；for，inshort，Icouldnotbearthesightof
　　hisbeinggiventoanotherwoman，thoughIknewIwasnever
　　tohavehimmyself。
　　Iwasnow，asabove，leftloosetotheworld，andbeingstill
　　youngandhandsome，aseverybodysaidofme，andIassure
　　youIthoughtmyselfso，andwithatolerablefortuneinmy
　　pocket，Iputnosmallvalueuponmyself。
　　Iwascourtedby
　　severalveryconsiderabletradesmen，andparticularlyvery
　　warmlybyone，alinen-draper，atwhosehouse，aftermy
　　husband’sdeath，Itookalodging，hissisterbeingmyacquaintance。
　　HereIhadallthelibertyandalltheopportunitytobegayand
　　appearincompanythatIcoulddesire，mylandlord’ssister
　　beingoneofthemaddest，gayestthingsalive，andnotsomuch
　　mistressofhervirtueasIthoughtasfirstshehadbeen。
　　She
　　broughtmeintoaworldof
　　wildcompany，andevenbrought
　　homeseveralpersons，suchasshelikedwellenoughtogratify，
　　toseeherprettywidow，soshewaspleasedtocallme，and
　　thatnameIgotinalittletimeinpublic。
　　Now，asfameand
　　foolsmakeanassembly，Iwasherewonderfullycaressed，had
　　abundanceofadmirers，andsuchascalledthemselveslovers；
　　butIfoundnotonefairproposalamongthemall。
　　Asfortheir
　　commondesign，thatIunderstoodtoowelltobedrawninto
　　anymoresnaresofthatkind。
　　Thecasewasalteredwithme:
　　Ihadmoneyinmypocket，andhadnothingtosaytothem。
　　I
　　hadbeentrickedoncebythatcheatcalledlove，butthegame
　　wasover；
　　Iwasresolvednowtobemarriedornothing，and
　　tobewellmarriedornotatall。
　　Ilovedthecompany，indeed，ofmenofmirthandwit，menof
　　gallantryandfigure，andwasoftenentertainedwithsuch，as
　　Iwasalsowithothers；butIfoundbyjustobservation，thatthe
　　brightestmencameuponthedullesterrand——thatistosay，the
　　dullestastowhatIaimedat。
　　Ontheotherhand，thosewho
　　camewiththebestproposalswerethedullestandmost
　　disagreeablepartoftheworld。
　　Iwasnotaversetoatradesman，
　　butthenIwouldhaveatradesman，forsooth，thatwas
　　somethingofagentlemantoo；thatwhenmyhusbandhada
　　mindtocarrymetothecourt，ortotheplay，hemightbecome
　　asword，andlookaslikeagentlemanasanotherman；andnot
　　beonethathadthemarkofhisapron-stringsuponhiscoat，
　　orthemarkofhishatuponhisperiwig；thatshouldlookasif
　　hewassetontohissword，whenhisswordwasputontohim，
　　andthatcarriedhistradeinhiscountenance。
　　Well，atlastIfoundthisamphibiouscreature，thisland-water
　　thingcalledagentleman-tradesman；andasajustplagueupon
　　myfolly，Iwascatchedintheverysnarewhich，asImightsay，
　　Ilaidformyself。
　　Isaidformyself，forIwasnottrepanned，
　　Iconfess，butIbetrayedmyself。
　　Thiswasadraper，too，forthoughmycomradewouldhave
　　broughtmetoabargainwithherbrother，yetwhenitcameto
　　thepoint，itwas，itseems，foramistress，notawife；andIkept
　　truetothisnotion，thatawomanshouldneverbekeptfora
　　mistressthathadmoneytokeepherself。
　　Thusmypride，notmyprinciple，mymoney，notmyvirtue，
　　keptmehonest；though，asitproved，IfoundIhadmuchbetter
　　havebeensoldbymyshe-comradetoherbrother，thanhave
　　soldmyselfasIdidtoatradesmanthatwasrake，gentleman，
　　shopkeeper，andbeggar，alltogether。
　　ButIwashurriedonbymyfancytoagentlemantoruin
　　myselfinthegrossestmannerthateverywomandid；formy
　　newhusbandcomingtoalumpofmoneyatonce，fellinto
　　suchaprofusionofexpense，thatallIhad，andallhehad
　　before，ifhehadanythingworthmentioning，wouldnothave
　　helditoutaboveoneyear。
　　Hewasveryfondofmeforaboutaquarterofayear，and
　　what
　　Igotbythatwas，thatIhadthepleasureofseeingagreat
　　dealofmymoneyspentuponmyself，and，asImaysay，had
　　someofthespendingittoo。
　　’Come，mydear，’sayshetome
　　oneday，’shallwegoandtakeaturnintothecountryforabout
　　aweek？’’Ay，mydear，’saysI，’whitherwouldyougo？’
　　’I
　　carenotwhither，’sayshe，’butIhaveamindtolooklike
　　qualityforaweek。
　　We’llgotoOxford，’sayshe。
　　’How，’says
　　I，’shallwego？Iamnohorsewoman，and’tistoofarforacoach。’
　　’Toofar！’sayshe；’noplaceistoofarforacoach-and-six。
　　If
　　Icarryyouout，youshalltravellikeaduchess。’
　　’Hum，’says
　　I，’mydear，’tisafrolic；butifyouhaveamindtoit，Idon’t
　　care。’
　　Well，thetimewasappointed，wehadarichcoach，very
　　goodhorses，acoachman，postillion，andtwofootmeninvery
　　goodliveries；agentlemanonhorseback，andapagewitha
　　featherinhishatuponanotherhorse。
　　Theservantsallcalled
　　himmylord，andtheinn-keepers，youmaybesure，didthelike，
　　andIwasherhonourtheCountess，andthuswetraveledto
　　Oxford，andaverypleasantjourneywehad；for，givehimhis
　　due，notabeggaraliveknewbetterhowtobealordthanmy
　　husband。
　　WesawalltheraritiesatOxford，talkedwithtwoor
　　threeFellowsofcollegesaboutputtingoutayoungnephew，
　　thatwaslefttohislordship’scare，totheUniversity，andof
　　theirbeinghistutors。
　　Wedivertedourselveswithbantering
　　severalotherpoorscholars，withhopesofbeingatleasthis
　　lordship’schaplainsandputtingonascarf；andthushaving
　　livedlikequalityindeed，astoexpense，wewentawayfor
　　Northampton，and，inaword，inabouttwelvedays’ramble
　　camehomeagain，tothetuneofabout#93expense。
　　Vanityistheperfectionofafop。
　　Myhusbandhadthis
　　excellence，thathevaluednothingofexpense；andashis
　　history，youmaybesure，hasverylittleweightinit，’tis
　　enoughtotellyouthatinabouttwoyearsandaquarterhe
　　broke，andwasnotsohappytogetoverintotheMint，butgot
　　intoasponging-house，beingarrestedinanactiontooheavy
　　fromhimtogivebailto，sohesentformetocometohim。
　　Itwasnosurprisetome，forIhadforeseensometimethat
　　allwasgoingtowreck，andhadbeentakingcaretoreserve
　　somethingifIcould，thoughitwasnotmuch，formyself。
　　But
　　whenhesentforme，hebehavedmuchbetterthanIexpected，
　　andtoldmeplainlyhehadplayedthefool，andsuffered
　　himselftobesurprised，whichhemighthaveprevented；that
　　nowheforesawhecouldnotstandit，andthereforehewould
　　havemegohome，andinthenighttakeawayeverythingIhad
　　inthehouseofanyvalue，andsecureit；andafterthat，hetold
　　methatifIcouldgetawayonehundredortwohundredpounds
　　ingoodsoutoftheshop，Ishoulddoit；’only，’sayshe，’letme
　　knownothingofit，neitherwhatyoutakenorwhitheryou
　　carryit；forasforme，’sayshe，’Iamresolvedtogetoutof
　　thishouseandbegone；andifyouneverhearofmemore，my
　　dear，’sayshe，’Iwishyouwell；Iamonlysorryfortheinjury
　　Ihavedoneyou。’
　　Hesaidsomeveryhandsomethingstome
　　indeedatparting；forItoldyouhewasagentleman，andthat
　　wasallthebenefit
　　Ihadofhisbeingso；thatheusedmevery
　　handsomelyandwithgoodmannersuponalloccasions，even
　　tothelast，onlyspentallIhad，andleftmetorobthecreditors
　　forsomethingtosubsiston。
　　However，Ididashebademe，thatyoumaybesure；and
　　havingthustakenmyleaveofhim，Ineversawhimmore，for
　　hefoundmeanstobreakoutofthebailiff’shousethatnight
　　orthenext，andgooverintoFrance，andfortherestofthe
　　creditorsscrambledforitaswellastheycould。
　　How，Iknew
　　not，forIcouldcomeatnoknowledgeofanything，morethan
　　this，thathecamehomeaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning，
　　causedtherestofhisgoodstoberemovedintotheMint，and
　　theshoptobeshutup；andhavingraisedwhatmoneyhecould
　　gettogether，hegotover，asIsaid，toFrance，fromwhenceI
　　hadoneortwolettersfromhim，andnomore。
　　Ididnotseehim
　　whenhecamehome，forhehavinggivenmesuchinstructions
　　asabove，andIhavingmadethebestofmytime，Ihadnomore
　　businessbackagainatthehouse，notknowingbutImighthave
　　beenstoppedtherebythecreditors；foracommissionof
　　bankruptbeingsoonafterissued，theymighthavestoppedme
　　byordersfromthecommissioners。
　　Butmyhusband，having
　　sodexterouslygotoutofthebailiff’shousebylettinghimself
　　downinamostdesperatemannerfromalmostthetopofthe
　　housetothetopofanotherbuilding，andleapingfromthence，
　　whichwasalmosttwostoreys，andwhichwasenoughindeed
　　tohavebrokenhisneck，hecamehomeandgotawayhisgoods
　　beforethecreditorscouldcometoseize；thatistosay，before
　　theycouldgetoutthecommission，andbereadytosendtheir
　　officerstotakepossession。
　　Myhusbandwassociviltome，forstillIsayhewasmuch
　　ofagentleman，thatinthefirstletterhewrotemefromFrance，
　　heletmeknowwherehehadpawnedtwentypiecesoffine
　　hollandfor#30，whichwerereallyworth#90，andenclosed
　　methetokenandanorderforthetakingthemup，payingthe
　　money，whichIdid，andmadeintimeabove#100ofthem，
　　havingleisuretocutthemandsellthem，someandsome，to
　　privatefamilies，asopportunityoffered。