ng lady, to her infinite astonishment, grief, and
surprise, found mother H. turned into a young person of the other sex;
and although Lovelace was the abhorred of her soul, yet, fearing it was
some other person, it was matter of consolation to her, when she found it
was no other than himself, and that she had been still the bed-fellow of
but one and the same man.

A strange promiscuous huddle of adventures followed, scenes perpetually
shifting; now nothing heard from the lady, but sighs, groans,
exclamations, faintings, dyings--From the gentleman, but vows, promises,
protestations, disclaimers of purposes pursued, and all the gentle and
ungentle pressures of the lover's warfare.

Then, as quick as thought (for dreams, thou knowest confine not
themselves to the rules of the drama) ensued recoveries, lyings-in,
christenings, the smiling boy, amply, even in her own opinion, rewarding
the suffering mother.

Then the grandfather's estate yielded up, possession taken of it: living
very happily upon it: her beloved Norton her companion; Miss Howe her
visiter; and (admirable! thrice admirable!) enabled to compare notes with
her; a charming girl, by the same father, to her friend's charming boy;
who, as they grow up, in order to consolidate their mamma's friendships,
(for neither have dreams regard to consanguinity,) intermarry; change
names by act of parliament, to enjoy my estate--and I know not what of
the like incongruous stuff.

I awoke, as thou mayest believe, in great disorder, and rejoiced to find
my charmer in the next room, and Dorcas honest.

Now thou wilt say this was a very odd dream. And yet, (for I am a
strange dreamer,) it is not altogether improbable that something like it
may happen; as the pretty simpleton has the weakness to confide in
Dorcas, whom till now she disliked.

But I forgot to tell thee one part of my dream; and that was, that, the
next morning, the lady gave way to such transports of grief and
resentment, that she was with difficulty diverted from making an attempt
upon her own life. But, however, at last was prevailed upon to resolve
to live, and make the best of the matter: a letter, methought, from
Captain Tomlinson helping to pacify her, written to apprize me, that her
uncle Harlowe would certainly be at Kentish-town on Wednesday night, June
28, the following day (the 29th) being his birth-day; and be doubly
desirous, on that account, that our nuptials should be then privately
solemni