CHAP.  XXI.

The Prisoners Expectations raised:  A terrible Disappointment:  Some of the chief carried to Prince Menzikoff’s Palace:  Their Usage there:  Horatio set at Liberty, and the Occasion.

CHAP.  XXII.

What befel Louisa in the Monastery:  The Stratagem she put in Practice to get out of it:  Her Travels cross Italy, and Arrival at Paris.

CHAP.  XXIII.

Shews by what Means Louisa came to the Knowledge of her Parents, with other Occurrences.

CHAP.  XXIV.

The History of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other Circumstances very important to Louisa.

CHAP.  XXV.

Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris:  His Reception from Dorilaus and Louisa:  The Marriage agreed upon.

CHAP.  XXVI.

The Catastrophe of the Whole.

THE FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS.

CHAP.  I.

Contains the manner in which a gentleman found children:  his benevolence towards them, and what kind of affection he bore to them as they grew up.  With the departure of one of them to the army.

It was in the ever memorable year 1688, that a gentleman, whose real name we think proper to conceal under that of Dorilaus, returned from visiting most of the polite courts of Europe, in which he had passed some time divided between pleasure and improvement.  The important question if the throne were vacated or not, by the sudden departure of the unfortunate king James, was then upon the tapis; on which, to avoid interesting himself on either side, he forbore coming to London, and crossed the country to a fine feat he had about some forty miles distant, where he resolved to stay as privately as he could, till the great decision should be made, and the public affairs settled in such a manner as not to lay him under a necessity of declaring his sentiments upon them.

He was young and gay, loved magnificence and the pomp of courts, and was far from being insensible of those joys which the conversation of the fair sex affords; but had never so much enslaved his reason to any one pleasure, as not to be able to refrain it.  Hunting and reading were very favourite amusements with him, so that the solitude he now was in was not at all disagreeable or tedious to him, tho’ he continued in it some months.

A little time before his departure an accident happened, which gave him an opportunity of exercising the benevolence of his disposition; and, tho’ it then seemed trivial to him, proved of the utmost consequence to his future life, as well as furnished matter for the following pages.

As he was walking pretty early one morning in his garden, very intent on a book he had in his hand, his meditations were interrupted by an unusual cry, which seemed at some distance; but as he approached a little arbour, where he was sometimes accustomed to sit, he heard more plain and distinct, and on his entrance was soon convinced whence it proceeded.