was sorry at the necessity which forced her to
quit her native lanes and village, and to drag an infirm parent from her
comforts at home, to the homeless waste of depopulate earth; but she was
too well disciplined by adversity, and of too sweet a temper, to indulge in
repinings at what was inevitable.

Subsequent circumstances, my illness and that of Idris, drove her from our
remembrance; and we called her to mind at last, only to conclude that she
made one of the few who came from Windsor to join the emigrants, and that
she was already in Paris. When we arrived at Rochester therefore, we were
surprised to receive, by a man just come from Slough, a letter from this
exemplary sufferer. His account was, that, journeying from his home, and
passing through Datchet, he was surprised to see smoke issue from the
chimney of the inn, and supposing that he should find comrades for his
journey assembled there, he knocked and was admitted. There was no one in
the house but Lucy, and her mother; the latter had been deprived of the use
of her limbs by an attack of rheumatism, and so, one by one, all the
remaining inhabitants of the country set forward, leaving them alone. Lucy
intreated the man to stay with her; in a week or two her mother would be
better, and they would then set out; but they must perish, if they were
left thus helpless and forlorn. The man said, that his wife and children
were already among the emigrants, and it was therefore, according to his
notion, impossible for him to remain. Lucy, as a last resource, gave him a
letter for Idris, to be delivered to her wherever he should meet us. This
commission at least he fulfilled, and Idris received with emotion the
following letter:--

"HONOURED LADY,

"I am sure that you will remember and pity me, and I dare hope that you
will assist me; what other hope have I? Pardon my manner of writing, I am
so bewildered. A month ago my dear mother was deprived of the use of her
limbs. She is already better, and in another month would I am sure be able
to travel, in the way you were so kind as to say you would arrange for us.
But now everybody is gone--everybody--as they went away, each said,
that perhaps my mother would be better, before we were quite deserted. But
three days ago I went to Samuel Woods, who, on account of his new-born
child, remained to the last; and there being a large family of them, I
thought I could persuade them to wait a little longer for us; but I found
the