England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction; Essays
“I have a Relation in Scotland (said Sophia to me as we left London)
who I am certain would not hesitate in receiving me.” “Shall I order
the Boy to drive there?” said I—but instantly recollecting myself,
exclaimed, “Alas I fear it will be too long a Journey for the Horses.”
Unwilling however to act only from my own inadequate Knowledge of the
Strength and Abilities of Horses, I consulted the Postilion, who was
entirely of my Opinion concerning the Affair. We therefore determined
to change Horses at the next Town and to travel Post the remainder of
the Journey—. When we arrived at the last Inn we were to stop at, which
was but a few miles from the House of Sophia’s Relation, unwilling to
intrude our Society on him unexpected and unthought of, we wrote a very
elegant and well penned Note to him containing an account of our
Destitute and melancholy Situation, and of our intention to spend some
months with him in Scotland. As soon as we had dispatched this Letter,
we immediately prepared to follow it in person and were stepping into
the Carriage for that Purpose when our attention was attracted by the
Entrance of a coroneted Coach and 4 into the Inn-yard. A Gentleman
considerably advanced in years descended from it. At his first
Appearance my Sensibility was wonderfully affected and e’er I had gazed
at him a 2d time, an instinctive sympathy whispered to my Heart, that
he was my Grandfather. Convinced that I could not be mistaken in my
conjecture I instantly sprang from the Carriage I had just entered, and
following the Venerable Stranger into the Room he had been shewn to, I
threw myself on my knees before him and besought him to acknowledge me
as his Grand Child. He started, and having attentively examined my
features, raised me from the Ground and throwing his Grandfatherly
arms around my Neck, exclaimed, “Acknowledge thee! Yes dear resemblance
of my Laurina and Laurina’s Daughter, sweet image of my Claudia and my
Claudia’s Mother, I do acknowledge thee as the Daughter of the one and
the Grandaughter of the other.” While he was thus tenderly embracing
me, Sophia astonished at my precipitate Departure, entered the Room in
search of me. No sooner had she caught the eye of the venerable Peer,
than he exclaimed with every mark of Astonishment—“Another
Grandaughter! Yes, yes, I see you are the Daughter of my Laurina’s
eldest Girl; your resemblance to the beauteous Matilda sufficiently
proclaims it. “Oh! replied Sophia, when I first beheld you the
instinct of Nature whispered me that we were in some degree related—But
whether Grandfathers, or Grandmothers, I could not pretend to
determine.” He folded her in his arms, and whilst they were tenderly
embracing, the Door of the Apartment opened and a most beautifull young
Man appeared. On perceiving him Lord St. Clair started and retreating
back a few paces, with uplifted Hands, said, “Another Grand-child! What
an unexpected Happiness is this! to discover in the space of 3 minutes,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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