pathetic tone, ‘Are you--Are you indeed my uncle--My dear uncle!--My best friend! My father!--Are you really living? or is it an illusion of my poor brain!’ Honest Matthew was so much affected, that he could not help shedding tears, while he kissed her forehead, saying, ‘My dear Liddy, I hope I shall live long enough to shew how sensible I am of your affection--But your spirits are fluttered, child--You want rest--Go to bed and compose yourself’--‘Well, I will (she replied) but still methinks this cannot be real--The coach was full of water--My uncle was under us all--Gracious God!--You was under water--How did you get out;--tell me that? or I shall think this is all a deception’--‘In what manner I was brought out, I know as little as you do, my dear (said the ‘squire); and, truly, that is a circumstance of which I want to be informed.’ I would have given him a detail of the whole adventure, but he would not hear me until I should change my clothes; so that I had only time to tell him, that he owed his life to the courage and fidelity of Clinker: and having given him this hint, I conducted my sister to her own chamber. This accident happened about three o’clock in the afternoon, and in little more than an hour the hurricane was all over; but as the carriage was found to be so much damaged, that it could not proceed without considerable repairs, a blacksmith and wheelwright were immediately sent for to the next market-town, and we congratulated ourselves upon being housed at an inn, which, though remote from the post-road, afforded exceeding good lodging. The women being pretty well composed, and the men all a-foot, my uncle sent for his servant, and, in the presence of Lismahago and me, accosted him in these words--‘So, Clinker, I find you are resolved I shan’t die by water--As you have fished me up from the bottom at your own risque, you are at least entitled to all the money that was in my pocket, and there it is’--So saying, he presented him with a purse containing thirty guineas, and a ring nearly of the same value--‘God forbid! (cried Clinker), your honour shall excuse me--I am a poor fellow, but I have a heart O! if your honour did but know how I rejoice to see--Blessed be his holy name, that made me the humble instrument--But as for the lucre of gain, I renounce it--I have done no more than my duty--No more than I would have done for the most worthless of my fellow-creatures--No more than I would have done for captain Lismahago, or Archy Macalpine, or any sinner upon earth--But for your worship, I would go through fire as well as water’--‘I do believe it, Humphry (said the ‘squire); but as you think it was your duty to save my life at the hazard of your own, I think it is mine to express the sense I have of your extraordinary fidelity and attachment--I insist upon your receiving this small token of my gratitude; but don’t imagine that I look upon this as an adequate recompence for the service you have done