ers to the kind remonstrances of the gentle
Sophy, her heart was melting with the impressions of pity and love; and,
finding herself unable to perform the duty of her function, in putting
the bride to bed, she retired to her own chamber, and in secret
sympathized with the distemper of her lover.

In the morning, as early as decency would permit him to leave the arms
of his dear wife, Captain Gauntlet made a visit to Peregrine, who had
passed a very tedious and uneasy night, having been subject to short
intervals of delirium, during which Pipes had found it very difficult to
keep him fast belayed. He owned indeed to Godfrey, that his imagination
had been haunted by the ideas of Emilia and her officer, which tormented
him to an unspeakable degree of anguish and distraction; and that
he would rather suffer death than a repetition of such excruciating
reflections. He was, however, comforted by his friend, who assured
him, that his sister's inclinations would in time prevail over all the
endeavours of resentment and pride, illustrating this asseveration by an
account of the manner in which she was affected by the knowledge of
his disorder, and advising him to implore the mediation of Sophy, in a
letter which she should communicate to Emilia.

This was an opportunity which our hero thought too favourable to be
neglected: calling for paper, he sat up in his bed, and, in the first
transports of his emotion, wrote the following petition to Godfrey's
amiable wife:--

Dear Madam--The affliction of a contrite heart can never
appeal to your benevolence in vain, and, therefore, I
presume to approach you in this season of delight, with
the language of sorrow, requesting that you will espouse
the cause of an unhappy lover, who mourns with unutterable
anguish over his ruined hope, and intercede for my pardon
with that divine creature, whom, in the intemperance and
excess of passion, I have so mortally offended. Good Heaven!
is my guilt inexpiable? Am I excluded from all hope of
remission? Am I devoted to misery and despair? I have
offered all the atonement which the most perfect and sincere
penitence could suggest, and she rejects my humility and
repentance. If her resentment would pursue me to the grave,
let her signify her pleasure; and may I be branded with the
name of villain, and remembered with infamy and detestation
to all posterity, if I hesitate