"affiftance I wanted, from any further "difcuffion of my fituation."—“ Oh! "pardon me, fir," faid Goodground, "there is no man alive more ready to "affift his friends, when affiftance can "be of real fervice. I am glad, fir, to "fee fo valuable a collection of pic(c tures at Mr. Flourish's rooms: I have "not a doubt they will produce a con"fiderable fum; and, if you affure me "that it will more than cover all your "debts, come and take a beef-steak "with me to-day, and you fhall have "the two hundred pounds on your note "of hand. I love generofity, Mr.

Aubrey; but you will allow that it "fhould go hand in hand with pru"dence."-" Certainly," replied Aubrey; and, as I am engaged to-day, "you will fave your beef-fteak; nor am "I any longer in want of the two hun"dred pounds." I am glad to hear

of it,

"it, my dear Mr. Aubrey, heartily glad "to hear it. Good day-no man alive more anxious to ferve his friends.". "Prudently," added Aubrey.

After dinner, Aubrey related the occurrences of the morning to his family; and they were ftill commenting upon them when they heard a rap at the door; which Arthur-William gueffed to be Mr. Cowper's,

CHAPTER XXI.

Continuation of Mr. Cowper's Hiftery.

THE guess was a good one; it was Mr. Cowper's knock, and he was prefently announced. He was cordially welcomed by the family-party; and Arthur-Willam ran up and fhook hands with him. He aplogized for his precipitate retreat the preceding night, and promised to behave better as he proceeded in his narrative. After a little general chat, finding, from the countenances of the party, that they were anxious for the continuation of his hiftory, he did not keep them long in fufpence.

"I hope," said he, " that my reflexions fince I ran from you, will ena

ble

ble me to keep my promife of behav ing better to-night: yet, alas! I have hitherto related to you nothing but venial errors and a flow of happiness; whereas, the fequel of my story is made up of damning crimes, punishments condign, and mifery extreme: but hear me out. After a fatiguing journey of three days, I arrived at Falmouth, where I found the Lifbon packet heaving anchor. I haftened on board, and, in an hour's time, he was under way. By the pilot I fent a few lines a-fhore, to be put into the poft for my Fanny, informing her of the hafte with which I embarked, and promifing to write by the first oppor tunity after I landed in Portugal. The wind blowing from the north, foon wafted us across the bay of Biscay. Sailing down the coaft of Portugal, we hailed a coafting pilot off the Duero, a confiderable diftance at fea; and another gentleman

1 4

gentleman and myself engaged her to carry us and our luggage to Oporto, where, after beating off and on fome hours at the mouth of the river waiting the tide, we were fafely landed.

"I need hardly defcribe the town to you; you know that it gave name to the whole kingdom, that it is a bishop's fee, and next to Lifbon, the richeft and molt populous town in Portugal. It is built on the declivity of a steep moun tain, and the ftreets are of course very uneven; but it is in general handsome; well paved, and by far the cleanest city in the kingdom: the fine quay extends along the river from one end of the town to the other. The interfperfion of trees and vines give it a very agreeable appearance; and the grand inequality of the face of the country adding the fublime to the beautiful, I was ftruck with rapture when I first beheld the

fcene.