l to the next
Sessions. After several pretended Delays in the Proceedings, finding
Mr. Blandy's temper very much soured against me, I thought it
necessary to hasten my Project to a Conclusion. To this end I had
several private conferences with my Mistress; wherein I observed to
her the visible decay of her Father's Affections to me, and the
Improbability of his ever giving his consent to our marriage, and
therefore that other measures must be taken to accomplish our
Happiness, which otherwise would be very precarious. I told her I was
possessed of a Drug, produced no where but in Scotland, of such rare
Qualities, that by a proper Application, it would procure Love where
there never was any, or restore it when absolutely lost and gone. Of
this Drug, or Powder, I would give some to her Father, and she would
soon be convinced of its Efficacy by its benevolent Effects.
Accordingly I mixed some with his Tea several times, But in such small
quantities as I knew would not immediately effect him; and I assured
her, that tho' it did not produce a visible Alteration at present, its
Operations being slow and internal, yet in the end it would
effectually do its Work.

I likewise pretended there was an absolute Necessity for my going into
Scotland in order to bring on the Appeal, but in reality to carry on
my Design against old Blandy with the greater secrecy and security.
But before I went, I took care to infuse such notions into her Head as
tended to lessen the Guilt of destroying the Life of a Father, who
obstructed the Happiness of his only Child; and strenuously argued,
that the froward humours of old Age ought not to put a restraint on
the Pleasures of Youth, and that when they did so, there was no sin in
removing the Obstacle out of the way.

But to prevail with her to come more heartily into my Measures, I
played another Stratagem upon her.... Having thus persuaded her into a
Belief of an Event, which I had good Grounds to be assured would
certainly happen, I found no great difficulty in bringing her to use
the Means to accomplish it. I told her I was then going to Scotland,
for the Purposes she knew; that I would thence send her a Quantity of
the Powder; and to prevent a Discovery, would send her a Parcel of
Scots Pebbles, with Directions to use it in cleaning them, but really
in the Manner as she had seen me use it, & as often as she had
Opportunity.

Miss, I find, in the Narrative she has published of her Case, solemn