The FAITHFUL SHEPHERD

A STORY founded on TRUTH.. [lluftrated with a Copper Plate]

the banks of the Avon, a former of fome opulence had an only daughter, to whom ne gave an edu cation fuperior to the fphere the moved in feemed to intitle her. As the advanced towards maturity,

her

charms attracted the notice of many fwains in the neighbourhood. Some were wealthy; others had confiderable expectations on the demife of their relations; but no one had yet made any impreffion on her, but Dorcas. He was, perhaps, the poorest of all her train of fuitors; but riches had no charms in Flavia's eye, when put ia competition with perfonal comelineís and mental accomplishments ! Thefe Dorcas poffeffed in an eminent degree: the bad framed a pred lection for him ever fince her infancy, as they had been conftant play fellows from their childhood, when his engaging minners, and innocent prattle, feem ed already to anticipate that paffion Le was afterwards most ardently to

declare. Dorcas conftantly fought his dear Flavia, when he was in poffeffion of fruit or fweet meats, in order to prefent them to her, in preterence to any other of his female companions; and this he did in fuch an agreeable manner as greatly increased the value of the compliment. Thus rolled their happy innocent hours for feveral years, without knowing that their bofoms were already an mated with a mutual paffion, which they did not understand, though they felt the pleafing effects of it.

When Flavia had attained her eighteenth year, her father, who was naturally avaricious, and at the fame time ambitious of making an alliance that would do honor to his family, had fixed his eye upon the eldest son of a neighbouring "quire, who was rich,and had some diflant expectations of obtaining a title. This young gentleman ufed frequently to vifit Flavia's father, under pretence of drinking a mug of ale with him,which the "qu re greatly extolled; but the real defign of thefe vifits was to have an opport funity of converfing with Flavia. He ufed to fay, what he imagined, very

civil

civil things to her--he praifed her eyes, her lips, her shape, in fhort every part of her he noticed in compliments; but they were fo unhappily expreffed, that he bespoke himself the mere foxhunter, who viewed a beautiful maid with the fame kind of attention and applaufe as he would have a favourite hunter perhaps we have gone too far, as he probably received more gratification in beholding a fine horse than a fine woman. He was, indeed, the very reverfe of Dorcas, and confequently her averfion.

Avaro was very well pleased to find that the young 'fquire took fo much notice of his daughter, and was refolved to give him every opportunity of advancing his fuit. In the mean time, he judged it advifable to break the matter to Flavia, and let her know it would be very agreeable to him, that The would encourage his addreffes. Upon the old man's entering on this fubje&t one day at dinner, the frankly to d him, the never could think of giving her hand to a mere brute in human fhape; that his notions and fentiments were fo diametrically oppofite to her's, that it would be impoffible for them ever to be happy together. This declaration enraged her father---he had at first reprefented the advantages of fuch a marriage, how great the 'fquire's fortune was, and that probably the might be a lady...but when these confiderations had no effect upon her, and The replied, "She could never think of marrying a favage, for the fake of either fortune or title" he told her abruptly, if the was poffeffed of fuch fine romantic notions, the might go and live upon them; and that if the did not confent to wed the young gentleman, if the match could be brought about, he would turn her out of doors. Saying this, he left her, and waited upon the 'fquire's father, to found him, as to his fentiments, concerning his fon's alliance with his family.

The conference between the two old men, turned out to Avaro's most fanguine withes; the young gentleman was alfo con ulted, and he having teftified his approbation, the marriagefettlement was agreed upon, and even the day of their nuptials fixed.

With thefe glad tidings he returned to Flavia, who diffolved in tears upon Jeceiving the mortifying intelligence;

but he found her father inexorable to all her remonftrances and her intreaties; and he left her repeating his former menace.

That evening he had an opportunity of converfing with her beloved Dorcas, and to him unbofomed all her misfortunes, not without teftifying her affection for him. Diftracted with the information he received, he knew not what courfe to purlue--at one moment he propofed their immediate marriage, but they were not of age--at another their elopement to Scotland. Whit they were thus ruminating upon fome means to evade the impending blow,and exchanging their fentiments without referve, they were overheard by one of her father's men, who had confidered Dorcas as his rival, though he had never yet had the prefumption to make any advances to his young miftrefs; and was therefore happy in having an opportunity to do him an ill fervice. Accordingly he flew to his mafter, and revealed to him all he had heard, with fome additional circumstances. The old man no fooner was apprized of what had paffed, than he repaired to the 'fquire, who was a magiftrate, to confult with him upon the propereft method of getting rid of Dorcas. The juftice, after a fhort paufe, faid, "Prefs him by all means, the only expedient to get rid of him; and they fhould ferve their country at the fame time."

In confequence of this refolution, early the next morning, as Dorcas was kneeling at his lovely Flavia's feet, and protefting the fincerity of his paffion, he was furprifed by an officer, who impreffed him for the fea fervice. The diftracted ftate of the lovers minds can be better imagined than defcribed. They were torn afunder, whilft their bleeding hearts were by fympathy entwined. Flavia returned home in the moft agitated Bate of mind, and having fut herself up in her room, after the fift ebullitions of forrow had fubfided, he began to ruminate upon the probable means of avoiding her deftiny, in being compelled to wed the man he detefied, and who had been the capfe of all her mifery. After a fhort foliloquy, the heroically refolved to pursue her be oved Dorcas, and fhare his fate She accordingly

accordingly dreffed herself in men's apparel, and having learnt what rout he had taken, the fet off that evening, thus equipped to overtake him. She had fo completely difguifed herself, that it was almost impossible to have recognized her.

In a word, the found means 'to get entered on board the fame fhip, in which was Dorcas. When the came on board he did not know her indeed, he was fo wrapt in melancholy, that all objects which prefented themselves were alike to him, and his fancy was entirely occupied with the most diftracting fcene that he could fuggeft. this was his adorable Flavia, at the altar, giving her hand to his rival.

Flavia had viewed him attentively, and perceived the violent perturbation of his mind for fome time: but tho' the eagerly wished to discover herfelf to him, and thereby in fome measure alleviate his forrow, prudence as yet had forbid it; and it was not till feveral hours after her coming on board, that an opportunity prefented itself, for her to reveal who he was. At this difcovery Dorcas's joy was fo great, that the was obliged to remind him of their critical fituation, and make him fupprefs thofe ejaculations of felicity which were almoft too violent for reafon to retrain.

The fhip in a few days failed on a Cruize, and a fhort time after they came up with a French frigate, and an action enfued, in which Dorcas and Flavia teftified uncommon prowefs Unfortunately in the action the rece edja flight wound, which compelled her to reveal her fex to the furgeon. When he heard her ftory, he could not help highly applauding her heroifm and bravery, and added, "From the well known humane and benevolent difpofition of the captain, he did not doubt but he would intereft himself in procuring a reconciliation between Flavia and her father, as he was a man of interefl in her county, and he knew had a perfonal ac quaintance with the 'fquire."

In the mean while her father was almoft diftracted he now fincerely repented of his rafh condu&t, and his cruel treatment of his amiable daughter: he vowed to hearen, if he could

but recover her once more, he would give her full liberty to chufe the man The pleafed ; and if her heart was ftill bent upon Dorcas, as he had depriv ed him of Liberty, he would, in juftice, be the means of reftoring it to him.

The captain being made acquainted with Flavia and Dorcas's flory, (though much againft her will) he inftantly ordered both of them into his prefence, and being thoroughly convinced of the truth of what he had heard, immediately wrote to the 'quire, who was a diftant relation of the captain, earneftly intreating him not only to drop all thoughts of his fon's union with Fiavia; but, on the contrary, to make ufe of his influence with her father for him to consent to the marriage of Dorcas and Flavia.

The 'fquire was a very benevolent man; and being convinced, from his kinsman's letter, of the propriety of his requeft, he accordingly immediately waited upon the farmer, read to him the captain's letter, which gave a detail of Flavia's heroilm and bravery, and her firm refolution never to give her hand to any man but Dorcas. The old man melted into tears of joy at the happy tidings, and the likelihood of being reftored to his daughter. He was early prevailed on to yield to the captain's requeft, defiring the 'fquire to write immediately, and acquaint him that he confented to their marriage.

In a few days, the lovers being fet on fhore, with a fupply of money from their generous commander, to pursue their journey, they reached the banks of the Avon, and were greeted with the moft fincere acclamations of joy by all their friends. Flavia was fill dreffed in her failor's habit, and made a much better appearance than many of our fresh water feamen, who never have heard a cannon fired, much lefs behaved with courage in a defperate action.

In about a fortnight's time Dorcas and Flavia were happily united in the facred bands of marriage: the old man has made a handsome provision for them, and the 'fquire, to teftify a juft fenfe of Flavia's fortitude, fidelity. Lereum, and bravery, made her a