mouth. And when it spread so fast that gentlemen and persons of quality, the judicious and sceptical part of the world, flocked in upon her, it at last became such a task that she was forced to go out of the way, for they were in general extremely satisfied of the truth of the thing, and plainly saw that Mrs Bargrave was no hypochondriac; for she always appears with such a chearful air, and pleasing mein, that she has gained the favour and esteem of all the gentry: And it is thought a great favour if they can get the relation from her own mouth. I should have told you before that Mrs Veal. told Mrs Bargrave that her sister and brother in law were just come down from London to see her. Says Mrs Bargrave, how came you to order matters so strangely! It could not be helped said Mrs Veal And her brother and sister did come to see her, and entered the town of Dover just as Mrs Veal was expiring. Mrs Bargrave asked her, whether she would drink some tea. Says Mrs Veal I do not care if I do, but I'll warrant you this mad fellow (meaning Mrs. Bargrave's husband) has broke all your trinkets. But. says Mrs Bargrave I'll get something to drink in for, all that, but Mrs Veal waved it and said it is no matter let it alone, and so it passed.

All the time I sat with Mrs Bargrave which was some hours, she recollected fresh sayings of Mrs Veal. And one material thing more she told Mis Bargrave, that old Mr Breton allowed Mrs Veal ten pounds a year, which

was

was a secret and unknown to Mrs Bargrave till Mrs. Veal told it her.

Mrs. Bargrave never varies in her story; which puzzles those who doubt the truth or are unwilling to believe it. A servant in the neighbours yard adjoining to Mrs Bargraves house, heard her talking to somebody an hour of the time Mrs Veal was with her. Mrs Bargrave went out to her next neighbours the very moment she parted with Mrs Veal, and told her what ravishing conversation she had had with an old friend, and told the whole of it. Drelincourt's book of Death is, since this happened, bought up strangely. And it it is to be observed, that notwithstanding all the trouble and fatigue Mrs. Bargrave has uudergone upon this account, she never took the value of a farthing, nor suffered her daughter to take any thing of any body, and therefore can have no interest in telling the story.

But Mr. Veal does what he can to stifle the matter, and said, he would see Mrs. Bargrave; but yet it is certain matter of fact, that he has been at captain Watson's since the death of his sister, and yet never went near Mis, Bargrave; and some of his friends report her to be a liar, and that she knew of Mr. Breton's ten pounds a year. But the person who pretends to say so, has the reputation of a notorious liar, among persons whom I know to be of undoubted credit. Now Mr. Veal is more of a gentleman than to say she lies;

but

but says a bad husband has crazed her. But she need only present herself, and it will effectually confute that pretence. Mr. Veal says, he asked his sister on her death bed, whether she had a mind to dispose of any thing; and she said, No. Now, the things which Mrs. Veals apparition would have disposed of, were so trifling, and nothing of justice aimed at in their disposal, that the design of it appears to me to be only in order to make Mrs. Bargrave to demonstrate the truth of her appearance, so as to satisfy the world of the reality thereof, as to what she had seen and heard, and to secure her reputation among the reasonable and understanding part of mankind. And then again, Mr. Veal owns that there was a purse of gold; but it was not found in her cabinet, but in a comb box. This looks improbable; for that Mrs Watson owned, that Mrs. Veal was so very careful of the key of the cabinet that she would trust nobody with it. And if so, no doubt she would not trust her gold out of it. And Mrs. Veal often drawing her hands over her eyes, and asking Mrs. Bargrave, if her fits had not impaired her, looks to me as if she did it on purpose to remind Mrs. Bargrave of her fits, to prepare her not to think it strange, that she should put her upon writing to her brother, to dispose of rings and gold, which looks so much like a dying person's request; and it took accordingly with Mrs. Bargrave, as the effects of her fits coming upon her; and was one of the many instances

of

¢

of her wonderful love to her, and care of her, that she should not be affrighted; which indeed appears in her whole management, particularly in her coming to her in the day time, waving the salutation, and when she was alone; and then the manner of her parting, to prevent a second attempt to salute her.

Now, why Mr. Veal should think this relation a reflection (as its plain he does, by his endeavouring to stifle it), I cannot imagine; because the generality believe her to be a good spirit, her discourse was so heavenly. Her two great errands were to comfort Mrs. Bargrave in her affliction, and to ask her forgiveness for the breach of friendship, and with a pious discourse to encourage her. So that, after all, to suppose that Mrs. Bargrave could hatch such an invention as this from Friday noon to Saturday noon (supposing she knew of Mrs Veal's death the very first moment) without jumbling circumstances, and without any interest too; she must be more witty, fortu nate, and wicked too, than any in different person, I dare say will allow. I asked Mrs. Bargrave several times, if she was sure she felt the gown: she answered modestly, "If my senses be to be relied on, I am sure "of it." I asked her, if she heard a sound when she clapped her hand upon her knee: she said she did not remember she did; but said she appeared to be as much a substance as I did who talked with her. "And I may" said she," be as soon persuaded that your apparition is talking to me now, as that I did not really

"see her: For I was under no manner of fear, and "received her as a friend, and parted with her as such. "I would not" says she, "give one farthing to make 66 any one believe it: I have no interest in it; nothing "but trouble is entailed upon me for a long time, for "ought I know; and had it not come to light by ac"cident, it would never have been made public." But now, she says, she will make her own private use of it, and keep herself out of the way as much as she can; and so she has done since. She says, "She

"had a gentleman who came thirty mites to her

"to hear the relation; and that she had told it to

a room full of people at a time." Several particular gentlemen have had the story from Mrs. Bargrave's own mouth.

This thing has very much affected me, and I am as well satisfied as I am of the best grounded matter of fact. And why we should dispute matter of fact, be cause we cannot solve things of which we have no certain or demonstrative notions, seems strange to nie. Mis. Bargrave's authority and sincerity alone would have been undoubted in any other case.