xpressions; and it is hoped you will find nothing to prompt a vicious
mind, but everywhere much to discourage and expose it.

Scenes of crime can scarce be represented in such a manner but some may
make a criminal use of them; but when vice is painted in its low-prized
colours, it is not to make people in love with it, but to expose it; and
if the reader makes a wrong use of the figures, the wickedness is his
own.

In the meantime, the advantages of the present work are so great, and
the virtuous reader has room for so much improvement, that we make no
question the story, however meanly told, will find a passage to his best
hours, and be read both with profit and delight.

A HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF ROXANA

I was born, as my friends told me, at the city of Poitiers, in the
province or county of Poitou, in France, from whence I was brought to
England by my parents, who fled for their religion about the year 1683,
when the Protestants were banished from France by the cruelty of their
persecutors.

I, who knew little or nothing of what I was brought over hither for, was
well enough pleased with being here. London, a large and gay city, took
with me mighty well, who, from my being a child, loved a crowd, and to
see a great many fine folks.

I retained nothing of France but the language, my father and mother
being people of better fashion than ordinarily the people called
refugees at that time were; and having fled early, while it was easy to
secure their effects, had, before their coming over, remitted
considerable sums of money, or, as I remember, a considerable value in
French brandy, paper, and other goods; and these selling very much to
advantage here, my father was in very good circumstances at his coming
over, so that he was far from applying to the rest of our nation that
were here for countenance and relief. On the contrary, he had his door
continually thronged with miserable objects of the poor starving
creatures who at that time fled hither for shelter on account of
conscience, or something else.

I have indeed heard my father say that he was pestered with a great many
of those who, for any religion they had, might e'en have stayed where
they were, but who flocked over hither in droves, for what they call in
English a livelihood; hearing with what open arms the refugees were
received in England, and how they fell readily into business, being, by
the charitable assistance of the people in London, enco