ear this 'till my
Return! I hope the Sight of it may sometimes re-call the dying Memory of
_Gracelove_ to your better-busy'd Thoughts. Ah, _Gracelove_! (said she)
nothing can so well, nothing I am sure can better employ my Thoughts,
than thy dear self: Heaven only excepted. They enlarg'd a great deal
more on this Subject at that Time; but the Night before his Departure
was entirely spent in Sighs, Vows, and Tears, on both Sides. In the
Morning, after he had again entreated his Cousin's, and the Lady's, and
her Daughter's Care and Kindness to _Philadelphia_, the remaining and
best Part of his Soul, with one hearty Kiss, accompany'd with Tears, he
took a long Farewel of his dear Mistress, who pursu'd him with her Eyes,
'till they could give her no farther Intelligence of him; and they
help'd her Kindness to him, and eas'd her Grief for his Absence in
weeping for above a Week together, when in private. He never omitted
writing to her and his Cousin by every Opportunity, for near nine
Months, as he touch'd at any Port; but afterwards they could not hear
from him for above half a Year; when, by Accident, the Counsellor met a
Gentleman of _Gracelove's_ Acquaintance at a Coffee-House, who gave him
an Account, that the Ship and he were both cast away, near five Months
since; that most if not all of the Ship's Company perish'd; of which,
'twas fear'd, _Gracelove_ was one, having never since been heard of.
That his Loss in that Ship amounted to above twelve thousand Pounds:
With this dreadful and amazing News the good old Gentleman returns Home,
afflicts his poor sorrowful Lady and Daughter, and almost kills unhappy
_Philadelphia_; who the next Day, by mere Chance, and from a Stranger,
who came on Business to the Counsellor, heard, that one Sir _William
Wilding_, an extravagant, mad, young Spark of such a County, who lately
went by the borrow'd Name and Title of 'Squire _Sportman_, had mortgag'd
all his Estate, which was near four thousand a Year, and carry'd the
Money over with him into _France_ on Saturday last. This, added to the
former News, put so great a Check on her Spirits, that she immediately
dropp'd down in a Swoon; whence she only recover'd, to fall into what
was of a much more dangerous Consequence, a violent Feaver, which held
her for near six Weeks, e're she could get Strength enough to go down
Stairs: In all which Time, Madam _Fairlaw_ and _Eugenia_, her Daughter,
attended her as carefully and constantly, as if they