to his entire ruin. But yet it does not appear for what end Mrs. Rudd fhould deceive. He owns he had frequently large fums of money from her, and an annuity of 8ool, regularly paid her: So that if we should take a strict examination of all she gave him, even by his own account, it will greatly corroborate her aflertions. How he got these fums of money, is another affair. He fays, he undertood the received them from the mefirs. Adairs: She affirms, they were the bequelt of a deceafed friend; but fhe does not give the leaft hint who that friend was. So capital a legacy as 16000l. must be properly authenticated in the will of the teftator, a reference being had to the prerogative office, the teftamentary claufes might be eafily extracted. Till that is done, there mull remain a great cloud on this part of the affair. If we believe the narrative of Mrs. Rudd, Mr. D. Perreau ruined himself, and was rendered always neceffitous by his jobbing in the alley; in which his brother Robert, and a certain colonel, were his partners; though, according to her account, it was the oddeft partnerfhip ever known; Mr. Robert Perreau and the colonel were to have, each, a third of the profit, and Daniel Perreau to pay all the loffes. In refpect to the maffis, Adairs: whilft Mr. D. Perreau charges the deceits put on him by Mrs. Rudd, in their names, entirely to her; and Mr. Robert Perreau, in his defence, coincide in this charge, her account is totally oppofite. Her words are, "Near Chriftmas, 1773, Mr. Adair's name was first mentioned as the perfon Mr. Perreau obtained his information from, and entirely took its rife from the following accidental circumfiance: "Several months previous to it, my uncle Stewart enclofed to me a letter for Mr. James Adair, Soho Square, acquainting him, that I was married to Mr. Perreau, and that he (Mr. Stewart) fhould efleem it a favour for his family to vifit us; as he knew, from the gratitude and great refpect I entertained for Mr. Adair and his family, their acquaintance would afford me the utmost pleasure." This letter came when I was so much indifpofed, that I could neither receive nor pay vifits; confequently, did not then forΝΟΤ E. *Mr. Adair had formerly done me the kindeft fervices by his humane interpofition in my behalf, when Mr. Rudd first proceeded to perfonal and public abuse. ward it. But, on recovering fo far as to be able to leave my apartment, I fent the letter; and, in confequence, a day or two after, Mr. Adair politely paid me a vifit, and of courfe asked for Mr. Perreau. It happened, that a moft intimate friend of Mr. Perreau's (who came purposely to talk of news and flocks) was with us in the drawing room; and it was a general rule with Mr. Perreau not to fee any firanger whenever this friend was with him. The fervant, John Moody, knowing this, fhewed Mr. Adair into the parlour, and brought up his name to me. I waited upon him, made fome apology for Mr. Perreau not appearing, and after chatting a few minutes, and fixing the next day to pay my respect to Mrs. Adair, he took his lease. When Mr. Perreau's vifitor was gone, he told me a converfation they had held about flocks, and the fluctuations then in India; that Mr. his friend, upon hearing Mr. Adair's name, had faid; his fon, counsellor Adair, knew every thing relative to India matters, and wifhed Mr. Perreau could make an intereit there for information. This led to mentioning Mr. William Adair and his great knowledge in thofe matters: concluding, that if Mr. Perreau could obtain fuch folid good intelligence as thefe gentlemen, he prefumed, could give him, that he would in that cafe go any lengths for him in the flocks. Mr. Perreau faid to me, he would avail himself of the obfervation his friend had made, relative to the Meffrs, Adairs; faying, there was nothing more ufual than to give fictitious names to brokers, in order to amufe or gain credit with them, and alfo to conceal the real intelligencer, whofe names it were generally very improper to give up in alley tranfactions, and often impoffible without forfeiting their friendship-in fhort, Mr. Perreau concluded from henceforth to say, that, he received his information from Meffrs. Adairs, particularly Mr. William Adair. I never gave myself consideration, or leave to examine into the propriety or impropriety of fuch a proceeding, being fatisfied from Mr. Perreau's reprefentar tion, it was nothing more than a very cuflomary, innocent fineffe; I am in my own mind convinced to this hour, that Mr. Perreau then meant it only as fuch; and in no fenfe, or with no views as a fraudulent deceit. What induced him NOTE. + I beg the Meffrs. Adairs pardons for the liberties, truth, and my unhappy fate, compel me to take with their names in this narrative. ever to use the name otherwife, is, what I neither know, nor can account for, farther, than what I have depofed upon oath. I beg it may be noticed, that, agreeable to this plan, it's probable, when the name of Adair has been mentioned, I did not contradict the opinion of thofe (who may have talked of it,) that, Mr. Perreau knew Mr. William Adair; but nothing more than merely that." Her account, how the was induced to fign Mr. William Adair's name to the bonds, is as follows, and fees to point out the fhare Mr. Robert Perreau had in this black transaction: "About three weeks prior to the difcovery made by Mefirs. Drummonds, Robert Perreau informed me he had fuftained in the alley a lofs of near 2000 1. which he was unprovided for; that his wife was miferable on the occafion, his broker importunate. Perfuaded of my regard and feeling for him, he came to request I would fpare him my jewels to raise money upon to answer this exigency, promiting to restore them in a few weeks." "I chearfully complied; happy, indeed to have it in my power to ferve him. However, after many efforts to raife the money on them he could not fucceed." After this, and feveral days previous to the bond being prefented to Meffrs. Drummonds, Robert Perreau came to me in Harley-street. I was alone; he appeared to have fomething of confequence to fay; yet unwilling to fpeak, I concluded he was still diftreffed about the alley lofs, and interrogated him concerning it. He replied, that matter was fettled; but he had one of much more importance to confide to me, and proceeded to tell me he was drove to the greateft extremity for a SUM, which if he did not obtain by a certain time, he was a ruined man; expatiated much on the efteem he knew I entertained for him, and the confidence I must neceffarily have in the uprightnefs of his intentions; he then fhewed me a letter figned William Adair; it was on the fubject of flocks; it appeared to me, and I really thought it an oftenfible letter, wrote merely to fhew a broker; and as I knew they (Meffrs. Perreaus) used Mr. Adair's name in jobbing, it did not alarm me with an idea of aught bad; but upon his producing a bond alfo, and asking me if I thought I could imitate the hand writing of that letter, and fign the name William Adair to the hond; I was both furprized and fhocked." NOTE. Mr. Scota. "He likewife faid, the person that was to have done it, was out of the way, giving that as the reafon, why, he applied to me to do it-aljured me, Mr. Drummond would advance money upon the bond, having Mr. Adair's name to it. That he had talked with Mr. Drummond on the fubject, and told him he had fuch a " fecurity, but was under promise not to negociate it; therefore if he did, must put it into Mr. Drummond's hands in confidential privacy." To which Mr. Drummond fhould fay, he faw the propriety of Mr. Perreau's delicacy; commended him for it, as being a refpect due to Mr. Adair's name; adding, when he (Mr. Drummond) received the bond, he would take it home to his own dwelling house and lock it up, until Mr. Perreau came himself to take it away; and Mr. Adair, nor no perfon whatever fhould ever hear of it." He enforced his requeft to me, with repeated folemn affeverations, no fraud was meant by this tranfaction, and that, he would take the bond up in May: but, every thing valuable in life, to him depended on his getting cash by fuch a day. I utterly rejected having any concern with fuch an affair, affured him, I would do any thing elfe in my power to ferve him. I offered my jewels, and even gave him leave to fell them, if doing fo would accommodate him. To this he objected, becaufe, it was not poffible he faid, to difpofe of them in time for his neceffity; conjured me to confider of the matter, and, fuffer him to leave the letter and bond with me; I affented to this, and faid, I would talk to his brother on the fubje&t. When he came home, I accordingly did; he alfo wifhed me to comply with Robert's request, represented the perfect fafety of my doing fo, and the unquestionable honefty of his brother's intentions, spoke in general terms of the immenfe confequence it was to him to get this bulinefs accomplished, and flightly hinted it was even interefting to himself.” "I expreffed myself with great warmth, and energy against it, at the fame time, affuring Daniel, I would part with life itself to fave their credit and happiness, were that honourably required; but what they defired, wore fo much the face of difhonesty, that, though I was from my foul perfuaded it was in no respect intended fo, yet, I could not, would not affift, nor have any thing to do with it; the unaffacted tears and emotion with which I delivered the fpeech, feemed then to convince Daniel both of the propriety and fincerity of my abhorrence and difapprobation difapprobation of the affair; fo much in deed, that he not only defifted from preffing it, but, with infinite tenderness, endeavoured to diffipate my chagrin, kindly faying, my dear Caroline, the fuperior rectitude of your heart, and the exquifite fenfibility of your Nature, leads you to refine and feel too much on this matter-let us drop the fubject." "Robert every day refumed his intrea ties for me to fign the bond; I as conftantly refufed, referring him to his brother for a full explanation of my fentiments, which I declined out of delicacy giving him myfelf, because they were fuch as feemed a reproach to him." "I prefume Robert's private converfation with Daniel inflamed the latter's mind, and influenced him contrary to his own better reafon, and apparent way of thinking, when we first difcuffed this point; for he now began to prefs it much, and with a degree of ill temper at my objecting." "When alone, and retired for the night, Mr. Perreau afked for the letter and bond; the abrupt manner he spoke in, and feeing an ink fland lay on the commode before him, I conjectured he meant to fign it himself, and was going to pray him not; when he demanded to know if I would then do it? obferving, "There was no time for delays, and it pofitively must be done for the money to be received next day, otherwife a tranfaction would tranfpire which muft hang his brother, and endanger his own life;' and repeatedly declared and affured me that no fraud was intended. Notwithftanding this, I fiill refufed, and befeeched him not to ask me what no confideration fhould make me confent to." "Added to this, I was exceedingly irritated by the infolent abuse I received in the morning, and therefore made him fome very paffionate reproaches, which probably provoked, and in an involuntary gult of paflion, hurried him to act "On Monday the 6th of March, while with violence; for then quite enraged, at breakfast in his dreffing room, he fire- he infifted I fhould fign the bond inftantnuoufly urged me to fign the bond then, ly. "NO, 1 pofitively won't." He as the next day was that which, he faid, now loll all patience; faid he might as Robert engaged to be with Mr. Drum- well be hanged for one thing as another, mond: I perfifted in refufing, very high and unless I wrote the name that moment, words arofe, and he fwore if I did not he fwore he would cut my throat, taking do it, he would break my arm, curfed a knife from his pocket at the fame inme, and, in his paflion, threw a fhire at flant, and holding it at me as if he realme which he happened to have in his ly meant to execute his threats. Thus hand. I was now equally incenfed, rung forced, and under the actual apprehenthe bell with violence, and declared Ition of lofing my life if I did not comwould expofe him and the affair to the whole houfe; but, on the footman's coming to the door, he rushed past him; faying, "It's your mifirefs wants you," and directly he went out. We had company to dinner and cards. Mr. Perreau and I did not meet again till our visitors came, which prevented any private conversation." In confequence of the morning fcene I was indifpofed the whole day, agitated, and incapable of paying a proper attention to my company, to excufe which I feigned a head-ach and pain in my face (I had a flight fore throat.) In the evening I conveyed Robert into the back drawing room, under pretence of looking at my throat, but in fact, to reafon with him relative to the bond, and his brother's conduct to me: the latter he inveighed againft, and appeared much hurt at, but conjured me, in the moft folemn terms, to oblige him, and begged I would talk the thing once more over with Daniel that night, and he would breakfaft with us next morning. I replied, nothing thould prevail on me to fign it, therefore not to entertain any hopes from that." ply, i wrote the name, William Adair, to the bond, copying it from the letter Robert left with me for that purpofe; and I remember I drew the pen a second time over part of it, to amend and make it more like the original than I had firit wrote it." "When this dreadful business was finished, I threw myself in an agony on the bed, where I lay the whole night in my cloaths. Torn with conflicting paffions, there appeared to me no alternative but alfo to destroy the bond and renounce Mr. Perreau for ever, or to return it to Robert, and let it take its courfe; to embrace the first was tearing afunder every tender, engaging tie of wife and mother, attended with lofs of reputation, and every thing defirable in life. The feeling reader will conceive what anguifh the very thought of this muft cott; and furely allow, that to rejet, or rather to be unable to refolve upon it, was a moft natural confequence ; and will, I hope, exempt me from even a fuppofition that I gave way to the other from any defect of heart or want of prin ciple. ciple. Poffibly had I poffeffed lefs fentiment, I should have acted with (what on this fatal affair is termed) more rectitude." "I do not by this ingenuous recital of the motives which biaffed me, prefume to excufe my error; I only entreat they may be admitted an extenuation of it." Unable, from the extreme wretchedness of my mind, to fleep, or get any fort of repofe, rofe earlier than ufual next morning Robert came to break fait, and before I had time to relate to him the particulars of the past night, Daniel joined us. The bond and the letter lay on the table; he took them up, looked at them as if to compare the writing, and faid to Robert, "I think it will do, I fuppofe you'll be with Mr. Drummond this forenoon." He answered, yes, and foon after went away. The bond then had no name to it but William Adair; witneffing it was never propofed to me, nor even mentioned in my hearing; nor do I know any thing whatever of, or relative to its being witneffed." After this the gives fome account of her proceeding, when before Mr. Adair, which have been feen in the trials; and goes on with a narrative how she was de-, ceived by the Perreaus and Mr. Dagge, their attorney, till she was carried before the fitting justices. This account, if true, fhows they were determined to facrifice her to their own safety, but were themselves caught in the fnare, they fpread for another. On this occafion fhe fpeaks in the following very pathetic manner: "Should I have believed, that the man who was in every moral fenfe, and, except the mere ceremony, in every divine fenfe, my husband, would have combined and aided in fo unnatural, fo horrid a scheme! The father of my three inoffending, lovely infants, whofe helplefs innocence alone ought to have. engaged him, for their fakes, to have held their mother's life, character, and property facred; that in her maternal care and tender affection they might have a prote&or, guide, and juppert, in life; bleffings which his cruel injuftice (and the united wrongs of OTHERS) has torn from them; and, with their unfortunate wretched mother, they are deprived of every profpect of happiness, "Plunged into indigence, difgrace, and irreparable misfortune, my childrens' deftitute ftate is by far my greateft mifery; what rends my foul with agonizing for row, and what alone gives me one with for life. I am now their only parent, their fole hope and dependance. At werft, I may always afford them fome little affistance, some maternal comfortbut for this tie; but for their fakes, circumftanced as I am, with the lofs of every thing else defirable and dear in this world, Death would be a blessing. Sorrows like mine can only ceafe with exiftence: nor, after the unjuft injuries I have experienced, is there any place but the grave in which I can hope to reft fecure from the perfecutions of malice and finister wickedness." This, with her declaration how the was admitted an evidence; her reflections on her unhappy fituation; and her folemn declaration of her innocence, compleat her long narrative; of which we have given a fuccinct account, and shall forbear any farther remarks till her trial may give fome new light on this dark affair; only obferving, that she still afferts the rank of her family from which the fprung. Her words are "The daughter of a man of family, nobly descended and as nobly allied as I am, could be no degrading alliance to any family; to fo private a one as theirs it certainly was a very great honour." What her real origin is, is well known to many of our readers, efpecially to thofe who remember her father, Mr. Youngston, furgeon and apothecary, of Lurgan, or have read the genuine account in our laft. Letters from Yorick to Eliza. (Continued from p. 416, and concluded.) LETTER VIII. I My dear Eliza, Think you could act no otherwife than you did with your young foldier; there was no fhutting the door against him, either in politenefs or humanity Thou telleft me he seems fufceptible of tender impreffions, and that before Mifs Lt has failed a fortnight he will be in love with her Now I think it a thousand times more likely, that he attaches himself to thee, Eliza, because thou art a thousand times more amiable Five months with Eliza, and in the fame room, and an amorous fon of Mars befides," It no can be Maffer." The fun if he could avoid it, would not fhine upon a dunghill; but his rays are fo pure, Eliza, and celeftial, I never heard they were polluted by it-Juli fuch will thine be, my deareft child, in this and every fuch fituation as you will be expofed to, till thou art fixed for life. But, thy difcretion, thy wifdom, thy honour, honour, the spirit of thy Yorick, and thy own spirit which is equal to it, will be thy abieft counfellors Surely by this time, fomething is doing towards thy accommodation--but why may not clean wathing and rubbing do, inflead of painting your cabbin as it is to be hung-Paint is to pernicious both to your nerves and lungs, and will keep you fo much longer too out of poffeffion of your apartments, where I hope you will pafs fome of your happieft hours I fear the belt of your fhipmates are only genteel by comparison with the contraited crew with which thou mufi behold them;-fo was you know who, from the fame fallacy that was put upon the judgment, when but I will not mortify you if they are decent and difiant, it is hough, and as much as is to be expect ed; if any of them are more, I rejoiceThou wilt want every aid, and 'tis thy due to have them Be cautious only, my dear, of intimacies;-good hearts are open, and fall naturally into them-Heaven infpire thine with fortitude, in this and every other deadly trial. Beit of God's works! farewel-love me, I beseech thee, and remember for ever I am, my Eliza, and ever will be, in the most comprehenfive fenfe, Thy friend, YORICK. P. S. Probably you will have an opportunity of writing to me by fome Dutch or French fhip, or from the Cape de Verd Iflands-'twill reach me fome how I LETTER IX. repugnance to your living in England arifes only from the dread which has entered his brain, that thou mayeft run him in debt, beyond thy appointments, and that he muft difcharge them- That fuch a creature thould be facri feed for the paltry confideration of a few hundreds, is too, too hard! Oh my child, that I could with propriety indemnify him for every charge, even to the laft mite that thou haft been of to him with joy would I give him my whole fubfiftence! nay, fequefter my living, and truft to the treasures Heaven has furnished my head with, for a future fubfiftence You owe much I allow,to your husband; you owe fomething to appearances and the opinions of the world; but trust me, my dear, you owe much likewife to yourfe!f; return therefore from Deal if you continue ill: I will prescribe for you gratis-you are not the first woman by, many, I have done fo for with fuccefs I will fend for my wife and daughter, and they fhall carry you, in pursuit of health to Montpelier, the wells of Bancoin, the Spa, or whither thou wilt; thou fhalt direct them, and make parties of pleasure in what corner of the world fancy points out to you We fhall fifh upon the banks of Arno, and lofe ourselves in the fweet labyrinth of its vallies; and then thou thould'st warble to us, as I have once or twice heard thee.-"I'm loft, I'm loft;" but we would find thee again, my Eliza Of a fimilar nature to this was your phyfician's prescription: Ufe gentle exercife, the pure fouthern air of France or milder Naples with the fociety of friendly gentle beings." Senfible man! he certainly entered into your feelings; he knew the fallacy of medicine to a creature whofe illness has arifen from the affliction of her mind. With to God, Eliza, it was poffible to poftpone the voyage to India for another year; for I am firmly perfuaded within my own heart, that thy husband could never limit thee with regard to timeI fear that Mr. B-, has exaggera-Time only, my dear, I fear you must ted matters-I like not his countenance; it is abfolutely killing ;-fhould evil befal thee, what will he not have to anfwer for: I know not the being that will be deferving of fo much pity, or that I fall hate more; he will be an outcaft alien; in which cafe I will be a father to thy children, my good girl; therefore take no thought about them But Eliza, if thou art fo very ill, ftill put off all thoughts of returning to India this year-write to your husband-tell him the truth of your cafe-If he is the generous humane man you defcribe him to be, he cannot but applaud your conduct.—I am credibly informed, that his truft to, and have your reliance on; may it give you the health fo enthusiastic a votary to the charming goddess deferves. I honour you, Eliza, for keeping secret fome things, which if explained, had been a panegyric on yourself There is a dignity in venerable affliction which will not allow it to appeal to the world for pity or redrefs.-Well have you fupported that character, my amiable philofophic friend! and indeed, I begin to think you have as many virtues as my uncle Toby's widow I don't mean to infinuate, huffey, that my opinion is no better founded than his was of Mrs. Wadman's; nor do I believe |
