from town during the progress of this acquaintance) or believe me I should speedily have put a ftop to it, as I have had so many proofs of that man's vileness, have fo frequently heard poor dying wretches curfe him with their parting breath, as the cause and original of all their evils, and have, on representing these things to him, been able to make fo little, not to say, no impreffion at all upon his hard heart. But guess what was my furprife, to be inform'd in the country, that Polly had abfented herself from her mistress for three days, and that upon the moft ftrict fearch no information cou'd be gain'd of her: I hafted back to town, and made all the poffible enquiry I cou'd: and upon the most exact information cou'd not find that she had been. out upon any other business than to carry fome. book to Mr. Dookalb's, which he had lent her, and defir'd her as on that morning to return: Mrs. M*** had made enquiry at Mr. Dookalb's, who fent her word back, that she had indeed been at. his door that morning, but never within it. I myself went to him, and got most severely abus'd, and threaten'd for my pains, as if I fufpected him of fecreting a poor filly girl. In fhort, whatever I might imagine, I cou'd gain no affurance; and tho' her mistress and I advertis'd her long and constantly, with a very confiderable reward, we were never able to obtain

the

the leaft glimpse of her, spite of all my diligence, and utmost affiduity, which I us'd in the affair! guefs then, gentlemen, what muft I imagine, on hearing these words from Mrs. Searchwell-I leave it to your own reflection." They with one confent agreed, that there seem'd fomething very black and dreadful; and upon the doctor's advice agreed to get a proper order from justice Gildon to fecure Dookalb, whom they determin'd, if poffible, to bring to Mrs. Searchwell, as hoping fome further discovery might arise from thence: accordingly, they sent the messenger, as related above; watched at the door to hear what might pafs between these two worthies; caught Mr. Dookalb, as in bitterness of heart he was departing from her; and prefented him, as we have feen, before this excellent magiftrate, and active minister.

IT wou'd be tedious and unneceffary to inform the reader of the whole process of the examination, and the feveral corroborating evidences. which were brought in fupport of the doctor's fufpicions: it appear'd however plain enough from the declaration of two of Mrs. Searchwell's fervants, that fuch a perfon as was mention'd by the doctor, was brought into the house, and that it was found a difficult matter to cause her to comply, and that the was carried away, as they

were

were told, after a compliance, to be a nobleman's mistress; things which they obferved. were every day so common with them, that they paid little or no heed to them: Dookalb urged in his defence, that it was furprizing any thing of this kind fhould be in the leaft imagin'd of him, when it was well known how great an efteem he had for Polly Cranvers: nor cou'd he help objecting against the juftice of fuch proceedings, which were highly injurious to an innocent man, who cou'd never be fafe, if the wild -words of delirious perfons were fufficient to condemn him. To the firft, both the justice and the doctor well replied, that they had but too much proof that his friendship to young women was wholly to decoy and ruin them, a practice wherein they were affur'd he had long too fuccessfully proceeded and as to the latter, they begg'd him to take notice, that it was not on Mrs. Searchwell's words only, but on far more weighty and clear evidence, that they thus acted→→→ upon the ftrength of which the justice did not hefitate to commit him, fpite of Dookalb's threats, that he fhould fuffer for fuch iniquity, and that all his noble friends would join to deliver and vindicate an injur'd man: this nothing mov'd or terrified the worthy magiftrate, who obferv'd, that he was, and wou'd be very ready to explain the caufes and motives of his actions

in a proper place; and in the mean time begg❜d leave to recommend Mr. Dookalb to a place where he should be sure to find him, the prison; hoping, that if he were really inno cent, he might clear himself; but if guilty, that he might fuffer what was so justly his due.

CHAP. VI.

An account of the very miferable and diftrefs'd condition of Lucy, with many curious parti culars.

N this fituation then we will a while leave

IN

Mr. Dookalb, to our fatisfaction, as we hope it is to the fatisfaction also of every reader; for however difagreeable it may be to forfake the wretched in their mifery, it certainly cannot but be very pleafing to fee villainy about to merit its reward, and public destroyers about to be cut off from the people. But it will be highly more agreeable to us to find vengeance hovering over the head of Dookalb, when we return back and confider into what a wretched fituation his deceit and wickedness had brought poor Lucy, the unhappy daughter of Mr. Sanfon, whom we left him so anxiously defirous to fee and recover. It will be neceffary for us to turn our eyes on this

Our

our other heroine, that we may know her prefent condition, and in what circumftances, if at all, her father is likely to find her.

WE left her under the furgeon's hands for the cure of thofe wounds and burns which she had received from the inhuman cruelty of fome gentlemen: whom her unhappy profeffion oblig'd her to vifit, and by a fubmiffion to whose lufts and paffions the earn'd-Miferable womanthe hardest bread, and the most dreadful livelihood. It may perhaps appear amazing to fome, that there fhou'd be fo quick a tranfition, fuch a ftrange and momentary viciffitude, as we have represented, and as is really the cafe in the lives of these unhappy creatures. But let such only reflect on the numbers found in the populous ftreets of London, who are perishing with dif eases, abandon'd to infamy, and in the very laft ftages of distress, when, for the most part, not exceeding twenty years; to which indeed few arrive, the generality being thrown out much younger, and many corrupting away piece meal, at an age, when few are esteem'd women! And can we be surprized? A young creature perhaps is debauch'd at fifteen, soon abandon'd, quickly common, as quickly difeas'd, and as quickly loathsome and detefted! Other intemperance is

*See Vol. I. p. 205-206.

fu