in 
and Art. 
Literature 
H85 
o 
intide of a ftage-coach, having for his travelling companions Mrs. Day, 
her fuppofed daughter Ruth, and Arabella, a young lady whofe father is 
recently dead, leaving his eitates in the hands of the committee of fequef- 
trations. Ruth is, in truth, a young lady Whofe eitates the Days have, 
under fimilar circumttances, robbed her of, and it is their defign to treat 
Arabella in the fame manner, under difguife of forcing her to marry their 
fon Abel, a vain filly lad. To effect this, as the committee itfelf requires 
fome influencing to engage them in the feltith plans of their chairman, 
Day and his wife forge a letter from the exiled king, complimenting the 
former on his great power and influence and talents as a fiatefman, and 
oliering him great rewards if he will fecretly promote his caufe. Day 
communicates this to the committee under the pretext that it is his duty 
to make them acquainted with all fuch perndious defigns that might come 
to his knowledge, and they, convinced of his honefty and value to them, 
give up Arabella's eltates to the Days, and the falls entirely under their 
power. Meanwhile, on the one hand, Arabella has gained the confidence 
of Ruth, who makes her acquainted with the whole plot againft her and 
her ettates, and on the other, Ruth falls in love with colonel Carelefs, 
and colonel Blunt is iitnitten With the charms of Arabella, and all this 
takes place in the committee room. Various incidents follow, which 
feem not very much to the purpofe, but at laft, as the marriage ot 
Arabella to Abel Day is preifed forward, the two young ladies, although 
as yet they have hardly had an interview with the colonels, refolve to make 
their efcape from the houfe of the chairman of the committee, and Hy to 
their lovers for protection. A {hort abfence from the houfe of Mr. and 
Mrs. Day and their fon together, prelents the detired opportunity, and 
Day having accidentally left his keys behind him, the idea fuggetls itfelf 
to Ruth to open his cabinet, and gain potfetlion of the deeds and papers 
of her own eitates and thofe of Arabella. As the had before this fecretly 
obferved the private drawer in which they were placed, the met with no 
ditliculty in effefting her purpofe, and not only found thefe documents, 
but allb with them the forged letter from the king, and fome letters 
addreffed to Day by young women whom he was fecretly keeping, and 
who demanded money for the fupport of children they had by him, and 
3 D alluded