280 [=282]

280 Letters Historical and Galant Vol. 5
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Gentlemen would need, put them to their oaths, but they answered ingenuously, they did not know how to swear . Happy Igno-
rance! how were it to be wished that that Infernal Jargon was unknown among Christians. But this is not what I am upon
we must return to our story. The Gentleman Thief seeing well that he could have no great dependance upon the Word of those little Monkeys, instantly determined to put it out of their power to reveal the Secret, at least hie behaviour gave roo to suspect
that that was his design. He carried those poor Innocents to a place which modesty gives no other name to, and holding down
the Candle, made them look through certain Holes which are not commonly designed for the head, telling them there was
some very fine thing there, and seemed as if he intended to throw them down. But the number frightned him, and he
apprehended that before he could throw in three or four they might have time to cry out for help; so he quitted them after
recommending the Secret to them, mounted his [Rozinante] and took the road to his Cabbin . Mr. and Mrs. L** re-
turned too to their Chamber. They were surprised to find the Cabinat open, and more so when they found the Jewels
gone. The Children were examined; and after telling that they could not in conscience reveal the secret, because they had
promised to keepit, they told the fact, becaause their scruples were removed, by their being acquainted that they were to
obey their father and mother. You may well judge that from what the children said, they made no doubt who the Thief
was. They ran after him and overtook him before he got to his house. He was obliged to make restitution, because they
found the goods upon him. He protested it was [His?] first fact of the Kind, and that he would never commit the like during
his Life. They delivered him up to the Confusion which his Guilt ought to have inspired him with, [crossed out] to the despair of
committing a Crime without success, and to the Continual Reproaches of his wife to whom they told the Story, and on ac-
count of the Alliance were unwilling to prosecute him. We have reason to say that those whom God protects are well
protected; for in all appearance, those Children ran a great risque upon this Occasion, and escaped finely. Heaven
blessed them on account of their Innocence, and the good Education their parents gave them: for it sinifies nothing to
instruct them in the Art of pleasing men, if they are not so happy as to be inspired with the desire of pleasing God, and are
not taught the means of so doing— But I find I am grown a great Moralist today; it does not often happen, and
this character suits me less than another.

A Marquis whom it would suit much better, notwithstanding his quality, to drive a plough than to take place
among the States of a province, gives us a pleasant Scene enough here. He followed the Court out a hunting : and hearing one
the Princes say that Magpye shooting [crossed out word] was very agreeable, and that he loved it greatly; took great notice of it, and next mor
ning the poor simpleton sent a number of his servants into the Country, and engaged in a Cruel War with the Magpies.
^Never was there such carnage The
Provincial Marquis accustomed to hunt hares and Partridge to have the pleasure of eating them,imagined that all sorts
of hunting had the same End; so after bringing down a good number of Magpyes, he loaded amule with them and sent
them to the Prince with a Letter, the stile where of answered the Beauty of his Genius. " Monseigneur, said he, Your
"Highness said yesterday you loved Magpye shooting, and my desire of pleasing you, obliged me to get people to hunt
" after them every where to spare you the trouble of Killing them yourself. I send you a mule loaded with them,
" which was all I could get today, tho I sent to several places after them: I shall have better success another time,
" and hope I shall be able to send you a much greater number"— The mule was conducted with pomp and mag-
nificence to the Prince. And as a present of this nature had all the grace of novelty, it afforded matter of laughing too
at the Country squire's [crossed out word] Expence. In the mean time to put a stop to the further Continuance of this bloody scene, the
Marquis was begg'd to grant the poor Magpyes Quarters. For at the rate he was going on, he would soon have rid the
country of them; and thinking to make his court and perhaps his fortune by it, a very little would have made him sing
seeing those little prattlers on the ground.

You may Judge by this of the fine Spirit of the Marquis, and of the desire I have to divert you, by the care
I take to let you know everything I hear. Adieu, I expect your Mercury, and am with all my heart; as you are
conditionally, I mean : Your most & ?
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Letter lxxvii [77]. From Aixla_Chapelle
I must then, it seems, obey you immediately, Madam, and , without stopping to give you thanks for the Stories
you have sent me, or to praise the justice of your Reflections upon that of the Abbot de Buquoit, go on immediately
with the Mercury, you long so much to see. I was at first [crossed out letters]a little embarass'd how I should satisfy you, for