s housekeeper; who
assumes airs upon it.--A cursed deluding sex!--In youth, middle age, or
dotage, they take us all in.

Dost thou not see, however, that this housekeeper knows nothing, nor is
to know any thing, of the treaty of reconciliation designed to be set on
foot; and therefore the uncle always comes to the Captain, the Captain
goes not to the uncle? And this I surmised to the lady. And then it was
a natural suggestion, that the Captain was the rather applied to, as he
is a stranger to the rest of the family--Need I tell thee the meaning of
all this?

But this intrigue of the antient is a piece of private history, the truth
of which my beloved cares not to own, and indeed affects to disbelieve:
as she does also some puisny gallantries of her foolish brother; which,
by way of recrimination, I have hinted at, without naming my informant in
their family.

'Well but, methinks, thou questionest again, Is it not probable that Miss
Howe will make inquiry after such a man as Tomlinson?--And when she
cannot--'

I know what thou wouldst say--but I have no doubt, that Wilson will be so
good, if I desire it, as to give into my own hands any letter that may be
brought by Collins to his house, for a week to come. And now I hope thou
art satisfied.

I will conclude with a short story.

'Two neighbouring sovereigns were at war together, about some pitiful
chuck-farthing thing or other; no matter what; for the least trifles will
set princes and children at loggerheads. Their armies had been drawn up
in battalia some days, and the news of a decisive action was expected
every hour to arrive at each court. At last, issue was joined; a bloody
battle was fought; and a fellow who had been a spectator of it, arriving,
with the news of a complete victory, at the capital of one of the princes
some time before the appointed couriers, the bells were set a ringing,
bonfires and illuminations were made, and the people went to bed
intoxicated with joy and good liquor. But the next day all was reversed:
The victorious enemy, pursuing his advantage, was expected every hour at
the gates of the almost defenceless capital. The first reporter was
hereupon sought for, and found; and being questioned, pleaded a great
deal of merit, in that he had, in so dismal a situation, taken such a
space of time from the distress of his fellow-citizens, and given it to
festivity, as were the hours between the false good news and the real
bad.'

Do