n, taking the alarm,
she wrote to my father an account of my heresy, and conjured him, as
he tendered the good of my soul, to remove me immediately from
the dangerous place where I had contracted such sinful principles.
Accordingly, my father ordered me into the country, where I arrived in
the fifteenth year of my age, and, by his command gave him a detail of
all the articles of my faith, which he did not find so unreasonable
as they had been represented. Finding myself suddenly deprived of the
company and pleasures of the town, I grew melancholy and it was some
time before I could relish my situation. But solitude became every day
more and more familiar to me and I consoled myself in my retreat with
the enjoyment of a good library, at such times as were not employed in
the management of the family (for my mother had been dead three years),
in visiting, or some other party of rural diversion. Having more
imagination than judgment, I addicted myself too much to poetry and
romance; and, in short, was looked upon as a very extraordinary person
by everybody in the country where I resided.

'I had one evening strayed, with a book in my hand, into a wood that
bordered on the high road, at a little distance from my father's house,
when a certain drunken squire, riding by, perceived me, and crying,
"Holloa, there's a charming creature!" alighted in a moment, caught
me in his arms, and treated me so rudely that I shrieked as loud as I
could, and in the meantime opposed his violence with all the strength
that rage and resentment could inspire. During this struggle, another
horseman came up, who, seeing a lady so unworthily used, dismounted, and
flew to my assistance. The squire, mad with disappointment, or provoked
with the reproaches of the other gentleman, quitted me, and running to
his horse, drew a pistol from the saddle, and fired it at my protector,
who happily receiving no damage, went up, and, with the butt-end of his
whip laid him prostrate on the ground before he could use the other,
which his antagonist immediately seized, and, clapping to the squire's
breast, threatened to put him to death for his cowardice and treachery.
In this dilemma I interposed and begged his life, which was granted to
my request, after he had asked pardon, and swore his intention was only
to obtain a kiss. However, my defender thought proper to unload the
other pistol, and throw away the flints, before he gave him his liberty.
This courteous st