MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.


And now it is time to confess (and yet I know that thy conjectures are
aforehand with my exposition) that this Captain Tomlinson, who is so
great a favourite with my charmer, and who takes so much delight in
healing breaches, and reconciling differences, is neither a greater man
nor a less than honest Patrick M'Donald, attended by a discarded footman
of his own finding out.

Thou knowest what a various-lifed rascal he is; and to what better hopes
born and educated. But that ingenious knack of forgery, for which he was
expelled the Dublin-University, and a detection since in evidenceship,
have been his ruin. For these have thrown him from one country to
another; and at last, into the way of life, which would make him a fit
husband for Miss Howe's Townsend with her contrabands. He is, thou
knowest, admirably qualified for any enterprize that requires adroitness
and solemnity. And can there, after all, be a higher piece of justice,
than to keep one smuggler in readiness to play against another?

'Well, but, Lovelace, (methinks thou questionest,) how camest thou to
venture upon such a contrivance as this, when, as thou hast told me, the
Lady used to be a month at a time at this uncle's; and must therefore, in
all probability, know, that there was not a Captain Tomlinson in all the
neighbourhood, at least no one of the name so intimate with him as this
man pretends to be?'

This objection, Jack, is so natural a one, that I could not help
observing to my charmer, that she must surely have heard her uncle speak
of this gentleman. No, she said, she never had. Besides she had not