e into a deep melancholy, of which I soon
after, by letter, informed my mother; who (by the advice, as I suppose,
of my friend, by this time her suitor) sent me word to mind my studies,
and I should want for nothing.

CHAPTER II.

How he spent his time at the academy--An intrigue with a
servant-maid there--She declares herself with child by him--
Her expostulations to him--He is put to it for money--
Refused it from home by his friend, who had married his
mother--Is drawn in to marry the maid--She lies-in at her
aunts--Returns to her service--He has another child by her

I had now been passing my time for about three months in this melancholy
way, and, you may imagine, under that disadvantage, had made but little
progress in my learning, when one of our maids, taking notice one day
of my uneasiness, as I sat musing in my chamber, according to my custom,
began to rally me that I was certainly in love, I was so sad. Indeed I
never had a thought of love before, but the good-natured girl seeming to
pity me, and seriously asking me the cause, I fairly opened my heart to
her; and for fear my master should know it, gave her half-a-crown to be
silent. This last engagement fixed her my devotee, and from that time
we had frequent conferences in confidence together, till at length
inclination, framed by opportunity, produced the date of a world of
concern to me; for about six months after my arrival at the academy,
instead of proving my parts by my scholarship, I had proved my manhood
by being the destined father of an infant which my female correspondent
then assured me would soon be my own.

We nevertheless held on our frequent intercourse; nor was I so alarmed
at the news as I ought to have been, till about two months after, when
Patty (for that was the only name I then knew her by) explained herself
to me in the following terms:--"You know, Mr. Peter, how matters are
with me: I should be very sorry, for your sake, and my own too, to
reveal my shame, but in spite of us both nature will show itself; and
truly I think some care should be taken, and some method proposed, to
preserve the infant, and avoid, as far as may be, the inconveniences
that may attend us, for here is now no room for delay." This speech, I
own, gave me the first reflection I ever had in my life, and locked up
all my faculties for a long time; nor was I able, for the variety of
ideas that crowded my brain, to make a word