Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Preface
- Chap. I
- Chap. II
- Chap. III
- Chap. IV
- Chap. V
- Chap. VI
- Chap. VII
- Chap. VIII
- Chap. IX
- Chap. X
- Chap. XI
- Chap. XII
- Chap. XIII
- Chap. XIV
- Chap. XV
- Chap. XVI
- Chap. XVII
- Chap. XVIII
- Chap. XIX
- Chap. XX
- Chap. XXI
- Chap. XXII
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Endnotes
Chap. IX
from The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Preface
- Chap. I
- Chap. II
- Chap. III
- Chap. IV
- Chap. V
- Chap. VI
- Chap. VII
- Chap. VIII
- Chap. IX
- Chap. X
- Chap. XI
- Chap. XII
- Chap. XIII
- Chap. XIV
- Chap. XV
- Chap. XVI
- Chap. XVII
- Chap. XVIII
- Chap. XIX
- Chap. XX
- Chap. XXI
- Chap. XXII
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Endnotes
Summary
Who can all sense of others ills escape,
Is but a brute at best, in human shape.
Tate.Under this pretence, I obtained liberty to live entirely in my own chamber for a whole month, hoping still that some fortunate accident might relieve me; but all in vain: At the end of that time, she assured me she would be fooled no longer, and made me dress myself with more than usual care, in a gown and ornaments which she provided for me; and told me, that she would absolutely bring a gentleman to see me that evening, whose generosity she so much extolled, that I had some hopes I might find him generous indeed; not in lavishing money on a bawd, but in relieving the distressed. I found I had been promised to him, which proved that he paid high; but this was but a poor dependance for my expectations.
This wretched woman kept her word with a diabolical exactness. She introduced the gentleman pretty early in the evening, for expectation had made him come sooner than her visitors usually did: She retired. I was sorry to see how much this man was struck with my appearance; it in a great degree damped my hopes; but despair encouraged me to proceed, and I began to attack his compassion in the strongest manner I could, by uttering all the sentiments of my soul. I kneeled at his feet, used tears and prayers to soften him, and did my utmost to excite his generosity.
At first he seemed to think all this was mere hypocrisy, with a design to raise the value of his conquest; but he soon found I was perfectly sincere, and with joy I perceived him affected. This animated me still more, and I pursued my intreaties till he granted them, and told me he would desire no more of me than that I would inform him how, in such a disposition, I could come into that house.
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- Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014