te of blooming Youth taken place of that of prattling
Infancy, than she became the Object of publick Admiration, and Lovers of
all Degrees with Emulation strove to gain the fair _Emma's_ Favour; but
as yet her Heart was free, and her Father's paternal tender Indulgence
never once endeavoured to force her Choice. At last the happy _Henry_ in
various Disguises found the means to obtain her Favour, and she becomes
passionately in Love with him: But not content with this, he resolves on
a Trial of her Constancy, and therefore tells her, that he is a
Murderer, must fly from Justice, and herd amongst the lowest and basest
of Mankind; that he despised her, and the fond Heart she had given him;
a younger and fairer Nymph now engaging his Pursuit, and that if she
would follow him, she also must herd with Outlaws his Companions, who
like himself were fled from Justice; where Impiety, Blasphemy and
Obscenity would be all the Language she could hear.

_Emma_ on this Trial, ignorant who _Henry_ was, or what Brothel had last
given him up, without one Enquiry whether the Murder he confessed was
not of the blackest Die, remorseless for all the Agonies with which she
must tear her Father's tender Bosom, resolves at all Events, as _Henry_
himself says,

_Name, Habit, Parents, Woman, left behind_.

to follow him through the World; not admitted to share his Fate, but to
be scorned and insulted by him. Thus _victoriously_ she stood her Trial.
_Henry_ turns out a great Man; consequently his Wife is greatly admired;
Success crowns all, and both Grandeur and Love join to reward her
supposed heroic Virtue.

But had the Poet thought proper, that _Henry_ should have turned out the
Murderer, the Vagabond, the insolent and ungrateful Scorner of her Love
he represented himself to be; had her Father's Sorrow for her Fate
shortned his miserable Days; had she been abandoned by the Wretch she
had so much Reason to expect the worst of Treatment from, and, between
Rage, Despair, and a thousand conflicting Passions, been led by a
natural Gradation from one Vice to another, till she had been lost in
the most abandoned Profligacy; instead of being proposed for an Example,
her Name would have been only mentioned to deter others from the like
rash Steps. That this was the natural Consequence of her Actions is very
apparent: Nor do I think from her Behaviour, that _Henry_ had the least
Reason to be convinced that she would not leave him for the first Man