business. His hopes were that his daughters would not only be the companions to each other during their apprenticeship, but that they would commence business together; and that as they had some very near relations in the fashionable world, they would make a flourishing fortune in a short time.
'As it would be tedious and melancholy to repeat the preparations, and separation of a fond father and his darling children, we shall pass over that series, and set the sisters down in Jermyn Street, at the house of Mrs. Tiffany, where one hundred and twenty guineas were paid as apprentice fees, and where the friend attended to see the indentures duly executed.
'The correspondence between Mr. Firman and his two daughters was for some time regular and reciprocally affectionate; but by degrees both punctuality and tenderness upon the part of the latter declined; they were so hurried with business, they were indisposed, or they were in the dull season of the year, upon visits to Mrs. Tiffany's friends in the country, in short, filial duty soon fell off entirely, and the poor old man at length wrote until he was tired to no purpose; they never corresponded but when they drew upon him for money to purchase fine clothes, and that they did oftener than his circumstances conveniently admitted of.
'It now became the time when the son was to leave Devonshire in pursuit of his professional studies. He was articled to a very eminent attorney in Gray's Inn, and had letters of recommendation to several persons highly respected in the law.
'Being settled, his first business was a visit to his sisters; the good lady received him with much kindness, but the Miss Firmans being a little way out of town, and not expected for some days, he was invited to call again. He particularly noticed three young ladies in the house, highly dressed out and painted, more like toy-shop dolls than as females connected with the humble and respectable occupation of business.
'Firman, though but nineteen years of age, and only just come from the most retired part of Devonshire, then formed conclusions not very favourable to them; and from the appearance of the place entertained very strong forebodings of his sisters' safety.
'Young Firman took his leave very much dissatisfied, but concealing his suspicions promised to return in a few days, and expressed a hope that by that time his sisters would be arrived from the country.
'Among other letters it happened that young Firman had one recommending him strongly to the son of a west country baronet, who, to qualify him for the bar, or perhaps the bench at Westminster Hall, was studying Paphian theology in Lincoln's Inn. He lost no time in delivering his packet, and as he was a very comely youth, and had a fashionable appearance, though innocent, young Mr. Thornback, the student, thought he would not disgrace him; that his ignorance would afford him subjects of merriment; and, in short, condescended to ask him on the next day, which was Sunday, to accompany him in his curricle to Windsor.
'On the road they became more intimate, and young Thornback opened to him the intention of his journey, which was to see a damned fine girl that he had in keeping in the neighbourhood, who unluckily he had got with child, and expected every moment would lie-in. Young Firman was too much of a greenhorn to relish this sort of visit, and Thornback observing him rather grave tried to cheer him by assuring him that his favourite had a sister, another damned fine girl, with whom he should sleep if he pleased that night, as she was then upon a visit at his lodgings.
'This did not, however, dispel the gloom of young Firman.
A thousand thoughts of home, and of the new scenes into which he was entering made him appear more and more embarrassed; and they stopped at the gate-way of a very handsome house in the outskirts of Windsor, before he could recover himself sufficiently to make any coherent reply.
'They had no sooner alighted than a female servant, with a melancholy way-worn face, informed the Squire that her mistress was brought to bed with a fine boy, but added, with a flood of tears, that its mother was no more! Thornback, though a full-trained town buck of little feeling, was greatly shocked at the information, and a tear was seen to steal down his cheek, and on entering the parlour he threw himself in an ecstasy of grief on the sofa. At that moment the ears of the young Firman were assailed, and his soul rent with loud lamentations proceeding from a female voice to which he had been somewhat accustomed. 'Where is he? Where is he?' repeated the now well- known tongue. The door burst open, and the then only surviving daughter of the unhappy Firman, with hands extended, dishevelled hair, and distracted features, threw herself upon the neck of young Thornback.
'Surprise, shame, grief, and distraction, all uniting in the soul of the wretched brother, his emotions became too strong for his nature, and he sunk senseless on the carpet. The maid servants, who were the only persons in possession of themselves, assisted to raise him in a chair, and the noise and confusion occasioned by his situation in a few moments roused the sister — her transition was from grief to agony — from agony to despair — upon beholding in the person of a supposed stranger, whom she had not before noticed, that of a beloved — and as she thought dying — brother!
'From that moment she became insensible to everything around her — she became positively mad — and nothing but cords prevented her from putting an end to her existence.
'A few words regarding Mrs. Tiffany. She had been seduced at an early age by the assistance of a French milliner.
After several changes she was kept by a West India merchant, from whom she obtained sufficient to take the house in Jermyn Street, affected the business of a milliner, that she might the more unsuspectedly carry on that of bawd and seducer.
'The two lovely Firmans were but six months in her house, and not quite sixteen years old when they were prostituted — one to a sharper and gambler for two hundred pounds, and the other for five hundred pounds to an old debilitated viscount.'
(Continued on page 198)
A PARLOUR SCENE
— Time, 11 p.m.
No, sir, you must not — let me go!
I will not kiss — no! Please sir, no!
The window, too — ah! there's a screen -
What should I do if we were seen?
Keep your hand down. Oh! No, sir — no!
What nonsense sir, to tease me so.
I will not suffer you to see -
You're very rude. Ah! — Oh dear me!
Your finger hurts — take it away!
No, don't — what would my mother say
If she could see you thus employed?
My habit shirt you have destroyed -
Unpin it? There! you mustn't! Oh!
Don't press and pinch my bubbies so!
I'll raise the servants with my cries -
No, no, I won't. What? part my thighs?
I dare not, sir, I am a maid -
Oh, murder! Do not be afraid;
There's no one in. What did I say?
Don't, love! Oh, don't! You go away.
What means this finger downward pressing?
This toying, kissing, and caressing?
I cannot tell — I'd like to know -
O! go away! No, don't! Ah, no!
Take your hand down, let that suffice -
No, don't! That's it! My God, how nice!
My dress put down! Oh, fie for shame;
