From a young Maiden, abandon’d by her Lover for the sake of a greater Fortune.

Mr. John,

I must take up my Pen and write, tho’ perhaps you will only scoff at me for so doing; but when I have said what I have to say, then I shall have eased my Mind, and will endeavour to forget you for ever. I have had so many Cautions given me against the false Hearts of Men, and was so often told how they will vow and forswear themselves, that I ought to have been on my Guard, that's true: And indeed, so I was a great while: You know it well. But you courted me so long, vowed so earnestly, and seem’d so much in Love with me, that it was first Pity in me, that made me listen to you; and, Oh! this nasty Pity, how soon did it bring——But I won't say Love neither. I thought, if all the young Men in the World besides proved false, yet it was impossible you should. Ah! poor silly Creature that I was, to think, tho’ every body flatter’d me with being sightly enough, I could hold a Heart so sordidly bent on Interest, as I always saw yours to be; but that, thought I, tho’ ‘tis a Meanness I don't like, yet will it be a Security of his making a frugal Husband in an Age so fruitful of Spendthrifts.

But at length it has proved, that you can prefer Polly Bambridge, and leave poor me, only because she has a greater Portion than I have.

I say nothing against Polly. I wish her well. Indeed I do. And I wish you no Harm neither. But as you knew Polly before, why could you not have made to yourself a Merit with her, without going so far with me? What need you have so often begg’d and pray’d, sigh’d and vow’d, (never leaving me, Day nor Night) till you had got me foolishly to believe and pity you? And so, after your Courtship to me was made a Town-talk, then you could leave me to be laugh’d at by every one I slighted for you! Was this just, was this well done, think you?