Magdalen Hospital, 1763.
            You would perceive, my dear madam, at the conclusion of my last letter, that I was reduced to the manifest danger of starving; I would have attempted the most laborious work, but no one would try me, as to what I am afraid I should have acquitted myself but ill in, though I offered my labour at half price, but even my industry was made an argument against me; I must, said they, be very bad to be reduced to that, and they supposed I intended to steal the other part of my wages.

            In this deplorable condition, I determined to apply to my sister. I did not now live in actual sin, and therefore could do it with the more courage, by enquiring at the milliner's where I had seen her, I learnt her abode and thither I went. Variety of misfortunes had altered me extremely; my sister was in her shop, and rejoiced to see me, hoping by my venturing to her again, that I had reformed my conduct; but my changed countenance shocked her, and rendered her reception of me more melancholy, but not less kind. Before we had time to interchange many words, her husband came in, who guessing at me by the description she had given him, very abruptly told me, I was not fit company for his wife, and desired I would not frequent his house, for all the ties of kindred were broken by my infamous way of life!

            My spirits were lowered by distress, and I may say by hunger, for I had tasted nothing for above twenty-four hours; this cruel reproach, so ill-timed, struck me to the heart; I was not able to make any answer; but to avoid increasing his anger, which seemed falling on his wife, for having received me, I withdrew almost drowned in tears, and scarcely able to support the weight of my afflicted body.

            A good woman passing by me, as I was dragging myself along, and sobbing as if my heart would break, being moved at my distress, put her hand into her pocket and pulling out a shilling, asked me, if that would do me any good. It is easy to be imagined that I received it with joy and gratitude: in my distressed condition a less sum would have been a great relief: she seemed happy in the good she had done, and said, she wished she had more for me; I blessed her for what she had given me, and we parted.

            I stopped in my way to buy some food for myself and child, with this timely supply, and was there overtaken by a young woman, who told me she belonged to my sister, who having given her a wink after I went out of the shop, she guessed it was designed as a command to find out where I lived, and therefore had followed me.

            I soon satisfied her curiosity, and then inquired into the temper of my brother-in-law, which alarmed me for my sister's happiness; she told me she had never seen him so out of humour before, that it was easy to see he was of a very jealous disposition, but her mistress's conduct was so extremely prudent, that he had never had an opportunity of taking offence, and the entire confidence he had in her, and his sincere affection for her, got the better of a warmth natural to him; so that by the excellence of her behaviour, and the sweetness of her disposition, no married people lived more happily together; and she attributed his treatment of me to a sort of jealousy, which made him dislike my having any intercourse with his wife, as he imagined me not so prudent.

            I could not from my heart blame him, but said I hoped my future conduct would plead my excuse; and expressed the fears I really felt, lest my going there should occasion any uneasiness between him and my sister, or make her unhappy by awakening her affection for me.

            "Oh Madam," said the young woman, "it will admit of no awakening; for my mistress is continually talking of you, and weeping over your remembrance whenever my master is not present; for he does not like to hear her mention you. Some time ago shne sent me into the street where you did live, to inquire after you, but the account I received was such as increased her affliction!"

            "What was told you", said I.

            "I do not know how to answer you," replied she, "but I was informed you was gone to a bad house."

            "I was indeed," said I, "but not knowingly: however blameable I have been there, I am sure I deserved compassion; and whoever knows all I have suffered, if they are not strangers to pity, will forgive me my faults, in consideration of the punishment they have brought with them."

            The good-natured girl could not forbear joining her tears with mine; and perhaps curiosity would have detained her longer could she have hoped to have learnt any farther particulars; but she must see I was not in a condition to talk much, and I was in haste to return to my child, and carry him home some food; though he stood not in the same need as myself, for having a little bread left, I had given it him that morning, and that sufficed for a tolerable meal.

            The same young woman came to my lodgings the next day; though it was a wretched hole, it pleased her by its cleanliness; my poor little boy she admired extremely, but I could not help feeling distressed at having reason to be ashamed of a child of which so many great families would be vain; but his charms could not wipe off the infamy of his birth; an infamy, which in justice belongs only to the parents.

            As soon as we were seated, she delivered me a letter from my sister, wherein she acquainted me, that she could no longer find any comfort in plenty, since she might not impart it to me. That as all her stock in trade belonged to her husband, she could not without being guilty of a criminal injustice, attempt to appropriate to herself, anything out of what she sold: and that as her expenses had always, by choice, been very small, it was but little she should be able to assist me with at present, as her husband would be watchful; but that she hoped in a month or two, he might have me less in his thoughts and then she should find the means of supplying me, more suitably to her own inclinations.

            This was mixed with expressions infinitely kind, and very valuable as coming from the sincerest of hearts. She had, I found, never been used to ask him for any money; when she bought anything, the bill was brought to him and he paid it, and would have done so with pleasure, if it had been a much greater sum. If she had had any immediate call, she took it out of the produce of the shop, and in settling the account, told him what it was for. There was such entire harmony between them, that this became her custom as the easiest way; but now she regretted it extremely, and yet knew not how to break through it.

            I saw her difficulty plainly; it was insurmountable, and I had nothing left me, but to entreat her to run no hazards for me, for that nothing could recompense me for causing the least uneasiness between her and her husband.

            She desired me not to write, lest the letter should fall into his hands, and told me she should venture at nothing more than a verbal message, till she had brought him into a better disposition towards me: so in compliance with her request, my answer was only by word of mouth.

            Few questions was requisite to inform my sister's messenger of my great poverty, so she remained not long with me.

            From time to time she visited me, bringing such little relief as my sister could secretly bestow, but what scarcely sufficed to pay for my lodging. However this was a great consolation to me, for little as the expense might sound, it was a heavy burden on me, who neither had anything, nor the means of gaining it, and my landlady's provident spirit, made her require a week's pay in hand, not choosing to give any a credit; nor could I blame the woman; for where they are forced to let their rooms to such indigent persons as I was, if they were not to be rigidly exact, they would seldom receive any rent.

            My sister's situation being now added to the other impediments which prevented me from obtaining any support, I was reduced below hope: willing and able to work, and yet to starve for want of employment, seemed a hard fate: but it touched no heart but my own. In this extremity, the humanity shown me by a. stranger in the street, determined me to try if casual charity would afford me any relief: and in the bitterness of my soul, I set out with my child, to ask the charitable benefactions of passengers.

            But here my success was small, I found that beggars had a society among themselves, that the town was divided into so many shares, and to everyone was appointed their particular district, from whence they drove every interloper, by means too formidable for me to contend with, who feared almost equally, their oaths, and their more forcible methods. Thus I had no places left me but such as were so little frequented, they were not thought worth their notice: like the first planters in a colony, they divided amongst themselves all but the barren lands.

            Among the few who passed, where I durst attempt to beg, I seldom obtained anything but reproaches for my idleness, in begging at an age when I was so capable of working. It was to no purpose that I told them I desired nothing so much as work, and entreated them to try me, by giving me any employment. They would answer that they saw I was newly entered upon that trade, and it would be a shame to encourage me in it, as then I should never leave it off.

            Sometimes I should be so fortunate as to obtain a few halfpence from people whose compassion got the better of their reason, and who durst not give me an absolute refusal, for fear I was indeed as near starving as I said I was: but these small and uncertain benefactions, would not preserve two persons alive, though used in the most sparing manner. Sometimes for two or three days I should not procure a farthing.

            One time when I was thus reduced to the last extremity, myself almost starved, and my child in the same condition, and piercing my heart with his cries, as the last effort I dressed myself neatly, and went out to try if I should have any better success, as a higher degree of beggar, and left my poor boy with an old woman in the same house, who used to take care of him in my absence, though she was too poor to relieve his necessities.

            I attacked many of my own sex, who told me they never gave to begging gentlewomen; I then addressed myself to the other, and received a refusal from the first; the second told me if I would go with him to the next tavern, I should be satisfied with his generosity. I answered him that he mistook my purpose; the smallest alms would content me, but that I could not leave that street: this occasioned some altercation; each kept to their resolution till at last he produced five shillings to my view, to strengthen his arguments: a sum then in my estimation so considerable, at length prevailed.

            I returned home to my famished child, as soon as possible, carrying food with me, that I might receive some reward for money so ill gotten; and I confess my recompense was great in seeing the dear babe almost at the gates of death, revive as he eat, and the smiles of joy, by degrees take place of the anguish which the pains of hunger had imprinted on his lovely face.

            To you ye ungenerous of my own sex, let me appeal, and let me tell you there are many unfortunate females in this very predicament, who are daily and nightly under the dire necessity of prostitution, for the sake of bare support; and who would gladly be encouraged to embrace any situation, rather than continue in that which they have unfortunately been brought into by the same arts, which had they been used to many of you of the most rigid cast of mind, would have proved successful.

            Would such, my dear madam, copy your benevolent commiseration for their own sex, what numbers might be reclaimed, and what numbers rescued from inevitable prostitution. Would to God, that the delicacy of your mind, would condescend to make the benevolence of your daily transactions, a public pattern for our sex, who have less feeling, and consequently less humanity.

            I have the honour to be, Madam,
            Ever your grateful servant,
            M. S.

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