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.
Just at the foot of a large tree, the extensive boughs of which greatly
contributed to form the arbour, was placed a basket closely covered on
the one side, and partly open on the other to let in the air. Tho' the
sounds which still continued to issue from it left Dorilaus no room to
doubt what it contained; he stooped down to look, and saw two beautiful
babes neatly dressed in swadling cloaths: between them and the pillow
they were laid upon was pinned a paper, which he hastily taking off,
found in it these words.
To the generous DORISLAUS:
'Irresistible destiny abandons these helpless infants
to your care. - They are twins, begot
by the same father, and born of the same mother,
and of a blood not unworthy the protection
they stand in need of; which if you vouchsafe to
afford, they will have no cause to regret the misfortune
of their birth, or accuse the authors of
their being. - Why they seek it of you in particular,
you may possibly be hereafter made sensible. - In
the mean time content yourself with
knowing they are already baptized by the names
of Horatio and Louisa.'
The astonishment he was in at so unexpected a present being made him,
may more easily be imagined than expressed; but he had then no time to
form any conjectures by whom or by what means it was left there: the
children wanted immediate succour, and he hesitated not a moment whether
it would become him to bestow it: he took the basket up himself, and
running as fast as he could with it into the house, called his
maid-servants about him, and commanded them to give these little
strangers what assistance was in their power, while a man was sent among
the tenants in search of nurses proper to attend them. To what person
soever, said he, I am indebted for this confidence, it must not be
abused. - Besides, whatever stands in need of protection, merits
protection from those who have the power to give it.
This was his way of thinking, and in pursuance of these generous
sentiments he always acted. The report of what happened in his house
being soon spread thro' the country, there were not wanting several who
came to offer their service to the children, out of which he selected
two of whom he heard the best character, and were most likely to be
faithful to the trust reposed in them, giving as great a charge, and as
handsome an allowance with them, as could have been expected from a
father. Indeed he doubtless had passed for being so in the opinion of
every body, had he arrived sooner in the kingdom; but the shortness of
the time not permitting any such suggestion, he was looked upon as a
prodigy of charity and goodness.
Having in this handsome manner disposed of his new guests, he began to
examine all his servants, thinking it impossible they should be brought
there without the privity of some one of them; but all his endeavours
could get him no satisfaction in this point. He read the letter over and
over, yet still his curiosity was as far to seek as ever. - The hand he
was entirely unacquainted with, but thought there was something in the
style that showed it wrote by no mean person:
